I haven't written the section on magic yet, but here goes. It's called Pagoda because of it's three Degrees, and how they are stacked upon each other.

Pagoda

Pagoda is a game of wuxia, or melodramatic chinese martial arts. Characters are made up of three Degrees: Elements, Aspects, and Paths. There are five components of each of the first four Degrees, and an infinite number of Paths, although any given character possesses only five.

Elements

The First Degree of a character is their Elements. Elements are the base components of the world; they are the things that bind the universe and all living things together. Characters can Sense (1) two elements, are in Harmony (2) with two other elements, and have Mastery (3) of the fifth. The five Elements are Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Void.

The Air element is subtle, indicating travel, deception, and knowledge. The Earth element is direct, indicating strength, health, and resistance. The Air and Earth elements are in opposition. A character that has Mastery of Air can not be in Harmony with Earth, and likewise, a character that has Mastery of Earth can not be in Harmony with Air.

The Fire element is proud, indicating destruction, ingenuity, and awe. The Water element is accepting, indicating cleansing, transformation, and friendship. The Fire and Water elements conflict. A character that has Mastery of Fire can not be in Harmony with Water, and likewise, a character that has Mastery of Water can not be in Harmony with Fire.

The element Void is mysterious, indicating harmony, magic, and secrets. Unlike its four cousins, Void is opposed to no other element. Contrarily, Void is the essence of synchrony between the other four building blocks of the world. A character that has Mastery of Void can not choose to put their Flaw into an element at the end of character creation.

Aspects

The Second Degree of a character is their Aspects. As Elements are the foundations of the world, Aspects are the foundations of a human being. Characters are Adept (1) in two Aspects, Strong (2) in two Aspects, and Prodigious (3) in the fifth. The five Aspects are Power, Grace, Cunning, Awareness, and Presence.

Power is a character’s muscle and endurance. Power is the ability to hit hard, be hit hard, and remain standing. A high Power might be required to lift a fallen tree, or to budge the great boulder blocking the entranceway of an ancient shrine to the deities.

Grace is a character’s finesse and agility. Grace is the ability to strike precisely, and to not be where blows land. A high Grace might be required to leap a great distance, or to slip quietly past the alert guard waiting at the entrance to the Emperor’s chamber.

Cunning is a character’s wit and imagination. Cunning is the ability to trick an enemy, and to realize when one is being fooled. A high Cunning might be required to survive in a barren desert, or to convince the province that the Celestial Mandate has abandoned their ruler.

Awareness is a character’s perception and the acuteness of their senses. Awareness is the ability to find a hidden clue, and to realize when something is missing. A high Awareness might be required to notice someone sneaking up behind you, or to react to the man with the poison-tipped blow dart in time.

Presence is a character’s bearing and willpower. Presence is the ability to cow others, and to hold your head high when disgraced. A high Presence might be required to intimidate the provincial duke into submission, or to continue the charge in spite of a wound.

Paths

The Third Degree of a character is their Paths. Where Aspects are the basic structures of a man, Paths are how the architect chooses to elaborate upon those structures. Characters are Followers (1) of two paths, Accomplished (2) at two paths, and Legendary (3) in a fifth. Some sample Paths are described below.

• The Path of the Sword teaches melee weaponry and fighting.
• The Path of the Fist teaches unarmed martial arts.
• The Path of the Bow teaches ranged weaponry and archery.
• The Path of the Shaman teaches ancestral and spirit magic.
• The Path of the Sorcerer teaches elemental magic.
• The Path of the Beast teaches the handling and riding of animals.
• The Path of the Honorable teaches honor and glory.
• The Path of the Invisible teaches stealth and ambush.
• The Path of the General teaches leadership and tactics.
• The Path of the Emperor teaches intrigue and statesmanship.
• The Path of the Survivor teaches self-preservation.
• The Path of the Lover teaches passion and emotion.
• The Path of the Magi teaches knowledge and understanding.
• The Path of the Balanced teaches harmony between all elements and with all else.
• The Path of the Scourge teaches intimidation and brutality.
• The Path of the Vengeful teaches justice and revenge.
• The Path of the Meditative teaches introspection and careful consideration.
• The Path of the Body teaches fitness and athleticism.
• The Path of the Laymen teaches crafts and professions.
• The Path of the Merchant teaches acquiring wealth and determining value.

These are only some of the possible paths. Literally an infinite number of paths could be created, but the amount of overlap would be immense. As a general rule, a Path should be a particular characteristic of an Aspect or element, although exceptions to this rule are fine, as long as the Path makes sense.

Flaws

No man or woman in history has ever been close to perfect, and neither are characters in Pagoda. Although not a Degree, Flaws are a vital part of any character. People are defined by what they can’t do, as much as by what they can. Players will create one predominant Flaw for their character.

A Flaw will be attached to a particular Element, Aspect, or Path. Note that you cannot attach a Flaw to a path that you do not have, and if you are a Master of the Void, you cannot attach a Flaw to an Element.

Once you have chosen an Element, Aspect, or Path for your Flaw, you must briefly describe it. Example descriptions are Overconfident (for Fire), Blindness (for Awareness), and Uncontrollable (for the Path of Sorcery).

Now you must explain why this Flaw hinders your character, and how it may help. Note that both parts of a Flaw are equally important. Continuing the Blindness example from above, the obvious hindrance is that the character cannot see. However, they have come to realize that the other senses are equally important, and have honed their senses of smell and hearing.

The Rules of the Game

Note the numerical value that goes along with each descriptor of an Element, Aspect, or Path. While the descriptors are more aesthetically pleasing, it is upon these numbers that the ‘mechanics’ of the game are based.

