Welcome to sword world 2.5! This PDF is aimed to teach the basics of the game and help people get into it.

Above is the first page of the Character Sheet for sword world 2.5. Starting from the top Left there are several components to it

Monster Knowledge, Initiative, Movement

The top row of boxes is for quickly referencing your Monster Knowledge, initiative (if you have the Scout or Tactician Classes), and how far and what types of movement your character can take.

Accuracy and Damage calculations, Weapon chart

This page allows you to fill out what class you're using for accuracy checks and extra damage - For example, if you had 2 levels in the Fighter class and a Dexterity and Strength modifiers of 3 each, you'd check the Fighter box, add your Fighter level (2) + Dexterity modifier (3) and get your Base Accuracy of Five. You would repeat that for Extra Damage, using Strength instead of Dexterity.

Note: If you have multiple Martial classes, you may have different Accuracies and Extra Damage for each, they do not add together, nor do special effects such as the Fencers -1 critical value apply to attacks made with other classes.

The weapon box is for listing out your weapons to quickly reference their stats, including it's stance (how many hands), the minimum strength to wield it, any added accuracy from the weapon itself, your total accuracy (This is your base accuracy if the weapon adds nothing) which is also known as the Standard Value for Accuracy checks, what "Power" row it uses from the Power tables & the values of that, along with its critical value and any extra damage the weapon itself might add.

Below that is a box to track any temporary additions, such as buffs or advantages in a battle.

Accessories, Evasion, Defense, Magic Power

Each character has 10 slots to equip Accessories into, which have their own effects to be listed to the right.

Every characters evasion is calculated off one of their Warrior-type class levels and their Agility modifier, with a box to list the Base evasion.

Beneath that is a section to list any armor, shields, or other defense and evasion increasing items you may posses, with boxes to fill with the final numbers for each. The numbers listed here are your Standard Value for Evasion checks and your defense used in damage calculations.

The Magic Power section is for listing off your Standard Value (Wizard-type class+ Intelligence Modifier) for your spellcasting checks for each Wizard-type class you possess.

HP, MP, Fortitude, Willpower, Money, and Items and Power table

The final boxes are for your HP, calculated as Adventurer Level x 3 + Vitality, MP which is calculated as Total Wizard-Type class levels x 3 + Spirit. Both of these use the Ability Score not modifier.

Additionally there is Fortitude, calculated as Adventurer Level + Vitality Modifier, and Willpower, calculated as Adventurer level + Spirit Modifier.

There is also a box for keeping track of how many Gamels, the unit of currency in the game, you have in your possession and any debts you might have accrued.

Furthermore, there is a section for listing off items, with a pre filled box for an Adventurer's Set which contains many things that are useful in adventuring. Fill in the box if you have purchased one.

A section for consumables also allows you to list off frequently bought consumables and keep track of them using the small tracks to indicate how many uses you may have.

Finally, the Power Table presented on the sheet is a shortened version listing powers in increments of 5 from 0 to 50. Should you need to consult the chart, you would take the row from the left, the Power, and than roll 2d and look at the column at the top. For example, if you roll for a Power 20 spell on the table and get a 7 total, the result would be 5 - Where the row and column intersect. After getting the value from the power table, you add any extra damage.

To make a character you follow a few simple steps.

1. Get a character sheet
2. Select a race and an available background from their charts
3. Roll for your ability scores according to the race
4. Spend any exp left over to purchase classes
5. Add languages to your sheet.
6. Decide on which Combat Feats you will acquire
7. Spend your starting Gamels on equipment
8. Finalize the calculation of your Standard Values
9. Add anything extra, such as history or reasons for adventuring

8. Calculate values

Finally calculate your Standard Values for HP, MP, Fortitude, Willpower, Check Packages, Monster Knowledge, Initiative, Movement, Weapons, Armor, and Magic Power if applicable. The sheet itself has how to calculate these values, along with the previous pages.

In “Sword World 2.5,” the characters have various abilities. Some are skilled in handling weapons and armor, while others are skilled in magic. The classes represent their abilities in various skills, so by learning various classes, characters acquire various skills.

Artificer (Major)

This caster learns Magitech. They use Magitech Spheres (magispheres) to create useful tools and effects. Artificers are the only class able to use Guns, which can deliver damage, healing, and more through the use of Bullets. Using Bullet type spells and guns requires the use of the Marksman class. If you wish to deal consistent damage you should level Marksman more than Artificer

Conjurer (Major)

This caster learns Spiritualism Magic. Spiritualism spells offer a variety of supportive effects, and the ability to manipulate constructs, such as dolls, for reconnaissance and other useful tasks.

