Thats a good roll, this would be an example of a bad roll
Thats a really bad roll. Thats all there is to doing INIT.
Physical Fighting - Karate for Rookies - So, you're ready to teach those that dare threaten you a lesson. What do you have to attack with? Well, if you're starting out, all you've got is your own two fists and your spells (more on spells later...). Attacks and other actions are put into colons like this:
It never has to be anything fancy, just so that everybody playing has some idea of what you're doing. What now, you ask? Well, now you roll to see whether you actually *hit* whatever it is you're swinging at. This is accomplished through rolling a 2d20 (two, 20-sided dice). Why two and not three or one? Well, you've got two fists, don't you? ^.^ You must get higher than a certain number (determined by the DM beforehand through a lot of dice-rolling and complex calculations that I couldn't begin to explain) to have your fists connect with whatever it is you're fighting. Generally (through experience...), I've found that anything higher than 14 hits and anything lower than 13 doesn't (13 is in that grey area that depends on what you're fighting....). If both of the numbers are higher than 14, then you hit with both fists. If only one is larger and the other smaller, you hit with one. And if they're both less, then neither of them hit. A small note, if you get extremely low numbers on your 2d20, you run the risk of falling on your face or accidently hitting those near you...
Notes: Well Patti, that isnt all ways true about the dice, but remember that you got the only 20 20 that we have ever seen....Also to see if you hit the enemy its your THAC0 minus the enemy's AC i.e. My THAC0 16 minus a monsters AC lets say 4 i would need atleast a 12 to hit it.
Okay, you rolled. Good job. What now, you ask? You roll for damage! If you hit with both fists, you'd roll a 2d2 (two, two-sided dice). If you hit with one, you'd roll a 1d2 (one, two-sided die). And if neither hit, you skip the damage roll because you can't damage what you didn't hit ^.^
Weapons - Big-Man's Fighting - Physical fighting doesn't do much damage, so you should acquire a weapon as soon as possible. As with fists, if you've got this spiffy new weapon you're *dying* (ha ha) to try out, you must roll your die to see whether you actually *hit* something. Generally, this is done with a 1d20 (one, twenty-sided die), again aiming to get a high number (bows are the exception here, for they roll a 2d20 because they shoot twice). And as before, if you get an extremely low number here, you run the risk of either hitting yourself with your weapon or those around you. Once you determine whether you hit or not, you roll your damage dice. However, these vary from weapon to weapon, so if you want to know for sure what your damage dice is, ask the DM before the battle starts.
if you roll a 20 or a 1 while while attacking you have to roll a d100 to see special effects. if you roll a 1, its really bad and could end up breaking weapons, htting yourself and/or friends by multiplies of 1 to 3. if you roll a 20 its a critical, and you can inflict as much as 3 time normal damage. And there is a (small) change that you can insta-kill the enemy which is a 100.
Spells - Fight From Afar - What better way to *truely* feel like a senshi than to fling around the elements just like the pros? However, even magic has its limits, for you can only cast a spell so many times per day. What am I talking about? Well, perhaps the best way to explain this is to put up a sample Spell Progression Chart that everybody gets on their Character Sheets.
It looks complicated, but it really isn't. Your character level numbers are at the top (in blue), and your spell level numbers are on the side (in red). What this means is that, at level one (where everybody starts out at), you can cast only ONE level one spell (the spell you start out with depending on what senshi you are) per day (one day is one entire game). Only one. So use it wisely. But, when you get up to a level two, you can cast TWO level one spells. Following me? Good. Then, when you get up to a level three, not only can you cast two level one spells, but you can also cast a level TWO spell as well. Its all a matter of finding your character level on the very top row and following it down to see how many of what spell you can cast. The dice varies from senshi to senshi, but they should be on your character sheet.
Healing potions - a healthy investment - Sailor Saturn is *not* in every single battle, nor can she heal everybody at once. Be self-sufficient!And that's about it. Still have questions? Well then, talk to Raspberries25 (the one writing this particular article) either through E-mail or IM me if you see me on. I'll do my best to answer whatever I can. Or Scott the one with all the side notes E-Mail or IM if you see me on. =)
This goes for you too andy. CAuse you always seem to be the DM's favorite target ;)
Know your roll! - Make sure you know what to roll when before the game begins so as not to hold up a battle while the DM looks it up. The games last long enough as it is ^.^
Am I dead yet? - Keep track of your hitpoints whenever possible. It cuts down on the likelyhood that you'll be struck unconscious (you can even die if you manage to end up with -10 hitpoints...not a very pleasant option...) just when you thought you had *plenty* of hitpoints left. Not only is it an inconvenience to you, but your party may suffer because of the loss of one person.
More Notes: AND when you die you have to pay a fee to get brought back to life which is 500 yen a level i.e level 4 is 2000 yen and you either loose a point of CON or a WHOLE level, yikes!!
Follow the leader... - If you are not the leader, do not *pretend* to be the leader. Not only does this get on the nerves of the leader, but it confuses the rest. Even if you had wanted the leader role originally, be considerate and stay in the background.
Even More Notes: Yes, I really hat eit when people take over when i am leading which is just not right, don't do and you will be fine.
'I don't *care* what you ate for dinner...' - Avoid excessive chatter! The occasional snide remark is fine to keep things light in the face of certain death, but *please* keep it to a minimum. I'm just as guilty of this as the next person, so lets all do the DM a favor and say all that stuff *before* the battle starts? Not only does it distract the DM, it distracts the players, it makes you forget why you're there in the *first* place, and it detracts from the whole mood of the RP game. The DM only has so much patience, and one would do well not to test its limit.
Senshi through-and-through - Do your best to remain in-character throughout the game. I know, its harder than it sounds, but at least make an *attempt* to act like the senshi you're RPing (note I said *senshi* instead of *scouts*...that means RP like the *japanese* Sailormoon characters). Its easier for some than others, but still, make the attempt. It'll make everybody's game that much better.