Introduction

Welcome to the Avatar World

What is a Role-Playing Game?

But Why is it Called Role-Playing?

Why Use Dice?

What is the Avatar World?

Why Play Avatar: The Roleplaying Game?

The Avatar?

What is in This Book

The Scroll of Air: The World of Avatar

Geography

Climate

Flora and Fauna

Demography

Society

Economy

Law and Order

Politics

Science and Technology

History

The Bending Arts

The Four Nations

The Air Nomads

The Fire Nation

The Earth Kingdom

The Water Tribes

The Spirit World

The Scroll of Fire: General Mechanics

The Roll and Keep System

Target Numbers

Exploding Dice

The Ten Dice Rule

Dice Penalties

Elements and Traits

Skills

Raises

Types of Rolls

Skill Rolls Expanded

The Combat Round

Definition of Terms

Sequence of Events

Attack and Defense

Wounds

Lethality and Wounds

Healing Wounds

Stances

Actions

Move Actions

Example Actions

Maneuvers

Off-Hand Weapons and Dual Wielding

Grappling

Conditional Effects

Concealment and Cover

Ambush and Other Surprises

Falling and Drowning

Fear

Kharma, Fame, and Status

Kharma

Fame

Status

The Scroll of Earth: Character Creation

Quick Summary

Step 1: Getting Started

Step 2: Basics

Step 3: Customization

Step 4: Details

Example of Character Creation

What’s Important?

Improving Your Character

Insight Rank 6 and Beyond

The Four Nations

Air Nomads

Fire Nation

Earth Kingdom

Water Tribes

Skills

Emphases

Mastery Abilities

Other Skill Types and Macro Skills

Common Skills

Warrior Skills

Specialist Skills

Low Skills

Perks and Flaws

Perk/Flaw Sets

Perk/Flaw Discounts

Perks

Flaws

Bending

Basics

Bending Rolls Expanded

Cooperative Bending Rolls

Restrictions

Bending Maneuvers

General Techniques

Airbending Techniques

Firebending Techniques

Earthbending Techniques

Waterbending Techniques

Equipment

Armor

Shields

Weapons

Miscellaneous Equipment

Clothing and Accessories

The Traveling Pack

The Scroll of Water: Advanced Mechanics

Unaligned Characters

The Other Nations

Optional Systems

The Mass Battle System

Chakras

Feats

Chi Powers

Optional Rules

Alternate Means of Rank Progression

Advanced Classes

Alternate Paths

Crafting Rules

Advanced Bending Forms

Advanced Airbending Forms

Soundbending Techniques

Spirit Projection Techniques

Advanced Firebending Forms

Lightningbending Techniques

Combustionbending Techniques

Advanced Earthbending Forms

Metalbending Techniques

Lavabending Techniques

Advanced Waterbending Forms

Plantbending Techniques

Bloodbending Techniques

Advanced Bending Perks and Flaws

Spiritualism

Traveling to the Spirit World

Rules of the Spirit World

Spirits

Spiritual Corruption

Rituals

Spiritbending

The Scroll of Spirit: The Game Master

Running an Avatar Campaign

Types of Campaigns

The Linear Campaign

The Sandbox Campaign

The Final Goal Campaign

The Spirit World Campaign

The Restricted Campaign

The Rank 0 Campaign

Two-Player Games

Balancing Characters and Campaigns

Adventures and Structure

Writing Your Own Adventure

Types of Adventures

Starting the Adventure

Adventure Structure: Act Two

Plot Constraints

Rewards for Success: Experience Points

Building Stories: The 36 Writer Plots

Kharma, Fame, Infamy, and Status

The Art of Being a Good Game Master

Actions Have Consequences

The Rules as a Toolbox

Changing the Rules

Alternate Playstyles

The GM’s Toolbox

Creatures of the Avatar World

Human Opponents

Supernatural Opponents

Poisons

Avatar World Location Guide

Sample Adventure

Welcome to the Avatar World

What you are reading now is the role-playing game based on the widely popular shows of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Here in these pages is an exciting opportunity to delve into adventure and intrigue in the distant and exotic land known from these cartoons, without ever leaving the comfort of your own home!

What is a Role-Playing Game?

A role-playing game is a cooperative experience between multiple participants. At its simplest, it can be described as an organized form of group make-believe, with a set of rules and procedures to keep things consistent and fair. The goal is not to win - there are no real “winners” in a role-playing game - but simply to have a good time.

When a group of people get together to play a role-playing game, one of them is selected to be the Game Master (“GM” for short). Everyone else is a Player. Each player is responsible for creating a single fictional character, like a character in a novel or a movie. These are known as Player Characters (“PCs” for short] and they are, in effect, the “stars” of the story depicted in the game. The players completely control their characters, deciding what they do, what they say, how they feel, and how they react to the world around them. The rules contained in this book outline how these characters are created and what they are capable of doing, providing realistic limits on their capabilities and actions. These rules systems are commonly referred to as “mechanics." Among other things, they explain how the players and the GM can use dice (in this case 10-sided dice) to resolve actions and events in the game.

Once the players have created their characters, the GM is responsible for presenting them with an adventure, by describing the events, locations, and individuals the characters encounter. For example, the GM may tell the players their characters have been gathered together as part of a hunt for a great treasure. Or he may tell the players that their characters meet when the mayor of the town where they are staying is kidnapped, and they have to decide who is behind this scam. Or he may tell them they are share a bitter enemy, and let the story grow from there. The GM is also responsible for administering the game itself, for controlling the flow of play, interpreting and controlling the rules, and deciding how the story plays out. The responsibility of the GM is considerable, as the description and actions of every object, creature, and individual the characters encounter is in his hands. The GM must try to anticipate the actions of the characters and how the world around them will react and be changed by those actions. The GM also serves as the final arbiter of the rules, of how they are applied to the game and what happens in situations where the rules are not clear. In effect, the GM is the engine of the imaginary world, the one who lends it motion and power, the one who spins the wheels of plot and unleashes dramatic challenges, twists, reversals, and climaxes.

Although a role-playing game is a game, it is not a competitive one. As mentioned above, no one really “wins” a role- playing game, and the GM and players are not on different “sides." A role-playing game is intended to be a cooperative experience, an exercise in make-believe and interactive storytelling. Everyone works together to create a story that is emotionally engaging, dramatically satisfying, and enjoyable for all - even if it does not end well for the characters. After all, not all stories end happily, and some of the best stories are tragedies.

Traditionally, a role-playing game is comprised of individual adventures, or stories, which happen one after the other. An extended series of such adventures is known as a “campaign,” and a successful RPG campaign can run for months or even years of play.

But Why is it Called Role-Palying?

A key aspect of a role-playing game (or “RPG”), as its name implies, is that the players are supposed to get into the role of the characters they control, to imagine how those characters would speak and act in a given situation and play accordingly. Many players make a point of speaking as their characters, trying as much as possible to inhabit the role of their character rather than treating the character as a separate entity. This is known as “playing in-character” and is often both the most challenging and the most rewarding aspect of a role-playing game.

Likewise, the GM is responsible for taking on the roles of all the opponents, allies, spirits, and other individuals which the players may encounter during the game. These innumerable characters are commonly referred to as Non-Player Characters (or “NPCs”) and giving them distinctive identities, personalities, and motives can be very challenging for the GM. The reward for this effort, however, is an imaginary world that seems to come to life around the players, making their adventures that much more engrossing and compelling.

Why Use Dice?

Since the first role-playing games appeared in the 1970s, almost all of them have used dice in one way or another to resolve in-game actions. This is partly because role-playing games are descended from tabletop miniatures games, but it is also because using dice in the game provides a means of depicting chance, luck, and fortune. Without dice, a role- playing game is not really a game at all, but merely an exercise in group storytelling, which can lead to disagreement and tension when different players want to push the story in different directions. The dice supply an impartial arbiter, out of the control of both players and GM, to prevent such disagreement.

Of course, dice aren’t the only way to resolve actions while inserting chance into a game - a few RPGs have employed other methods of resolving actions, such as drawing from a deck of cards, and some have even experimented with taking away dice altogether and letting the GM simply decide whether the players succeed or not. However, dice remain the most widespread and traditional method, and the one which the Avatar Role-Playing Game uses by default. Of course, if you and your fellow players want to experiment with playing without dice, by all means do so!

Why Use Dice?

Since the first role-playing games appeared in the 1970s, almost all of them have used dice in one way or another to resolve in-game actions. This is partly because role-playing games are descended from tabletop miniatures games, but it is also because using dice in the game provides a means of depicting chance, luck, and fortune. Without dice, a role- playing game is not really a game at all, but merely an exercise in group storytelling, which can lead to disagreement and tension when different players want to push the story in different directions. The dice supply an impartial arbiter, out of the control of both players and GM, to prevent such disagreement.

Earth, also known as the World of Avatar, the Mortal World, or the Physical World, is the world divided into

the four nations and home to a multitude of species. World is a common name for the sum of human

civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general. The World of Avatar

plays home to benders and hundreds of chimerical creatures. Earth is surrounded by a vast void known as outer

space.

GEOGRAPHY

The World of Avatar is divided into four independent nations: the Air Nomads, the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nation. Each location has unique physical geography, landmarks, climates, and demography which conform to the quality or attributes of the nation's corresponding element. The Air Nomads have four temples located in the north, south, east, and west of the world. There are two main Water Tribes, situated north and south of the Earth Kingdom, the most expansive and populated state in the world. The Fire Nation is located in the west of the world and is an archipelago of volcanic islands. Each nation has a predominant season, and geography has a great influence on the customs and culture of each country.

The Air Nomads have four air temples, one at each corner of the globe, are concealed atop mountain ranges in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands.

The Northern and Southern Water Tribes populate the South and North Poles respectively, and there is also a small population of waterbenders that reside at a swamp in the Earth Kingdom. Around the poles there are short mountain ridges about the inland and on the coast of the islands.

Because of its immense size, the geography of the Earth Kingdom varies tremendously by region. Much of its interior consists of arid grasslands as well as the Si Wong Desert, which largely occupy the southeast. Its northwest coast is dominated by dense pine forests, though further south, these are replaced by semitropical deciduous forests. The area near Omashu is fairly mountainous, with small pine thickets and large steppes.

The Fire Nation archipelago is located directly on the equator in the western hemisphere and is composed of numerous volcanoes, some of which are active. The geography of the Fire Nation is characterized by its multiple bays and fjords.

Climate

Each sovereignty of the four nations is characterized by a distinct climate as well as a predominant season during which benders are born at a faster rate and become stronger. These attributes illustrate the qualities of the nations.

The Air Nomad's dominant season was autumn. Although the country was geographically and topographically diverse, the climate varied little from one temple to another. Snow falls in the Southern and Northern temples during

The Water Tribe's dominant season is winter, though the Northern and Southern tribes regularly experience snowfall year-round. Other forms of precipitation are rare due to the below-freezing temperatures, and thus the air is usually lacking in humidity. The average yearly temperature in the Southern Water Tribe is negative 49 degrees.

The Earth Kingdom's dominant season is spring. The average temperatures across different portions of the Earth Kingdom vary greatly because of its vast size. Some areas, such as the Foggy Swamp, are humid and rainy while other areas, such as the Si Wong Desert and Great Divide, are quite arid. Omashu and Ba Sing Se are more temperate. The coldest region of the Earth Kingdom is in and around Kyoshi Island, where the climate conditions are often subpolar.

The Fire Nation's dominant season is summer. The climate in the Fire Nation varies, though most regions have a tropical or arid subtropical climate, and many areas experience high average temperatures year-round. Even though rainfall is sporadic, the Fire Nation boasts a wide variety of exotic fauna and flora, all due to its humid climate.

Flora and Fauna

Most of the fauna in the World of Avatar are chimeras. There are some notable non-hybrid creatures, however. Flora in the World of Avatar varies greatly between the four nations, depending on the weather and climate. While the desolate, frozen landscapes of the poles do not allow for much flora to thrive, warm, moist landscapes in the Earth Kingdom allow for a diversity of plant life to survive. Fauna is used primarily as a source of food and transport. They are also used as a source of clothing, and some animals are even an icon for religious beliefs, in terms of the Spirit World. Flora is utilized for decorations, gifts, and tea.

Demography

The population of the Air Nomads is small compared to the other nations, even the Water Tribes. Their low numbers make the Air Nomads vulnerable to extinction events, and there were many points in history when only a handful of Air Nomads lived as a result of some disaster.

The population of the Water Tribes is relatively small and is the third most populous nation. Generally speaking, the Northern Water Tribe is the most populous division in the nation, but the exact ratio varies wildly in each era.

The Earth Kingdom is the most populous nation in the World of Avatar. Ba Sing Se, its capital, is one of the largest and most advanced cities on Earth. Due to the fact that the Earth Kingdom has the largest expanse of territory, it is an ethnically diverse country, with wide variance in customs between different provinces and tribes.

The Fire Nation is the second largest nation in the world in terms of population and area. The population of the Fire Nation is mostly concentrated in urban centers, though smaller settlements, villages, and towns dot the islands as well.

SOCIETY

Society is very well-developed in the world of Avatar. Each of the nations possesses a distinct social structure, ranging from the ecclesiocracy of the Air Nomads to the absolutism of the Fire Nation.

Social classes are usually based upon titles, wealth, and power. Although people are mostly born into their social rank, people can still gain a higher position through service.

The Air Nomads are an ecclesiocratic and monastic society that lacks social strata. All citizens are considered equal in rights and in social rank. Social roles are fulfilled on a voluntary – and often haphazard – basis that often makes the Air Nomad society look quite anarchic. The highest Air Nomad political body is the Council of Elders, the wisest members of their society. They are trusted with making decisions for the nation, and their will is generally carried out without much conflict.

The Fire Nation is the preeminent society among the Four Nations, dominant in economic, political, and military power. It is an authoritarian state headed by its traditional monarch, the Fire Lord. Unlike the other nations, the Fire Nation is industrialized, socially progressive, and united around a nationalist identity that is indoctrinated into its youth. The majority of its citizenry lives in relative prosperity and education is available to all; however, poverty is still rampant in outlying island villages.

Because of its vastness, the Earth Kingdom has a diverse range of peoples, with a correspondingly more stratified social hierarchy. Their economy is pre-industrial, with rampant poverty and inequality. The elite lead lives of wealth and luxury, and have many priviliges throughout the kingdom.

THE FOUR NATIONS

The World of Avatar is divided into four nations: the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. Each nation is culturally unique and associated with one bending technique: waterbending, earthbending, firebending, and airbending, respectively. An even distribution of power among the four nations preserves balance in the world, and a fall or increase in the strength of one nation can engender a disruptive imbalance.

The Air Nomads

Air Nomads is a collective term for a nation of people who practice the discipline of airbending. One of the four major nations, the Air Nomads were wanderers by definition, but had four air temples, one at each corner of the globe, hidden away atop mountain ranges in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands. The theocratic Air Nomads were home to a monastic order of men and women who practiced airbending. Unlike the other nations, the people of the Air Nomads were, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people.

In the era of Raava, ancestors of the Air Nomads received the element of air from lion turtles that granted the bending art through energybending. They could request the ability whenever they ventured into the Spirit Wilds, to aid in the gathering of food and resources. Unlike people from other lion turtle cities, the first airbenders coexisted harmoniously with the spirits and demonstrated great respect and understanding of spiritual matters. These people eventually formed the first Air Nomads after the lion turtles renounced their roles as protectors of mankind. At this point, the ancestors of the first Air Nomads left the lion turtle cities in favor of establishing temples in all four corners of the globe.

Before the era of the Avatar, the predecessors of the Air Nomads symbolized their belief, by doing the same traditions such as the tattoos yet in a different manner. The tattoos were more polygonal shape with a dot. The clothing that the men wore were orange cloth as a top and yellow as a bottom. Women wore different clothing, yet with the same traditional colors.

The Air Nomads wear yellow, orange and brown clothing. Aang and other young airbenders wore orange shawls over long-sleeved yellow shirts, an orange sash, double-layered pants with brown underneath and a loose yellow layer on top, and high boots that reach just below the knees. Older monks wore long robes in shades of yellow and orange, as well as wooden necklaces with the Air Nomad insignia carved into it. Most Air Nomads have gray or brown eyes and a light complexion.

While other nations possess royalty and are run by monarchies, the Air Nomads were led by the senior monks and nuns of the air temples. Due to the peaceful teachings of their leaders, the nature of the people was calm and tranquil.

The Air Nomads are the only nation comprised entirely of benders, due to the highly spiritual nature of their lives. Meditation was an important part of the airbenders' daily routines, as it helped them to focus their energies and understand the potency of their element. Due to their high spirituality, the monks believed that hope was only a distraction.

It has been mentioned that they had a good sense of humor, something demonstrated when Monk Gyatso employed a unique teaching method when tutoring Aang with his airbending skills, accurately blowing fruit pies onto other monks' heads as a prank. This activity was useful training and a fun game combined.

The arrow tattoos adorning an Air Nomad's body signifies that he or she has mastered airbending. This is an emulation of the natural arrows on the heads of flying bison, who can naturally airbend and are the original teachers of the art, much like the badgermole is to the earthbenders. Aspiring airbenders have no tattoos and in order to receive the tattoos as well as the title of a master, an airbender must pass the thirty-six levels of airbending or engineer a new technique.

In the new Air Nation, an oath of nonaggression was to be declared by a new airbender, by which they swore to adopt the more pacifistic ways of the Air Nomads by using direct combat solely as a last resort.

As could be determined, air is the main power source and natural resource of the Air Nomads. Luckily, air is everywhere, so it is nearly impossible to deprive them of their power source. With the power of air channeled under their control, the airbenders could defend and protect their homes and way of life. Not only could they protect their livelihoods, but these nomads could also ride on their sky bison and glide in the open air, for both leisure and travel. Because the Air Nomads believed all life was precious, they were peaceful vegetarians. They did not seem to mind, however, eating eggs and dairy products. They were also known to make sweet dishes

such as pies. The Air Nomads sold their pies for money - at one silver piece each - and all the profits were given to charity.

The Air Nomads were a tranquil people who endeavored to preserve the environment around them. Any industry that they invested in, such as farming or gardening, was sustainable and powered naturally, so as to not disturb the balance of nature.

Air Nomad grounds often contained rich mineral deposits filled with iron and crystals. However, due to the non-materialistic culture of the nation, these resources were either barely touched or unknown to its denizens.

THE ROLL AND KEEP SYSTEM

At its core, the Avatar Role-playing Game uses a very simple mechanic. When a player wishes to have his character take an action, the Game Master determines what abilities the character should use to determine success or failure (these abilities most often consist of one Trait and one Skill used in conjunction with one another). The Game Master must also decide how difficult the task should be, and choose a Target Number (TN) based on this difficulty. The player rolls a number of ten-sided dice based upon the abilities on the character’s character sheet that the Game Master has identified as necessary for the task. The player then adds the total of the dice rolled and compares the sum to the TN chosen by the Game Master. If the total meets or exceeds the TN, the character successfully completed the task in question. If the total is less than the TN, the character has failed to complete the task.

It is rare that a player will keep all of the dice rolled when his character is taking an action. Typically, a player can keep a smaller number of dice than the amount rolled, and in almost all situations the player will choose the highest rolling of the dice, although he may keep whichever ones he chooses; if for some reason he wishes for his character to fail the roll in question, he may choose lower rolling dice. When denoting the number of dice that should be rolled and kept, the format used is XkY, where X represents the number of dice rolled, or “rolled dice”, and Y the number of dice kept, or “kept dice.” For example, the notation 4k2 means that four dice should be rolled and two of them chosen to be kept and added together; if the player rolled a 3, 6, 7, and 9 the player would likely choose the 7 and 9 for a total of 16 on the roll.

Target Numbers

A Target Number is a measure of the difficulty of any given task, as determined by the Game Master. A task that should be easy will be assigned a low TN, whereas a difficult task will have a higher TN. While individual Game Masters are encouraged to use their own judgment to determine the difficulty of any task, a general idea of how difficult a given task might be is as follows:

TN Difficulty Physical Mental

None Mundane Getting out of bed. Cooking something edible. 5 Very Easy Striking an immobile target. Recognizing an old friend. 10 Easy Carrying half your weight. Finding a misplaced item. 15 Average Lifting your weight. Remembering someone you’ve seen once. 20 Moderate Jumping a ten-foot ditch. Recognizing someone in disguise. 25 Difficult Scaling a cliff without rope. Finding a well-hidden object. 30 Very Hard Diving safely from a waterfall. Remembering someone’s exact words. 40 Heroic Out-wrestling a Platypus Bear. Building a siege engine from scrap. 60 Impossible Shattering stone with bare hands. Outwitting an ancient spirit.

Exploding Dice

Sometimes dice rolls yield a spectacular result. When a die comes up as a 10, it is rolled again, and the next result is added to the die’s total. If the result is another 10, the die is rolled again until a result that is not a 10 gained.

EXAMPLE: A die rolls a 10 then a 3. The result of that dice is 3.

EXAMPLE: A die rolls a 10, a 10, and a 7. The result of that die is 27.

The Ten Dice Rule

In the Avatar RPG, characters can progress to a point where they are rolling large handfuls of dice, so much that it can become difficult to count and track them all. To keep matters relatively simple, no roll can ever use more than ten dice at a time. Additional rolled dice become kept dice at a ratio of one kept die per two additional rolled dice. If both rolled and kept dice already equal ten, then each additional die of both types converts to a bonus of +2 to the total of the roll.

EXAMPLE: A roll of 12k4 would become 10k5, because the two extra dice that exceeded the Ten Dice Rule become one extra kept die.

EXAMPLE: A roll of 13k9 would become 10k10+2 because the two extra rolled dice that exceeded the Ten Dice Rule become one extra kept die, and the additional odd rolled die becomes a bonus +2.

EXAMPLE: A roll of 10k12 would become 10k10+4, with each of the extra kept dice above the Ten Dice Rule becoming a bonus of +2.

EXAMPLE: A roll of 14k12 would become 10k10+12. Since both rolled and kept dice exceed ten, the four additional rolled dice become a bonus of +8, and the two additional kept dice become a bonus of +4, for a total of +12.

