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Polyhedral Shift Optional Rules

Welcome to Polyhedral Shift, an optional twist on the Perilous Adventures Warbands Guide (PAWG) that swaps out the trusty d100 for the full polyhedral dice set—d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20—bringing a fresh, hands-on feel to your warband’s gritty struggles. Whether you’re new to tabletop roleplaying or a seasoned survivor, this addendum keeps PAWG’s core—tough fights, flexible characters, and desperate stakes—while letting you roll a variety of dice, each tied to your skills and power. Instead of rolling under with two d10s, you’ll roll over a Target Number (TN) with a single die, from the humble d4 to the mighty d20. Using our example characters—Torren, Lira, Eryn, Kael, and Veyra—we’ll walk you through the changes with examples and math, showing how this shift spices up combat, magic, and more. No combat play-by-play here—just the rules to make your warband’s tale dynamic and tactile. Grab your dice set, and let’s shift the odds!

How Polyhedral Shift Works

  • Purpose: This optional system replaces PAWG’s d100 roll-under with a polyhedral roll-over framework, using d4 to d20 to match your skill levels, keeping the game’s realism while adding dice variety.
  • Dice Assignment: Each die reflects your skill or attribute proficiency—d4 for beginners, d20 for masters. Roll your die and aim to meet or beat a TN set by the GM—higher rolls win!
  • Margin of Success: If you beat the TN, subtract it from your roll— that’s your Margin, boosting damage or effects, just like core PAWG.
  • Critical Hits: Roll the max on your die (e.g., 12 on d12)—it’s a crit, doubling effects or adding a bonus (GM decides).
  • Critical Failure: Roll a 1—it’s a fumble, triggering a snag like a jammed weapon or twisted ankle.

Newbie Tip: Bigger dice mean better skills—Torren’s d12 swings hard, Lira’s d20 sneaks silently—just roll high to beat the TN and win!

Core Mechanic Adjustments

Dice Assignment

  • Proficiency Tiers: Your skill or attribute score picks your die:
  • d4: 10-29 (novice—e.g., Torren’s Perception 20)
  • d6: 30-49 (basic—e.g., Veyra’s Endurance 40)
  • d8: 50-64 (skilled—e.g., Lira’s Deception 60)
  • d10: 65-79 (expert—e.g., Kael’s Knowledge: Occult 70)
  • d12: 80-94 (elite—e.g., Torren’s Melee Weapons 90)
  • d20: 95+ (master—e.g., Eryn’s Investigation 100)
  • Target Numbers (TNs):
  • Easy: TN 5
  • Moderate: TN 10
  • Hard: TN 15
  • Very Hard: TN 20
  • Impossible: TN 25
  • Math Example: Lira (Stealth 100, d20) sneaks past a guard (TN 10). Rolls 14—Margin 14 - 10 = 4, success with quiet grace. Rolls 20—crit, doubles speed or bonus effect.

Character Creation Adjustments

  • Core: 340 points across six attributes (max 80), 90 skill points, 2 distinctions + species trait—e.g., Torren (STR 70, CON 70, HP 140).
  • Polyhedral Shift:
  • Attributes: Same 340 points—dice reflect scores—e.g., Torren (STR 70 = d10 untrained Melee Weapons).
  • Skills: 90 points set dice—e.g., Veyra (Leadership 100 = d20).
  • Distinctions: Add dice effects—e.g., Torren’s Titan’s Might upgrades sword die (d8 to d10).
  • HP: CON + STR (no x2)—e.g., Kael (CON 50 + STR 60 = 110 HP).

Example Characters

  • Torren: STR 70 (d10), CON 70 (d10), HP 140, Melee Weapons 90 (d12), Titan’s Might.
  • Lira: DEX 80 (d12), CON 20 (d4), HP 100, Stealth 100 (d20), Knife in the Dark.
  • Eryn: INT 90 (d12), WIS 60 (d8), HP 150, Investigation 100 (d20), Field Expert.
  • Kael: WIS 80 (d12), INT 60 (d8), HP 140, Spellcasting 100 (d20), Mana Reserves.
  • Veyra: CHA 80 (d12), DEX 50 (d8), HP 130, Leadership 100 (d20), Rallying Cry.

