Anime 5E Preview: Character Creation Example
over 3 years ago – Sun, Apr 18, 2021 at 09:39:29 AM

As we progress towards the unlocking the $425K poison stretch goal, we are going to present the flow of character creation. Not everything presented below will make sense at this point since you don’t have the full understanding from the Anime 5E rules, but we thought that demonstrating creation flow could be of interest to you. You’ll see that Points are the foundation for character balance, which are used to pay for Ability Scores, Race features, and other Attributes.

Here’s an excerpt from Anime 5E.

Multi-Class Creation Example

To provide context for what comes next, we create an Anime 5E character below, from start to finish, as detailed in Chapters 2-7. As you progress through this book, you’ll gain a detailed understanding of the character choices presented in this extended example.

Session Zero

Robin is one of five players in a new Anime 5E mini-campaign that his friend, Jordan, is organising as the DM. During session zero, the group agrees that the game will be set on a standard high-fantasy anime world in a tyrannical kingdom ruled by a half-demon overlord. To reflect the experience of the seasoned adventurers, characters will each begin the game at 5th Level with 6,500 Experience Points.

Robin determines his character’s name now, which he bases loosely on one of his favourite anime portrayals: Jingoro.

Discretionary Points

Robin has 84 Discretionary Points (80 base + 4 for starting at 5th Level) with which to assign his character Ability Scores and Race, as well as additional Attributes and Defects.

Ability Scores

Jordan indicates that the players should roll their Ability Scores using the standard Fifth Edition method: rolling four six-sided dice (4d6), discarding the lowest number, and repeating the process to generate six values from 3-18. Robin will then assign the six values to the Ability Scores of his choice.

Robin generates the following values: 10, 8, 11, 10, 17, 14. These Ability Score numbers sum to 70, which he deducts from the 84 Discretionary Points, leaving 14 remaining.

Envisioning his character as durable and tough, yet also smart, he assigns the largest value, 17, to Strength, and the next value, 14, to Intelligence. He then assigns the remaining scores: Dexterity 10, Constitution 11, Wisdom 8, Charisma 10.

Race

Looking over the 14 available Races, Robin takes a liking to the Half-Dragon. This provides a number of dynamic features that are worth a total of 13 Points, including +1 bumps to both Strength (now 18) and Constitution (now 12). The 13 Points are deducted from the remaining 14 Discretionary Points, leaving just a single Point to spend later on Attributes.

Class

Robin sees a change in Jingoro’s direction after he had embarked on several adventures, and decides that Multiclassing is the way to go. With his Half-Dragon’s connection to a fire breath attack, Robin decides that Jingoro started out as a fire Bender Class at 1st Level, but then diversified his training after completing 3rd Level. He selects Shadow Warrior as the new Class upon reaching the 4th Character Level, and continued on the path into the 5th Character Level as well, advancing to a 2nd Level Shadow Warrior.

1st Level Bender Features

At 1st Level, Bender Jingoro has d8 Hit Dice and a Hit Point maximum of 8 + 1 Constitution Modifier = 9 HP. He also gains light armour, shield, and simple weapon proficiencies, and both Constitution and Wisdom Saving Throw Proficiencies. For the four martial weapon proficiencies, Robin selects the following options to demonstrate a range of combat training techniques: crossbow, longsword, warhammer, and whip. For his two Skill Proficiencies, Robin chooses Engineering and Nature to reflect Jingoro’s insight into how things grow and are built. Finally, Robin selects the domain of fire as a focus for Jingoro’s first Rank in Dynamic Powers – Lesser.

2nd Level Bender Features

Upon reaching 2nd Level, Jingoro gains 2 Bonus Points. Since none of his fellow teammates seem to be creating a healer – which would leave a big gap in their range of powers – Robin assigns two Ranks of the Healing Attribute for 2 Points.

Jingoro also gains 1d8+1 Hit Points. With a roll of 6, his Hit Point maximum increases by +7 to 16 HP.