When a character attempts a difficult action, their player must choose an Element and an Aspect that pertain to that action. If they can, they may also choose a relevant Path. For example, attacking with a sword might be a Fire / Grace / Path of the Sword action, since it involves attempting to destroy something, agility and coordination, and hand to hand combat. Casting a divination might be an Air / Awareness / Path of the Shaman action, since it involves knowledge, seeing, and magic. Running on water might be a Water / Presence / Path of the Balanced action, since it directly involves water, and requires concentration and harmony between the elements.

The player will then roll a number of normal six-sided dice equal to the sum of the numerical values of the Element, Aspect, and maybe Path selected. If they roll at least a doubles (two dice show the same number), they have succeeded at the action. Easier and harder actions might require different rolls, as shown on the table below.
[font=courier]
Difficulty   Roll       Example
Easy         None       Jump over a mountain stream
Difficult    Doubles    Walk on water as if it were solid ground
Very Hard    Triples    Land unscathed from a thirty foot fall
Legendary    Quadruples Punch through a foot of solid brick
Impossible   Quintuples Climb a mile-high vertical cliff in ten minutes
[/font]
If a character is taking an action that is being actively resisted by another player, the roll that they need is not set. Instead, both players make a roll. The roll in which more dice show the same number is superior (triples beats doubles, and so on). If both rolls are tied in this respect, the game master decides who wins the conflict. This type of character against character confrontation is called an Opposed Roll, while other rolls are known as Unopposed Rolls.

Using Void Points

The Void represents the harmony between the other four elements. Characters with a high Void can take advantage of this harmony to, for a moment, act with the perfect synchronous clarity of the Void.

A number of times per game session equal to a character’s numerical Void rating, a player may use a Void Point to increase their character’s roll by one step. They must do this before any dice have actually been rolled. So, for instance, if a character makes a void assisted roll, and scores Doubles, it would be counted as Triples. Note that you may not take back your Void Point after the roll has been made.

Fighting

When two characters engage in combat, they will make a series of Opposed Rolls. During a combat, time is divided into rounds; periods of time in which each character can take one or more actions. Each round is about three seconds long in real-time terms.

At the beginning of a round, each player will make a roll, using either the Air or Fire Element, either the Awareness or Grace Aspect, and the Path of either the Sword, Fist, or Bow. A doubles indicates that the character can take two actions during the turn, a triples means three actions, and so on. A character take a reaction (such as parrying a sword) any number of times, regardless of the result of their roll.

Actions include things like attacking with any weapon, attempting to trip or disarm an opponent, disengaging from a melee, or rerolling a reaction. Characters can take an action whenever they like, as long as no other character is currently taking an action, and they haven’t used their full allotment for the round. When multiple characters attempt to act at the same time, the Game Master determines who acts first. When all characters are out of actions, a new round begins.

When a character hits another character in combat, the defender takes a point of damage. If the defender didn’t get a duplicate roll (they didn’t even get doubles), they take one extra point of damage, unless the attacker made a similarly miserable roll. If the attacker’s roll was at least two degrees higher than the defender’s (quadruples against doubles, for example), the defender takes one more point of damage.

When a character has taken at least as much damage as the numerical value of their Power Aspect, they are Injured, and whenever they make a roll, they roll one less die. When they have taken at least as much damage as the combined numerical values of their Power Aspect and Earth Element, they are Wounded, and their rolls are penalized by two dice. When they have taken more damage than the combined numerical values of their Power and Presence Aspects and their Earth Element, the pain has driven them unconscious. If they take any more damage, they will most likely die.

Cool. Not enough crazy wuxia games out there.

One question though, while I ponder the mechanics: what's with Void? I mean, if you're trying to represent Chinese martial arts (even in an appropriated, exotified way), using a non-traditional arrangement of elements seems odd. AFAIK, the standard Chinese set is Fire, Water, Metal, Earth, and Wood (the Japanese set often trades Metal for Air), and it seems odd to alter that, since it comes with a predetermined set of guidelines about which element detroys which other element.

Void is neat and all, but why not make it seperate from the elements, since that would fit Chinese traditions and ideology better? Non-being is a pretty important part of both Daoist and Buddhist thought, so it would fit right in.

Later.
Jonathan

Hey Johnathan!

I know nothing at all about Chinese history (aside from Honors World Civ), so all I had to go on were my handy dandy Feng Shui (the rpg, not furnature arangement), L5R, and Oriental Adventures d20 books.

What does Wood symbolize? I'm guessing that it's a representation of life, growth, and development. If so, that would fit right in as useful in-game, taking a bit of pressure off of Water and Air. What element is Wood in harmony with? Does it conflict with any other element, in particular?

Hey Jeph,

Second for the crazy wuxia thing. I can't get enough of it.

Line two says do some research, starting with Chinese medicine around the time of the Boxer Rebellion. Lots of good stuff to be found if you put in the time. The elements ultimately derive from the philosophy of Taoism.

The Five Phases will give you plenty to think about, and this page provides links to several translations of the Tao Te Ching.

I am sure you are familiar with Dragon Fist, but have you seen Tim Denee's Final Stand? Not much historical stuff, but lots of attitude. Jared Sorensen's octaNe is, of course, another must read.

I think you have a solid beginning on your game. Be sure to keep us updated.

Later,
Grant

While the mechanics are interesting... what besides your mechanic's names give your game a Wuxia feel?

Are you going to have a big section on China? Most of us like the concepts, but really don't know much about it.

Are you going to have a section on wuxia genre conventions/ tropes? What makes a movie wuxia and how does that translate into game terms?

How are you going to ensure a more wuxia/ chinese feel to the game and in play?

