1. Introduction

SagaBorn D100 Roleplaying Game System

Powered by Basic Roleplaying

Beta

Head Design by Michael Bielaczyc
Additional Design and Writing by Dane Clark Collins, Jeff Mackie, and Aiden Walker
Design Input: Laura Bielaczyc, Chase Smith, Justin Jacobs
Cover by Michael Bielaczyc
Art by the Brothers Bielaczyc, Michael and Paul

Thanks for Playtesting: Clayton Pollard, Cassi Costoulas, Megan Clancy, Kevin Hackman, Chandra Wilmot, Jeff Jarvis, Laura Bielaczyc, Andy Firkus, Darby Campbell

BRP: Universal Game Engine Notice

This product is licensed under the ORC License held in the License of Congress at TX-307-067 and available online at various locations, including www.chaosium.com/orclicense, www.azoralaw.com/orclicense, www.gencon.com/orclicense and others. All warranties are disclaimed as set forth therein.

Introduction

Well, here I am, working on a new base system for SagaBorn. This is a Work In Progress, which was only started in May of 2024. This is added to my normal work for Sagaborn, but after the OGL mess, I need a better system that is totally disconnected from any big corporation or strict license.

At first, I saw the big book labeled Basic Roleplaying System and thought, “What in the world is basic about that?” And it sat on my digital shelf for a long time. I am not sure how I got back to it, but then it all clicked. It was 300 pages of modular systems and rules you could pick and choose to make your game the game you want it to be. And the rules made sense, the math was easy, and it seems to allow infinite tweaks to really play the game you want to play.

It will take a bit to iron out all the details and make the BRP system, SagaBorn, and the world of the Dark Return all mesh completely, but I hope you all enjoy the ride!

-Mike

This is a Work in Progress!

SagaBorn, Lone Wanderer, and the Dark Return are all created by a very small team of close friends and artists.

This book is a conversion of the SagaBorn system and Dark Return setting into Basic Roleplaying System. We are all working hard to bring it all together, but with a small team this takes time.

All our files and changes will be publicly shared on www.sagaborn.com/sagabornbrp

What is the theme of SagaBorn?

Sagaborn takes place in Atheles, lands changed by the Dark Return, when fey, magic, and demons returned to the world. It is a grey-dark setting with the characters as heroes who are trying to save the world from darkness and make it a better place.

What does Sagaborn change with BRP?

  • SagaBorn is a Heroic setting, and while it is still a struggle to survive, players should not be afraid to get into combat or go adventuring.
  • The StoryGuide is a fan of the characters. Rulings should make the game more fun to play and never be adversarial.
  • Hit Points are double the standard.
  • Death comes at -10 Hit Points.
  • All combat actions take place in the DEX phase.
  • Weapons have more limited “classes” such as piercing or slashing.
  • Talents are available to customize and refine your character.
  • Saga Points allow characters to reroll dice. Players automatically get one at the start of any game session, and they can be earned at Strongholds or at StoryGuide discretion.

Terms Used in SagaBorn D100

Terms Used in Basic Roleplaying

The following terms are used frequently in this book. Some are common in roleplaying games, and are provided as an aid to new and experienced gamers alike. Each is explained at length in relevant sections.

Ability: Something a character can do or feel, whether a skill, a passion, or some other factor rated on a 1–100 rating. Generally, when you roll an ability successfully, you get an experience check.

Armor Value: The numeric value representing how much damage armor absorbs or mitigates each time a character is hit. Shorthand for Armor Value is AV.

Augment: Using one ability to modify the chance of success using another ability, such as when one skill provides additional support to another, or a passion can help improve the chance of a skill succeeding.

Base Chance: The default chance at succeeding with a skill a character has no training or experience in. For example, on the character sheet, Hide (20%) means that even if your character has not invested any skill points in the Hide skill, they have a 20% natural ability in it.

Base Range: The normal distance within which a missile weapon can hit a target.

Character (or Hero, Adventurer): The role you assume in a game session, described in game mechanics by values such as characteristics and skill totals. Generally, characters have names and backgrounds determined by the player, with assistance and/or approval from the StoryGuide. (see also player character and nonplayer character).

Characteristic: Your character’s physical, mental, and spiritual attributes (Strength, Constitution, Size, Intelligence, Acumen, Dexterity, and Social), rated numerically on a scale (usually 3–18), with a human average being 10-11. For example, if the initial maximum characteristic is 18, a STR 17 means your character is extremely strong, while a DEX 7 means they are a bit clumsy.

Characteristic Roll: One of your character’s characteristics multiplied by 5, expressed as a percentage, and rolled with percentile dice.

Combat Round: A 10-second amount of time imposed during combat or dramatic activities, where the order that actions occur is important. This is game time, not actual time—the events of a few seconds of action may take several minutes to play out between the players and StoryGuide.

Cooperative Roll: When two or more characters work together on a skill.

Critical Success: This is the result of a skill check roll that is 1/20 (or 5%) of the regular chance of success. Generally, a critical success is rewarded with greater results, though in some cases a critical success is required for success at all. For example, if the regular chance for success is 75%, any roll of 4 or under is a critical success (1/20 of 75% is 3.75, rounded up to 4).

D100: A percentile die roll, attained by rolling two 10-sided dice (D10s), with one representing the tens, and the other the ones. Some dice come already marked as ‘tens’ (00, 10, 20, etc.) and are always used as the first number in a D100 roll. A roll of 01 is the best possible result, while 100 (which usually reads as 00) is the worst. For example, a roll of 60 and 2 equals a result of 62.

Damage: A value representing injury, added as wounds, which is compared to a character’s hit points. Weapons, unfortunate events, and other hazards inflict damage on characters.