Combat Modifications

Attack Rolls

  • Roll your combat skill die vs. a TN based on the foe:
  • Basic (e.g., Rookie Guard): TN 10
  • Skilled (e.g., Bounty Hunter): TN 15
  • Elite (e.g., Sunforged Paladin): TN 20
  • Math Example: Torren (Melee Weapons 90, d12) vs. TN 15. Rolls 8—fails. Rolls 11—Margin 11 - 15 = 0, hits.

Damage

  • Melee: STR/10 (round down) + Weapon Die + Margin—e.g., Sword (d8), Dagger (d4), Greatsword (d12).
  • Ranged: DEX/20 + Weapon Die + Margin—e.g., Bow (d8), Sling (d6).
  • Math Example: Torren rolls 12 (Margin 0, crit), Damage: 7 (STR/10) + d8 (8) = 15 x 2 = 30 - DR 5 = 25.

Defense

  • Reaction roll (e.g., Acrobatics die) vs. attacker’s Margin—success reduces damage by roll result (min 5).
  • Math Example: Lira (Acrobatics 90, d12) vs. Margin 10, rolls 8—damage 60 - 8 = 52, HP 100 to 48.

Maneuvers

  • Use alternate dice—e.g., Pommel Smash: Melee Weapons -10 (d10 instead of d12), TN 15, half damage (STR/10 + weapon die), stuns (CON + Endurance Difficulty 15 resists).
  • Math Example: Torren (Melee Weapons 90 - 10 = 80, d10) rolls 8—half damage: 7 + d8 (4) / 2 = 5 (rounded down), stuns foe.

Magic Adjustments

Willpower (Mana)

  • WIS + INT—e.g., Kael (160)—no change.

Casting

  • Roll Spellcasting die vs. TN:
  • Difficulty 30-40: TN 10
  • Difficulty 45-55: TN 15
  • Difficulty 60-70: TN 20
  • Difficulty 80+: TN 25
  • Damage/Healing: Use dice—e.g., Fire Bolt (d8), Healing Touch (d6). Margin adds effect.
  • Overcasting: 1 Fatigue per Willpower die step (e.g., d10 spell = 10 deficit = 1 Fatigue).

Sample Spells

  • Fire Bolt: Willpower 10, TN 15, d8 damage + Margin—Kael rolls 16 (Margin 1), d8 (6) + 1 = 7, Willpower to 150.
  • Healing Touch: Willpower 15, TN 15, d6 HP + Margin—Kael rolls 20 (crit), d6 (4) x 2 = 8, Willpower to 145.

Other Systems

Skill Checks

  • Roll skill die vs. TN—e.g., Eryn (Investigation 100, d20) vs. TN 10, rolls 14 (Margin 4)—finds a clue fast. Crit (20) doubles info.

Natural Healing

  • CON/10 per hour (d4)—e.g., Torren rolls 4, heals 4 HP. CON/5 per night (d6)—rolls 6, heals 12 HP.

Crafting

  • Craft die vs. TN—e.g., Eryn (Craft 70, d10) vs. TN 15, rolls 8 (Margin 0)—makes a dagger in 1 hour.

For Experienced Players

  • Tactics: Bigger dice = better odds—Torren’s d12 (75% vs. TN 10) vs. Lira’s d20 (95%)—Margin scales damage (Torren’s crit = 30).
  • Synergy: Titan’s Might (d8 to d10) + Sweeping Slash—Torren rolls d8 vs. two foes, hits harder.
  • Grit: Low dice (d4) fail often (25% vs. TN 10)—start small, grow big—keeps PAWG’s edge.

That’s Polyhedral Shift in PAWG! Simple dice swaps for newbies, rich depth for pros—roll your set, beat the TN, and thrive. Tweak with your GM!