Dice Penalties

Several status effects (not to mention other mechanical effects) result in dice penalties. A character who is Dazed, for instance, suffers a penalty of -3k0 to all actions while Dazed. This reduces the number of rolled dice on any action he takes by three. If the number of kept dice is higher than the number of rolled dice after this penalty is applied, then the number of kept dice is reduced as well.

EXAMPLE: A character who is Dazed attempts to make an attack roll using her waterbending. If she normally rolls 6k4 to make this attack, after the penalty for being Dazed she would roll 3k3, not 3k4. She could not roll 3k4 because it is impossible to keep more dice than she rolled.

Elements and Traits

The most basic representations of a character’s abilities are the Five Elements. The Five Elements are the basic conceptual building blocks of the Avatar world. All things, both living and nonliving, natural and supernatural, are composed of differing proportions of the powers that the Elements represent. With regard to characters, each Element is made up of two Traits, one mental and one physical, representing its influence in the world.

At the beginning of the character creation process, characters begin with all Elements and Traits at 2 out of a possible 9. These may be increased during the character creation process, or during the game, through the expenditure of Ex-perience Points. A Rank of 2 represents the normal capability possessed by an individual with no particular training, whereas the upper limit of 10 is reserved for the most supremely gifted and talented individuals in the world, and for supernatural beings.

Elements are never increased directly. Instead, an Element is equal to the lower of the two Traits that comprise it. Thus, if an Element is made up of a Trait of 2 and a Trait of 4, then the Element’s Rank is 2. If the lower of the Traits increases to 3, the Element will increase to Rank 3 as well. Thus, by increasing both Traits, a player increases the character’s Element, which in turn grants them greater access to other abilities.

AIR

Air is the element of freedom. It grants gracefulness and intuition, both with movement and when interacting with others. Those who are aligned with the element of Air possess superior instincts and speed of reaction. Those who are at odds with Air are physically sluggish and oblivious to the nuanced behavior of those around them. Empathy is a Mental Trait that represents a character's intuition and general ability to empathize with others. Empathy allows a character to perceive the feelings and motivations of others, even with little evidence to support their intuition. It also allows them to better portray those same feelings, and thus to win over others who believe the character is sympathetic to their cause. Persuasion, charisma, and manipulation are the hallmarks of Empathy, which is the most important Trait for Social Skills. Reflexes is a Physical Trait that represents a character’s ability to instantly react to events taking place around him. A character with high Reflexes is fleet of foot and possesses a lightning fast response time that aids him in many as-pects of combat. Reflexes is important in the determination of a character's Initiative and Armor TN.

EARTH

Earth is the element of substance, making its people diverse, strong, persistent and enduring. The key to this element is neutral Jing, which involves waiting and listening for the right moment, and acting decisively when it comes. Those who are aligned with Earth have tremendous fortitude and keen senses, while those who are at odds with Earth are frail and tend to miss the clues provided by their environment.

Perception is a Mental Trait that represents a character’s attention to events unfolding around him. A character with a high Perception notices everything that takes place around him, whereas one with a low Perception misses even obvious things happening in his immediate vicinity.

Toughness is a Physical Trait that determines a character’s ability to endure constant physical activity and recover from wounds suffered in battle. A character with a high Toughness possesses the ability to exert himself for long periods of time with no signs of fatigue or weakness, and to recover from even near-mortal wounds in a remarkably short period of time. Toughness’ primary benefit to a character is its influence on how much damage he can take, and how quickly he recovers from his Wounds.

FIRE

Fire is the element of power, consisting of overpowering force tempered by the unflinching will to accomplish tasks and desires. Those who are aligned with the element of Fire are strong in both body and mind. Those weak in Fire are feeble and frail-minded.

Willpower is a Mental Trait that determines a character’s ability to focus his mental energies on the task set before him. A character with a high Willpower is decided and persistent, capable of paying close attention to even the minutest detail for hours on end with no sign of wavering. Willpower is mainly used to resist certain attempts to manipulate or intimidate a character.

Strength is a Physical Trait that represents a character's pure physical power. Strength is sheer force with no consideration for finesse or precision. Characters with a high Strength are warriors of devastating power, while characters with low Strength are ineffective warriors with little ability to damage their opponents. Strength has considerable effect on weapon and unarmed damage, as well as how much a character can lift, and is often used for taxing physical activities such as climbing or swimming.

WATER

Water is the element of change. Endorsing adaptability and resilience, Water bestows incredible finesse to those who are aligned with it. Those who are strong in the element have sharp minds and act with great skill and confidence. Those who have a deficiency in this element are dull and clumsy.

Intelligence is a Mental Trait that measures a character’s ability to gain new knowledge and put it to use. A character with a high Intelligence understands new information quickly, puts it to use instantly, and recalls it with great clarity. Those with lower Intelligence have difficulty understanding new material and recall it imperfectly. Intelligence-based rolls are common for non-combat oriented characters.

Agility is a Physical Trait that represents a character’s hand-eye coordination and general physical athleticism. Vir-tually any physical feat that is not dependent upon speed or strength is instead dependent upon Agility. Agility is used for almost every Weapon Skill, making it one of the most important Traits with regard to combat.

SPIRIT

Few people know that there is a fifth element, but no one can miss its presence. Spirit is the element of energy, and it saturates every living being with its power. In some cases, it is more apparent than with others, as supernatural creatures can sense and use energies of the Spirit element much more readily than mortals, but the ability to harness one’s spiritual power is universal, if often instinctual.

There are no Traits associated with the Spirit Element. Instead, a character gains a number of Spirit Points equal to his Spirit Element, and may use them to enhance die-rolls and other actions made during the course of the game. Spirit Points represent the character’s ability to push himself beyond his physical limits, using his spiritual energies to gain the necessary boost. A character’s pool of Spirit Points is refreshed each day after an opportunity to rest, al-though certain meditation techniques allow them to be recovered more quickly.

A player may declare he is spending a Spirit Point any time when it would be applicable, but the most common instances are before the player’s character makes a roll, takes certain types of Actions, or takes damage. A character may normally only spend one Spirit Point per Round for one of the following effects, although some abilities may allow them to spend more than one under certain circumstances. By spending a Spirit Point, a character may:

Gain a bonus of +1k1 to a single roll. The Spirit Point expenditure must be declared prior to the roll being made.

Temporarily increase his rank in a Skill from 0 to 1, avoiding Unskilled Roll penalties.

Temporarily increase his rank in a Bending Technique from 0 to 1, so that he can make a Bending Roll using that technique.

Reduce the amount of Wounds suffered from one source of damage by 10 (this must be done immediately after the damage total is announced).

Negate all penalties from Wound Ranks and Conditional Effects. This is done in any Reaction Phase and lasts until the next Reaction Phase.

Increase his Armor TN by 10 for one round. This is done at the beginning of the combat Round.

Exchange his Initiative Score with one willing target for the remainder of the current skirmish. This is done at the beginning of the combat Round. Only one of the two characters needs to spend a Spirit for this effect.

Increase his Initiative Score by 10 for the duration of the current skirmish. This is done at the beginning of the combat Round.

Also, Spirit Points may be spent to activate certain Techniques (see the Scroll of Fire for discussion of Techniques) - this does not count against the once per Round restriction.

Skills

Elements and Traits represent the innate mental and physical abilities of a character. What they learn through training and experience, however, is represented by Skills.

Like Rings and Traits, Skills are ranked from 1 to 10. A rank of 1 in a Skill indicates that a character has been in-troduced to the most basic principles of that Skill, whereas a character with a rank of 10 in any given Skill is either one of the greatest masters on the planet, or a supernatural being of some sort.

When a Skill Roll is called for, it lists the Skill first, then the Trait being used for the particular roll. A call for an Athletics / Agility roll, for instance, would require a player to roll a total number of dice equal to his character's ranks in the Athletics Skill and Agility Trait, and to keep a number of dice equal to the character’s Agility Trait.

Raises

There are times when simple success is not enough. When a character needs to accomplish something truly spectacu-lar, Raises are the means by which that can be accomplished. When a player declares he is making a Raise, he is choosing to voluntarily increase the TN of the task his character is attempting, by an increment of 5 per Raise. Raises are generally made when a player feels his character’s abilities will allow him to easily exceed the TN for a given task. The most common use of Raises is to allow characters to perform Maneuvers in combat (described later in this chapter), but individual GMs can allow any number of different effects with sufficient Raises. Players who wish to try unconventional or creative actions that are not covered by the basic rules should simply ask the GM how many Raises will be required to succeed.

A character can make a maximum number of Raises per roll equal to his Spirit Element. A character with Spirit 2, for instance, can make 1 or 2 Raises per roll, but not 3. Some mechanical effects grant a character Free Raises. These give the benefit of having made a Raise without actually increasing the TN of the roll in question, and do not count toward the maximum number of Raises that may be made per roll. Free Raises may also be used to reduce the TN of the task being attempted by 5 instead of augmenting the roll in the same way as a normal Raise.

Raises are not without risk, however. If a player declares Raises on a roll, and the result of his roll fails to meet the new, increased TN, the roll fails. This is a failure even if the result of the roll meets the original TN but falls short of the new, increased TN.

Types of Rolls

There are a number of types of rolls that come up frequently in an Avatar Role-playing Game session. The most common are:

SKILL ROLLS

Skill Rolls are the most common type of roll made in the game. Typically a Skill is combined with a single Trait to determine the number of dice rolled for a particular task. When a Skill/ Trait pair is announced by the Game Master, the player will use a number of dice equal to the character’s rank in the Trait plus their rank in the Skill. After rolling this number of dice, the player will keep a number equal to the Trait being used, adding these kept dice together to find the total for the roll. Skills thus grant additional rolled dice for each task, increasing the chance of getting better results, while also being less expensive to increase in rank than Traits.

EXAMPLE: Eshter’s character is going to strike an enemy bandit with her machete. The Skill that governs machete-use is Slashing Weapons, which is usually paired with Agility. The character has Agility 3 and Slashing Weapons 4, so the character rolls 7 dice (3+4). Eshter rolls seven ten-sided dice and gets a 2, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, and a 12 (a 10 that was rolled again to get a 2). Eshter may keep 3 dice with his Agility of 3, and chooses to keep the 7, 8, and 12 to get a total of 27. Since her Game Master had announced the TN for the shot was 20, the character has struck her target.

It is possible for characters to make Skill Rolls even if they possess no ranks in the given Skill. This is referred to as an Unskilled Roll and is described in detail later.

TRAIT ROLLS

Trait Rolls are far less common than Skill Rolls. They represent situations when the characters in question are attempting' to complete a task based solely on their innate abilities, either mental or physical, without any benefit from training. This is more commonly a factor for physical tasks, such as holding one’s breath or holding onto a moving wagon. Trait Rolls for mental tasks are less common, but might include attempting to focus one’s attention

on a subject being observed for a long period of time, or memorize a lot of material very quickly. To make a Trait Roll, a character rolls and keeps dice equal to his Rank in that Trait.

ELEMENT ROLLS

Element Rolls, where dice equal to a character's Rank in an Element are rolled and kept, are very uncommon and typically involve supernatural effects of some sort. Spiritual attacks can sometimes require a target to make an Element Roll in order to resist an effect, for example, or a character may have to roll Earth to resist the corrupting effects of spiritual possession.

DAMAGE ROLLS

Damage rolls are very common in combat. Any time a character makes a successful attack roll (a specific kind of Skill Roll), he inflicts damage upon his opponent in the form of Wounds. Damage rolls vary considerably depending upon the weapon used in the attack. Every weapon has a damage rating (or DR) that represents the amount of damage it is capable of inflicting. For melee weapons, a character using a particular weapon adds his Strength to the number of rolled dice in the weapon’s DR. For example, a character with Strength 3 using a long sword (DR 3k2) would roll 6k2 damage following a successful attack with the long sword. For ranged weapons, the character’s Strength is not always added to the DR of the weapon, depending upon the weapon used. The most common ranged weapons, bows, have a Strength rating of their own that is added to the rolled dice of the projectile’s DR. A short bow has a Strength of 3, for example. Using a short bow to fire a standard arrow would roll a total of 5k2 (Strength 3 plus the arrow’s DR of 2k2) for damage from a successful attack roll. For rules for other ranged weapons please see the equipment section of the Scroll of Earth.

Another kind of damage roll is the unarmed damage roll. A character that has made a successful attack against an op-ponent using only his bare hands inflicts unarmed damage. Unarmed attacks normally have a DR of 0k1, which means the character rolls a number of dice equal to his Strength, and keeps one.

BENDING ROLLS

Bending Rolls arc the province of benders and are made to determine if they are successful in using a bending technique. When a bender uses a bending technique, the player rolls a number of dice equal to the character’s rank in the relevant bending technique and Element, and keeps a number of dice equal to the character’s Element.

EXAMPLE: Bob's character is going to use his firebending to counter an earthbending attack. He has Fire 3 and has 2 ranks in the Counter technique. Bob rolls 5 dice (3+2) and keeps 3 (equal to the character's Fire Element).

CONTESTED ROLLS

A Contested Roll is made when two characters are making a roll in direct opposition to one another, and only one can be successful. Any type of roll can be a Contested Roll, meaning that there can be Contested Skill Rolls, Contested Trait Rolls, Contested Element Rolls, etc. In the case of a Contested Roll, both participants make the designated roll (i.e. in a Contested Agility Roll, the players both roll their characters’ Agility) and compare the result. The character whose player rolled a higher result is victorious. It is possible for multiple characters to be involved in a Contested Roll, in which case the player who rolls the highest of those involved is the victor. In any instance where there is a tie on a Contested Roll, and the circumstances of the roll are such that a tie is not a viable option, the players involved must immediately re-roll the Contested Roll. Multiple re-rolls may be made if subsequent ties are the result (although that is statistically unlikely!).

It is possible to declare Raises on a Contested Roll. If this is done, that character’s roll must exceed his opponent’s by an increment of 5 for every Raise declared, or he is considered to have failed the roll.

Skill Rolls Expanded

Given that Skill Rolls are the most frequent kind of roll made in the L5R RPG, there are a wide variety of situations and circumstances that can arise as a result of rolls, and several different ways in which these rolls can be made. The following situations and roll types are likely to come up in most average campaign sessions.

UNSKILLED ROLLS

It is possible for a character to attempt a roll when a Skill Roll is called for, even if they have no ranks in that Skill. In this case, they are effectively making a Trait Roll against a Skill Roll TN, which is typically higher than most Trait Rolls can realistically achieve. When making an Unskilled Roll, the following two conditions apply:

Dice never explode on an Unskilled Roll.

Unskilled Rolls may not benefit from Raises, either called Raises or Free Raises.

FAILED ROLLS

When a character fails a Skill Roll, it is often possible to make a second attempt (unless the GM rules that circumstances make a second attempt impossible). For example, a character attempting to climb a tree could try again if his first attempt failed. When making a second attempt at the same Skill Roll, the TN for the Skill Roll increases by +10. Second attempts on Skill Rolls utilizing Intelligence or Perception usually cannot be made without a change in the situation, such as new information becoming available to the character. Skill Rolls made as attacks (such as virtually all uses of the Weapon Skills) may not make a second attempt at +10 TN: an attack roll that fails simply misses, and the character may not make another attack unless he has an ability that confers multiple attacks.

COOPERATIVE ROLLS

Cooperative Skill Rolls involve multiple individuals working together to achieve a single result. There are two different types of Cooperative Rolls. The first involves a group working together toward one end, without significant consequences for failure. An example might be multiple shipwrights working on a new seagoing vessel. In these cases, one individual is chosen from those participating to make the Skill Roll. He receives a bonus to the total of his roll equal to the combined Ranks of all other participants in the Skill in question.

The second manner of Cooperative Roll is one wherein the circumstances of the roll allow for one participant with poor performance to impede the entire group. An example would be a group of characters scaling a mountain, tied together for security. In this case, an individual Skill Roll is required from each participant, but the participant with the single highest rank in the Skill being used grants a bonus equal to his Skill Rank to all others making the roll. For example, continuing the above example of several characters roped together, each of them will roll their Athletics (Climbing) Skill. The character with the highest Skill in the group has Athletics 4, so the other character with lower Skill Ranks will gain a bonus of +4 to their rolls.

CUMULATIVE ROLLS

Cumulative Skill Rolls require multiple successes over time in order for the task at hand to be completed satisfactorily. The TN for Cumulative Skill Rolls is typically very high, but can be achieved through multiple Skill Rolls over time. Each time an individual makes a successful Skill Roll, the total of the roll is deducted from the total of the TN. For example, if a TN of 60 is required to finish a painting, an artisan might make an Artisan: Painting / Agility roll and achieve a total of 24. On the next Skill Roll, the artisan’s total TN is only 36. Individual Cumulative Skill Rolls typically list how long a character must allow to pass between rolls.

It should be noted that Cumulative Skill Rolls could be abused by the unscrupulous if the GM is not careful. In general, such methods can only be used in situations where it makes sense to do so (such as the sculpture example above). The GM is also justified in requiring the individual Skill Rolls to hit a minimum TN (such as 15, 20, or even 25) in order for them to count against the cumulative total. Potentially, a very low “flubbed” Skill Roll might even subtract from the cumulative total, representing a mistake that must be corrected.

It is possible to have a Cumulative Skill Roll required that is also a Cooperative Skill Roll, in which case the Cooperative Roll is generated as described above, and the total is deducted from the Cumulative Roll’s TN.

THE COMBAT ROUND

Combats in Avatar are referred to as skirmishes (to distinguish them from the Mass Combat rules in the Scroll of Water), and skirmishes are played out in a series of short time-units known as Rounds. An Avatar combat Round is a very short period of time, measured in seconds. Combat situations can vary wildly depending upon the circumstances, so there is no strict determination of how long a Round lasts, but it can be assumed that one Round never takes longer than ten seconds. Although the Round is short, there are a lot of options for what a character can do during that time, and ten seconds can be very busy.

Definition of Terms

Action - What a character does when it is their Turn during a combat Round. Initiative - A measure of how quickly a given character reacts compared to other participants in a skirmish. Round - A unit of time, 3 to 10 seconds in length, during which all participants in a skirmish have an opportunity to take Actions. Turn - The opportunity for an individual character to take Actions during a combat Round. Under normal circumstances, every participant in a skirmish has one Turn, which takes place on their Initiative.

Sequence of Events

A combat Round unfolds in the following stages:

Stage 1: Initiative - During the first Round of a skirmish, all participants make an Initiative Roll, rolling Reflexes and Insight Rank (see Scroll of Earth for information on Insight Ranks), keeping Reflexes (noted as Insight Rank / Reflexes). The result of this roll, called the Initiative Score, determines the order in which all characters will act. An Initiative Roll is only made on a character’s first Round of participation in the skirmish, and the resulting Initiative Score is used for the remainder of the skirmish. However, in subsequent Rounds, Initiative Scores may potentially change as a result of different character abilities or situational modifiers. During the first Round of combat, characters also select their Stance immediately before they make their Initiative Roll.

Stage 2: Turns - The bulk of a combat Round involves each individual participant taking their Turn. When this stage begins, the character with the highest Initiative Score takes their Turn first, and may take any legal Action. A character may choose to delay taking their Turn, and instead allow the character with the next- highest Initiative Score to take their Turn. After that, the character who delayed their Turn has the chance to take it or delay again, and so on. Delaying a Turn has no effect on a character’s Initiative Score the following Round, and Turns cannot be “saved” from one Round to the next. If every participant Delays their Turn, when the participant with the lowest initiative score is reached he must take his Turn, then the Round ends. After the first Round of a skirmish, characters may change their Stances at the beginning of their Turn, before taking any Actions. A character only ever has one Turn per Round, regardless of how many Actions he may take during the Round.

Stage 3: Reactions - At the end of a Round, when all characters have taken their Turn, there are certain abilities that take effect as a result of the events of the Round. For example, bending effects that have expired end during the Reaction Stage. All such effects happen simultaneously during Stage 3. Reaction effects, typically generated by Techniques, bending, or Perks, are always clearly labeled as such.

Attack & Defense

Any attack a character makes against an opponent requires a roll, typically a Skill Roll that includes a Weapon Skill as one of its components. Attacks may be melee or ranged in nature, depending upon the weapon being used. These rolls are made using the rules included for Skill Rolls above, and the result of an attack roll is compared to the opponent’s Armor TN. All characters have an Armor TN that is calculated by multiplying their Reflexes Trait by 5, adding 5, and adding any bonuses that apply to the Armor TN (typically from Stances or from the character wearing

armor of some kind). If the result of the attack roll meets or exceeds die target’s Armor TN, then the attack was successful and the opponent was struck with the weapon in question. Damage must now be rolled.

Penalties or bonuses may be applied to attack rolls for a variety of reasons. The most obvious and frequent penalty is for being injured (see the discussion of Wounds immediately following this section). Any ranged attack made against an opponent who is within melee range also suffers a penalty of -10 to the total of the attack roll, due to the awkwardness of firing at someone who is a direct threat. Additional bonuses and penalties are discussed under Stances and Status Effects, and the GM can apply bonuses or penalties based on specific circumstances (a character trying to attack while balancing on a railing would probably suffer a penalty, for example).

Every weapon has a damage rating (DR). This rating indicates how much damage the weapon inflicts upon those struck with it. The long sword, the most common weapon wielded by the warriors of the Avatar world, has DR 3k2. For melee attacks, characters add their Strength to the first number of a weapon’s DR. A character who makes a successful attack roll wielding a long sword, and who has Strength 3, would roll 6k2 for damage (3 Strength plus the 3 from the first number of the DR). The character’s player selects the two dice he wishes to keep out of the six and totals them together. This is the number of Wounds the attack has inflicted upon its target. A character adds his Strength to certain types of ranged attacks in the same manner, but not all (see the equipment section in the Scroll of Earth for more information).

