My first game I ever wrote was a pitiful boardgame about 5 years ago that wasn't even typed. Now, I have an RPG published on the Web. Now, while I like that game, it is remarkably similar to Dungeons and Dragons. If you like that kind of game, go see V ox Draconis at:

This Site

This game is nothing like any existing system. I have tried to be as original as possible. Also, I tried to keep it short, since I really hate reading 200+ pages of rules before finally understanding how to roll attributes. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to me at one of these addresses:

darklance@emailx.com

darklance@death-star.com

darklance@thekeyboard.com

Thanks for trying out my game.

%dice is used a great deal throughout the game. To roll %dice, roll two ten-sided dice, with one of the numbers being the first digit and the other number as the second digit. 00 represents 100.

Roll %dice for each.

Intelligence

Manual Dexterity

Physical Strength

Willpower

Endurance

Physical Beauty

Charisma

Agility

Perception

Speed

Bravery

Magical Aptitude

Roll 1d20 for Life Force Points, then multiply them times the Endurance score, and modify them according to character race and occupation. Example: Endurance 67, occupation Knight, race human - (0.57 x 16(1d20 result)) x 1.5 = 14 LFP. 

Think up a skill that your character has, then have the GM assign a percentage value for it.

When you try to use that skill, roll %dice. If the value you roll is lower than the percentage value of the skill, then you succeed at whatever you're doing. If the value of the roll is higher than the percentage value of the skill, then you fail, and you mess up what you're doing in some way(Gamemaster determines).

NOTE: When creating a new character, you can have a maximum number of skills equal to your intelligence divided by 5, rounding up.

Experience in the Iridium system is given as player characters complete tasks. Experience is given in categories:

Intellectual Categories:

Wisdom

Problem Solving

Education

Physical Categories:

Manual Work

Muscle Development

Reflexes

When a task is completed, the Gamemaster will assign a certain amount of points to the player that goes into a particular category. When a category reaches 100 points, it is reset to 0 and the player can obtain a new skill related to that category, or the player can

improve an old skill by 1d10%, but it has to be related to the experience category. It is recommended that the Gamemaster use this table to assign experience points:

Task Difficulty Points Given

Very Easy 1

Easy 2

Average 3

Hard 4

Very Hard 5

Heroic 6

Also, instead of improving a skill or getting a new one, you can add to your LFP. Roll 1d10.

EXAMPLE: Drygar Farseer attempts to leap across a narrow canyon, grab a vine in the center, and swing across to the other side. The Gamemaster determines that this is a Very Hard task(Drygar has a Manual Dexterity score of 46% and an Agility score of 2 1%, as well as a Jump skill of 37%). Drygar successfully rolls against both scores and his skill, so he completes the task. He gains 5 experience points and divides them up between his Manual Work and Reflexes categories. This brings his Reflexes score to 100, so he resets the category and improves his Jump skill by 7%(he rolled a 7 on the 1d10%). He now has a Jump skill of 44%.

When a character uses a weapon, he will gain experience as well. Unlike character experience, weapon experience is given in levels.When a weapon is used, the wielder will gain 1 weapon experience point. This point goes into that weapon's experience cache. When the cache reaches 50, then the weapon goes up a level and the cache is reset. As weapon level increases, the character can perform more difficult maneuvers with less difficulty. Use this table for such maneuvers:

For each new weapon level, the character gains 1d20% in that

weapon's chance of success. All weapons start at Level 1.

EXAMPLE: Drygar Farseer tries to smash an orc over the head

with his mace. Normally, this would be a 40% chance,

but since Drygar is Level 3 with the mace, he has a

75% chance(he rolled 18 at Level 2 and 17 at level 3).

He rolls versus the chance and gets a 23 - a complete

success. Now the orc has a chance to deflect the blow...

see Combat.

Races play an important part of the game. Each one has advantages and

disadvantages.

Bonuses: None

Penalties: None

Humans are the most common race in Iridium Fantasy. They

tend to be aggressive, but not overly so. Humans are usually

about 5'6" tall and weigh 160 lbs.

Subspecies:

None

Bonuses: +5% to Intelligence, +5% to Manual Dexterity, +5% to Perception

Penalties: -15% to Physical Strength

Elves are also known as the Fey. They are short(about 4'5" avg.)

and have pointed ears. They have excellent sight and are among

the best archers in the world. They are also light(about 80 lbs).

