Savage Asmythe

Savage Worlds is a framework system from Pinnacle Entertainment. It is ideal for a lore heavy, narrative friendly world like Asmythe.

Any references to page numbers refer to the Savage Worlds Adventure Edition core book.

Characters

Savage Worlds character creation is designed to support archetypes, which are idealized character styles popularized by books, movies, and other kinds of fiction. For example, an elven druid with animal companions, a human paladin fighting for great good, a dwarven smith, a book and staff wizard, a tough barbarian, and many many more.

Consider what kind of character you want to play and the information below should help you create that character. At the bottom of this page is a list of sample archetypes and character builds.

Races

Humans Humans are the most common player race and form the baseline for used for other races. They are more sociable and adaptable than other races.

• Adaptable (Lucky): Start with the Novice Edge "Luck", +1 benny at the start of each session.

Elves Elves are slightly smaller than humans and spend most of their lives in natural surroundings. They have a natural tendency toward dream magic.

• Attribute Increase: Agility begins at d6

Dwarves Dwarves are short and stout and spend most of their lives underground. They have access to artifact magic.

• Attribute Increase: Vigor begins at d6
• Low-light vision: They can see clearly in very dim light, but not complete darkness. Ignore penalties for Dim or Dark illumination.
• Reduced Pace: Due to short stature Pace is -1 and running is reduced by one die type.

Other Humans, elves, and dwarves are balanced. All other races have, at most, a +0 total for racial abilities as described on page 18.

• Saurians (lizardfolk)
• Felinians (catfolk)
• Aquarian (seafolk)
• Avian (birdfolk)

Hinderances

You may take up to 4 points in hinderances.

• 2 points can: raise an attribute one die or choose an edge.
• 1 point can: improve a skill one die or gain additional starting funds.

Traits

Traits are rated on the dice scale: 0, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12

Attributes

All begin at d4 and new characters have 5 points to raise attributes, one die type per point with a maximum of d12.

• Agility - Dexterity, coordination, reflexes
• Smarts - Intellect, perception, logic
• Spirit - Willpower, mental fortitude
• Strength - Physical power, muscle strength
• Vigor - Endurance, health, constitution

Skills

Bold skills each have a base value of d4, all others begin at 0 and new characters have 12 points; 1 point will improve a skill one die, up to the linked attribute.

Common Skills

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• Athletics (strength) - Gross motor skills: Climb, Swim, Run, Jump.
• Concentration (spirit) - The ability to maintain mental focus in adversity: Patience, Mental discipline, keeping cool in a stressful situation. This skill is often used to resist some effects or to maintain focus in adverse situations.
• Common Knowledge (smarts) - Local knowledge, local history, local geography, local politics, etc. Anything a typical resident could know.
• Notice (smarts) - The ability to perceive something out of place, somebody sneaking, or otherwise unexpected. Use this skill to recognize that something not-obvious and non-hidden is significant.

Standard Skills

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• Academics (smarts) - Education and book learning: reading, writing, arithmetic.
• Adventuring (smarts) - The accumulated experience of adventuring in strange and dark places. This skill can be used to gauge how dangerous an unknown situation is and provide intuition about the unexplained.
• Battle (smarts) - Tactical and strategic planning for ambushes, large battles, siege warfare, etc.
• Coordination (agility) - Balance and fine motor skills: walking a tight-rope, juggling, legerdemain.
• Deduction (smarts) - Investigation and logical thinking, used to follow a trail of clues or solve puzzles. Use this skill any time the book references "Research".
• Healing (smarts) - Identify ailments, craft and apply healing ointments, set splints, etc.
• Intimidation (smarts) - Using insults, taunts, threats, and aggressive language to coerce another person to do or say something.
• Performance (spirit) - Performing for an audience: acting, singing, dancing, playing an instrument, etc.
• Persuasion (spirit) - The ability to convince others to agree to do or say something willingly through negotiation, politics, or deception.
• Survival (smarts) - The knowledge and practice of wilderness survival: navigation, hunting and gathering, build camps and shelters, predicting weather, etc.
• Stealth (agility) - Move silently, hide, camouflage, and other sneaking stealthy things. This is not a core skill and begins at 0.
• Thievery (agility) - Dishonest work: pickpocketing, lockpicking, appraising, etc.

Knowledge Skills

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Knowledge skills may be selected multiple times, each represents an additional specialized skill.

