The combat rules in any BRP-based game presupposes that all combatants can roll a reaction roll to parry or dodge. This would make combat in the play by post format unnecessarily lengthy. In this game I want to aim for quicker, deadlier fights so I want to try something else.

The combat round will look something like this:

1. At the start of the combat, the referee describes the situation and what conditions may be applicable so that the players have an idea of what the consequences might be for any given action.
   • Who is involved in the combat, encounter distances, can the combat be avoided etc.
   • Skill penalties for rough terrain or bonuses for high ground etc.
2. Each player makes a post stating what their character intend to do, rolling for the appropriate skill (this doesn't have to be a combat skill if they want to do something other than attack) and damage if it's an attack.
3. When all players have stated what they want to do the referee summarizes what happens and makes an opposed roll for every attack roll made by the players.
   • Player characters always act first
   • Any skill bonuses or penalties applies
   • If the character wins the opposed roll the damage roll applies to their opponent.
   • If the character on the other hand loses the opposed roll their opponent may roll for damage that applies to the character.

This message was last edited by the GM at 20:37, Fri 29 July 2022.

You can "buy" literacy for 30 skill points. If you do you're literate in all languages you know but literacy is also on a sliding scale. So at language skill 15% you'd be literate but not very adept. To read/write anything complicated or under time pressure would sometimes demand a skill roll.

You can move up to 30 skill points from any one skill group to another.

This rule is adjusted to fit within the play by post environment. The core rules use game sessions as a unit which isn't applicable here.

Fortune points are what distinguishes the player character from the average stay at home type folk.  They represent their good fortune and ability to escape life-threatening situations with ease.

Fortune points allow the player character to do any of the following in game.

• Re-roll any failed dice roll.
• Flip the existing dice result for a failed test so that the units are now the tens and the tens are now the units, so that it is a success.
• Avoid character death. Instead of dying, the character, if reduced to zero or fewer hit points, is merely unconscious. The character remains in such a state until the combat is over, at which point they awaken with one hit point.

Once spent, fortune points are gone. The Referee awards fortune at the end of the Quest for moments of outstanding heroic play. In an average Quest, each character should also receive two fortune points. Modify this total if the character has performed particularly poorly or heroically, giving a range of between zero and four fortune points to be awarded.

As characters go on Quests, they grow and improve. In the game, this can be one of the tangible goals for the players. The main currency for achieving this and indicator of how well the character is doing in game terms are growth points or just simply growth. The Referee hands these out after a Quest.

Growth can happen because of the following situations.

• Bringing motives into play, as determined by the player and approved by the Referee.
• Quest achievement awards. These are determined and handed out by the Referee.
• In game rewards for skill use. If the player fumbles or criticals during a skill test.
• Ad hoc growth awards. The Referee gives these out as a result of certain events occurring during the Quest.

AWARDING GROWTH FOR MOTIVES
The characters’ motives are the main way players get to drive play and grow their characters. If your character completes a motive, either short or long term, during play, cross it out. If you engage with a motive in a gaming session, bringing it in to play, but don’t complete it, put a * next to it. You can only mark growth once in this way per Quest. Make sure you make these marks as soon as your character achieves them with your Referee’s permission.

At the end of the Quest, look at your motives.

• +5 growth points if you complete your Saga motive.
• +2 growth points if you complete your Quest motive.
• +1 for every motive that is brought into play. You don’t get this award as well as the award for completing a motive.

As a result, you should have a total between 1 growth point (you engaged with your short-term Quest motive) and 7 growth points (you complete both your Quest motive and Saga motive). At this point, rub out any asterisk markers and remove any short-term motives, whether completed or not. Leave the completed long-term motives on the character sheet.

Motive Review
At the end of each Quest, the player and the Referee can call for a Motive Review. During the review, the player can change Saga Motives that are no longer interesting to them or relevant to the character. They can also remove uncompleted Quest Motives or carry them over to the next Quest, in which case the Referee makes a note of them.

REFEREE GROWTH AWARDS
The Referee award character growth as a result of the following.

• Quest achievement award is directly linked to how long the quest was.
• In game rewards for skill use. If a character fumbles or criticals during a skill test, their player adds a growth point immediately.
• Ad Hoc awards that acknowledge growth that occurs due to achievements outside of the standard growth system.

Quest Achievement Awards
At the end of a Quest, the Referee makes this award, a simple flat award of two to ten growth points for the Quest, depending on the length of the Quest.

In Game Rewards for Skill Use
If a character fumbles or criticals during a skilltest, they grow from the experience and the player immediately records a one-point growth award. The table should also cheer on the player. There is no limit to how many times this reward can be issued. The reward reflects this author’s belief that we grow from great success or great failure.

Ad Hoc Awards
Ad hoc means when necessary or needed. The characters may grow as part of the Quest in ways that are immediate and hard to fit within the context of awarding growth points and the Referee wants to make a one off award of a character growth directly linked to the Quest.

SPENDING GROWTH AWARDS
Players may spend growth points in the downtime between Quests, even when their characters who are badly injured are healing. The default downtime period is fluid depending on the context.