Subspecies:

Noble Elf

Noble elves are those of royal blood. They rule over all the

other elves. Unlike other elves, they are arrogant and will

occasionally(40% chance) irritate someone beyond the limit,

at which time that someone will probably take violent action

against the elf. Noble elves are taller than others(5' avg.).

They will tend to wear expensive clothing and gain a +1d20

bonus to starting money. Noble elves cannot be warriors.

Wood Elf

Wood elves are the woodland species of elf. They are very

quiet when in the woods(RACIAL SKILL: Move Silently: Woods 45%).

They are never arrogant, although they are extremely wary

of nonelven races. Wood elves tend to be dressed in handmade

forestcolored clothing(like deerhide jackets, etc.). They

are best suited as scouts or wardens(+1 to experience earned

if the wood elf is a scout or warden).

Sand Elf

Sand elves, or desert elves as they are called by humans,

are the most enigmatic of the elves. They do not obey laws

set out by noble elves. Sand elves have a nomadic social

structure based on family groups, or clans. They are very

hard to spot in the desert(RACIAL SKILL: Invisibility: Desert 65%).

Rarely will a sand elf leave the desert. They have a dark

complexion and dress in sand-colored clothing.

Dark Elf

Dark elves are the most dangerous of elves. Like the

sand elves, they don't obey noble elf laws. Unlike the

other elves, dark elves live underground. They hate

sunlight(-10% to all rolls when in sunlight). Dark elves

have black skin, white hair, and red or dark purple eyes.

They wear clothing made of black hide that is believed

to come from an unknown type of predator that lives deep

underground. Dark elves will ALWAYS be of an evil alignment,

and are hated by all other elves. They can, however, see

in the dark(RACIAL SKILL: Nightvision 50%).

Bonuses: +10% to Manual Dexterity, RACIAL SKILL: Craft Weapon: Axe 45%, +1d4 LFP

Penalties: -100% to Magical Aptitude! Dwarves CANNOT use magic!

Dwarves are short, stocky fellows. They love metal, and they are

recognized as the world's greatest smiths. They tend to be about

5' tall and weigh around 180 lbs.

Subspecies:

Mountain Dwarf

Mountain dwarves are the most common type of dwarf. They live

underground in mountains. They are the greatest smiths of all

the dwarven race(RACIAL SKILL: Craft Weapon or Craft Armor 55%)

Mountain dwarves are friendly to all other dwarves except the

shadow dwarves. They usually dress in leather and rough cloth.

Plains Dwarf

Plains dwarves are the only type of dwarf that live above ground.

They love the sunlight and build large cities. Like mountain dwarves,

they HATE shadow dwarves(40% chance of attacking a shadow dwarf on sight).

Plains dwarves are taller than other dwarves(about 5'3"), but weigh

about the same. They appreciate worldly goods, and usually dress in

light, fine cloth.

Shadow Dwarf

Shadow dwarves are the dwarven equivalent of dark elves. They hold

a fierce hatred of all other dwarves, and will(100% chance) attack

any kin they see(this includes other shadow dwarves). They have no

social structure, but seem to be able to control some part of their

evil nature. Unlike dark elves, they are not completely ruled by evil.

Shadow dwarves dress in black and dark grey clothing. Their hair is

usually a pale grey to white, and their eyes are black. They have pale

gray skin.

Knight

Requirements: Physical Strength 70%

Manual Dexterity 40%

Bravery 45%

Endurance 75%

Allowed races: Human

Starting Money: 1d10x100 gold

Starting Equipment: Chain mail, long sword, horse, lance

Occupational Skills: Swordplay 45+1d10%, Jousting 35+1d20%

Knights make up a large portion of human armies. Player knights

who are adventuring are usually either Questing Knights or Rogue Knights.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 1.5(round up)

Suboccupations:

Questing Knight

Questing Knights are those knights who take up a quest. This

quest is given to the knight by a god(dess). Hence, the Gamemaster

will assign the quest. It must be something that requires the

maximum effort by the player, but nothing so difficult that a starting

character cannot achieve it.

Rogue Knight

Rogue Knights are outlaws, knights who have shunned honor and chivalry

in favor of fame and riches. They are hunted by other knights, and are

never welcome in towns where the knight is known of.