Wounds

Individual characters have Wound Ranks that measure the amount of damage that they can sustain before it begins to impair their ability to take actions and eventually incapacitates or kills them. The Wounds inflicted by an attack fill up these Wound Ranks in order, with each Rank containing a maximum number of Wounds determined by the character’s Toughness Trait. As soon as a character suffers damage that begins filling in a particular Wound Rank, the character is then considered to be in the state described by that Rank. Once that Rank has been filled, additional damage goes to the next Rank. The ranks are as follows:

HEALTHY

This is the default condition of any character who has not suffered damage. Regardless of what Toughness Trait multiplier is chosen for a campaign, this Wound Rank should utilize the character's Toughness x5 in order to create a buffer for normal activity.

NICKED

(Increase the TN of all rolls made by +3 while Nicked)

A character who has been nicked has suffered a mild but distracting injury.

GRAZED

(Increase the TN of all rolls made by +5 while Grazed)

A grazed character is injured, but still able to function without tremendous difficulty.

HURT

(Increase the TN of all rolls made by +10 while Hurt)

A character who is hurt has begun to suffer noticeably from the effects of his injuries.

INJURED

(Increase the TN of all rolls made by +15 while Injured)

An injured character has difficulty focusing his attention on the task at hand.

CRIPPLED

(Increase the TN of all rolls made by +20 while Crippled)

A crippled character can barely stand, much less move. Any attempt to make a Move action is increased by one level of difficulty (a Free Action becomes Simple, etc.)

DOWN

(Increase the TN of all rolls made by +40 while Down)

A character who is Down is virtually incapacitated. They may speak only in a whisper. Such a character may only potentially take Free Actions unless a particular wound makes such action impossible (and cannot take Move actions), and must spend a Spirit Point in order to be able to do so.

OUT

A character who has been reduced to this level is incapacitated. He is immobile and unconscious, and even dying. Once this Rank is filled, any additional damage inflicted to the character kills him instantly.

Lethality and Wounds

When considering how Toughness should determine the number of Wounds per Wound Rank for characters in a campaign, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

Toughness x2: This option is quite lethal, and it is entirely possible that characters can be removed from a skirmish after being hit by a single blow. Combats using this multiplier for Wound Ranks should last some-where between 1 and 3 rounds.

Toughness x3: This option increases survivability by a mild degree, and should result in combats roughly 3-4 rounds in length.

Toughness x4: This option is the standard multiplier for an Avatar RPG campaign. Combatants can take quite a punishment before going down, resulting in combats of up to 5-6 rounds.

Toughness x5: This option makes characters into veritable juggernauts, able to sustain massive blows with ease, and should result in combats of 7 rounds or longer.

Healing Wounds

The simplest manner to recover Wounds is by resting. For every night’s rest a character gets, he recovers a number of Wounds equal to four times his Toughness Trait, plus his Insight Rank. It is possible to increase this amount, or to recover additional amounts, through treatment via certain Skills or Bending Techniques (see the Scroll of Earth for more information). Permanent wounds, such as the loss of a limb, naturally do not heal and permanent penalties from those are at the discretion of the GM.

Stances

A character’s Stance determines what actions they may or may not take during their Turn in a combat Round. Stances reflect the basic approaches the characters can take to resolve combat, and they are universally accessible for everyone.

During the first Round of a skirmish, characters assume their Stance during Stage 1. On every subsequent round, they can change their Stance or choose to maintain it at the beginning of their Turn in Stage.

The Stances a character may adopt are as follows:

Attack - Attack is the standard Stance adopted by most warriors in a combat situation, and is tied closely to the Element of Water in that it is fluid and versatile. A character in the Attack Stance has no restrictions on the kind of Actions he may take. Full Attack - Full Attack is the Element of Fire, raging and consuming all in its path. A character in the Full Attack Stance may take no Simple or Complex Actions other than those used to make attacks, and may only use Move Actions to get closer to his enemies. Characters may not use the Full Attack Stance to deliver ranged attacks. A character in the Full Attack Stance gains a bonus of +2kl to attack rolls made that round, but his Armor TN is reduced by 10 to reflect the all-or-nothing nature of the attack. A character in the Full Attack Stance who takes a Move Action during his turn may move an additional 5 feet beyond the normal amount allowed for the Move Action. This bonus movement is granted only once per Round, and the character still may not exceed the normal maximum distance he may normally move in one Round. Full Attack may not be used while mounted.

Defense - Defense is the Element of Air, evasive and flexible. Defense allows for the greatest freedom of action. Characters in the Defense Stance add their Air Element plus their Defense Skill Rank to their Armor TN. There are

no restrictions on what kind of Actions a character in the Defense Stance may take, other than that they may not attack. The Defense Stance is useful for making oneself less vulnerable while making Skill Rolls or non-offensive Bending Rolls during skirmishes. A character attempting to light a spark for a burning arrow in the middle of a melee would use Defense, as he may still need to drop what he is doing to defend himself from an enemy who attacks. Full Defense - The Full Defense Stance is the Element of Earth, reserved, unmoving, and unassailable. Upon declaring his Stance, a character in the Full Defense Stance makes a Defense / Reflexes roll and adds half of the total

(rounding up) to his Armor TN until his following Turn. This Skill Roll is considered a Complex Action, so a character in this Stance may only take Free Actions. Center - The Center Stance is the Element of Spirit. Characters in the Center Stance take no Actions, instead focusing their energy in preparation for action the following round. A character in the Center Stance forfeits all Actions while in that Stance. On the round following his adoption of the Center Stance, the character gains a bonus of 1k1 plus his Spirit Element on any one roll made during his Turn. The character also adds 10 to the total of his Initiative Score for that Round only.

Actions

During a combat Round, every character may take Actions on their Turn. Although a character’s Stance can limit what kind of Actions they may take, in general a character may take one of the two following options:

One Complex Action + Free Actions

Two Simple Actions + Free Actions

Free Actions are minor activities that do not disrupt a character’s ability to perform other tasks during the course of their Turn. Unless otherwise specified, a character may only perform each Free Action a maximum of once per Round.

Simple Actions are more complicated tasks that require more of a character’s attention, but not so much that he is not capable of taking more than one action at a time.

Complex Actions are elaborate or time-consuming efforts that require all of a character’s attention in order to complete.

Move Actions

Characters in Avatar can move a certain amount per round depending upon the Action or Actions they devote to that task. Actions correspond to the following movement rates:

Free Action: A number of feet equal to five times the character’s Spirit Element.

Simple Action: A number of feet equal to ten times the character’s Spirit Element. Jumping is also considered a Simple Move Action.

Complex Action: These are not normally available, but some mechanics can require a character to perform specific tasks as Complex Move Actions.

A character may not move more than twenty times his Spirit Element in feet per round unless he has an ability that increases his maximum possible movement per round.

Movement is also modified by the type of terrain where characters are located. It is far easier to run down a city street, for instance, than a rocky beach. It is ultimately up to the Game Master to determine what level of terrain any particular area falls under. Terrain types and the movement penalties they incur include:

Basic: City streets, plains, sparse forest, etc. A character has no movement penalties in basic terrain.

Moderate: Tall grass, foothills, beaches, etc. A character’s Spirit Element is considered one Rank lower (to a minimum of one) for the purposes of determining how far he can move using Move Actions when on moderate terrain.

Difficult: Mountains, dense forest, hip-deep water, etc. A character’s Spirit Element is considered two Ranks lower (to a minimum of one) for the purposes of determining how far he can move using Move Actions when on difficult terrain. GMs may optionally choose to assign penalties to physical rolls (both Skill and Trait Rolls) made in Difficult terrain, typically a -5 or -10 to the roll, if it seems appropriate.

Example Actions

Free Action Simple Action Complex Action

Draw a small weapon Draw a medium or large weapon Make an attack Speak (up to five words) Move action (Water x10 feet) Use a bending technique Move Action (Water x5 feet) Dismount Skill use (any non-Weapon Skill) Drop a weapon/item Pick up a weapon/item String a bow for use Speak (more than five words) Mount Guard (see Maneuvers)

Maneuvers

Maneuvers are specialized actions and attacks that are more difficult than the standard melee and ranged attacks that characters can make as part of a combat round. Because these attacks accomplish additional effects above normal attack damage, they require Raises in order to be made. Certain Maneuvers can only be performed in particular Stances.

It should be noted that these maneuvers do not constitute an exhaustive list of the things which a character might be able to accomplish with an attack. Rather, they specify the maneuvers that are most likely to come up during a skirmish. The GM and players should feel free to improvise other maneuvers based on the rules presented here.

CALLED SHOT (VARIABLE RAISES)

A Called Shot is an attack that specifically targets one section of the body. Without the Called Shot Maneuver, it is assumed that an attack will strike the target’s torso, but with an increasing number of Raises, smaller and more specific parts of the body can be targeted. A specific limb can be targeted with 1 Raise, a hand or foot with 2 Raises,

the head with 3 Raises, or an eye, ear, finger, or other similarly small part with 4 Raises. There is no specific mechanical effect for striking a particular body part in this manner, although individual GMs may rule that a certain amount of damage may sever or destroy the body part in question, and any items held or worn on that part may be dropped or destroyed.

DISARM (3 RAISES)

The Disarm Maneuver specifically targets a weapon held by the target, with the intent of knocking it out of the target’s grasp. A successful Disarm attack inflicts only 2k1 damage from the jarring impact of the strike, regardless of the weapon used, and characters executing this Maneuver do not add their Strength to the number of rolled damage dice. If the Maneuver is successful, the character and his target make a Contested Strength Roll. If the attacking character wins, the target drops the weapon in question. Weapons with wooden components that are the target of a Disarm Maneuver by weapons with a steel blade may be broken, at the GM's discretion. Recovering a dropped weapon requires a Simple Action on the part of a character who has been Disarmed.

EXTRA ATTACK (5 RAISES)

The ability to make multiple attacks per Turn is normally only granted by powerful Techniques. This Maneuver al-lows anyone to gain an extra attack per Turn, however, as long as they have the skill necessary to pull it off. To gain an additional attack, a character must make 5 successful Raises on the first attack roll. These Raises confer no benefits, but if they succeed, the character may immediately make a second attack roll as soon as the first attack has been resolved (including damage). The Extra Attack Maneuver may only be used once per turn. The initial attack in this Maneuver must be successful, but the second may miss without any negative effects.

FEINT (2 RAISES)

A Feint is an attack that contains, as its first component, a deceptive movement intended to make a target believe that the attack will come from one direction, and then the actual attack comes from another direction, exploiting a hole in the target’s defenses opened by their attempt to defend against die initial attack. If the Feint Maneuver is successful, half the amount by which the character’s attack roll exceeded the target's Armor TN (taking the 2 Raises for his Maneuver into account) is added to the damage roll for that attack, to a maximum amount equal to five times the character’s Insight Rank.

GUARD (0 RAISES)

Guard is a unique combat Action that does not actually require an attack roll. However, it has been placed here with Maneuvers for convenience, since it is used only in combat. During a skirmish, a character can choose to dedicate himself to protecting another character, making it harder for enemies to attack that person. Guarding is a Simple Action, and you may not take the Guard Action while in the Full Attack stance. When you declare a Guard Action, you must designate one other person within 5 feet of you. Until your next Turn, any time that person is within 5 feet of you, their Armor TN is increased by 10 and your Armor TN is decreased by 5.

INCREASED DAMAGE (1 OR MORE RAISES)

The simplest of all Maneuvers, an Increased Damage Maneuver adds a bonus of 1k0 to the total of the damage roll that corresponds to the attack. Multiple Raises can be made to gain a larger amount of Increased Damage, but all Raises made in one combat Round count as one effect for the purposes of any mechanics that decrease the number of Raises required.

KNOCKDOWN (2 or 4 RAISES)

The Knockdown Maneuver is a specialized attack intended to damage an opponent and knock them prone. Because this attack generally targets the legs, it is only useable against two- or four-legged opponents (requiring 2 and 4 Raises respectively). If successful, the attack deals normal damage and forces a Contested Strength Roll between the character and the target. If the character is successful, the target is knocked prone.

Off-Hand Weapons and Dual Wielding

Many players are interested in having their characters use two weapons simultaneously. This fighting method is relatively common in the world of Avatar, as it offers quite a boost in offensive capabilities.

A character’s handedness is determined by the player. A character attempting to make an attack with a weapon in his off-hand suffers a penalty of -5 to the roll if it is a small weapon, -10 if it is medium, and -15 if it is large. Additionally, attacks made with the character’s dominant hand suffer a penalty of -5 to attacks as long as a secondary weapon is held in the off hand. However, wielding two weapons at the same time also confers the following bonuses:

When the character makes an attack action while wielding one weapon in each hand, he can make one attack with each weapon as a single action. The character cannot use the Extra Attack and Increased Damage Maneuvers when attacking with two weapons, though he can use them if he only attacks with one weapon and forgoes his free second attack option.

When the character is in the Defense or Full Defense Stance while wielding one weapon in each hand, he adds his Insight Rank to his Armor TN.

Obviously, a character cannot dual-wield two-handed weapons.

Grappling

Grappling is a unique combat situation that is different enough from a standard skirmish that it warrants its own system. Grapples occur within the normal rules for a skirmish, however, and as such use the same rules for Initiative, Actions, Rounds, and Turns.

A character may initiate a grapple by making an attack roll using Jiujutsu / Agility. This is always a Complex Action unless the character possesses an ability that specifically renders grapples a Simple or Free Action. To successfully initiate a grapple, the attacking character must hit the target’s Armor TN with his attack roll. This attack roll ignores the benefits of armor to the Armor TN. If the attack is successful, both the attacker and the target are considered to be in a grapple.

When characters are involved in a grapple, one of them is in control. Initially this is the character who initiates the grapple, but it can

change every round. A grappled character must try to control the grapple at the beginning of his Turn. All characters involved in the grapple must make a Contested Unarmed Combat / Strength Roll. The character with the highest result on this roll is considered to be in control of the grapple until the next character’s Turn.

A character who has control of a grapple may do one of the following things on his Turn:

Hit: As a Complex Action, the character may inflict normal unarmed damage on any one other participant in the grapple. This damage cannot benefit from Raises, as there is no attack roll being made. Free Raises can still be applied, however.

Throw: As a Complex Action, the character may throw one opponent, causing them to become prone anywhere within five feet of the character performing the throw. This removes the thrown character from the grapple.

Break: As a Simple Action, the character may immediately remove himself from the grapple.

Pass: As a Free Action, the character may do nothing, choosing to maintain the grapple and retain control.

Certain weapons, primarily chain weapons and certain polearms, may be used to grapple opponents. These types of grapples are identical to normal grapples, except that the attack roll and control rolls use the appropriate Weapon Skill in place of Unarmed Combat, and a Hit inflicts damage based on the weapon instead of unarmed damage. There is a risk associated with this, however. If a character using a weapon loses control of the grapple, his opponent gains two free Raises on his next Turn to use the Disarm Maneuver against him.

Conditional Effects

There are a number of different conditions that can afflict a character during combat, each with its own unique me-chanical effects. Techniques can cause many of these, while others simply happen as a result of environmental factors. This list of conditions is not exhaustive, but covers all the most likely conditions for a character to suffer. The GM should use these rules as guidelines for any unusual conditions that are not covered here.

Blinded - A character who has been struck blind or who suffers from the Blind Flaw suffers a penalty of -3k3 to all ranged attack rolls and -1k1 to melee attack rolls. A blind character’s base Armor TN is equal to his Reflexes Trait plus 5 (armor adds bonuses as normal). The character's Spirit Element is considered two ranks lower for the purposes of determining how far he can move as part of a Move Action. Any attempt at a Simple Move Action requires an Athletics/Agility roll (TN 20) or the character is knocked Prone.

Dazed - A character who has been dazed suffers a penalty of -3k0 to all actions. Dazed characters can only use the Defense and Full Defense Stances. The character may recover from this Status Effect by making a successful Earth Element Roll versus a TN of 20 during the Reaction Stage. The target may attempt this roll once each Round, and the TN decreases by 5 each time he fails the roll.

Entangled - A character who has become entangled can take no Actions other than attempting to break free. This is a Strength roll against a TN determined by the GM based on the nature of the entanglement; it is a Contested Roll if someone else is actively trying to keep the character entangled. Opponents may initiate a grapple with an entangled character without an attack roll.

Fasting - A character who goes without food and water for 24 hours loses the ability to regain Spirit Points from rest, although they can still be regained from meditation. After two days of fasting, a character suffers a +5 TN penalty to all his Skill Rolls, physical Trait Rolls, and Bending Rolls until he gets food and drink. This increases by +5 for each additional day of fasting. After a number of days of fasting equal to his Toughness, he begins losing 2k1 Wounds per day until he gets food and drink or dies.

Fatigued - A character who goes without rest for 24 hours suffers a +5 TN penalty to all his Skill Rolls, physical Trait Rolls, and Bending Rolls until he rests. This penalty increases by an additional +5 for every day that passes without rest. After a number of days equal to the character’s Toughness Trait, he must begin making Willpower Trait Rolls at TN 20 every two hours to avoid falling asleep. A fatigued character may not take the Full Attack Stance.

Grappled - A character who is participating in a grapple is considered grappled. Characters who are grappled are much easier to hit with attacks, and have their Armor TN reduced to 5 plus any bonuses from armor they are wearing.

Mounted/Higher - A character sitting atop a mount, or who is on higher ground (at least a four foot height Perk), gains a bonus of + 1k0 on attack rolls against un-mounted/lower characters. A mounted character may not use the Full Attack Stance.

Prone - A prone character is lying flat on his back, side, or stomach, and cannot move, attack, or defend himself to full effect. A prone character immediately suffers a -10 penalty to his Armor TN against melee attacks. This penalty lasts until he stands up. He cannot use Move Actions, and may only adopt the Defense or Attack Stances. He cannot attack with large weapons, and suffers a -2k0 penalty to attacks with medium and small weapons. It requires a Simple Action to stand up from the prone position.

Stunned - A character who is stunned may take no actions. Such a character has an Armor TN equal to 5 plus any bonuses from armor worn. The character may recover from this Status Effect by making a successful Earth Element Roll at TN 20 during the Reaction Stage. If he fails this roll, the status ends at the end of the next Combat Round.

Concealment and Cover

When the character is at least half concealed (by smoke, mist, or intervening objects), he gains a +5 bonus to his Armor TN against ranged attacks.

For simplicity’s sake, all objects that could serve as cover belong to one of these two categories:

Light Cover: Objects made from soft materials like snow, thin wood, glass, or paper. A character behind light cover receives a +5 bonus to his Armor TN and gains a Reduction of 1 against ranged attacks.

Heavy Cover: Heavier objects made from hard materials like stone, thick wood, concrete, and metal. Heavy cover confers a +10 bonus to the Armor TN and a Reduction of 4 against ranged attacks for any character behind it.

At the GM’s discretion, an attacking character may use the Called Shot Maneuver to bypass cover.

Ambush and Other Surprises

Under certain circumstances, it is possible for one group of combatants to surprise another. If the GM rules that one group is unaware of another’s presence, the hidden group may attempt to make a surprise attack. They make a Con-tested Stealth (Ambush) / Agility roll opposed by the unaware group’s Investigation (Notice) / Perception before the first Stage of the skirmish begins. This roll may either use the Cumulative Skill Rolls rule or, if the GM prefers, be made by the group leader. If the ambushing party wins, all characters in the surprised party suffer a penalty of -10 to their Initiative Score for the duration of the skirmish. If the party being ambushed wins the Contested Roll, then nothing happens and the skirmish immediately proceeds to Stage 1.

Some GMs may find the global Initiative penalty inappropriate for ambush situations. If that is the case, an alternative that some might prefer would be to allow only the ambushing party to act during the first round of the skirmish, or to disallow the surprised party to use certain Stances, particularly Full Defense. The GM might also rule that a surprised character is easier to hit, depending on whether that seems appropriate to the circumstances. Be aware, however, that removing the actions of the surprised party or making them overly vulnerable to attack, even for one round, could quite possibly lead to an extremely challenging skirmish for the surprised party. The GM should consider this carefully before applying such-penalties.

Falling and Drowning

Other than combat, the most common environmental risks of damage a character faces are from falling and drown-ing. Falling from a height will inflict Wounds equal to 1k1 for every ten feet of distance fallen. Falls of less than about 10 feet will typically not inflict meaningful damage, although the GM can use discretion for unusual circumstances (such as falling onto sharp rocks).

A character who falls into deep water must roll Athletics (Swimming) / Strength at TN15 each minute to stay afloat. The GM may increase this TN to reflect difficult circumstances such as a storm-tossed sea. If the PC must tread water for a long time, not only will the TN increase but also the Trait for the roll may be changed to Toughness. Once the character fails the roll, he can hold his breath for a number of Rounds equal to his Toughness, during which time he can continue trying to make the Athletics roll to resume swimming. If he is still underwater when his Toughness runs out, he begins drowning, taking 2k2 Wounds per Round. A drowning character is helpless and cannot take any Actions until rescued.

Fear

Any time a character is confronted with something which might make his courage falter, like a terrifying phenomena or a dangerous enemy, the GM can make him roll to resist a Fear effect.

Fear effects are given a Rank, ranging from 1 to 10, to represent their severity. To resist a Fear effect, a character must roll Raw Willpower at a TN equal to 5 + (5 x Fear Rank). Thus, resisting a Fear 3 effect requires a roll at TN 20.

A character who fails to resist a Fear effect suffers a penalty to all of his die rolls equal to –Xk0, where X is the Rank of the Fear effect. Thus, for example, a Fear 2 effect would inflict a -2k0 penalty on all die rolls. This penalty lasts until the end of the encounter, unless the source of the Fear is removed prior to that time.

Characters who catastrophically fail to resist Fear may actually lose control of themselves and completely succumb to terror. If a character fails a roll to resist Fear by 15 or more, he is overwhelmed by fear and either flees or cowers helplessly, as the GM warrants.

KHARMA, FAME, AND STATUS

In addition to their Elements, Traits, and Skills, characters have other ranked abilities that determine a great deal about their fate, how recognizable they are, and how important they are in the Avatar world. Those qualities are represented by Kharma, Fame, and Status, respectively. These are attributes that affect the daily life of virtually every character. Like other character attributes, these three are normally ranked from 1 to 10, although it is possible, albeit unlikely, for some to have a 0 rank.