These are the questions I have for you.

MoonHunter wrote: While the mechanics are interesting... what besides your mechanic's names give your game a Wuxia feel?

Are you going to have a big section on China? Most of us like the concepts, but really don't know much about it.

Are you going to have a section on wuxia genre conventions/ tropes? What makes a movie wuxia and how does that translate into game terms?

How are you going to ensure a more wuxia/ chinese feel to the game and in play?

These are the questions I have for you.

I am really digging the mechanics. This ranks up with Sorcerer (and by extension, Donjon), the Pool, octaNe, and InSpectres for minimal handling time, IMO.

I agree with Jonathan regarding the elements, though I'll admit that changing them does throw off the whole opposed-elements thing a little. I'm not sure what can be done about that, though I'm thinking the answer to that probably lies in the research.

Keeping Void separate from the elements proper, I think, makes the idea of it being there, and its use in-game, more elegant. Maybe it can be the basis for a reward system? Like giving out Void points for something, maybe for keeping in line with the standard tropes of the wuxia genre? (I haven't sat down and studied the genre enough to be more specific than that), and then those points can then be spent to bump up the success level.

Otherwise, it looks fantastic. I like the idea of choosing an element for a roll based on why you're attempting a course of action. That's not something you see every day (or indeed at all, in some games).

-- Ben

Jeph wrote: But it is not about crazy high-strung action-packed wire-fu martial arts. It's not about the fighting, it's about why the characters do the fighting.

After reading the links you've all kindly provided, I'm thinking that the traditional Chinese elemental cycle might work. Instead of your Mastery element just deciding one of your Sense elements, it would decide one of your Sense element (the one that hinders it) and one of your Harmony elements.

Example: Water nourishes Wood is cut by Mettle. Therefore, if Wood is your Mastery element, Water will be one of your Harmony elements, and Mettle will be one of your Sense elements.

I also like the idea of Void as a reward. A nifty idea: Void Points could be used to tie Flaws into the game more effectively. Whenever a character uses their Flaw effectively, or is hindered by it, they gain a Void point. I think this works out nicely, as the balanced Yin and Yang of a flaw is like the balanced synchrony of Void. Of course, that also describes Wood . . .

-Jeff S.

Jeph wrote:
Wuxia has crazy high-strung action-packed wire-fu martial arts. But it is not about crazy high-strung action-packed wire-fu martial arts. It's not about the fighting, it's about why the characters do the fighting.

This is the reason for the First Degree, and, in my opinion, most important Degree: Elements. In some cases, as in the walking on water example, the element relates directly to the task. But in most cases, the element relates to why you are doing this: Why are you chasing the evil Eunuch warlcok? To cleanse the earth of him, to restore balance. Therefore, you use the Water element when you make your roll to track him.

Zak Arntson wrote:

My questions would be: How does the system support the why and remain enjoyable for all participants? If the evil Eunuch requires you to use Water, it looks like high-Water characters will dominate play.

If you're looking to support the emotional impact of Wuxia, I would suggest the system also support conflicting emotions (love vs. duty, revenge vs. peace, self vs self-sacrifice, etc) that show up all the time in the films.

Hey Jeph,

Huh. I completely forgot about Refreshing Rain. You should probably take a look at Paul Mason's Outlaws of the Water Margin. He takes the idea in a different direction, but I am sure you can find some interesting stuff to play with. Also, Leonard Hung has assembled a great deal of information about applying Chinese tropes to roleplaying here.

Will Pagoda overtly support ret-conning (known around here as Author or Director stance)? By which I mean, will the player be able to choose an element and then supply the reason that element is the correct one for the situation? That is a pretty neat method of supporting color, but it rubs some people the wrong way, so I wanted to know if I am understanding you correctly.

Later,
Grant

ThreeGee wrote:
Will Pagoda overtly support ret-conning (known around here as Author or Director stance)? By which I mean, will the player be able to choose an element and then supply the reason that element is the correct one for the situation? That is a pretty neat method of supporting color, but it rubs some people the wrong way, so I wanted to know if I am understanding you correctly.

Later,
Grant

In case you want to incorperate it into your text, here's a transliteration of the elements in Chinese:

Wood: mu ("moo")
Water: shui ("shway")
Earth: tu ("too")
Fire: huo (like the words "who" + "awe", but as a single syllable)
Metal: jin ("jeen")

They also have tones (because Chinese is a tonal language) and characters, which I can send you if you need them. Also, if you want Chinese names for other terms in your game, or need appropriate names for sample characters, I'd be glad to help out.

Later.
Jonathan

Thanks, Johnathan! I already knew Water (from Feng Shui, which means Water and Air, IIRC), but that's about it.

As for other terms, maybe for other intrinsic character qualities. What would be the best Chinese term for a Flaw? A Path?

With the restructuring of the Elements used in the game, I'm considering renaming Void points. Perhaps Chi points?

Jeph wrote: I'm guessing that most of the time, if the connection is not obvious, the player will have to supply the reason, and then choose the element based upon that. However, it's really up to the GM.

I've thought for a bit on players always justifying their strongest element, and decided that that could be a good thing. As each of the Elements is associated with a few emotions, you'll get rich characters that are very well defined by their Elements (in theory, at least). Since the probability gaps between doubles and triples are so big, 1 extra die for using your Mastery element doesn't make that much of a difference systemwise, anyway.

Pagoda v2 should be ready soon. It will include . . .

• An updated Elements cycle, using the standard five Chinese elements
• Chi, replaving Void Points, and guidelines on using it as a reward system (and leash, if absolutely neccessary)
• An expanded intro, including the standard 'what is roleplaying' schtick, and a bit more about Wuxia.
• Finished sections and Shamanistic and Elemental magic. (side note: Shaman is Dang-Ki, and Sorcerer is Yao Ren, right?)

