Plus5 RPG

PLAYERS LABOR-SAVING UTILITY SYSTEM
FIFTH EDITION BASIC RULES
P.L.U.S September 1996
PLAYERS GUIDE
COMBAT CHARACTER GENERATION
P.L.U.S
PLAYERS LABOR-SAVING UTILITY SYSTEM Fifth Edition September 1996
P LAY E R S G U I D E
BASIC RULES
GAME DESIGN: Joseph Steven Coleman Christopher Pound Lloyd Wiebe Shawn Smith Lloyd Wiebe Nadine Miller Thomas Biskup Paul Arden Lidberg Richard Lee Eide Michael Hole Richard Lee Eide
KEY CONTRIBUTORS: Andrew Leker Harold Ogle Nadine Miller PLAYTESTERS: Harold Ogle Michael Kinney Shawn Smith
P.L.U.S (Players Labor-saving Utility System) Version 5.2, copyright 1996 by Talewind Print & Production, P O Box 12631, Berkeley, CA 94712-2631, all rights reserved. e-mail through talewind@aol.com. Permission is granted for free duplication for personal use only. No license for any use requiring a charge to the end user is granted or implied. No other right to reproduce this material is granted or implied. To include PLUS or its supplements at another ftp site or bbs or in any other medium requires express written permission of Talewind.
Introduction To Fifth Edition

P.L.U.S (Players Labor-Saving Utility System) is an accumulated die pool system where the players roll several six-sided dice to meet or surpass a target number. The game is run, but not controlled by, a Gamemaster or GM. An average character, with an average education and an average body can roll 2d6 to reach a target number. A person who has trained himself in a particular field or interest or skill will have more dice to add to the die roll to improve the chances of reaching the target number. If you have specific skills or abilities that will contribute to reaching a target number, you may add those dice to the throw if the Gamemaster approves. There are dozens of gaming systems on the market and on the net. P.L.U.S was created after an examination of dozens of existing games and a few fundamental concepts: 1. 2. 3. 4. The purpose of a game system is to provide a way to resolve actions and conflict with a game. When the system clouds the world and you arent having fun,, another system is needed. When the system does not allow simple resolution, another system is needed. When players dont have hours and hours to generate a character, another game system is needed.
P.L.U.S is not a perfect game system. You may decide that you want more detail, or more combat statistical math, or a list of specific skills and when you make any of these decisions, there are dozens of gaming systems for you to choos from. P.L.U.S was written to allow players to concentrate on their characters and the Gamemaster to move the action forward with a minimum of charts and calculations. This system was designed to be easy to use, to provide quick and flexible character generation, to offer deadly in combat and to handle complex mechanics, like armor and special effects (magic, super powers, etc. available in the PLUS Companion, PLUS Gamemaster, or specific GameWorld documents). It is a hybrid between die pools where a player has more dice to represent high levels of skills and abilities, and point based systems where you use an arbitrary number of points and allocate values to Characteristics and Basic Skills. The inclusion of these backup dice rolls permit more flexibility during the game when the specially chosen skills and abilities are appropriate to the situation. P.L.U.S can be your backup system for playing in settings where the published system blocks the enjoyment of the game world. P.L.U.S is a simple gam-
ing system to allow presentation of GameWorlds to be presented. with stats and skills not directly tied to any existing system. At the end of this edition you will find a die translator to shift P.L.U.S characteristics into other die systems.
A List Of Words
In role playing games a vocabulary has developed which experienced players use regularly. A new player may have trouble following the discussion without knowing a list of words commonly used in gaming:
Campaign - A series of game sessions with a through line of story, setting and adventure. Character Sheet - The piece of paper on which the Player records the Characters Characteristics, Perceptions, Cultural Skills, Careers, Benefits, Money, Weapons, Armor and Possessions. Most people use a pencil to fill in the Character Sheet because the information changes during character creation, during the game, and with Character Improvement. Cocked Dice - Dice that do not come to rest on a flat surface, so the top face cannot be determined. The GM and Player need to determine if a cocked die roll means all dice being rolled must be re-rolled, or only the die that landed cocked should be re-rolled. d - The most frequently used abbreviation in gaming is d. d stands for dice or die (the singular of dice). There are many polyhedron figures used in most role playing games. P.L.U.S makes do with the common d6. d2 - Sometimes (not often) the game may call for a simple d2. A d2 can be created by flipping a coin (1 = heads, 2 = tails). You can also roll 1d6. using either Odd = 1, Even = 2, or 1,2,3 = 1 and 4, 6, 6 = 2. Ask the GM which version is used in your game. d3 - These may be called upon for special events or as a reward to a character as a result of their actions in the game. To roll 1d3, roll 1d6. 1 or 2 equals 1 point. 3 or 4 equals 2 points. 5 or 6 equals 3 points. d6 - A six sided die. Since they are usually used in sets of two or more, we know them as dice. These are the dice used in gambling, Monopoly, Yahtzee and hundreds of other family games. Dice are available at most hobby and game shops. 1d6 means roll 1 six-sided die. 2d6 means roll 2 six-sided dice. 5d6 means roll five six-sided dice. Dice - For P.L.U.S, the well known six sided polyhedrons, marked from 1 to 6, which are rolled to create totals by adding the top faces after the dice have stopped rolling. Die Pools - Die Pools are groups of dice used in the process of the game. Initial pools of dice are allowed for Starting Dice, Career Dice, and other dice to be distributed. During character generation more die pools are created to allow the Player to roll on different levels of ability. For example, every player starts with two dice in Strength. That would mean you roll two dice and total the numbers on the top sides of the dice. If you add one of your Starting Dice to the Strength pool, you have 3d6. Since the you need high numbers, more dice make it easier to roll high numbers. Game - A session with the Gamemaster and Players. First, the GM and Players work together to create the Characters for the Players to use in the adventure. Then GM will present the initial setting, introduce a story narrative, present NPCs/ ZIPs, props, clues and other details for the player characters to encounter. The players will then choose actions according to their characters skills and attempt to move into an narrative with the Gamemaster. A game may be a single session or may continue for many sessions (a campaign).
What You Need To Play

To play P.L.U.S Each player and the Gamemaster will need a P.L.U.S Basic Rules (the Players Book), the materials for the specific campaign, and copies of the character sheet provided with this rule book and scratch paper. The GM will want the PLUS Companion and the PLUS Gamemaster documents for special features, tips and references. Members of the group will also need pencils, paper and some six sided dice. These are same dice you might find with a board game or for Vegas-style gaming. Four or five dice for each player are preferred, although players have been known to share the same dice.
How To Use Dice In P.L.U.S

In a role-playing game, you, the other players and your Gamemaster will create a moving narrative involving your characters actions in an imaginary world created by the Gamemaster. You decide what your character does or attempts to do. Your game master will have you roll dice according to the number of dice you have put into the appropriate characteristic, skill or ability. In P.L.U.S you want to roll a high number, and the more dice you have the easier it is to roll a high number. With Fate Dice and Luck Dice, you may only have 2d6 to roll but can still roll well into the 20s and 30s. The Gamemaster will decide what other characters those not played by real people do or attempt to do. The GM rolls dice for the non-player characters (called ZIPs), animals and the machinations of fate. You will roll dice to determine the success or failure of your characters actions and tasks. When you throw dice, you will roll the number of dice you have distributed into the characteristic, perception, athletic, career, specialty or weapon that the GM agrees can be used in the situation facing your character. You roll your dice, total the numbers appearing on the top of each die. You will need to meet or exceed a Target Number to succeed. You remove the 1s that have been rolled (Trash dice), and may choose to re-roll dice that have come up with two or more of the same number (Fate dice). The Gamemaster may tell you to roll one or more extra dice and then remove the same number of high or low dice as a Penalty or a Bonus, to make your success more difficult or more assured. For particularly important rolls, you may be able to add Luck dice to improve your roll. You must have your dice in place before the game begins. The process is called Character Generation and consists of distributing available dice into your Characteristics, Perceptions, Athletics, Careers, Specialties and Weapons. When you take an action, or attempt a task, you will roll the number of d6 on the Characteristics, Athletic, Perception, Career, Specialty or Weapon that applies to the situation, subject to the approval of your Gamemaster. You will add the dice, using the number on the top of each die. You will modify the total of those numbers in a variety of modifications given by the Gamemaster: Trash dice, Fate dice, Gamemasters Dice (Penalties and Bonuses) and Toxic rolls.
Trash Dice
When you roll a die and the number comes up as 1 it is disregarded. If two or more 1s are rolled, you may re-roll them as Fate Dice but they do not contrib-
ute to a total when calculating the results. If you roll all 1s in a Fate Dice roll, the roll has become Toxic. If a player, ZIP or creature has only 1d6 to roll and the result is a 1, the roll has failed and is treated as a toxic roll.
Words...Continued
Gamemaster - The person who has responsibility for creating and running the adventure. The gamemaster will set the scene for the players and introduce choices and NPCs. NPC - Non Player Characters. Characters in the adventure who are not controlled by individual players, but are controlled by the Gamemaster. In P.L.U.S they are called ZIPs. Player - A person participating in the game with a character who moves through the games adventure. The Player uses the Character as an alter ego to move through the adventure as if it were happening to the Player. Role Playing Game - A shared creation of an adventure with players and a Gamemaster using an agreed upon set of rules and guidelines to determine the success or failure of player character actions in the course of the game. For the purposes of P.L.U.S, Role Playing Games will refer to a system of pencils, paper and dice, where players create characters on their character sheet, using dice to determine the success of failure of the tasks and actions of the characters. These games are also called Interactive Story Telling. RPG - Role Playing Game ZIPs - Zeitgeist Instant Personas - NPCs for P.L.U.S.
Fate Dice
When the same number appears on more than one of your rolled dice, you may choose to re-roll the duplicate dice no matter how many come up as duplicates. If you roll multiples again, you roll again and continue re-rolling multiples until you fail to roll multiples. Fate dice make it possible to perform transhuman feats with very ordinary numbers of dice. Each set of multiples are re-rolled separately. For example, if you roll on 4d6 resulted in 2-4-4-2, you would re-roll the 4s and the 2s separately. A roll of all 1s in a Fate Dice roll makes the roll Toxic. A player is not required to re-roll duplicate dice, which may help avoid Toxic rolls. If a player, ZIP or creature has only 1d6 to roll, fate determines that a 6 may be re-rolled and added to the results.
A Toxic Roll
If an additional roll is made under the Fate Dice and results in all 1s, the roll has become toxic and there is a negative result to the characters effort. The action fails and an additional negative event enters the round. This could include striking a member of the party, breaking or losing a weapon, revealing a location, taking damage, or whatever negative result the Gamemaster decides is appropriate to the moment. Ideally, the effect of roll turned toxic should be as horrible as the roll would have been good before going toxic. Since re-rolling is the players choice, the possibility of losing big should be taken as part of the risk. For example, a player who had a total of 17 before re-rolling Fate dice and obtaining a toxic result would have something inconvenient happen (like damaging the weapon). A player who rolled 47 and chose to re-roll Fate dice again, only to have the roll go toxic, would have something far more significant go wrong (like shooting a member of the party, revealing the partys position to the enemy, taking the damage intended for the target, etc.). If a player, ZIP or creature rolled a 6 on the single die roll, and re-rolls with a result of 1, the roll has become toxic.
Additional phrases are used specifically in P.L.U.S and will be explained as they are introduced.
Bonuses And Penalties

From time to time the Gamemaster may designate additional dice to be thrown with the number of dice the player is normally entitled to throw for his or her character. After the dice have been thrown, the Gamemaster will ask you to remove an equal number of high or low dice.
PENALTY DICE - If you are asked to remove the equal number of high dice (as compared to the number additional dice gamemaster required you to roll), it was a penalty which makes your success more difficult.
If the penalty dice to be removed would have counted as Fate Dice, it is as if the extra dice were never rolled for consideration as Fate Dice.
BONUS DICE - If you are asked to remove the equal number of low dice results, it is a bonus, which makes your success easier.
If the penalty dice to be removed would have counted as Fate Dice, the duplicate dice are kept for re-rolling as Fate Dice and the next higher dice are removed from the total.
The Gamemaster may ask to throw extra dice up to a limit of the total number of dice you are throwing. The maximum dice thrown at any one time would be 14 (6 dice in the original pool, 6 bonus or 6 penalty dice, and 2 luck dice).
If You Only Have One Die to roll

If anyone has a single d6 to roll on the skill, Luck dice may be added to help gain a good result. If only 1d6 is to be rolled, rolling a 6 with 1d6 allows you reroll and add the result to your roll. Rolling a 1 on 1d6 counts as a Toxic Roll.
Generation And Dice Distribution

Everyone has seven characteristics, five Senses and twenty-five Cultural Skills (including Athletics). AGE is a determining factor in how you can shape your character, so determine the characters AGE first. BODY and LUCK are beyond players control, so calculate those immediately after AGE. Use your Character Worksheet to track your development of careers, benefits and cash. After you have arranged all of your dice to skills, careers, and other areas to your satisfaction, transfer the numbers of dice, benefits and other information to your P.L.U.S Character Sheet.
NOTE: Pre-generated Characters are supplied as the P5_Chars document to provide you with examples of character generation, and characters which Players can use to immediately begin playing your Gamemasters campaign.
The Sequence
1. Get the Power Level of the game from your Gamemaster. 2. Develop a character concept - what kind of character do you want to play? 3. Calculate LUCK, BODY and AGE. 4. Check the Age Key to Distribution Dice table for the numbers of dice to distribute. Include additional dice from second table for higher game levels. 5. Distribute Characteristic dice, including Special Effect, if any. 6. Distribute Given Dice into Athletics, Basic Skills and Senses. 7. Distribute Career Dice and determine Careers. Determine Benefits (personal choice) and calculate Money. 8. Distribute Specialty dice to narrow, personal interest skills. Before you begin Character Generation, you need three preliminary rolls to shape your character.
Age
You age determines the number of careers you may have and may provide benefits to Cultural Skills and Characteristics. There are two ways to determine age. Roll 2d6 and add 14. If 2 6s are rolled, add 1d6. Other duplicates (Fate Dice) do not apply to Age generation. Additional age can be purchased by permanently sacrificing 2 LUCK dice to roll 1d6 of additional age. Nor more than 2d6 for additional age can be purchased (costing 4d6 LUCK). Consult the chart below to determine the proper number of dice for your character.
Table 1 - Age Key To Distribution Dice

CHARACTER. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
1
SPECIALTIES GIVEN1 CAREER-1
CAREER-2 CAREER-3
STARTING MONEY (Modern )
2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5
+5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12 +12 +13
5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7
2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5
2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4
2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4
$ 25 50 75 100 100 100 100 150 150 150 150 200 200 200 200 200 200
x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6
x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod
Total of STRENGTH, REFLEXES, EDUCATION and WILL, plus the number of dice indicated, to distribute as Given Skill Dice.
Table 2 - Higher Game Levels And Bonuses Professional

Characteristics Given Specialties
2
Adventurer
+42 +62 +82
Hero
+62 +92 +122
FOR EXAMPLE: If you have 8 dice, but have a 5 dice limit to your character, you may have 8 benefits to the career at 5 dice, and 3 dice which may be used as Bonus Dice for rolls on that career or benefit, or you may apply a +1 to other skills that have not reached the limit, even if they are not related to the source of the extra dice.
+2 +3 +4
If your total dice exceed the allowed maximum dice limit, the excess dice may be used in several ways. 1) you have a total number of Benefits equal to the original number of dice allowed.
If your game requires higher or lower ages, or you want additional carreers, check the PLUS COMPANION (available at the same site where you found this document) for alternate age generation and an alternate skill distribution system.
Body
This is the amount of damage you can take. Roll 2d6 and add 12. Your character will have between 14 and 24 body points. BODY is lost as damage is taken. Damage is the difference between the attacking roll, the defending roll and any modifiers from Armor, the weapon or a GM determined modifier.
Luck
Roll 5d3. Ignore the lowest number. The result is the number of dice you can use to improve rolls during any week of game time. A Luck dice is thrown with your other dice at a time when you really need to hit a Target Number. Roll Luck dice with your other dice to succeed in an action or task. No more than two Luck Dice can be moved in any one hour of time as experienced by the players. No more than half the available Luck Dice can be used in a single gaming session.
If you decide it is important for a given roll tosucceed after the action or task has failed, you have the option to burn up to two Luck die to roll to improve the roll. Burning a die means that it is rolled, then permanently removed from your Luck Dice and cannot be restored. No more than two Luck Dice may be burned in any single gaming session.
Restoring Luck
Luck dice are restored one week after each individual it was used (as experienced by the player character). If you used one Luck die on Monday, and three on Wednesday, you will regain one luck die the following Monday, and three on the following Wednesday. To keep things simple, the Luck die is restored at the same time of day it was used in the previous week. If you used your Luck die at Noon on Monday, it will return at Noon on the following Monday.
Increasing Game Power Levels

Different games require different levels of power for the characters and ZIPs. It would be unfair to put Larry the Milkman up against Mega-Muscles, the six fisted fury of the planet Ylem. Larry, the bloody smear, would be out of the game very quickly and the player would have to generate a new character. Most games play at the level of Professional and Adventurer, but an Average character game is good for pulp and mystery games. Average is also a good way to introduce new players to role playing games. Your Gamemaster will determine the Power level for the game. This means you will be told how many extra dice you are available to add to your characters strengths. An Average human has a base of 2d6 to roll to succeed on performing a task or using a skill. Since you want to roll a high number in P.L.U.S, extra dice make it easier to succeed. These are suggested number of dice for players to distribute into the applicable areas. Your GM may modify these numbers to suit a specific game.
Distributing Dice
These dice are distributed into your seven Characteristics and only into your Characteristics. The seven Characteristics can be said to be interpreted as genetically, environmentally or social generated abilities the decides will be available to any average member of the species. you do not have specific skills to accomplish tasks, the GM may allow you to roll under a characteristic with a penalty or a bonus.
Characteristic Dice
The six common Characteristics have a base of 2d6. An average person with average education and an average body could accomplish a task or an action with a 2d6 roll. To shape your characters special abilities, distribute dice as shown in the Game Level table to these areas to shape your characters abilities. If your game will use a SPECIAL EFFECT, it must be defined by the Gamemaster and you add dice to the SPECIAL EFFECT from your Characteristic Dice.
Given Dice
Given dice are the way you shape your Given Skills. The player can distribute Given dice to Athletic Skills, Cultural Skills and Senses. Given Dice may not be distributed into Characteristics, Careers, Benefits or Specialties.
Specialty Dice
Specialty dice will allow you to have a skill which is completely unrelated to his/her careers or specialties. These personal interestes may include weapons. Specialties are expressions of life-experience that shape the player characters unique personality and abilities. Specialties are narrow areas of knowledge or ability with which an average person would have no specific dice to throw. Specialty Dice may only be distributed to Specialties and may not be used for Characteristics or Perceptions. Specialty Dice can, however, be used for Athletics, Cultural and Weapon skills.
Career/Benefit Dice
A Career is a broad definition of your characters primary career, source of income and the source of some of skills, according to the characters age. P.L.U.S is a freeform system your career and the skills that can be exercised through that career are up to your Gamemaster. Your first career (to the age of 18) is usually as a student, but it is possible that you were on the street, working at a burger joint, or at a private military academy. The player can choose additional careers if you have sufficient age, subject to the approval of the. Gamemaster. Career Dice may not be used for Characteristics, Perceptions or Athletics, but may be used for any of the Given Skills (Athletics, Cultural and Senses) weapons. Under each career is room to write specific skills, called Benefits, you received from that career for that age level. You can describe these Benefits as what you got out of it. If you put 2 dice into the skill, you also have two specified Benefits of the career; if you put 3 dice into the skill, you also have three specified benefits of the career, and so on. A beginning character will have a limit to the number dice in any one career, even if the same career is taken again. If you repeat a career, the number of additional dice may exceed your games maximum number of dice in a single pool. The additional dice be used to 1) increase your skill level (if you have not already reached the maximum for your game level), 2) put a single die into additional specific skills under the career, or 3) develop a side interest that is not necessarily related to your Career you may choose to make these extra dice additional Specialty dice. With the specific benefits of the career, your character will roll the full number of Career dice when that career is appropriate to the task at hand. Abilities and benefits of your careers are rolled at the full value of the dice you chose to put into that career. Other abilities which the Gamemaster agrees could be considered appropriate to the career, but were not covered by your specified full number of dice in that Career.
Maximum Dice
As starting characters, there will be a limit on the number of dice you can have in any single dice pool (Characteristic, Perception, Athletics, Careers, Specialties and each Weapon are all separate dice pools). This keeps the level of play between characters fairly even (depending on their distribution of dice and the task before them). It also gives the player a place to go in character development - through bonus dice, you may improve beyond your original limit.
Characteristics
Your character begins with a series of die pools - six attributes called Characteristics. These Characteristics are the most basic illustration of your characters strengths and weaknesses. Add dice to the Characteristics you want to be strong. All Characteristics begin with 2d6, which represents an average person with an average body under normal circumstances.
STRENGTH - Your ability to lift weights or resist the effect of force exerted on you. An average person will be able to lift his or her number of dice in STRENGTH times 100 pounds. This does not always mean you can control the lifted object, or continue to hold it, but an average person will be able to lift 200 pounds. Characters will usually be able to lift an additional 50 pounds for every 1d6 added to STRENGTH. Unless the power level of your game is as super-powered beings, a human with six dice in STRENGTH should be able to lift 400 pounds. REFLEXES - 2d6 allow you a chance to respond to an out of control car barreling down the hill toward you (a roll on coordination or a specific athletic skill would be required to actually get out of the way). It is your ability to recognize a situation and determine the appropriate reaction to it. A roll on Reflexes will determine the order of actions during combat. WILL Will gives you the focus and concentration required to perform actions in difficult surroundings. To fail a Will roll is to be stressed and possibly functioning at a penalty.
ATHLETIC SKILLS
BRAWL * - Your ability to handle yourself in an informal fight, including tackling, wrestling and using nearby objects as weapons. CLIMB * - The ability to elevate on an uneven surface with a degree of safety and control. DODGE * - The ability to evade an object that may collide with your body. Dodge will not work in a vehicle. The skill DRIVE or a career benefit is required. FIST * - The ability to put your hand and its bones into the face, body or tender parts of an opponent. KICK * - The ability to put your foot, the bones within and the covering (if any) into the backside, body or tender parts of an opponent. RUN * - The characters ability to cover ground. An average character can cover six yards in two seconds. Each 1d6 added to this skill is considered another three yards for an average person, but exception rolls can indicate unexpected bursts of speed. SWIM - The ability to remain afloat and move in the desired direction in bodies of water, which may be modified by temperature, characters physical condition and the presence of animals. THROW (Balanced) - The ability to propel a balanced object toward a target - such as a knife, throwing stick, baseball or similar regularly shaped object. THROW (Unbalanced) - The ability to propel an unbalanced object toward a target - such as a tree limb, uneven piece of scrap metal, beer mug or oddly shaped rock.
EDUCATION - The ability to put the pieces of a puzzle together to solve problems or anticipate actions. A roll on Education will determine whether or not you have already learned a particular piece of information, or if you can put the available information together appropriately. CHARM The major basis of other peoples response to your character.
INTUITION - A non-rational ability to perceive meaning and patterns from significant, but insufficient information.
Special Effects
These are optional dice the Gamemaster may allow or alter to suit the needs of a game. Common effects would be magic, super powers, psionics, etc. Prior to Character Generation the GM should explain the way the chose special effect will work in the game and give the players the option of distributing dice into the effect for this campaign. Each PLUS GameWorld will define Special Effects for that game, if any apply.
ATHLETIC SKILLS
Under Given Skills you have 9 Athletic skills. Skills marked with (*) begin with 2d6. Others begin with 1d6 and will require distribution of other dice to be effectively used. 1d6 allows you to roll on the skill. Luck dice may help gain a good result. Rolling a 6 with 1d6 allows you re-roll and add the result to your roll. Rolling a 1 on 1d6 counts as a Toxic Roll.
Cultural Skills
COMMON DEVICES - Within the limitations of the culture, this may include anything from well pumps to photocopiers. The Gamemaster will determine which skills are covered under this section, depending on the type of campaign you are playing. CONCEAL ITEM - The ability to hide one or more objects to escape detection. The number rolled becomes the target number for the opposingSEARCH roll, to uncover the hidden object.
Cultural Skills
Under Given Skills you will have 16 Cultural Skills as a result of growing up in your society. Skills marked with (*) begin with 2d6. Others begin with 1d6 and will require distribution of other dice to be effectively used. Your GM may want to change some of the definitions to suit the campaign you are playing.
more...
10
Senses
This represents the sensitivity of your physical senses. All Sense begin with a base of 2d6 as an average persons perceptions. If you add dice to Sense, you add them to a specific sense (+1d to smell, +2d to vision, etc.) and the added dice are only available when using that specific perception.
Cultural Skills (continued)

CONCEAL SELF - The ability to use common features of the terrain to conceal your body from observation. In the wild this might include rocks, depressions in the ground, trees, etc. In an urban setting this will include cars, buildings, crowds, etc. EVALUATE - The characters ability to consider personal knowledge, common knowledge, and other factors in determining the value or trustworthiness of an item or piece of information. FIRST AID - Simple actions to treat visible or detectable wounds. This would include things like bandages, compresses and artificial respiration, but would not include surgery, traction, prescription of drugs or other skills that require a specific knowledge of Medicine. FOLLOW - The ability to follow a person, animal or vehicle that has recently moved through an area under normal conditions while maintaining a visual connection to the quarry. INFO SEARCH - Obtaining information through normal channels; asking people in the neighborhood, checking local papers or magazines, research in a library, etc. LITERACY - The ability to read and understand normal written information at an eighth grade level. This may include non-technical books, newspapers, magazines and legible handwritten information. Jargon, technical data or other languages require a specific skill related to the material. LOCAL AREA * - Your personal ability to identify locations, lore, businesses, people and the history of your neighborhood, culture or city. NATIVE LANGUAGE * - Indicate the language with which you are most familiar. Indicate the spoken, editing and writing levels. Unless otherwise indicated by the Gamemaster, Spoken is at the level of Education, Reading and writing are each 1d6 less than Spoken unless other dice are added by the player from Given or Specialty Dice. Other languages are assumed as Spoken. The ability to Speak, Read or Write the other language must be indicated as Career benefits, or Specialties. NEGOTIATE - The ability to talk with, strike deals with, or get information from other people. Under some conditions, a good roll on your CHARM may enhance your ability to gain information or conduct business. This would also include minor aspects of arithmetic and handling money. RECENT EVENTS - Through gossip, news sources (papers, radio, television, etc.) the things you know about what is going on in the world, the nation or otherwise outside your local area. You can only know information that would have entered the awareness of the general population, not specialized information known only to a few. SEARCH - The ability to find people and things that are hidden from view, either through a Conceal Item or Conceal Self effort on the part of another character or ZIP, or by the circumstances of the scene. STEALTH - The ability to move quietly without making noise to escape detection.
Careers
A Career is a broad definition of your characters primary career, source of income and the source of some of skills, according to the characters age. P.L.U.S is a freeform system your career and the skills that can be exercised through that career are up to your Gamemaster. Your first career (to the age of 18) is usually as a student, but it is possible that you were on the street, working at a burger joint, or at a private military academy. The player can choose additional careers if you have sufficient age, subject to the approval of the. Gamemaster. Career Dice may not be used for Characteristics, Perceptions or Athletics, but may be used for Specialties and Weapons.
NOTE: A series of possible careers and suggested benefits are included at the end of the rules. These are only suggestions, but may be a useful guide in creating a character that is exactly what you want for your character.
Benefits
When you choose a career you will receive the number of dice available in that career. This does not mean you will always be able to roll that number of dice, but it gives you that potential number of dice the final number will be determined by your choice of benefits from the career, and the GMs decision on modifiers. Under each career is room to write specific skills you received as benefits from that career for that age level. You can describe these benefits as what you got out of it. You have the same number of benefits at each stage of your characters development as the number of dice you put into that career. With the specific benefits of the career, your character will roll the full number of Career dice when that career is appropriate to the task at hand. Abilities and benefits of your careers are rolled at the full value of the dice you chose to put into that career. Other abilities which the Gamemaster agrees could be considered appropriate to the career, but were not covered by your specified full
FOR EXAMPLE: If you put 2 dice into the skill, you also have two specified benefits of the career; if you put 3 dice into the skill, you also have three specified benefits of the career, and so on.
Specialties
P.L.U.S allows you to create narrow areas of knowledge, including knowledge, skills, weapons or fighting abilities. Specialties may be related to other dice pools added to your Cultural Skills, or particular benefits within a Career. Sample Specialties: Romance Languages, Handgun, Gourmet Cook, Acrobat, PalmReader, Comic Collector, Killer Fashion Sense, Strategies of the Civil War, etc.
more...
11
Weapons AS Benefits from Careers