Soldier Knight

This is the typical knight. Soldier Knights can only be played by a

player if the other players are also Soldier Knights.

Mercenary

Requirements: Physical Strength 50%

Bravery 30%

Allowed races: All

Starting Money: 2d20 gold

Starting Equipment: Leather armor, Short sword

Occupational Skills: Tracking 35+1d10%, Bartering 25+1d20%, Swordplay 30+1d8%

Mercenaries are warriors who roam the countryside looking for someone

to hire them as extra help in a war or just as raiders. Most often they

will be willing to work for anyone, as long as the pay is good.

Gamemasters should determine how much a mercenary is paid depending on the

job they are given.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 1.25(round up)

Suboccupations:

Regular mercenary

Bounty Hunter

Bounty hunters are mercenaries who look for only one person. They

are usually hired by desperate law enforcement agencies who want

to capture or eliminate a specific criminal.

Warden

Requirements: Perception 55%

Bravery 35%

Intuition 35%

Allowed races: All but dwarves

Starting money: 1d10 gold

Starting equipment: Short sword, leather armor, dagger, long bow, 50 arrows,

quiver

Occupational Skills: Tracking 60+1d10%, Swordplay 25+1d20%,

Move Silently: Woods 35+1d10%, Forest Knowledge 35+1d20%

Wardens are, for the most part, protectors of the forest. They are known

for their skill as fighters, but also for their fierce defense of the woods.

Wood elves make up about 90% of the wardens.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 1.25(round up)

Suboccupations:

Regular Warden

Adventurer

Requirements: Bravery 60%

Allowed Races: All

Starting money: 1d10x5 gold

Starting equipment: Leather armor, hand axe OR short sword

Occupational Skills: None

Adventurers are the most basic type of warrior. They are

the brave few that decide just to go have adventures.

Life Force Point Modifier: No modifier.

Suboccupations:

Regular Adventurer

NOTE: All wizards can use any weapon they want, and wear any armor they want, but if the armor/weapon is made of any kind of metal, they CANNOT cast spells while they

wear/wield it.

Terramancer

Requirements: Magical Aptitude 70%

Intelligence 55%

Willpower 60%

Allowed Races: All but dwarves

Starting money: NONE

Starting equipment: Green wizard's robes, oak staff

Occupational Skills: Arcane Knowledge: Terramancy 45%

Magic Use: Terramancy 50%

Terramancers are the mages that control the magic of

Earth. They can influence all earth-related things.

A bonus that earth mages recieve is long life. If they

don't get killed, they will live indefinitely.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 0.75(round up)

Suboccupations:

Regular Terramancer

Ventimancer

Requirements: Magical Aptitude 50%

Intelligence 60%

Willpower 50%

Allowed Races: All but dwarves

Starting money: NONE

Starting equipment: White wizard's robes, oak staff

Occupational Skills: Arcane Knowledge: Ventimancy 55%,

Magic Use: Ventimancy 60%

Ventimancers are wind mages. They control storms and

other forms of wind. Ventimancers are very dangerous.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 0.5(round up)

Suboccupations:

Regular Ventimancer

Pyromancer

Requirements: Magical Aptitude 60%

Intelligence 60%

Willpower 60%

Allowed Races: All but dwarves

Starting money: NONE

Starting equipment: Red wizard's robes

Occupational Skills: Arcane Knowledge: Pyromancy 60%

Magic Use: Pyromancy 50%

Pyromancers are masters of fire. They are the mages

that conjure fireballs and rains of fire to destroy

their enemies. They are in high demand during wartime.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 0.5(round up)

Suboccupations:

Regular Pyromancer

Hydromancer

Requirements: Magical Aptitude 55%

Intelligence 70%

Willpower 65%

Allowed Races: All but dwarves

Starting money: NONE

Starting equipment: Blue wizard's robes

Occupational Skills: Arcane Knowledge: Hydromancy 50%

Magic Use: Hydromancy 60%

Hydromancers are the mages that have mastered water

control. They can summon tidal waves or call much-needed

rains. Sometimes they work with ventimancers.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 0.5(round up)

Suboccupations:

Regular Hydromancer

Necromancer

Requirements: Magical Aptitude 75%

Intelligence 75%

Willpower 90%

Endurance 60%

Allowed Races: Dark elves and EVIL humans ONLY

Starting money: NONE

Starting equipment: Black wizard's robes, bone staff, dagger

Occupational Skills: Arcane Knowledge: Necromancy 30%

Magic Use: Necromany 35%

Necromancers are the darkest, most evil of the wizards.