I'm also looking for various bits of Sun Tzu, I Ching, etc., and Wuxia movie quotes to place under the section headings. The original document is coming along nicely, with the character for one of the five elements as a background on each page, and a slightly darker and smaller version of the character behind each of the paragraphs where the Elements are described.

Pagoda version 2.0
By Jeffrey Shcecter

About Pagoda

Pagoda is a role-playing game. In a role-playing game, players take on the persona of a fictional character, and react to a fictional environment provided by the Game Master. Remember when, as a child, you played House? That was a form of role-playing. Although Pagoda is played around a table, with dice, a pencil, and paper, the principle remains the same.

Pagoda is a game of wuxia, or melodramatic chinese martial arts. While wuxia features wild, high-strung, fast paced crazy kung fu martial arts, that is not what the genre is truly about. Wuxia is not about fighting, it is about why the characters are fighting; their motivations and drives.

Characters in Pagoda are made up of three Degrees: Elements, Aspects, and Paths. When a character performs a task, the Element chosen represents why they are doing this. The Aspect chosen represents how they are doing this. The Path chosen represents what they are actually doing. There are five components of each of the first two Degrees, and an infinite number of Paths, although any given character possesses only five.

Elements

The First Degree of a character is their Elements. Elements are the base components of the world; they are the things that bind the universe and all living things together. Characters can Sense (1) two elements, are in Harmony (2) with two other elements, and have Mastery (3) of the fifth. The five Elements are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal.

The Water (Shui) element is a still pond, a reservoir of great, untapped energy. Water is the element of Winter and extreme Yin. Those who are stressful and passionate find that Water drains from them, while the calm, cool, and even minded store Water. A character who has Mastery of Water must be in Harmony with Wood, and can only Sense Earth.

The Wood (Mu) element is a coiled spring, waiting to release its explosive energy. Wood is the element of Spring, and is the New Yang. Wood represents youth, vigor, growth, and sexuality. Those in which Wood flows strongly are free spirits, expressive and constantly changing. Blocking Wood results in frustration, jealousy, and anger. A character who has Mastery of Wood must be in Harmony with Fire, and can only Sense Metal.

The Fire (Huo) element is a blossoming flower, showering the world with energy in a great burst. Fire is the element of Summer, a time of heat and flourishing life, and represents the Full Yang. Fire is associated with compassionate love, joy, openness, and generosity. If a man blocks Fire, he will experience fits of hysteria and nervousness, and be plagued by heart problems and hypertension. A character who has Master of Fire must be in Harmony with Earth, and can only Sense Water.

The Earth (Tu) element is a brown field of waving wheat, contented in its state of harmony with the world around it. Earth is the element of the point where Summer fades into Autumn, and is the perfect balance between the Yin and the Yang. Earth is associated with mellowness, contented peace, and lazy easy living. Blocking Earth results in impaired digestion, as the center of the organism is thrown off balance. Characters who have Mastery of Earth must be in Harmony with Metal, but can only Sense Wood.

The Metal (Jin) element is an egg, drawn into its self for storage, until the energy inside is needed by the world. Metal is the element of Autumn, when crops are being brought in for reserve and all are settling in for winter, and is the state of New Yin. Metal is associated with cleansing, preparation, and meditative insight on what is to come. Blocking Metal results in hanging onto the past, melancholy, and grief, which results in breathing problems and low immunity. Characters who have Mastery of Metal must be in Harmony with Water, and can only Sense Fire.

Aspects

The Second Degree of a character is their Aspects. As Elements are the foundations of the world, Aspects are the foundations of a human being. Characters are Adept (1) in two Aspects, Strong (2) in two Aspects, and Prodigious (3) in the fifth. The five Aspects are Power, Grace, Cunning, Awareness, and Presence.

Power is a character’s muscle and endurance. Power is the ability to hit hard, be hit hard, and remain standing. A high Power might be required to lift a fallen tree, or to budge the great boulder blocking the entranceway of an ancient shrine to the deities.

Grace is a character’s finesse and agility. Grace is the ability to strike precisely, and to not be where blows land. A high Grace might be required to leap a great distance, or to slip quietly past the alert guard waiting at the entrance to the Emperor’s chamber.

Cunning is a character’s wit and imagination. Cunning is the ability to trick an enemy, and to realize when one is being fooled. A high Cunning might be required to survive in a barren desert, or to convince the province that the Celestial Mandate has abandoned their ruler.

Awareness is a character’s perception and the acuteness of their senses. Awareness is the ability to find a hidden clue, and to realize when something is missing. A high Awareness might be required to notice someone sneaking up behind you, or to react to the man with the poison-tipped blow dart in time.

Presence is a character’s bearing and willpower. Presence is the ability to cow others, and to hold your head high when disgraced. A high Presence might be required to intimidate the provincial duke into submission, or to continue the charge in spite of a wound.

Paths

The Third Degree of a character is their Paths. Where Aspects are the basic structures of a man, Paths are how the architect chooses to elaborate upon those structures. Characters are Followers (1) of two paths, Accomplished (2) at two paths, and Legendary (3) in a fifth. Some sample Paths are described below.

