Optional Rules

Table of Contents

Backstab Armor
Body Armor
Calculated Defense
Combined Technique
Group Characters
Invulnerable
Last Stand

VitalRPG is designed to be versatile and easy to play. The Core Rules provide a foundation on which more rules may be added if desired. The following is a catalog of optional rules to give your story a new flavor of gameplay.

The GM may pick and choose individual optional rules to use and whether they apply to all or specific characters. Because these either alter or add to the Core Rules, establish which rules will be in effect before starting a game session.

Backstab Armor#

Rule type: Adds to Character Actions.
Gameplay impact: Attacks can negate Body Armor defense bonuses.
When to use: The Body Armor rule is in effect.
Example adventure: The Amazing Maude and Jacob

If an attacker with a sharp melee weapon is able to get behind a target wearing Body Armor, they may make an Intelligence roll as a free action before their attack. The result of the roll negates the equivalent amount of armor defense bonus for the attack this turn.

A guard wears medium armor which grants a +2 defense bonus. An assassin sneaks behind the guard and rolls Intelligence as a free action, the result is 5. The entire +2 bonus of the guard’s armor is negated for the assassin’s knife attack.

A knight wears heavy armor which grants a +4 defense bonus. A rogue leaps behind the knight and rolls Intelligence as a free action, the result is 3. The knight’s armor only grants a +1 defense bonus for the rogue’s dagger attack.

Body Armor#

Rule type: Adds to Possessions.
Gameplay impact: Armored characters are granted defense bonuses. Heavier armors apply an Agility penalty.
See also: Backstab Armor
Example adventure: The Amazing Maude and Jacob

Body armor comes in three types:

Light armor applies a +1 defense bonus.
Medium armor applies a +2 defense bonus and a -1 penalty to Agility.
Heavy armor applies a +4 defense bonus and a -2 penalty to Agility.

The defense bonus only applies to slashing, bludgeoning, piercing, or other similar attacks. No defense bonus is granted for attacks involving fire, lightning, or other means not protected by the armor.

Calculated Defense#

Rule type: Alters Defense.
Gameplay impact: Characters no longer roll defense dice, instead they have a calculated roll result.
When to use: The story involves combat that can be faster and more dangerous.
Example adventure: The Cabin on Pine Ridge

Characters now have a calculated number that represents their defense roll result. No actual dice roll is made. The calculated result is equal to the number of defense dice they would currently roll plus one.

At full health, Lorenzo would normally roll 4d6 defense dice, his calculated defense is 5. He later takes damage and both VPs linked to defense are lost, his calculated defense is now 3. An attack is then made against him, the attack roll result is 3 which misses against a defense result of 3.

For an NPC using the Simplified Setup, subtract the number of lost VPs from their calculated defense as a penalty. This penalty can never lower their calculated defense below 1.

Combined Technique#

Rule type: Alters Vital Characteristics.
Gameplay impact: More dice are rolled for actions related to a character’s specialization. Simplifies establishing VCs to use for an action roll.
When to use: The story includes characters that are well trained in a variety of specialties. Character specialties do not require treating Technique separately.
Example adventure: The Amazing Maude and Jacob

The Technique VC is no longer rolled on its own when performing specialized actions. Instead, if the character is well trained in the action, Technique is combined and rolled together with one of the mental/physical VCs: Vigor, Intelligence, Agility, or Spirit. The highest die result is used as usual.

A skilled acrobat must scale a wall, Agility and Technique are rolled together because they are trained in such actions. A door must be kicked open at the top of the wall, Vigor is rolled alone because this is not a trained action.

Technique may still be linked to attack or defense as usual.

Group Characters#

Rule type: Alters Player Character Setup and/or Non-Player Character Setup.
Gameplay impact: The scope of character actions now applies to a group.
When to use: The story is more focused around groups rather than individuals.
Example adventure: Sarah and the Skippies

A single PC or NPC represents a group within the story. A group might be the crew of a ship, an entire nation, or something else. PC groups are controlled by a single player.

Actions performed by a group may involve the efforts of many individuals working together. When similar groups face one another, the number of VPs a group has indicates its relative size. When a character or group faces a much larger group, apply bonuses and penalties as appropriate or divide the larger group into multiple groups.

Invulnerable#

Rule type: Alters Damage.
Gameplay impact: Forces characters to pursue other actions besides combat.
When to use: The story includes characters that are especially powerful or protected by some source.
Example adventure: Sarah and the Skippies

An invulnerable character cannot be damaged. They can be temporarily stunned or distracted by a successful attack against them but will suffer no harm.

If the invulnerability is provided by some source, disabling the source will allow the character to take damage as usual.

Last Stand#

Rule type: Alters Out of Action.
Gameplay impact: Characters can sustain more damage.
When to use: The story includes combat against powerful opponents.
Example adventure: Sarah and the Skippies

Characters that have lost all their VPs are still able to perform normal actions. Any successful attack against a character without VPs or anything else that would result in damage will cause them to be out of action as usual.