Each Rank of Kharma, Fame, and Status is composed of ten Points, representing fractional changes in these rankings. When a character accumulates ten Points of Fame, for example, his Fame Rank increases by one and the ten Fame Points are lost. Consequently, with this example, when a character loses Fame to the point where his Fame Points would be negative, he decreases his Fame Rank by one, with the new Rank having 9 Fame Points, and any remaining Fame Point loss is then applied as normal.

Kharma

Kharma is a mysterious and poorly understood concept, the representation of the seemingly cosmic rule that rewards people depending on their deeds. Part luck and part fate, Kharma is nothing to be shrugged at, as its power have turned the tides of many great battles and helped out several heroes in their times of need.

Kharma Points can be spent in a similar way than Spirit Points, but rather than offering flat bonuses like Spirit Points, Kharma Points allow the characters to influence the scene directly with re-rolls and narrative changes. The character may spend his Kharma Points to the following effects:

For 2 Kharma Points, the character may re-roll a single roll, retaining all modifiers that affected the original roll. The result of the second roll stands, even if it is worse than the first roll.

For 5 Kharma Points, the character may automatically succeed on a single roll without rolling any dice. For mechanical purpose, he counts as having the minimum result required to pass the roll.

For 4 Kharma Points, the character may ignore one attack that would put him into the Out Wound Rank. Instead, he only takes Wounds until he reaches the Downed Wound Rank - all excess Wounds are ignored.

For 10 Kharma Points, the character may avoid death, and miraculously escape the situation that threatened his life. If he does so, he is incapacitated for the remainder of any scene that he was participating in, and any future scenes in the session. He may be able to interact with other characters, but is basically crippled and bedridden for the remainder of the game session. However, he cannot be killed by any other events during that session.

For 3 Kharma Points, the player may change a minor detail in the scene. However, the player can only outline the change, it is up to the GM to work out the actual effect. EXAMPLE: The character is running through a narrow alley to escape from a bunch of chi blockers. Suddenly, two chi blockers show up at the end of the alley. Thinking that his character can’t take on two chi blockers, the player spends 3 Kharma Points and says that only one chi blocker appeared. The GM nods, and tells the player that the second chi blocker tumbled and landed in a nearby garbage container – he is now out of action for the time being.

For 6 Kharma Points, the player may change a major detail in the scene. Just like with the option above, the player has no control over the actual nature of the change. EXAMPLE: While fighting an Agni-Kai, the character’s opponent assumes Full Defense Stance in a key moment. Unsatisfied with this turn of events, the player spends 6 Kharma Points and says that his opponent assumes Attack Stance. The GM accepts the change and tells the player that the other firebender assumes Full Attack Stance and he attacks the character with everything he has got!

The player can declare to spend Kharma Point for one of the options above during any time, but he cannot affect events that have already happened. For example, the player can’t spend 10 Kharma Points to revive his character when he is dead for several in-game hours.

GAINING AND LOSING KHARMA

The exact ammunition of Kharma gains and losses depends upon the character’s Kharma Rank. For example, a character with a high Kharma Rank will gain less and lose more as his Kharma aligns on much higher standards for him than for another character with a low Kharma Rank.

The chart here represents typical Kharma awards and penalties for notable actions at the various Kharma Ranks. How these awards and penalties should happen in play is the choice of the GM. Some GMs may wish to simply follow the chart and allow Kharma gains and losses automatically, but other GMs may wish to exercise more control and make specific Kharma awards and penalties based on the guidelines of this chart. This is ultimately a matter for the GM to decide, preferably in consultation with the players.

Act 0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-0

Helping people in need +6 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 Saving innocents from harm +8 +6 +5 +3 +2 +1 Putting an end to villainous activity +4 +4 +3 +3 +2 +1 Splendid roleplaying +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 Retaining virtue against overwhelming odds +3 +3 +3 +2 +2 +2 Staying strong in face of great peril and/or suffering +5 +4 +3 +3 +2 +1 Facing a superior foe +5 +5 +4 +4 +4 +3 Showing compassion towards the enemy +2 +2 +1 +1 +0 +0 Protecting others’ interest despite great risk to yourself +2 +3 +3 +4 +3 +2 Fulfilling a promise despite great personal cost +3 +3 +2 +2 +1 +1 Willingly causing harm/misery for no real reason -0 -2 -4 -5 -6 -8 Manipulating others for sinister purposes -0 -1 -2 -3 -5 -7 Spreading terror -0 -0 -1 -2 -3 -5 Fleeing from a battle -0 -0 -2 -4 -5 -6 Abandoning responsibilities -0 -3 -5 -7 -9 -10 Mistreating others -0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 Abusing power -0 -4 -3 -3 -5 -6 Intentional killing -0 -5 -8 -9 -10 -10 Disloyalty -0 -3 -4 -5 -6 -8 Misguiding others for selfish reasons -0 -0 -1 -1 -2 -3 Not showing respect towards an inferior opponent -0 -3 -2 -4 -6 -9

Note that it is entirely possible that an “evil” character has a high Kharma Rank if he is also virtuous in his own ways. Even the darkest heart can be a source of great prowess and resolve, things that can earn many Kharma Points to the character. In the same way, a “good” character can also have a low Kharma Rank if he only has good intentions, but lacks the purposefulness to get things through.

KHARMIC CONVERGENCE

Sometimes, the universe really becomes fond of a person, lending its help at a lower cost than usual. The attention might be fleeing, but it is worth every moment of it. When the character has the same value for both his Kharma Rank and Kharma Points (for example, he has 1 Kharma Point at Kharma Rank 1, or 4 Kharma Points at Kharma Rank 4), all Kharmic effects cost one less Kharma Point than normal.

Fame

Fame is a measure of an individual’s reputation throughout the world as a result of personal accomplishments. Unlike Kharma and Status, Fame is a very fluid attribute and can vary wildly from the results of a single skirmish, or adventure. Individuals who participate in sensational events, such as military officers or bending masters, are more prone to having a high Fame, while mild-mannered or unobtrusive individuals, such as scholars or gurus, are far less likely to be recognized. Surprisingly, socially high-ranking individuals such as the Earth King or the Fire Lord have a relatively low Fame, because they are so unlikely to be recognized when outside of the trappings of their positions

and unaccompanied by their retinue. There are few in the world, after all, who would recognize the Earth King if he were traveling in simple clothes without his legion of bodyguards and attendants.

Fame is a measure of reputation, not prestige, and those who have lower Fame than the character are in no way obligated to obey him. They are expected to show him the proper respect for one of his reputation, however, and failure to do so can result in a legitimate reason for a quarrel or other unpleasant outcomes.

GAINING FAME

Gaining and losing Fame can be done in a variety of ways, all based upon a character’s actions and what ramifications his actions have on his reputation in the world at large. Glory gains and losses are largely out of an individual’s control, as Glory grows or diminishes as a result of others speaking of their exploits. Much as with Kharma, it is the decision of the GM whether Glory changes should be “automatic” or not.

Act Fame Gain or Loss

Acknowledgement Publicly acknowledged by someone of Status 7+, gain 1 Rank. Caught in a Lie Lose double the Fame gained by the act about which the character lied. Completing a Quest Gain Fame Points = half the Fame Rank of the individual issuing the quest. Craftsmanship Gain one Fame Point for each Raise made when creating an item. Defeat Loses opponent’s Fame. Gifts Gain Fame equal to Fame/Status if given a gift by a higher ranking character. Idleness Lose one Fame Point for every week without any Fame gain. Indifference Being ignored for prior bad behavior, reduce all Fame gains by 1, increase losses by 2. Immortality Inspiration for a work of art, gain Fame Points = Fame Rank of most prominent admirer. Learning Gain one Fame Rank when gaining an Insight Rank. Public Bragging After gaining Fame, you may gain 1 additional point through public bragging. Romance Increase Fame Rank of lower-Fame lover to one less than higher-Fame lover. Skirmishes Gain one Fame Point for defeating bandits, monsters, etc. Status Gain Fame equal to the amount of Status gained. Stealing Credit Gain the amount of Fame normally gained for the act being usurped. Warfare Gain 3 points Fame for surviving a battle, 6 if on the winning side.

EFFECTS OF FAME

The higher a character’s Fame Rank, the greater the probability he will be recognized when he encounters people he has not met before. Whenever this happens, the GM can make a Remembrance / Intelligence roll for the strangers against TN 50. This TN is reduced by an amount equal to the character’s current Glory Rank x 5. If the roll is successful, the strangers recognize the character and respond appropriately.

INFAMY

Characters who gain Fame for committing criminal or dishonorable acts may instead be given Infamy, which is similar to Fame in all respects save that it inspires fear and revulsion rather than awe or respect. It is gained in exactly the same manner, but for heinous and fearsome acts, typically those that would normally cause a loss of Kharma. Individuals with Infamy can be recognized in the same manner as those with Fame, but the response of those who recognize them is vastly different. If a character has both Fame and Infamy, the total Ranks

should be combined to determine the likelihood that the character is recognized.

Infamy Points and Ranks can most easily be attained by taking the Infamous Flaw, or through actions during play at the GM’s discretion.

Status

Status is the measure of an individual’s role and influence within the society. Those with higher Status command more resources, authority, and wealth, while those with low Status have little authority over anything, perhaps even their own lives. Status is a largely static attribute that changes infrequently. Generally speaking, the only way for a

character to increase their Status is to gain appointments or promotions from someone who is higher-ranking in the hierarchy of their family, nation, or organization the character is working for.

GAINING AND LOSING STATUS

Status may only be gained by the formal promotion of a character by his superior or another higher-ranking individual. This is traditionally done in recognition of glorious service, although political appointments are also a source for such things. Losing Status is less common, and is done by the same sort of individuals, but as punishment for some sort of failure, typically a failure of duty. There is little that can be done in such cases, although in the instance of an unfair demotion, a character can conceivably protest his demotion to a figure of greater authority who holds influence over the individual who performed the demotion in the first place. If a demotion is found to be unjust, it results in a restoration of the wronged party’s Status. However, an inappropriate protest may result in even more severe punishment for the protesting character.

EFFECTS OF STATUS

Status grants a character authority over other characters of lower Status, but only if those characters exist within the same hierarchy. A Fire Nation character with Status 4 for instance, still cannot issue commands to an Earth Kingdom character with Status 2 unless the two of them are members of the same organization or a comparable social order of some sort; otherwise the Fire Nation character simply has no authority over the Earth Kingdom character. On the other hand, a Fire Nation character of Status 4 can usually issue orders to another Fire Nation character of Status 2. Characters must always be careful in doing so, however, and make sure they do not interrupt or countermand the orders of a different character with an even greater Status than their own. Countermanding a superior often results in loss of Status as a punishment for the interference.

Quick Summary

STEP 1: PICK YOUR NATION

This is the most defining aspect of any Avatar character, and the one that will most impact your role-playing experience. Select the Nation from which your character originates, described both in the Scroll of Air and later in this chapter.

STEP 2: PICK YOUR BACKGROUND

Even within a Nation, the various backgrounds offer a wide variety of characters that can be created. Once your Nation is chosen, pick one of the backgrounds that make up the Nation in order to receive additional benefits. The mechanical benefits of individual backgrounds are listed under the Nations to which they belong later in this chapter.

STEP 3: PICK YOUR CLASS

Four Classes are included for each Nation and can be found later in this chapter.

STEP 4: CUSTOMIZE YOUR CHARACTER

Experience Points are given to characters to represent the improvement of their abilities over time based upon the hardships they have faced. They are given to characters at the end of adventures (see the Scroll of Spirit for discussion of this), but also at the time of character creation in order to represent all that a character has learned during their lifetime up to the point that the campaign begins. A normal starting character begins with 40 Experience Points to spend on purchasing Traits, Perks, and Skills. Additional Experience Points may be acquired by purchasing Flaws.

STEP 5: DERIVED ATTRIBUTES

Certain abilities or traits that a character possesses are determined based upon other things. To complete your character, note his Kharma (defined by Background), Status (1.0 by default), Fame (1.0 by default), and calculate his Insight Rank.

Step 1: Getting Started

There are some things you need to know before you ever look at your character’s Skills and other abilities, hirst and foremost, every character possesses five Elements, which are explained in detail in the Scroll of Fire. Each Element represents one aspect of the character’s mental and physical abilities. As a reminder, they are:

Air: Reflexes and Empathy.

Earth: Toughness and Perception.

Fire: Strength and Willpower.

Water: Agility and Intelligence.

Spirit: Spirit has no Traits, but instead produces Spirit Points. A character has a number of Spirit Points equal to his Spirit Element.

A character’s Elements all begin at 2. When the individual Traits that make up the Elements are increased, an Element always remains equal to the lower of the two. For example, if a character had Agility 4 and Intelligence 2, his Water Element would be 2. If the character increased his Intelligence to 3, his Water Element would become 3 as well.

Also, by this stage you are probably aware of what Nation and background you wish your character to be from. In this case, note both on your character sheet, and then determine what Trait bonus you receive from the background in question. This represents that background’s legacy of training, bloodline, and expertise. That Trait begins at 3 instead of 2. For example, if your character is from the Highborn background of the Fire Nation, he gains +1 Willpower and thus begins with Willpower 3. In addition to the Trait bonus, your character’s background determines his starting Kharma Rank, which should also be noted in the appropriate place on your character sheet.

Step 2: Basics

With your character established as part of a clan and family, it’s time to get a little bit more specific about what kind of character he is going to be. You should by this point know whether your character will be a bender or a non-bender. This affects what kind of abilities your character can learn later, including certain Perks or Flaws, as well as optional mechanics that your GM might choose to include in your campaign (see Step 3 for more information on those).

When you have chosen the Class you wish your character to have, you gain numerous benefits. First, a second Trait gains a bonus of +1. If this is the same Trait that your background granted a bonus to, then that Trait is now at 4 in-stead of the normal starting 2. Most combinations do not double up, however, and so your character will most likely have two Traits that begin at 3 instead of 2. For example, if a character from the Fire Nation Highborn background has the Firebender class, he would begin with Willpower 3 (from the background’s + 1 Willpower benefit) and Strength 3 (from the Class’ +1 Strength benefit).

Every Class confers seven Ranks of Skills. Unless otherwise specified, these Skills all begin at Rank 1. Many Classes allow a character to choose one or more of these Skills from a larger group (such as Remembrance skills) to represent the diversity of that Class. Obviously, this chosen Skill cannot be one already provided by the Class. Record all the Skills granted as part of your character’s Class on the character sheet. For example, the character with the Firebender Class would enter the following Skills on his sheet (because they are listed in the Class’ description): Athletics, Calligraphy, Etiquette, Intimidate, Meditation, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any one non-Specialist Skill.

Bender Classes also start with two Bending Techniques at rank 1, representing the character’s training with his bending power. For example, a Firebender starts with the Offensive and Utility Bending Techniques. Bending and Bending Techniques are explained in detail later in this chapter.

With the inherent benefits, Skills, and Bending Techniques taken care of, you now must be sure to include your character’s Outfit, which is all of his starting equipment, and his Technique. Techniques are powerful abilities granted by Classes. They represent perhaps the character’s most potent advantage against his opponents, and should be listed on the character sheet for ease of use.

Step 3: Customization

Once all of the starting aspects a character receives from his Nation, background, and Class have been noted, it’s time to customize the character so that he is not exactly the same as every other member of his Class. This is done by purchasing additional abilities, including more Ranks in Traits or Skills, to represent the character’s life up until the time the campaign begins. These abilities are purchased using Experience Points. A starting character has 40 Experience Points to use for additional abilities. These points may be spent in any of the following manners: A character may increase a Trait by paying a number of Experience Points equal to four times the next rank. For example, increasing a character’s Reflexes from 2 to 3 would cost 12 Experience Points. Remember to check and see if your Element increases when you purchase additional ranks in your Traits. Because it has no Traits, the Spirit Element may be increased on its own. This is more expensive, however, because the Spirit Element contributes directly to a character’s Insight Rank (see below). Increasing a character’s Spirit Element costs a number of points equal to six times the new rank. For example, increasing a character’s Spirit Element from 2 to 3 would cost 18 Experience Points. Skills may be purchased for a number of Experience Points equal to the next rank in the Skill. To purchase a Skill the character does not already possess costs 1 Experience Point to gain that Skill at rank 1. Increasing a Skill from 2 to 3 would cost 3 Experience Points. An Emphasis may be purchased for a Skill by spending 2 Experience Points. Emphases, and their related bonuses, are explained later in this chapter. Benders may also purchase Bending Technique ranks by paying a number of Experience Points equal to two times the next rank. For example, increasing a character’s Offensive Bending Technique from 2 to 3 would cost 6 Experience Points. To purchase a Bending Technique the character does not already possess costs 2 Experience Points to gain that Bending Technique at rank 1. Perks and Flaws may be purchased for the cost listed in their description. A Perk that specifies it costs 3 points, for example, requires 3 Experience Points to add to your character. Flaws function similarly, except that characters gain additional Experience Points for taking them, up to a maximum of 10 extra points. For example, a character with 40 Experience Points who takes a Flaw worth 4 points now has 44 Experience Points to spend on improvements.

There are other abilities that your GM may wish to add to your campaign in order to increase the number of character options available. These include Feats, Chi Powers and other benefits, and are described in the Scroll of Water: Advanced Mechanics. If your GM chooses to add these options to your game, there are abilities described there that can be purchased for Experience Points as well. When spending Experience Points, please remember that no starting character may begin play with any ability, whether a Trait or a Skill, above 4.

Step 4: Details

With your Experience Points spent, the majority of your character is complete. Write down your character’s starting Fame Rank and Status Rank, both of which should begin at 1.0 unless you have another ability that increases one (such as the Famous Perk, which increases a starting character’s Fame Rank). You also need to calculate your character’s Insight Rank (see below). And now you’re ready to start the game!

Example of Character Creation

After carefully reading about the different Nations and backgrounds, Jessica has decided she would like to play an Earth Kingdom noblewoman. She picks the Earth Kingdom Elite background, and while it is a perfect fit for a non-bender character, Jessica is more interested in playing a bender, and has selected the Earthbender Class as the obvious choice for her character, Jin. Jessica notes that all Jin’s Traits begin at 2, except for Intelligence and Toughness, which both start at 3 (Intelligence is the bonus Trait for the Earth Kingdom Elite background, and Toughness for the Earthbender Class). Jessica also notes that Jin has the Skills of Awareness, Investigate, and Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts) at rank 1, and the Defense Skill at rank 2, because those are the Skills given by the Earthbender Class. She can pick one Games and one other Skill as well, so Jessica adds Games: Pai Sho and Medicine, both at rank 1. She wants Jin to be able to help out her fellow companions when they are wounded. She also jots down a Kharma Rank of 3.0, and the equipment listed in the Class’ Outfit. Finally, she writes down the mechanics associated with the Rank 1 Technique for the Earthbender Class, which Jin will have learned during her years in the Earthbending School to the game actually starting.

With all the basics from her background and Class written down, Jessica is ready to spend the 40 Experience Points that all starting characters have. She decides she wants to choose her Flaws first, so that she will know exactly how many Experience Points she has before she starts spending them. Jessica reads over the list of Flaws, knowing that she can pick up to 10 points worth, but ultimately selects only two: Bad Fortune (Allergy) and Jealousy. Jessica wants Jin to be allergic to honey - an illness that runs in Jin’s family, and she wants Jin to have an earthbending prodigy older brother, Shu-Wei, who constantly outperforms her sister, earning her jealousy over the years. Bad Fortune (Allergy) is worth 3 points, and Jealousy is worth 3 too, so Jessica notes that she has a total of 46 Experience Points to spend.

Because Jessica wants Jin to have some flexibility in terms of possible power output, she decides to increase Jin’s Spirit Element right out of the gate despite how expensive it is. Increasing Jin’s Spirit Element from 2 to 3 costs a total of 18 Experience Points (the new rank of 3, multiplied by 6), leaving her with 28 points. She also increases Jin’s Perception from 2 to 3 in order to make her a better earthbender, as with Toughness 3 and Perception 3, Jin has Earth 3 - an important thing to have for earthbending. This costs 12 points (the new rank of 3, multiplied by 4), leaving Jessica with 16 points to spend on Skills, Perks, and Bending Techniques.

Looking at Jin’s Skills, Jessica decides to increase her Awareness and Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts) to 2, for a total of 4 points spent (2 points for each Skill, the cost of the new rank). After a moment’s consideration, she takes the Etiquette Skill at rank 2 to make sure that Jin's abilities match her picture of a well-mannered noblewoman. This costs an additional 3 points, leaving Jessica with 9 to spend.

Her Earthbender Class gives Jin the Defensive and Utility Bending Techniques at rank 1. Jessica imagines Jin as a defensive earthbender, so she purchases an additional rank of Defensive Bending technique for 4 points. She also wants Jin to be able to bail out from dangerous situations with her earthbending, taking the Mobility Bending Technique at rank 1 for 2 points. She now only has 3 Experience Points left for purchasing Perks.

After some time, she decides on Dangerous Beauty (3 points) which supports the character concept she has in mind for an Earth Kingdom noblewoman.

With her points spent, Jessica decides to tally everything up. She writes down a Fame Rank of 1.0 and a Status Rank of 1.0, because that is the default for starting characters and Jessica did not purchase any Perks that would increase

them. Looking over her sheet one final time, she decides it looks pretty good and heads off to talk to her GM about her decisions.

What’s Important?

New players may be uncertain as to which Traits and Skills are the most useful. To some extent this is different for every campaign, so consultation with the GM is strongly recommended if your GM plans a combat-oriented campaign, Reflexes and Warrior Skills will have high value but Empathy and Artisan skills will most likely seldom come into play. However, the following Traits and Skills are almost always useful:

Agility: Being physically agile is an important advantage that will often come into play outside of combat too.

Perception: Spotting a danger in time is the best way to not get hurt.

Awareness: The skill used for spotting ambushes, locating hidden clues, and figuring out whether someone is lying to you.