• The Path of the Sword teaches melee weaponry and fighting.
• The Path of the Fist teaches unarmed martial arts.
• The Path of the Bow teaches ranged weaponry and archery.
• The Path of the Shaman teaches ancestral and spirit magic.
• The Path of the Sorcerer teaches elemental magic.
• The Path of the Beast teaches the handling and riding of animals.
• The Path of the Honorable teaches honor and glory.
• The Path of the Invisible teaches stealth and ambush.
• The Path of the General teaches leadership and tactics.
• The Path of the Emperor teaches intrigue and statesmanship.
• The Path of the Survivor teaches self-preservation.
• The Path of the Lover teaches passion and emotion.
• The Path of the Magi teaches knowledge and understanding.
• The Path of the Balanced teaches harmony between all elements and with all else.
• The Path of the Scourge teaches intimidation and brutality.
• The Path of the Vengeful teaches justice and revenge.
• The Path of the Meditative teaches introspection and careful consideration.
• The Path of the Body teaches fitness and athleticism.
• The Path of the Laymen teaches crafts and professions.
• The Path of the Merchant teaches acquiring wealth and determining value.

These are only some of the possible paths. Literally an infinite number of paths could be created, but the amount of overlap would be immense. As a general rule, a Path should be a particular characteristic of an Aspect or element, although exceptions to this rule are fine, as long as the Path makes sense.

Flaws

No man or woman in history has ever been close to perfect, and neither are characters in Pagoda. Although not a Degree, Flaws are a vital part of any character. People are defined by what they can’t do, as much as by what they can. Players will create one predominant Flaw for their character.

A Flaw will be attached to a particular Element, Aspect, or Path. Note that you cannot attach a Flaw to a path that you do not have, and if you are a Master of the Void, you cannot attach a Flaw to an Element.

Once you have chosen an Element, Aspect, or Path for your Flaw, you must briefly describe it. Example descriptions are Overconfident (for Fire), Blindness (for Awareness), and Uncontrollable (for the Path of Sorcery).

Now you must explain why this Flaw hinders your character, and how it may help. Note that both parts of a Flaw are equally important. Continuing the Blindness example from above, the obvious hindrance is that the character cannot see. However, they have come to realize that the other senses are equally important, and have honed their senses of smell and hearing.

The Rules of the Game

Note the numerical value that goes along with each descriptor of an Element, Aspect, or Path. While the descriptors are more aesthetically pleasing, it is upon these numbers that the ‘mechanics’ of the game are based.

When a character attempts a difficult action, their player must choose an Element and an Aspect that pertain to that action. If they can, they may also choose a relevant Path. As stated earlier, the Element represents why the character is doing something, the Aspect represents how they are doing it, and the Path represents what they are doing. For instance, slaying a bandit might be a Fire / Grace / Path of the Sword task, if you are ridding the countryside of this man out of compassion for the peasants, with style and poise, and using a weapon. If you were slaying the bandit because he has seduced the girl you love, you would use the Wood element, as you are acting out of jealousy.

The player will then roll a number of normal six-sided dice equal to the sum of the numerical values of the Element, Aspect, and maybe Path selected. If they roll at least a doubles (two dice show the same number), they have succeeded at the action. Easier and harder actions might require different rolls, as shown on the table below.

Difficulty Roll Example
Easy None Jump over a mountain stream
Difficult Doubles Walk on water as if it were solid ground
Very Hard Triples Land unscathed from a fifty foot fall
Legendary Quadruples Punch through a foot of solid brick
Impossible Quintuples Climb a mile-high vertical cliff in ten minutes

If a character is taking an action that is being actively resisted by another player, the roll that they need is not set. Instead, both players make a roll. The roll in which more dice show the same number is superior (triples beats doubles, and so on). If both rolls are tied in this respect, the game master decides who wins the conflict. This type of character against character confrontation is called an Opposed Roll, while other rolls are known as Unopposed Rolls.

Chi

Chi is a character’s spirituality, their harmony with themselves and with the rest of the world. Chi flows through all things, it is a force of life, created by the Yin and the Yang, the balanced elements.

In Pagoda, characters can use Chi to perform amazing feats. When a player spends a point of Chi on a roll, the result of that roll is increased by one step (doubles to triples, triples to quadruples, and so on). The player must decide to spend the Chi before they make roll any dice, and after the dice have been rolled, they may not take it back. Only one point of Chi may be spent per roll.

Each character starts the game with an amount of Chi equal to the numerical value of their Earth element, since Earth is has a balanced Yin and Yang. At the end of a scene, the Game Master may choose to reward a point of Chi to a character. They should do so whenever the character role plays very well, is helped or hindered greatly by their Flaw, or spices up a fight scene with good description of their moves and motivations.

The Game Master should keep this in mind: just as Chi can be used as a reward, it can, if absolutely necessary, be used as a leash. If a player completely goofs off during a scene, ruining the feel of the game, the Game Master should take away one of their points of Chi at the end of the scene.

Fighting

When two characters engage in combat, they will make a series of Opposed Rolls. During a combat, time is divided into rounds; periods of time in which each character can take one or more actions. Each round is about three seconds long in real-time terms.

At the beginning of a round, each player will make a roll, using either the Air or Fire Element, either the Awareness or Grace Aspect, and the Path of either the Sword, Fist, or Bow. A doubles indicates that the character can take two actions during the turn, a triples means three actions, and so on. A character take a reaction (such as parrying a sword) any number of times, regardless of the result of their roll.

Actions include things like attacking with any weapon, attempting to trip or disarm an opponent, disengaging from a melee, or rerolling a reaction. Characters can take an action whenever they like, as long as no other character is currently taking an action, and they haven’t used their full allotment for the round. When multiple characters attempt to act at the same time, the Game Master determines who acts first. When all characters are out of actions, a new round begins.

When a character hits another character in combat, the defender takes a point of damage. If the defender didn’t get a duplicate roll (they didn’t even get doubles), they take one extra point of damage, unless the attacker made a similarly miserable roll. If the attacker’s roll was at least two degrees higher than the defender’s (quadruples against doubles, for example), the defender takes one more point of damage.