They control the power to animate the dead and speak

with the dead. There is only a 10% chance that a necromancer

will be good-aligned(roll for this if the player wants it).

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 0.5(round up)

Suboccupations:

Regular Necromancer

Shaman

Shamans are necromancers who ONLY talk to the dead. They

do not have any other necromantic powers. Shamans can

be of a good alignment.

Thief

Requirements: Manual Dexterity 50%

Agility 45%

Allowed Races: All

Starting money: 1d4 gold

Starting equipment: Leather armor, dagger, belt pouch

Occupational Skills: Robbery 50%, Hide in Shadows 45%

Move Silently: Urban 35%

Thieves are the dregs of society. They steal and

sometimes murder to further their own gains, and have

very few ethics.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 0.75(round up)

Suboccupations:

Regular Thief

Rogue Knight

See Rogue Knight in Warriors category

Bard

Requirements: Manual Dexterity 80%

Allowed Races: All

Starting money: 1d10 gold

Starting equipment: Musical instrument of choice, clothing of choice

Occupational Skills: Sing 75%, Play Instrument 60%

Bards are the musicians of this world. They wander from

town to town, playing or singing for people. A bard can

obtain a job playing for local nobility, with the Gamemaster

setting the salary earned.

Life Force Point Modifier: Multiply LFP times 0.75(round up)

Suboccupations:

Roaming Bard

Roaming bards are the musicians who wander from town

to town, gaining money only when people throw it to

them.

Stationary Bard

Stationary bards are those that stay in one place,

hired by the local nobility to play for them.

When you create a character, also include this information:

Weight

Height

Sex

Disposition(examples include cold, friendly, etc.)

Outlook(Optimistic, Pessimistic, or Indifferent)

Alignment(Good, Evil, or Neutral)

Insanities(Mostly likely(80%) none, but may include phobias, obsessions, etc.)

Hair Color

Eye Color

Skin Color

Overall Appearance

Parents(1 dead, both dead, both alive, or unknown to character)

As explained above, all weapons have a maneuver chance of success. When a roll is successful, then the user hits the target. However, the target can ALSO roll weapon maneuver to block the attack. If the target still fails, then the attacker rolls the d amage of the weapon. If the target is wearing armor, then the armor will take the damage before the target(roll maneuver chance of success for armor as well, and if the result is less than the percent of the attack's chance of success, then the armor is b reached and the target takes damage. If the result is more than said percent, then the armor is strong enough to deflect the attack) if the armor roll is successful. Each type of armor has an amount of armor points that are taken away when damage is done to the armor. 

When a character's(player or nonplayer) Life Force Points reaches 0, the character is knocked unconscious. When the character's LFP reaches -5, the character is killed. Killed characters cannot be healed.

EXAMPLE OF COMBAT: Continuing Drygar's battle with the orc:

The orc failed his roll to deflect Drygar's attack,

so now he takes damage. Drygar rolls a 4 on

1d6(the mace's damage roll). The orc is wearing

leather armor, which has 5 Armor Points. It fails its armor roll.

Time for retaliation! The orc rolls to hit Drygar,

getting a 53%. However, since the orc was attempting

an Average maneuver, he misses Drygar completely.

Drygar brings his mace around again, and successfully

rolls to hit the orc with a Hard maneuver. The orc

tries to block the attack. He needs a 24%.

Rolls....the orc gets a 21%, successfully blocking

the attack. Now the orc strikes again, this time

successfully. He also manages to get past Drygar's

blocking attempt, and his armor roll, and rolls 1d8(scimitar damage),

getting an 8! Drygar has chain mail, which has

20 Armor Points. The chain mail is reduced to 12

Armor Points. Drygar's counterattack hits and gets

past the orc's block, and his armor roll, and Drygar rolls damage again.

This time he gets a 5, and destroys the orc's armor.