• Profession (smarts) - Select a professional skill such as cooking, sailing, driving, mercantile, blacksmithing, coopering, cobbling, busking, cartwright, etc. Each professional skill represents the collection of knowledge and activities used to practice that profession.
• Knowledge (smarts) - Extensive knowledge of a specific subject such as empire history, cosmology, a foreign language, geology, geography, botany, etc.

Combat Skills

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• Archery (agility) - Ranged weapons such as bows, crossbows, and bolos. Use this whenever the book references "Shooting".
• Melee, Heavy (agility) - Two-handed weapons.
• Melee, Light (agility) - One-handed weapons.
• Pugilism (agility) - Punching, boxing, wrestling, and improvised weapons. Also martial-arts.

Magic Skills

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Your Supernatural Background determines how your magic works. Your skill determines how you use magic, either casting spells dramatically or creating creating long lasting magical effects.

• Spellcasting (spirit) - The skill of using, identifying, and interpreting magic quickly.
• Rituals (smarts) - Use rituals to create lasting magical effects, brew potions, enchant tools, change the nature of something, etc. This is always a complicated and lengthy process.

Edges

Characters get edges from Hinderance points or from advances.

Equipment

Begin with basic adventure gear and 400s in other gear and currency.

Basic Adventure Gear

• Backpack
• Bedroll: wool blanket wrapped in a waxed cloth tarp
• Casual clothes
• Mess kit: cup, cutlery, field knife
• Tinderbox
• Torches
• Travel boots and cloak
• Travel rations
• Twine
• Water canteen

Normally we don't keep track of expendables: arrows, bolts, shot, torches, rations, etc. But a critical failure or dramatic conditions could indicate that supplies have run out.

Supernatural Traits

Supernatural traits can be either arcane or dream. The page on Magic describes each in great detail.

Backgrounds

Wizardry This is an Arcane Supernatural Background, common to humans. Wizardry is the ability to use the Ilthura language to summon elemental energy. Wizards must have access to their spell book to use a power.

• Starting Powers: 3
• Starting Power Points: 10
• Spellcasting: Create an instant elemental effect. Some spell effects can be maintained.
• Rituals: Create a permanent elemental effect bound to a specific place or object.

Alchemy This is an Arcane Supernatural Background, common to dwarves. Dwarven alchemy is the ability to create magical devices by making pacts with elementals. These devices only work for the dwarf who created them.

• Starting Powers: 2
• Starting Power Points: 15
• Spellcasting: Use and repair a dwarven device.
• Rituals: Create a new dwarven device or create a single use device that can be activated by anybody such as a potion or glowstick.

Alchemy works similar to Weird Science on page 148 and Alchemy on page 24 of the Fantasy Companion.

Miracles This is a Dream Supernatural Background, common to humans. Miracle workers attune themselves to the power of the Elder Dragons and direct it to change a living person or animal.

• Starting Powers: 3
• Starting Power Points: 10
• Spellcasting: Create an instant natural effect in a person or animal. Some spell effects can be maintained.
• Rituals: Create a permanent natural effect bound to a specific person or animal.

Using this kind of dream magic require at least a full minute of concentration/meditation to use a power, even for spellcasting.

Druidic This is a Dream Supernatural Background, common to elves. Druids channel the power of the Elder Dragons to mold and change nature.

• Starting Powers: 3
• Starting Power Points: 10
• Spellcasting: Create an instant natural effect in a plant or animal. Some spell effects can be maintained.
• Rituals: Create a permanent natural effect bound to a specific plant or animal.

Druids using this kind of dream magic must be able to touch and manipulate the subject to use a power on it and druids prefer ritual spells.

Sorcery This Supernatural Background is common to goblinoids. Sorcery is the untrained and undisciplined use of Dream or Arcane magic. Sorcerers don't have the skill or knowledge to create more than a single magical effect. Powers have the same restrictions that any other power of the same type has: arcane powers only affect non-living things and dream magic only affects living things.

• Starting Powers: 1
• Starting Power Points: 15
• Spellcasting: Create an instant effect.
• Rituals: Create a permanent effect.

Sorcery works like the Gifted arcane background on page 148.

Powers

Powers are listed in the core book and are available to characters with the appropriate magic background, determined by effect.

Power Edges

This list replaces those in the core book.