A career may offer a weapon as a Benefit of serving in that career. Weapons may also be added as Specialties as a personal choice. Additional d6 may be added from the Career Dice for that career, from repeat careers, related careers where the same weapon is taken as a benefit, or the player specifies the weapon as a Specialty. The number of d6 invested in a weapon represent the ability to use the weapon. If the weapon hits (the Attack roll is higher than the Defense roll), the damage to the target is the difference between the total of the Attack and the total of the Defense. Most weapons have a method to modify the damage, which may mean a multiple (including formulas that may reduce the damage), or extra dice rolls based on a Characteristic or Damage from the weapon. No weapon can be used at a level higher than the limit indicated for the Dice Limit of the game level in which the character is used.
Cultural Skills (continued)

SURVIVAL - The ability to deal with people and situations within your normal surroundings. For an average character in a modern game, this would mean surviving in your home town or its equivalent. For a fantasy character this might bean the village and woods. A character may have gained beneficial survival skills in other areas as a benefit of a career or as a specialty.. TRACK - The ability to find people and things that are hidden or have left the area long ago. This may include following footprints, spore, debris or using local information sources to ask about the quarry. The difference between Track and Follow is that Track may be attempted even if the quarry cannot be spotted.
Career Limits
A starting character must conform to the game levels limit to the number dice in any one pool, even if a career is taken more than once.
FOR EXAMPLE: Dean Swift has his .38 revolver as a benefit of his career as a law enforcement officer. This gives him 4d6 to roll to shoot. If he hits, his ammunition does an additional 1d6 of damage. He has the potential of 24 points plus any Fate Dice, and an additional d6. NOTE: Fate dice can apply to the roll to hit with the weapon, but do not apply to the dice rolled as a benefit of the ammunition.
Career Modifiers
Careers are the way your character spent the most significant part of his/her time during any given age period. Additional age gives your character some advantages in career-related skills (additional dice to add to the abilities gained from the skill). In early years, career will usually be student although a part time job may have offered other skills while the character was still in school. After school the choices of college or work will shape your character with contacts, abilities and knowledge, all of which may become available during the game. Starting money will be based on your age. The older your character is, the more starting money will be available. The amount represents the amount of goods and cash the character has been able to retain after covering the costs of food, shelter, clothes, etc. Staring purchases come out of this money. Remember to apply Recent Loses at each stage.
Suggested Modifiers
Income is calculated as Starting money divided by the multiplier as a monthly disposable income. Every month the character is assumed to receive that amount from a paycheck, contracts, dealings, royalty, or trust funds. The following are suggestion for possible careers. Players are encouraged to develop new careers to suit their desires the career and cash modifier are subject to the approval of the. RL means roll on the Recent Losses table.
12
CAREER UNSKILLED LABOR SKILLED LABOR FOOD SERVICE
MOD. RL .25 1 1.5-3 no no no no no no no no yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no yes
EXAMPLES construction, road crew, shipping loader, delivery, factory, etc. Heavy equipment operator, crew supervisor, swarehousing, etc. Fast food, restaurant, cafeteria, lunch wagon, bakery, cannery, etc. Filing, light typing, phones, copying, etc. Shorthand, transcription, research, conference coordinator, etc. mechanic, plumbers helper, sales, mercenary, enlisted military, etc. Reporter, Public Safety (Police, Fire, EMT, etc.), DJ, etc. Master Plumber, Carpenter, veteran military, police, Writer, etc. (GM determined)
UNSKILLED CLERICAL 2 SKILLED CLERICAL APPRENTICE TRADE 2.5 2
PROFESSIONAL TRADE 3 JOURNEYMAN TRADE ACADEMIC Student - HS-Graduate. Research student Teacher - High School Teacher - College Teacher - Tenured CRIMINAL PROFESSIONAL Medical Legal Government (staff) Government (elected) 4 .5 - 4 4 3 5 6 2-8 5-9 4-10 4-6 5-10
(GM determined) (GM determined) (GM determined) (GM determined) (GM determined)
* subject to Gamemaster approval
Recent Losses
Roll 3d6 for recent losses on the total of your money, including previous career savings or purchases. They can be because of theft, legal fees, confiscated goods, withdrawn grant moneys or just plain bad judgment in handling your money.
ROLL RESULT
13-18 10-12 6-9 3-5
No losses. 25% of money and purchases lost. 50% of money and purchases lost. 75% of money and purchases lost.
13
Combat
Each person participating in combat with another character, animal, device or other opponent, rolls on REFLEXES to determine the order of Combat, High number goes first, with GM-determined modifications. A Combat Order roll is considered Easy. Fate dice do not apply to Combat Order rolls.
Target Numbers
When you perform a task without opposition from another player character or ZIP, your will set a target number for the difficulty of a task. When you perform a task in opposition to another player character or an ZIP, you will roll according to the table below. The Gamemaster may not tell you the target number in advance, but will simply tell you whether you failed or succeeded
Difficulties
The Gamemaster chooses a target number to represent the difficulty of a particular task. The Gamemaster will assess the situation and assign extra dice, if they are appropriate. You will then roll available dice against the target number. The suggested table for difficulties is: TARGET
EASY MODERATE HARD
RESULTS
TASK OR SKILL COMBAT ORDER
4-or less 5-6 7-11 12-14 15-20
5 or less 6-8 9-13 14-19 20-25
6 or less 7-10 11-17 18-24 25-32
Complete Failure Minimal Failure. Minimal Success Beneficial Success Significant Success
No action is possible Dodge or Run only Defense/Attack - 1 Action Possible Defense/Attack - 2 actions Possible, or 1 action with 1d6 Bonus Defense/Attack - 3 actions possible, or 2 actions with 1d6 Bonus each, or 1 action with 2d6 Bonus Defense/Attack - 2 actions with 2d6 Bonus each, or 1 action with 3d6 Bonus
21 and up
26 and up
33 and up
Legendary Success
Hit Locations
There is a shift in damage according to the hit location. Range weapons are more likely to his the central trunk than a face-to-face melee fight.
MELEE WEAPONS BODY PART 4d6 ROLL DAMAGE BONUS RANGE WEAPONS BODY PART 5d6 ROLL DAMAGE BONUS
Rump/Crotch Weapon Arm Right Leg Right Flank Lower Trunk Central Trunk Upper Trunk Left Flank Left Leg Other Arm Head
4 5-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14 15-16 17-18 19-20 21-22 23-24
+4 +3 +2 0 0 0 0 0 +2 +3 +5
Rump/Crotch Weapon Arm Right Leg Right Flank Lower Trunk Central Trunk Upper Trunk Left Flank Left Leg Other Arm Head
5 6-8 9-12 13-14 15 16-18 19-20 21-22 23-24 25-27 28-30
+4 +3 +2 +1 0 0 +1 +2 +3 +3 +5
14
Damage Effects
Every weapon is assigned damage in a combination of d6, d3 and bonus dice. Modifiers for the quality of success and the characters armor can reduce the damage. The actual damage is loss to the player characters BODY is identified by the difference between the success of the Attacking and Defending roll, modified by previous wounds, armor, hit location and the degree of success. At 1/3 BODY loss, the character is functioning at a 1d6 penalty to actions (roll 1d6 and deduct it from the characters action roll). Each wound taken after 1/ 3 of BODY is compounded by an additional 1d3 damage. A roll on WILL must be successful for the wounded character to take any action. At 2/3 BODY loss the additional damage is 1d6. The character must succeed at a roll against WILL to remain conscious and perform any task or action. If an action is possible, the character is functioning at a 1d6 Penalty. Each wound after losing 2/3 of BODY is compounded by 1d6+1d3 additional damage. At 0 BODY the character is unconscious and will continue losing BODY at 1d6 per hour until treated or dead if the character is untreated. Under professional medical care, the rate will be a loss of 1d6 BODY every six hours if the medical caretakers fail their required rolls to treat the injuries... While being treated, the injured character must reach a minimum BODY of 1. At that point normal recovery can begin. At a negative body number equal to the original number of BODY, the character is dead beyond healing. For example: if the character started with 18 Body, at 12 BODY the 1/3 BODY effects would kick in, at 6 BODY, the 2/3 body effects would take effect, at 0 BODY the characterfalls unconscious and cannot be revived and will begin taking 1d6 of damage per hour (if untreated) or 1d6 damage per six hours (on a failed professional medical care attempt). At -18 BODY, the character is dead and cannot be revived, healed or resurrected. In most P.L.U.S settings there is no resurrection.
Recovery
Wounds will normally recover BODY points at a rate of 1d3 for the first day, 1d3 for each week until the original BODY level is reached. If the wounded person is successfully treated by someone with applicable First Aid skills, 1d3 can be recovered during the first day of the wound. If treated by a character with professional medical skills, the victim will recover an additional 1d3 points to BODY. For higher skills, such as a Emergency Medical Technician or a medical Doctor, an additional 1d3 recovery beyond First Aid can happen in the first day of treatment. Each week of full immobilization under medical care, in a hospital, with a personal attendant or something similar, an additional 1d3 points of BODY can be recovered. If the wounds have taken the characters BODY below 0, First Aid and professional medical skills must be successfully applied every six hours to avoid the standard 1d6 additional damageeven with treatment a damaged character may die. The six hour treatment of injuries may continue only until a character crosses the threshold of 0 BODY. At a BODY of 1, these extraordinary measures are no longer required and normal healing can proceed. It is possible to recover up to 3d3 in the first day of the wound (1d3 normal with 1d3 for first aid, plus 1d3 for professional medical care), and up to another 2d3 during week of recuperation (1d3 normal recovery, plus 1d3 for professional medical care).
15
Weapons
Every weapon is assigned a damage factor in d6, d3 and/or Bonus dice. Damage is calculate by applying the difference between a successful attack roll and a failed defensive role. To that number you add the Damage Factor for the weapon, missile or ammunition. That total is deducted from the victims BODY. (See Damage Effects for effects of loss from BODY.) STRENGTH under RANGE means, roll the number of dice you have in STRENGTH. The result is the number of yards are able to throw during this action round. STRENGTH under DAMAGE FACTOR means damage will be the difference between the succeeding Attack roll and the failed Defending roll, plus the total of a throw of the number of dice the character has in STRENGTH, adjusted by the indicated fraction or multiplier. The only formula you need to remember: DAMAGE = SUCCESSFUL ATTACK DEFENSE (if any) ARMOR (if any) + ADDITIONAL DAMAGE (if any)
FOUND WEAPONS
WEAPON COST TYPE RANGE (YARDS)
** GM DETERMINED
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE
Fist (Brawl) Kick (Brawl) Stick (Medium) Baseball Bat Lamp ** Wooden Chair Metal Chair Pipe (metal small) Pipe (metal medium) Pipe (metal large) Pipe (PVC) Brass Knucks (Brawl) Boxing Glove (Brawl) Rock **
$200 $ 20 $ 35 $ 50 $ 50 $ 75 $150 $250 $350
Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Slicing Slicing Puncture Slicing Puncture Puncture Slicing Puncture Slicing Puncture Slicing Puncture Bludgeon Bludgeon Puncture Puncture Bludgeon Puncture Puncture
n/a n/a 1/2 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/3 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH n/a n/a STRENGTH** STRENGTH STRENGTH 2X STRENGTH 2X STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/3 STRENGTH 45 60 75 60
+STRENGTH +STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH+1d6 +1/2 STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH+1d6 +STRENGTH+2d6 +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH +1d6 +1/2 STRENGTH 1d6-14d6** +STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH+1d6 +STRENGTH+1d6 +STRENGTH+2d6 +STRENGTH+2d6 as small metal pipe as small metal pipe 3d6 4d6 as small metal pipe 4d6 5d6
Bladed Weapons
Axe Knife Knife (throwing) Dagger Dagger (thrown) Dirk Short Sword Med. Sword Long Sword
Bows
Standard Longbow Steel Arrow Sheaf Arrow Crossbow Wood Bolt AP Bolt $200 $250 $ 12/12 $ 20/12 $300 $ 20/15 $ 45/10
16
Bludgeons
WEAPON COST TYPE RANGE (YARDS) ADDITIONAL DAMAGE
Club Points * War Club Points * Mace Morning Star
$ 65 $ 85 $120 $300
Bludgeon Puncture Bludgeon Puncture Bludgeon Puncture
1/2 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH
+1/2 STRENGTH as small knife +STRENGTH as small knife Spiked ball, 2d6 per spike damage as small knives as knife + 1/3 STRENGTH +2/3 STRENGTH as medium stick as knife + 1/3 STRENGTH +2/3 STRENGTH as medium stick
Polearm
Spear * $ 45 Slicing Puncture Roll STRENGTH * 2** Bludgeon Held (Slicing) Thrown (Puncture) STRENGTH * 2** Bludgeon
Trident *
$ 80
* Staff of weapon can be used as small club.
** Thrown objects are multiplied by Strength, measured 1d6 yards.
Firearms If weapon is used as a club. Bullets cause main damage.

Derringer Revolver Automatic Semi-Autofire Full Autofire Rifle Scattergun Shotgun $125 $200 $250 $300 $400 $250 $150 $200 Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon 5 10 20 10 8 5 5 5 STRENGTH+1d6 STRENGTH+2d6 STRENGTH+2d6 STRENGTH+2d6 STRENGTH+2d6 STRENGTH+3d6 STRENGTH+3d6 STRENGTH+3d6 +1d6 +1d6 +2d6 +3d6 +3d6 +4d6 +4d6 +4d6 +4d6 +5d6 +5d6 +5d6 +5d6 +6d6 +6d6 +6d6
Ammunition
buckshot $5/10 Bludgeon 15 .22 short subsonic $5/30 Missile 45 .22 long subsonic $5/30 Missile 45 .22 long rifle $5/30 Missile 45 .25 ACP subsonic $5/30 Missile 45 .32 ACP subsonic $5/30 Missile 45 .32 long $5/30 Missile 45 .38 special $5/30 Missile 45 .38 +P $5/30 Missile 45 .357 Magnum $10/20 Missile 100 .45 longs $7/20 Missile 75 .45 ACP $7/20 Missile 75 .41 Magnum $7/20 Missile 75 .44 long $8/20 Missile 45 .44 Magnum $8/20 Missile 45 .50 Magnum Express $8/20 Missile 45 (Only able to be shot with the Desert Eagle) Hollow point ammunition, +1d6
17
Armor
Armor purchases provide die rolls for armor protection from damage. If your opponent has succeeded with hitting your character, your damage can be reduced if you wear good armor. Three questions must be answered. 1 - Where were you hit? 2 - Do you have armor there? 3 - Is it the right kind of armor? Armor effectiveness is determined a) if your armor provides resistance to the type of weapon being used against you, and b) you win a roll of your armor dice against the damage to be taken (the numerical success of your opponents attack) against you by rolling your armor dice. If you succeed in your armor roll, you reduce the damage number rolled. If you roll extremely well with armor you can eliminate all damage. Fate dice apply with Armor rolls. The following table provides the number of dice allowed for armor rolls.
ARMOR
Cotton Canvas Wool Denim Leather Ring Mail Kevlar Plate Armor
VALUE
No protection 1d6 2d6 3d6 4d6 5d6 6d6 7d6
Successful Armor Roll Additional Reduction
6 or Less 0
8-11 +1d3
12-16 +1d6
17-22 +2d6
23-Up +3d6
Armor Types and Coverage

Effective Code: Bludgeon (B), Puncture (P), Slicing (S), Electrical (E), Missile (M), Fire (F)
TYPE COVER* B P S E M F TYPE COVER* B P S E M F
Leather Workshoe Canvas Shoes Cotton Clothing Denim Coveralls Denim Dungarees Denim Jacket Denim Longcoat Denim Vest Felt Hat Heavy Long Coat Heavy Uniform Kevlar Vest Kevlar Jacket Kevlar Chaps Kevlar Helmet Kevlar Body Suit
F F n+a TAHL L TA TAHL T S LTA STAHL T AT L S STAHL
Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
N N N N N N N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y
Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
N N N N N N N N Y N N N N N N
Y Y N N N N N Y Y N N N N N N
Helmet (Military) Leather Boots Leather Shoes Leather Chaps Leather Jacket Leather Pants Leather Vest Leather Helmet Metal Plate Pith Helmet Ring Mail Wool Cloak Wool Suit Wool Trousers
S F F L TA HL T S SHTHAL S SHTA LHTA LHTA L
Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Y N N N N N N N Y Y Y N N N
Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y N Y Y Y
Y N N N N N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y
Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N
* Coverage code:A = Arms, F = Feet, H=Hips, L=Legs, S=Skull, T=Trunk
18
P.L.U.S
PLAYER CHARACTER CONCEPT
C HARAC TE R S H E E T
5th Edition
__________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ AGE ____ HEIGHT ______ WEIGHT _______ HAIR ______ EYES ________________
CHARACTERISTICS BLACK IN SQUARES TO SHOW THE NUMBER OF DICE TO BE ROLLED STRENGTH .......... s s s s s s EDUCATION ........... s s s s s s CHARM .................. s s s s s s REFLEXES ............ s s s s s s WILL ...................... s s s s s s INTUITION ............. s s s s s s SPECIAL EFFECT (Specify) ......................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s LUCK Full _____ CURRENT _____ BODY FULL_____ 2/3_____ 1/3_____ CURRENT_____ STARTING MONEY Banked $ _______ Stashed $ ________ On Hand $ _______ Monthly $ ________ GIVEN SKILLS
ATHLETICS
Brawl * ............................ Climb * ............................
CAREERS
BLACK IN SQUARES TO SHOW THE NUMBER OF DICE TO BE ROLLED
CAREER 1: ................................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s
BENEFIT: ........................................................................................................................................... BENEFIT: ........................................................................................................................................... BENEFIT: ........................................................................................................................................... BENEFIT: ........................................................................................................................................... BENEFIT: ........................................................................................................................................... BENEFIT: ........................................................................................................................................... BENEFIT: ...........................................................................................................................................
ssssss ssssss Dodge * ........................... ssssss Fist * ................................ ssssss Kick * .............................. ssssss Run * ............................... ssssss Swim ............................... ssssss Throw (Balanced) ............ ssssss Throw (Unbalanced) ....... ssssss
CULTURAL SKILLS
CAREER 2: ................................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s
ssssss ssssss Conceal Self .................... ssssss Drive ................................ ssssss Evaluate ........................... ssssss First Aid ........................... ssssss Follow ............................. ssssss Home Town * .................. ssssss Info. Search ..................... ssssss
Common Devices ............ Conceal Item ...................
CAREER 3: ................................................................................................................................................ s s s s s s
NATIVE LANGUAGE
Own Speak .......................... Read ............................
_______________
ssssss ssssss Write ........................... ssssss Negotiate ......................... ssssss Recent Events .................. ssssss Search .............................. ssssss Stealth .............................. ssssss ssssss ......................................... ssssss Track ................................ ssssss
Own .................................
SPECIALTIES ssssss ssssss ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ........................................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s 19 s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s
........................................................................................................................................................... .............................................................................................................................................................
SURVIVAL (specify area)
SENSES
ssssss ssssss Taste * ............................. ssssss P.L.U.S September 1996 Touch * ............................ ssssss Vision * ........................... ssssss
Hearing * ......................... Smell * ...........................
WEAPON
TYPE
Damage Range
ARMOR
AREA TYPE B P S E M F VALUE
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___
ssssss ssssss ssssss ssssss ssssss ssssss ssssss
Skull Trunk Arms Hips Legs Feet
___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ ssssss ___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ ssssss ___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ ssssss ___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ ssssss ___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ ssssss
___________
_ _ _ _ _ _ ssssss
B Bludgeon, P Puncture, S Slicing, E Electrical, M Missile, F Fire
NOTES and POSSESSIONS

......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
CHARACTER SKETCH
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
P.L.U.S Character Sheet, 1996 by Joseph Steven Coleman and Talewind Print & Production. All Rights Reserved. For individual game duplication only. PLUS 5 September 1996
No commercial license or permission are granted or implied. Not to be sold or included with any other publication in any media.
20
P.L.U.S Character Worksheet

PLAYER CHARACTER
(Transfer to Characxter sheet - Return this to your GM)
5th Edition
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
DICE POOLS
CHARACTERISTIC ____ SPECIALTIES ____ GIVEN
____ CARRERS
(1) __ (2) __ (3) __ (4) __ (5) __ (6) ___
CHARACTERISTICS
STRENGTH ........... s s s s s s EDUCATION ........... s s s s s s CHARM ................... REFLEXES ............ s s s s s s WILL ........................ s s s s s s INTUITION ............ SPECIAL EFFECT (Specify) .........................................................................................................................................
ssssss ssssss ssssss
ROLLS:
AGE _______ Years = _____ Careers
LUCK _________
BODY ________
CAREERS and BENEFITS

CAREER 1 (Specify) ...........................................................................................................................................
BENEFITS
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
ssssss
SAVINGS
$ ________
LOSSES
$ ________CASH $ ________
POSSESSIONS
$ ________
CAREER 2 (Specify) ...........................................................................................................................................

BENEFITS
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
ssssss
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
SAVINGS
$ ________
LOSSES
$ ________CASH $ ________
POSSESSIONS
$ ________
CAREER 3 (Specify) ...........................................................................................................................................

BENEFITS
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
ssssss
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
SAVINGS
$ ________
LOSSES
$ ________CASH $ ________
POSSESSIONS
$ ________
SPECIALTIES and WEAPONS

ssssss ....................................................................................... s s s s s s ....................................................................................... s s s s s s ....................................................................................... s s s s s s ....................................................................................... s s s s s s ....................................................................................... s s s s s s P.L.U.S September 1996
.......................................................................................
ssssss ...................................................................................... s s s s s s ...................................................................................... s s s s s s ...................................................................................... s s s s s s ...................................................................................... s s s s s s ...................................................................................... s s s s s s 21

......................................................................................
P.L.U.S
Name Description
ZIP and Creature Tracking Sheet
5th Edition
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
PHYSICAL .................. ssssss MENTAL ....................... ssssss

WEAPONS
....................................... ssssss Damage ___ ................................................. ....................................... ssssss Damage ___ .................................................
COMBAT .................. ssssss
SPECIALTIES and NOTES

............................................................................................................................................................... ssssss ............................................................................................................................................................... ssssss ............................................................................................................................................................... ssssss ............................................................................................................................................................... ssssss
Name Description
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

WEAPONS
COMBAT .................. ssssss

Name Description
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

WEAPONS
COMBAT .................. ssssss

Name Description
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

WEAPONS
COMBAT .................. ssssss

22
Players Labor-Saving Utility System Fifth Edition Revised January 1997

Game design: Key Contributors: Joseph Steven Coleman Andrew Leker Harold Ogle Nadine Miller Harold Ogle Michael Kinney Shawn Smith Christopher Pound Lloyd Wiebe Shawn Smith Lloyd Wiebe Nadine Miller Thomas Biskup Paul Arden Lidberg Richard Lee Eide Michael Hole Richard Lee Eide
Playtesters:
P.L.U.S (Players Labor-saving Utility System) Version Five, copyright 1996 by Talewind Print & Production, Post Office Box 12631, Berkeley, CA 94712-2631, all rights reserved. e-mail through talewind@aol.com. Permission is granted for free duplication for personal use only. No license for any use requiring a charge to the end user is granted or implied. No other right to reproduce this material is granted or implied. To include PLUS or its supplements at another ftp site or bbs or in any other medium requires express written permission of Talewind.
INTRODUCTION TO FIFTH EDITION

P.L.U.S (Players Labor-Saving Utility System) is an accumulated die pool system where the players roll several six-sided dice to meet or surpass a target number. The game is run, but not controlled by, a Gamemaster or GM. An average character, with an average education and an average body can roll 2d6 to reach a target number. A person who has trained himself in a particular field or interest or skill will have more dice to add to the die roll to improve the chances of reaching the target number. If you have specific skills or abilities that will contribute to reaching a target number, you may add those dice to the throw if the Gamemaster approves. There are dozens of gaming systems on the market and on the net. P.L.U.S was created after an examination of dozens of existing games and a few fundamental concepts:
1. The purpose of a game system is to provide a way to resolve actions and conflict with a game. 2. When the system clouds the world and you arent having fun, another system is needed. 3. When the system does not allow simple resolution, another system is needed. 4. When players dont have hours and hours to generate a character, another game system is needed.
P.L.U.S is not a perfect game system. You may decide that you want more detail, or more combat statistical math, or a list of specific skills and when you
PLUS - Fifth Edition Revised - January 1997
make any of these decisions, there are dozens of gaming systems for you to choos from. P.L.U.S was written to allow players to concentrate on their characters and the Gamemaster to move the action forward with a minimum of charts and calculations. This system was designed to be easy to use, to provide quick and flexible character generation, to offer deadly in combat and to handle complex mechanics, like armor and special effects (magic, super powers, etc. available in the PLUS Companion, PLUS Gamemaster, or specific GameWorld documents). It is a hybrid between die pools where a player has more dice to represent high levels of skills and abilities, and point based systems where you use an arbitrary number of points and allocate values to Characteristics and Basic Skills. The inclusion of these backup dice rolls permit more flexibility during the game when the specially chosen skills and abilities are appropriate to the situation. P.L.U.S can be your backup system for playing in settings where the published system blocks the enjoyment of the game world. P.L.U.S is a simple gaming system to allow presentation of GameWorlds to be presented. with stats and skills not directly tied to any existing system. At the end of this edition you will find a die translator to shift P.L.U.S characteristics into other die systems. WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY To play P.L.U.S Each player and the Gamemaster will need a P.L.U.S Basic Rules (the Player's Book), the materials for the specific campaign, and copies of the character sheet provided with this rule book and scratch paper. The GM will want the PLUS Companion and the PLUS Gamemaster documents for special features, tips and references. Members of the group will also need pencils, paper and some six sided dice. These are same dice you might find with a board game or for Vegas-style gaming. Four or five dice for each player are preferred, although players have been known to share the same dice. A LIST OF WORDS In role playing games a vocabulary has developed which experienced players use regularly. A new player may have trouble following the discussion without knowing a list of words commonly used in gaming:
Campaign - A series of game sessions with a through line of story, setting and adventure. Character Sheet - The piece of paper on which the Player records the Characters Characteristics, Perceptions, Cultural Skills, Careers, Benefits, Money, Weapons, Armor and Possessions. Most people use a pencil to fill in the Character Sheet because the information changes during character creation, during the game, and with Character Improvement. Cocked Dice - Dice that do not come to rest on a flat surface, so the top face cannot be determined. The GM and Player need to determine if a cocked die roll means all dice being rolled must be re-rolled, or only the die that landed cocked should be re-rolled. d - The most frequently used abbreviation in gaming is "d". "d" stands for "dice" or "die" (the singular of dice). There are many polyhedron figures used in most role playing games. P.L.U.S makes do with the common d6. d2 - Sometimes (not often) the game may call for a simple d2. A "d2" can be created by flipping a coin (1 = heads, 2 = tails). You can also roll 1d6. using either Odd = 1, Even = 2, or 1,2,3 = 1 and 4, 6, 6 = 2. Ask the GM which version is used in your game.
d3 - These may be called upon for special events or as a reward to a character as a result of their actions in the game. To roll "1d3", roll 1d6. 1 or 2 equals 1 point. 3 or 4 equals 2 points. 5 or 6 equals 3 points. d6 - A six sided die. Since they are usually used in sets of two or more, we know them as "dice." These are the dice used in gambling, Monopoly, Yahtzee and hundreds of other family games. Dice are available at most hobby and game shops. 1d6 means roll 1 sixsided die. 2d6 means roll 2 six-sided dice. 5d6 means roll five sixsided dice. Dice - For P.L.U.S, the well known six sided polyhedrons, marked from 1 to 6, which are rolled to create totals by adding the top faces after the dice have stopped rolling. Die Pools - Die Pools are groups of dice used in the process of the game. Initial pools of dice are allowed for Starting Dice, Career Dice, and other dice to be distributed. During character generation more die pools are created to allow the Player to roll on different levels of ability. For example, every player starts with two dice in Strength. That would mean you roll two dice and total the numbers on the top sides of the dice. If you add one of your Starting Dice to the Strength pool, you have 3d6. Since the you need high numbers, more dice make it easier to roll high numbers. Game - A session with the Gamemaster and Players. First, the GM and Players work together to create the Characters for the Players to use in the adventure. Then GM will present the initial setting, introduce a story narrative, present NPCs/ZIPs, props, clues and other details for the player characters to encounter. The players will then choose actions according to their characters skills and attempt to move into an narrative with the Gamemaster. A game may be a single session or may continue for many sessions (a campaign). Gamemaster - The person who has responsibility for creating and running the adventure. The gamemaster will set the scene for the players and introduce choices and NPCs. NPC - Non Player Characters. Characters in the adventure who are not controlled by individual players, but are controlled by the Gamemaster. In P.L.U.S they are called ZIPs. Player - A person participating in the game with a character who moves through the games adventure. The Player uses the Character as an alter ego to move through the adventure as if it were happening to the Player. Role Playing Game - A shared creation of an adventure with players and a Gamemaster using an agreed upon set of rules and guidelines to determine the success or failure of player character actions in the course of the game. For the purposes of P.L.U.S, Role Playing Games will refer to a system of pencils, paper and dice, where players create characters on their character sheet, using dice to determine the success of failure of the tasks and actions of the characters. These games are also called Interactive Story Telling. RPG - Role Playing Game
ZIPs - Zeitgeist Instant Personas - NPCs for P.L.U.S.