Druid (Major)

Druids are beings who live in nature and have the ability to interact with the spirits of animals and plants that inhabit the earth. They use Nature Magic, which is based on the power that resides in nature. The principle and essence of Nature Magic is to borrow the power of these spirits. When a Druid uses Nature Magic, semi-invisible animals, and plants appear and produce the effects of Druid spells.

Fairy Tamer (Major)

The Fairy Tamer is a class that uses Fairy Magic. Fairies are beings born from the interference of mana with nature, and they exist everywhere in Raxia. Fairy Magic is the art of making a contract with these fairies and having them use their powers in exchange for the caster’s mana.

Priest (Major)

This caster learns Divine Magic. Through faith, Priests heal and mitigate damage, as well as oppose Barbarous and Undead creatures. When you first become a Priest, you will choose a single deity whom you worship, and in turn they will grant you specialized, and thematic, spells.

Sorcerer (Major)

This caster learns Truespeech Magic. Truespeech Magic is a magic system that can be called traditional, as their spells offer many ways to deal direct damage, and at the same time, it also has convenient spells such as lighting a magical light.

Warlock (Major)

The Warlock, also known as the Summoner or Daemon Tamer, is a magician who manipulates the power of Daemons. The Summoning Arts, which utilize the power of Daemons, are one of the most unique magic systems in the world of Raxia. There are three main types of Summoning Arts: those that transform and strengthen the body or armament, those that attack using power that originates in the Daemon World, and those that summon and use Daemons.

Alchemist (Minor)

Some people have the strange ability to process and synthesize items out of basic materials, as well as create Evocations from magically infused cards. These people are called Alchemists. Their Material Cards are made of Prima Materia, the essential element of various substances. Upon taking a level in the Alchemist class, characters learn to speak and read the Magitech language.

Bard (Minor)

Bards play musical instruments, sing songs, and produce various supportive or hindering effects on nearby listeners. For every level Bard acquired, a character learns to speak, but not read, any one new language. Choose from the list of languages.

Enhancer (Minor)

Enhancers are a very physical class who use their body and mana to create advantages in battle. It is not a class that makes use of weapons but uses non-magical Techniques with associated special effects. The Enhancer class cannot be used to make Skill Checks. Also, since it is not Wizard-Type Class, it doesn’t increase MP.

Geomancer (Minor)

The Geomancer can deploy a special item called Geograph to use the Aspects to target a random person from the entire battlefield.

Ranger (Minor)

Like the Scout, Rangers are useful for reconnaissance and investigation, but the class’ capabilities tend to be limited to natural environments. Rangers are uniquely adept at handling and administering medicinal herbs and potions. With such efficiency, Rangers contribute greatly to the safety of themselves and their party. When using Herbs Rangers add their level + Dexterity Modifier to the final result. When using potions, they add Ranger level + Intelligenge Modifier to the final result.

Two dice are required for Skill Checks. The GM must then provide a numerical value, typically called a Target Number (TN) to indicate the difficulty of the act, taking into account various factors such as the character’s capabilities and the situation at hand.

Active vs Passive Checks

Contested Checks are sometimes used to determine the winner between those actively attempting to commit an act and those attempting to prevent or evade it. A straightforward example is a confrontation between those attempting to attack and those attempting to evade.

First, the active side rolls the Skill Check. As long as it is not an Automatic Failure, the passive side will need to perform a Skill Check. If the passive sides Success Value is a tie or greater, the passive side wins. This is the case even in automatic Successes.

In most cases the Skill check for the active and passive sides will be different.

Resistance Checks

In Skill Checks, there are two types of resistance checks: "Fortitude" and "Willpower".
These are used to reduce or eliminate special effects or attacks, such as Poison or Magic.
The Standard Value for these checks is determined by adding the “Adventurer Level” and the “Corresponding Ability Modifier”.

[Fortitude] = [Adventurer Level + Vitality Modifier] [Willpower] = [Adventurer Level + Spirit Modifier]

Action Checks

Skill Checks, excluding Death, Fortitude, and Willpower Checks are refered to as "Action Checks". This large grouping is used to indicate the effects of magic and so on. For example, a statement such as “action check with a -1 penalty” is used: if a character is subjected to such an effect, it is assumed to apply to all Skill Checks except the three above.

