⸰☽ Nightblade ☾⸰
Written and compiled by Ialluen
Intro
Nightblade Elegance is a novel roll system that features charge based mechanics as the premise for characterisation of a player’s skills. Off the back of both the mathematical redundancy of more complex systems as well as the scope of the guild (an elite cadre), combat rolls have been made flat with no per attack buff. This is to give us more space on the die as well as to simplify DM in accordance with the general assumption of a baseline character skill. After all – your character would not be here if they were not capable.
Basics
The standard roll of the system is a flat /roll20. A Nat1 will be a critical failure, and a Nat20 a splendid success if the talents do not state otherwise, or if the DM intervenes.
Talent Makeup
For this system, we have left behind the days of rank based skill – everyone now follows the same pattern which looks as follows:
2 major talents (2 charges per talent)
1 minor talent (1 charge per talent)
Talents may be picked freely, given that your character logically and established in roleplay has the skills required for it. If you are new to blessings or faith, maybe steer clear from those talents that demand such from a priestess. If you are not a grand tank, perhaps consider not picking mountain’s. When picking your talents, consider not only your own character, but others’ too. How do your character compare to others with more or less established lore and story around a skill? Be creative, but considerate.
In the future, the system will be expanded with legendary talents. These hail from the path system, and are determined in accordance with that. Every legendary has only one charge, but replenishes at the same pace as everything else. This feature is yet to be implemented, however!
Talent Useage
All talent charges must be declared and deducted -before- the roll. No reactive declaring! The exception being if you have defensive talents such as Elusiveness or Mountain’s resilience. You may only use one charge of a talent per turn unless DM states otherwise.
Offensive Example:
Nightblades go into an attack round against vile Ashenvalian spiders. Thylendra, being the sneaky rogue she is, declares “Flourish” and then rolls the dice. After that Thylendra writes up an emote in accordance with the roll result, and note down one less stack of Flourish in their TRP. The spiders surely suffered!
Defensive Example:
Falyra is the most well armoured of all Nightblades and always stands strong in the face of adversaries. As an ogre charges at her with a fearsome 16 to hit, Falyra fails her defence and only rolls an 8. Not to worry however- Falyra declares her defensive talent “Mountains Resilience”, which allows her to block the attack. A stack is deducted and the stalwart sentinel stands strong for more rounds to come!
Charges are replenished between events, unless declared by the DM.
No talent may be switched in the middle of a campaign. We do however encourage players to develop their characters and then play around with the talents that logically makes sense for them. It might be more fun than you perhaps realise.
Talents
The Nightblade Elegance system has 15 talents, written to fit both offensive, defensive and supportive playstyles. All talents are written on the same formula as follows:
– Talent name
– Flavour text
– How to use the talent
– Restriction statement
A player may pick any talent they wish for, as long as the restriction statements are a good fit, and the skills are established in RP. Please note that no talent switching is allowed unless prompted by the officer team!
Example 1:
Ialluen is a priestess of Elune, and that has gone few by. When picking talents, she looks at the statement for “Lunar Call”, which states that the talent is only available to trained priestesses. Ialluen likes what she hears and picks Lunar Call as one of her three talents.
Example 2:
Aariam is a terrific Lieutenant in many ways, but also a bit of a rascal. Looking at the talent list, Aariam thinks it would be terribly funny to pick “Grace of the Growth”, a talent used to bend nature to your will. Surely there are some nature-related puns that could benefit from that talent. Aariam is the daughter of a druid after all! Alas, the restriction statement says that the talent can only be picked by druids who frequently practice that kind of magic. Aariam will have to find another talent.
With this, we find that there are plenty of interesting synergies that arise between players, and hopefully everyone get their time to shine and their moments to make memorable emotes and efforts in events. It is a system to have fun with in all its simplicity!
Questions?
If there are any questions on the system, what talents make sense or how to play with it, get in touch with any Nightblade officer or Ialluen directly – especially the lattermost one also likes to hear feedback on the system as she is responsible for balancing. If you wish to borrow the system or base your own roll system off the Nightblade Elegance system, do get in touch!
Talents
Among the most stalwart and well-armoured fighters, you stand firm as a mountain against the enemy’s onslaught.
For every charge spent towards a failed roll in defence, you may choose to simply negate the consequences taken and any injuries thereof. A critical failure (Nat1) will however not be negligible.
This is a trait usable for those that might be better armoured than most.
Fleet-footed and graceful, you are able to dodge and evade the reach of the enemy with rapid movements.
For every charge spent towards a failed roll in defense, you may choose to reroll, even if it is a critical failure (Nat1). You have to accept the outcome of the second roll, even if it is worse than the first one.
This is a trait usable by characters who can be considered to be sneaky or more agile than most.
Bound in spirit with your animal ally, you move and fight as one – inseparable allies and true companions to the end.
For every charge spent, you may allow your pet to take an active action. The creature in question will that turn count as its own played character, and will roll and act separately from you.