Additional phrases are used specifically in P.L.U.S and will be explained as they are introduced.
HOW TO USE DICE IN P.L.U.S

In a role-playing game, you, the other players and your Gamemaster will create a moving narrative involving your characters actions in an imaginary world created by the Gamemaster. You decide what your character does or attempts to do. Your game master will have you roll dice according to the number of dice you have put into the appropriate characteristic, skill or ability. In P.L.U.S you want to roll a high number, and the more dice you have the easier it is to roll a high number. With Fate Dice and Luck Dice, you may only have 2d6 to roll but can still roll well into the 20s and 30s. The Gamemaster will decide what other characters those not played by real people do or attempt to do. The GM rolls dice for the non-player characters (called ZIPs), animals and the machinations of fate. You will roll dice to determine the success or failure of your characters actions and tasks. When you throw dice, you will roll the number of dice you have distributed into the characteristic, perception, athletic, career, specialty or weapon that the GM agrees can be used in the situation facing your character. You roll your dice, total the numbers appearing on the top of each die. You will need to meet or exceed a Target Number to succeed. You remove the 1s that have been rolled (Trash dice), and may choose to re-roll dice that have come up with two or more of the same number (Fate dice). The Gamemaster may tell you to roll one or more extra dice and then remove the same number of high or low dice as a Penalty or a Bonus, to make your success more difficult or more assured. For particularly important rolls, you may be able to add Luck dice to improve your roll. You must have your dice in place before the game begins. The process is called Character Generation and consists of distributing available dice into your Characteristics, Perceptions, Athletics, Careers, Specialties and Weapons. When you take an action, or attempt a task, you will roll the number of d6 on the Characteristics, Athletic, Perception, Career, Specialty or Weapon that applies to the situation, subject to the approval of your Gamemaster. You will add the dice, using the number on the top of each die. You will modify the total of those numbers in a variety of modifications given by the Gamemaster: Trash dice, Fate dice, Gamemasters Dice (Penalties and Bonuses) and Toxic rolls. TRASH DICE When you roll a die and the number comes up as 1 it is disregarded. If two or more 1s are rolled, you may re-roll them as Fate Dice but they do not contribute to a total when calculating the results. If you roll all 1s in a Fate Dice roll, the roll has become Toxic. If a player, ZIP or creature has only 1d6 to roll and the result is a 1, the roll has failed and is treated as a toxic roll. FATE DICE When the same number appears on more than one of your rolled dice, you may choose to re-roll the duplicate dice no matter how many come up as duplicates. If you roll multiples again, you roll again and continue re-rolling multiples until you fail to roll multiples. Fate dice make it possible to perform transhuman feats with very ordinary numbers of dice. Each set of multiples are re-rolled separately. For example, if you roll on 4d6 resulted in 2-4-4-2, you would re-roll the 4s and the 2s separately. A roll of all 1s in a Fate Dice roll makes the roll Toxic.
A player is not required to re-roll duplicate dice, which may help avoid Toxic rolls. If a player, ZIP or creature has only 1d6 to roll, fate determines that a 6 may be rerolled and added to the results. A TOXIC ROLL If an additional roll is made under the Fate Dice and results in all 1s, the roll has become toxic and there is a negative result to the characters effort. The action fails and an additional negative event enters the round. This could include striking a member of the party, breaking or losing a weapon, revealing a location, taking damage, or whatever negative result the Gamemaster decides is appropriate to the moment. Ideally, the effect of roll turned toxic should be as horrible as the roll would have been good before going toxic. Since re-rolling is the players choice, the possibility of losing big should be taken as part of the risk. For example, a player who had a total of 17 before re-rolling Fate dice and obtaining a toxic result would have something inconvenient happen (like damaging the weapon). A player who rolled 47 and chose to re-roll Fate dice again, only to have the roll go toxic, would have something far more significant go wrong (like shooting a member of the party, revealing the partys position to the enemy, taking the damage intended for the target, etc.). If a player, ZIP or creature rolled a 6 on the single die roll, and re-rolls with a result of 1, the roll has become toxic. BONUSES AND PENALTIES From time to time the Gamemaster may designate additional dice to be thrown with the number of dice the player is normally entitled to throw for his or her character. After the dice have been thrown, the Gamemaster will ask you to remove an equal number of high or low dice.
Penalty Dice - If you are asked to remove the equal number of high dice (as compared to the number additional dice gamemaster required you to roll), it was a penalty which makes your success more difficult.
If the penalty dice to be removed would have counted as Fate Dice, it is as if the extra dice were never rolled for consideration as Fate Dice.
Bonus Dice - If you are asked to remove the equal number of low dice results, it is a bonus, which makes your success easier.
If the penalty dice to be removed would have counted as Fate Dice, the duplicate dice are kept for re-rolling as Fate Dice and the next higher dice are removed from the total. The Gamemaster may ask to throw extra dice up to a limit of the total number of dice you are throwing. The maximum dice thrown at any one time would be 14 (6 dice in the original pool, 6 bonus or 6 penalty dice, and 2 luck dice). IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE DIE TO ROLL If anyone has a single d6 to roll on the skill, Luck dice may be added to help gain a good result. If only 1d6 is to be rolled, rolling a 6 with 1d6 allows you re-roll and add the result to your roll. Rolling a 1 on 1d6 counts as a Toxic Roll.
CHARACTER GENERATION AND DICE DISTRIBUTION

Everyone has seven characteristics, five Senses and twenty-five Cultural Skills (including Athletics). AGE is a determining factor in how you can shape your character, so determine the characters AGE first. BODY and LUCK are beyond players control, so calculate those immediately after AGE. Use your Character Worksheet to track your development of careers, benefits and cash. After you have arranged all of your dice to skills, careers, and other areas to your satisfaction, transfer the numbers of dice, benefits and other information to your P.L.U.S Character Sheet.
NOTE: Pre-generated Characters are supplied at the end of the rules to provide you with examples of character generation, and characters which Players can use to immediately begin playing your Gamemasters campaign.
THE SEQUENCE
1. Get the Power Level of the game from your Gamemaster. 2. Develop a character concept - what kind of character do you want to play? At this point the Gamemaster may choose to give Awards based on the concept to improve some Cultural and background related skills. 3. Calculate LUCK, BODY and AGE. 4. Check the Age Key to Distribution Dice table for the numbers of dice to distribute. Include additional dice from second table for higher game levels. 5. Distribute Characteristic dice, including Special Effect, if any. 6. Distribute Given Dice into Athletics, Basic Skills and Senses. 7. Distribute Career Dice and determine Careers. Determine Benefits (personal choice) and calculate Money. 8. Distribute Specialty dice to narrow, personal interest skills.
Before you begin Character Generation, you need three preliminary rolls to shape your character. AGE You age determines the number of careers you may have and may provide benefits to Cultural Skills and Characteristics. There are two ways to determine age. Roll 2d6 and add 14. If 2 6s are rolled, add 1d6. Other duplicates (Fate Dice) do not apply to Age generation. Additional age can be purchased by permanently sacrificing 2 LUCK dice to roll 1d6 of additional age. Nor more than 2d6 for additional age can be purchased (costing 4d6 LUCK). Consult the chart below to determine the proper number of dice for your character.
TABLE 1 - AGE KEY TO DISTRIBUTION OF DICE CHARACTER . SPECIALTIES| CAREERS | STARTING AGE GIVEN* | 1 2 3 | MONEY (Modern ) -------------------------------+-------------------+----------------16 2 +5 5 | 2 - | $ 25 x 2d6 x Mod 17 2 +5 5 | 3 - | 50 x 2d6 x Mod 18 2 +6 5 | 3 - | 75 x 2d6 x Mod 19 3 +6 5 | 3 - | 100 x 2d6 x Mod 20 3 +7 5 | 3 2 - | 100 x 2d6 x Mod 21 3 +7 5 | 3 2 - | 100 x 2d6 x Mod 22 3 +8 6 | 3 2 - | 100 x 2d6 x Mod 23 4 +8 6 | 3 2 2 | 150 x 2d6 x Mod 24 4 +9 6 | 3 2 2 | 150 x 2d6 x Mod 25 4 +9 6 | 4 3 2 | 150 x 2d6 x Mod 26 4 +10 6 | 4 3 2 | 150 x 2d6 x Mod 27 4 +10 6 | 4 3 3 | 200 x 2d6 x Mod 28 5 +11 7 | 4 3 3 | 200 x 2d6 x Mod 29 5 +11 7 | 4 3 3 | 200 x 2d6 x Mod 30 5 +12 7 | 5 3 3 | 200 x 2d6 x Mod 31 5 +12 7 | 5 4 3 | 200 x 2d6 x Mod 32 5 +13 7 | 5 4 4 | 200 x 2d6 x Mod -------------------------------+-------------------+----------------* Total of STRENGTH, REFLEXES, EDUCATION and WILL, plus the number of dice indicated, to distribute as Given Skill Dice. TABLE 2 - HIGHER GAME LEVELS Characteristics Given Specialties PROFESSIONAL +2 +3 +4 ADVENTURER +4* +6* +8* HERO +6* +9* +12*
* If your total dice exceed the allowed maximum dice limit, the excess dice may be used in several ways. 1) you have a total number of Benefits equal to the original number of dice allowed.
FOR EXAMPLE: If you have 8 dice, but have a 5 dice limit to your character, you may have 8 benefits to the career at 5 dice, and 3 dice which may be used as Bonus Dice for rolls on that career or benefit, or you may apply a +1 to other skills that have not reached the limit, even if they are not related to the source of the extra dice. If your game requires higher or lower ages, or you want additional carreers, options are given for alternate age generation and an alternate Career/Benefit distribution system. BODY This is the amount of damage you can take. Roll 2d6 and add 12. Your character will have between 14 and 24 body points. BODY is lost as damage is taken. Damage is the difference between the attacking roll, the defending roll and any modifiers from Armor, the weapon or a GM determined modifier. LUCK Roll 5d3. Ignore the lowest number. The result is the number of dice you can use to improve rolls during any week of game time. A Luck dice is thrown with your other dice at a time when you really need to hit a Target Number. Roll Luck dice with your other dice to succeed in an action or task. No more than two Luck Dice can be moved in any one hour of time as experienced by the players. No more than half the available Luck Dice can be used in a single gaming session.
If you decide it is important for a given roll to succeed after the action or task has failed, you have the option to burn up to two Luck die to roll to improve the roll. Burning a die means that it is rolled, then permanently removed from your Luck Dice and cannot be restored. No more than two Luck Dice may be burned in any single gaming session. RESTORING LUCK Luck dice are restored one week after each individual it was used (as experienced by the player character). If you used one Luck die on Monday, and three on Wednesday, you will regain one luck die the following Monday, and three on the following Wednesday. To keep things simple, the Luck die is restored at the same time of day it was used in the previous week. If you used your Luck die at Noon on Monday, it will return at Noon on the following Monday. INCREASING GAME POWER LEVELS Different games require different levels of power for the characters and ZIPs. It would be unfair to put Larry the Milkman up against Mega-Muscles, the six fisted fury of the planet Ylem. Larry, the bloody smear, would be out of the game very quickly and the player would have to generate a new character. Most games play at the level of Professional and Adventurer, but an Average character game is good for pulp and mystery games. Average is also a good way to introduce new players to role playing games. Your Gamemaster will determine the Power level for the game. This means you will be told how many extra dice you are available to add to your characters strengths. An Average human has a base of 2d6 to roll to succeed on performing a task or using a skill. Since you want to roll a high number in P.L.U.S, extra dice make it easier to succeed. These are suggested number of dice for players to distribute into the applicable areas. Your GM may modify these numbers to suit a specific game. DISTRIBUTING DICE These dice are distributed into your seven Characteristics and only into your Characteristics. The seven Characteristics can be said to be interpreted as genetically, environmentally or social generated abilities the decides will be available to any average member of the species. you do not have specific skills to accomplish tasks, the GM may allow you to roll under a characteristic with a penalty or a bonus. CHARACTERISTIC DICE The six common Characteristics have a base of 2d6. An average person with average education and an average body could accomplish a task or an action with a 2d6 roll. To shape your characters special abilities, distribute dice as shown in the Game Level table to these areas to shape your characters abilities. If your game will use a SPECIAL EFFECT, it must be defined by the Gamemaster and you add dice to the SPECIAL EFFECT from your Characteristic Dice. GIVEN DICE Given dice are the way you shape your Given Skills. The player can distribute Given dice to Athletic Skills, Cultural Skills and Senses. Given Dice may not be distributed into Characteristics, Careers, Benefits or Specialties. SPECIALTY DICE Specialty dice will allow you to have a skill which is completely unrelated to his/her careers or specialties. These personal interestes may include weapons. Specialties are expressions of life-experience that shape the player characters unique personality and abilities. Specialties are narrow areas of knowledge or ability with which an average person would have no specific dice to throw.
Specialty Dice may only be distributed to Specialties and may not be used for Characteristics or Perceptions. Specialty Dice can, however, be used for Athletics, Cultural and Weapon skills. CAREER DICE A Career is a broad definition of your characters primary career, source of income and the source of some of skills, according to the characters age. P.L.U.S is a freeform system your career and the skills that can be exercised through that career are up to your Gamemaster. Your first career (to the age of 18) is usually as a student, but it is possible that you were on the street, working at a burger joint, or at a private military academy. The player can choose additional careers if you have sufficient age, subject to the approval of the. Gamemaster. Career Dice may not be used for Characteristics, Perceptions or Athletics, but may be used for any of the Given Skills (Athletics, Cultural and Senses) weapons. Under each career is room to write specific skills, called Benefits, you received from that career for that age level. You can describe these Benefits as what you got out of it. If you put 2 dice into the skill, you also have two specified Benefits of the career; if you put 3 dice into the skill, you also have three specified benefits of the career, and so on. A beginning character will have a limit to the number dice in any one career, even if the same career is taken again. If you repeat a career, the number of additional dice may exceed your games maximum number of dice in a single pool. The additional dice be used to 1) increase your skill level (if you have not already reached the maximum for your game level), 2) put a single die into additional specific skills under the career, or 3) develop a side interest that is not necessarily related to your Career you may choose to make these extra dice additional Specialty dice. With the specific benefits of the career, your character will roll the full number of Career dice when that career is appropriate to the task at hand. Abilities and benefits of your careers are rolled at the full value of the dice you chose to put into that career. Other abilities which the Gamemaster agrees could be considered appropriate to the career, but were not covered by your specified full number of dice in that Career. MAXIMUM DICE As starting characters, there will be a limit on the number of dice you can have in any single dice pool (Characteristic, Perception, Athletics, Careers, Specialties and each Weapon are all separate dice pools). This keeps the level of play between characters fairly even (depending on their distribution of dice and the task before them). It also gives the player a place to go in character development through bonus dice, you may improve beyond your original limit.
CHARACTERISTICS
Your character begins with a series of die pools - six attributes called Characteristics. These Characteristics are the most basic illustration of your characters strengths and weaknesses. Add dice to the Characteristics you want to be strong. All Characteristics begin with 2d6, which represents an average person with an average body under normal circumstances. STRENGTH - Your ability to lift weights or resist the effect of force exerted on you. An average person will be able to lift his or her number of dice in STRENGTH times 100 pounds. This does not always mean you can control the lifted object, or continue to hold it, but an average person will be able to lift 200 pounds. Characters will usually be able to lift an additional 50 pounds for every 1d6 added to STRENGTH. Unless the power level of your game is as super-powered beings, a human with six dice in STRENGTH should be able to lift 400 pounds.
REFLEXES - 2d6 allow you a chance to respond to an out of control car barreling down the hill toward you (a roll on coordination or a specific athletic skill would be required to actually get out of the way). It is your ability to recognize a situation and determine the appropriate reaction to it. A roll on Reflexes will determine the order of actions during combat. WILL - Will gives you the focus and concentration required to perform actions in difficult surroundings. To fail a Will roll is to be stressed and possibly functioning at a penalty. EDUCATION - The ability to put the pieces of a puzzle together to solve problems or anticipate actions. A roll on Education will determine whether or not you have already learned a particular piece of information, or if you can put the available information together appropriately. CHARM - The major basis of other peoples response to your character. INTUITION - A non-rational ability to perceive meaning and patterns from significant, but insufficient information. SPECIAL EFFECTS These are optional dice the Gamemaster may allow or alter to suit the needs of a game. Common effects would be magic, super powers, psionics, etc. Prior to Character Generation the GM should explain the way the chose special effect will work in the game and give the players the option of distributing dice into the effect for this campaign. Each PLUS GameWorld will define Special Effects for that game, if any apply. ATHLETIC SKILLS Under Given Skills you have 9 Athletic skills. Skills marked with (*) begin with 2d6. Others begin with 1d6 and will require distribution of other dice to be effectively used. 1d6 allows you to roll on the skill. Luck dice may help gain a good result. Rolling a 6 with 1d6 allows you re-roll and add the result to your roll. Rolling a 1 on 1d6 counts as a Toxic Roll.
BRAWL * - Your ability to handle yourself in an informal fight, including tackling, wrestling and using nearby objects as weapons. CLIMB * - The ability to elevate on an uneven surface with a degree of safety and control. DODGE * - The ability to evade an object that may collide with your body. Dodge will not work in a vehicle. The skill DRIVE or a career benefit is required. FIST * - The ability to put your hand and its bones into the face, body or tender parts of an opponent. KICK * - The ability to put your foot, the bones within and the covering (if any) into the backside, body or tender parts of an opponent. RUN * - The characters ability to cover ground. An average character can cover six yards in two seconds. Each 1d6 added to this skill is considered another three yards for an average person, but exception rolls can indicate unexpected bursts of speed. SWIM - The ability to remain afloat and move in the desired direction in bodies of water, which may be modified by temperature, characters physical condition and the presence of animals. THROW (Balanced) - The ability to propel a balanced object toward a target - such as a knife, throwing stick, baseball or similar regularly shaped object. THROW (Unbalanced) - The ability to propel an unbalanced object toward a target - such as a tree limb, uneven piece of scrap metal, beer mug or oddly shaped rock.
CULTURAL SKILLS
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Under Given Skills you will have 16 Cultural Skills as a result of growing up in your society. Skills marked with (*) begin with 2d6. Others begin with 1d6 and will require distribution of other dice to be effectively used. Your GM may want to change some of the definitions to suit the campaign you are playing.
COMMON DEVICES - Within the limitations of the culture, this may include anything from well pumps to photocopiers. The Gamemaster will determine which skills are covered under this section, depending on the type of campaign you are playing. CONCEAL ITEM - The ability to hide one or more objects to escape detection. The number rolled becomes the target number for the opposing SEARCH roll, to uncover the hidden object. CONCEAL SELF - The ability to use common features of the terrain to conceal your body from observation. In the wild this might include rocks, depressions in the ground, trees, etc. In an urban setting this will include cars, buildings, crowds, etc. EVALUATE - The characters ability to consider personal knowledge, common knowledge, and other factors in determining the value or trustworthiness of an item or piece of information. FIRST AID - Simple actions to treat visible or detectable wounds. This would include things like bandages, compresses and artificial respiration, but would not include surgery, traction, prescription of drugs or other skills that require a specific knowledge of Medicine. FOLLOW - The ability to follow a person, animal or vehicle that has recently moved through an area under normal conditions while maintaining a visual connection to the quarry. INFO SEARCH - Obtaining information through normal channels; asking people in the neighborhood, checking local papers or magazines, research in a library, etc. LITERACY - The ability to read and understand normal written information at an eighth grade level. This may include nontechnical books, newspapers, magazines and legible handwritten information. Jargon, technical data or other languages require a specific skill related to the material. LOCAL AREA * - Your personal ability to identify locations, lore, businesses, people and the history of your neighborhood, culture or city. NATIVE LANGUAGE * - Indicate the language with which you are most familiar. Indicate the spoken, editing and writing levels. Unless otherwise indicated by the Gamemaster, Spoken is at the level of Education, Reading and writing are each 1d6 less than Spoken unless other dice are added by the player from Given or Specialty Dice. Other languages are assumed as Spoken. The ability to Speak, Read or Write the other language must be indicated as Career benefits, or Specialties. NEGOTIATE - The ability to talk with, strike deals with, or get information from other people. Under some conditions, a good roll on your CHARM may enhance your ability to gain information or conduct business. This would also include minor aspects of arithmetic and handling money. RECENT EVENTS - Through gossip, news sources (papers, radio, television, etc.) the things you know about what is going on in the world, the nation or otherwise outside your local area. You can only know information that would have entered the awareness of the general population, not specialized information known only to a few. SEARCH - The ability to find people and things that are hidden from view, either through a Conceal Item or Conceal Self effort on the part of another character or ZIP, or by the circumstances of the scene.
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STEALTH - The ability to move quietly without making noise to escape detection. SURVIVAL - The ability to deal with people and situations within your normal surroundings. For an average character in a modern game, this would mean surviving in your home town or its equivalent. For a fantasy character this might bean the village and woods. A character may have gained beneficial survival skills in other areas as a benefit of a career or as a specialty.. TRACK - The ability to find people and things that are hidden or have left the area long ago. This may include following footprints, spore, debris or using local information sources to ask about the quarry. The difference between Track and Follow is that Track may be attempted even if the quarry cannot be spotted.
SENSES This represents the sensitivity of your physical senses. All Sense begin with a base of 2d6 as an average persons perceptions. If you add dice to Sense, you add them to a specific sense (+1d to smell, +2d to vision, etc.) and the added dice are only available when using that specific perception. CAREERS A Career is a broad definition of your characters primary career, source of income and the source of some of skills, according to the characters age. P.L.U.S is a freeform system your career and the skills that can be exercised through that career are up to your Gamemaster. Your first career (to the age of 18) is usually as a student, but it is possible that you were on the street, working at a burger joint, or at a private military academy. The player can choose additional careers if you have sufficient age, subject to the approval of the. Gamemaster. Career Dice may not be used for Characteristics, Perceptions or Athletics, but may be used for Specialties and Weapons. NOTE: A series of possible careers and suggested benefits are included at the end of the rules. These are only suggestions, but may be a useful guide in creating a character that is exactly what you want for your character. BENEFITS When you choose a career you will receive the number of dice available in that career. This does not mean you will always be able to roll that number of dice, but it gives you that potential number of dice the final number will be determined by your choice of benefits from the career, and the GMs decision on modifiers. Under each career is room to write specific skills you received as benefits from that career for that age level. You can describe these benefits as what you got out of it. You have the same number of benefits at each stage of your characters development as the number of dice you put into that career. With the specific benefits of the career, your character will roll the full number of Career dice when that career is appropriate to the task at hand. Abilities and benefits of your careers are rolled at the full value of the dice you chose to put into that career. Other abilities which the Gamemaster agrees could be considered appropriate to the career, but were not covered by your specified full FOR EXAMPLE: If you put 2 dice into the skill, you also have two specified benefits of the career; if you put 3 dice into the skill, you also have three specified benefits of the career, and so on. SPECIALTIES P.L.U.S allows you to create narrow areas of knowledge, including knowledge, skills, weapons or fighting abilities. Specialties may be related to other dice pools added to your Cultural Skills, or particular benefits within a Career. Sample Specialties: Romance Languages, Handgun, Gourmet Cook, Acrobat, PalmReader, Comic Collector, Killer Fashion Sense, Strategies of the Civil War, etc.
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WEAPONS AS BENEFTIS FROM CAREERS A career may offer a weapon as a Benefit of serving in that career. Weapons may also be added as Specialties as a personal choice. Additional d6 may be added from the Career Dice for that career, from repeat careers, related careers where the same weapon is taken as a benefit, or the player specifies the weapon as a Specialty. The number of d6 invested in a weapon represent the ability to use the weapon. If the weapon hits (the Attack roll is higher than the Defense roll), the damage to the target is the difference between the total of the Attack and the total of the Defense. Most weapons have a method to modify the damage, which may mean a multiple (including formulas that may reduce the damage), or extra dice rolls based on a Characteristic or Damage from the weapon.
FOR EXAMPLE: Dean Swift has his .38 revolver as a benefit of his career as a law enforcement officer. This gives him 4d6 to roll to shoot. If he hits, his ammunition does an additional 1d6 of damage. He has the potential of 24 points plus any Fate Dice, and an additional d6. Fate dice can apply to the roll to hit with the weapon, but do not apply to the dice rolled as a benefit of the ammunition.
No weapon can be used at a level higher than the limit indicated for the Dice Limit of the game level in which the character is used.
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AWARDS
(GMs Option) As your players generate their characters, there are certain awards they will receive according to your selection of a game setting, and their choices for the origins of their character. By being born into certain levels of civilization, people will gain certain basic skills just as average members of their culture. More than one award may be given to reflect the choices made by the player in shaping her character. GIVEN SKILLS Base ATHLETICS Brawl * ..... 2 Climb * ..... 2 Dodge * ..... 2 Fist * ...... 2 Kick * ...... 2 Run * ....... 2 Swim ........ 1 Throw (Bal.). 2 Throw (Unbal.) 2 CULTURAL SKILLS Common Devices 1 Conceal Item . 1 Conceal Self . 1 Drive ....... 1 Evaluate..... 1 First Aid ... 1 Follow....... 1 Home Town * . 2 Info. Search. 1 Native Language Speak....... 2 Read ....... Write....... Negotiate ... 1 Recent Events 1 Search....... 1 Stealth ..... 1 SURVIVAL (specify) Local ....... 2 ............. ............. Track........ 1 SENSES ....... Hearing *.... Smell *..... Taste *...... Touch *...... Vision * .... Nomadic +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +1 +1 +2 a +2 a +2 Farmlife +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 Literate +1 +1 +1 +2 +1 +1 Industrial +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +1 +1 Technological +2 +2 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 -
2 2 2 2 2
+1 +1 +1
+1 -
a - nomadic people get a bonus of 2d6 in each of two neighboring ecologies. For example, a plains indian could be assumed to have both forest and mountain survivals, but not arctic. A norse viking would have sea survival, as well as forest and sea survival, but not desert. Work with your players to adjust awards to fit their character creations. CAREER LIMITS A starting character must conform to the game levels limit to the number dice in any one pool, even if a career is taken more than once.
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CAREER MODIFIERS Careers are the way your character spent the most significant part of his/her time during any given age period. Additional age gives your character some advantages in career-related skills (additional dice to add to the abilities gained from the skill). In early years, career will usually be student although a part time job may have offered other skills while the character was still in school. After school the choices of college or work will shape your character with contacts, abilities and knowledge, all of which may become available during the game. Starting money will be based on your age. The older your character is, the more starting money will be available. The amount represents the amount of goods and cash the character has been able to retain after covering the costs of food, shelter, clothes, etc. Staring purchases come out of this money. Remember to apply Recent Loses at each stage. SUGGESTED MODIFIERS Income is calculated as Starting money divided by the multiplier as a monthly disposable income. Every month the character is assumed to receive that amount from a paycheck, contracts, dealings, royalty, or trust funds. The following are suggestion for possible careers. Players are encouraged to develop new careers to suit their desires -- the career and cash modifier are subject to the approval of the. RL means roll on the Recent Losses table. CAREER Unskilled Labor Skilled Labor Food Service Unskilled CLERICAL Skilled CLERICAL Apprentice Trade PROFESSIONAL TRADE Journeyman Trade MOD. .25 1 1.5-3 2 2.5 2 3 4 RL no no no no no no no no EXAMPLES construction, road crew, shipping loader, delivery, factory, etc. Heavy equipment operator, crew supervisor, swarehousing, etc. Fast food, restaurant, cafeteria, lunch wagon, bakery, cannery, etc. Filing, light typing, phones, copying, etc. Shorthand, transcription, research, conference coordinator, etc. mechanic, plumbers helper, sales, mercenary, enlisted military, etc. Reporter, Public Safety (Police, Fire, EMT, etc.), DJ, etc. Master Plumber, Carpenter, veteran military, police, Writer, etc. (GM determined)
Academic Student - HS-Graduate .5-4 yes Research student 4 yes Teacher - High School 3 yes Teacher - College 5 yes Teacher - Tenured 6 yes Criminal 2-8 yes PROFESSIONAL Medical 5-9 yes Legal 4-10 yes Government (staff) 4-6 no Government (elected) 5-10 yes * subject to Gamemaster approval
(GM determined) (GM (GM (GM (GM determined) determined) determined) determined)
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RECENT LOSSES Roll 3d6 for recent losses on the total of your money, including previous career savings or purchases. They can be because of theft, legal fees, confiscated goods, withdrawn grant moneys or just plain bad judgment in handling your money. ROLL 13-18 10-12 6-9 3-5 RESULT No losses. 25% of money and purchases lost. 50% of money and purchases lost. 75% of money and purchases lost.
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COMBAT
Each person participating in combat with another character, animal, device or other opponent, rolls on REFLEXES to determine the order of Combat, High number goes first, with GM-determined modifications. A Combat Order roll is considered Easy. Fate dice do not apply to Combat Order rolls. TARGET NUMBERS When you perform a task without opposition from another player character or ZIP, your will set a target number for the difficulty of a task. When you perform a task in opposition to another player character or an ZIP, you will roll according to the table below. The Gamemaster may not tell you the target number in advance, but will simply tell you whether you failed or succeeded DIFFICULTIES The Gamemaster chooses a target number to represent the difficulty of a particular task. The Gamemaster will assess the situation and assign extra dice, if they are appropriate. You will then roll available dice against the target number. The suggested table for difficulties is: TARGET MODERATE 4 or less 5-6 7-13 14-19 RESULTS TASK OR SKILL Complete Failure Minimal Failure. Minimal Success
EASY 3-or less 4-5 6-11 12-14
HARD 5 or less 6-10 11-17 18-24
15-20
20-25
25-32
21 and up
26 and up
33 and up
COMBAT ORDER No action is possible Dodge or Run only Defense/Attack 1 Action Possible Beneficial Success Defense/Attack 2 actions Possible, or 1 action with 1d6 Bonus Significant Success Defense/Attack 3 actions possible, or 2 actions with 1d6 Bonus each, or 1 action with 2d6 Bonus Legendary Success Defense/Attack 2 actions with 2d6 Bonus each, or 1 action with 3d6 Bonus
HIT LOCATIONS There is a shift in damage according to the hit location. Range weapons are more likely to his the central trunk than a face-to-face melee fight. MELEE WEAPONS BODY PART 4d6 ROLL Rump/Crotch 4 Weapon Arm 5-7 Right Leg 8-9 Right Flank 10-11 Lower Trunk 12-13 Central Trunk 14 Upper Trunk 15-16 Left Flank 17-18 Left Leg 19-20 Other Arm 21-22 Head 23-24 DAMAGE BONUS +4 +3 +2 0 0 0 0 0 +2 +3 +5 RANGE WEAPONS BODY PART 5d6 ROLL Rump/Crotch 5 Weapon Arm 6-8 Right Leg 9-12 Right Flank 13-14 Lower Trunk 15 Central Trunk 16-18 Upper Trunk 19-20 Left Flank 21-22 Left Leg 23-24 Other Arm 25-27 Head 28-30 DAMAGE BONUS +4 +3 +2 +1 0 0 +1 +2 +3 +3 +5
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The only formula you need to remember in combat is:
DAMAGE =
Attack - Defense (if any) + Additional Damage (if any) - Armor (if any)
In an attack, the damage is the difference between the Attack and the Defense. If the Defense is greater than than the Attack, the Attack has failed. If the Attack is greater than the defense, the Attack has been successful with damage equal to the points of difference between the Attack and the Defense. If the Attacker's Weapon inflicts additional damage, the Additional Damage is rolled and added to the deference between the Attack and the Defense. If the Defender is wearing Armor, the Armor is rolled to absorb the damage - Armor is compared against the points of damage in a successful attack. If the Armor roll is greater than the attacking damage, the damage has been absorbed by the Armor. If the damage is greater than the Armor roll, the damage above the Armor is rolled against the Defender's BODY and Damage Effects need to be applied against the Defender. If the Attack has achieve a final damage number greater than six (6) points, the Quality of the success will affect the final damage. Damage may also be modified by the part of the body receiving the damage. QUALITY OF SUCCESS In combat, your roll is measured against your opponent. If your roll is sufficiently greater than your opponent, your damage will be modified by the degree of your success. With each level of success your damage is increased and becomes more lethal.
QUALITY OF SUCCESS (Difference in attacking and defending rolls) 1-6 7-11 12-17 18-23 24-Up Damage Bonus 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 DAMAGE EFFECTS Every weapon is assigned damage in a combination of d6, d3 and bonus dice. Modifiers for the quality of success and the character's armor can reduce the damage. The actual damage is loss to the player characters BODY is identified by the difference between the success of the Attacking and Defending roll, modified by previous wounds, armor, hit location and the degree of success. At 1/3 BODY loss, the character is functioning at a 1d6 penalty to actions (roll 1d6 and deduct it from the characters action roll). Each wound taken after 1/3 of BODY is compounded by an additional 1d3 damage. A roll on WILL must be successful for the wounded character to take any action. At 2/3 BODY loss the additional damage is 1d6. The character must succeed at a roll against WILL to remain conscious and perform any task or action. If an action is possible, the character is functioning at a 1d6 Penalty. Each wound after losing 2/3 of BODY is compounded by 1d6+1d3 additional damage. At 0 BODY the character is unconscious and will continue losing BODY at 1d6 per hour until treated or dead if the character is untreated. Under professional medical care, the rate will be a loss of 1d6 BODY every six hours if the medical caretakers fail their required rolls to treat the injuries... While being treated, the injured character must reach a minimum BODY of 1. At that point normal recovery can begin. At a negative body number equal to the original number of BODY, the character is dead beyond healing. For example: if the character started with 18 Body, at 12 BODY the 1/3 BODY effects would kick in, at 6 BODY, the 2/3 body effects would take effect, at 0
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BODY the character falls unconscious and cannot be revived and will begin taking 1d6 of damage per hour (if untreated) or 1d6 damage per six hours (on a failed professional medical care attempt). At -18 BODY, the character is dead and cannot be revived, healed or resurrected. In most P.L.U.S settings there is no resurrection. RECOVERY Wounds will normally recover BODY points at a rate of 1d3 for the first day, 1d3 for each week until the original BODY level is reached. If the wounded person is successfully treated by someone with applicable First Aid skills, 1d3 can be recovered during the first day of the wound. If treated by a character with professional medical skills, the victim will recover an additional 1d3 points to BODY. For higher skills, such as a Emergency Medical Technician or a medical Doctor, an additional 1d3 recovery beyond First Aid can happen in the first day of treatment. Each week of full immobilization under medical care, in a hospital, with a personal attendant or something similar, an additional 1d3 points of BODY can be recovered. If the wounds have taken the characters BODY below 0, First Aid and professional medical skills must be successfully applied every six hours to avoid the standard 1d6 additional damageeven with treatment a damaged character may die. The six hour treatment of injuries may continue only until a character crosses the threshold of 0 BODY. At a BODY of 1, these extraordinary measures are no longer required and normal healing can proceed. It is possible to recover up to 3d3 in the first day of the wound (1d3 normal with 1d3 for first aid, plus 1d3 for professional medical care), and up to another 2d3 during week of recuperation (1d3 normal recovery, plus 1d3 for professional medical care).
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WEAPONS
Every weapon is assigned a damage factor in d6, d3 and/or Bonus dice. Damage is calculate by applying the difference between a successful attack roll and a failed defensive role. To that number you add the Damage Factor for the weapon, missile or ammunition. That total is deducted from the victims BODY. (See Damage Effects for effects of loss from BODY.) STRENGTH under RANGE means, roll the number of dice you have in STRENGTH. The result is the number of yards are able to throw during this action round. STRENGTH under DAMAGE FACTOR means damage will be the difference between the succeeding Attack roll and the failed Defending roll, plus the total of a throw of the number of dice the character has in STRENGTH, adjusted by the indicated fraction or multiplier.
FOUND WEAPONS WEAPON COST Fist (Brawl) Kick (Brawl) Stick (small) Stick (Medium) Baseball Bat Lamp ** Wooden Chair Metal Chair Pipe (metal small) Pipe (metal medium)Pipe (metal large) Pipe (PVC) Brass Knucks (Brawl) Boxing Glove (Brawl) Rock ** BLADED WEAPONS WEAPON COST Axe $200 Dart $ 8/3 Knife $ 20 Knife (throwing) 35 Dagger $ 50 Dagger (thrown)$ 50 Dirk $ 75 Short Sword $150 Med. Sword Long Sword BOWS WEAPON Standard Longbow Steel Arrow Sheaf Arrow Crossbow Wood Bolt AP Bolt $250 $350
TYPE Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon Bludgeon
** GM Determined RANGE (YARDS) n/a n/a 1/2 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/3 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH n/a n/a STRENGTH**
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH+1d6 +1/2 STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH+1d6 +STRENGTH+2d6 +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH +1d6 +1/2 STRENGTH 1d6-14d6**
TYPE Slicing Puncture Slicing Puncture Slicing Puncture Puncture Slicing Puncture Slicing Puncture Slicing Puncture
RANGE (YARDS) STRENGTH STRENGTH 2X STRENGTH 2X STRENGTH 2X STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/3 STRENGTH
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE +STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +1/2 STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH +STRENGTH+1d6 +STRENGTH+1d6 +STRENGTH+2d6 +STRENGTH+2d6
COST $200 $250 $ 12/12 $ 20/12 $300 $ 20/15 $ 45/10
TYPE Bludgeon Bludgeon Puncture Puncture Bludgeon Puncture Puncture
RANGE (YARDS) 45 60 75 60
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE as small metal pipe as small metal pipe 3d6 4d6 as small metal pipe 4d6 5d6
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BLUDGEONS WEAPON Club Points * War Club Points * Mace Morning Star POLEARM WEAPON Spear *
COST $ 65 $ 85 $120 $300
TYPE Bludgeon Puncture Bludgeon Puncture Bludgeon Puncture
RANGE (YARDS) 1/2 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/2 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH 1/4 STRENGTH
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE +1/2 STRENGTH as small knife +STRENGTH as small knife Spiked ball, 2d6 per spike damage as sm. knives
TYPE RANGE (YARDS) ADDITIONAL DAMAGE Slicing as knife+1/3 STRENGTH Puncture STRENGTH * 2** +2/3 STRENGTH Bludgeon as medium stick Trident * $ 80 Held (Slicing) as knife+1/3 STRENGTH Thrown (Puncture) STRENGTH * 2** +2/3 STRENGTH Bludgeon as medium stick * Staff of weapon can be used as small club. ** Thrown objects are multiplied by Strength, measured 1d6 yards. FIREARMS If weapon is used as a club: WEAPON COST TYPE RANGE (YARDS) Derringer $125 Bludgeon 5 Revolver $200 Bludgeon 10 Automatic $250 Bludgeon 20 Semi-Autofire $300 Bludgeon 10 Full Autofire $400 Bludgeon 8 Rifle $250 Bludgeon 5 Scattergun $150 Bludgeon 5 Shotgun $200 Bludgeon 5
COST $ 45
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE STRENGTH+1d6 STRENGTH+2d6 STRENGTH+2d6 STRENGTH+2d6 STRENGTH+2d6 STRENGTH+3d6 STRENGTH+3d6 STRENGTH+3d6
FIREARMS AMMUNITION WEAPON COST TYPE RANGE (YARDS) buckshot $5/10 Bludgeon 15 .22 short subsonic $5/30 Puncture 45 .22 long subsonic $5/30 Puncture 45 .22 long rifle $5/30 Puncture 45 .25 ACP subsonic $5/30 Puncture 45 .32 ACP subsonic $5/30 Puncture 45 .32 long $5/30 Puncture 45 .38 special $5/30 Puncture 45 .38 +P $5/30 Puncture 45 .357 Magnum $10/20 Puncture 100 .45 longs $7/20 Puncture 75 .45 ACP $7/20 Puncture 75 .41 Magnum $7/20 Puncture 75 .44 long $8/20 Puncture 45 .44 Magnum $8/20 Puncture 45 .50 Magnum Express $8/20 Puncture 45 (Only able to be shot with the Desert Eagle) Hollow point ammunition, +1d6
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE +1d6 +1d6 +2d6 +3d6 +3d6 +4d6 +4d6 +4d6 +4d6 +5d6 +5d6 +5d6 +5d6 +6d6 +6d6 +6d6
Bludgeon means the weapon being used as a club. Bullets cause main damage.
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ARMOR
Armor purchases provide die rolls for armor protection from damage. If your opponent has succeeded with hitting your character, your damage can be reduced if you wear good armor. Three questions must be answered. 1 - Where were you hit? 2 - Do you have armor there? 3 - Is it the right kind of armor? Armor effectiveness is determined a) if your armor provides resistance to the type of weapon being used against you, and b) you win a roll of your armor dice against the damage to be taken (the numerical success of your opponents attack) against you by rolling your armor dice. If you succeed in your armor roll, you reduce the damage number rolled. If you roll extremely well with armor you can eliminate all damage. Fate dice apply with Armor rolls. The following table provides the number of dice allowed for armor rolls. ARMOR Cotton Canvas Wool Denim Leather Ring Mail Kevlar Plate Armor Successful Armor Roll Additional Reduction 6 or Less 0 8-11 +1d3 VALUE No protection 1d6 2d6 3d6 4d6 5d6 6d6 7d6 12-16 +1d6 17-22 +2d6 23-Up +3d6
ARMOR TYPES
Effective Code: Bludgeon (B), Puncture (P), Slicing (S), Electrical (E), Fire (F)
Type Cover** Leather Workshoe F Canvas Shoes F Cotton Clothing n+a Denim Coveralls TAHL Denim Dungarees L Denim Jacket TA Denim Longcoat TAHL Denim Vest T Felt Hat S Heavy Long Coat LTA Heavy Uniform STAHL Kevlar Vest T Kevlar Jacket AT Kevlar Chaps L Kevlar Helmet S Kevlar Body Suit STAHL Helmet (Military) S Leather Boots F Leather Shoes F Leather Chaps L Leather Jacket TA Leather Pants HL Leather Vest T Leather Helmet S Metal Plate SHTHAL Pith Helmet S Ring Mail SHTA Wool Cloak LHTA Wool Suit LHTA Wool Trousers L
B Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
P N N N N N N N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N N N N N Y Y Y N N N
S Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
E Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y N Y Y Y
F Y Y N N N N N Y Y N N N N N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N
COST $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
* Coverage code: A = Arms, F = Feet, H=Hips, L=Legs, S=Skull, T=Trunk
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TOOLS FOR GAMEMASTERS