3rd Level Bender Features

Jingoro gains another 1d8+1 Hit Points. With a roll of 4, his Hit Point maximum increases by +5 to 21 HP.

Multiclassing at 4th Level

Rather than advance the Bender Class to 4th Level at 2,700 Experience Points, Robin begins Multiclassing Jingoro and assigns the 1st Level of the Shadow Warrior Class instead. Since the new Class has d12 Hit Dice (+1 Constitution Modifier) instead of d8 Hit Dice, Robin rolls 11 and increases Jingoro’s current 21 Hit Point maximum by +12 to 33 HP total.

The Shadow Warrior Class also adds the Strength Saving Throw Proficiency to Jingoro’s existing Constitution and Wisdom Proficiencies. The Class also provides one extra Skill Proficiency, and Robin selects Culture to reflect the character’s extensive adventuring interactions with diverse communities.

Duplicate Proficiencies

Since the Shadow Warrior Class is proficient in all amour and shields, as well as all simple and martial weapons, there is a duplication with the Bender’s more limited armour and weapon proficiencies. Following Multiclassing guidelines, Jingoro is granted Bonus Points equivalent to one-quarter the summed values of the duplicated Proficiencies. The Bender Class’s armour proficiencies are worth 2 Points and weapon proficiencies are worth another 2 Points, for a total of 4 Points in duplicated proficiencies. One-quarter of this value equals 1 Point, which Jingoro gains as an extra Bonus Point.

2nd Level Shadow Warrior Features

Upon reaching the 2nd Shadow Warrior Level, Jingoro gains 1d12+1 Hit Points. With a roll of 8, his Hit Point maximum increases by +9 to 42 HP total.

Since Jingoro has reached his 5th character Level (Bender 3rd and Shadow Warrior 2nd), his Proficiency Bonus increases to +3.

Attributes

When his 1 remaining Discretionary Point is added to his 1 Bonus Point from duplicated Proficiencies, Jingoro has 2 extra Points to spend on Attributes. Robin adds 2 Ranks of the Combat Technique Attribute, and selects Blackout and Lightning Reflexes.

Defects

With his fire dragon heritage, Robin envisions Jingoro as having a weakness to cold-based attacks. He assigns the Vulnerability Defect at Rank 2 (-4 Points), indicating an uncommon attack form.

Customisation

Robin spends the extra 4 Points improve Jingoro’s Healing Attribute to Rank 5 with Enhancements: Area x2 and Targets x2. Jingoro can now heal 1d8 Hit Points (effective Rank 1) for up to 5 targets within 30 feet simultaneously, rather than only one touched target as permitted by the standard Healing Attribute.

We hope that walking through character creation shows the ease of flow for a multiclass character, even if not all the entries can be fully understood without the rule book!

Also: RandomWorlds Discord Q&A

Last night, Anime 5E designer Mark did a text Q&A session on the RandomWorlds Discord server. There's not a lot of new information there, but if you're curious to read some of his design thoughts they have posted the chat transcript at https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/2021/04/13/qa-mark-mackinnon-anime-5e/

Enjoy your Wednesday, and we’ll check back in tomorrow!

Alice Cooper Would Be Proud – And Free Gift at $450K
over 3 years ago – Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 07:45:18 PM

You’ve been busy overnight, and apparently have fiendish plans ahead! Collectively, you unlocked the $425K stretch goal, which means that five original poison designs across the potency spectrum will be a free bonus PDF for all backers pledging $13+. Thank you for working to raise the campaign to this level.

$450K Stretch Goal: Free Bonus Anime 5E Character Folio

It’s great that a copy of the convenient and thorough Anime 5E Character Folio is included in with the $100 Adventurer tier pledge, but sometimes you have more than one character that needs to be spotlighted. So we though to ourselves: why not double the fun?!?

If campaign funding reaches $450K, every $100 Adventurer tier pledge will include an extra bonus copy of the Anime 5E Character Folio for free – that’s two copies, instead of just one! This same bonus copy will be added to $300 Storyteller tier pledges as well. Now you have double the reason to undertake those adventures!

