Quick Start Rules

[Overseer Bakuriel]

In order to facilitate a quick transition into the world of Madhouse, here is a basic summary of relevant rules.

Rolling: This game uses ten sided dice with a system similar to the roll and keep system from L5R. This means rolls are denoted as XkY, where X is the number rolled and Y is the number kept. Rolls of 10 explode, and continue to explode as long as they continue to roll 10s. Rolls will be made using orokos under the name Inhumane Resources.

Skill Rolls: Skills are rolled by adding the skill value to the associated attributento create a pool. This pool is the total number of dice rolled, and the result is handled by keeping a number of dice equal to the attribute. Note that exploded dice count as a single die for this purpose.

Target Numbers: Challenges requiring rolls will have a listed Target Number. In order to succeed, a player must meet or exceed this value with their kept dice.

Margins: Every value of 5 which exceeds or falls short of the target number is called a Margin. Values above the target are success Margins, while values below are values Failure Margins. On their own these values simply represent how well or how poorly a task is performed, but certain challenges and in game effects require the expenditure of margins to be activated. In this instance, you must spend the correct number of margins and still be able to meet the target number to count as succeeding.


Health and Damage

Health is represented by boxes. As damage is received, the boxes will get filled in. This will be represented on the forums by using brackets. [ ]

An empty bracket represents full health. As you take damage, the boxes will fill up. This can be done in any order, but empty boxes must be filled first.

Health boxes have four states: empty [], slashed [/], crossed [X], and blackened [*]. Blackened boxes are usually filled in on paper but here on the forums are represented by an asterisk *.

Characters with no empty health boxes are considered Bloodied. This has no direct mechanical effect but certain abilities reference this state.

Characters with no empty or slashed health boxes are Incapacitated. This may or may not mean that a character has lost consciousness, but even if they remain awake, an Incapacitated character cannot take actions.

If all of a character's health boxes are blackened, that character is dead. If they were not Crazed or Incapacitated before the lethal blow, they may perform one action before they die. Healing will not prevent death in this situation.


Sanity

While all residents of the asylum are considered insane to some degree, Sanity in this context refers to one's ability to control their actions. Characters that witness unnerving or disturbing events may gain 1d5 Insanity, or 1d10 for especially harrowing encounters.

Crazed

If a character's Insanity ever exceeds their Conviction, they become Crazed. Crazed characters may not Push, and roll 1d100 at the start of their turn. If the result is equal to or less than their Conviction, they may act normally. If not, they lose control of their character to a GM for the turn, after which they Stabilize.


Pushing

Sometimes a character needs to tap into their reserves and go the extra mile in their efforts. Unfortunately such reserves are especially finite within the asylum.

When a character makes a skill roll, they may elect to Push, adding 1k1 to their roll, but gain 1k1 Insanity once the action is finished. No matter the circumstances, a character may only Push once per round. NPCs cannot Push.


Stabilize

Sanity is a two way street, and just as it seems things are getting out of hand, it's possible to take matters back into one's own hands. Characters have ways to Stabilize that are listed as part of their Disorder. When a character stabilizes, they lose 1k1 Insanity.


Sleep

Characters need five hours of sleep each night to function normally. Small interruptions, no more than 15 minutes at a time, are fine, but larger ones can cause drawbacks. Characters without enough sleep are considered Stunned until they've had 5 uninterrupted hours of rest.