P.L.U.S is designed to be a simple system for players to use in creation of their characters and ease in game play. To help you do your job creating and running whole scenarios, we have created a simplified system for creating non-player characters (ZIPs) and creatures. For the basic rules creatures is assumed to mean animals you might encounter in an average American city or town. For more adventurous setting, you will want to pre-generate your own special animals for the game.
ORACLE DICE
From time to time a situation may pop up in your game that is not expected and cannot be resolved adequately with a simple roll on an existing Chracteristic, Athletic, Perception, Career, Specialty or Weapon. You can quickly resolve this by asking a question that can be answered yes or no and then rolling 3d6. A high result is positive, a low result is negative. Ask the questions so that the answer can lead to more plot development, such as:
Is this a good thing? Does the character know anyone here? Is there a way out? Does the character know about ____?
ZIPs
When you play in a dramatic scenario, you need to interact with other people or creatures you encounter. The non-player characters in P.L.U.S are called Zeitgeist instant Profiles, or ZIPs. Zeitgeist means the spirit of the times and sips can be generated to suit any time or setting. Unlike player characters, ZIPs only need three Characteristics of PHYSICAL, MENTAL and COMBAT and some specific skills to make each ZIP unique. To help your stories advance, we have also allowed for ZIPs to have Luck, Body and Weapons, as well as special skills unique for that specific ZIP. Zips are generated in advance of the game. ZIP Levels Avg. Pro. Adv. Hero PHYSICAL 2d6 2d6 3d6 4d6 MENTAL 2d6 3d6 4d6 5d6 COMBAT 2d6 3d6 5d6 5d6 SPECIAL 3d6 4d6 5d6 6d6 * plus bonus dice in an equal number. Paragon* 5d6 6d6 6d6 6d6
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RESISTANCE OF OBJECTS
Somtimes the player characters will need to do damage to something other than a ZIP or an animal. This may include breaking down a door, smashing furniture, breaking into a car, or otherwise destorying a physical object. For those occasions, the Gamemaster will need a formula to determine how much the object can resist their efforts. Remember, to break through an object, you usually only need to damage a single part of the thing, while to destroy the object you need to overpower every point of body within the whole object. You can break a glass window by breaking one point in a large pane. To destory that same piece of glass you need to damage all sections of the pane. To break into a door, you need to break through the panel to open the door from the other side, but to rip through a reinfoced 3 panel means tearing apart the whole door. Glass brick usually means breaking through two 1+2 thicknesses of glass plus the mortar. (Remember, broke glass can do knife damage). To tear through metal requires a lot of damage. These figures are appropirate to determine the BODY of such inanimate objects. A gamemaster can take them to build objects within the game buildings, vehicles, etc.
OBJECT Brick Clay Cloth BODY BASE 1d6 for every 2 of thickness every 4 2 4d6+1B 4 4d6+1B 8 is an average . (round) 1d3+1 for every 1+2 of thickness for every 3 of (canvas) 1d6 for every square yard. (cotton) 1d3 for every square yard. (denim) 1d6 per square yard. (nylon) 1d6 per square foot. (silk) 1d3 per square foot. 3d6 per ply per square yard.
length.
Fibreglass Formica Glass
1d6 per square foot (bulletproof) 3d6 per 1+4 of thickness per square foot. (safety) 1d6+3 per 1+4 of thickness per square foot. 1+4 (inwire) 2d6 per 1+4 of thickness per square foot.1+2 thickness is 1d6 per 1+4 of thickness per square foot.1+4 is common. (alloy) 5d6 per square foot of 1+4 (galvanized) 2d6 per foot (iron) 2d6 per square foot or 1+4 thickness. (lead) 2d6 per square foot or 1+4 thickness. (steel) 4d6 per square foot or 1+4 thickness. 1d3 per foot of mortar. 1d3+1 per 1+2 of thickness for every two feet of length.
Metal
Mortar
Particleboard Plastic
(sheet) 1d3 per wquare yard per ply. (soft) 1d6 per pound of soft plastic (tubs, etc.) (thick) 1d6 per half pound (rigid molded, etc.) 1d6 per 1+2 of thickness per foot of length. (tire - metal belt) 4d6 per two feet of circ. (tire - w+inner tube) 2d6 per two feet of circ.. (balsa) 1d3 per 1+2 of thickness or per two feet (oak) 1d6 per 1+2 of thickness or per two feet (pine) 1d3+2 per 1+2 of thickness or per two (redwood) 1d3+1 per 1+2 of thickness for every two feet of length.
Plywood Rubber
Wood
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Remeber that you need to create the size of the object and make a determination of whether or not the character is striking or effecting the same spot of the object with every stike.
LARGE DAMAGE FACTORS

While players must limit themselves to damages in d3 through multiple d6 with Bonus Dice, the Gamemaster may need to play with larger items. The following should give guidelines for real engines of destruction. ITEM BASE MODIFIER IMPACT (Bludgeon) Autmobile (compact) 3d6+1B 2X per 20 MPH Automobile (mini-van) 4d6 3X per 20 MPH Automobile (pickup) 4d6+2B 3X per 20 MPH Automobile (sedan) 3d6 2X per 20 MPH Automobile (stn. wagon) 3d6+2B 3X per 20 MPH Bombs 3d6-6d6 2X-5X (GM determinied) Bus (cross country) 4d6+2B 4X per 20 MPH Dynamite (1 stick) 3d6+1B 4X Electric Iron 3d6 2X Grenade 3d6 3X Lasers 3d6 to 5d6 2X to 5X (GM determined) Truck (18 Wheel) 2d6+2B 5X per 20 MPH Truck (delivery/pick-up) 3d6+1B 4X per 20 MPH Welding Torch 3d6+2B 4X BURN Barbeque 3d6 2X Blowtorch 3d6+2B 3X Candle 2d6+2B 1X Fireplace 3d6+2B 4X Kiln 4d6 6X Match 2d6 1X
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CREATURES
This grid will provide you with basic creatures for normal encounters. The Effective Number shows the number required to effect a point of damage. Boxes half filled indicate 1d3 for the creatures die roll. NUMBER APP. PHY MEN COM LUC BODY BITE KICK CLAW RUN SPECIAL -----------------------------------------------------------------------Bear 1d3 5 2 4 2 10+4D6 2d6 3d6 3d6 4d6 +8 Adv Bull 1 4 1 3 2 6+2d6 1d6 4d6 3d Gore (knife) Cow 1d6 2 1 1 2 5+2d6 1d6 3d6 2d6 Butt 2d6 Slow to anger -----------------------------------------------------------------------Deer-doe 1d3 3 2 2 1 3+2d6 1d6 2d6 1d6 Butt 1d6 Deer-Stag 1 4 2 3 2 5+2d6 2d6 2d6 2d6 Gore 3d6 (knife) Dog-small 1d3 1 2 1 1 1+2d6 1d6 1d3 2d6 may pee 1st -----------------------------------------------------------------------Dog-avg. 1d3 2 2 2 2 3+2d6 2d6 1d6 2d6 +1d6 damage Dog-large 1d3 3 2 3 2 4+2D6 2d6 1d6 3d +2d6 damage Feral Cat 1 2 2 2 1 4+1d6 1d6 2d6 3d6 +2d6 /scared -----------------------------------------------------------------------Horse 1d6 4 2 3 3 4+5d6 2d6 4d6 Hooves 4d6 2 Attacks/round Housecat 1d3 2 3 2 3 2+1d3 1d6 1d6 Lioness 1d3 5 2 4 2 10+3d6 2d6 2d6 4d6 coordinates -----------------------------------------------------------------------Mtn. Lion 1d3 4 2 3 2 10+2d6 2d6 2d6 4d6 chases runners Mule 2d3 3 2 2 2 5+3d3 2d6 3d6 2d6 2d6 Tiger 1 4 2 3 2 10+2d6 2d6 2d6 4d6 stalks/night -----------------------------------------------------------------------Rattlesnake 1 2 1 3 1 1+1d6 1d6 Venom +1d6
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CONVERSIONS AND VARIATIONS

P.L.U.S. may be used for any existing game setting. You can translate existing characers to P.L.U.S after you have determined how the seven characteristics relate to your source game. You can also translate your P.L.U.S character into other systems. The chart below will help you with conversions. Remember that almost no converted character will match the original system perfectly some adjustments in game play will be required. You also have the right to add or delete any features you decide are appropriate. TRANSLATIONS PLUS 1 1 3 1 1 FUDGE Dice* d100 d20 d6 d10 d12 Levels ----------------------------------------------------1 5 1 3 1 1 Terrible 1 10 2 3 1 2 Terrible 1 15 3 4 2 2 Terrible 1 20 4 4 2 3 Terrible 2 25 5 5 3 3 Mediocre 2 30 6 5 3 4 Mediocre 2 35 7 6 4 4 Mediocre 2 40 8 7 4 5 Mediocre 3 45 9 8 5 5 Fair 3 50 10 9 5 6 Fair 3 55 11 10 6 6 Fair 4 60 12 11 6 7 Good 4 65 13 12 7 7 Good 4 70 14 13 7 8 Good 5 75 15 14 8 8 Great 5 80 16 15 8 9 Great 5 85 17 16 9 9 Great 6 90 18 17 9 10 Superb 6 95 19 18 10 11 Superb 6 100 20 18 10 12 Superb * This scale may also be used for a 1d6 game.
FATE VARIANT If you find the standard Fate Dice rules result in too much success for your players, change your rules to indicate: If you roll doubles, you may re-roll one die. If you roll triples, you may re-roll two dice. With four of the same number, you may re-roll three dice, and so on. P.L.U.S. X For extremely high-power games, dice are multiplied for results. With a 6d6 limit, you have a range of 2 (five 1s and a 2), and 46,656 (6 x 6 x 6 x 6 x 6 x 6). Damage is the difference between a successful and a failed roll. It should be possible to wipe out an airplane with a high level success. Fate Dice do not apply. Trash Dice are 1s. Luck Dice are extra dice rolled and multiplied as with others. Toxic rolls is all 1s on the first roll. Penalties are additional dice rolled and the equal number of high results are eliminated. Bonuses are additional dice rolled and an equal number of low results eliminated.
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MINUS Instead of distributing whole dice into your Characteristics and Skills, you have a skill level and start off rolling 5d6 to roll under your number. Characteristic levels are based on die rolls of 4d6 (lowest die). Skills, Career/Benefits/Specialty formulae to be developed.. As you become more expert, you will reduce the number of dice you are required to roll, making it easier to make your roll. Moderate and Hard skills are far more difficult to use. Trash Dice, Luck Dice, Fate Dice, Bonuses and Penalties are reversed. Trash Dice are 6s. Every 6 must be re-rolled and added to the total, except on Toxic Rolls.. A roll of all 6s is Toxic. If you only have 1d6 to roll, a 6 is not considered toxic it is the only way you can fail with 1d6. Luck dice are rolled separately and the number rolled on the luck die is deducted from the total. If you roll multiples, you may re-roll the multiples and deduct them from the total. If you have a Bonus, remove the number of high dice equal to the number of dice for the Bonus. If you have a Penalty, remove the number of low dice equal to the number of dice for the Penalty. If Fate Dice or Penalties bring your roll to Zero, you have achieved a Spectacular success and gain an estra benefit of the action from the GM. If your roll all 1s, 1d6 may be rolled and deducted from the total. Easy ------------1 6d6 3 5d6 6 4d6 12 3d6 16 2d6 19 1d6 D I F F I C U L T Y | Moderate | Hard | -------------- | ------------| 1 n/a | 0 n/a | 2 6d6 | 1 n/a | 4 5d6 | 3 6d6 | 8 4d6 | 6 5d6 | 12 3d6 | 9 4d6 | 16 2d6 | 12 3d6
LEVEL Ignorant Unfamiliar Familiar Trained Experienced Seasoned
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VARIANTS ALTERNATIVE AGE GENERATION

This method is recommended for role players with a significant amount of experience playing characters outside the normal role playing optimum. You choose an age between to the age of 65. You begin 1d6 for each Characteristic and add 1d6 to your Characteristics distribution pool for every ten years of age, 2d6 for SPECIALTIES for every eight years of age, and 2d6 per career for every twelve years of age. Maximum dice for the game begins at 1, with 1d6 added to the Maximum allowance for every twelve years of age. Use the following chart for the effects of age, after your dice have been distributed into :
AGE Under 9 9-15 16-29 30-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 EFFECT (applied after generation) -2d3 BODY, -2d6 REASON, -2d6 STRENGTH, -2d6 EDUCATION, -1d6 WILL, +1d6 AGILITY, +1d3 LUCK -1d3 BODY, -1d6 REASON, -1d6 STRENGTH, -1d6 EDUCATION, +1d6 INTUITION, +1d2 LUCK No Effect. -1d3 BODY, +1d6 INTUITION, +1d6 to STARTING MONEY -1d6 STRENGTH, +1d6 REASON, +2d6 to STARTING MONEY -1d6 AGILITY, +1d6 EDUCATION, +3d6 to S TARTING MONEY -2d3 BODY, -1d6 LUCK, +1d6 SPECIAL EFFECT (if any) or +1d6 WILL
NOTE: A 1d3 or 1d2 modification means to roll the indicated dice (see Glossary), then add or subtract that number of d6 from the pool for the indication Characteristic.
If your game requires higher ages, you can apply the following modifications: For every decade or portion of a decade over 65, -1d3 dice to Characteristics (you choose which dice to remove), -1d3 dice from Athletics and 1d3 dice from Senses. You choose which dice to remove from that group. If your WILL falls below 3, you must make a WILL roll before performing actions or performing tasks.