Etiquette: The primary “social defense” skill, used to resist most Social Skills, and thus useful for almost any character.

Stealth: The ability to approach (or run away from) a problem subtly and without drawing others’ attention comes handy in many situations, and it is often more effective than direct confrontation.

Benders can also neglect certain Skills if they have Ranks in comparable Bending Techniques. A bender with several Ranks in the Mobility Bending Technique will rarely need Athletics or Acrobatics, for example. Similarly, a bender with the Offensive Bending Technique seldom wants to use normal weapons, so he won’t need Weapon Skills. On the other hand, benders must put a greater focus on improving the Traits associated with their element, so that their Element Rank will also increase.

Improving Your Character

Characters in the Avatar RPG are not static. They change over time as their experiences lead them to hone their abilities or pursue additional training. This is represented by your GM awarding additional Experience Points either at the end of each session or at the end of each adventure. (See the Scroll of Spirit for further discussion of how many and how often Experience Point should be awarded.) These additional Experience Points may be spent in exactly the same manner as the Experience Points used to customize your beginning character. They can also be saved from one adventure to the next in order to accumulate enough to afford more expensive improvements.

One important aspect of characters that changes over time as they increase their abilities is Insight Rank. Insight Rank is a means of measuring the overall abilities of a character, both to determine how they are progressing in their study and to compare them to other characters in terms of relative power. Insight Rank is measured by adding all of a character’s Elements together and multiplying them by ten, then adding the total of all their Skill Ranks and Bending Technique Ranks together and adding it to the total from the Elements. For example, a character with all five Elements at 2 and with a total of 20 ranks in different Skills and Bending Techniques would have an Insight Rank of 120. Insight Rank is measured in increments of 25 as follows:

Insight 1-149 Rank 1

Insight 150-174 Rank 2

Insight 175-199 Rank 3

Insight 200-224 Rank 4

Insight 225-249 Rank 5

Insight 250-274 Rank 6

Insight 275-299 Rank 7

Insight 300-324 Rank 8

+25 points of Insight +1 Rank

Insight Rank is very closely linked to another similar measurement called Class Rank. While Insight Rank takes into account a character’s abilities as a whole, Class Rank only concerns itself with the progression of a character within a particular Class. For a beginning character, Class Rank and Insight Rank are the same. When a character advances to

Insight Rank 2, he also advances to Class Rank 2, and as such he may learn the Rank 2 Technique of that Class. When he achieves Insight Rank 3, he is also at Class Rank 3 and may learn the Rank 3 Technique of his Class.

In some situations, a character may have Ranks in two or more different Classes. The most common means of doing this is through the Multiple Classes Perk. This creates a disparity between Insight Rank and Class Rank, but the progression remains the same, with the exception that the character may only increase only one Class Rank with each Insight Rank advancement. For example, a Rank 2 Fire Nation Engineer takes the Multiple Schools Perk and ceases to progress as a Fire Nation Engineer, instead beginning to progress as a Firebender. When he increases in Insight Rank, his new Class Rank in the Firebender Class increases rather than his old Engineer Rank. So, when this character achieves Insight Rank 3, rather than gaining School Rank 3 as an Engineer, he instead gains Class Rank 1 as a Firebender and gains its Rank 1 Technique. After this, each time the character advances in Insight Rank, he can increase one of his Class Ranks too. So when he reaches Insight Rank 4, the character may choose to advance his Engineer Class Rank to 3 or his Firebender Class Rank to 2, but not both.

Insight Rank 6 and Beyond

Although it does not happen often, some campaigns can continue well past the point at which the characters involved master the five Techniques of their beginning Class. When this happens, generally a character will select another Class and begin progressing in that Class, beginning with its Rank 1 Technique. Characters selecting this option must meet all the requirements for the new Class as described under the Multiple Classes Perk, but they do not need to purchase that Perk; it is granted to them for free.

The Scroll of Water contains additional options for high-Insight characters, such as Advanced Classes, which the GM may decide to introduce into the game as well. GMs who wish to begin a campaign at higher levels should increase the number of Experience Points granted to characters during the Character Creation process.

THE FOUR NATIONS

The world of Avatar is divided into four nations: the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. Each nation is culturally unique and associated with one bending technique: waterbending, earthbending, firebending, and airbending, respectively.

There is an option that the character has no Nation, or, to better say, he is “unaligned”. Details of this option are discussed in the Scroll of Water.

Air Nomads

Air Nomads is a collective term for a nation of people who practice the discipline of airbending. One of the four major nations, the Air Nomads were wanderers by definition, but had four air temples, one at each corner of the globe, hidden away atop mountain ranges in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands. The theocratic Air Nomads were home to a monastic order of men and women who practiced airbending. Unlike the other nations, the people of the Air Nomads were, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people.

The Air Nomads are the most spiritual of all the cultures and live in harmony with nature. They are also fun-loving and have a strong sense of humor.

EASTERN AIR TEMPLE: +1 AGILITY Kharma: 4.2 NORTHERN AIR TEMPLE: +1 STRENGTH

Kharma: 4.0

SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE: +1 REFLEXES Kharma: 5.0 WESTERN AIR TEMPLE: +1 PERCEPTION Kharma: 3.5

CLASS: AIRBENDER (Airbender)

Benefit: +1 Empathy

Skills: Acrobatics, Meditation, Persuade, Sleight of Hand, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any two Skills

Bending Techniques: Mobility 1, Utility 1

Outfit: Traveler clothes, any one weapon, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of Air

While in the Defense or Full Defense Stance, you add your Mobility Bending Technique Rank to your Armor TN.

Rank 2:

You ignore movement penalties from passing through moderate or difficult terrain. Your airbending attacks also receive a +1k0 bonus to the damage roll while you are in the Full Attack Stance.

Rank 3: Winds of Your Spirit

You may add your Air Element and Spirit Element to your Bending Rolls. When you spend a Spirit Point to augment a Bending Roll, you gain a Free Raise to that roll in addition to the normal +1k1 bonus.

Rank 4: Enchanted Gust

At the beginning of your Turn, you may spend a Spirit Point as a Free Action to activate this technique. For the rest of that Turn, you may use your bending as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action.

Rank 5: Unstoppable Blow

All your airbending attacks knock back the opponent just as if you used the Knockback Maneuver, but you don’t have to make any Raises for it. The Knockback Maneuver has no effect on you, and when you use the Mobility Bending Technique to escape a grapple, entanglement or any similar effect, you automatically succeed on your Bending Roll.

CLASS: AIR NOMAD (Airbender)

Benefit: +1 Intelligence

Skills: Awareness, any one Navigation Skill, Persuade, Subterfuge, Stealth, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any one Skill

Bending Techniques: Utility 1, Miscellaneous 1

Outfit: Traveler clothes, air glider, any one weapon, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: Dancing Air

As a Free Action, you may target a number of opponents equal to your Class Rank; you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all Contested Rolls made against these opponents, and a +3 bonus to your Armor TN against attacks made by these opponents. This bonus may be activated a number of times per day equal to your Class Rank, and lasts until the end of the day.

Rank 2: A Helping Gale

You may add your Air Trait Rank to your Common and Low Skill Rolls.

Rank 3: Eye of the Storm

Once per Round, you may spend three Kharma Points to gain a +2k1 bonus on all attack rolls, Acrobatics and Defense Skill Rolls and any Contested Social Skill Rolls until the end of the round.

Rank 4: Voice of Peace

At this rank, the Air Nomad has developed a personality strong enough to impose their demand for peace on the more violent individuals around them. This may be done a number of times per session equal to your Class Rank. To use this Technique, you take a Complex Action to step forward and forcefully demand an end to violence. (“This brawling will cease!”) You make a Contested Roll of your Persuade (Appease) / Empathy against the Etiquette (Honesty) / Willpower of all affected persons within hearing. All individuals who lose the roll must immediately

cease all aggressive action, and cannot attack until they take damage or you give them permission to fight. (They can still use defensive abilities and the Defense and Full Defense Stances.) The effect lasts for one minute, and the Technique can be used on the same targets again if it is resisted or expires. This Technique affects both enemies and allies.

Rank 5: Thoughts Unclouded

When making a Class Skill Roll, your maximum Raises are not limited by your Spirit. A number of times per session equal to your Spirit Element, you may gain a +5k0 bonus when making a roll with any of your Class Skills.

CLASS: SPIRIT SEER (Airbender)

Benefit: +1 Spirit

Skills: Calligraphy, Defense, Investigate, Logic, Medicine, Meditation (Spiritualism), Occultism

Bending Techniques: Defensive 1, Miscellaneous 1

Outfit: Monk robes, ritual accessories, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: Sense Spirits

You may activate this technique by spending a Spirit Point. For the duration of the scene, you can see the Spirits around you and thus interact with them.

Rank 2: Commune with Spirits

While the Sense Spirits Technique is active, you gain a Free Raise to your Awareness and Investigate Skill Rolls.

Rank 3: Spiritual Aegis

As part of activating the Sense Spirits Technique, you may spend an additional Spirit Point to activate this technique too. For the duration of the scene, no Spirit can attack or directly harm you, and non-Spirit creatures cannot spend Spirit Points to enhance their Skill Rolls or attack rolls against you.

Rank 4: One with the Spirits

While the Sense Spirits Technique is active, you gain a Free Raise to your Social Skill Rolls when interacting with Spirits. When you spend a Spirit Point, roll a D10: on a roll of 9 or 10, you immediately regain one Spirit Point.

Rank 5: Spirit Portal

When you make a Meditation (Spiritualism) Skill Roll to enter the Spirit World, you may make four Raises on the roll to transport your physical body too to the Spirit World, rather than just your spirit. You may also spend one or more Spirit Points to bestow this ability to one willing subject per Spirit Point spent within your reach.

CLASS: WARRIOR MONK (Airbender)

Benefit: +1 Toughness

Skills: Acrobatics, Defense, Meditation, Polearms, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any one Warrior Skill, any one Skill

Bending Techniques: Offensive 1, Mobility 1

Outfit: Monk robes, air glider, any one weapon, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of the Typhoon

You gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls made using unarmed strikes, blunt weapons or with polearms. You also add twice your Class Rank to your Armor TN against all melee attacks.

Rank 2: Soul of the Whirlwind

You gain a +1k1 bonus to your Initiative rolls and standing up from a Prone position is a Free Action for you rather than a Simple Action.

Rank 3: Hurricane Strike

When using a blunt weapon, polearm or an unarmed attack, you may make melee attacks as Simple Actions rather than Complex Actions.

Rank 4: Counter Attack

You may make one melee Attack action per Turn while in the Defense stance.

Rank 5: Strength of the Zephyr

You may perform the Feint Maneuver for only 1 Raise, and your damage bonus from a successful Feint is not limited to your Insight Rank x 5.

Fire Nation

The Fire Nation is one of the world's four nations and five sovereign states. It is an absolute monarchy led by the Fire Lord and home to most firebenders. Geographically, the nation is located along the planet's equator in the western hemisphere and is composed of several islands. Its capital is simply known as the Fire Nation Capital.

The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want.

CENTRAL ISLANDS BACKGROUND: +1 INTELLIGENCE Kharma: 2.5 HIGHBORN BACKGROUND: +1 WILLPOWER Kharma: 4.0 NORTHERN ISLANDS BACKGROUND: +1 REFLEXES

Kharma: 1.8

SOUTHERN ISLANDS BACKGROUND: +1 TOUGHNESS Kharma: 3.6

CLASS: AMBASSADOR

Benefit: +1 Empathy

Skills: Awareness (Sense), Calligraphy, Deceive, Etiquette, Persuade, Temptation, any one Common or Low Skill

Outfit: Fine clothes, writing kit, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: Tread Carefully

You gain a Free Raise on all your Awareness Skill Rolls. However, while ambassadors are trained for diplomacy, they do not wholly neglect the ways of the warrior. In a skirmish, you add your Empathy Trait Rank to your Armor TN.

Rank 2: Reading the Soul

You may attempt to read someone else’s true emotions in a social situation by making a Contested Social Skill Roll of your Etiquette / Empathy against the target’s Etiquette / Willpower. With a success, you gain a simple, general idea of their true feelings - which can be very useful when those feelings are not the same as their outward actions. You may Raise for better information, subject to the GM’s adjudication.

Rank 3:

By speaking with someone for a few minutes, you may make a Contested Roll of your Deceive (Manipulation) / Empathy against their Etiquette (Honesty) / Empathy to force them into revealing one Mental or Social Flaw they possess. If they have no such Flaws, this will instead reveal one Mental or Social Perk. (Note this will only reveal the rulebook title of the Perk or Flaw, not the specific nature of it. For example, you might learn that the target has “Dark Secret,” but not the specific nature of the secret.) If the roll succeeded in revealing a Flaw, with the GM's permission you may take a 2 point Blackmail Perk against this individual, for no cost in Experience Points.

Rank 4:

Anyone making a Social Skill Roll for the purpose of lying to you or deceiving you, or making a Feint or Disarm Maneuver against you in a skirmish, has their TN increased by an amount equal to 5 times your Class Rank.

Rank 5: A Generous Gift

If you know of a material item someone needs, and arrange for them to get it, you gain a bonus of +5k0 to any Contested Social Rolls you make against that person for the next 24 hours.

CLASS: ENGINEER

Benefit: +1 Intelligence

Skills: Crafting: Blacksmithing, Demolition, Engineering, Remembrance: Technology, Technology, Subterfuge (Security), any one Skill

Outfit: Reinforced clothes, tools, any one weapon, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1:

You gain a bonus of +1k0 when making any Class Skill Roll. When spending a Spirit Point to augment a Class Skill Roll, you gain a bonus of +2k2 instead of +1k1. These effects are not cumulative.

Rank 2:

When crafting an item, you may make 2 Raises on the Crafting Skill Roll and spend one Spirit Point to create a master-crafted item. Master-crafted items confer a +1k0 bonus to all rolls made while using them, including attack rolls and damage rolls.

Rank 3:

You can make a Technology / Intelligence Cumulative Roll against a TN of 60 to improve a piece of armor. You may make only one roll as part of this Cumulative Roll per day, and to do so, you require at least three hours of free time to work on the armor. The improved armor gains a bonus to its Reduction equal to your Class Rank, and it grants an additional bonus to the wearer’s Armor TN equal to half your Class Rank (rounding down). The same armor can be improved only once this way.

Rank 4:

You gain a +5k0 bonus to damage rolls against mechanical targets. You may also add your Intelligence Trait Rank to the total of your Class Skill Rolls.

Rank 5:

CLASS: FIREBENDER (Firebender)

Benefit: +1 Strength

Skills: Athletics, Calligraphy, Etiquette, Intimidate, Meditation, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any one non-Specialist Skill

Bending Techniques: Offensive 1, Miscellaneous 1

Outfit: Normal clothes, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of Fire

You add your Fire Element to your firebending damage rolls. You also gain a +1k0 bonus to all your Bending Rolls while you use your firebending under direct sunlight.

Rank 2:

You double the maximum distance you can fly using your Mobility Bending Technique. When using the Counter Bending Technique, the penalty you cause is increased by an amount equal to your Fire Element.

Rank 3:

Using the Offensive Bending Technique is a Simple Action for you rather than a Complex Action.

Rank 4:

While in the Full Attack Stance, you gain a Free Raise to all your Bending Rolls. The bonus from firebending under direct sunlight increases to +2k0.

Rank 5:

You ignore your opponent’s Armor TN bonus from the Defense or Full Defense Stance when you attack him with your firebending. Characters successfully hit by your firebending suffer 4k2 damage in the Reaction Stage of the same Round.

CLASS: SWORDFIGHTER

Benefit: +1 Agility

Skills: Acrobatics, Defense, Etiquette, Meditation, Sleight of Hand (Prestidigitation), Swords 2

Outfit: Light or medium armor, sturdy clothes, any one sword, any one weapon, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of the Sword

While fighting with a sword, you may either ignore the portion of an opponent’s Armor TN derived from Armor, or gain a Free Raise for the attack roll. Also, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls made with a sword on your first melee attack against an opponent in a skirmish, or against any opponent who has declared a Raise on an attack against you since the last Turn. You add only a total of 1k0 for any enemy who Raised against you, no matter how many times they actually Raised.

Rank 2: Combat Mastery

During Stage 1 of any Combat Round, you may add 5 to either your Initiative Score or your Armor TN. This onus lasts until you use this technique again or the skirmish ends.

Rank 3: Flashing Blades

Attacking is a Simple Action for you while you are using a sword, a slashing weapon, or a knife. In addition, you may make Free Actions while in the Center Stance.

Rank 4: Piercing Strike

Once per skirmish, you may designate one opponent during the Reactions Stage. You may ignore any Armor TN bonuses your target receives from his Stance during the next Round.

Rank 5: Eye of the Storm

You may take one Simple Action per Turn while assuming the Center Stance. You gain the benefits of Center Stance

while you assume the Stance instead of the following Turn, and you may remain in Center Stance as many

consecutive Turns as desired. The Simple Action you take can be a Move Action (bypassing the normal restriction of

the Center Stance).

Earth Kingdom

The Earth Kingdom is one of the world's four nations. Spanning an entire continent as well as several subsidiary islands, it is the largest and most populated sovereignty in the world and encompasses much of the eastern hemisphere. The kingdom is ruled by a monarchy which operates under the rule of a king or queen.

The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong and adhere to a philosophy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation with the other nations of the world.

CITY DWELLER BACKGROUND: +1 EMPATHY Kharma: 2.0 ELITE BACKGROUND: +1 INTELLIGENCE Kharma: 3.0 NORTHERN MOUNTAINS BACKGROUND: +1 STRENGTH Kharma: 0.5 SOUTHERN KINGDOM BACKGROUND: +1 PERCEPTION

Kharma: 1.8

CLASS: EARTHBENDER (Earthbender)

Benefit: +1 Toughness

Skills: Awareness, Defense 2, any one Games Skill, Investigate, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any one Skill

Bending Techniques: Defensive 1, Utility 1

Outfit: Normal clothes, any one weapon, traveling kit

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of Earth

You add your Earthbender Class Ranks to the total of all Toughness and Perception-based rolls. When participating in a Cooperative Bending Roll, you gain a +1k0 bonus to your Bending Roll for each participant other than you.

Rank 2:

When you use the Defensive Bending Technique in place of the Counter Bending Technique, you gain a bonus to the total of your Bending Roll equal to your Earth Element. Covers created by your earthbending provide a +15 bonus (total) to Armor TN.

Rank 3:

When using the Offensive Bending Technique, you may activate this technique by spending a Spirit Point. You gain two Free Raises you can use to perform the Area Effect or Multiple Targets Bending Maneuver, and a +5k0 bonus to your damage roll.

Rank 4:

While in the Defense or Full Defense Stance, you may use your earthbending freely, ignoring all restrictions. Note that non-bending actions must still abide these restrictions – only the bending actions are affected by this technique.

Rank 5:

When you make a Raise to increase the range of your earthbending, you gain a +60 feet increment rather than the usual +20 feet. Breaking your earth prison with bending has a TN of 30 + your Earth Element.

CLASS: EARTH GUARD

Benefit: +1 Willpower

Skills: Awareness (Notice), Etiquette, Hunting, Medicine, Tactics, any one Weapon Skill, any one non-Low Skill

Outfit: Medium or heavy armor, sturdy clothes, any one weapon, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of the Mountains

When spending a Spirit Point to gain +1k1 on a roll, you may choose to spend 2 Void Points (to gain +2k2) on the roll instead. You may Guard as a Free Action; however, if you do so, your target only adds +5 to his Armor TN instead of +10.

Rank 2: Stone Skin

You gain Reduction equal to your Earth Element.

Rank 3:

You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.

Rank 4:

You may spend a Spirit Point during the Reactions Stage to target an opponent who has attempted to strike at either you or the target of your Guard Maneuver during the Round. You gain a bonus of +2kl to the total of all attack and damage rolls against that opponent during the next Round.

Rank 5:

You may spend two Spirit Points as a Free Action when someone declares an action against the target of your Guard Maneuver. You become the target of the action instead (if it would be a legal action - GM’s discretion in questionable instances). You also gain one Free Action that you may use immediately for the sole purpose of moving toward the target of your Guard Maneuver. If you cannot reach your target, this Technique has no effect.

CLASS: HEADHUNTER

Benefit: +1 Reflexes

Skills: Awareness, Hunting (Tracking), Intimidate, Investigate, Riding, any one Weapon Skill, any one Skill

Outfit: Light or medium armor, sturdy clothes, any two weapons, mount, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1:

You suffer no penalties to movement or attacks for rough or uneven terrain. Any time you are making Social Skill Rolls against bandits, gang members, mercenaries, pirates, and other lawless types, you gain a number of Free Raises equal to your Class Rank.

Rank 2:

Every time you hit an opponent in melee, his Armor TN is reduced by 5. This penalty only applies to your attacks, and lasts for 2 Rounds. This Technique is cumulative (a number of times equal to your Class Rank), and the duration resets with each application.

Rank 3:

A number of times per session equal to your Class Rank, if you have failed an Investigate or Temptation Social Skill Roll, you may re-roll it as an Intimidate (Control) Social Skill Roll instead. You must take the result of the Intimidation roll.

Rank 4:

You may make Simple Action attack actions with weapons you have an Emphasis for.

Rank 5:

Once per encounter, you may spend a Spirit Point as a Complex Action to attack your opponent with a melee weapon. If the attack is successful, the target is Stunned. During the Reactions Stage, an affected opponent may attempt a Toughness Trait Roll against a TN equal to the amount of damage dealt to end the Stun effect. If he fails or does not attempt this roll, the Stun effect ends during the next Reactions Stage (the second Reactions Stage after he was struck).

CLASS: INFILTRATOR

Benefit: +1 Agility

Skills: Athletics, Deceive, Stealth (Sneaking), Subterfuge 2, any one Weapon Skill, any one Low Skill

Outfit: Normal clothes, any one weapon, disguise kit, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1:

You receive a +2k0 bonus to your Deceive and Subterfuge Skill Rolls. Whenever you attack from stealth, you also add your Class Rank to the total of your Initiative roll.

