Champion Quest (RWBY)

The QM has ultimate power over the quest. A QM can overrule anything in the mechanics pdf to better suit the needs of the story. Nothing in this post is presented as the ultimate list of every possibility imaginable. It merely provides a backdrop for more to be built upon. Ultimately the goal of this game, like any game, is to have fun.

When a Character attempts an action they will roll a Skill Check. A Skill Check is any action that is more difficult than any normal everyday activity. Be it performing acrobatics, avoiding hazards, or attacking enemies. Skill Checks start by rolling 2d10 and adding the two resulting numbers together.

Next, the relevant two Base Attributes are added to the result. Which kinds of actions fall under what attributes will be covered in the Attributes Section. Any time in which both die have a result of 10 it is called a "Natural 20". A Natural 20 (also called a Critical Success) is regarded as an automatic success on a given check and usually means that it has been passed with flying colours. However, the same concept applies to two results of 1, which is called a Natural 2 or "Critical Failure". A Natural 2 automatically fails and can complicate things drastically.

It is almost always better to roll higher than it is to roll lower. Only the player's first two Natural dice can be a Critical Success or Failure. As the game continues, the player's pool of dice will increase, increasing to 3d10 and 4d10 and so on. But the two Natural Dice remain unique. Skill Checks are presented to players as the attributes that contribute most appropriately the task the character is trying to accomplish.

QMs do NOT need to present the threshold of a check to players that all the information is not available to them, such as making a leap of faith in the dark. All skill checks come in increments of 5, starting at 10.

Damage is different than a from Skill Check. Specifically when rolling attacks, a player rolls a skill check for accuracy to determine if they hit the opponent. If they succeed they may roll damage. Damage always starts as 1d6 and can be further modified from there. Damage is not always increased by an attribute, but other sources may contribute to it.

Champion Quest uses a mechanic called the Rule of Cool (RoC). The Rule of Cool is applied when the player does something so awesome that conventional logic is ignored. Like the source material of RWBY, the grander the spectacle is, then the more likely it will be to succeed. If the QM is impressed by a player's creativity or a particularly cinematic action, normal hindrances will be ignored and the upper limit of what is possible can be removed entirely. Anything is possible if the players roll high enough and the Rule of Cool is the stepping stone to accomplishing the impossible.

Ultimately, what is and is not "Cool" is for the QM to judge. Every QM is different, some being quite generous and others being more fickle. (and which am I? Bwahahahahaha) Most will fall somewhere in the middle. Players have no concrete way to generate RoC and instead must rely on their own creative processes rather than an in-game mechanic. RoC comes into play as an additional d10 added to the table. This extra die is given to every party member to add to every roll. If the player succeeds in their attempted action and impresses their GM, every member of the party will gain a d10. For every additional d10 available on skill checks, the party also gain an additional d6 for all damage rolls.

To generate RoC a player must firstly impress their GM with a cool idea, then succeed on the Skill checks required for the cool idea. Players also automatically generate RoC upon rolling a Natural 20. When RoC is generated, it does not come into play until the next immediate turn phase. This is unless the RoC was generated by a Natural 20, in which case the extra d10 is added immediately to that attempted roll and all subsequent rolls on the player's turn. RoC remains for every player until either the end of the encounter, a natural 2 is rolled, or if the player's actions stagnate.

Earning a low level of cool then sitting on it can cause it to decrease as well. RoC can stack infinitely, adding an additional d10 to the pool each time. However, with each additional level, the stakes are raised and characters must push the limits even further to gain that extra boost in damage, power, and skill. Generally, no more than one or two levels of RoC can be generated in a given encounter, but extremely long encounters with particularly creative players may breach that barrier.

The soft cap for RoC is +3d10, and anything beyond that requires performing the truly amazing or the downright impossible. a.k.a. Natural 20's no longer give RoC after this point.

Base Attributes are the primary definitions of a Character. By looking at their attributes one can see what they are good at and what they struggle with. Players Rank their six Attributes from 0 to 5. The attribute represented by 5 being their most adept. These numerical rankings are the number that is added to skill checks. Every Character is good at some things, but no one is good at everything.

Skill Checks are a combination of two base attributes, using their ranking as a modifier to add to the character's d10 rolls. There are 15 total combinations of attributes, but a countless number of actions that a character can make. Some checks can be attempted again on failure. Some, however, cannot until a change occurs allowing a retry. Most physical checks, like acrobatics, can be retried on failure. Something like a Detection check cannot be retried, at least not until a change occurs such as new terrain, additional sets of eyes, or even simply waiting

Derived Statistics are determined using the Base Attributes. They are fixed pools that slowly decrease as various actions are taken. Each Derived Statistic has a unique effect when its value reaches 0.

Semblance is the active manifestation of the Character's soul. Every Huntsman and Huntress has a Semblance that is unique to them. Semblance checks are always a WIL Check and one other attribute. This second attribute depends on how the Semblance is being utilized. When a Character decides how they wish to utilize their Semblance, the GM determines what the secondary attribute will be. This varies from use to use, but some Semblances can favour a particular attribute. Semblances last 1 turn, and characters can keep the effect up with a WIL+END check each turn.

Every Character begins with a weapon. Most Huntsmen and Huntresses forge their own Weapons while some inherit them from family. Huntsmen and Huntresses spend almost their entire lives training with their signature weapon, to the point where it is no longer a tool but an extension of themselves. When using anything besides their signature weapon, including being unarmed, a character's damage is cut in half (rounding down).

There are three variants of melee weapons and three variants of ranged weapons. The chosen variant is decided at the beginning of weapon design and cannot be changed. None of these classifications are clearly defined, with many weapons relying more on how the weapon is wielded rather than what it is. Each variant relies on different base attributes to determine accuracy.

Every weapon begins as a single melee weapon with built in ranged component. All weapon damage is equalized at 1d6 regardless of the base weapon type. All Melee weapons can only be used against adjacent enemies, but add the character's STR score to total damage rolled. All Ranged weapons have a max range of 100ft and add no attribute to damage.

10: Simple- Beyond everyday action, but easy enough even for the unskilled. A test to "not fail".
15: Average- Impressive to normal civilians, but par for the course for Huntsmen and Huntresses
20: Challenging- Can only be accomplished by a normal human with a lifetime of training, natural talent, and luck.
25: Amazing- Feats well beyond the normal human, usually associated with popular culture action heroes.
30: Superhuman- Reserved for the very experienced Huntsmen and those with literal superpowers.
35: Legendary- Accomplishments that can last forever as rumour or myth.
40: Impossible- The very fabric of reality moves aside for the Huntsman. Even laws of nature stand in the way, but the Huntsman that accomplishes this task pays no heed.

Huntsman and Huntresses come into conflict with Grimm by the very nature of their profession. Being combat ready is not just the norm, but it is expected. It is rare to see pacifists seek this line of work.

In the RoC System, all obstacles Characters must overcome are set values, including enemy defences, attacks and damages. As with every skill check in the game, Enemy attack and defence thresholds come in increments of 5.

With RoC, Characters will "outgrow" most adversaries. As numbers are rolled higher against enemies, it becomes easier to dispatch them. Against defences this is demonstrated with passively dealing more damage at higher rolls as well as imparting detrimental status effects to enemies. Against attacks, players avoid weaker entities with ease and will have more opportunities to destroy them.