CHARACTER. SPEC AGE - GIVEN* 16 2 +5 5 17 2 +5 5 18 2 +6 5 19 3 +6 5 20 3 +7 5 21 3 +7 5 22 3 +8 6 23 4 +8 6 24 4 +9 6 25 4 +9 6 26 4 +10 6 27 4 +10 6 28 5 +11 7 29 5 +11 7 30 5 +12 7 31 5 +12 7 32 5 +13 7 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 HIGHER LEVEL gAMEs CAREERS 2 3 4 5 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 2 4 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 6 2 3 3 MONEY MAX X 2d6 3 $ 25 x Mod 3 50 x Mod 3 75 x Mod 3 100 x Mod 3 100 x Mod 3 100 x Mod 3 100 x Mod 4 150 x Mod 4 150 x Mod 4 150 x Mod 4 150 x Mod 4 200 x Mod 4 200 x Mod 4 200 x Mod 4 200 x Mod 4 200 x Mod 4 200 x Mod
* Total of STRENGTH, REFLEXES, EDUCATION and WILL, plus the number of dice indicated, to distribute as Given Skill Dice.
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Table 2 - Higher Game Levels And Bonuses **

Professional Characteristics +2 Given +3 Specialties +4 Each Career +1 Maximum Dice 4 Adventurer +4 +6 +8 +2 5 Hero +6 +9 +12 +3 5 Super-Hero +9 +12 +16 +5 6 Mythic-Hero +12 +18 +20 +7 n/a
** If your total dice exceed the allowed maximum dice limit, the excess dice may be used in several ways. 1) you have a total number of Benefits equal to the original number of dice allowed. FOR EXAMPLE: If you have 8 dice, but have a 5 dice limit to your character, you may have 8 benefits to the career at 5 dice, and 3 dice which may be used as Bonus Dice for rolls on that career or benefit, or you may apply a +1 to other skills that have not reached the limit, even if they are not related to the source of the extra dice.
SAVINGS AND/OR POSSESSIONS FROM PREVIOUS CAREERS

You gain financially from your age. When you have more than one career, you may have managed to save up to 50% of the income from the earlier career(s) to improve your position as the game begins. You roll on each year prior to your current age and roll on the table. A limit is set on the cash and a separate account is created for mandatory possessions for use by your character (weapons, vehicles, devices, real estate, memberships, etc.).
ROLL 2- 7 8- 9 10-11 12 RESULT No savings from previous careers 10% additional in savings, 50% of that amount in purchases. 25% additional in savings, 35% of that amount in purchases. 50% additional in savings, 25% of that amount in purchases
CHARACTER IMPROVEMENT
As your character proceeds to a variety of individual games and campaigns, he or she should improve on specific skills. There are three ways to improve skills in P.L.U.S. Unless otherwise determined by the GM prior to the start of the campaign, all three methods are available for players to use. METHOD ONE This method may be used to improve an existing skill of the player's choice, or to learn a new skill for the character. One hash mark is earned for each study period with a teacher. Find a teacher, pay for lessons or otherwise take the time and resources to study a skill and make it available to the character. The player will ask the GM for the difficulty of the skill to be learned. . One hash mark is earned for each study period with a teacher - keep track of these, you will need them to improve the skill. The cost of lessons, the reaction of the teacher and your success at learning the improvement or obtaining the first d6 in a new skill, should be role played between the player and GM, with Oracle rolls to determine the NPC teachers response to the student, rolls on WILL (for intellectual skills) or REFLEXES (for physical skills) to the students response to the teacher. For example, in game play Larry the Milkman wants to learn how to handle a sword to defend himself. He stops at Mr. Limbaughs Academy of Sharp, Pointy Things to study swordsmanship. His instructor, Big Louise, gives him a few bruises to point up what he needs to learn and tells him to practice every day. In game terms, if the player does not make time for Larry to practice every day, he will not learn
33
quickly and Big Louise will have a bad reaction to him, making it more difficult to learn. If Larry practices every day (meaning the player says that is what Larry is doing at some point in the game), then Louise will be more favorably impressed, Larry will get more practice and he has a better chance of learning the necessary skills faster. Since the GM will play Big Louise, it becomes fairly simple to determine her reaction to Larry and his homework. At the end of study (not less than one month of game time as experienced by the characters) the player may roll on the appropriate difficulty of the skill to be learned. With a successful roll (a total less than the number of hash marks) the character will improve with 1d6. Once a skill has been learned to 1d6, it may be improved through further study, or may be improved with Method 2 or Method 3. METHOD TWO Determine whether your character learns by Success or Failure. For this game this will mean choosing either Complete Failures or Toxic Rolls to learn on failed actions, or Significant Successes and above for learning on successful actions. You will record the learning rolls with simple 'hash marks' next to the appropriate skill (one hash mark for Complete Failure or Toxic rolls, if that was your choice, or one has mark for Significant Success or above, if that was your choice). When you have accumulated a sufficient number of hash marks on any skill, you may improve that skill by rolling the applicable Characteristic dice to roll under the number of hash marks to improve. You can to roll to improve that skill at a time of your own choosing by rolling against your own Characteristic - at the end or beginning of any game session, but not during a game. For physical skills roll your REFLEXES dice under the number of hash marks you have obtained for the skill which you want to improve. For mental skills WILL dice to improve on the skill. When it is time to improve, you will roll on the applicable against the number of accumulated hash marks. Larry has 2d6 in REFLEXES, and rolls 4-4, resulting in 8, which is over his number of hash marks he had accumulated. His number of hash marks for that skill returns to zero and he must try again. BUT, Larry rolled two fours. There is more. Fate Dice MUST be rerolled during Character Improvement. If your re-rolls go Toxic, you much change your skill to improve for at least one week of game time. METHOD THREE Select a specific skills for improvement for one half the number of d6 you have distributed into REFLEXES (physical skills to improve) and one half the number of dice distributed WILL (for mental skills to improve). These are skills which your character has determined are important to learn, for whatever reason. When you have chosen specific skills to improve, they are where you attention is focused and you will receive a hash mark for either failures (Complete Failure and Toxic Rolls) and successes (Significant successes and above). Hash marks are recorded and rolls against the number of hash marks works exactly the same as in METHOD 2. HOW IMPROVEMENT WORKS FOR METHODS TWO AND THREE Once the roll is made, whether the roll succeeds or fails to improve the skill, all hash marks are erased and improvement will begin again.
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With a successful roll (a total less than the number of hash marks) the character will improve with 1d3 to be rolled with the regular dice. On the second successful improvement of a skill, the 1d3 becomes 1d6. Further improvement is on the same 1d3 and 1d6 additions. THE LIMITS OF IMPROVEMENT Characters may improve up to the dice limit of the game, but may continue to use the improvement system to add d3 and d6 Bonus dice to the skill to improve future rolls. The number of Bonus dice possible are equal to the maximum number of dice for the game's skill level.
CHALLENGES
In the creation of a character, it can be interesting to give them an obstacle. It may be a physical restriction, a confining idea, or something which causes other characters to respond negatively. You make take up to 6d6 in Challenges, provided the Gamemaster approves that the challenge is worth the number of dice and has the effect of giving the character a believable obstacle in role playing. The following are examples. Players are encouraged to work with their GM to create additional Challenges for game play.
CHALLENGE Missing Limb EFFECT -2d6 from STRENGTH or REFLEX per limb VALUE (d6) +4 Cultural Skills. +2 Specialty
. (no Athletics) May prevent some Specialties Reduced Sense (each) -1 to -2d6 to the sense +2-4 Specialty PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER Phobia 1-4d6 penalty in situations +2-8 Specialty Delusion 1-3d6 penalty in situations +2-6 Specialty Obsession 1-2d6 penalty in situation +2-4 Specialty FAME In the News 1d6 penalty in situation +2 Specialty Known by Face 2d6 penalty in situation +4 Specialty Wanted 3d6 penalty in situation +6 Specialty Subject to Hunt* 4d6 penalty in situation +8 Specialty * This can include roadblocks, broadcast or media warnings, National Guard, Police, Military, etc. SUPERVISED Restrictive Job 1d6 penalty in situation +2 Specialty Monitored off-job 2d6 penalty in situation +4 Specialty Police/Public Safety 3d6 penalty in situations +6 Specialty Electronic Surveillance 3d6 penalty in situations +6 Specialty MEDICAL RESTRICTION Medicated (Physical) 1d6 penalty in situations +2 Specialty Chronic condition 2-3d6 penalty in situations 4-6 Specialty
MARTIAL ARTS
Various forms of martial arts have become very popular in gaming. For P.L.U.S, martial arts are considered either a personal choice or a benefit of a career. Martial art skills take up dice that could have otherwise go to other skills. Dice representing martial arts are put into an area of study. A player may use dice from any combination available dice pools from Starting, Specialty, Careers or Benefits. Martial art dice are added to the weapon (including fist and kick). For example: An average person may have 2d6 in Fist, 2d6 in Kick and a polearm as a weapon. with 2d6. He/she chooses to add 5d6 from martial art training, and divides it +2d6 to Fist (4d6), +2d6 to kick (4d6) and +1d6 to polearm (3d6).
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P.L.U.S
C HARAC TE R S H E E T
5th Edition
CHARACTERISTICS BLACK IN SQUARES TO SHOW THE NUMBER OF DICE TO BE ROLLED STRENGTH .......... s s s s s s EDUCATION ........... s s s s s s CHARM .................. s s s s s s REFLEXES ............ s s s s s s WILL ...................... s s s s s s INTUITION ............. s s s s s s SPECIAL EFFECT (Specify) ......................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s LUCK Full _____ CURRENT _____ BODY FULL_____ 2/3_____ 1/3_____ CURRENT_____ STARTING MONEY Banked $ _______ Stashed $ ________ On Hand $ _______ Monthly $ ________ GIVEN SKILLS
ATHLETICS
Brawl * ............................ Climb * ............................
CAREERS
CAREER 1: ................................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s
ssssss ssssss Dodge * ........................... ssssss Fist * ................................ ssssss Kick * .............................. ssssss Run * ............................... ssssss Swim ............................... ssssss Throw (Balanced) ............ ssssss Throw (Unbalanced) ....... ssssss
CULTURAL SKILLS
CAREER 2: ................................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s
ssssss ssssss Conceal Self .................... ssssss Drive ................................ ssssss Evaluate ........................... ssssss First Aid ........................... ssssss Follow ............................. ssssss Home Town * .................. ssssss Info. Search ..................... ssssss
Common Devices ............ Conceal Item ...................
CAREER 3: ................................................................................................................................................ s s s s s s
NATIVE LANGUAGE
Own Speak .......................... Read ............................
_______________
ssssss ssssss Write ........................... ssssss Negotiate ......................... ssssss Recent Events .................. ssssss Search .............................. ssssss Stealth .............................. ssssss ssssss ......................................... ssssss Track ................................ ssssss
Own .................................
SPECIALTIES ssssss ssssss ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s ........................................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s 19 s ............................................................................................................................................................. s s s s s s
........................................................................................................................................................... .............................................................................................................................................................
SENSES
ssssss ssssss Taste * ............................. ssssss P.L.U.S September 1996 Touch * ............................ ssssss Vision * ........................... ssssss
Hearing * ......................... Smell * ...........................
WEAPON
TYPE
Damage Range
ARMOR
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___
___________
_ _ _ _ _ _ ssssss

......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
CHARACTER SKETCH
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
P.L.U.S Character Sheet, 1996 by Joseph Steven Coleman and Talewind Print & Production. All Rights Reserved. For individual game duplication only. PLUS 5 September 1996
No commercial license or permission are granted or implied. Not to be sold or included with any other publication in any media.
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PLAYER CHARACTER
(Transfer to Characxter sheet - Return this to your GM)
5th Edition
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
DICE POOLS
____ CARRERS
(1) __ (2) __ (3) __ (4) __ (5) __ (6) ___
CHARACTERISTICS
STRENGTH ........... s s s s s s EDUCATION ........... s s s s s s CHARM ................... REFLEXES ............ s s s s s s WILL ........................ s s s s s s INTUITION ............ SPECIAL EFFECT (Specify) .........................................................................................................................................
ssssss ssssss ssssss
ROLLS:
LUCK _________
BODY ________

CAREER 1 (Specify) ...........................................................................................................................................
BENEFITS
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
ssssss
SAVINGS
$ ________
LOSSES
$ ________CASH $ ________
POSSESSIONS
$ ________
CAREER 2 (Specify) ...........................................................................................................................................

BENEFITS
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
ssssss
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
SAVINGS
$ ________
LOSSES
$ ________CASH $ ________
POSSESSIONS
$ ________
CAREER 3 (Specify) ...........................................................................................................................................

BENEFITS
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
ssssss
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
SAVINGS
$ ________
LOSSES
$ ________CASH $ ________
POSSESSIONS
$ ________
SPECIALTIES and WEAPONS

ssssss ....................................................................................... s s s s s s ....................................................................................... s s s s s s ....................................................................................... s s s s s s ....................................................................................... s s s s s s ....................................................................................... s s s s s s P.L.U.S September 1996
.......................................................................................
ssssss ...................................................................................... s s s s s s ...................................................................................... s s s s s s ...................................................................................... s s s s s s ...................................................................................... s s s s s s ...................................................................................... s s s s s s 21

......................................................................................
P.L.U.S
Name Description
ZIP and Creature Tracking Sheet
5th Edition
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

WEAPONS
COMBAT .................. ssssss

Name Description
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

WEAPONS
COMBAT .................. ssssss

Name Description
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

WEAPONS
COMBAT .................. ssssss

Name Description
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

WEAPONS
COMBAT .................. ssssss

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FIFTH EDITION A VARIETY OF PLUS RPG RELATED TOOLS, GAME MECHANCICS, BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND TIPS TO HELP A PLUS GM RUN A SUPERIOR CAMPAIGN
P.L.U.S GameMasters Guide September 1996
GAMEMASTERS GUIDE
TIPS, TOOLS AND SECRET KNOWLEDGE
P.L.U.S
P.L.U.S
GMS GUIDE
GAME DESIGN: KEY CONTRIBUTORS:
Joseph Steven Coleman Andrew Leker Harold Ogle Nadine Miller Harold Ogle Michael Kinney Shawn Smith Christopher Pound Lloyd Wiebe Shawn Smith Lloyd Wiebe Nadine Miller Thomas Biskup Paul Arden Lidberg Richard Lee Eide Michael Hole Richard Lee Eide
PLAYTESTERS:
P.L.U.S (Players Labor-saving Utility System) Version Five, copyright 1996 by Talewind Print & Production, P O Box 12631, Berkeley, CA 94712-2631, all rights reserved. e-mail through talewind@aol.com. Permission is granted for free duplication for personal use only. No license for any use requiring a charge to the end user is granted or implied. No other right to reproduce this material is granted or implied. To include PLUS or its supplements at another ftp site or bbs or in any other medium requires express written permission of Talewind.
Tools For Gamemasters

P.L.U.S is designed to be a simple system for players to use in creation of their characters and ease in game play. To help you do your job creating and running whole scenarios, we have created a simplified system for creating nonplayer characters (ZIPs) and creatures. For the basic rules creatures is assumed to mean animals you might encounter in an average American city or town. For more adventurous setting, you will want to pre-generate your own special animals for the game.
Oracle Dice
From time to time a situation may pop up in your game that is not expected and cannot be resolved adequately with a simple roll on an existing Chracteristic, Athletic, Perception, Career, Specialty or Weapon. You can quickly resolve this by asking a question that can be answered yes or no and then rolling 3d6. A high result is positive, a low result is negative. Ask the questions so that the answer can lead to more plot development, such as: Is this a good thing? Does the character know anyone here? Is there a way out? Does the character know about ____?
ZIPs
When you play in a dramatic scenario, you need to interact with other people or creatures you encounter. The non-player characters in P.L.U.S are called Zeitgeist instant Profiles, or ZIPs. Zeitgeist means the spirit of the times and sips can be generated to suit any time or setting. Unlike player characters, ZIPs only need three Characteristics of PHYSICAL, MENTAL and COMBAT and some specific skills to make each ZIP unique. To help your stories advance, we have also allowed for ZIPs to have Luck, Body and Weapons, as well as special skills unique for that specific ZIP. Zips are generated in advance of the game. ZIP LEVELS
Avg. PHYSICAL MENTAL COMBAT SPECIAL 2d6 2d6 2d6 3d6 Pro. 2d6 3d6 3d6 4d6 Adv. 3d6 4d6 5d6 5d6 Hero 4d6 5d6 5d6 6d6 Paragon* 5d6 6d6 6d6 6d6
* plus bonus dice in an equal number.
Resistance Of Objects
Somtimes the player characters will need to do damage to something other than a ZIP or an animal. This may include breaking down a door, smashing furniture, breaking into a car, or otherwise destorying a physical object. For those occasions, the Gamemaster will need a formula to determine how much the object can resist their efforts. Remember, to break through an object, you usually only need to damage a single part of the thing, while to destroy the object you need to overpower every point of body within the whole object. You can break a glass window by breaking one point in a large pane. To destory that same piece of glass you need to damage all sections of the pane. To break into a door, you need to break through the panel to open the door from the other side, but to rip through a reinfoced 3 panel means tearing apart the whole door. Glass brick usually means breaking through two 1+2 thicknesses of glass plus the mortar. (Remember, broke glass can do knife damage). To tear through metal requires a lot of damage. These figures are appropirate to determine the BODY of such inanimate objects. A gamemaster can take them to build objects within the game - buildings, vehicles, etc. OBJECT Brick Clay Cloth BODY BASE 1d6 for every 2 of thickness every 4 2 4d6+1B 4 4d6+1B 8 is an average . (round) 1d3+1 for every 1+2 of thickness for every 3 of length. (flat) 1d3 for every 1+2 of thickness for every 3 of length. (canvas) 1d6 for every square yard. (cotton) 1d3 for every square yard. (denim) 1d6 per square yard. (nylon) 1d6 per square foot. (silk) 1d3 per square foot. 3d6 per ply per square yard. 1d6 per square foot (bulletproof) 3d6 per 1+4 of thickness per square foot. (safety) 1d6+3 per 1+4 of thickness per square foot. 1+4 (inwire) 2d6 per 1+4 of thickness per square foot.1+2 thickness is 1d6 per 1+4 of thickness per square foot.1+4 is common. (alloy) 5d6 per square foot of 1+4 (galvanized) 2d6 per foot (iron) 2d6 per square foot or 1+4 thickness. (lead) 2d6 per square foot or 1+4 thickness. (steel) 4d6 per square foot or 1+4 thickness. 1d3+1 per 1+2 of thickness for every two feet of length. (sheet) 1d3 per wquare yard per ply. (soft) 1d6 per pound of soft plastic (tubs, etc.) (thick) 1d6 per half pound (rigid molded, etc.) 1d6 per 1+2 of thickness per foot of length. (tire - metal belt) 4d6 per two feet of circ. (tire - w+inner tube) 2d6 per two feet of circ.. (balsa) 1d3 per 1+2 of thickness or per two feet (oak) 1d6 per 1+2 of thickness or per two feet (pine) 1d3+2 per 1+2 of thickness or per two (redwood) 1d3+1 per 1+2 of thickness for every two feet of length.
Fibreglass Formica Glass
Metal
Particleboard Plastic
Plywood Rubber Wood
Remeber that you need to create the size of the object and make a determination of whether or not the character is striking or effecting the same spot of the object with every stike.
Large Damage Factors

While players must limit themselves to damages in d3 through multiple d6 with Bonus Dice, the Gamemaster may need to play with larger items. The following should give guidelines for real engines of destruction. ITEM IMPACT (Bludgeon) Autmobile (compact) Automobile (mini-van) Automobile (pickup) Automobile (sedan) Automobile (station wagon) Bombs Bus (cross country+school Dynamite (1 stick) Electric 1d3ron Grenade Lasers Truck (18 Wheel) Truck (delivery+ick-up) Welding Torch BURN Barbeque Blowtorch Candle Fireplace Kiln Match BASE 3d6+1B 4d6 4d6+2B 3d6 3d6+2B 3d6-6d6 4d6+2B 3d6+1B 3d6 3d6 3d6 to 5d6 2d6+2B 3d6+1B 3d6+2B MODIFIER 2X per 20 MPH 3X per 20 MPH 3X per 20 MPH 2X per 20 MPH 3X per 20 MPH 2X-5X GM 4X per 20 MPH 4X 2X 3X 2X to 5X (GM determined) 5X per 20 MPH 4X per 20 MPH 4X
3d6 3d6+2B 2d6+2B 3d6+2B 4d6 2d6
2X 3X 1X 4X 6X 1X
Creatures
This grid will provide you with basic creatures for normal encounters. The Effective Number shows the number required to effect a point of damage. Boxes half filled indicate 1d3 for the creatures die roll.
NUMBER APP. Bear Bull Cow Deer (doe) Deer (Stag) Dog (small) Dog (avg.) Dog (large) Feral Cat Horse Housecat Lioness Mtn. Lion Mule Tiger Rattlesnake PHY MEN COM LUCK BODY BITE KICK CLAW RUN SPECIAL
1d3 1 1d6 1d3 1 1d3 1d3 1d3 1 1d6 1d3 1d3 1d3 2d3 1 1
5 4 2 3 4 1 2 3 2 4 2 5 4 3 4 2
2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 1
4 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 2 3 2 4 3 2 3 3
2 2 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 1
10+4D6 6+2d6 5+2d6 3+2d6 5+2d6 1+2d6 3+2d6 4+2D6 4+1d6 4+5d6 2+1d3 10+3d6 10+2d6 5+3d3 10+2d6 1+1d6
2d6 1d6 1d6 1d6 2d6 1d6 2d6 2d6 1d6 2d6 1d6 2d6 2d6 2d6 2d6 1d6
3d6 4d6 3d6 2d6 2d6 1d3 1d6 1d6 3d6 -
3d6 2d6 1d6 2d6 2d6 2d6 2d6 -
4d6 3d6 2d6 1d6 2d6 2d6 2d6 3d6 3d6 4d6 4d6 4d6 2d6 4d6 -
+8 Adv Gore (knife damage) Butt 2d6 - Slow to anger Butt 1d6 Gore 3d6 (knife as damage) may pee 1st +1d6 damage +2d6 damage +2d6 if scared Hooves 4d6 2 Attacks/ round stalks as team chases runners stalks at night Venom +1d6
Conversions and Variations

P.L.U.S. may be used for any existing game setting. You can translate existing characers to P.L.U.S after you have determined how the seven characteristics relate to your source game. You can also translate your P.L.U.S character into other systems. The chart below will help you with conversions. Remember that almost no converted character will match the original system perfectly some adjustments in game play will be required. You also have the right to add or delete any features you decide are appropriate.
Translations VARIATIONS Fate Variant

If you find the standard Fate Dice rules result in too much success for your players, change your rules to indicate: If you roll doubles, you may re-roll one die. If you roll triples, you may re-roll two dice. With four of the same number, you may reroll three dice, and so on.
PLUS Dice 1 d100 1 d20 3 d6 1 d10 1 d12 FUDGE Levels
P.L.U.S. X
For extremely high-power games, dice are multiplied for results. With a 6d6 limit, you have a range of 2 (five 1s and a 2), and 46,656 (6 x 6 x 6 x 6 x 6 x 6). Damage is the difference between a successful and a failed roll. It should be possible to wipe out an airplane with a high level success. Fate Dice do not apply. Trash Dice are 1s. Luck Dice are extra dice rolled and multiplied as with others. Toxic rolls is all 1s on the first roll. Penalties are additional dice rolled and the equal number of high results are eliminated. Bonuses are additional dice rolled and an equal number of low results eliminated.
1 5 1 3 1 1 Terrible 1 10 2 3 1 2 Terrible 1 15 3 4 2 2 Terrible 1 20 4 4 2 3 Terrible 2 25 5 5 3 3 Mediocre 2 30 6 5 3 4 Mediocre 2 35 7 6 4 4 Mediocre 2 40 8 7 4 5 Mediocre 3 45 9 8 5 5 Fair 3 50 10 9 5 6 Fair 3 55 11 10 6 6 Fair 4 60 12 11 6 7 Good 4 65 13 12 7 7 Good 4 70 14 13 7 8 Good 5 75 15 14 8 8 Great 5 80 16 15 8 9 Great 5 85 17 16 9 9 Great 6 90 18 17 9 10 Superb 6 95 19 18 10 11 Superb 6 100 20 18 10 12 Superb This scale may also be used for a 1d6 game.
MINUS
Instead of distributing whole dice into your Characteristics and Skills, you have a skill level and start off rolling 5d6 to roll under your number. Characteristic levels are based on die rolls of 4d6 (lowest die). Skills, Career/Benefits/Specialty formulae to be developed.. As you become more expert, you will reduce the number of dice you are required to roll, making it easier to make your roll. Moderate and Hard skills are far more difficult to use. Trash Dice, Luck Dice, Fate Dice, Bonuses and Penalties are reversed. Trash Dice are 6s. Every 6 must be re-rolled and added to the total, except on Toxic Rolls.. A roll of all 6s is Toxic. If you only have 1d6 to roll, a 6 is not considered toxic it is the only way you can fail with 1d6. Luck dice are rolled separately and the number rolled on the luck die is deducted from the total. If you roll multiples, you may re-roll the multiples and deduct them from the total. If you have a Bonus, remove the number of high dice equal to the number of dice for the Bonus. If you have a Penalty, remove the number of low dice equal to the number of dice for the Penalty. If Fate Dice or Penalties bring your roll to Zero, you have achieved a Spectacular success and gain an estra benefit of the action from the GM. If your roll all 1s, 1d6 may be rolled and deducted from the total.
DIFFICULTY
EASY MODERATE HARD
LEVEL Ignorant Unfamiliar Familiar Experienced Seasoned
1 4 8 12 16
5d6 4d6 3d6 2d6 1d6
0 2 6 12 15
n/a 5d6 4d6 3d6 2d6
0 0 3 6 9
n/a n/a 5d6 4d6 3d6

FIFTH EDITION
P.L.U.S Companion September 1996
PLUS COMPANION
ADVANCED AND ALTERANTE RULES
P.L.U.S
P. L. U . S
C O M PA N I O N
Advanced and Alternate Rules

GAME DESIGN: Joseph Steven Coleman Christopher Pound Lloyd Wiebe Shawn Smith Lloyd Wiebe Nadine Miller Thomas Biskup Paul Arden Lidberg Richard Lee Eide Michael Hole Richard Lee Eide
KEY CONTRIBUTORS: Andrew Leker Harold Ogle Nadine Miller PLAYTESTERS: Harold Ogle Michael Kinney Shawn Smith
P.L.U.S (Players Labor-saving Utility System) Version 5.2, copyright 1996 by Talewind Print & Production, P O Box 12631, Berkeley, CA 94712-2631, all rights reserved. e-mail through talewind@aol.com. Permission is granted for free duplication for personal use only. No license for any use requiring a charge to the end user is granted or implied. No other right to reproduce this material is granted or implied. To include PLUS or its supplements at another ftp site or bbs or in any other medium requires express written permission of Talewind.
AN APOLOGY TO RULES LAWYWERS:

All of the material in the PLUS COMPANION may by used with the permission of the Gamemaster for your campaing. The GM retains the final say on anything relating to his/her game.
Alternative Age Generation

This method is recommended for role players with a significant amount of experience playing characters outside the normal role playing optimum. You choose an age between to the age of 65. You begin 1d6 for each Characteristic and add 1d6 to your Characteristics distribution pool for every ten years of age, 2d6 for SPECIALTIES for every eight years of age, and 2d6 per career for every twelve years of age. Maximum dice for the game begins at 1, with 1d6 added to the Maximum allowance for every twelve years of age. Use the following chart for the effects of age, after your dice have been distributed into : AGE Under 9 9-15 16-29 30-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 EFFECT (applied after generation) -2d3 BODY, -2d6 REASON, -2d6 STRENGTH, -2d6 EDUCATION, -1d6 WILL, +1d6 AGILITY, +1d3 LUCK -1d3 BODY, -1d6 REASON, -1d6 STRENGTH, -1d6 EDUCATION, +1d6 INTUITION, +1d2 LUCK No Effect. -1d3 BODY, +1d6 INTUITION, +1d6 to STARTING MONEY -1d6 STRENGTH, +1d6 REASON, +2d6 to STARTING MONEY -1d6 AGILITY, +1d6 EDUCATION, +3d6 to STARTING MONEY -2d3 BODY, -1d6 LUCK, +1d6 SPECIAL EFFECT (if any) or +1d6 WILL
NOTE: A 1d3 or 1d2 modification means to roll the indicated dice (see Glossary), then add or subtract that number of d6 from the pool for the indication Characteristic.
If your game requires higher ages, you can apply the following modifications: For every decade or portion of a decade over 65, -1d3 dice to Characteristics (you choose which dice to remove), -1d3 dice from Athletics and 1d3 dice from Senses. You choose which dice to remove from that group. If your WILL falls below 3, you must make a WILL roll before performing actions or performing tasks.