Injury

When a character has taken at least as much damage as the numerical value of their Power Aspect, they are Injured, and whenever they make a roll, they roll one less die. When they have taken at least as much damage as the combined numerical values of their Power Aspect and Metal Element, they are Wounded, and their rolls are penalized by two dice. When they have taken more damage than the combined numerical values of their Power and Presence Aspects and their Earth Element, the pain has driven them unconscious. If they take any more damage, they will most likely die.

Note that combat is not the only scenario in which characters take damage. For instance, a Sorcerer will take damage if they are not careful with their spells. If a character falls off of the highest tower in the Emperor’s palace, they will most likely take a few points of damage, then. Note that the Game Master should rarely, if ever, assign more than three points of Mage to a hazard.

Damage does not stay with a character forever. When characters are at rest for a substantial period of time, they may make an appropriate roll. If the character scores doubles, they recover one point of damage. Triples indicates that they are relieved of two points, and so on.

Shamanism

Two types of magic are featured in Pagoda: Shamanism, and Elemental Magic. Shamanism is more practical, relating to the everyday lives of the peasants and serfs who work the fields. A Shaman, or Dang-ki, gets their magic from the spirits of their ancestors, and genus loci, spirits of the land, who they beseech for information and favors. Most Shamans owe a lot to the Spirit World for the services that they have requested.

Casting a Shamanistic spell usually requires a few minutes of meditation, usually with incense, and in a family shrine or serene glade. During this time, the Shaman contacts a family or natural spirit, and asks them for a favor. The Game Master will give the favor a difficulty, usually either Doubles or Triples. If the player fails to meet the difficulty, the spirit refuses. If they meet the difficulty but no more, the spirit complies, but asks a favor of the caster in exchange. If the Shaman rolls at least a step higher than the Difficulty, the spirit complies without requesting compensation.

There are a few favors that Shamans ask most commonly. Healing is always needed, and friendly spirits can provide magical restoration. Information is also a precious commodity, and those of the Spirit World are quite knowledgeable, indeed. Spirits of the land can be asked to increase a field’s bounty, or malevolent nature spirits can be persuaded to haunt a spot, or plague a man with ill fortune.

Shamans can also exercise their will over weaker spirits. With a successful Opposed Roll, a Shaman can anchor a spirit to the physical world, stranding it away from home. Similarly, they can put a curse on a spirit, causing bad luck to their descendants or the land that they inhabit.

When a Shaman’s spell fails (they lose an Opposed Roll with a spirit or don’t meet the difficulty of a request), the Shaman loses one point of Chi, if they have any remaining. If they do not, they are obligated to help the spirit that they asked a favor of or tried to overpower in its time of need.

Elemental Magic

Those who wield Elemental Magic are knows as Sorcerers, or Yao Ren. The power of the Sorcerer does not stem from the Spirit World, as does the power of the Shaman. Rather, Sorcerers force their will directly upon the Elements, bending them as they see fit. Elemental Magic is more direct and powerful than Shamanism, but also much more dangerous.

Using Elemental Magic usually takes only one standard combat round. A Sorcerer can manipulate any aspect of any element. For instance, making a tree grow to tremendous height would be the direct application of Wood, while cursing a mother with sterility would be a completely different application of the same Element. Causing a man to burst into flames would be a direct application of Fire, while making them see you as an old friend would be an emotional application.

When a Sorcerer wishes to affect a creature with their magic, to do so, they must succeed at an Opposed Roll. When they wish to affect only nature, or a man-made object, the Game Master will assign a difficulty to the spell. Simple, small scale spells, such as lighting a fire, should have doubles difficulty, while larger and more powerful spells, such as withering all the crops in a field, might take a triples. Truly tremendous tasks, such as toppling a mountain, should definitely take longer than casting a standard, smaller spell, and have quadruples or greater difficulty.

When a Sorcerer miscasts a spell (rolls at least a step lower than the difficulty or, in the case of an Opposed Roll, a step lower than their opponent’s roll), the raging elemental energies that they try to control burst free, dealing some damage to them and the surrounding area. Spells with a set difficulty deal one point of damage for doubles difficulty, two points for triples difficulty, and so on. Spells that require an Opposed Roll deal one point of damage in the case of Wood or one of the Yin elements, and two points of damage in the case of a Yang element.

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Okay, my next step will be a bit more minor tweaking (or major tweaking, depending on your feedback), and then a bunch of flavor text. A quote from some Eastern philosopher under each heading, followed by a paragraph or two of bad fiction, a sample Wuxia setting, and so on. Erm . . . not a sample setting under each heading, just one at the back or something. ;-) If anyone would like a copy of the .pdf (which is much prittier than a bunch of text in a forum), just email me at Jeph88@mindspring.com

What are your literary/film sources for the two different types of magic? The wuxia I've seen featuring magic (my favorites being Mr. Vampire and A Chinese Ghost Story) hasn't made an elementalist/priest split. In fact, most magic I've seen stems entirely from Buddhism + Daoism + dramatic license.

Wait, I take that back. Just use the above comment as a short filmography. Have you seen The Storm Riders? It's ALL about the elemental magic. Though it's more focused on elemental magic tied directly to martial arts.
In Pagoda, are Shamans and Sorcerers separate from warriors? I sure hope not.

Okay, one more note: Your magic dichotomy reads suspiciously like a priest/wizard split. I would advise against this, because the priestly magic of wuxia certainly isn't hampered by meditation or favors from spirits. Witness kung-fu priests throwing fireballs, flinging paper scrolls (seemingly from nowhere), warding evil through the sutras, etc.