Death Check

If a character's HP value falls to 0 or Below during a battle, the character may die. When a character falls to 0 HP or below, a death check must be immediately performed.

The Standard Value of a death check is "Adventurer Level + Vitality Modifier". The Target Number is "0" but the character's current HP is used as a penalty modifier. For example, if a character's HP would be reduced to -5, than the Target Number is 5. If the roll is a Failure than the character dies. If the check is successful, the character is unconscious but alive. If there is an Automatic Success the character's HP becomes 1 and they recover from unconsciousness. If the character remains unconscious, another Death Check will be required every 10 minutes until the character has six successes, after which point the character awakens with 1 HP.

Unconsciousness

Simply restoring a characters HP to more than 0 HP will not awaken them, however certain spells, skills, and items such as [Awaken], Awaken Potion, and First Aid checks will bring a character back to consciousness.

Combat is a very important element of Sword World 2.5. There are many situations where PCs have to fight and fend off challenges that come their way. During combat, you will perform various Action Checks such as Accuracy, Evasion, and Spellcasting Checks. This section describes the procedures and processes that characters will follow when they enter combat.

Three Areas

The battlefield is divided into three areas. No other positioning exists. The three areas are the Frontline Area, Allied Rearguard Area, and Enemy Rearguard Area. The idea is that each Rearguard is positioned across from the other, on opposite sides of the Frontline. In subsequent descriptions, the two rearguards may also be referred to collectively as the “Rearguard Areas.”

Skirmishes and Skirmish Areas

When both friendly and enemy characters are present in an area simultaneously, it is called a Skirmish, or more specifically, a Skirmish Area. That is, “Skirmish” is added to the area name, as in “Frontline Skirmish Area”. The Skirmish Area is a dangerous place where those within may attack each other with melee and other weapons.

Combat will be resolved according to the “Combat Procedure Chart.”

1. Combat Start Process

When combat is assured to take place, the following process is performed.

1.1 Confirmation of Factions
Typically battles take place between two factions, the PCs and their Opponents. For all characters (PCs, NPCs, and monsters) on the battlefield, the GM will identify which faction they belong to.

1.2 Combat Preparation Once the battle is confirmed, you may perform certain combat feats and minor actions allowed during this time. Combat Feats and spells are typically denoted by a △ symbol.

1.3 Monster Knowledge Check
A Monster Knowledge Check (Sage level + Intelligence Modifier) is performed. If successful, the GM shares the monster's stats with players.

1.4 Initiative Check
An Initiative Check (Scout/Tactician + Agility Modifier) is performed. Initiative is Exceptional in that double 6s do not become an automatic success, instead it is treated simply as a 12.

1.5 Initial Placement
The side that won initiative gets to determine where their characters are placed, either Rearguard or ** Frontline**. Even if the first faction does not place any characters on the front line, the second side must have at least one character in the front line. If the winning side places characters in the frontline, the losing side must place at least half as many (rounded up) in the front line in response.

2. Winning initiative Acts

Once Combat Preparation is over, the first round begins. The faction that is acting first chooses any character to begin their turn, handles their actions sequentially, and resolves them. Player may not take an action during another players turn. One players turn must be completed for another to act.

Round (Time) Management
Combat is played using a unit of time called a Round. Each Round lasts 10 seconds, and during this round each participant gets a turn to act. For durations of special effects, one round (10 seconds) is considered to have elapsed each time the character who generated it begins a new turn.

When tracking passage of time as a whole, A "Round" is only incremented after all characters have taken their turns.

3. Losing Initiative Acts

After all character who won the initiative have taken their turn, any remaining characters belong to the faction which lost now take their turns. This is the same as described above.

4. Confirm Combat State

After all characters that lost initiative have acted, if there are still active characters in both factions and either side is willing to continue the battle, the combat will proceed to the next round. The game procedure returns to "2. Winning Initiative Acts" and new turns may begin. Turns may be taken in any order regardless of previous actions.

5. Post Combat Process

If either faction is unable to continue the combat due to annihilation, surrender, and so forth, the fight is over. The end of combat is also indicated when one faction escapes and the other gives up on the pursuit. When combat ends, all magic and effects expire, except for those which last for an extended period of time (hour, day, permanent, etc.).

This section explains what a character can do during their turn.

Melee Attacks and "Range:Touch" Spells and effects can only target characters in the same area as yourself.

Critical Value
Every weapon has their own Critical Value which is listed in the weapons description.