CHARACTER. GIVEN1 SPECIALTIES CAREER-1 CAREER-2 CAREER-3 CAREER-4 CAREER-5 CAREER-6 . MAX DICE STARTING MONEY (Modern )
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5
+5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12 +12 +13
5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7
2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4
2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4
2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4
2 3 3 3 3 3
2 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
$ 25 50 75 100 100 100 100 150 150 150 150 200 200 200 200 200 200
x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6 x 2d6
x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod x Mod
1 Total of STRENGTH, REFLEXES, EDUCATION and WILL, plus the number of dice indicated, to distribute as Given Skill Dice.
Table 2 - Higher Game Levels And Bonuses Professional

Characteristics Given Specialties Each Career Maximum Dice +2 +3 +4 +1 4
Adventurer
+42 +62 +82 +2 52
Hero
+62 +92 +122 +32 52
Super-Hero
+92 +122 +162 +52 52
Mythic-Hero
122 +182 +202 +72 n/a
2 If your total dice exceed the allowed maximum dice limit, the excess dice may be used in several ways. 1) you have a total number of Benefits equal to the original number of dice allowed. FOR EXAMPLE: If you have 8 dice, but have a 5 dice limit to your character, you may have 8 benefits to the career at 5 dice, and 3 dice which may be used as Bonus Dice for rolls on that career or benefit, or you may apply a +1 to other skills that have not reached the limit, even if they are not related to the source of the extra dice.
Savings And/Or Possessions From Previous Careers

You gain financially from your age. When you have more than one career, you may have managed to save up to 50% of the income from the earlier career(s) to improve your position as the game begins. You roll on each year prior to your current age and roll on the table. A limit is set on the cash and a separate account is created for mandatory possessions for use by your character (weapons, vehicles, devices, real estate, memberships, etc.).
ROLL 2- 7 8- 9 10-11 12 RESULT No savings from previous careers 10% additional in savings, 50% of that amount in purchases. 25% additional in savings, 35% of that amount in purchases. 50% additional in savings, 25% of that amount in purchases
Character Improvement
As your character proceeds to a variety of individual games and campaigns, he or she should improve on specific skills. There are three ways to improve skills in P.L.U.S. Unless otherwise determined by the GM prior to the start of the campaign, all three methods are available for players to use. Method One This method may be used to improve an existing skill of the players choice, or to learn a new skill for the character. One hash mark is earned for each study period with a teacher. Find a teacher, pay for lessons or otherwise take the time and resources to study a skill and make it available to the character. The player will ask the GM for the difficulty of the skill to be learned. . One hash mark is earned for each study period with a teacher - keep track of these, you will need them to improve the skill. The cost of lessons, the reaction of the teacher and your success at learning the improvement or obtaining the first d6 in a new skill, should be role played between the player and GM, with Oracle rolls to determine the NPC teachers response to the student, rolls on WILL (for intellectual skills) or REFLEXES (for physical skills) to the students response to the teacher. For example, in game play Larry the Milkman wants to learn how to handle a sword to defend himself. He stops at Mr. Limbaughs Academy of Sharp, Pointy Things to study swordsmanship. His instructor, Big Louise, gives him a few bruises to point up what he needs to learn and tells him to practice every day. In game terms, if the player does not make time for Larry to practice every day, he will not learn quickly and Big Louise will have a bad reaction to him, making it more difficult to learn. If Larry practices every day (meaning the player says that is what Larry is doing at some point in the game), then Louise will be more favorably impressed, Larry will get more practice and he has a better chance of learning the necessary skills faster. Since the GM will play Big Louise, it becomes fairly simple to determine her reaction to Larry and his homework. At the end of study (not less than one month of game time as experienced by the characters) the player may roll on the appropriate difficulty of the skill to be learned. With a successful roll (a total less than the number of hash marks) the character will improve with 1d6. Once a skill has been learned to 1d6, it may be improved through further study, or may be improved with Method 2 or Method 3. METHOD TWO Determine whether your character learns by Success or Failure. For this game this will mean choosing either Complete Failures or Toxic Rolls to learn on failed actions, or Significant Successes and above for learning on successful actions. You will record the learning rolls with simple hash marks next to the appropriate skill (one hash mark for Complete Failure or Toxic rolls, if that was your choice, or one has mark for Significant Success or above, if that was your choice). When you have accumulated a sufficient number of hash marks on any skill, you may improve that skill by rolling the applicable Characteristic dice to roll under the number of hash marks to improve. You can to roll to improve that skill at a time of your own choosing by rolling against your own Characteristic - at the end or beginning of any game session, but not during a game. For physical skills roll your REFLEXES dice under the number of hash marks you have obtained for the skill which you want to improve. For mental skills WILL dice to improve on the skill.
When it is time to improve, you will roll on the applicable against the number of accumulated hash marks. Larry has 2d6 in REFLEXES, and rolls 4-4, resulting in 8, which is over his number of hash marks he had accumulated. His number of hash marks for that skill returns to zero and he must try again. BUT, Larry rolled two fours. There is more. Fate Dice MUST be rerolled during Character Improvement. If your re-rolls go Toxic, you much change your skill to improve for at least one week of game time. METHOD THREE Select a specific skills for improvement for one half the number of d6 you have distributed into REFLEXES (physical skills to improve) and one half the number of dice distributed WILL (for mental skills to improve). These are skills which your character has determined are important to learn, for whatever reason. When you have chosen specific skills to improve, they are where you attention is focused and you will receive a hash mark for either failures (Complete Failure and Toxic Rolls) and successes (Significant successes and above). Hash marks are recorded and rolls against the number of hash marks works exactly the same as in METHOD 2. How Improvement Works For Methods Two and Three Once the roll is made, whether the roll succeeds or fails to improve the skill, all hash marks are erased and improvement will begin again. With a successful roll (a total less than the number of hash marks) the character will improve with 1d3 to be rolled with the regular dice. On the second successful improvement of a skill, the 1d3 becomes 1d6. Further improvement is on the same 1d3 and 1d6 additions.
The Limits Of Improvement

Characters may improve up to the dice limit of the game, but may continue to use the improvement system to add d3 and d6 Bonus dice to the skill to improve future rolls. The number of Bonus dice possible are equal to the maximum number of dice for the games skill level.
Challenges
In the creation of a character, it can be interesting to give them an obstacle. It may be a physical restriction, a confining idea, or something which causes other characters to respond negatively. You make take up to 6d6 in Challenges, provided the Gamemaster approves that the challenge is worth the number of dice and has the effect of giving the character a believable obstacle in role playing. The following are examples. Players are encouraged to work with their GM to create additional Challenges for game play.
CHALLENGE
Missing Limb
EFFECT
-2d6 from STRENGTH or REFLEX per limb. May prevent some Specialties -1 to -2d6 to the sense (each)
VALUE (d6)
+4 Cultural Skills.(no Athletics) +2 Specialty
Reduced Sense Psychiatric Disorder Phobia Delusion Obsession
+2-4 Specialty (each)
1-4d6 penalty in situations 1-3d6 penalty in situations 1-2d6 penalty in situation
+2-8 Specialty +2-6 Specialty +2-4 Specialty
Fame In the News 1d6 penalty in situation +2 Specialty Known by Face 2d6 penalty in situation +4 Specialty Wanted 3d6 penalty in situation +6 Specialty Subject to Hunt* 4d6 penalty in situation +8 Specialty * This can include roadblocks, broadcast or media warnings, National Guard, Police, Military, etc. Supervised Restrictive Job Monitored off-job Police/Public Safety Electronic Surveillance Medical Restriction Medicated (Physical) Chronic condition
1d6 penalty in situation 2d6 penalty in situation 3d6 penalty in situations 3d6 penalty in situations
+2 Specialty +4 Specialty +6 Specialty +6 Specialty
1d6 penalty in situations 2-3d6 penalty in situations
+2 Specialty 4-6 Specialty
Quality Of Success
In combat, your roll is measured against your opponent. If your roll is sufficiently greater than your opponent, your damage will be modified by the degree of your success. With each level of success your damage is increased and becomes more lethal.
Quality of Success (Difference)

Damage Bonus
1-6 0
7-11 +1
12-17 +2
18-23 +3
24-Up +4
Martial Arts
Various forms of martial arts have become very popular in gaming. For P.L.U.S, martial arts are considered either a personal choice or a benefit of a career. Martial art skills take up dice that could have otherwise go to other skills. Dice representing martial arts are put into an area of study. A player may use dice from any combination available dice pools from Starting, Specialty, Careers or Benefits. Martial art dice are added to the weapon (including fist and kick). For example: An average person may have 2d6 in Fist, 2d6 in Kick and a polearm as a weapon. with 2d6. He/she chooses to add 5d6 from martial art training, and divides it +2d6 to Fist (4d6), +2d6 to kick (4d6) and +1d6 to polearm (3d6).
P.L.U.S
C HARACT E R S H E ET
5th Edition
CHARACTERISTICS BLACK IN SQUARES TO SHOW THE NUMBER OF DICE TO BE ROLLED STRENGTH ........... s s s s s s EDUCATION ........... s s s s s s CHARM ................... s s s s s s REFLEXES ............ s s s s s s WILL ........................ s s s s s s INTUITION ............. s s s s s s SPECIAL EFFECT (Specify) .......................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s
Full _____ CURRENT _____ LUCK STARTING MONEY Banked $ ________
BODY
FULL_____
2/3_____
1/3_____
CURRENT_____
Stashed $ _________
On Hand $ ________
Monthly $ _________
GIVEN SKILLS
ATHLETICS
CAREERS
ssssss Climb * ............................ ssssss Dodge * ........................... ssssss Fist * ................................ ssssss Kick * .............................. ssssss Run * ............................... ssssss Swim ............................... ssssss Throw (Balanced) ............ ssssss Throw (Unbalanced) ....... ssssss
Brawl * ............................
CAREER 1: ....................................................................................................................... CAREER 2: ....................................................................................................................... CAREER 3: ....................................................................................................................... CAREER 4: ....................................................................................................................... CAREER 5: ....................................................................................................................... CAREER 6: .......................................................................................................................
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
BENEFITS and SPECIALTIES

........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ....................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ....................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................
CULTURAL SKILLS
ssssss Conceal Item ................... ssssss Conceal Self .................... ssssss Drive ................................ ssssss Evaluate ........................... ssssss First Aid ........................... ssssss Follow ............................. ssssss Home Town * .................. ssssss Info. Search ..................... ssssss
Common Devices ............
NATIVE LANGUAGE
Own Speak .......................... Read ............................
_______________
ssssss ssssss Write ........................... ssssss Other ................................ ssssss Negotiate ......................... ssssss Recent Events .................. ssssss Search .............................. ssssss Stealth .............................. ssssss ssssss ......................................... ssssss ......................................... ssssss Track ................................ ssssss
Own .................................
SENSES
ssssss Smell * ........................... ssssss Taste * ............................. ssssss Touch * ............................ ssssss Vision * ........................... ssssss
Hearing * .........................
......................................................................................................................................
WEAPON
TYPE
Damage Range
ARMOR
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___ _____ ___
___________
_ _ _ _ _ _ ssssss

......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
CHARACTER SKETCH
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................
PLUS 5 Character Sheet, 1996 by Joseph Steven Coleman and Talewind Print & Production. All Rights Reserved. For individual game duplication only. No commercial license or permission are granted or implied. Not to be sold or included with any other publication in any media.
10

PLAYER CHARACTER
5th Edition
_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
DICE POOLS
____ CARRERS
(1) __ (2) __ (3) __ (4) __ (5) __ (6) ___
CHARACTERISTICS
STRENGTH ........... s s s s s s EDUCATION ........... s s s s s s CHARM ................... s s s s s s REFLEXES ............ s s s s s s WILL ........................ s s s s s s INTUITION ............. s s s s s s SPECIAL EFFECT (Specify) .......................................................................................................................................... s s s s s s
ROLLS:
LUCK _________
BODY ________

CAREER 1 _______________________________ ssssss BENEFITS
............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ................................................................. ................................................................. .................................................................
CAREER 2 _________________________________ ssssss BENEFITS

................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. .................................................................
SAVINGS CASH
$ ________ $ ________
LOSSES POSSESSIONS
$ ________ $ ________
SAVINGS CASH
$ ________ $ ________
LOSSES POSSESSIONS
$ ________ $ _______

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ................................................................. ................................................................. .................................................................

................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. .................................................................
SAVINGS CASH
$ ________ $ ________
LOSSES POSSESSIONS
$ ________ $ ________
SAVINGS CASH
$ ________ $ ________
LOSSES POSSESSIONS
$ ________ $ _______

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SAVINGS CASH
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LOSSES POSSESSIONS
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SPECIALTIES, WEAPONS and ADD DICE

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D R A F T Do Not Quote or Distribute
The Six Magics

PLUS Magic and P.L.U.S (Players Labor-saving Utility System, 5th Edition, Revised) by Joseph Steven Coleman is copyright 1996 by Talewind Print and Production, All Rights reserved. For permission to distribute the basic P.L.U.S Rules and supplements through the net and on other BBS systems, please contact talewind@aol.com. For a hardcopy printout of this document within the United States, please send $6 plus $1 shipping and handling to: Talewind Print & Production, Box 12631, Berkeley, CA 94712.. Write or send e-mail for overseas ordering information.
The Foundations of Six Magic

An apprentice mage will belong to either the Ethereal or Corporal Triad schools of Magick, and will have mastered three spells of that schools Grimoire, and three spells from the other Grimoires within the related Triad elements. Focus on a single School doesnt mean you cant use spells of the other School, it changes the cost of learning those spells. Spells are not a codex of fixed cantrips for easy memorization. No nature is automatically superior to any other only in a temporary moment can any combinations of factors overpower another combination, and always with the sure knowledge that the turning of the great wheel demands that the reverse be true at some other time. Kharma is a verb - it is always active, changing even as you read these words. What you do, what you have done and what will be done with you are all expressions of the universe whirling search for balance. In balance there is strength beyond the vessel - the gyroscope will stand against the force of gravity. The magician must use his (or her) life, the life of the enemy, and the changing ebb and flow of elemental aspects that surround each moment. In other words, the same spell may not work the same way twice! With P.L.U.S, your make a clear statement of the elements you are putting into a spell, your reasons for choosing them and the effect you need the spell to have. Your Gamemaster will make a determination and you will be able to throw your dice with as many modifiers as the GM determines necessary and the result will be your success or failure with these elements, at this time, for this effect. Failure may not mean your concept and elements were wrong, only that they were wrong at this time - it may succeed at another time.
The Triads
The Sages have known that the world is composed of six parts and that ever thing implies its opposite. In the mind and heart of a master, the six elements can be combined to change the moment or change the world. There are six schools of magic, divided into two affinities, or triads - Corporeal (Metal, Wood, Earth) and Ethereal (Fire, Air and Water). To avoid backlash, you must cast a balanced spell, where your forces to control are balanced by the opposite triad. To avoid backlash, you should cast a balanced spell, where your forces to control are balanced by the opposite aspect, the element is replenished or will be replenished in a foreseen amount of time, and the caster is not being controlled by another spell. Each of the elements has an aspect and a talisman, and a new magician begins training in the discipline of one element, then combines that element with the others for the effect with which magic will be used to change
FIRE
Red
EARTH
Brown
METAL
Yellow
WATER
Green
AIR
Blue
WOOD
Orange
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ELEMENT FIRE EARTH WATER METAL AIR WOOD
ASPECTS Aspects of reduction, consumption, creativity, and energy. Aspects of reality, foundations, relationship and construction. Aspects of change, physical bodies, movement and activity. Aspects of living, growing, adjusting and increase. Aspects of ethereal movement, thought, spirit and knowledge. Aspects of strength, rigidity, invasion and containment.
COLOR Red Brown Green Orange Blue Yellow
Aspects
ELEMENT FIRE EARTH WATER METAL AIR WOOD AFFINITY Active Neutral Active Passive Passive Neutral CHARACTERISTIC Reflexes Education Will Strength Intuition Charm POSITIVE ASPECT Creative Energy Foundation Flexibility Strength Spirit and Knowledge Capacity for growth NEGATIVE ASPECT Excess and waste Lack of Growth or change Lack of Strength Stubborn or Inflexible Lack of Strength Lack of Consistency
Difficulties
Spell difficulties follow the regular Target Number Difficulties in the main P.L.U.S Basic Rules. A failure to reach the target number means the spell was not cast. Fate Dice, Gamemasters Dice, Luck Dice, Toxic Rolls and all other dice manipulations apply to spells. A spell directed against self requires a Coordination roll to receive the benefit. A spell directed an inanimate object less than or equal to the player characters size has no penalty. For each 100% target size over the size of the player character, an additional -5 penalty is incurred. A spell directed against a plant has a -2 penalty. A spell directed against a non-intelligent animal has a -4 penalty. A spell directed against an intelligent animal has a -7 penalty. A spell directed against an intelligent being has a -10 penalty.
Building A Magician
The gamemaster determines the level of the game and will tell you the number of dice to roll to create your Magick pool. You may permanently burn Luck Dice at a rate of 2 Luck Dice for 1d6 roll to increase the Magick Pool. A roll of 1 is considered wasted and not counted. If 3 or more dice in the creation of a Magick pool have the same number, 1d6 bonus may be rolled and added to the pool.. You have two uses for the total of the magic pool; 1) you have that much mana and 2) you have the same number of stones to distribute. A starting magician must declare his or her primary grimoire or school of study, identified by one school of the six elements. They may choose or depend on a random roll of 1d6: 1 - Fire 3 - Water 5 - Air 2 - Metal 4 - Earth 6 - Wood
This element will determine your primary affinity of Corporeal and Ethereal. A minimum of one half of the starting stones must be placed in your elemental school. Other dice can be distributed to other elements at the players pleasure. You may only choose spells for which you have adequate dice. Prior to the start of game play, the new magicians the spells for they are qualified to cast. It is assumed the new character has been trained sufficiently to cast any of the spells for which dice have been allocated. You may choose only a few elements and build up a lot of stones to cast those spells repeatedly, or you may choose a wide variety of elements (provided one half of your stones are in the element of your school) and be able several spells, but none of them very often. Every time you cast a spell, that number of stones are burned, and the same number of magic points are lost. Magick points are recovered at the rate of 1d3 per week if you are active (beyond simple traveling or daily movement to and from work), and 1d6 if your week has been restful. It is possible to recover Magick points even while losing Strength in the creation of new stones. It is possible to have Magick points and no stones to cast. Spells are not a codex of fixed cantrips for easy memorization. No nature is automatically superior to any other only in a temporary moment can any combinations of factors overpower another combination, and always with the sure knowledge that the turning of the great wheel demands that the reverse be true at some other time. Kharma is a verb - it is always active, changing even as you read these words. What you do, what you have done and what will be done with you are all expressions of the universe whirling search for balance. In balance there is strength beyond the vessel - the gyroscope will stand against the force of gravity. The magician must use his (or her) life, the life of the enemy, and the changing ebb and flow of elemental aspects that surround each moment. In other words, the same spell may not work the same way twice! With P.L.U.S, your make a clear statement of the elements you are putting into a spell, your reasons for choosing them and the effect you need the spell to have. Your gamemaster will make a determination and you will be
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able to throw your dice with as many modifiers as the GM determines necessary and the result will be your success or failure with these elements, at this time, or for this specific effect.. Failure may not mean your concept and elements were wrong, only that they were wrong at this time - it may succeed at another time. You may throw multiples of the spell, which increases the damage or effect, but it will drain your magic must faster. You may throw Luck dice with a spell, within the regular limitation of no more than one half of Luck used in any one gaming session.
Toxic rolls mean the spell will turn against the caster or the party.
Grimoires
Casting a spell requires the sacrifice of the stones of the elements required for the spell. Dice are rolled to establish the success and effectiveness for a spell, and may be rolled in multiples of the proportion tin increase the effect. Inclusion of poor or exceptional quality stones may be included in the spell and their effect will be applied against the result of the dice.
The Acolytes Spells (1:1) Acolyte Fire Metal Levels

Earth
Solid Encase
Water
Wood
Air
Earth
Animate
Return
Sieze
Entomb
Air
Knowing
Cloud
Convey
Hedgerow
Float
Wood
Rage
Snare
Move
Heal
Water
Scald
Force
Reshape
Balanced Spells Unbalanced Spells
Metal
Edge
Cage
Ethereal Schools Corporeal Schools
Fire
Inferno
The Will of the Mage

A mage may dissolve a spell he/she has cast with a successful roll on Will. A toxic roll will turn the spell against the mage.
Spell Size Penalties