There's nothing in the rules to say that you can't be Legendary in the Path of the Fist and Accomplished in the Path of the Sorcerer, or something. So if you wanna be able to fight and talk to spirits, go for it! Similarly, you can take both the Path of the Sorcerer and the Path of the Shaman, if you want to have the magic thing covered all-round.

Actually, the more priestly magic is Elemental. Might want to check out the Shugengas in l5r, that's kinda what I'm aiming at, there.

Actually, I sort of wonder where your shamanism comes from... there's plenty of wuxia with the elementalism-style magic floating around, but the shamanic route has (to my knowledge) less evidence in the source. On the other hand, it appears in a lot of games; Nobilis and Shadowrun both have a strong shamanic element. On the third hand, I really like shamanism, especially the way you've provided a way to determine how negotiations with the spirit went (a feature crucially missing from my Shadowrun experience).

It seems to me, in fact, that you could fold at least part of the magic system into the Element cycle you've already set up; while your dicepools will fluctuate with regard to what element you're using, it seems strange to me that a sorceror who can Sense fire can throw fireballs around.

On the fourth hand, if anyone wanted to run a non-wuxia oriental flavored game with the system, Shamanism might be useful . . . on the fifth hand, you could probably find a few Wuxia movies with Shamanism, if you looked . . . eek, two and a half people's worth of hands, time to stop. =)

About Sorcery: You mean, perhaps, make each Element a seperate Path? Or maybe you only take The Path of the Sorcerer, and automatically have access only to your Mastery and Harmony elements for the purposes of casting? Or your Mastery element, the element that it helps, and the element that helps it?

There's one thing that bugs me about Elemental Magic: When you cast an Elemental spell, do you choose your Element based on the type of spell used, or based on your motivations for casting the spell? I'm indecisive about that point, at the moment.

Also, should characters without the correct Path be allowed to use spells, if it's somewhere in thier character concept? Or should spells be off limits unless you're at least a Follower of one of the magic Paths? I'm thinking the latter, rather than the former.

Oh, and I remembered what those scrolls are called, that the priests chuck about: Ofudas. I'll write those in under sorcery, somewhere . . .

Jeph wrote: There's one thing that bugs me about Elemental Magic: When you cast an Elemental spell, do you choose your Element based on the type of spell used, or based on your motivations for casting the spell? I'm indecisive about that point, at the moment.

Oh, and I remembered what those scrolls are called, that the priests chuck about: Ofudas. I'll write those in under sorcery, somewhere . . .

Zak, I'm not getting it when you say "why not both?" Do you mean that the player chooses, that the elemental nature of the spell reflects the caster's purpose, that they use the average between the elements, that they use both elements in addition to an Aspect/Path, that they use two elements and a path instead of an element, an aspect, and a path . . . please elaborate.

So, you're suggesting that instead of having a Path of the Shaman and a Path of the Sorcerer, just have a Path of the Spirit World or whatever that gives access to both? Seems plausible, if that's the way most people feel about it, then that's the way it shall be. So, most people, two paths or one?

Zak Arntson wrote: Hong Kong cinema uses Cantonese much more often than Mandarin.

Jeph wrote: The Path of the Magi teaches knowledge and understanding.

As for other terms, maybe for other intrinsic character qualities. What would be the best Chinese term for a Flaw? A Path?

With the restructuring of the Elements used in the game, I'm considering renaming Void points. Perhaps Chi points?

Might want to check out the Shugengas in l5r, that's kinda what I'm aiming at, there.

Shaman is Dang-Ki, and Sorcerer is Yao Ren, right?

Movie Note:

All of you guys, if you haven't already, should go out and find a copy of SHAOLIN SOCCER. Yes, wuxia and sports movies do mix. Absolutely hilarious and quite famous in China, besides being one of the most modern and innovative adaptations of wuxia in a while. Then again, the same writer/actor/director/martial artist did GOD OF COOKERY several years back, combining wuxia with Iron Chef-style cooking shows. Stephen Chow is simply amazing.

Shaolin Soccer's getting released April 11th in the US, too, even though it's almost 3 years old now. You should be able to find a copy at places that have a good selection of Asian films.

Later.
Jonathan

Thanks a bunch for the help with terminology! Yes, the Path of the Magi actually comes from Buddhism (or is it Hinduism? I forget). At any rate, a Mage is just a wise man . . . interestingly, that's where the english term Magistrate comes from. Path of the Sage is easier to fit onto the character sheet, I'll adopt that.

More and more, combining Shamanism and Elemental Magic is looking like a good idea. Maybe just the Path of the Spirits?

Curious about advancement.

Is it possible to gain new Paths, to show the character broadening? Or is it that you simply get better in the Paths you have?

Do Elements or Aspects ever increase? Or do they shift, one point gained in one is lost in another?

I know advancement is a dirty word to some people, but it seems appropriate for this game, at least at the end of a scenario.

And yes, I'd just call it Path of the Spirits and be done with it. There's not enough of a priest/magic-user split to warrant seperation between shamans and elementalists.

Jonathan Walton wrote: Path: This is easy, "Dao," as in "the Way" of Daoism. It's used all over the place in the martial arts. What the Japanese call "Aikido" is "Ai Qi Dao" in Chinese, "the Way of Loving Chi."

Pale Fire wrote: Err.. Aikido = He Qi Dao. :)

Spooky, I was thinking that advancement would be handled mostly with shifting Chi. I.E., if you have 5 Chi points, you're going to perform more competantly and on a more regular basis than someone with the exact same stats, but only 2 Chi points. Although I guess letting players "rebalance" their characters at certain times, subject to GM discretion, would be appropriate to the genre, and I'm open to suggestions on systems for that.