Also, he knocks the orc unconscious, since he only

had 4 LFP. Unwilling to be attacked again, Drygar

rolls to hit, the orc fails its armor roll, and Drygar rolls damage(no blocking roll),

Magic in the Iridium system is handled in this way:

The mage's player rolls To Tap first, to determine if he

can tap the natural energies flowing around him:

To Tap

Roll against the mage's Use Magic skill. If this is successful,

then the mage taps the energy.

The second step in using magic is to determine what the mage is

trying to do. For the example, I will use a pyromancer as the mage.

He wants to create a wall of fire in front of a cave.

The Gamemaster then determines what Skill Level this spell is at,

and the character uses his Arcane Knowledge modifier and rolls

against his Use Magic score. Here are the tables mentioned:

Skill Level Modifier to Use Magic Roll

Very Easy +20%

Easy +10%

Average 0

Hard -10%

Very Hard -20%

Heroic -40%

Arcane Knowledge Percentage Modifier

1-20% -20%

21-40% -10%

41-60% 0

61-80% +10%

81-99% +20%

100% +30%

EXAMPLE: Lorith Nightaxe, a pyromancer, wants to cover

a cave entrance with a wall of fire. The Gamemaster

decides this is a Hard task, since the cave opening is

rather large. Lorith has an Arcane Knowledge: Pyromancy

score of 56%. With the modifiers, it becomes 46%. Lorith

rolls a 67%, failing the spell.

If a spell isn't completed, but the energy was tapped, then check

this table to see what happens:

Failure Intensity Effect

1-30% off No effect; energy dissipates

31-50% off Spell backfires and hits caster with 1/4 normal effects

51-60% off Spell backfires and hits caster with 1/2 normal effects

61-70% off Spell backfires and hits caster with full effects

71+% off FEEDBACK! Energy does 4 x effects to everything within

When a spell is successfully completed, the caster recieves Spell Experience. Like other experience, when it reaches 100 it is reset and the character can modify things.

Spell experience can be used to add to either his Arcane Knowledge or Use Magic skill. It cannot be used to gain new skills, unless the new skill is related to the caster's field of magic. EXAMPLE: A new skill for a terramancer might be Detect Rock Ins tability. However, Spell Experience may be used to add to Life Force Points. The caster may add 1d10 LFP every time his spell experience is upgraded.

Spell Difficulty Experience Points Recieved

Very Easy 1

Easy 2

Average 3

Hard 4

Very Hard 5

Heroic 10

These are the equipment lists for Iridium Fantasy.

WEAPONS

Weapon Damage Cost

Dagger 1d4 5 gold

Hand Axe 1d4+1 7 gold

Club 1d4+2 9 gold

Mace 1d6 10 gold

Scimitar 1d8 12 gold

Short sword 1d6+2 15 gold

Long sword 2d6 20 gold

Broadsword 2d6+1 23 gold

Warhammer 2d6+2 24 gold

Battle Axe 3d6 30 gold

Bow -- 40 gold

Arrows(25) 1d6x2 20 gold

ARMOR

GENERAL

Name Use Cost

Food to eat! 1 gold per day's worth

Water to drink! 1 gold per week's worth

Waterskin to carry water 2 gold

Rope tying stuff 1 gold per 20 feet

Clothing to wear 1 gold

Bottle hold liquid in 2 gold

Pouch hold solids in 1 gold

Belt to wear 1 gold

Paper to write on 5 gold per sheet

Pen to write with 10 gold per bottleful(holds 1 quart of ink)

Ink to write in 6 gold per quart, requires bottle

Oak Staff to walk with 4 gold

Bone Staff to walk with 5 gold

Backpack hold stuff in 5 gold, holds 30 pounds & 1 cubic foot of stuff

Since the Iridium system is based on customization, I will leave all monster creation up to you. For now. If this game receives enough attention, I will write a Sourcebook for it that will have a monster list in it, as well as many other things that I may forget to add in this edition. For now, use this format to create monsters:

Name: Monster's name

LFP: Life Force Points, in dice(2d6, 1d8, etc.)

Size: Monster's size in height, width, and length

Weight: Monster's weight

Speed: Monster's maximum speed in feet per second

Attacks: Monster's types of attacks, and damage rolls

Special Abilities: Special abilities such as nightvision, telepathy, etc.

Movement Type: Flight, slither, etc.

Appearance: A description of the monster's appearance

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