Rank 2: Shadow Meld

You gain bonus rolled dice equal to your Class Rank on any Stealth Skill Roll. Any uncontested roll made by an opponent trying to detect you automatically has its TN increased by an amount equal to your Class Rank x 5. You gain one Free Raise on all attack rolls made against opponents who are unaware of your presence.

Rank 3:

You may make attacks as Single Actions rather than Complex Actions when unarmed or wielding a small weapon.

Rank 4: Strike from the Darkness

Even after attacking a target, your opponents and bystanders must succeed at a Contested Roll using Awareness (Notice) I Perception against Stealth (Ambush) / Agility to detect you. You may only use this Technique if you make a single attack per round. The GM may rule that this technique does not work in situations where concealment is impossible.

Rank 5:

When you make a Low Skill Roll, your dice explode on any result of 9 or 10, rather than only on 10. Whenever you attack from stealth, you gain a +2k0 bonus to your damage roll.

Water Tribes

The Water Tribe is a collective term for the nation of people who practice the art of waterbending. It is one of the original four nations and its citizens primarily inhabit the northern and southernmost regions of the globe, near both poles. There is also a small community of waterbenders that populate the Foggy Swamp in the Earth Kingdom, although they were isolated from their sister tribes for generations.

The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything.

MARAUDER BACKGROUND: +1 STRENGTH Kharma: 2.5 NORTH POLE BACKGROUND: +1 SPIRIT Kharma: 3.0 SOUTH POLE BACKGROUND: +1 PERCEPTION Kharma: 4.2 TRIBAL NOBLE BACKGROUND: +1 EMPATHY

Kharma: 4.5

CLASS: NORTHERN WATERBENDER (Waterbender)

Benefit: +1 Intelligence

Skills: Etiquette, Medicine, Meditation, Occultism, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any two non-Low Skills

Bending Techniques: Counter 1, Special 1

Outfit: Normal clothes, water skin, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of Ice

When making a Counter Bending Roll, you can opt to increase both the TN of the roll by 2 and the penalty your Counter Bending Technique causes by 1. You can take this option for the same Counter Bending Roll a number of times equal to your Northern Waterbender Class Rank.

Rank 2: Ice Mastery

Your covers created by the Defensive Bending Technique provide Reduction 6. When using the Offensive Bending Technique, you receive a +1k0 bonus to your damage rolls.

Rank 3: The Child of Tui

During the full moon, you treat your Water Element as two points higher rather than one for the purpose of your Bending Rolls and bending effects.

Rank 4:

You may use the Counter Bending Technique twice per Round. Successfully performing the Second Strike Bending Maneuver with any of these uses provides a third chance to use the Counter Bending Technique.

Rank 5:

You gain a number of additional Spirit Points equal to your Water Element. You can spend these Spirit Points only to augment your Bending Rolls or to temporarily increase a Bending Technique Rank from 0 to 1.

CLASS: POLAR SCOUT

Benefit: +1 Toughness

Skills: Animal Handling, Athletics, Hunting (Survival), Navigation: Arctic, Sailing, Stealth, any one Common or

Warrior Skill

Outfit: Sturdy clothes, any one weapon, survival kit, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: Polar Fieldcraft

You may add your Water Element to the total of your Initiative rolls (unless caught by surprise or otherwise unaware). You can make all food and water rations last twice as long as normal for a number of people equal to your Hunting Skill Rank. While in an arctic environment (including snow-covered mountaintops and such), you gain a +1k0 bonus to your Athletics, Hunting, Navigation, Sailing, and Stealth Skill Rolls.

Rank 2: Keep Up the Flow

You may make Free and Simple Move actions while in the Full Defense stance. You can run at high speed for a number of hours equal to your Toughness + Class Rank, after which you are Exhausted until you have one hour’s rest. Rank 3: Whiteout

As long as you do not move and have some form of cover, concealment, or camouflage available (GM’s discretion), you may spend a Spirit Point to make yourself all but invisible - in mechanical terms, this adds a number of kept dice to your Stealth roll equal to your Class Rank. This effect lasts until you move or make noise. Rank 4: Swift Attacks

You may make attacks as Single Action rather than Complex Action if you are using a Blunt Weapon, Knife, Polearm, or Slashing Weapon. You may also attack as a Simple Action regardless of weapon when fighting against a non-supernatural animal. Rank 5: Mastering the Waves

You add twice your Water Element to all Physical Trait Rolls and Class Skill Rolls. You also gain a +2k0 bonus to damage rolls while using a Blunt Weapon, Knife, Polearm, or Slashing Weapon.

CLASS: SOUTHERN WATERBENDER (Waterbender)

Benefit: +1 Agility

Skills: Awareness, Defense, Medicine, Navigation: Sea, Sailing, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any one Common or Specialist Skill

Bending Techniques: Counter 1, Offensive 1

Outfit: Warm clothes, water skin, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of Water

You add your Counter Bending Technique Rank to the total of your Initiative rolls. When using the Offensive Bending Technique, you ignore an amount of Armor TN bonus from armor or cover equal to your Water Element.

Rank 2:

When using the Offensive Bending Technique, you may choose to entangle your target(s) with the successful Offensive Bending Roll. If you choose to do so, your attack causes only 1k1 damage, regardless of your Element, Insight Rank, or other modifiers.

Rank 3:

While in the middle of a lake, river, sea or other similarly large surface of water, you may use your waterbending with a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action.

Rank 4:

You may activate this technique by spending a Spirit Point. For the duration of the skirmish, you gain a bonus to your Armor TN equal to your Defensive Bending Technique Rank, and you add your Water Element to the total of your Offensive, Counter, and Mobility Bending Rolls.

Rank 5:

You can perform the Multiple Targets and Sweeping Attack Bending Maneuvers without making Raises. You still

have to Raise if you want to increase the initial effect of these Bending Maneuvers, but each increment needs one less Raise than normal.

CLASS: WOLF WARRIOR

Benefit: +1 Reflexes

Skills: Athletics, Awareness, Defense, Riding, any two Weapon Skills, any one Skill

Outfit: Light or medium armor, sturdy clothes, any two weapons, small shield, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: The Way of the Wolf

At the beginning of each Round, you may choose to either reduce TN penalties from Wound Ranks by your Water Element plus your Strength Trait Rank until the end of the Round, or increase your damage rolls by the same amount.

Rank 2: War Howl

You may spend a Spirit Point as a Simple Action to activate this Technique. While this Technique is active, you and all of your allies within 30’ add +2k0 to the total of all damage rolls. This lasts for a number of Rounds equal to your Water Element. This bonus is not cumulative with other applications of War Howl. Using this Technique while under its effects refreshes its duration.

Rank 3: Fury of the Wolf

You may make melee attacks as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action.

Rank 4: Furious Assault

If you move at least 5 feet, you gain a bonus of +10 to your Armor TN until your next Turn. You may sacrifice this bonus during your Turn before you roll for any attack to gain two Free Raises that may only be used to perform the Knockdown Maneuver.

Rank 5: The Wolf’s Mercy

While you are attacking an opponent with lower Initaitve, you add +2k2 to all attack and damage rolls.

SKILLS

More so than almost any other mechanic, Skills define the knowledge and competency of a character in the Avatar role-playing game. While Traits demonstrate what a character is capable of in terms of sheer mental and physical abilities, Skills are the sum of everything they have learned throughout the course of their entire lifetime, and as such allow them to accomplish a tremendous amount.

As described in the Scroll of Fire, Skill Rolls are the most common rolls made during play. For the purposes of making rolls, Skills are almost always paired with a Trait. This is denoted in the game by listing the names together, such as Swords / Agility. When this notation occurs, it means that the player in question should roll a number of dice equal to his character’s Swords Skill plus his Agility Trait, and keep a number equal to his Agility.

Skills fall into a number of categories. The most significant of these is referred to as the subtype, a system where all Skills are sorted into one of four broad categories depending upon how the use of that Skill is regarded. The Skill subtypes include:

Common Skills are general skills used by most people with a day-to-day basis. They encompass all the basic activities a character might participate in, and it is exceptionally rare that someone doesn’t possess at least one of them.

Warrior Skills are considered to be the domain of the more martial-minded. They are normally used in combat or to reach combat. Some skills in this category are practiced by the harmless too as they have uses outside of combat, but possessing these skills is otherwise a mark of a warrior (hence the name).

Specialist Skills represent qualifications in various uncommon fields of expertise. They are not considered widespread, as they require a special aptitude or arduous education. Only certain people have one or two of these Skills, typically those who need them for their profession.

Low Skills represent shady crafts and practices that no honest person would use. These skills encompass a great variety of trickery and deceit and thus they are often used by criminals and other lawless elements.

Emphases

Individual Skills may cover a number of different activities, all of which fall under the auspices of the primary Skill. These different aspects are called Emphases, and can give a bonus to characters who choose to pay special attention to that aspect of the Skill. Many Skills described in this chapter include a number of Emphases.

The number of Emphases a character may possess for a Skill is determined by his rank in that Skill. A character may possess one Emphasis for a Skill at rank 1, two Emphases at rank 3, three Emphases at rank 5, four at Rank 7, and a

maximum of five Emphases at rank 9. It costs two Experience Points to purchase an Emphasis in a Skill. An Emphasis is indicated in parentheses after the name of the Skill to which it is attached. For example, a character with three ranks in the Subterfuge Skill and an Emphasis for disguise would note the Skill as follows: Subterfuge (Disguise) 3.

When making a Skill Roll, if the character has an Emphasis that applies to the situation requiring the roll, he may im-mediately re-roll any dice that result in a 1. This may only be done once per roll. For example, if a character with Archery (Longbows) 3 and Agility 2 is making an attack with a longbow, he rolls 5k2 for the attack and gets 1, 1, 4, 6, 8. Because he is using a longbow and has the Longbow Emphasis for Archery, he immediately re-rolls the two dice that resulted in a 1, getting a 1 and a 7. He would then presumably keep the 7 and the 8, for a total of 15. The die that rolled a one the second time would not be re-rolled.

Mastery Abilities

Because of the nature of the Roll&Keep system, Traits are often considered more important than Skills, since they contribute not only to the number of dice rolled, but also determine how many are kept. Skills have a number of benefits of their own, however, and the most potent of these are Mastery Abilities.

Mastery Abilities are additional benefits that characters gain from having higher ranks in a given Skill. Although most Skills have them, there are some that do not. Those Skills that have Mastery Abilities typically gain them at Ranks 3, 5, and 7, although there are some Skills that gain a single Mastery Ability at Rank 5. These benefits are listed in the individual Skill write-ups. Unless otherwise specified, Mastery Abilities only apply when the actual Skill in question is being used.

All Skills possess a single Mastery Ability at Rank 10, which is a Free Raise on all rolls made using that Skill.

Other Skill Types and Macro Skills

Although not as important as subtypes, there are a handful of Skill classifications that have mechanical considerations.

- CLASS SKILLS are the basic seven Skills acquired by the character from his Class, representing the basic expertise the Class offers. Various mechanical effects impact a character’s Class Skills.

- SOCIAL SKILLS are used by characters in social settings.

Macro-skills is a term used to describe large groups of similar skills that do not warrant their own unique name and mechanical considerations. Typically a Macro-skill includes a number of different specializations that can be served by the same Skill system but that are just dissimilar enough that mastery of one does not entail mastery of another. Each of these specializations is thus a unique Skill that must be purchased and improved separately, and is denoted by a specific name after the Macro-skill name. For example, the Skill of playing the game of Pai Sho falls under the Macro-skill category of Games and is denoted as Games: Pai Sho.

Macro-skills include the following:

- ARTISAN represents the various forms of art that are highly prized by certain collectors.

- CRAFT represents the ability to create practical objects of one form or another.

- GAMES represents a number of pastimes enjoyed throughout the world.

- PERFORM indicates a character’s ability to entertain others.

- REMEMEBRANCE is mastery of one or more scholarly topics.

- TACTICS is mastery of one or more topics regarding proper conduction of military operations.

- WEAPONS are Skills used in combat. Unlike other Macro-Skills, there are a number of individual Weapon Skills that have their own unique abilities. Any other weapon not described in this chapter falls under Weapons, however, and will not have its own abilities.

Skill List

All Skills are described in the following manner:

SKILL NAME (TRAIT): The Skill name also includes the Trait with which the Skill is most frequently paired. Any Skill can be combined with any Trait for a Skill Roll (at the GM's discretion), but the listed Trait is the one most likely to be used in any given situation.

SUB-TYPES: Any sub-types or qualifiers that the Skill possesses are included immediately after the Skill’s name. These keywords may have mechanical considerations. If the Skill is a Macro-skill, examples of the specific Skills which it encompasses will be listed here.

EMPHASES: Any Emphases associated with the Skill are included here.

DESCRIPTION: This is a general description of how the Skill is used in Rokugan, any social impact associated with its use, and other general notes regarding its use.

MASTERY ABILITIES: Any Mastery Abilities the Skill may have associated with it are described at the end of the entry.

Common Skills

ATHLETICS (Strength)

EMPHASES: Climbing, Running, Swimming

DESCRIPTION: Athletics covers many areas normally governed by Trait Rolls. If you have a background in Athletics, however, you can perform these activities, principally climbing, running, and swimming, with considerably more ease than most. Athletics can also increase your capacity for movement, even when restricted by heavy armor and the like.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: Moderate Terrain no longer impedes movement, and movement across Difficult Terrain reduces the character’s Spirit Element by 1 instead of 2.

- RANK 5: The character no longer suffers movement penalties regardless of terrain.

- RANK 7: The character may add 5 feet to the total of one Move Action per Round (this does not increase his maximum possible movement per round).

AWARENESS (Perception)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Notice, Search, Sense

DESCRIPTION: Awareness represents your ability to assess your surroundings and gather information based on physical clues. Unlike other Intelligence or Perception Skill Rolls, Awareness can be re-rolled if you fail the initial roll. The second roll may not be made for at least an hour, however, and suffers a +15 increase to TN.

Awareness is most frequently used to locate something (or someone) hidden or concealed. If this is a person in hid-ing, a Contested Roll will be used, pitting the character's Awareness (Notice or Search Emphasis according to the circumstances) against the target's Stealth. The Sense Emphasis can be used to try to figure out if someone is lying or trying to manipulate the character, typically in a Contested Roll against the target’s Deceive or Persuade.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: A second attempt to use the Search Emphasis may be made without an increase in the original TN.

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +5 to the total of any Contested Roll made using Awareness.

- RANK 7: A third attempt to use the Search Emphasis may be made even if the second attempt fails.

CALLIGRAPHY (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: Calligraphy is considered an Artisan Skill for the purposes of effects that target Artisan Skills

EMPHASES: Cipher, Linguistics

DESCRIPTION: Calligraphy is considered an art form by many, and is typically used not only among scholars, who use advanced ciphers and scripts to protect their mystical secrets, but also by artisans and courtiers, who use it to impress others as part of their complex schemes to gain favor. Training in calligraphy is not necessary as part of literacy, as most people are literate, but it does allow one to show refinement and sophistication.

If you possess the Cipher Emphasis, you are assumed to know one cipher commonly used by your Nation. Ciphers can be very difficult to break, with varying TNs depending upon their commonality of use and means of creation. Typically, the TN to break a cipher is the result of the Calligraphy (Cipher) / Intelligence roll used to create it. The Linguistics Emphasis is used to understand unfamiliar languages and to make use of complex forms of a known language.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +10 when attempting to break a code or cipher.

ETIQUETTE (Empathy)

SUB-TYPES: Social Skill

EMPHASES: Conversation, Honesty, Protocol, Sincerity

DESCRIPTION: Etiquette is essentially the “social defense” Skill of honorable characters in Rokugan’s courts. When someone tries to tempt, manipulate, or otherwise influence you (typically with skills like Courtier or Temptation), Etiquette is usually used in the ensuing Contested Roll, most often with the Honesty Emphasis. Sincerity allows you to offer an opinion without risking offense (at a TN chosen by the GM). The Protocol Emphasis is used when trying to maneuver through official channels appropriately, such as trying to arrange a meeting with someone of high Status (the Earth Kingdom bureaucracy, for example, is notoriously difficult to navigate). Conversation allows you to determine an appropriate, non-offensive topic for discussion (TN 15+).

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains a +1k0 bonus to his Deceive and Persuade Skill Rolls.

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +5 to the total of all Contested Rolls made using Etiquette.

- RANK 7: If the character uses a Spirit Point to enhance his Etiquette Skill Roll, he gains a +2k2 bonus instead of the normal +1k1.

GAMES (Various)

SUB-TYPES: Macro-skill (includes: Airball (Reflexes), Ice Marbles (Agility), Earth Soccer (Agility), Hide-and-Explode (Perception), Kuai Ball (Agility), Solitaire (Empathy), Four Nations (Intelligence), Pai Sho (Intelligence), etc.)

EMPHASES: Varies by Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: Games are an important diversion for the people of the Avatar world. Although some people generally prefer direct physical activities such as wrestling or other competitive pursuits, virtually everyone in the world plays a game of one form or another on a regular basis. Some popular games include: airball, ice marbles, earth soccer, hide-and-explode, Kuai ball, solitaire, Four Nations, and Pai Sho. Games Skill Rolls are typically Contested Rolls made between two individuals, each attempting to defeat the other at the game in question.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The character gains an additional +5 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

INVESTIGATE (Perception)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Examine, Inquiry, Interrogate

DESCRIPTION: Investigate is important to successfully solving a mystery, but not all characters are necessarily accomplished in the field. Identifying the perpetrators often requires the character to examine evidence, analyze patterns, and question witnesses as well as suspects. Investigate measures a character’s aptitude for completing these tasks, whether it be among the crowds of a bustling city or the rigorous analysis of a crime scene. Unlike other Intelligence or Perception Skill Rolls, Investigate can be re-rolled if you fail the initial roll. The second roll may not be made for at least an hour, however, and suffers a +15 increase to TN. The Examine Emphasis allows you to find and analyze physical evidence for clues – Inquiry does the same, but you gain the information from people like witnesses. Interrogate is used when the person who holds a piece of information you need is unwilling to share what he knows. Inquiry and Interrogate often uses Empathy instead of Perception. Interrogate is usually a Contested Roll against Etiquette (Sincerity) / Willpower or Deceive (Blather) / Willpower, depending on the invasiveness of the interrogator.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: A second attempt to use the Inquiry Emphasis may be made without an increase in the original TN.

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +10 to the total of any rolls made using the Interrogate Emphasis.

- RANK 7: A third attempt to use the Inquiry Emphasis may be made even if the second attempt fails.

LOGIC (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Deduction, Enigmas, Math

DESCRIPTION: The Logic skill represents the ability to think logically, solve puzzles, and dissect information rationally and quickly. With the Deduction Emphasis, you can sift a specific clue out of a large amount of seemingly unrelated information and identify a pattern in a series of seemingly unrelated incidents. This could be related to ancillary data,

or might represent a particularly subtle clue that is well hidden. The Enigmas Emphasis allows you to work out riddles and to outwit others in mind games. Math allows the character to solve equations, use geometry, calculate probability, or do any other mathematical formula.

If a player misunderstands a situation and pursues a particularly dangerous solution to an issue, the Game Master can choose to have the character to make a Logic / Spirit Skill Roll to offer an alternative course of action. This option should be used sparingly; this approach is most appropriate if the GM feels the character might have understanding of the situation that the actual player lacks.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The character gains a +1k0 bonus to his Investigate and Technology Skill Rolls.

MEDITATION (Spirit)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Fasting, Recovery, Spiritualism

DESCRIPTION: Meditation is the simplest means other than resting that you can recover spent Spirit Points. A Meditation (Recovery) I Spirit roll versus TN 20 allows you to recover one Spirit Point with a half hour of uninterrupted meditation. The Fasting Emphasis allows you to make a Meditation / Toughness roll (TN 15 + 5 per day of fasting) to ignore the effects of going without food and water.

With the Spiritualism Emphasis, you can leave behind your material body and enter the Spirit World. This will be discussed later in detail in the Scroll of Water.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: A successful Meditation Skill Roll restores up to 2 Spirit Points.

- RANK 5: The TN for all Meditation (Fasting) Skill Rolls is reduced by 5.

- RANK 5: A successful Meditation Skill Roll restores up to 3 Spirit Points.

NAVIGATION (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: Macro-skill (includes Arctic, Deserts, Forests, Jungles, Mountains, Plains, Sea, Swamps, and Urban)

EMPHASES: Varies by individual Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: Navigation represents the ability to plot and follow a course from one point to another. Navigation Skill Rolls are made when the character wants to find his way through a specific kind of terrain without getting lost. Failing the roll the first time has no serious consequences, only that the character can’t navigate through the terrain.

He can re-try after an hour against the same TN as the first roll. However, if he fails this second roll too, then the character is lost and can’t make a Navigate roll until he can somehow determine his position (for example, by reaching an elevated place, or by deducing it from the stars).

Note that the result of the Navigation Skill Roll is always limited to the type of terrain the roll was made. If the character wants to plot a course through multiple types of terrain, then he must separately make a Navigate Skill Roll for each.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains a +10 bonus to the total of his second Navigation Skill Roll.

- RANK 5: The character is not lost if he fails the second roll, and he can re-try the Navigate roll for a third time an hour later. If he fails this third roll, he is lost.

- RANK 7: The character gains a +20 bonus to the total of his third Navigation Skill Roll.

PERFORM (Varies)

SUB-TYPES: Macro-skill (includes Acting (Empathy), Dance (Agility), Drums (Reflexes), Flute (Empathy), Oratory (Empathy), Puppeteer (Agility), Song (Empathy), Storytelling (Empathy), etc.), Social Skill

EMPHASES: Varies by Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: While not as numerous as other artisans, performers are still considered by many people to fulfill a vital aspect of maintaining culture. Musicians, orators, poets, and even actors are lauded in the highest circles of society because of the entertainment they provide. Performers are not merely entertainment, but a form of living memory that all people enjoy, even if some of them do not always respect those who provide it. Perform Skill Rolls are made to complete a performance successfully. The TN for such a roll generally depends upon the mood of the audience and is determined by the GM.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains an additional +3 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

- RANK 5: The character gains a +0k1 bonus to his Perform Skill Rolls.