Hey Jeph,

I know nothing about Chinese, so I cannot help you there, but 'magus' comes from Old Persian and has nothing to do with wisdom. Magh- is related to modern words like may (to be able) or might (power). The Magi were the Zoroastrian priests of ancient Persia.

To myself, a Westerner, using magi to represent a singular Far Eastern person is horribly confused. Unless you are deliberately going for an exotic term in (to me, at least) an already exotic setting, I would suggest finding something else.

Later,
Grant

That makes sense, given the genre: You will always be who you are, but you get better at it as time passes and focus becomes clearer.

It should be noted in the character creation phase that players should find a mix they like early on, because they're going to have to work with it for the rest of that character's life.

Good suggestion, Spooky. I'll add that to the 'About Pagoda' section.

When I wrote Path of the Magi, I was thinking along the lines not of DnD spell-chuckers, but more O Henry's short story, about . . . what was it, a comb and a watch? Anyway, the story is entitled The Gift of the Magi, and is because of the knowledge that was imparted upon the couple by the events that occured. But whatever, it's Path of the Sage now. =)

Development note: Ive merged the Path of the Shaman and Path of the Sorcerer into the Path of the Spirits, written up an overall magic section called Priests and Sorcerers with a bit of advice about using magic and the explanations behind it, and taken away some of the caster-centric flavor text behind the Spirit Magic and Elemental Magic sections.

Spooky Fanboy wrote: I know advancement is a dirty word to some people, but it seems appropriate for this game, at least at the end of a scenario.

I'd go further and suggest advancement in the middle of a scenario, surrounding an important emotional event. When the hero is almost down, when he discovers the love of his life is still alive, when the evil priest is about to kill his mother. These are the times when a hero suddenly becomes even stronger.

Zak Arntson wrote:

Spooky Fanboy wrote: I know advancement is a dirty word to some people, but it seems appropriate for this game, at least at the end of a scenario.

I'd go further and suggest advancement in the middle of a scenario, surrounding an important emotional event. When the hero is almost down, when he discovers the love of his life is still alive, when the evil priest is about to kill his mother. These are the times when a hero suddenly becomes even stronger.

As far as in-between scenarios, I'd push towards a non-linear approach. Scenarios don't necessarily follow right after each other, so that a group can play characters at different points in their lives.

iago wrote: If you had some way to rate -- per character -- how "dire" current circumstances are, and then have various abilities and bonuses available only at certain thresholds of "direness", you could have that moment of "okay, NOW you've made me MAD" without a lot of scrambling to figure out how to allocate your points (since that decision was made back when you made your character in the first place and chose your 'powered up' bits).

Nich. A bit too complicated, Iago. How 'bout, whenever the GM sees that a character is in that kind of circumstance, and actually bases their actions off of the appropriate element instead of munchkinizing their Mastery, they give out a few free Chi that last until the end of the scene. A lot simpler, and the exact same end result: powers up the character for a short time.

Or spent Chi could accumulate in a pot, so over the course of the game, the amount there would slowly build up, while the characters themselves would slowly run out. Then, once the characters finally spent their very last point of Chi (and maybe fulfilled some other conditions), all that Chi would flow back to them, getting redistributed and readying them for the final fight.

You could even start the game with some Chi in the pot, so that the return flow would be even larger than the starting amount.

Later.
Jonathan

Jonathan Walton wrote: Or spent Chi could accumulate in a pot, so over the course of the game, the amount there would slowly build up, while the characters themselves would slowly run out. Then, once the characters finally spent their very last point of Chi (and maybe fulfilled some other conditions), all that Chi would flow back to them, getting redistributed and readying them for the final fight.

You could even start the game with some Chi in the pot, so that the return flow would be even larger than the starting amount.

iago wrote: Is that advancement -- or a "powered up" sequence, of sorts?

For review, NPCs:

Non-Player Characters

If you are the Game Master, you will need to come up with Non-Player Characters (NPCs). These are the characters that you create for the players to interact with, and range from an evil Eunuch Warlock to the great grandfather of one of the player’s characters to the master smith who created the Emperor’s sword. There are two main types of Non-Player Characters: Major and Minor.

Major NPCs are the personalities of the setting that really make a difference. It doesn’t matter if they’re a four thousand year old ghost or a six year old kid, the thing that makes a Major NPC major is their importance to the plot. Just like the characters controlled by the players, Major NPCs should have a comprehensible personality, and at least a bit of background.

Major NPCs follow the same rules as the player’s characters. They have the same five Elements, the same five Aspects, and may pick five Paths. The main difference is that, aside from being controlled by the Game Master, they have a bit more leeway. If the Game Master wishes, they may, for instance, have two Mastery elements, or start with five Chi points. Conversely, the Game Master may choose that they only have three paths, or are not Prodigious in any Aspect. However, if the Game Master wants a Major NPC to be about as powerful as the player’s characters, then they should adhere strictly to the rules presented at the beginning of this book.

Minor NPCs are there for the self esteem of the players. They are extras, inconsequential, target practice. The most common use for Minor NPCs is to throw a couple of them at the player’s characters when the game is getting slow, or to slow the players down a bit and maybe deal a point of damage (not likely they’ll ever deal more . . .) before they get to their real target. Minor NPCs are simply described by a single number. This is the number of dice they roll for any purpose, be it attacking, defending, or resisting a spell. Typical Minor NPCs are rated at four. When they have taken one point of damage, halve this number for all intents and purposes. When they have taken two points of damage, a Minor NPC is out of the fight.