When throwing a large spell, a caster increases the difficulty of the spell by going for higher effects. The following penalties apply to the initial roll Up to 4 Dice No Penalty No Penalty 1 Penalty 1 Reroll Penalty per 4 1 Reroll Penalty per 6
Difficulties
Easy: Medium: Hard: 1 Bonus Die No Bonus or Penalty 1 Penalty Die
5-9 Dice
10-14 Dice 2 Penalty
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15-19 Dice 5 Penalty 20-29 Dice 10 Penalty 30-39 Dice 15 Penalty 40-49 Dice 20 Penalty 50-60 Dice 25 Penalty
2 Reroll Penalty per 8 3 Reroll Penalty per 9 4 Reroll Penalty per 10
Air Grimorie
Color: Blue, White, Crystals, Glass Aspects: Thought, knowledge, inspiration, emotion. Talismans: Perfumes, incense, aromatic unguents, etc.
2 Stone spells
5 Reroll Penalty per 11 6 Reroll Penalty per 12 Cloud (1 Metal, 1 Air - Balanced - Easy) Creates a cloud of needles, each of which inflicts 1 point of damage for every point above defensive rolls. To discover the number of needles to hit on a successful casting, reroll the same number of dice as were used to create the spell. Cannot penetrate Encase. Can be stopped by Hedgerow. Convey (1 Water, 1 Air - Unbalanced - Easy) Can convey information from one mind to another, but the information cannnot pass to or from the Mage. 1 word may be passed for each point rolled, or 1 image may be passed for every 7 points rolled. Convey may be blocked by Move. Float (2 Air - Unbalanced - Hard) Levitates the target. The limit of size of the object to be moved is equal to one quarter the caster's size for every 6 points of success. With 24 points, the caster can levitate him/herself, or a target of equal size. With less that total levitation the target is made lighter. At 48 points double the caster's size can be lifted and directed at a speed no greater than the caster can walk. The object can remain levitated for the number of seconds equal to the number of points rolled. May be countered with Return. Hedgerow (1 Wood, 1 Air - Balanced - Moderate) Creates an immediate shield of roots and plants. These growths remain after creation and have an absorption value for damage equal to the number of points in the roll. Effective against Cloud and physical attacks. Knowing (1 Fire, 1 Air - Unbalanced - Hard) Passes information from the mind of the caster to another, or the caster receives information from the mind of another. The Mage may send one word for every point of the roll, or one image for every 6 points of the successful roll. From one mind to another without passing through the mage, use Convey. May be blocked with Seize. Seize (1 Air, 1 Earth, Balanced - Moderate) Causes an target in motion to be held motionless for 1 second for every point of the successful roll. The target may be physical or ethereal. May be countered with Move or released by the Will of the mage.
50% Penalty on higher quantities.
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Earth Grimoire
Color: Aspects: Talismans: Brown, natural stones reality, foundations, relationship and construction. stone, soil, gemstones, ceramics, etc.
Fire Grimoire
C olor: A spects: Talismans: Red reduction, consumption, creativity, and energy. candles, fire starters, fire opals, lamps, light, etc.
2 Stone spells
Animate (1 Water, 1 Earth - Balanced - Moderate) Causes a physical, unliving object to move according to the imagination of the mage, within restrictions of normal physical. Sample: Make a bucket walk, make a tree move, make a liquid take form. The size of the target is limited to one quarter the size of the caster for every 6 points of the successful roll. Can be opposed or reveresed by Return. Encase (1 Metal, 1 Earth - Unbalanced - Easy) Creates a plate metal fluid coating around the target for 5 seconds for every point rolled. Is impervious to all Metal component spells. Can be dissolved by the Will of the Mage. Can be countered by Move, which causes the metal to flow away from the target. Entomb (2 Earth - Unbalanced - Hard) Causes the earth to open beneath the target and reseal over the target when it falls. The strength of the spell is equal to the number of points rolled. Entombed targets do not have access to air or oxygen unless freed within the same number of seconds as points rolled to create the spell. May be countered with Return. Return (1 Wood, 1 Earth - Unbalanced - Hard) Can remove transformation to organic or inorganic targets. With organic targets it will reveal the effects of Reshape. For inorganic target it returns the object to its shape and condition prior to the casting of the spell, equal to the number of minutes equal to the number of points rolled. Seize (1 Air, 1 Earth, Balanced - Moderate) Causes an target in motion to be held motionless for 1 second for every point of the successful roll. The target may be physical or ethereal. May be countered with Move or released by the Will of the mage. Solid (1 Fire, 1 Earth - Balanced - Moderate) Causes liquid or gas to become solid at the current temperature. Will hold the topic immobile for each point rolled.
2 Stone spells
Edge (1 Fire, 1 Metal - Balanced - Easy) Causes a point of damage for each point above the defensive roll (if any). Creates a cutting blade along the outer edge of the mages dominant hand. Doubling the spell will create edges along both hands, but use of two weapons is restricted to standard Advantage rolls. Edge cannot penetrate Encase. Inferno (2 Fire - Unbalanced - Hard) Creates a fireball with full damage every 15 seconds for every 15 points rolled or every fraction of 15 points. Can be countered with Move or extinguished with water, dirt or other physical method of putting out a fire. Knowing (1 Fire, 1 Air - Unbalanced - Hard) Passes information from the mind of the caster to another, or the caster receives information from the mind of another. The Mage may send one word for every point of the roll, or one image for every 6 points of the successful roll. From one mind to another without passing through the mage, use Convey. May be blocked with Seize. Rage (1 Fire, 1 Wood - Balanced - Moderate) A fireball with fire damage, it burns for 1 second for each point rolls and inflicts full damage for every 15 seconds or fraction of 15 seconds. A toxic roll turns the damage against the mage. May be countered with Move or extinguished with water, dirt or other physical method of putting out a fire. Scald (1 Fire, 1 Water - Unbalanced - Moderate) A cloud of boiling steam is directed against the target with the full damage of the roll every 15 points of the roll, with 1 point of damage for every point over 15 in the attacking roll. May be countered by redirecting the cloud with Move. Solid (1 Fire, 1 Earth - Balanced - Moderate) Causes liquid or gas to become solid at the current temperature. Will hold the topic immobile for each point rolled.
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Metal Grimoire
Color: Yellow, Gray, Black Aspects: strength, rigidity, invasion and containment. Talismans: Jewelry (not gemstones), armor, blades, clockworks.
Water Grimorie
Colors: Aspects: Green, Turquoise, Aquamarine change, physical bodies, movement and activity. Talismans: potions, flasks, kegs, vials, fluids, animals, etc.
2 Stone spells
Cage (2 Metal - Unbalanced - Hard) Creates a web of metal equal in strength to 2X the number of points in the roll and will hold for 1 minute for each point of the roll. Can be dissolved by the Will of the mage or dissolved by Move. Cloud (1 Metal, 1 Air - Balanced - Easy) Creates a cloud of needles, each of which inflicts 1 point of damage for every point above defensive rolls. To discover the number of needles to hit on a successful casting, reroll the same number of dice as were used to create the spell. Cannot penetrate Encase. Can be stopped by Hedgerow. Edge (1 Fire, 1 Metal - Balanced - Easy) Causes a point of damage for each point above the defensive roll (if any). Creates a cutting blade along the outer edge of the mages dominant hand. Doubling the spell will create edges along both hands, but use of two weapons is restricted to standard Advantage rolls. Edge cannot penetrate Encase. Encase (1 Metal, 1 Earth - Unbalanced - Easy) Creates a plate metal fluid coating around the target for 5 seconds for every point rolled. Is impervious to all Metal component spells. Can be dissolved by the Will of the Mage. Can be countered by Move, which causes the metal to flow away from the target. Force (1 Metal, 1 Water - Balanced - Moderate) Causes a physical pushing force to be imposed against the target equal to the points rolled in the casting. Can be opposed by another Force spell. Force continues for 1 second for each point rolled or stopped by the Will of the Mage. This spell may be countered with physical Strength. Snare (1 Metal, 1 Wood - Unbalanced - Easy) Creates a trap to capture a limb of a target, usually the leg. Snare has a strength equal to the number of points in the roll until defeated by opposing strength, dissolved by the Will of the mage, or defeated by Move. May be opposed by physical Strength, but a Toxic roll on failed Strength can cause the limb to be severed.
2 Stone spells
Animate (1 Water, 1 Earth - Balanced - Moderate) Causes a physical, unliving object to move according to the imagination of the mage, within restrictions of normal physical. Sample: Make a bucket walk, make a tree move, make a liquid take form. The size of the target is limited to one quarter the size of the caster for every 6 points of the successful roll. Can be opposed or reveresed by Return. Convey (1 Water, 1 Air - Unbalanced - Easy) Can convey information from one mind to another, but the information cannnot pass to or from the Mage. 1 word may be passed for each point rolled, or 1 image may be passed for every 7 points rolled. Convey may be blocked by Move. Force (1 Metal, 1 Water - Balanced - Moderate) Causes a physical pushing force to be imposed against the target equal to the points rolled in the casting. Can be opposed by another Force spell. Force continues for 1 second for each point rolled or stopped by the Will of the Mage. This spell may be countered with physical Strength. Move (1 Water, 1 Wood - Balanced - Hard) Can cause a physical thing or an energy (iincluding thought) to be directed away from the intended target. A very high success on the roll will give the Mage control to re-direct the target to a new target. Scald (1 Fire, 1 Water - Unbalanced - Moderate) A cloud of boiling steam is directed against the target with the full damage of the roll every 15 points of the roll, with 1 point of damage for every point over 15 in the attacking roll. May be countered by redirecting the cloud with Move. Reshape (2 Water - Unbalanced - Hard) Can cause an organic target to be chanced in shape, texture and color according to the desire of the Mage. The size of the target is equal to the Constitution of the target vs. the number of points rolled. The reshaped target will retain the new shape for 1 minute of each point rolled. May be countered by Return.
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Wood Grimoire
Color: Aspects: Talismans: Orange, Woodstone (petrified wood) Living, growing, adjusting and increase. Leaves, living plant, roots, carved staff, paper, etc.
Acolyte Spells by Name

Animate (1 Water, 1 Earth - Balanced - Moderate) Causes a physical, unliving object to move according to the imagination of the mage, within restrictions of normal physical. Sample: Make a bucket walk, make a tree move, make a liquid take form. The size of the target is limited to one quarter the size of the caster for every 6 points of the successful roll. Can be opposed or reveresed by Return. Cage (2 Metal - Unbalanced - Hard) Creates a web of metal equal in strength to 2X the number of points in the roll and will hold for 1 minute for each point of the roll. Can be dissolved by the Will of the mage or dissolved by Move. Cloud (1 Metal, 1 Air - Balanced - Easy) Creates a cloud of needles, each of which inflicts 1 point of damage for every point above defensive rolls. To discover the number of needles to hit on a successful casting, reroll the same number of dice as were used to create the spell. Cannot penetrate Encase. Can be stopped by Hedgerow. Convey (1 Water, 1 Air - Unbalanced - Easy) Can convey information from one mind to another, but the information cannnot pass to or from the Mage. 1 word may be passed for each point rolled, or 1 image may be passed for every 7 points rolled. Convey may be blocked by Move. Edge (1 Fire, 1 Metal - Balanced - Easy) Causes a point of damage for each point above the defensive roll (if any). Creates a cutting blade along the outer edge of the mages dominant hand. Doubling the spell will create edges along both hands, but use of two weapons is restricted to standard Advantage rolls. Edge cannot penetrate Encase. Encase (1 Metal, 1 Earth - Unbalanced - Easy) Creates a plate metal fluid coating around the target for 5 seconds for every point rolled. Is impervious to all Metal component spells. Can be dissolved by the Will of the Mage. Can be countered by Move, which causes the metal to flow away from the target. Entomb (2 Earth - Unbalanced - Hard) Causes the earth to open beneath the target and reseal over the target when it falls. The strength of the spell is equal to the number of points rolled. Entombed targets do not have access to air or oxygen unless freed within the same number of seconds as points rolled to create the spell. May be countered with Return. Float (2 Air - Unbalanced - Hard) Levitates the target. The limit of size of the object to be moved is equal to one quarter the caster's size for every 6 points of success. With 24 points, the caster can levitate him/herself, or a target of equal size. With less that total levitation the target is made lighter. At 48 points double the caster's size can be lifted and directed at a speed no greater than the caster can walk. The object can remain levitated for the number of seconds equal to the number of points rolled. May be countered with Return. Force (1 Metal, 1 Water - Balanced - Moderate) Causes a physical pushing force to be imposed against the target equal to the points rolled in the casting. Can be opposed by another Force spell. Force continues for 1 second for each point rolled or stopped by the Will of the Mage. This spell may be countered with physical Strength. Heal (2 Wood - Unbalanced - Easy) Restores lost Body at a rate equal to 1 point of Body to the Target for every 6
2 Stone spells
Heal (2 Wood - Unbalanced - Easy) Restores lost Body at a rate equal to 1 point of Body to the Target for every 6 points of the successful roll. Only functional against organic targets. A penalty of 1d6 for every 2d6 rolled is levied against a mage attempting to cast heal on himself. This may be countered by Return of a physical attack on the healer for a strike equal to the point of healing.. Hedgerow (1 Wood, 1 Air - Balanced - Moderate) Creates an immediate shield of roots and plants. These growths remain after creation and have an absorption value for damage equal to the number of points in the roll. Effective against Cloud and physical attacks. Rage (1 Fire, 1 Wood - Balanced - Moderate) A fireball with fire damage, it burns for 1 second for each point rolls and inflicts full damage for every 15 seconds or fraction of 15 seconds. A toxic roll turns the damage against the mage. May be countered with Move or extinguished with water, dirt or other physical method of putting out a fire. Move (1 Water, 1 Wood - Balanced - Hard) Can cause a physical thing or an energy (iincluding thought) to be directed away from the intended target. A very high success on the roll will give the Mage control to re-direct the target to a new target. Return (1 Wood, 1 Earth - Unbalanced - Hard) Can remove transformation to organic or inorganic targets. With organic targets it will reveal the effects of Reshape. For inorganic target it returns the object to its shape and condition prior to the casting of the spell, equal to the number of minutes equal to the number of points rolled. Snare (1 Metal, 1 Wood - Unbalanced - Easy) Creates a trap to capture a limb of a target, usually the leg. Snare has a strength equal to the number of points in the roll until defeated by opposing strength, dissolved by the Will of the mage, or defeated by Move. May be opposed by physical Strength, but a Toxic roll on failed Strength can cause the limb to be severed.
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points of the successful roll. Only functional against organic targets. A penalty of 1d6 for every 2d6 rolled is levied against a mage attempting to cast heal on himself. This may be countered by Return of a physical attack on the healer for a strike equal to the point of healing.. Hedgerow (1 Wood, 1 Air - Balanced - Moderate) Creates an immediate shield of roots and plants. These growths remain after creation and have an absorption value for damage equal to the number of points in the roll. Effective against Cloud and physical attacks. Inferno (2 Fire - Unbalanced - Hard) Creates a fireball with full damage every 15 seconds for every 15 points rolled or every fraction of 15 points. Can be countered with Move or extinguished with water, dirt or other physical method of putting out a fire. Knowing (1 Fire, 1 Air - Unbalanced - Hard) Passes information from the mind of the caster to another, or the caster receives information from the mind of another. The Mage may send one word for every point of the roll, or one image for every 6 points of the successful roll. From one mind to another without passing through the mage, use Convey. May be blocked with Seize. Move (1 Water, 1 Wood - Balanced - Hard) Can cause a physical thing or an energy (iincluding thought) to be directed away from the intended target. A very high success on the roll will give the Mage control to re-direct the target to a new target. Rage (1 Fire, 1 Wood - Balanced - Moderate) A fireball with fire damage, it burns for 1 second for each point rolls and inflicts full damage for every 15 seconds or fraction of 15 seconds. A toxic roll turns the damage against the mage. May be countered with Move or extinguished with water, dirt or other physical method of putting out a fire. Reshape (2 Water - Unbalanced - Hard) Can cause an organic target to be chanced in shape, texture and color according to the desire of the Mage. The size of the target is equal to the Constitution of the target vs. the number of points rolled. The reshaped target will retain the new shape for 1 minute of each point rolled. May be countered by Return. Return (1 Wood, 1 Earth - Unbalanced - Hard) Can remove transformation to organic or inorganic targets. With organic targets it will reveal the effects of Reshape. For inorganic target it returns the object to its shape and condition prior to the casting of the spell, equal to the number of minutes equal to the number of points rolled. Scald (1 Fire, 1 Water - Unbalanced - Moderate) A cloud of boiling steam is directed against the target with the
full damage of the roll every 15 points of the roll, with 1 point of damage for every point over 15 in the attacking roll. May be countered by redirecting the cloud with Move. Seize (1 Air, 1 Earth, Balanced - Moderate) Causes an target in motion to be held motionless for 1 second for every point of the successful roll. The target may be physical or ethereal. May be countered with Move or released by the Will of the mage. Snare (1 Metal, 1 Wood - Unbalanced - Easy) Creates a trap to capture a limb of a target, usually the leg. Snare has a strength equal to the number of points in the roll until defeated by opposing strength, dissolved by the Will of the mage, or defeated by Move. May be opposed by physical Strength, but a Toxic roll on failed Strength can cause the limb to be severed. Solid (1 Fire, 1 Earth - Balanced - Moderate) Causes liquid or gas to become solid at the current temperature. Will hold the topic immobile for each point rolled. Can be countered with Return.
Ingesting Stones
With some risk, an acolyte may gain the effect of stones within or outside the specific school to which he or she is affiliated. Ingestion of stones within the school can be done with no penalties. Ingestion of stones outside the school take 1d6 penalty for every 3 stones ingested. Ingestion is exactly what it sounds like you eat the stones to achieve an effect. Roll 3d6 to attempt the ingestion. After the first ingestion a roll on Strength is required to ingest three more stones. After the second, Strength with 1d6 penalty is required, and on the third attempt 2d6 penalties are required. No more than three ingestions can occur in any week of game time. 1d3 days later, a successful roll against Strength is required to survive the emergence of the debris, or damage is taken from the effect of the ingestion. But you could try. On a failed roll against ingestion, the acolyte suffers 2d6 damage to body on scale VI of the damage tables for Ethereal elements, and on scale VIII for Corporeal elements. A toxic roll on an ingestion attempt gives the ingestor a permanent 2d3 loss of Body which cannot be recovered through normal recovery.
Additional Spells
Ingestion of Three Stones Fire Metal Water Wood Air Earth
Manic
Armor
Shapeshift
Rebuild
Step Out
Spy
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D R A F T Do Not Quote or Distribute

All ingestions are considered Hard. Manic (3 Fire - Ingested) Grants 3d6 bonus to rolls on physical actions, and 3d6 penalty to mental actions for 1 minute for each pip showing in a successful roll. At the end of the Manic period, the ingestor has a 2d6 penalty to all physical actions for one hour for every pip showing in the successful ingestion roll. Armor (3 Metal - Ingested) Provides a 3d6 full body armor value for 1 minute for each pip showing in the successful role. At the end of the protected period, all damage taken by the ingestor is shifted two columns to the right for one hour for each pip showing in the success Armor roll. Shapeshift (3 Water - ingested) Give the ingestor 3d6 ability to change the physical body, but not mass, for 1 minute for every pip showing in the successful roll. Shapes are limited to physical and liquid forms. A successful roll on Will is required to regain the ingestors original shape. If the ingestor fails to regain the original shape in three rolls, there is one attempt at 1d6 penalty, one attempt at 2d6 penalty and on the fifth failure it is assumed the ingestor has lost his/her original form. If the chosen form is not a living creature, the character has died. If the ingestor succeeds returning to the original shape, the character will be at 2d6 penalties to every physical action for 1 hour for each pip showing on the successful roll. Rebuild (3 Wood - Ingested) Gives the ingestor 2d6 to restore a destroyed form, including a limb. One rebuild action roll is possible every five points or fraction of five points in the successful roll. On a successful rebuild action roll, the ingestor can recreate up to 1/2 his/her body mass. Rebuild can be cast on another or on ones self. All rebuild action rolls must take place within one hour of ingestion. After the last rebuild action roll, the ingestor takes 2d6 penalty for all mental actions for 1 hour for each pip showing in the original successful Rebuild roll. If any rebuild action goes toxic, the recovery penalty hours are multiplied by the number of toxic rebuild actions. One toxic failure equals double the hours, two toxic failures equals three times the penalty hours, etc. Step Out (3 Air - ingested) Give the ingestor the ability to step outside his/her physical body and travel the same distance as could be physically covered in the allowed time. The ingestor can stay out of the body for 1 minute for every pip showing in the successful Step Out roll. The ingestor can see and hear while out of body, but cannot be physically seen. If any action is attempted, it is under a penalty equal to the number of dice used to attempt the task. Spells cast from the Step Out form cost double the number of stones normally required. The ingestor must succeed on a roll against Will to reenter the original body. Toxic results for any attempt for actions while out of the body give 1d6 penalty to the Will roll required to re-enter the body for each toxic roll experienced, up to the full number of Will dice. Any attempt to enter another body can be countered by the targets successful roll against Will, even if the target is unaware of the attempt. Spy (3 Earth - ingested) For 1 minute with every pip showing, the ingestor can use the earth and its product to see and hear with a circle equal to 1 yard for each pip showing. The focus must remain for one minute and may be changed with each minute. Use of Spy causes a 2d6 penalty on all rolls against the physical senses for 1d3 days following the ingestion.
Invoking the Star

It is possible to take a very high risk to use the Star, a spell cast by a combination of all six elements. The star will transport the user and anyone or anything touching the user to a new location. Because the Star cannot be controlled by any magician below a Wizard, player characters are advised to use the Star only in dire emergencies. Star Magicians may direct the transition, the direction, what is moved and in what direction. The Star will move the player in one of eight directions (1d8 will be needed to determine) and will require additionl rolls by the user to determine the distance and the units of that distance for the move. The user and those touching the user may take damage as a result of the transition from one place to another. On a toxic roll the transition will destory all stones held by the user and those touching the user during transition. The Star will not tranist you into solid objects and will divert you to the nearest open space, whether or not there is solid ground beneath you. Direction (1d8)
1 - South West 4 - North 7 - South East 2 - West 5 - North East 8 - South 3 - North West 6 - East
Distance
(2d6) and Units (2d6) 2 - 50 Yards 4 - 200 Yards 7 - Quarter Miles 10 - 1d6 Miles 3 - 100 Yards 5 - 500 Yards 8 - Half Miles 11 - 2d6 Miles 6 - 1000 Yards 9 - Miles 12 - 2d6 Miles
Expansion 1: The Mages spells (2:1)
PLUS MAGIC: THE EXILES
October 28, 1996
Page 9
Mage Levels
1 Earth 1 Air 1 Wood 1 Water 1 Metal 1 Fire
2 Fire
2 Metal
2 Water
2 Wood
2 Air
2 Earth
3 Earth Berm
Brick
Ram
Sink
Nourish
History
Darts
Blade
Foam
Sight
3 Air Vanish
Channel
Wedge
Splinter
Transit
3 Wood Resurect
Master
Base
Rust
Wreck
3 Water Flow
Establish
Form Other
Ceramic
Slump
3 Metal Slave
Rupture
Ax
Mindwipe
Mine
3 Fire Volcano
Lava
Spell
Bonfire
Sear
Forge
All Three Stone Spells are Unbalanced
Expansion 2: The Masters Grimoire (1:1:1) Expansion 3: The Wizards Grimoire (1:1:1:1) Expansion 4: The Star Priest Grimoire (1:1:1:1:1)
Plus Magick
October 28, 1996
Page 10
PLUS
PLAYER
Six Magicks Grimoire 5th Edition Use the basic Character Sheet in P.L.U.S 5th Edition or the P.L.U.S COMPANION for basic character notes.
________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________ Magick Total : ____ FIRE ______ METAL ______ METAL ______ TRIAD ____________________________________ WATER ______ WATER _______ Damage EARTH ______ EARTH _______ _______ AIR ______ AIR ______ Range WOOD ______ WOOD ______ ______
CHARACTER PRIMARY AFFINITY DISTRIBUTION SPELLS and EFFECTS
1. ...............................
nnnnnn nnnnnn nnnnnn nnnnnn nnnnnn nnnnnn nnnnnn nnnnnn nnnnnn nnnnnn
FIRE ______
Effect: .................................................................................
Notes: ...................................................................................................................................................... 2. ............................... ______ ______ _______ Damage _______ _______ ______ Range ______ ______ Effect: .................................................................................
Notes: ...................................................................................................................................................... 5. ................................ ______ ______ _______ Damage _______ _______ ______ Range ______ ______ Effect: .................................................................................
Notes: ...................................................................................................................................................... 10. ............................. ______ ______ _______ Damage _______ _______ ______ Range ______ ______ Effect: .................................................................................
Notes: ......................................................................................................................................................
P.L.U.S MAGIC: EXILES and P.L.U.S th Edition Enhanced 1996 by Talewind Print & Production. Permission to copy for personal use only.
Plus Magick
October 28, 1996
Page 11
G AME M ASTERS N OTES

Magic is a tool. It is not the be-all and end-all of the world. If a man were to study for many years, he may be able to set aside his sword, but none of your opening characters will have had the luxury of sufficient time to learn that level of the arts. The study of magic gives a sense of mystery to life. There are forces in the world that are beyond your comprehension, but an acolyte or a mage can tap into those forces to make some miracle. All of the player characers will have een given a basic education through one of the six schools of magic. Each school teaches literacy, the minimal medical skills to keep alive, food preparation, wilderness skills, a primary trade (something like smithing, food preservation, carpentry, masonry, animal care, farming, etc.) and the fundamentals of magic. Each of the six school teaches the use of magic as a gift to be cherished squandering mana is viewed much the same a child molesting. Students are taught how to layer their personal mana onto stones and talismans. The more they do, the better they get. The six schools are structured as six arms of an academy of magic called the White Star. The White Star is the combination of the six colors and their Priests can combine six elements into spells that are far beyond the understanding or comprehension of the player characters. The players will be acolytes - basic training (about six years of school, a few years of training for magic, a few years training with their weapons).
Plus Magick
October 28, 1996
Page 12
PLAYERS LABOR-SAVING UTILITY SYSTEM FIFTH EDITION
CAMPAIGN CREATION WORLD BUILDING

P.L.U.S World Building and Campaign Creation September 1996
1
P.L.U.S
P.L.U.S
WORLD GENERATION AND CAMPAING CREATION

GAME DESIGN: KEY CONTRIBUTORS: Joseph Steven Coleman Andrew Leker Harold Ogle Nadine Miller Harold Ogle Michael Kinney Shawn Smith Christopher Pound Lloyd Wiebe Shawn Smith Lloyd Wiebe Nadine Miller Thomas Biskup Paul Arden Lidberg Richard Lee Eide Michael Hole Richard Lee Eide
PLAYTESTERS:
P.L.U.S (Players Labor-saving Utility System) Version Five, copyright 1996 by Talewind Print & Production, P O Box 12631, Berkeley, CA 94712-2631, all rights reserved. e-mail through talewind@aol.com. Permission is granted for free duplication for personal use only. No license for any use requiring a charge to the end user is granted or implied. No other right to reproduce this material is granted or implied. To include PLUS or its supplements at another ftp site or bbs or in any other medium requires express written permission of Talewind.
Version 5.0 P.L.U.S World Building and Campaign Creation
Guidelines For Creating A Game Setting

These suggestions may be used to create a game world in almost any system, but is presentes specifically for use with P.L.U.S, but the information should be helpful in the creation of any new game world. If you create a society or culture based on these guidelines, share it with us. Send your project to talewind@aol.com.
System
Well, even if you are creating a world for PLUS, Star or Oracle, you need to show how the basic gaming system works, including Character Generation, Combat, Armor, Weapons and Damage, If you have a Special Effect in your game (magic, psionics, superpowers, etc.), you will need to detail how that effect works within your chosen game system.
WORLD CREATION
RACES, CULTURES AND INTERACTIONS
Give us a set of details on your races, cultures and the things that should be known with the way they work together - or clash.
Provide Many Ways to Enter Your World

A minimum of six aspects of the new world should be presented so gamemasters and players can decide how they want to enter the world. These will not be the only types of characters, but are basic types to access your cities, histories and societies. None of the seven types should be taken as intrinsicly good or bad, but examples of an aspect of the extremes of your societies. UNREMARKABLE Someone who is not in the extremes of the world. Someone you would bump into in any street or hamlet, as a clerk, laborer or visiting from a farm. NOBLE You should have one example of a priviledged group; royalty, wealthy, honored or otherwise elevated over the average inhabitant. SPIRITUAL An example of someone who seems lives what the culture would consider the most blessed and honorable life, and who really lives up to those ideals.
TECHNOLGICAL A learned nuts-and-bold, hands on person with the ability to use the highest technology available in your new culture. STREET An example of people from the streets who have been on the wrong end of the lollipop all their lives. Probably nomadic outside the cities, or homeless within a town or metropoli. ITRIBAL This should be as far removed from a technological base as possible - someone who uses what nature provides to survive. REPROBATE This shoule be someone that most people would look down upon; a criminal, an addict, a former holder of position who has fallen in disgrace. By creating the setting for each of these character types to inhabit, you will find what is needed to flesh the world so new players can find the types of culture they want to explore in their role-playing.
TIMELINE - with key personalities and key events

This is probably one of the most enjoyable aspets of world creation. Back up your societies with grudges, honors, traditions, attitudes, holidays, historical events, past kingdoms, wars, and celebrations. Your world came from somehwere and has gone through changes before your players arrive on the scene.
RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUAL ASPECTS

Are there competing churches, a single monolithical One True Faith, a pantheon of household gods, secular thought systems that dominate daily life or ... something new? Detail the structure, the beliefs and the key names, events, celebrations, observances and rules for living a good life (by their belief system). You may want to do a separate structure for each nation in your world, or have a empire of many subject nations to a single religious organization.
GOVERNMENT(S)
With each country you will need to establish the system of government, the roles of the politicians, military, nobility, intellectuals, church and opposition. Each will have its own history, cultural traits and views of how the world would best function (and almost all will find a way for the world to work to their benefit).
ECONOMY
How do people make their living? What is the primary organizing force for large labor projects? Does a church force people to work for salvation, are wages paid or are there slaves?
How are goods exchanged? What does the money look like? How does one coin relate to another coin? Is there paper maper or some other specie your players will find unusual? What is a days wages for a laborer and what amount makes it worth the time for a wealthy merchant to negotiate a contract to sell twenty ships of grain? How much does it cost to feed your family? What is the cost of a doctors services? Are there conflicts between the realities of the economy and one or more of the religions, or between the tradesa nd the government?
TECHNOLOGIES
You need to provide the details for the geegaws that make your world cool. You need to establish the technological level of your primary culture. You do not have to make every nation have equal access to technologies many technologies can be held back to keep the possessor nation strong. Try to balance the technologies. If you have one nation who find the height of technology to be the perfect creation of hardwood buttons and their neighbors dont even have a waiting period to buy a 4000 Kelvin Heat Gun, the buttonmakers wont last very long. Or if they do, there should be a really good reason, which you reveal to the gamemaster who will use your world.
CAMPAIGN CONSTRUCTION
INTRODUCTORY MINI-ADVENTURES
A mini-adventure should be playable in a single session with inexperienced players. It is always a good idea to include at least one or two to give the flavor of your world and some hooks for future adventures. Give your GM some ZIP/ NPCs to flesh out the adventure and include states for any people or creatures the party may encounter.
CAMPAIGN NOTES
At Least One Full Campagin To Get People Into The World. A campaign should have at least a half a dozen story hooks all related to an overall plot that will keep the players interested even when they miss one of your important clues. Use the campaign to explain the world when the players arent hot on the trail of your adventure. A campaign should be big and the players will need of lot of choices along the way. Provide suggestions for the GM to provide some action even when the players have gone way off track a paragraph or two should do.
PRE-GENS, NPCS/ZIPS
Always provide at least three partially generated charcters so the GM will have a way to get players into the game immediately. Some specific providing story-related characters for the GM is really mandatory and selection of a couple dozen ZIP/NPCs are also helpful for inital encounters can also provide the GM with tools to run the world immediately.
MAPS, FLOORPLANS AND SCHEMATICS

Give the GM as much help as you can with specific settings - stores, homes, city streets, features in the wilderness, etc. If you feel your abilities to provide
mapes is not as good as other games you have seen, it would be worse to not give the GM a basic sketch of the location you are using. Providing layout takes priority over your ability as an artist.
IDEAS FOR TELLING THE STORY