This is a trait usable if your character has an established and reliable relationship to a companion creature.
Perhaps you are quick-thinking and bold, or simply born lucky; fortune seems to favour your daring initiative and improvisations.
For every charge spent, you may add +3 to whatever roll you wish in any situation. This is not stackable.
This is an unrestricted talent, and may be picked by all and everyone.
Be it with a bouncing glaive or sweeping strike, you are able to strike more than one enemy with the same blow.
For every charge spent, you may strike one more target with your next attack. The same roll is used for all targets. The targets must be close to each other.
This talent can only be picked by characters who are considered to be skilled melee fighters, using sensible weapons for the task. The ranged exception being thrown moonglaives.
Bearing the favour of the Goddess, your song and prayers carry the chime of Her divine grace to your sisters, protecting and supporting them.
For every charge spent, you may buff a fellow character! It can be either shielding them from harm preemptively or giving them a slight buff (+2) to a future roll of their choice. Note that all casts must happen on the attack turn. The buff is an auto pass as you forfeit your attack, unless DM states otherwise.
This talent can only be picked by characters that can be considered a priestess of Elune, or otherwise far progressed in such teachings.
Your divine or natural powers allow you to restore the strength of your companions
For every charge spent, you may restore one talent charge to 1d3 of your fellow players. They can choose which of their abilities is recharged and the charges can’t go over maximum. This is an automatic pass upon cast, as it is considered a more or less forfeited turn.
This talent can only be picked by spellcaster druids or priestesses.
As a talented archer, the bow is an extension of your body, and you set your arrows flying with near-miraculous precision.
For every charge spent, you negate your roll and have the fired arrow automatically hit its designated target.
This talent can only be picked by characters who favours the bow more often than not – if your character is not a defined and distinguished archer, this might not be the right talent.
Your instincts for battle are well-honed and your strikes as swift as the wind, allowing you to reflexively shift your attacks to thwart the most stubborn enemies’ guard.
For each charge spent, you may choose to reroll your attack roll if it is not to your satisfaction. If you choose to reroll, you have to take the result of the second roll, even if it is considerably worse than the first one, and even if it results in a fail where there was previously a pass. Even if you choose to not reroll, the charge will be considered to be spent.
This talent can be picked by all.
Your ties to nature are enough to make reliable – or fearsome – allies of that which grows and blooms around you.
For every charge spent, you may spur plantlife in growth on a large enough scale that it will affect an area. You may roll a D5 – the resulting number representing the amount of allies or enemies affected. If in an out of combat situation, the D5 will simply be considered a scale factor from 1 being the smallest to 5 being a grand growth.
This talent can only be picked by druids who frequently practice this particular brand of magic, and considers the druidic side their main focus.
Dancing swiftly about your enemies, you are able to strike at the hidden weaknesses in your enemies’ defences to give your attacks an extra bite.
For each charge spent, you may add a d6 to your next attack.
This talent is only available to characters skilled with smaller melee weapons and when you are up close in combat – with the right kind of weapon, naturally.
Packing brutal strength and savage might behind your blows, your shattering strikes grant your sisters opportunities against even the most fearsome foes.
For each charge spent, you may attempt a powerful strike that leaves your enemy vulnerable. Attack as normal, and if your attack lands, all attacks against that enemy for the next Nightblade attack round have a lowered threshold by a minimum of +2 and a maximum of +4, down to DM discretion and enemy. The resulting debuff does not result in lowered rolls on guild defense turn. Several successful strikes of Shieldbreaker towards the same target will stack. The debuff only lasts for one turn.
This talent is only available to characters skilled with larger heavier melee weapons and when you are up close in combat – with the right kind of weapon, naturally.
With your clarion call for the Mother Moon above, her sacred light shines down – imparting a blessing upon her children, or bestowing them with the tools of her fury.
For each charge spent, you may wield divine powers in an area of effect. This allows you to attack multiple foes in close vicinity to one another. You could also use it to bestow a blessing, purify a corrupted area, heal, pacify, or other appropriate use of Elune’s light in and out of combat. The area of effect is determined by rolling a d3, where the resulting number will determine the amount of targets affected. If discrete targets are not applicable, the d3 will count as a scale factor, where a low number will mean a small area, and a large number a bigger area.
This talent is available only to trained priestesses.
Your affinity for the shadows shrouds you from sight, and leads you toward advantages and opportunities that those who keep to the light may never come across…
For each charge spent, you may choose to forfeit your attack to retreat into the shadows to hide, automatically succeeding so long as you are in a dark area outside of direct view of your enemies. You can’t be directly attacked until you are revealed; either by attacking the following turn, enemies perceiving you, being set on fire, being illuminated on a hillside by a friendly priestess’s spells, etc. This talent cannot be paired with attacks.
This talent is available to those who might be considered to be sneakier and more stealthy than most.