Handling Criticals
Using the Power Table, a critical will occur if the 2d roll is equal to or greater than the Critical Value of the weapon. If a critical occurs, the power table is used again and added to the damage as is. If the second roll is also equal to or higher than the Critical Value, the “critical continues,” and the damage is added one after another, continually until a 2d result is not critical. Extra Damage is added to the final result from the Power Table and potential criticals to arrive at the Calculated Damage. No matter how many times a critical occurs, Extra Damage is added only once.

Double 1s on a Critical
In the event that the 2d used when rolling on the Power Table for Critical results in double 1’s, the Calculated Damage does not become 0. Simply proceed with the sum of the previous power table results like normal.

Critical Value Modification
Certain abilities and classes modify the Critical Value of a weapon, for example attacks with the Fencer Class reduce a weapons Critical Threshold by -1. However, the final Critical Value will never be 7 or less. If it'd be reduced to less than 8, it will be changed to 8. The final Critical Value may be 13 or higher. In this case, a critical will never occur.

Let's describe the basic rules of magic. First, we define the following basic terms.

Casting a Spell

This is an attempt to activate a spell. Usually, a Spellcasting check is required to cast a spell.

Caster

The word “caster” means a character who casts a spell.

Target

This is what the spell is intended to affect - a character, an object, a space, etc. The kind of target is determined by the individual spell.

Match between Class level and Spell level

Each spell has a level. As a rule, the corresponding class level is the maximum spell level that can be cast.

For example, a character with 3 levels of Sorcerer class can cast spells of levels 1 to 3 from Truespeech Magic.

If you have mastered multiple Wizard-Type Classes, the level of spells that can cast from a magic system is determined independently for each class level acquired.

Determination of Target

When casting an “Area: Line” spell, the caster first assigns a target within the spell’s range. There are two choices: targeting an area or targeting a character. Targeting a character in a skirmish area requires the combat feat [Targeting]. In this case, characters in the same area as the caster cannot be selected as targets. A character in a different area must be selected as the target. Also, the target must be visible to the caster. To target a character in the Enemy Rearguard from caster’s own Rearguard, the caster must have the combat feat [Hawk Eye].

Check the Area of Effect

A spell with “Area: Line” acts in a straight line from the caster in a specified direction, up to its range limit. It can affect everything along that line, either side of the designated target. First, check whether the area you are in is a skirmish area. In a skirmish area, the area inside is also affected by the "Area: Line" effect. If it is not a skirmish area, it is up to the caster to decide whether or not they are affected by this effect. Next, check which areas will be affected. If the spell was cast from the Frontline, then the Enemy Rearguard will be affected. If the caster is in the Allied Rearguard, then “Range: 1 area” spells will affect just the Frontline, whilst “Range: 2 areas” spells will affect both the Frontline and Enemy Rearguard.

Determination of the Affected Characters

Having determined the areas through which a spell will travel, characters in those areas may or may not be subject to its effects. There is basically a 50/50 chance (with a few exceptions) that a character will be affected. Specifically, this is determined as follows.

The character chosen as the target: If the caster has selected a character as the target of the spell, that character will be affected.

Caster: The caster can choose whether they are affected by the spell or not.

Exclusion by [Magic Control]: If the caster declares the combat feat [Magic Control], any number of characters within range can be excluded from the effects of the spell.

Other cases: Eligible characters that do not fall into any of the above categories need to roll 1d. On a 1 - 3, the character is affected. If the roll is 4 - 6, they are not.

Spells that Cannot be Arbitrarily Cancelled by Caster

The spells with “Duration: Permanent” and “Duration: Instant/XX” cannot be cancelled by the caster at will.

Use of Power Tables

Most damage-dealing spells use a Power Table to determine the Calculated Damage. Such spells are described in the magic data as “Power X + Magic Power’ damage.

Just as when determining the damage of a weapon attack, use the appropriate row of the Power Table and roll 2d to check the result. The Calculated Damage is then added to the character’s Magic Power.

Double 1s

As with weapon attacks, if the Power Table is used and double 1s are rolled, damage determination is skipped, and applied damage becomes 0.

Critical

When using the Power Table, damage spells have the potential to critically hit. The Power Table is added to the magic data, and the critical threshold is indicated in the “Critical Threshold” column. If the threshold is listed as “None”, the spell cannot be critical. Additionally, if a spell has “Resistance: Half” and the target succeeds in a Willpower test, no critical hit will occur.