- RANK 7: The character gains an additional +7 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

PERSUADE (Empathy) SUB-TYPES: Social Skill

EMPHASES: Appease, Convince, Reason

DESCRIPTION: Persuade is a measure of a character’s knack for impressing people and swaying their reactions. It requires the character to assume a non-hostile attitude and not make any explicit or implicit threats. Instead, hiss persuasive efforts are dependent upon generosity and good intentions. Appease is used to calm down others, preventing hostilities to unfold and dissuade people from taking drastic or reckless actions. The Convince Emphasis allows the character to gain over others to his side in arguments and to spread his opinion in a persuasive manner. With Reason, the character can sway someone’s attitude with cold logic rather than sympathy. Because of this, Reason is sued with Intelligence rather than Empathy. Persuade is almost always a Contested Roll against the target’s Etiquette (Honesty) / Willpower or Awareness (Sense) / Perception, depending on how subtle the character is with his persuasion attempt.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains a +1k0 bonus to his Etiquette and Temptation Skill Rolls.

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +5 to the total of all Contested Rolls made using Persuade.

- RANK 7: If the character uses a Spirit Point to enhance his Persuade Skill Roll, he gains a +2k2 bonus instead of the normal +1k1.

REMEMBRANCE (Intelligence) SUB-TYPES: Macro-skill (includes Architecture, Arts, Astronomy, Bending (choose one), Cuisine, Economy, Fashion, Nations (choose one), Geography, History, Law, Literature, Military, Nature, Organizations (choose one), Politics, Science, Society, Spirits, Spiritual Beliefs, Technology, etc.)

EMPHASES: Varies by Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: Although this is most common among scholars, it is not unusual for other people to study some subject or another that catches their interest. History and Literature are among the most common, but literally any subject can be taken up. Remembrance Skill Rolls are made to determine if a character possesses certain information regarding the subject area (i.e., a character might make a Remembrance: Technology Skill Roll to see if he could determine the purpose of a previously unseen machine). Note that Remembrance only offers theoretical and not practical knowledge. For example, a character might determine the purpose of a previously unseen machine, but even if he does, he gains no specific knowledge on how to operate it – he should make a separate Technology (Machinery) Skill Roll to do so.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains an additional +3 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

- RANK 5: The character gains a +0k1 bonus to his Remembrance Skill Rolls.

- RANK 7: The character gains an additional +7 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

Warrior Skills

COMMAND (Empathy)

SUB-TYPES: Social Skill

EMPHASES: Coordinate, Inspire, Rally

DESCRIPTION: Often, a single character is unable to adequately resolve a crisis. At times, even a competent team is inadequate to the challenge. Under these circumstances, characters may need to rally a much larger group to assist. Coordinating their allies so that everyone can work together effectively relies upon the Command skill. It represents the ability to effectively motivate and organize others. The Coordinate Emphasis allows the character to better organize a group of people, increasing their efficiency with a given task. Inspire is used to motivate others, inciting the fires of enthusiasm and confidence. The Rally Emphasis is used when the character wants to muster a group of people, establishing order and discipline where there is none.

A character may affect a number of people with his Command Skill Roll equal to his Empathy Rank. If he wants to command more people, then he must make a separate Command Skill Roll for each group. If the character uses this skill on unwilling subjects, then he must make a Contested Roll against the targets’ Etiquette (Sincerity) / Willpower.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character can affect a number of people with his Command Skill Roll equal to twice his Empathy Rank.

- RANK 5: The character can affect a number of people with his Command Skill Roll equal to five times his Empathy Rank.

- RANK 7: The character can affect a number of people with his Command Skill Roll equal to ten times his Empathy Rank.

DEFENSE (Reflexes)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: None

DESCRIPTION: When engaged in combat, avoiding an opponent’s assault is often every bit as crucial as striking the critical blow. Defense encompasses the character’s practiced knack for diminishing the effects of any attack. Depending upon the type of assault, this can include the ability to dodge, deflect the blow, or proper positioning so that one’s armor can provide the maximum protection. Defense is an essential Skill necessary to adopt the Defense and Full Defense Stances, both of which increase your Armor TN and make you more difficult to hit in a skirmish or a duel. More information on this application of Defense can be found in the Scroll of Fire.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character may retain the result of a previous Defense / Reflexes roll rather than make a new roll if the Full Defense Stance is being maintained in subsequent rounds.

- RANK 5: The character’s Armor TN is considered 3 higher in the Defense and Full Defense Stances.

- RANK 7: One Simple Action may be taken while in the Full Defense Stance (no attacks may be made).

DEMOLITION (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Defuse, Manufacture, Place

DESCRIPTION: The character can use the Demolition Skill to employ explosives in the proper quantity to achieve a desired effect, from demolishing a bridge to destroying a watchtower without significantly damaging the building behind it. It can also be used to defuse explosives left by others or to manufacture demolition materials, from slow fuses to blasting caps to the explosives themselves. This skill pertains to set charges rather than grenades and other devices intended for use against the enemy in combat.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The character gains a +1k0 bonus to his damage rolls when using explosive devices like grenades, bombs, and explosive arrows in combat

HUNTING (Perception)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Survival, Tracking, Trailblazing

DESCRIPTION: Hunting is a sport favored by warriors, even though the types of game hunted in the Avatar world can be quite dangerous. As a result there is a great deal of survival knowledge associated with the sport of hunting.

The Survival Emphasis allows you to forage for sustenance and shelter in the wilderness, with a TN varying upon the severity of the conditions (the forest is simpler than the mountains, which are simpler than the desert, etc.). The Tracking Emphasis allows you to locate and follow the tracks of prey through rural environments, although repeated Skill Rolls are necessary for longer trails. Trailblazing allows you to forge a trail through the wilderness that others can follow, making better time and requiring less work in order to follow it.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The character receives a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all Stealth Skill Rolls made in wilderness environments.

RIDING (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: By mount (Buffalo Yaks, Flying Bisons, Komodo Rhinos, and Ostrich Horses are the most common)

DESCRIPTION: The ability to use a mount is essential to participation in cavalry units, and to swift travel through the world. It is a utilitarian skill, taught in most places without having any real degree of prestige attached. In general, everyone can ride a willing mount at normal speed on level ground without the need for a Skill Roll - the Skill only comes into play when riding a mount in difficult or stressful situations (bad terrain, thunderstorm, combat, etc.).

Individual types of mounts react differently to various circumstances, and some can be much harder to control under stressful situations such as combat. Statistics for the common mounts (and some unique ones too) found in the Avatar world are located in the Scroll of the Spirit, including typical TNs for controlling them in different circumstances.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character may utilize the Full Attack Stance when mounted.

- RANK 5: Mounting is a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action, and dismounting is a Free Action rather than a Simple Action. - RANK 7: Mounting is a Free Action rather than a Simple Action.

TACTICS (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: Macro-Skill (includes Airborne Attacks, Defensive Doctrines, Mounted Assaults, Naval Warfare, Offensive Tactics, Recon and Stealth, Siege Warfare, etc.)

EMPHASES: Varies by individual Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: Tactics is the practical application of military knowledge in the field of battle. A character can use Tactics at any time when he wants to determine the best military course of action in a combat. This could be anything from the best position to suppress an entrenched enemy before an assault to picking a good landing zone when coming in under fire. Failing a Tactics test during an assault, for example, might mean facing a concentration of a defending force or hitting a stronger line of fortifications.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains an additional +3 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

- RANK 5: The character gains a +1 bonus to his Initiative score in skirmishes if he could apply one of his Tactics Sub-Skill on the combat.

- RANK 7: The character gains an additional +7 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

UNARMED COMBAT (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Grappling, Improvised Weapons, Martial Arts

DESCRIPTION: The art of unarmed combat is something that all warriors appreciate, although not all pursue it. Many rely upon the weapon-based techniques they have learnt to defend themselves even without their weapons, and while this can be marginally effective, the actual study of unarmed combat is much more useful. Benders in particular devote a great amount of time to the art of hand-to-hand combat, believing they both hone the body and unify it with the mind.

Unarmed Combat can be used as a Weapon Skill, rolling Unarmed Combat / Agility against an opponent’s Armor TN to hit and rolling a number of dice equal to your Strength, keeping one for damage (so if you had Strength 3, you would roll 3k1 damage for an unarmed attack). Unarmed Combat is also used for initiating

and maintaining Grapples, which are explained in the Scroll of Fire. The Improvised Weapons Emphasis allows you to use almost anything you can get your hands on to increase your capacity to inflict damage. The GM is the final arbiter of what damage a particular improvised weapon inflicts, but generally it should grant additional rolled or kept dice, but not both.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The damage of all unarmed attacks is increased by + 1k0.

- RANK 5: Use of Unarmed Combat confers a Free Raise toward initiating a Grapple.

- RANK 7: The damage of all unarmed attacks is increased by +0k1 (+1k1 total).

WEAPON SKILLS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Macro-skill (Includes all the Weapon Skills listed below as well as any other weapon not covered by one of the pre-existing listed Skills, such as Weapon: Crossbow, used by some pirates and mercenaries in the Northern Earth Kingdom).

EMPHASES: Varies by Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: Weapons are the lifeblood of any warrior, for while they are trained to make war with their hands if nothing else is available, the true strength has ever been in steel. The vast majority of weapons commonly found in the hands of warriors are covered elsewhere, but anything can suitably be used as a weapon assuming its construction is adequate to the task.

ARCHERY (Reflexes)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Short Bow, Longbow, Hunting Bow

DESCRIPTION: Other than striking an enemy out of melee range, bows have been used by non-benders to even out the field against benders in combat. Unfortunately, having a bow is rarely adequate against someone who can shoot fire out of his hands at will, so archery is considered a rather uncommon skill amongst the warriors of the Avatar world, and usually reserved to elite units like the Yu Yan Archers of the Fire Nation. However, seasoned hunters favor bows over other methods when hunting for game, so archery is still far from forgotten.

Assuming the Center Stance is equal to aiming a bow in all respects. A character making a ranged attack who is firing at someone within melee range suffers a penalty of -10 to the total of his attack roll.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: Stringing a bow for use is a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action.

- RANK 5: The maximum range of any bow is increased by 50%.

- RANK 7: When using any bow, the Strength of the bow is increased by 1.

BLUNT WEAPONS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Club, Nunchaku, Quarterstaff, Tonfa

DESCRIPTION: Blunt weapons are excellent for delivering brute force to stun or incapacitate an opponent, but they have tremendous trouble overcoming armor, which diffuses their impact very effectively. These weapons are extremely popular among certain factions: clubs are the preferred weapons of Southern Water Tribe warriors, staves are used by Air Nomads often in conjunction of their airbending, and the tonfa is the trademark weapon of law enforcement all around the world.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: Opponents’ armor bonuses are no longer doubled against blunt weapon attacks (armor bonuses to Armor TN are normally doubled against blunt weapon attacks due to equipment rules later in this chapter).

- RANK 5: Use of a blunt weapon confers one Free Raise toward use of the Knockdown Maneuver.

- RANK 7: Blunt weapons that are medium or large may be readied as a Free Action instead of a Simple Action. Blunt weapons that are small gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to +1k0.

CHAIN WEAPONS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Chain Dagger, Meteor Hammer, Serpent Blade

DESCRIPTION: Chain weapons are considered unconventional by most traditional warriors, but they have become accepted as legitimate weapons because of the complexity and effectiveness of their use. Generally, chain weapons see a higher degree of use among pirates, who favor exotic and unconventional weapons, but see only periodic use among military units, and typically then only by small groups of specialized warriors.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: Chain Weapons may be used to initiate Grapple (see the Scroll of Fire).

- RANK 5: Characters wielding a chain weapon gain a bonus of +1k0 on Contested Rolls against opponents who are entangled or Grappled via their weapon.

- RANK 7: Use of a chain weapon confers one Free Raise toward use of the Disarm or Knockdown Maneuvers.

HEAVY WEAPONS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: War Hammer, Mace, Great Axe

DESCRIPTION: Heavy weapons are favored among many barbaric warriors for their brute force, but otherwise, they are quite a rare sight. Militaristic-minded earthbenders sometimes also learn to use these weapons and focus their earthbending through them.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: Opponents with a Reduction rating have their rating reduced by 2 when attacked with a heavy weapon.

- RANK 5: Use of a heavy weapon confers one Free Raise toward the use of the Knockback Maneuver.

- RANK 7: Damage dice explode on a result of 9 and 10 when using heavy weapons.

KNIVES (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Dagger, Knife, Stiletto

DESCRIPTION: Learning to use a knife in combat is not typically considered a priority for most warriors. Even if one chooses to take up another weapon instead of the ubiquitous sword, there are many more effective, more lethal weapons than a simple knife. Yet despite this, virtually most warriors in the world are trained in the use of the knife, and carries one at all times. Practicality has its advantages, after all.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: Off-hand penalties do not apply when using a knife of any type.

- RANK 5: Use of any knife confers a Free Raise toward use of the Disarm Maneuver.

- RANK 7: Use of any knife confers a Free Raise toward use of the Extra Attack Maneuver.

POLEARMS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Glaive, Spear, Halberd

DESCRIPTION: Long-reaching weapons with considerable power and versatility, polearms are essentially a stopgap between heavy weapons and the traditional swords. They consist of blades mounted atop sturdy poles of wood or metal, granting a warrior skilled in their use the ability to keep his opponents at bay while taking a terrible toll on them at the same time.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: During the first round of a skirmish, a character wielding a polearm gains a bonus of +5 to his Initiative Score. This lasts for only the first round.

- RANK 5: Damage rolls made with polearms against mounted or significantly larger opponents is increased by +1k0.

- RANK 7: Polearms may be readied as a Free Action.

SLASHING WEAPONS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Axe, Kama, Machete

DESCRIPTION: This category encompasses all bladed weapons that are not knives or swords. They are often as much as tools as weapons, their simple, pragmatic designs clearly set them apart from the more sophisticated bladed weapons like swords. Axes are the most prominent members of the category, but machetes are also common, especially in the Water Tribes.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The total of all damage rolls made with a slashing weapon is increased by 1k0.

- RANK 5: Dice on damage rolls made for slashing weapons explode normally (slashing weapon damage dice do not normally explode due to equipment rules later in this chapter).

- RANK 7: The damage of all slashing weapons is increased by +0k1 (+1k1 total).

SWORDS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Short Sword, Long Sword, Scimitar

DESCRIPTION: Swords are the primary weapons used by the warriors of the Avatar world. There are an uncountable variation of swords in use, but all of them can be categorized by blade length, or by having a heavy, curved blade.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The total of all damage rolls made with a sword is increased by 1k0.

- RANK 5: A sword may be readied as a Free Action rather than a Simple Action.

- RANK 7: Damage dice explode on a result of 9 and 10 when using a sword.

THROWING WEAPONS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Bola, Boomerang, Throwing Knife, Throwing Star

DESCRIPTION: Other than using a bow, a non-bender warrior’s best chance is to use a throwing weapon if he wants to compete with the ranged capabilities of a bender. Surprisingly enough, despite their inferior range, throwing weapons are considered the better option as opposed to bows, because of their ability to pin their targets and their compact size that allows a smooth and handy use.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The total of all damage rolls made with a throwing weapon is increased by 1k0.

- RANK 5: Use of any throwing weapon confers a Free Raise toward use of the Called Shot Maneuver.

- RANK 7: The character doesn’t suffer a penalty to his Armor TN when he is in the Full Attack Stance as long as he is using throwing weapons.

WAR FANS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill

EMPHASES: Razor Fan, Steel Fan, Winged Fan

DESCRIPTION: War fans are tools that serve a number of purposes, not the least of which is as weapons. They were originally created for the purpose of sending signals to different units on the battlefield, and were specifically made from metal because paper fans were so ill suited to the unpredictability of battlefield conditions. While they continue to serve such a purpose, as well as the various purposes of the traditional paper fan, some warriors have made excellent use of these metal fans as weapons as well, particularly among the airbenders and the Kyoshi Warriors.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: Off-hand penalties do not apply when using a war fan.

- RANK 5: When using a war fan, the wielder’s Armor TN is increased by +2.

- RANK 7: When using a war fan, the wielder’s Armor TN is increased by +4.

Specialist Skills

ACROBATICS (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Leaping, Maneuvering, Tumbling

DESCRIPTION: Characters who pursue activities dependent upon grace and agility are adept at Acrobatics. Its use requires the coordination of the character’s entire body. Strength is sometimes required, but the skill depends as heavily upon leverage and careful application of force. By making an Acrobatics (Leaping) / Agility Skill Roll against TN 10, the character can safely jump a number of feet equal to twice his Air Element. For each Raise made on this roll, the character can jump an additional two feet. The Maneuvering Emphasis allows the character to effortlessly pass through space occupied by others or overcome physical obstacles by jumping, sliding, or other similar moves. Tumbling is used for acrobatic stunts and to reduce falling damage. For the later, the character must make an Acrobatics (Tumbling) / Agility Skill Roll against TN 10 – he ignores ten feet of falling distance if he succeeds on this roll, plus ten feet for each Raise made on the roll.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: For each Raise made on the Acrobatics (Leaping) Skill Roll, the character can jump an additional three feet, rather than two.

- RANK 5: When jumping or falling, the character always lands on his feet.

- RANK 7: When the character makes Raises on an Acrobatics Skill Roll, if he meets or exceeds the original TN (before Raises) but fail to meet the Raised TN, he still succeeds without the benefits of Raises.

ANIMAL HANDLING (Empathy)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: By animal (Dogs, Eagle Hawks, and Ostrich Horses are the most common)

DESCRIPTION: Animals play a vital role in a number of endeavors, including recreation, transportation, or the waging of war. Mounts and birds of prey are the animals most commonly trained, but a number of others exist: the Earth Kingdom uses trained badger moles in battle, the Air Nomads train winged lemurs for entertainment, and many organizations use trained messenger birds to carry correspondence.

The difficulty to domesticate and train an animal for use varies widely depending upon the animal in question. An as-sortment of animals can be found in the bestiary in the Book of Void, along with some guidelines on what they can do when trained.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: Commonly domesticated animals such as dogs, mounts, or birds of prey may be trained for use by others.

- RANK 5: Trained animals still in possession of the trainer may be commanded to attack a target of his choosing. The animal will flee for its life if badly wounded regardless of commands issued. - RANK 7: Animals trained by the character may be issued commands non-verbally.

ARTISAN (Empathy)

SUB-TYPES: Macro-Skill (includes Gardening, Origami, Painting, Poetry, Sculpture, among others)

EMPHASES: Varies by Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: This is a catch-all that represents a character’s talent in one of the many recognized noble arts in society. Artistic occupations are regarded as noble and honorable in most places, and it isn’t unheard of that warriors and benders too pursuit such things to hone their soul and self-discipline. Artisan Skill Rolls are used to create works of art, and generally have variable TNs as decided by the GM.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains an additional +3 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

- RANK 5: The character gains a +0k1 bonus to his Artisan Skill Rolls.

- RANK 7: The character gains an additional +7 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

COMMERCE (Empathy)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Acquisition, Barter, Evaluate

DESCRIPTION: The Commerce skill represents the character’s understanding of trade, value, and exchange which allows him to acquire items, as well as barter and evaluate an object’s worth. Normal transactions do not require a Commerce Skill Roll, only if the character wants to buy or sell an item on a different price, or when he tries to locate and purchase a rare or exotic item.

The Barter Emphasis is used if there is no currency involved, and the transaction is about direct exchange of goods. The

Appraisal Emphasis allows you to quickly determine the approximate value of an object in any given market. The value will vary depending upon the quality of the object’s construc tion, how exotic or unusual it is, and how practically it can be put to use. More exotic or rare objects are not only more expensive, but also are significantly more difficult to appraise properly.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The character may increase or decrease the price of an item he is buying or selling by a maximum of 20%.

CRAFTING (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: Macro-Skill (includes Armorsmithing, Blacksmithing, Bowyer, Brewing, Carpentry, Cartography, Cobbling, Cooking, Masonry, Poison, Pottery, Shipbuilding, Tailoring, Weaponsmithing, Weaving, etc.)

EMPHASES: Varies by Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: If Artisan can be used to produce items that are considered abstract and beautiful by the people of the world, then Crafting can create things of practical value. While crafting is not as honorable and noble as being an artist, it is still highly valued, sometimes even more so than any skill with the arts.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains an additional +3 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

- RANK 5: The character gains a +0k1 bonus to his Crafting Skill Rolls.

- RANK 7: The character gains an additional +7 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

ENGINEERING (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Construction, Siege

DESCRIPTION: Far more complex than a simple crafting skill, engineering is a rare gift among the people of the world. It involves an understanding of how things are constructed and, as a result, how they can best be deconstructed. The siege engineers of the Fire Nation are the unquestioned masters of this, but there are others among other clans who have such gifts as well.

The Construction Emphasis specializes in making plans for others to follow, building things from a simple tower to an elaborate palace. The Siege Emphasis is the exact opposite of this, and tells you best how such tilings can be destroyed in battle.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +5 to the total of any Engineering Skill Roll made as part of a Cooperative or Cumulative Skill Roll.

MEDICINE (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Antidotes, Diseases, Healing, Herbalism

DESCRIPTION: Medicine can be used to treat many different injuries and ailments, including some spiritual ones. Specific diseases may be treated with the Disease Emphasis, although the TN for treatment will vary depending upon the disease in question. The same applies to poisons and the Antidote Emphasis. When you treat Wounds that an ally has suffered from damage, a successful Medicine (Healing) / Intelligence roll (TN 15) will remove one die (1k1) of Wounds from the victim. Each successful Raise on this roll allows an additional die to be rolled, but no more than one die is ever kept on such roll. An injured individual may only benefit from a single Medicine roll per day and each such roll made requires the use of a Medicine Kit, which allows for ten Medicine Skill Rolls before being consumed.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The amount of Wounds healed on a successful Medicine roll is increased by +5.