Ask five writers what makes a good story and you will get seven answers. A good gamemaster will not simply rip the shrink wrap off the module and begin running. A gamemaster who is commited to the quality of the game and the amount of fun a game will deliver will take the time to examine the elements and make custom alteration to fit his (or her) groups style of gaming. This will mean adding elements (cities, creatures, encounters, subplots, customizing the locale and creating the hooks that will hold the bait players favor. Nine or ten modules may be looted to make a master campaign that will keep your players occupied for months at a time. Not all the ideas can be used at the same time, and you may have some ideas that are completely new you need to find the story that works for you and your group. The biggest dangers is to fall into an anecdote rather than a story. In an anecdote there is no resolution and no one changes. Episodic teleivision is a good example of the anecdotal plot where you know the cast will be back next week without major changes (so the producers can sell to syndication and run the shows out of order). A story runs the risk of major changes to charcters. Mini-series tend to be true stories (but not always) and at the end the characters will be different than they were at the beginning. To be a story: 1. IT MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO RISK; THERE MUST BE SOMETHING TO LOSE. If the most exciting thing to happen in your campaign is the barber shop being closed, so the characters cant get cleaned up for the dance, you will not have a very exciting campaign. If your characters have been threatened with death if they show up at the dance - gentlemen, sharpen your weapons. If the bad guys steal the last chocolate donut you can get more tomorrow. If the bad guys have stolen your family and you liked them you may want to gather some local rabble and get everyone back. 2. IT MUST HAVE A BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END. If you start in a dark room, with the players naked and unarmed, and teeth begin biting into their flesh - it may be exciting until the unseen animals are through eating. If you start in a foggy graveyard, swarms of giant bats attack the players, they wake up in a dark room without their clothes or weapons and teeth begin nibbling their flesh, they may have some idea what they are fighting and may think to feel around for their missing swords. If you let them find the swords and they crawl through the slime coated nest to the grey, foggy world to seek the bat-master who ordered them attacked. They hunt down the master and... get to the end of the story. 3. IT MUST CAUSE A CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER(S). If, at the end of adventure, your hearoes got hearty handshakes from the royal family and went to the next kingdom to fight the next magical threat, the adventures will get a sense of dull sameness. If at the end of the adventure they
have a ring from the princess, or a really cool scar which, unfortunately prvents them from holding a large sword in the future, and a promise of their hearts desire if they return, the player may see this adventure as an important event in the characters life for the better or for the worse.
Tension
To hold the interest of the players or the audience, an adventure must have tension. There must be something to lose if the adventure turns bad, and there must be a series of events or forces that can make the adventure go against the protagonists. Dont use up every encounter in the first three hours and have nothing to follow up with. When I teach workshops in radio or stage, I give a tension graph like (convert to 9pt. monospaced type if it doesnt look good on your screen - courier or monaco):
T _______ * Finale E ______/ Confrontation N ______/ Setback S ________/ Complication I _______/ Complication O _________/ First Contact N / Introduction (Setting the scene) - - - - - - - T I M E - - - - - - - >>
Pacing and Build

It is important you develope your campaign with many elements with increasing difficulty, peril and reward. If you have a campaign and offer the players the ulitmate prize in the first episode, it will have very little flavor because it was so quickly one. Build up to it by a combination of higher levels of power and risk, and a rhythm of action and time for the characters to recharge. THE HERO AND THE GROUP Classical Greek drama teaches that Tragedy is the inescapable arrival of the heros sad fate. Comedy is the story of the Outsider who returns to the Group. Drama is the story of a member of the Group who becomes an outsider, with a possible return to grace. THE LIE Comedy is the story of the lie sustained. Melodrama is the story of the lie exposed. Drama is the aftermath of the lie revealed. TRIADIC OPPOSITION Great stories seem to come from the opposition of three forces. For some this is the Antagonist, Protagonist and the Obstacle. Others have said it is The Hero, The Villain and the McGuffin.* For me it has been the conflict of two goals as they are acted upon by an outside force.
*The McGuffin was the way Dashell Hammett descibed the object everyone desires - The Maltese Falcon, the Holy Grail, treasure, the gift of the gods.
APPENDIX A: Poltis 36 plots uncondensed

In August, 1995, someone name Clemens Meier posted the following document to the net: Poltis 36 plots uncondensed This can serve as a basic, one line description of any story plot - the Hollywood High Concept in one line - or it can provide the motivation for a subplot or the major storyline of your next campaign. Enjoy. Copyright crap: The author of this thingy retains full copyright of the material, while hereby granting full permission for it to be reprinted in any format whatsoever, with the provisos that his name be forever attached to it, the text of the document be forever unaltered, and if anyone manages to figure out how to make big bucks off of it, the above mentioned author wants a cut. Oh, yes, and lest I forget, this notice must remain attached to the main text.
Types of episodes:
Action/Adventure (X is in danger) Mary Worth (X must solve a problem for someone else) Drama (X must make a tough (life altering) decision) Mystery Romance
Types of Conflicts:
Conflict to eliminate an opponent Conflict to overcome an obstacle Conflict to overcome a disaster Self v. Self Self v. Other (War/Gender Conflict/etc) Self v. Intangible Other (Nature/Environment/God/Time/The State/Disaster/etc.)
The 36 Dramatic Situations, according to Georges Polti

(with someminor changes) 1. Supplication (Elements: Persecutor, Supplicant, Power in Authority) A. 1. A fugitive imploring the powerful for help against enemies (or some other threat). 2. Assistance is begged for the performance of a pious duty that has been forbidden. 3. An appeal for a place to die. 4. An appeal for knowledge. B. 1. Hospitality sought (by shipwrecked). 2. Charity is entreated by those who have been cast off by their own people, whom they have disgraced. 3. Expiation/Atonement; Seeking of Pardon, healing or deliverance. 4. The surrender of a corpse, relic, item or place is solicited. C. 1. Supplication to those in power for those dear to the supplicant. 2. Supplication to a relative, on behalf of another relative. 3. Supplication to a parents lover, on that parents behalf. 2. Deliverance (Elements: a Victim, a Threat, and a Rescuer) A. The appearance of a rescuer to save the condemned. B. 1. A parent replaced upon their throne by their children. 2. A rescue by friends, or by strangers who are grateful for a past kindness, benefit, or hospitality. 3. Crime Pursued by Vengeance (Elements: an Avenger and a Criminal) A. 1. Avenging a slain parent or ancestor. 2. Avenging a slain child or descendent.
3. Avenging a slain spouse, or other life partner. 4. Avenging a dishonored child, or the attempt to dishonor. 5. Avenging a dishonored sibling, or the attempt to dishonor. 6. Avenging a dishonored spouse or partner, or the attempt to dishonor. 7. Avenging a slain or injured lover or friend. B 1. Revenge for an intentional injury or spoilation. 2. Revenge for something having been despoiled during an absence. 3. Revenge for an attempted murder. 4. Revenge for false accusations, or slander. 5. Revenge for a violation 6. Revenge for having been robbed. 7. Revenge upon a whole group, such as a sex, for the crimes and perceptions of a single member of that group. C. The Professional Pursuit of Criminals 4. Vengeance taken for kindred upon kindred (Elements: an Avenging Kinsman, a Guilty Kinsman, Remembrance of the Victim, a Relative of Both) A. A parents death avenged upon the other. B. 1. A siblings death is avenged upon their child. 2. A siblings death is avenged upon avengers child. C. A parents death is avenged upon a spouse. D. A spouses death is avenged upon a parent. 5. Pursuit (Punishment, and a Fugitive) A. 1. A fugitive is being pursued for brigandage, political offenses, etc. 2. A fugitive is being wrongly pursued for brigandage, political offenses, etc. B. A fugitive is being pursued for a wrong caused by, or done for love. C. A hero is struggling against a power. D. A pseudo-madman struggles against an Iago-like alienist.
D. 8.
The unfortunate is robbed of their only hope.
Revolt (Tyrant and Conspirator) A. 1. A conspiracy of one person. 2. A conspiracy by many people. B. 1. A revolt by one person who eventually suckers in others. 2. A revolt by many people. A Daring Enterprise (a Leader, a Goal, and an Adversary). A. 1. War 2. Preparations for war. 3. Combat B. 1. Carrying off of a desired person or object. 2. Recapture of a desired person or object. 3. Ridding oneself of an undesired person or object. C. 1. An Adventurous Expedition or Quest. 2. An Adventurous Expedition or Quest for the purpose of obtaining a desired person or object. 3. An Adventurous Expedition or Quest for the purpose of Recapturing of a desired person or object. 4. An Adventurous Expedition or Quest for the purpose of Ridding oneself of an undesired person or object. D. The Most Dangerous Game
9.
10. Abduction (an Abductor, the Abducted, a Guardian) A. The abduction of an unwilling person. B. The abduction of a willing person. C. 1. The recapture of the abducted without killing the abductor. 2. The recapture of the abducted with killing the abductor. D. 1. The recapture of a captive friend. 2. The recapture of a captive child. 3. The recapture of a soul in captivity to Error. 11. Enigma (Interrogator, Seeker, Problem) A. The search for a person who must be found upon pain of death. B. 1. A riddle to be solved upon pain of death. 2. A riddle to be solved, proposed by a desired person. C. 1. A riddle to be solved, the temptation offered with the discovery of the Name. 2. A riddle to be solved, the temptation offered with the discovery of the gender. 3. A riddle to be solved, the temptation offered with the discovery of the mental condition. 12. Obtaining (Solicitor and Adversary that is refusing, or an Arbiter and Opposing Parties) A. An effort to obtain the goal by ruse or force. B. An effort to obtain the goal by persuasive eloquence. C. An effort to obtain the goal by persuasive eloquence via arbitration. 13. Enmity of Kinsmen (a Malevolent Kinsman, a Hated or reciprocally Hating Kinsman)
6. Disaster (The Vanquished, The Victor or a Messenger) A. 1. A defeat suffered. 2. A Homeland is destroyed or invaded. 3. The Fall of Humanity/End of the World. 4. A natural disaster or shipwreck. B. A Monarch is Overthrown C. 1. An ingratitude is suffered. 2. The suffering of unjust punishment or enmity. 3. An outrage is suffered. D. 1. Abandonment by a lover or a husband. 2. Children are lost by their parents. 7. Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune (the Unfortunate, the Misfortune or Master) A. An innocent is made the victim of ambitious intrigue. B. An innocent is despoiled by one sworn to protect them. C. 1. A powerful person is dispossessed and wretched. 2. A favorite or intimate companion finds that they have been forgotten.
A.
B.
C. D.
E.
Hatred of siblings 1. One sibling hated by several. 2. Reciprocal hatred. 3. Hatred for reasons of self interest. Hatred of parent and child. 1. Child for the Parent. 2. Mutual Hatred. 3. Cross Gender hatred parent/child. Hatred of Grandparent for Grandchild. Hatred of In-law for Child-in-law. 1. Hatred of In-law for Child-in-law, same sex. 2. Mutual Hatred. 3. Cross Gender hatred of In-law for Child-in-law. 1. Infanticide. 2. Child abuse.
A. The discovery that one has married ones parent. B. 1. The discovery that one has had a sibling as a lover, or has married a sibling. 2. The discovery that one has had a sibling as a lover, or has married a sibling, and the crime was villainously planned by a third person. 3. The discovery that one was about to take a sibling as a lover. C. Being upon the point of violating, unknowingly, on of ones own children. D. 1. Being upon the point of committing adultery unknowingly. 2. Committing adultery unknowingly. 19. Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognized (Slayer, Kinsman) A. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly. 1. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly, by command of a divinity or oracle. 2. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly through political necessity. 3. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly, through a rivalry in love. 4. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly, through hatred of the childs lover. 5. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly, through Machiavellian instigation and manipulations. 6. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly, in anger. 7. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly, in vengeance. 8. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly, having been provoked to do so. 9. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying ones own child unknowingly, through professional duty. B. Slaying, or being upon the point of slaying a sibling unknowingly. C. Slaying a parent unknowingly D. Slaying a grandparent unknowingly. E. Slaying a parent-in-law unknowingly. F. Slaying a lover unknowingly. G. Failure to rescue ones own child. H. Failure to rescue ones own parent. I. Failure to rescue ones own sibling. J. Failure to rescue ones own grandparent. K . Failure to rescue ones own parent-in-law. L. Failure to rescue ones own lover. 20. Self-Sacrificing for an Ideal (Hero, Ideal, the Creditor or the person or thing sacrificed) A. Sacrifice of Life. 1. Sacrifice of life for the sake of ones word, or Honor. 2. Sacrifice of life for the success of ones people. 3. Sacrifice of life for the happiness of ones people.
14. Rivalry of Kinsmen (Preferred Kinsman, Rejected Kinsman, the Object) A. 1. Malicious rivalry of a sibling. 2. Malicious rivalry of two siblings. 3. Rivalry of two siblings, with adultery on the part of one. B. 1. Rivalry of a parent and a child for the same unmarried person. 2. Rivalry of a parent and a child for the same married person. 3. Rivalry of a parent and a child for the same married person (who is the spouse of the parent). C. Rivalry of two cousins. D. Rivalry of two friends, 15. Murderous Adultery (Two Adulterers; a Betrayed Spouse) A. The slaying of a spouse by, or for, a paramour. B. The slaying of a trusting lover. C. The slaying of a trysting lover. 16. Madness (A Madman and a Victim) A. Murder done in madness. 1. Kinsman slain. 2. Lover slain. 3. Friend slain. 4. Slaying or injury of a person not hated, or innocent bystander. B. Disgrace brought upon oneself through madness. C. Loss of loved ones brought about by madness. D. Madness brought on by fear of hereditary flaw. 17. Fatal Imprudence (the Imprudent; the Victim or Object lost) A. 1. Imprudence the cause of ones own misfortune. 2. Imprudence the cause of ones own dishonor. B. 1. Curiosity the cause of ones own misfortune. 2. The loss of a possession of a loved one through curiosity. C. 1. Curiosity is the cause of the death or misfortune or death to others. 2. Imprudence is the cause of a relatives death. 3. Imprudence is the cause of a lovers death. 4. Credulity is the cause of a kinsmans death. 5. Imprudence is the cause of the death of innocents. 18. Involuntary Crimes of Love (the Lover, the Beloved, the Revealer)
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4. Sacrifice of life in filial piety. 5. Sacrifice of life for the sake of ones faith. 6. Sacrifice of life for the sake of ones ruler or country. 7. Sacrifice of life out of duty. B. Sacrifice of both life and love. C. Sacrifice of Love. D. Sacrifice of Well being. E. Sacrifice of honor. 21. Self Sacrificing for Kindred (Hero, Kinsman, the Creditor or the person or thing sacrificed) A. Life sacrificed. 1. For the life of a relative or loved one. 2. For the happiness of a relative or loved one. 3 Sacrifice due to unjust laws. B. Ambition sacrificed. C. Happiness sacrificed. D. Modesty sacrificed. E. Honor sacrificed. 22. All Sacrificed for a Passion (The Lover, The Object of the Fatal Passion, the Creditor or the person or thing sacrificed) A. Vows broken. 1. Vows of Chastity. 2. Vows of Purity. B. Ruination. 1. Loss of respect for a Priest. 2. Future ruined. 3. Power ruined. 4. Health, Mind and Life ruined. 5. Fortunes, lives, honors ruined. C. Temptations destroying the sense of duty, of pity, etc. 1. An erotic vice. 2. Some other vice. 23. The Necessity of Sacrificing or Contending With Loved Ones (Hero, Beloved Victim, Necessity of the Sacrifice) A. Sacrificing a child. 1. In the Public Interest 2. In fulfillment of a Vow to God. 3. Unknown to others, under pressure of necessity, 4. For their own good. B. Sacrificing ones parent. C. Sacrificing ones spouse. D. Sacrificing ones child-in-law. E. Sacrificing ones sibling. F. Sacrificing ones friend. G. Sacrificing ones Living God for the good of the Land. 24. Rivalry of a Superior and an Inferior (Superior Rival, Inferior Rival, Object of Rivalry) A. Masculine rivalries 1. Of a mortal and immortal. 2. Of two divinities of unequal power. 3. Of a magician and an ordinary human. 4. Of a conqueror and a rival. 5. Of victor and vanquished 6. Of a master and a banished person.
7. Of a suzerain ruler and vassal rulers. 8. Of a ruler and a noble. 9. Of a powerful person and an upstart. 10. Of rich and poor. 11. Of an honored person and a suspected person. 12. Of two who are almost equals. 13. Of two who are equals, one of whom has, in the past, been guilty of adultery. 14. Of one who is loved, and one who has no right to love. 15. Of the two successive spouses of a single person. B. Feminine rivalries. 1. Of a magician and an ordinary human. 2. Of a ruler and a subject. 3. Of a ruler and a slave. 4. Of an employer and a servant. 5. Of a person and a person of more humble means. 6. Of a person, and two others of more humble station. 7. Of two who are almost equals, complicated by the abandonment of one. 8. Rivalry between a memory or ideal of a superior, and a vassal. 9. Of a mortal and immortal. C. Double Rivalry (A loves B who loves C who loves D who may or may not love A) D. Oriental Rivalry 1. Rivalry of two immortals. 2. Of two mortals. 3. Of two lawful spouses. 25. Adultery (the Deceived person, two adulterers) A. A lover betrayed. 1. For a new lover. 2. For the spouse. 3. For a child. B. A spouse betrayed. 1. For a slave that does not love in return. 2. For debauchery. 3. For someone elses spouse. 4. With the intention of bigamy. 5. For a young lover that does not love in return. 6. The spouse is envied by the young lover. 7. By a courtesan. 8. A rivalry between a lawful spouse that is antipathetic and a lover that is congenial. 9. Between a generous spouse and an impassioned lover C. A spouse misplaced. 1. An antagonistic spouse tossed over for a congenial lover. 2. A spouse, believed to be lost, is forgotten by a rival. 3. A commonplace spouse is sacrificed for a sympathetic lover. 4. A good spouse is betrayed for an inferior lover. 5. A good spouse is betrayed for a grotesque lover. 6. A good spouse is betrayed for an odious lover. 7. A good spouse is betrayed for a commonplace rival, by a perverse betrayer.
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8. A good spouse is betrayed for a lover that is less than attractive, but still useful. D. 1. Vengeance of a deceived spouse. 2. Jealousy is sacrificed for the sake of a cause. E. A spouse is persecuted by a rejected rival. F. A spouse is persecuted by a rejected lover. 26. Crimes of Love (the Lover; the Beloved) A. Parent/Child 1. A parent in love with their child. 2. A child in love with its parent. 3. The violation of a child by its parent. B. Stepparent/Stepchild 1. A stepparent in love with their stepchild. 2. A stepchild in love with its stepparent. 3. The violation of a stepchild by its stepparent. 4. A stepparent being the lover of both a parent and a child, all of whom are aware of the situation. C. 1. A person involved with their sibling-in-law 2. Two siblings in love with each other. D. Same sex relationships. 1. Adult-Adult 2. Adult-Child E. Human/Animal relationships. F. The sexual abuse of small children. 27. Discovery of the dishonor of a loved one (the Discoverer; the Guilty party) A. Discovery of a family members shame 1. Mother 2. Father 3. Sister 4. Brother B. 1. Discovery of a dishonor in the family of ones own fiance. 2. Discovery that ones spouse was violated before the marriage. 3. Discovery that ones spouse has been violated since the marriage. 4. Discovery that ones spouse has previously committed an error. 5. Discovery that ones spouse had previously been a prostitute. 6. Discovery that ones lover or wife, formerly a prostitute, has returned to their former life. 7. Discovery of a dishonor on the part of a lover. 8. Discovery that ones lover or wife is a person of bad character. 9. Discovery that ones ruler is a person of bad character. C. Discovery that ones child is an assassin. D. Discovery and duty to punish. 1. Punishing a child that has turned traitor to their country. 2. Punishing a sibling who is a traitor to the party. 3. Punishing a child under a law the parent has made. 4. Punishing a child believed to be guilty. 5. Duty of killing, to fulfill a vow, a parent previously unknown. 6. Duty of punishing a kinsman that is an assassin.
7. Duty of punishing a parent to avenge the other parent. 28. Obstacles to Love (Two Lovers, an Obstacle) A. Marriage prevented by inequality. 1. Marriage prevented by an inequality of rank. 2. Marriage prevented by an inequality of fortune. B. Marriage prevented by enemies and contingent obstacles. C. Marriage forbidden 1. Marriage forbidden due to a previous betrothal to another. 2. Marriage forbidden due to a previous betrothal to another, complicated by a false or imaginary marriage. 3. Marriage forbidden due to a previous marriage to another. D. Family as Obstacles. 1. A free union impeded by the opposition of relatives. 2. Family affection disturbed by parents-in-law. E. Incompatibility of the tempers of the lovers. F. Love. G. Promiscuity. 29. An Enemy Loved (the Beloved Enemy, the Lover, the Hater) A. Loved one hated by the kinsmen of the lover. 1. Lover pursued by siblings of the beloved. 2. Lover hated by the family of the beloved. 3. Lover is the child of a person hated by the kinsmen of the lover. 4. Lover is an enemy of the Party/Nation of the beloved. B. Loved one is involved with a significant death. 1. Lover slew the parent of the beloved. 2. The beloved slew the parent of the lover. 3. Lover slew the sibling or other kinsman of the beloved. 4. The beloved slew the sibling or other kinsman of the lover. 5. Lover slew the spouse of the beloved. 6. The beloved slew the spouse of the lover. 7. The beloved slew the spouse of the lover, and there is a vow of vengeance involved. 8. Lover slew the previous lover of the beloved. 9. The beloved slew the previous lover of the lover. 10. The beloved slew the previous lover of the lover, and there is a vow of vengeance involved. 11. The beloved is the child of the slayer of the lovers parent. 30. Ambition (the Ambitious person, the Thing Coveted, an Adversary) A. Ambition watched and guarded against by a kinsman or patriot friend. 1. By a brother 2. By a relative or a person under obligation. 3. By Partisans. B. Rebellious ambition. C. Criminal ambition.
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1. Ambition and covetousness heaping up crime after crime. 2. Parricidal ambition. 31. Conflict With a God (a Mortal; and Immortal) A. 1. Struggle against a deity. 2. Strife with the believers of a deity. B. 1. Controversy with a deity. 2. Punishment for contempt of a deity. 3. Punishment for pride before a deity. 4. Presumptuous rivalry with a deity. 5. Imprudent rivalry with a deity. 32. Mistaken jealousy (the Jealous Person, the Object for which they are Jealous, the Supposed Accomplice, the Cause or Author of the Mistake) A. 1. The mistake originates in the suspicious mind of the jealous one. 2. The mistaken jealousy is aroused by bad luck or timing. 3. The mistaken jealousy is aroused by a love that is purely Platonic. 4. The mistaken jealousy is aroused by malicious rumors. B. 1. Jealousy is suggested by a traitor who is moved by hatred. 2. Jealousy is suggested by a traitor who is moved by self interest. 3. Jealousy is suggested by a traitor who is moved by their own jealousy as well as self interest. C. 1. Reciprocal jealousy suggested to both parties by a rival. 2. Jealousy suggested to a spouse by a dismissed suitor. 3. Jealousy suggested to a spouse by a scorned rival. 4. Jealousy suggested to a spouse by a person in love with them. 5. Jealousy suggested to a happy lover by the deceived spouse. 33. Erroneous Judgement (the Mistaken One, the Victim of the Mistake, the Cause or Author of the Mistake, the Guilty Person) A. 1. False suspicion where faith is needed. 2. False suspicion of a lover (although the suspicion is not without reason) 3. False suspicions aroused by a misunderstood attitude of a loved one. 4. False suspicions aroused by indifference. B. 1. False suspicions drawn upon oneself to save a friend. 2. They fall upon the innocent. 3. They fall upon the innocent spouse of the guilty one. 4. They fall upon the innocent, where the innocent had a guilty intent. 5. They fall upon the innocent, where the innocent had a guilty intent, and believes self to be guilty. 6. A witness to the crime, in the interest of a loved one, allows the suspicion to fall upon an innocent.
C. 1. The accusation is allowed to fall upon an enemy. 2. The error is provoked by an enemy. 3. The error is directed against the victim by their sibling. D. 1. False suspicion is thrown upon by the real culprit upon an enemy. 2. False suspicion is thrown upon by the real culprit upon the second victim against whom they have plotted from the beginning. 3. False suspicion is thrown upon a rival. 4. False suspicion is thrown upon an innocent, because they refused to be an accomplice. 5. False suspicion is thrown by a deserted lover upon the beloved that left since the beloved would not deceive the lovers spouse. 6. There is a struggle to rehabilitate oneself and to avenge a judicial error that was purposely caused. 34. Remorse (the Culprit, the Victim or the Sin, the Interrogator) A. 1. Remorse for an unknown crime. 2. Remorse for a parricide. 3. Remorse for an assassination. 4. Remorse for a marricide. B. 1. Remorse for a fault of love. 2. Remorse for an adultery. 35. Recovery of a lost one (the Seeker, the One Found) 36. Loss of Loved Ones (a Kinsman slain, a Kinsman spectator, an Executioner) A. 1. Witnessing the slaying of a Kinsman, while powerless to prevent it. 2. Helping to bring misfortune upon ones people through professional secrecy. B. Divining the death of a kinsman. C. Learning of the death of a kinsman or ally. D. Relapse into primitive baseness, through despair on learning of the loss of a kinsman.
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What is P.L.U.S. and what is its purpose?

What is P.L.U.S. and what is its purpose?

How does character generation work in P.L.U.S.?

How does character generation work in P.L.U.S.?

PLAYERS LABOR-SAVING UTILITY SYSTEM

FIFTH EDITION BASIC RULES

P.L.U.S September 1996

P.L.U.S September 1996

Introduction To Fifth Edition

P.L.U.S September 1996

What You Need To Play

How To Use Dice In P.L.U.S

P.L.U.S September 1996

Bonuses And Penalties

P.L.U.S September 1996

If You Only Have One Die to roll

Generation And Dice Distribution

P.L.U.S September 1996

Table 1 - Age Key To Distribution Dice

SPECIALTIES GIVEN1 CAREER-1

STARTING MONEY (Modern )

+5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12 +12 +13

Table 2 - Higher Game Levels And Bonuses Professional

P.L.U.S September 1996

Increasing Game Power Levels

P.L.U.S September 1996

P.L.U.S September 1996

P.L.U.S September 1996

Cultural Skills (continued)

P.L.U.S September 1996

Weapons AS Benefits from Careers

Cultural Skills (continued)

P.L.U.S September 1996

CAREER UNSKILLED LABOR SKILLED LABOR FOOD SERVICE

UNSKILLED CLERICAL 2 SKILLED CLERICAL APPRENTICE TRADE 2.5 2

* subject to Gamemaster approval

13-18 10-12 6-9 3-5

P.L.U.S September 1996

4-or less 5-6 7-11 12-14 15-20

5 or less 6-8 9-13 14-19 20-25

6 or less 7-10 11-17 18-24 25-32

4 5-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14 15-16 17-18 19-20 21-22 23-24

5 6-8 9-12 13-14 15 16-18 19-20 21-22 23-24 25-27 28-30

P.L.U.S September 1996

P.L.U.S September 1996

$200 $ 20 $ 35 $ 50 $ 50 $ 75 $150 $250 $350

P.L.U.S September 1996

Club Points * War Club Points * Mace Morning Star

Bludgeon Puncture Bludgeon Puncture Bludgeon Puncture

* Staff of weapon can be used as small club.

** Thrown objects are multiplied by Strength, measured 1d6 yards.

Firearms If weapon is used as a club. Bullets cause main damage.

P.L.U.S September 1996

Successful Armor Roll Additional Reduction

Armor Types and Coverage

F F n+a TAHL L TA TAHL T S LTA STAHL T AT L S STAHL

S F F L TA HL T S SHTHAL S SHTA LHTA LHTA L

* Coverage code:A = Arms, F = Feet, H=Hips, L=Legs, S=Skull, T=Trunk

P.L.U.S September 1996

BLACK IN SQUARES TO SHOW THE NUMBER OF DICE TO BE ROLLED

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _____________

_______________________________________ _ _________________________________________

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) _

AGE ___ Years = _ Careers