Double 1s’ after Critical

This is also the same as weapon attacks. If, after a critical hit, a new 2d roll is made to add to the damage, and the result is double 1s, use the damage that was calculated before the double 1s were rolled.

Determining Damage to Multiple Targets

If the spell affects more than one target at the same time, the Spellcasting check is made once for all targets. However, as a rule, determining damage is done individually. This is because, due to the possibility of a critical hit and the fact that each of the same kind of monster has identical HP, rolling once for damage could be an all-or-nothing affair.

Resistance: Half

Most spells that deal damage have “Resistance: Half”, and damage can be halved by a successful Willpower check. Damage caused by the unique skills of monsters can also be halved by a resistance check. When halving damage, fractional results should be rounded up.

No Crits On Successful Resistance

A successful resistance against a spell with “Resistance:Half” does not result in a critical in the use of the power table to determine total damage. The total damage is determined using only one roll, no matter how high the 2d roll is.

No Halving of Increased Damage

If damage is halved due to resistance, effects that increase damage are added after halving. In other words, damage-increasing effects are not halved.

Duplication of Magical Effects

This section describes how to handle cases where the same or a similar spell is applied to the same target.

Non-overlapping Spells of the Same Name

As a general rule, when a magic effect appears on a target, the effects of the spell of the same name do not multiply or accumulate on the same target. For example, even if a target is affected by the effect of [Field Protection] twice, the damage reduction effect will not be increased to -2 points. In such cases, the duration of the spell is replaced by the 3 minutes (18 rounds) from the later cast.

However, if a spell other than “Resistance: Can’t” is resisted by the target, it is assumed that any later spell has no effect, and so the previous duration remains the same.

In addition, if the duration is extended with [Metamagic/Time], but as a result the duration would be shortened, then this does not occur, and the previous duration continues to be applied.

Spell Types

Some spells have a type that may increase or decrease damage and effects depending on the character’s or monster’s weaknesses, unique skills, magic, or item effects.

Earth, Water/ice, Fire, Wind, Lightning, Energy, Slashing, Bludgeoning. These are used primarily as types of damage.

Poison, Disease

Undead and constructs are immune to poison or disease spell types. On the other hand, these spells ignore the effects of some defensive magic. If they have duration, they may be removed with [Cure Poison] or [Cure Disease] or similar means.

Psychic

These spells affect the psyche of the target. Some monsters do not have a psyche and are immune to them. Such spells can be removed by [Sanity] or similar magic or effects.

Psychic (Weak)

These spells are of the Psychic type but can be easily removed. If the target is under the effect and suffers damage to HP or MP, the effect is immediately removed. It is also possible for others to “bring them to their senses” with a Major Action. This action is handled as “Range: Touch” and “Target: 1 Entire Character”. Since they are part of the Psychic type, they can be effectively removed by the [Sanity] spell, etc., and are not effective against monsters immune to the psychic type. Normal sleep is also classified as a Psychic (weak) effect.

Curse

These spells bestow a curse and can be hard to remove. Even [Dispel Magic] will not remove them. Only the [Remove Curse] spell can remove Curse effects.

Spells that can be Cast with Minor Action

Spell casting is normally a Major Action, but some spells can be cast as a Minor Action. Such spells will have “⏩” at the beginning of their name. These spells may be cast as many times as the caster wishes on their turn. MP must be expended per cast.

Cast Conditions and Movement Restrictions

Even a spell that can be cast with Minor Action must still adhere to spell casting restrictions such as “having an implement or a medium,” and “being able to vocalize”. The same is true for movement limitations.

Spellcasting check and Success Value

If a spell is cast with Minor Action, no Spellcasting check is required. The spell will automatically succeed, but the Success Value will be 0. Since no dice are rolled, an automatic failure cannot occur.

Casting with Major Action

Spells that can be cast as a Minor Action can optionally be cast as a Major Action. In this case, a Spellcasting check should be made, and the Success Value determined accordingly, with the risk of automatic failure due to double 1s.

Spells that can be case during Combat Preparation

Spells with a “△” appended to the name can be cast during Combat Preparation.

These spells are treated almost identically to those that can be cast as a Minor Action described above. In other words, the conditions for casting magic must be followed, and no Spellcasting check is performed. Their success value is 0.

However, spells with the same name can only be cast once during Combat Preparation (different spells can be cast separately). Spells can also be cast as a Major Action, but there are not many cases where that makes sense.

Notes on Wizard-Type Classes