• Artificer - 25% of the power points used to create permanent effects can be recovered.
• Advanced Artificer - 50% of the power points used to create permanent effects can be recovered.
• Channeling - Recover 1 power point if you get a raise on a spellcasting test.
• Desecrate - Drain the life of all plants in a 3ft radius to recover 10 power points. This is an action in combat.
• Drain Life - Touch a dying creature and drain its life to recover 10 power points. This is an action in combat.
• New Powers - Learn two new powers.
• Power Points - Gain 5 additional power points, increasing your maximum.
• Power Surge - Recover 10 power points when dealt a joker.
• Prestige - Select a specific trapping, powers using that trapping cost 1 less power point.
• Rapid Recharge - Recover 10 power points per hour.
• Signature Spell - Select one existing power. This arcane power can be cast without a spell book; or dream power can be cast in one full round (use aim action).
• Soul Drain - Recover 5 power points and gain a level of Fatigue.

Character Archetypes

Archetypes are similar to classes in other RPG systems, but instead of strictly defining character abilities they describes what characters are like. There are many more archetypes than I have listed here and players may create their own characters and backstory in whatever style they like.

Barbarian The barbarian is a primitive and ferocious warrior from a land far from civilization. They are often brash and confident in their strength. They are accustomed to the wilds but lost in cities and towns. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d10, Vigor d6 Skills: Adventuring d6, Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Concentration d4, Intimidation d6, Melee (heavy) d8, Notice d4, Pugilism d6, Survival d6 Edges: Berserk Hinderances: Illiterate, Outsider Gear: Greatsword or maul, basic adventure gear, 0 currency Example: Conan the Barbarian

Bard Bards are entertainers and spies who are as comfortable in the kings halls as they are in the bustling markets. They often enjoy taking risks and experiencing adventure as it is told in the stories. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d4 Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Shortsword, dagger, lute (or other musical instrument), basic adventure gear, 150s currency Example: Jaskier from The Witcher

Cleric Clerics are fighters driven by a purpose. They seek to change the world, making it a better place in the image of their patron elder dragon. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Mace, light leather coat, religious trappings, lantern, oilskin, basic adventure gear, 150s currency Example:

Elven Druid Elven druids follow the old ways of nature and spirit. They are part of the wild lands, friend to plant and beast. They know which plants to use for potion and poison and often have animal companions. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Staff, dagger, bow, light leather jacket and leggings, tent, rope, basic adventure gear, 50s currency Example:

Knight Younger sons and daughters who have no hope of inheriting their family fortune often seek a life of adventure under the patronage of the local ruler. Knights are trained in combat and tactics in case of orc raids or invasion from nearby realms. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Longsword, heavy leather coat, basic adventure gear, 20s currency Example:

Bladesinger The bladesinger is a knight with the arcane gift, trained by the arcane college. They don't have the focused combat training of knigths or the depth of arcane expertise of wizards but combine the two into an elite combat stile. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Longsword, heavy leather coat, basic adventure gear, 20s currency Example:

Human Monk Many of the factions of The Hand of Sol have secluded monasteries where they take in the poor, sick, and rejected and give them food shelter and meaning. Most of these monks learn only basic defense or administration, a few with the gift of dream magic are able to become formidable fighters. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Poverty Gear: Staff, sling, religious trappings, basic adventure gear, 50s currency Example: Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid

Dwarven Artificer Dwarves have developed advanced metallurgy and alchemy, drawing on arcane energy to power their industry. Dwarven artificers are able to create and use devices powered by arcane energy. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: warhammer, light leather coat, basic adventure gear, 50s currency Example:

Ranger Rangers are scouts and hunters who spend most of their time in the wilderness. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Hand axe, bow, light leather jacket and leggings, basic adventure gear, 10s currency Example: Strider from Lord of the Rings

Scoundrel The Scoundrel is a thief and swindler of the city who prospers by taking what belongs to others and making in their own. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Short sword, two daggers, rope, basic adventure gear, 100s currency Example:

Swashbuckler Swashbucklers are smart and agile duelists. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Two short swords, two daggers, light leather jacket, rope, basic adventure gear, 100s currency Example: Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean

Treasure Hunter Treasure hunters search for treasure and lost artifacts among the ruins of lost civilizations. They are experts at research and puzzle solving. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Hand axe, bow, light leather jacket and leggings, basic adventure gear, 10s currency Example: Indiana Jones

Wizard Wizards have spent long hours studying and practicing arcane arts. They are experts at cosmology and magical theory, and little else. Attributes: Agility d, Smarts d, Spirit d, Strength d, Vigor d Skills: Edges: Hinderances: Gear: Staff, spell book, basic adventure gear, 300s currency Example: Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter