five by five 2 .5 (print)

8/6/2019 Five by Five 2 .5 (Print)

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Five by Five(fv-b-fv)adj.

1. In radio communication on a scale of 1 to 5measuring signal strength and clarity, "Five byFive" indicates the best possible strength andclarity of signal.

2. Condition or state of being the best it canbe; perfect. (slang)

3. An original game system and RPG Toolkit byJeff Moore.

Table of Contents

Role-playing................................................................................1Character Creation....................................................................1Task Resolution..........................................................................2Six is Trump!................................................................................2The 5x5 Roll................................................................................2

Special Values (0 and 5)..........................................................3Descriptor Values......................................................................3Rank Shifts..................................................................................3Rolling Doubles..........................................................................3Experience and Advancement................................................4XP Awards...................................................................................4Combat........................................................................................4Turn Order..................................................................................4Stealing Initiative.......................................................................4Making an Attack.......................................................................4Dodging an Attack.....................................................................5Taking Damage..........................................................................5Trump Damage..........................................................................5Healing........................................................................................5

Harming (failed heal checks)...................................................5Weapons and Armor.................................................................5Exclusive Actions.......................................................................6Running the Game.....................................................................7Optional Rule: Advanced Descriptors....................................7Rank Shift Table (Complete)....................................................7Magic Spells and Super Powers..............................................7Optional Rule: Aspects.............................................................8

Role-playing

The radio analogy is a good one when trying toconceptualize a role-playing game. Role-playing is a lot like the old time radio adventureserials that people listened to in the daysbefore television. In a radio drama, all theaction was spoken or described and the

visualization of the action took place in theimaginations of the actors and the audience.

In a role-playing game, the players are bothactors and audience. The acting isimprovisational, a player doesn't know whatthey are going to say or do before it happens.

One special player called the Game Manager(or GM) helps to control the flow of theimprovisations by providing impetus andsituations for the other players. By reacting tothe situations presented by the GM, the playersand the GM work together to forge anadventure story.

Character Creation

Each player (who is not the GM) will need tocreate a character to represent their role in theadventure story. This character is an adventurehero appropriate to the setting and the type ofadventure story that your gaming groupwishes to experience.

Making a character is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1) Discuss the setting and the story back-dropwith the GM as well as the kind of charactersthat might live in such a world.

2) Decide what sort of character you want toportray in this setting and define five thingsabout the character. These five things arecalled Descriptors.

Descriptors are things like skills and talentsthat detail what the character is good at doingand help to define the character's role in theupcoming adventure.

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Ordinary things average skills that yourcharacter does just as well as the next guy,have no place on a Five by Five character sheet.Everything average and ordinary is given adefault value of 0 (untrained) and doesn't needto be further defined. It's only the exceptionaland important things that we care about here.

In addition to the five descriptors that theychoose for their characters, every character isassigned one additional descriptor: Hit Points(HP).

HP is the amount of damage or life loss that acharacter can suffer before being in danger ofdying.

3) Arrange your six Descriptors (including HP)from the most important to the leastimportant for your character.

The Descriptor that you decide is mostimportant for your character has a value of 6.

The next two Descriptors have a value of 4.

The next two Descriptors have a value of 2.

Your final Descriptor has a value of 5.

For your HP, add 10 to the value listed above.

(Setting HP as your least important descriptorwill give you only 5 HP and produce a veryfragile character.)

Completing Character Creation

Following the steps above you can create anycharacter for any adventure game setting inminutes.

All that remains is to give your new character aname, and outfit them with some startingequipment and you are ready for adventure!

Task Resolution

Task resolution is done by rolling dice andcomparing the result to the value of adescriptor that is most relevant to the task.

Roll 2 six sided dice. Multiply the two dicetogether. Example: a roll of [2] and [5] on two

dice will produce a result of 10.

If this result is equal to or less than the value ofthe descriptor related to the task, the task iscompleted successfully.

Six is Trump!

6's (sixes) are trump! They override the value ofyour roll and always indicate success! As youroll 2 dice to attempt an action, if either one ofthe dice rolled show a [6], don't bother tomultiply the dice together. The result of theroll is trumped by the [6] and the action beingattempted is automatically successful.

Example:

Larry is rolling to impress his date with hiscooking. He rolls against his Amateur Chefdescriptor which has a value of 4. Rolling hegets a [2] and [6] which when multipliedtogether equals 12.

12 is higher than Larry's descriptor value of 4which would normally indicate a failed actioncheck, however, because one of the two dicerolled shows a [6] the result of the roll istrumped. This means that the result of the rollis ignored and the action automaticallysucceeds.

The 5x5 Roll

Hereafter task rolls are referred to as 5x5 (Five-by-five) rolls because the highest value thatyou can roll (discounting trumps) is 5x5.

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Special Values

Five by Five Descriptors reference a few specialvalues. These values are significant because it isnot possible to produce their value or less witha 5x5 task roll. The values are 0 (untrained) and5 (poor).

0 (untrained)

Anything that a character wants to do thatdoes not relate back to a descriptor on thecharacter's record sheet is considereduntrained and average. Every undefined taskis tested against a value of 0 (untrained).

It is not possible to roll 0 or less on a 5x5 taskroll. However, because of the trump rule,success is still possible. To succeed at anuntrained task the player makes a 5x5 task rolland must roll a [6] (trump) on at least one ofthe dice.

5 (poor)

One of the character's descriptors has a valueof 5 (poor). A character's poor descriptor ishalf as likely as an untrained task to succeed.

When considering the 5 value in relation tothe 5x5 dice roll, read it as, roll one less 5.That is, roll one less die.

To test an action with a 5 (poor) descriptor,roll on only 1d6.

For the task to succeed, this die must come uptrump [6].

Descriptor Values

Descriptor values are 5, 0, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 16.Starting characters will not have any valuehigher than 6. But, values can be improvedthough the course of play. Below is a closerlook at the chance of successfully performing atask using a descriptor of a given value.

5 (poor) roll a 6 on one die1 in 6 chance 15% (16.67 actual)

0 (untrained) roll a 6 on either of two dice11 in 36 chance 30% (30.56 actual)

2 (novice) roll a 2 or less (or trump) on 5x514 in 36 chance 40% (38.89 actual)

4 (competent) a 4 or less (or trump) on 5x519 in 36 chance 50% (52.78 actual)

6 (skilled) a 6 or less (or trump) on 5x523 in 36 chance 60% (63.89 actual)

9 (expert) a 9 or less (or trump) on 5x526 in 36 chance 70% (72.22 actual)

12 (master) a 12 or less (or trump) on 5x530 in 36 chance 80% (83.33 actual)

16 (legendary) a 16 or less (or trump) on 5x533 in 36 chance 90% (91.67 actual)

Rank Shifts

The GM should feel free to give a character atemporary boost in a descriptor's value beforethey attempt a task that's particularly easy, orto penalize a character with a temporaryreduction of a descriptor's value for a taskthat's especially difficult.

Improvements or reductions of this nature arecalled Rank Shifts. The amount of each shiftneeds to match the Descriptor value ranges of:5, 0, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 16.

Rolling Doubles

Anyone who rolls doubles during a 5x5 check receives aDoubles Token. (Use a coin or similar small object).

Before attempting any roll for which the trump rule canbe applied (5x5, damage or healing) the doubles tokencan be exchanged to give that roll a double chance attrump!

This roll now receives the trump benefit on both [5] and[6]!

Each player (including the GM) can possess no more thanone Doubles token at a time.

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Experience and Advancement

As players portray the same characters fromgame session to game session, the GM awardsthe players with Experience Points (XP). Playersuse XP like money to purchase improvementsfor their characters.

To improve a Descriptor from its current valueto the value of the next higher rank costs anumber of XP equal to the value of the newrank.

For example: to add a new Descriptor with avalue of 2 costs 2 XP; to improve a Descriptorwith a value of 2 to a value of 4 costs anadditional 4 XP; etc.

Master and legendary Descriptor ranks (12 and16) should be rare. A character cannot havemore than 2 Descriptors with a value of 12 andmay have only 1 Descriptor with a value of 16.

Players cannot improve their poor (5)Descriptor, but they can remove a poorDescriptor from their character sheet bytrading it for a different poor Descriptor.

Role play should be involved in overcomingone weakness and in gaining a new one. Suchan exchange needs to be approved by the GMand costs 5 XP.

When improving HP remember that HP =Descriptor value + 10, so reduce HP by 10before determining the cost to improve it.

XP Awards

Each game session that a player attends andplays their character is worth 1 XP for theircharacter.

Optionally the GM may award players anadditional XP for a particularly difficult gamesession or for reaching the end of a long storyarch that spanned several game sessions.

Combat

Participants in a combat are divided into sides.All GM controlled characters comprise oneside, while the individual characters controlledby the players comprise the other side.

Turn Order

Normally the players take their turns after allcharacters on the GM's side have taken action.

Standard Turn Order is:

GM controlled characters go first.Player Characters go second.

However, particularly skilled or lucky characterscan sometimes slip in front of the GM and taketheir turn first. This is called stealinginitiative.

Stealing Initiative

At the beginning of combat before the GM'sside takes a turn, each player rolls to stealinitiative. This is a5x5 task roll and its successor failure is determined like any other test.

A player who successfully steals initiative actsbefore the GM takes a turn.

The combat sequence becomes:

Player Characters that steal initiative go first.GM controlled characters go second.Remaining Player Characters go third.

Making an Attack

Attacking requires a roll to Hit the target.This is a 5x5 task roll. If successful, the target ishit, but may have the opportunity to Dodge.

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Dodging an Attack

Once per round a character can make a skilltest to try to Dodge a successful attack againstthem. As this can only be tried once each roundof combat, a character who is out-numberedwill be at a great disadvantage. If the Dodgetest is successful the attack is negated,

otherwise, the target of the attack suffersdamage.

Taking Damage

When hit by a successful attack, the targetsuffers base damage of 1d6.

Weapons have a Damage Bonus (DB) that canincrease base damage and adds to the 1d6 dieroll, while armor has an Armor Value (AV) whichwill reduce the total damage dealt.

Damage = 1d6 + DB of Attacking Weapon AV of Defending Armor.

Damage and Trump

If the damage die comes up trump [6], roll thedie again and increase the damage bonus by+5. Consecutive trump rolls are cumulative. So,if the second roll is also trump, roll again, thistime adding +10 to the final roll result, etc.

Healing

A Wounded character can benefit from healingskill checks. As many healing skill checks can bemade to restore a character to health asneeded, but each failed check reduces acharacter's HP further.

On a successful Healing skill check the objectof the check recovers 1d6 lost HP. This roll issubject to the trump rule like a Damage roll so,if you roll trump [6] on the healing die, rollagain and add +5, etc.

All characters regain 1 HP a day through naturalrecovery.

Harming

Failed Healing Checks

If a Healing check fails, the target is harmedinstead, and looses 1d2 HP. (roll 1d6 : 1-3 = 1,and 4-6 = 2.)

Harming is also subject to trump. If you roll a[6] you must roll again. However, only increaseyour result by +2 for each trump rolled ratherthan the normal +5.

At 0 HP a character is unconscious but stable.

At -1 to -9 HP the character is dying. A dyingcharacter looses 1 HP every (10 + current HP) inminutes until they die or receive healing.

Example: A character with -1 HP will be at -2 HPin 9 minutes. At -9 HP the character has only 1minute left to live.

At -10 HP a character is dead.

Weapons

Apply a Weapon's Damage Bonus (DB) eachtime you inflict damage with the weapon.

DB 0 No Weapon (untrained fist)

DB 1 Improvised Weapons (bottle, barstool,rock)

DB 2 Light Weapons (knife, black jack, smallhand gun, trained fist)

DB 3 Medium Weapons (short-sword, mace,medium hand gun, light rifle)

DB 4 Large Weapons (bastard sword, warhammer, large hand gun, medium rifle)

DB 5 Massive Weapons (claymore, battleaxe, heavy rifle)

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Armor

Armor reduces the DAMAGE from attacks by itsArmor Value (AV).

AV 0 Scant or no clothes (boxers, lingerie)

AV -1 Light Clothes (short sleeved shirt and

slacks, a summer dress)

AV -2 Medium clothes (3 piece suit, autumnwear with light jacket)

AV -3 Heavy clothes (winter wear with heavycoat, soft leather)

AV -4 Light Armor (studded or hard leatherarmor)

AV -5 Medium Armor (chain or light plate)

AV -6 Heavy Armor (heavy plate)

Shields and off-hand daggers don't improve acharacter's AV, but grant the character oneadditional Dodge attempt each round. Thisallows the character to Dodge up to twoattacks per round instead of the usual one.

Exclusive Actions

Some Descriptors improve the chance ofsuccess when dealing with game systemspecific tasks. These tasks generally focus oncombat and are considered: Exclusive Actions.

A Descriptor cannot be defined that improvesthe ability of more than one ExclusiveAction. For example, Uncanny Reflexes couldarguably be used to improve a character'sattack, their dodge, and their steal initiative.

That makes Uncanny Reflexes too powerful.

The GM should require the player to narrowthe Descriptor by specifically defining whichexclusive action Uncanny Reflexes is meant

to improve. The player might then decide thathis Uncanny Reflexes ability specificallyimproves his ability to Dodge.

Uncanny Reflexes can still be applied to agreat many non-exclusive tasks (tasks outsideof combat), but in combat, it is used to Dodge.

Exclusive Action List

Attack:

This is the action a player declares to have theircharacter hit an enemy in combat.

Descriptors to improve a character's attackaction could include: Brawler, Hand Gun, etc.

Dodge:

This is the action a player declares after beingthe successful target of an attack to eliminatethe attack and avoid taking the damage.

Descriptors to improve a character's dodgeaction could include: Danger Sense, UncannyReflexes, etc.

Healing:

This action is used to help a character torecover lost health.

Descriptors to improve a character's healingaction could include: First Aid, Paramedic, etc.

Steal Initiative:

This action is used to steal initiative duringcombat enabling characters to act before theirenemies.

Descriptors to improve a character's stealinitiative action could include: Alertness,Combat Tactics, etc.

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Running the Game

Descriptors are the bread and butter of thisgame system: decide what Descriptor is bestsuited to an action. Roll the value of thatDescriptor or less to succeed.

It's a simple system, but it's one that can be

easily abused. Descriptors that are too generaland might be applied to many types of tasksare to be discouraged.

The GM should nix descriptors like: Jack of alltrades, or Omniscient. If a player pickssomething like this, the GM should try to offeralternatives that narrow things down a bit ...perhaps Handy-man instead of Jack of allTrades, or Scholar in place of Omniscient.

Feel free to experiment and don't be afraid tomake mistakes. If you decide after play hascommenced that a Trait is too powerful, talk itover as a group.

The point of this game is to facilitateeveryone's enjoyment, but not to make thingstoo easy. Part of being heroic and in tellingheroic stories is being able to solve problemsbigger than yourself.

Also, if a player has chosen a trait that is simplytoo specific, or never gets brought into play,allow them to exchange it for something thatthey will be able to use more often.

Optional Rule: Advanced Descriptors

So far the Descriptors discussed in the rulesshould be considered Basic Descriptors. Therules specify that anything not defined on yourcharacter sheet has a value of 0 (untrained) andshould be considered average. Average(untrained) things can be accomplished withabout the same degree of success foreveryone. Roll 2d6 and if you get a trump, yousucceed. This is used for everything fromclimbing a tree or driving a car to firing a gun.

What about something that the averageperson has no chance to do successfully, suchas brain surgery?

Under these optional rules, brain surgeonwould be an Advanced Descriptor.

Advanced Descriptors have a mandatory 2

Rank shift applied to their use.

Rank Shift Table (complete)

- 5 0 2 4 6 9 12 16 20 25

0% 15% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 95% 100%

A rank 2 (novice) brain surgeon would have toroll to successfully perform surgery as if he hadthe Descriptor at rank 5 poor.

A rank 0 (untrained) average man off the streethas no chance to perform brain surgery at all.

Advanced Descriptors do not cap at rank 16and can be advanced with XP up to rank 25.

Even with a rank 25 in Brain Surgery, the playerstill rolls a 16 or less for success. Regardless ofDescriptor Rank, any task for which the GMrequests a 5x5 roll has a maximum chance ofsuccess of 16 or less.

Magic Spells and Super Powers

If the world setting and the GM allow them,descriptors that define special abilities, likesuper powers or the ability to cast magicalspells, should be defined as AdvancedDescriptors. (Unless the world setting is suchthat everyone can cast spells or has superpowers).

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Optional Rule: ASPECTS

Aspects are Super Descriptors that effecteverything a character does. These are broadstrokes like how smart, strong or agile acharacter is. Aspects serve to complimentexisting descriptors as well as help to createdistinctions between untrained descriptors so

that every character won't approach everyuntrained task in exactly the same way.

The four Aspects are:

AGILITYThe ability to control ones own body. Acharacter's manual dexterity, coordination, andgrace are all defined by this aspect.

BRAWNThe ability to exert force on and impactmaterial things. A character's strength, muscle,and girth are all defined by this aspect.

COGNITIONPerception and the ability to process thatwhich is perceived. A character's alertness,intelligence, and memory are all defined by thisaspect.

DETERMINATIONMental and emotional control. A character'swillpower, discipline, and confidence are alldefined by this aspect.

By default each of the four Aspects have arating of AVERAGE.

Like Untrained, an Aspect that is AVERAGEdefines something that is normal and has noimpact on game play.

If playing Five by Five without the Aspectsoption, one could assume that all characterspossessed a rating of AVERAGE in all Aspects.

At character creation, a player can choose toreduce the rating of one or more Aspects toimprove the rating of another Aspect. AspectRatings are:

INFERIOR(an AVERAGE Aspect reduced one step)

AVERAGE(beginning value of all Aspects)

SUPERIOR(an AVERAGE Aspect increased one step)

a player must reduce the rating of oneAspect to INFERIOR in order to increaseanother Aspect to SUPERIOR.

In addition to associating an action to aDescriptor, all actions will also be associated toone of the four Aspects.

Action Resolution Becomes:

Decide which Descriptor applies to the actionat hand.

Use this to determine the character's basechance of success.

Now decide which of the four Aspects theaction is based on.

If this Aspect has a rating of AVERAGE,complete the task normally.

If this Aspect has a rating of SUPERIOR, apply apositive rank shift bonus to the Descriptorvalue before resolving the action.

If this Aspect has a rating of INFERIOR, apply anegative rank shift penalty to the Descriptorvalue before resolving the action.

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five by five 2 .5 (print)

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