Race Spotlight: Archfiend

“We have been travelling with Kaernak for a little over a year now, so yeah, I’ve got something to say about his value to us while exploring these unclaimed lands. I’ve seen a tribe of over 100 goblins throw down their weapons and run away from us in terror once they glimpse his stature. Those few that are stupid enough to fight him soon discover their spears and swords just bounce off his tough skin. Kaernak is brave and loyal and fearsome, and seems to actually enjoy pain because it feeds his rage and his power. Have you ever seen an Archfiend wrestle a dragon to the ground? I have, and it’s the most amazing thing I have ever seen!”

Towering up to 30-feet tall and weighing up to an incredible 15 tons, an Archfiend can be a terrifying sight to behold for those unaccustomed to their harsh appearance. Their thick, leathery skin ranges in hues on the blue-black-brown spectrum and is pull taught over rippling muscles that emphasises their incredible power. Many Archfiends carve out their subterranean homes themselves using their innate tunnelling abilities. As a greater demon from the Material plane, Archfiends can exert minor magical control over their minor brethren to carry out their bidding.

Adventuring Notes

Archfiends use their size and strength to great advantage while adventuring, and typically lean towards physical Classes such as Hunter, Shadow Warrior, and Warder. Their exploration and social options are limited, though, since they are too big to fit into cramped dungeons and few villages and cities have the facilities to accommodate them.

Base Speed

Huge – an Archfiend’s base speed is 120 feet/round.

Conversion

Archfiends grow in power when injured, gaining 1 Point to spend on Attributes for every 10 damage received (ie. when Hit Points are reduced by 10). Damage that is avoided due to the Archfiend’s Protected Attribute – and thus the damage does not reduce Hit Points – is ignored and not considered by the Conversion Attribute. Archfiends usually allocate these Points during combat to Attributes that augment their Class features.

Tunnelling

Powerful muscles and an intimate connection with the earth allows the Archfiend to excavate tunnels up to 1 foot/round, which is equivalent to 600 feet/hour. They aren’t known for their craftsmanship, though; their tunnel designs are crude and functional, rather than carefully sculpted.

Subrace Variation

Members of the most common Archfiend Subrace do not have wings and thus cannot fly. Massive, leathery wings sprout from the backs of the Subrace known as Aerial Archfiends, allowing them to fly up to 90 feet/round (Flight Rank 2) – though they typically lose the Conversion Attribute.

Thanks for keeping the campaign thriving and keeping us motivated! We’ll check back in tomorrow.

Anime 5E Preview: Customising Attributes
over 3 years ago – Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 07:45:00 PM

You’re helping the campaign make steady progress towards the $450K stretch goal to unlock the free Anime 5E Character Folio for the Adventurer and Collector tiers. To help provide additional context to the features available to player characters, we are giving another Anime 5E preview. First, we need to lay the foundation on the new range of these features.

Attributes – Anime 5E’s Expansion of Features

The six Ability Scores represent your character’s baseline fundamentals. More specialised and diverse character aspects or features are known as Attributes, which can represent innate talents, learned skills, magical evocations, psionic powers, supernatural elements, and more. You can also assign Attributes to equipment (known as Items) or entities (known as Companions) to create personal gear, artefacts, pets, and assistants.

Depending on your character’s Class, they will unlock various specific Attributes as they advance through character Levels. Most Classes also provide Bonus Points at some (or all) Levels, which can be spent to acquire Attributes of choice for your character – unrestricted, unless your DM indicates otherwise.

Attribute Customisation

As you design your character, you may find that some Attributes don’t function exactly the way you envision them. Perhaps they’re too limited in scope – not offering enough options or alternatives – or maybe they’re too broad and need to be scaled back. Fortunately, Anime 5E Attributes are easy to customise using Enhancements and Limiters to increase or decrease an Attribute’s effect. You may have already assigned some Weapon-specific customisations in Chapter 5, but there are also Enhancements and Limiters described in this section that have broader application across a wide range of Attributes.

Changing the way Attributes function from their baseline abilities can have unintended consequences on character balance and gameplay. Consequently, adding additional Enhancements and Limiters from this chapter is only allowed with your DM’s approval.

Enhancements

Modifications that provide an additional benefit or otherwise improve an Attribute are called Enhancements. Adding an Enhancement to an Attribute does not change its Point cost, but rather it decreases the effective functioning Rank of the Attribute by 1 Rank. You cannot add Enhancements if the effective Rank of an Attribute would drop below Rank 1.

For example, the Healing Attribute costs 1 Point per Rank and restores 1d8 Hit Points/Rank to a single target. Assigning the Healing Attribute at Rank 4 therefore costs 4 Points and restores to one target a substantial 4d8 HP. If you add one assignment of the Range Enhancement to allow Healing of a target within 10 feet instead of through touch only, the Attribute still costs 4 Points (since it is still a Rank 4 Attribute) but it functions 1 Rank lower due to the extra advantage provided by the Range Enhancement. Consequently, your Healing Attribute now functions as though it was Rank 3 and restores 3d8 HP instead of 4d8.

Anime 5E’s four standard Enhancements – Area, Duration, Range, and Targets – offer creative ways to make your Attributes unique and function differently from those of the other characters. Not every Attribute can have all four of these Enhancements assigned to them, however, and some Attributes cannot take any Enhancements at all (as indicated in the game text). Even if a particular Enhancement can be assigned to an Attribute, give serious consideration to the story and game balance if you plan to make more than one or two assignments of an Enhancement.

Limiters

Modifications that restrict the scope or functionality of an Attribute are called Limiters. Adding a Limiter to an Attribute does not change its Point cost, but rather it increases the effective functioning Rank of the Attribute by 1 Rank. To ensure characters are balanced for the role-playing adventures, DM permission is required when allocating more than three Limiter assignments total to Attributes.

For example, Rank 1 Flight costs 3 Points total and allows flying speeds up to 30 feet/round. If you add one assignment of the Emotional Limiter (flying only manifests in situations where the character is experiencing a significant emotional trigger) as well as one assignment of the Concentration Limiter (the character cannot attack while flying), the Attribute still costs 1 Point (since it is still a Rank 1 Attribute) but functions at 2 Ranks higher as though it was a Rank 3 Attribute – which increases the flying speed to 300 feet/round instead of only 30 feet/round.

Cumulative Modifiers

The Rank effectiveness of adding Enhancements and Limiters is cumulative. For example, a Rank 2 Mind Control Attribute with two Enhancement assignments and three Limiter assignments functions as an effective Rank 3 Mind Control (since Rank 2 - 2 Enhancements + 3 Limiters = Rank 3).

Designating Modifiers

When reading a stat block for an Item or character, the effective Rank of an Attribute may be provided in parentheses after the actual Attribute Rank if it has Enhancements and Limiters assigned.

For example, the Terradigger Item below includes the Tunnelling Attribute with a Rank of “3 (4)”. This means that the actual Attribute Rank is 3 (and, at a cost of 1 Point/Rank, costs 3 Points total), but the effective Rank is increased to 4 to account for the single assignment of the Detectable Limiter.

Customisation Example: Terradigger

Rank 3 Item. The terradigger is a clockwork metal suit of armour on wheels, attached to a rotating drill cone on the front. It is magically enhanced to move slowly (and noisily, as indicated by the Detectable: Hearing Limiter) on its own across the ground using a system of levers. More importantly it can impressively bore through sand and packed earth at up to 30 feet/round, rocky ground at 10 feet/round, and solid rock at 3 feet/round. The terradigger causes plenty of noise and vibration when tunnelling through the ground (as indicated by the Detectable: Hearing and Vibrations Limiter). The tunnel it leaves behind can either be made permanent or collapsed immediately behind the terradigger, depending on the drill setting. To resist the extreme pressure of the surrounding earth, the terradigger is constructed from durable metal with reinforced plating along key locations. A formidable crossbow with a 30’ range (Range Enhancement) can be deployed should the terradigger come under attack from burrowing creatures. The crossbow can puncture thick hide (Penetration Enhancement), but requires one round to load and prepare for firing (Activation Limiter).

Enjoy your Friday, and we’ll check back in tomorrow!

Stretch Goal Unlocked With 5,000 Backers!
over 3 years ago – Wed, Apr 14, 2021 at 03:11:23 AM

This morning, you helped the Anime 5E Kickstarter cross a mind-blowing threshold: 5,000+ backers! Thank you for the encouragement and support as we count down the final 10 days of the campaign.

You also collectively unlocked the $375K stretch goal, which means every backer pledging $25+ will receive expanded digital content: two original Anime 5E character classes, with descriptions and progression over 20 levels. The 14 classes included in the core game are formidable, but there’s always room for more ideas and expansions!

Unlocking at $400K: Anime 5E Dice!

Many of you have reached out to us about creating custom Anime 5E dice, since we had done so for our BESM Fourth Edition RPG line. There’s no such thing as “too many dice”, after all.

If campaign funding reaches $400K, we will ask our factory to manufacture a custom boxed set of Anime 5E polyhedral dice. They will have a gorgeous pearly crimson finish and come in a set of eight: one each of d4, d8, d10, d12, and d20, plus three d6. Since this is a new and unplanned product, we’ll still need to explore with the factory how we can engrave customisation into some of the dice to mark them as part of the Anime 5E set. The mock-up image above is a preliminary design that shows how the packaging and dice might look (mock-up is without die customisation).

Add-On Dice

We will make the dice set available as a $15 add-on to your pledge during the BackerKit pledge manager survey after the Kickstarter ends (not through the base campaign page). Since dice fall into a different shipping category, though – and will thus change the pricing structure – we can only make the dice available as an add-on for the $50 Gamer, $100 Adventurer, $100 Collector, and $300 Storyteller pledge tiers. We will absorb the additional shipping costs instead of increasing the shipping fee when adding on the dice, which is why the dice won’t be available to other tiers.

Free Bonus Die

Since we think stretch goals that only unlock new add-on products (without offering backers anything else) are rather lame, we will also be manufacturing an additional single custom d20 in an alternate colour – prefect for when your character has an advantage on their d20 rolls. Every backer who adds on a dice set to their pledge will receive one of these exclusive d20s as a free bonus gift. This bonus die won’t be available for sale in retail stores; it’s an exclusive promotional gift to show our thanks for your support!

We are grateful that you continuously pushing this Kickstarter to new heights! Have a wonderful Monday, and we will check in tomorrow with another update.

$400K Unlocked So Dice Are Coming!
over 3 years ago – Wed, Apr 14, 2021 at 02:41:26 AM

Thank you for pushing the campaign to an astounding 4000% of its original funding target! Since you unlocked the $400K stretch goal, we will now make an Anime 5E boxed set of polyhedral dice available as an add-on to your pledge (after the campaign, through the BackerKit pledge manager). Even better, every backer who adds on the dice set will receive free custom bonus d20, too!

We've added this chart to the top of our campaign to help track the unlocked stretch goals.

$425K Stretch Goal: Poisons!

Poisons are one of our favourite parts of tricky and hazardous Fifth Edition adventures – but those that merely do additional damage are rather boring, dontchathink? If campaign funding reaches $425K, we will create five original poisons across both the potency and effect spectrum, with Anime 5E stat blocks and brief descriptions. These poisons will be available as a free bonus PDF download for all backers pledging at least $13 in the Kickstarter.

Anime 5E Preview: A5E Kobold vs. Fifth Edition Kobold

We want to give you some insight into how monster stat blocks look in Anime 5E compared to standard Fifth Edition, since they present similar information in a different way. We thought that showcasing a kobold would be a great choice since it also demonstrates how the Anime 5E size rules featured in Update 23 are applied. Kobolds are small, reptilian humanoids that stand between 2' and 3' tall and fight with a pack mentality.

First, let’s take a look at the Fifth Edition kobold from the Monster Manual (MM).

Next is the Kobold’s Anime 5E stat block.

The two kobold versions obviously have the same ability scores and hit points, but there are noticeable differences as well.

➡️ Armour Class

Since kobolds are small-sized, they have the Anime 5E size template modifiers included in their stat block (which sums to a total of -5 points, as indicated in Update 23). Their small size makes them harder to hit (Rank 2 AC Bonus Attribute = +2 AC), which gives them a 14 AC when considering their +2 Dexterity bonus. This compares to 12 AC in the MM. Anime 5E kobolds are harder to hit than MM kobolds.

➡️ Movement Speed

At only 2’-3’ tall, Anime 5E kobolds suffer from the Rank 1 Slow Defect. This cuts their speed in half to only 15’ instead of the normal 30’ for medium size. MM kobolds rapidly move at the same speed as humanoids twice their size, or 30’. Anime 5E kobolds are slower than MM kobolds.

➡️ Melee and Ranged Attacks

The kobolds’ two hit dice indicates that they would have a +2 proficiency bonus. They also have a -2 Strength bonus, which would result in a melee attack modifier of +0. MM kobolds use daggers, though, which have the finesse modifier and use their +2 Dexterity mod instead of -2 Strength; this results in a +4 to hit bonus. Anime 5E kobolds gain the Rank 2 Combat Mastery Attribute (2 points) due to their small size, providing them with a +2 bonus on all attack rolls. They can also use their +2 Dexterity bonus to hit with daggers, giving a final melee bonus of +6 to hit. A similar trend carries through the kobold’s sling attacks: +4 to hit in the MM, and +6 to hit in Anime 5E. Anime 5E kobolds hit more frequently than MM kobolds.

➡️ Damage Received

Due to their small size, Anime 5E kobolds sustain greater injury from standard damage attacks (slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning). Their Rank 2 Susceptible Defect (-2 points) increases the damage they receive from such attacks by +2. MM kobolds do not have a corresponding penalty. Anime 5E kobolds suffer more damage from most attacks than MM kobolds.

➡️ Damage Inflicted

The Rank 2 Limited Damage Defect (for -2 points) for the small size template modifies the damage that Anime 5E kobolds inflict with normal melee weapons (that use their Strength modifier), but not with melee attacks and ranged weapons that use their Dexterity modifier. Consequently, the damage calculations for dagger and sling attacks are the same for both Anime 5E and the MM.

➡️ Sunlight Sensitivity

Rather than the unique MM description for this feature – disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks in sunlight – the Anime 5E kobold has it summarised in their Rank 2 Obstacle Defect (-2 points).

➡️ Pack Tactics

Anime 5E kobolds have the Rank 2 Edge Attribute (2 points) assigned that is specific to attack rolls when allies are nearby. MM kobolds have a unique description that details a similar effect.

➡️ Weapon Proficiency

We wanted our Anime 5E kobolds to have some additional experience with weapons larger than a dagger, and assigned them a Rank 1 Weapon Proficiency (1 point) with shortswords. In a kobold’s hand, a normal shortsword would feel much more like a longsword!

➡️ Unique Attribute and Defect

In addition to the entries above, Anime 5E kobolds also have a Unique Attribute for 1 point that aligns with their size: they are small, light, and unobtrusive. Conversely, they also suffer from a Rank 1 Unique Defect (-1 point) that halves the distance they can throw weapons.

As you can see from the details above, Anime 5E kobolds and MM kobolds are both CR 1/8 (25 XP) and have similar features. The way Anime 5E modifies numerous size-related issues results in some notable differences.

Thanks for reading! We’ll check back in tomorrow.