Damage Modifier: A modifier to rolled damage due to above-average Strength and Size characteristics.

Damage Reduction: Some abilities, spells, or items may grant damage resistance for a specific time.

Difficult: Your skill is halved when a task is harder than average, which is considered a difficult skill check.

Easy: Your skill is doubled when a task is easier than normal.

Elemental Damage: This damage is caused by both mundane and magic elements, such as wind, fire, water, or electricity. Elemental damage typically bypasses AV, unless the armor has element-negating properties.

Experience Rolls: When you successfully use one of your character’s skills, mark the checkbox next to that skill on your character sheet.  Between adventures or during downtime, you can determine if your character’s ability has improved in that skill. Some skills cannot be improved by experience and must be improved through other means.

Fail: A roll of percentile dice above the required chance for success. For example, a roll of 89 when the required chance was 56% indicates a failure.

Fumble: A roll of 100 when rolling percentile dice to determine success. Generally, when a fumble is indicated, something bad happens above and beyond a simple failure.

StoryGuide (SG): The director, or guide for the game, who helps you create characters, comes up with the adventure, and represents the world outside your character, rolling dice for the nonplayer characters and the opposing forces.

Game Time: The time that elapses as a scenario or campaign unfolds as experienced by your characters. This is not usually the same as the real time you and the StoryGuide spend playing.

Hit Points: A measure of the relative health of your character, represented in a value derived from their Constitution and Size characteristics. Attackers inflict damage in hit points, subtracted from the target’s total hit points. Usually when your character reaches 0 hit points, they fall unconscious and when they reach -10 hit points, they are dead.

“In character” or “Out of character”: The distinction in the chat between players and the StoryGuide around the gaming table, representing the difference between real-world discussion and game discussion. Both achieve the same goal, but represent different styles or aspects of play, and can be used interchangeably in play. Some groups or players lean towards one or another—it’s an element of preference. “In character” discussion is flavorful and immersive, while “out of character” discussion is essential to describe rules mechanics and to speed along play through unnecessary detail.

Initiative: At the start of combat, all characters roll 1d10 and add their DEX. This sorts people into the order in which they can act in turn-based combat.

Horror: An optional system where your character’s mental health is measured by their capacity to withstand horrific sights, events, and revelations. As Horror increases, the grasp on reality diminishes. If your character takes too much Horror damage at once, they may experience detrimental effects.

Magic Damage: Damage done by magic spells. This often bypasses AV, unless the armor is made of Cold Iron or has other magic negating properties.

Modifiers: Temporary additions or subtractions to your character’s rating in an ability, usually from circumstances, environment, or equipment.

Movement Speed (MOV): The rate of movement your character can make during a single combat round. This also defines overland travel speed.

Nonplayer Character (NPC): A character or creature in the game world that is played or otherwise represented by the StoryGuide, instead of being played by you or another player.

Opposed Roll: When your character wants to attempt an action another character (or nonplayer character) wants to oppose with an “opposite” skill that cancels or thwarts the initial action. In this case, both skill checks are made, and the results compared. For example, Stealth is usually opposed by Listen or Spot.

Percentile Dice: Two D10s rolled together, with one designated as the tens figure, and the other as ones. Some dice are numbered in units of ten, i.e., 00, 10, 20, 30, etc. See also D100.

Player Character (PC): This is your character, usually created and almost always controlled by you, comprised of abilities and an identity you assume through roleplaying. Your character is your representation in the game world and enables you to interact with the setting. This can also be referred to as the “hero” or “adventurer.”

Profession: Your character’s occupation, represented as a list of skills they have been trained to use (or have had the opportunity to learn).

Rating: The chance of success for an ability, rated as value from 1–100 (sometimes higher). For example, Demolitions 43% is a rating of 43, meaning a 43% chance of success when the skill is attempted during normal circumstances. (see also skill rating).

Resistance Roll: When your character wants to attempt an action being resisted by an inanimate object or force, the relevant characteristic (for example, Strength) is opposed to another appropriate characteristic (for example, the stuck door’s Strength).

Roll: A roll using D100 to determine whether an attempt at performing a skill, ability, or power was successful. The result of a skill roll is a critical success, special success, success, failure, or a fumble. Additional means of determining success quality are presented in optional rules.

Save: Rolling a characteristic to resist an effect or spell.

Skill:.A skill represents a character’s knowledge, training, talent, or area of expertise, measured as a percentage. Skills are used in skill rolls, where percentile dice are rolled against the skill’s rating to determine success.

Skill Rating: The degree of competence your character has with a skill, expressed as a number from 00% (no skill whatsoever) to 100% or higher (world-class expert).

Special Success: A roll of 1/5 (20%) of the required score for success indicates that your character performed exceptionally well and achieves a superior result than a traditional success. For example, a character with 70% in a skill who rolls 14 or lower has achieved a special success.

Spirit Points: The amount of willpower or energy your character has, represented as a total based on their Acumen characteristic. These are spent to use special powers or abilities and can be drained by other abilities. When your character reaches 0 spirit points, they fall unconscious.

Success: The result of a percentage dice roll where your character performed the task adequately, and achieved an average quality of success. If the roll is very low, it may be a special success or critical success, as described above. If it is above the ability ranking, it is usually a failure. If it is very high, such as a 00, it might be a fumble. For example, if your character has a 70% in a skill, and rolls 70 or lower, they have succeeded.

Talent and Talent Points: Talents are special abilities and are earned with Talent Points. Talent Points are gained through adventuring, often awarded by the SG at the end of a quest or when character progress has been made.


Talent Point Level: Some things are determined by a character’s Talent Point Level (such as Legacy Items, or mana level). Talent Point Level is equal to the amount of Talent Points a hero has.