SAILING (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: By vessel (Canoes, Catamarans, Rafts, and Sailboats are the most common)

DESCRIPTION: All Nations in the Avatar world have vast coastlines, and there is a tremendous amount of activity on the seas during the majority of the year. Trade vessels and fishing vessels make their way across the shallow waters along the coast during spring, summer, and fall, and the hardier ships make the long voyage between the lands of the Four Nations even during the depths of winter. The people of the Water Tribes are famously good sailors, and many tribesmen consider the ability to sail just as essential as walking.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +5 to the total of any Sailing Skill Roll made as part of a Cooperative or Cumulative Skill Roll.

TECHNOLOGY (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Machinery, Research, Science

DESCRIPTION: Technology represents the character’s aptitude for operating, maintaining, and modifying all kinds of powered machinery, and it also encompasses his practical knowledge on chemistry and physics. The Machinery

Emphasis is used for interacting with machines, from utilizing to repairing them. The Research Emphasis allows the character to invent new pieces of technology or to modify the design of existing ones. Research can be also used to reserve-engineer unknown technologies. The Science Emphasis is most commonly used when the character works with chemical compounds that are not explosives or medicines, but it is also used for the practical application of physics (calculating whether a thin layer of earth would break under a vehicle is a good example for the later).

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains a +1k0 bonus to any Cumulative Rolls made using Technology.

- RANK 5: The character adds +5 to the total of all Demolition and Engineering Skill Rolls as well as Subterfuge Skill Rolls where the Security Emphasis is used.

- RANK 7: The character gains a +0k1 bonus to any Cumulative Rolls made using Technology (for a total of +1k1).

TRADE (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: Macro-Skill (includes Baker, Beautician, Cook, Courier, Farmer, Fisher, Hairdresser, Miner, Secretary, Tailor, Valet, etc.)

EMPHASES: Varies by individual Sub-Skill

DESCRIPTION: Trade is the character’s ability to practice a certain profession, and to earn money with his work. Unlike Artisan or Crafting, this skill creates nothing spectacular, but it does it on a much larger scale than the other two, and most importantly, it allows the character to turn his efforts into money without further arrangements. Most commoners in the Avatar world have this skill, and use it on a daily basis.

Some professions however are not governed by Trade as they have their own Skill: hunters are the most oblivious example as they use Hunting instead of Trade. Scholars, architects, and merchants are other good examples as they use Calligraphy or Remembrance, Engineering, and Commerce, respectively. As a rule of thumb, if a profession could use another Skill listed in this section other than Trade or Crafting, then it would use that, rather than Trade.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains an additional +3 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

- RANK 5: The character gains a +0k1 bonus to his Trade Skill Rolls.

- RANK 7: The character gains an additional +7 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Elements and Skill Ranks.

Low Skills

DECEIVE (Empathy)

SUB-TYPES: Social Skill

EMPHASES: Blather, Gossip, Lie, Manipulation

DESCRIPTION: Deceive measures a character’s aptitude for fooling others into believing something that is not true.

A Deceive Skill Roll is only required if the acting character believes he is lying. Relating inaccurate information that the character believes is true uses the appropriate Skill for the situation.

The Blather Emphasis is used when the character wants to distract someone with empty chatter. It is most commonly used to draw away attention or to wreck interrogation attempts. Gossip allows the

character to spread rumors and disinformation. Lie and Manipulation both used to present falsehoods in a believable manner. The former is used for simple statements, while the latter is for complex intrigues. Deceive is usually a Contested Roll against the target’s Etiquette (Honesty) / Willpower or Awareness (Sense) / Perception, depending on the target’s disposition towards the character.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains a +1k0 bonus to his Etiquette and Temptation Skill Rolls.

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +5 to the total of all Contested Rolls made using Deceive.

- RANK 7: If the character uses a Spirit Point to enhance his Deceive Skill Roll, he gains a +2k2 bonus instead of the

normal +1k1.

FORGERY (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: By type of item being forged (Artwork, Documents, Personal Seals, etc.)

DESCRIPTION: Documentation is fairly important in the Avatar world, from information on an individual’s illustrious lineage to travel papers issued by magistrates, and even to official decrees of the national rulers themselves. Those with an eye for detail, a steady hand, and a keen mind can take advantage of this system by falsifying such papers, either for their own use or to sell to others.

When a forgery is created, the result of your Forgery / Intelligence Skill Roll should be noted. This is the TN for others to detect the forgery using an Investigate / Perception Skill Roll.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains a bonus of +1k0 to his Forgery Skill Roll result for the purposes of establishing the TN of an Investigate / Perception Skill Roll to detect it.

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +1k0 on any roll to detect a forgery made by someone else.

- RANK 7: The character gains a bonus of +0k1 (for a total of + 1k1) to his Forgery Skill Roll result for the purposes of establishing the TN of an Investigate / Perception Skill Roll to detect it.

INTIMIDATE (Willpower)

SUB-TYPES: Social Skill

EMPHASES: Bully, Control, Terrorize

DESCRIPTION: The Intimidate skill is a measure of a character’s knack for instilling fear. He may use this ability to make someone perform an action against his will, or to spread fear in the ranks of his enemies.

The Bullying Emphasis is the simplest form of Intimidation, and involves the immediate, short-term threat of violence to get another to perform a specific act. Control, on the other hand, indicates a longer-term attempt to shape another’s behavior to your will, and is often used by officials to coerce lower-ranking, weaker-willed individuals. Terrorize allows the character to gain the Fear special rule at Rank 1 (see the Scroll of Fire for details about Fear) for the duration of a scene against a number of targets equal to his Insight Rank.

Intimidation is usually a Contested Roll, resisted with Etiquette (Honesty) / Willpower. The GM may require a different Skill or Trait to resist the Intimidation attempt if it seems more appropriate to the situation.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: When using the Terrorize Emphasis, the character may nominate one additional target to be affected.

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +5 to the total of all Contested Rolls made using Intimidate.

- RANK 7: When using the Terrorize Emphasis, the character may nominate up to four additional targets (up to five in total) to be affected.

OCCULTISM (Spirit)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Corrupt, Divination, Rituals

DESCRIPTION: Occultism is the forbidden and rightfully dreaded knowledge to control spirits against their will by using corruption and rituals. The way to corrupt spirits and force them to do the character’s bidding, as well as a description of rituals are discussed later in the Scroll of Water.

Divination is maybe the only accepted use of Occultism, though true practitioners are rare. You may attempt a divination once per day. The TN for this Skill Roll is 15, although depending upon the circumstances the GM may dictate a higher TN. If the roll is failed, a second roll may be attempted immediately if you expend a Spirit Point. (As usual, the TN for the second roll is increased by +10.) The results of divination attempts are notoriously vague, but should give some indistinct inkling of what is to come in the immediate future (i.e. “you see difficult times ahead," “an old friend returns soon,” “a shadow will fall over your family’s house,” etc).

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: A second Occultism Skill Roll may be made when using the Divination Emphasis, without the cost of spending a Spirit Point. All other conditions for making the second Skill Roll still apply.

SLEIGHT OF HAND (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Escape, Palm, Pick Pockets, Prestidigitation

DESCRIPTION: A character can use Sleight of Hand to escape bonds, steal a small object unnoticed, even from someone’s pocket, or perform a task requiring trickery and dexterity. The Escape Emphasis allows you to slip free of bonds. The TN for this varies, and can be TN 15 for simple ropes or as high as TN 25 or 30 for high-grade chains or bindings, or it can be a Contested Roll against the responsible party’s Subterfuge (Security).Palm and Pick Pockets can be used to lift small objects, either from a place like a desk (with Palm), or from a person (with Pick Pockets), requiring a Contested Roll of Sleight of Hand (Palm or Pick Pockets) / Agility against Awareness (Notice) / Perception to detect it. Prestidigitation allows you to use this Skill to entertain or distract people by performing tricks. MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 5: When failing a Sleight of Hand Skill Roll that use the Palm or Pick Pockets Emphasis, a second roll may be attempted immediately. However, the target gains a +5 bonus to the total of his Awareness (Notice) / Perception roll for the second Contested Roll. The result of this second roll stands, even if it is worse than the first roll.

STEALTH (Agility)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Ambush, Shadowing, Sneaking

DESCRIPTION: Stealth is a measure of a character’s ability to remain unnoticed while moving through the crowds of a city, the open croplands of the countryside, or the dense undergrowth of a forest. In some environments, this requires the character to remain unseen, but in others it is far more important for the character to be inconspicuous. A character that can blend in amongst a group of soldiers might be just as adept at infiltrating a military base as one who might scale the walls in the dead of night.

While concealed via Stealth, you may take Move Actions. When taking a Move Action while using Stealth, you may only make Simple Move Actions, and these only allow you to move a number of feet equal to your Spirit Element (although Mastery Abilities can increase this significantly). The Ambush Emphasis allows you to make a Stealth (Ambush) / Agility roll, contested by an opponent’s Awareness (Notice) / Perception, to gain an advantage over them during the first round of combat if they are unaware of your presence.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: A character’s Simple Move Actions while using Stealth allow him to move a distance equal to his Spirit Element x 5.

- RANK 5: A character’s Simple Move Actions while using Stealth allow him to move a distance equal to his Spirit Element x 10.

- RANK 7: A character using Stealth may make Free Move Actions as normal.

SUBTERFUGE (Intelligence)

SUB-TYPES: None

EMPHASES: Disguise, Conceal, Security

DESCRIPTION: The Subterfuge Skill is a measure of a character’s ability to use artifice, guile, and manual dexterity to circumvent normal restrictions. Individuals who have reasons to go where they are not wanted often become masters of this art; as do those who devote their lives to stopping them. Those who use these skills against simple commoners and merchants are branded as little more than common thieves. In contrast, if the same skills are employed in the service of a greater good, they may be hailed as master spies and assassins.

The TN to disguise yourself is 15. This assumes that you are taking on the role of a non-specific individual who shares the same national affiliation, gender, and bending ability (airbender, firebender, earthbender, waterbender, or non-bender). Each of these basic features that are changed increase the total TN of the Skill Roll by +5 (for example, a male Fire Nation non-bender attempting to impersonate a female Air Nomad airbender would have a base TN of 30). Attempting to imitate a specific individual is significantly more difficult, and increases the TN by a total of +15 in addition to any other increases because of national affiliation, gender, or bending ability. You may also Raise on your roll to make your disguise harder to see through. A character who is trying to see through your disguise must roll Awareness (Notice) / Perception against a TN of 15, +5 for each Raise you made. The Conceal Emphasis allows you to hide small objects (something that can fit in your hand) on your person, requiring a Contested Roll using Subterfuge (Conceal) / Intelligence against Awareness (Notice) / Perception to detect it. A character can use the Security Emphasis to overcome locks and safeguards or to implement comparable devices. Examples can include opening secured doors, picking locks, or even laying or disabling traps. The TN for this varies considerably, and can be TN 10 for basic locks or as high as TN 25 or 30 for complex devices. Note this does not include defeating other obstacles; a vault might have guards standing watch, or have supernatural protection, and these require other skills to overcome.

MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The TN to create a disguise is reduced by 5.

- RANK 5: The TN to create a disguise is reduced by 10 (total).

- RANK 7: The TN to create a disguise is reduced by 15 (total).

TEMPTATION (Empathy)

SUB-TYPES: Social Skill

EMPHASES: Bribery, Seduction

DESCRIPTION: The art of offering another something that they desire in order to gain in turn something one desires is as old as civilization itself, and in truth very little has changed. The two greatest temptations for most are financial gain and physical pleasure, and both are frequently bandied about in court settings to fulfill people’s agendas. Temptation is best used against opponents who possess certain kinds of Flaws, such as Lechery, Fascination, Greed, or perhaps a Dark Secret. The GM will usually require a Contested Roll using Temptation / Empathy (with the ap-propriate Emphasis) against the target’s Etiquette (Honesty) / Willpower. Much as with Intimidation, the GM can choose to let a PC roll against a flat TN when employing Temptation against a minor NPC. MASTERY ABILITIES:

- RANK 3: The character gains a +1k0 bonus to his Deceive and Persuade Skill Rolls.

- RANK 5: The character gains a bonus of +5 to the total of all Contested Rolls made using Temptation.

- RANK 7: If the character uses a Spirit Point to enhance his Temptation Skill Roll, he gains a +2k2 bonus instead of

the normal +1k1.

PERKS AND FLAWS

There are some aspects of a character that cannot be represented through a comparative measure of their raw mental and physical abilities (Traits), or through knowledge gained via study or training (Skills). Typically, Perks and Flaws represent abilities, relationships, or possessions that go above and beyond other mechanical representations. Flaws represent deficits that exist in a character’s nature that can impact a number of different aspects of their mechanical and personal make-up. Perks can be purchased using Experience Points, whereas taking Flaws grants additional Experience Points for use in other areas, up to a maximum of 10 additional Experience Points.

There are numerous types of Perks and Flaws, each of which interacts with other mechanics in different ways. In particular, an ability can be targeted by other mechanical effects based upon its subtype. Whether or not a Perk or Flaw can be purchased during play is also determined by its subtype. The subtypes include:

Physical - These represent an ability or disability inherent to the character’s body in some way. They may not be purchased after character creation without extenuating circumstances, and conversely they may sometimes be awarded without deliberate purchase (losing a limb results in Missing Limb, for example).

Mental - These abilities represent part of a character’s mental or psychological make-up in some way, and cannot be purchased after character creation unless approved by the GM.

Social - Social Advantages and Flaws represent a character’s ability or inability to interact with others in a successful manner. They may be purchased during play with GM approval if the circumstances are appropriate (a character should only purchase the Allies Perk if he actually has allies, and so on).

Material - These abilities represent possession of a physical item. They are riskier than other Perks or Flaws because such an item can be stolen or destroyed, depriving the character of the mechanical benefit for which Experience Points were spent. These may be purchased during play with approval from the GM.

Spiritual - These abilities represent a link between the character and something else that is not normally ex-perienced by the average person. This might be a bond with a creature from the Spirit World, or even just a kharmic tie with another person in some way. These may only be purchased after character creation if the GM judges the circumstances dictate the character would in fact have this relationship.

Perk/Flaw Sets

This chapter contains several sets of corresponding Perks and Flaws, many of which are mutually exclusive in nature. Because of the philosophical and spiritual aspects of a character that these abilities represent, there are certain restrictions regarding how they may be combined:

No character may have both a Paragon Perk and a Dark Paragon Perk.

No character may have the following combinations: Concentration / Frail Mind; Bender Prodigy / Prodigy; Dangerous Beauty / Disturbing Countenance; Daredevil or Fearless / Lily-Livered; Irreproachable / Lechery or Greed; Large / Small; Luck / Unlucky; Quick / Slow Reaction; Social Position / Social Disadvantage.

No character may have more than one Perk or Flaw from a matched set (including Paragon/Failure, Dark Paragon/Consumed, Touched by the Spirits/Cursed by the Spirits, etc.). For example, if you are a Paragon of Courage, you may not also be a Paragon of Compassion.

If a character possesses a Perk from one set (Dark Paragon, Paragon, Touched by the Spirits), then he may not possess a Flaw from the corresponding set (Consumed, Failure, Cursed by the Spirits).

The GM is of course entitled to override these restrictions if he wishes, but such decisions should not made lightly, since combining these Perks and Flaws can have an unbalancing effect on game play.

Perk/Flaw Discounts

Some Perks and Flaws cost more (or less) for members of certain Nations or backgrounds. This is to represent both the frequency with which these things are found among that group, and how appropriate they are for members of that group. Unless otherwise specified, discounts are cumulative, but can never reduce the cost of a Perk below 1.

Perks

The following Perks are available for purchase at the time of character creation or, depending upon the subtype, during campaign play. A Perk can be purchased for the number of Experience Points listed in the description. Individual GMs may wish to increase the cost of Perks purchased during play, either by a fixed amount (+2 Experience Points per Perk) or by a geometric amount (double the listed cost).

ABSOLUTE DIRECTION [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You possess an almost supernatural sense of direction, and you always know what direction is north, no matter the circumstances. This ability does not function if you are in the Spirit World.

ALERTNESS [MENTAL] (5 Points)

Your attention never falters, and you can spring into action in a split second. This high reaction time often lets you to take others flat-footed and act before your enemies. You add +3 to the total of your Initiative Rolls.

ALLIES [SOCIAL] (Variable Cost)

You have carefully nurtured social connections. Some of those in your web of connections would go to great lengths to help you, while others have considerable resources. And some precious few are both. The total cost of this Perk is determined by how many points you spend on your ally’s degree of influence and their devotion to you.

Influence

1 Point Minor – negligible wealth and no real appointments (Status 0-3).

2 Points Moderate – significant wealth and political influence (Status 4-7).

3 Points Major – almost unlimited wealth and prestigious status (Status 8-10).

Devotion

1 Point Contact - your ally would go out of his way to help you, but not risk his position or life.

2 Points Friend - your ally would help you, even if it put him into risk, but only to a certain limit.

3 Points Family - your ally would do anything to aid you, regardless of the cost.

AMBIDEXTROUS [PHYSICAL] (4 Points)

You have a high degree of off-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with your “wrong” hand no problem. You suffer no penalties when double-wielding weapons or using your off hand.

ANIMAL COMPANION [SOCIAL] (5 Points)

You have befriended an animal, and now it follows you anywhere you go. You can choose one animal from the section in the Scroll of Spirit as your loyal companion. It can understand you instructions and will try to follow them at the best of its abilities. It will remain at your side even if you die.

BALANCE [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You possess an inherent calm and serenity that others have difficulty overcoming when attempting to antagonize or taunt you, and that strengthens you when your virtue is tested. When resisting Intimidation or Temptation, you receive a +1k0 bonus to your roll.

BENDER PRODIGY [SPIRITUAL] (12 Points)

You were born with a great bending power. Your abilities as a bender are second to none, and people look up to you with awe as they witness your might. This Perk may be only taken by benders. You count your bending Element as one point higher than normal for the purpose of working out your bending effects, including Bending Rolls. In

addition, if you spend a Spirit Point to augment your Bending Roll, you gain a +4k2 bonus to your roll rather than the normal +1k1.

BIG BREATH [PHYSICAL] (2 Points)

You have big lungs and thus you can hold your breath back much longer than others. You can hold your breath for a number of Rounds equal to twice your Toughness.

BLACKMAIL [SOCIAL] (Variable)

You possess knowledge and proof of a dark secret held by another, and can use that secret to elicit their cooperation in a number of ways. The cost of the Advantage is equal to the Status Rank of the individual whom you are blackmailing. Using this Perk too frequently or making grandiose demands on the person in question may result in them deciding your disappearance is worth the risk of exposing their secret, no matter what the consequences might be.

BLAND [PHYSICAL] (2 Points)

You are extremely unremarkable in every regard, and others have a difficult time recognizing you unless you deliber-ately draw attention to your identity or affiliations. Whenever someone is making a Remembrance: Nation / Intelligence roll to determine your identity (based on your Fame Rank), you may voluntarily choose to increase the TN of that roll by 10.

CAT’S GRACE [PHYSICAL] (2 Points)

You possess an innately perfect sense of balance. You gain a +2k0 bonus to all balance-related rolls, like most Acrobatics Skill Rolls that use the Tumbling Emphasis.

CHILD OF THE ELEMENTS [SPIRITUAL] (4 Points)

You were heavily influenced by one of the elements as a child, and this experience sharpened your abilities associated with that element. Choose an Element when this Perk is purchased. Whenever you make a Trait Roll with either Trait associated with that Element, you gain a Free Raise. Bender characters may purchase this Perk for 3 points.

CHOSEN BY THE ELEMENTS [SPIRITUAL] (5 Points)

For reasons beyond your understanding, you are more in line with a certain element than the others. You must select one Element when you take this Perk. You gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of all Element Rolls using that Element. Note that this Perk only affects Element Rolls and not any rolls based on that Element like Bending Rolls.

CLEAR THINKER [MENTAL] (3 Points)

You possess a sharp mind and keen powers of perception, making it very difficult for others to deceive you. Whenever you make a Contested Roll against someone who is attempting to confuse or manipulate you in any way, you gain a bonus of + 1k0 to the total of your roll. Water Tribe characters may take this Perk for 2 points.

CONCENTRATION [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or annoyances. You are unaffected by any penalties stemming from distracting circumstances (e.g., loud noises, strobe lights, hanging upside down, and the like).

CRAFTY [MENTAL] (5 Points)

You have a knack for instinctively knowing how to do things that most people prefer to avoid at all costs. Whenever you are in a situation where you would be forced to make an Unskilled Roll using a Low Skill, you are considered to have 1 rank in the Skill instead.

DANGEROUS BEAUTY [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

You possess a certain quality that makes you all but irresistible to members of the opposite sex, and they succumb easily to your manipulations. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all Temptation Skill Rolls made with members of the opposite sex.

DAREDEVIL [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You have a natural flair for athleticism and a complete lack of self-preservation when it comes to physical danger. Whenever you spend a Spirit Point to enhance an Acrobatics or Athletics Skill Roll, you gain a bonus of +3k1 to the total of the roll instead of the normal +1k1.

DARK PARAGON [MENTAL] (6 Points)

You have mastered one of the precepts of a dark code that forms an antithesis of anything that stands for peace and harmony. Maybe you don’t even know that your actions mirror the darkness that lurks deep in your heart, but your actions sure speak for themselves. Once per session, you may voluntarily sacrifice 5 points of Kharma as a Free Action in order to affect a particular type of roll as indicated below, and gain a bonus of +5 to the total of that roll. If you do not have 5 points of Kharma to spend in this manner, you may spend a Spirit Point instead. The type of roll that each precept affects is:

Control: Re-roll any Social Skill Roll.

Determination: Negate all TN / Wound penalties on one Skill or Bending roll (no +5 bonus is applied to the roll).

Insight: Re-roll any roll that used the Empathy Trait.

Knowledge: Re-roll any roll that used the Intelligence Trait.

Perfection: Spending the Kharma causes any one die of your choice on a Skill Roll to explode (no +5 bonus added).

Strength: Re-roll any damage Roll.

Will: Spending the Kharma negates 10 Wounds at the moment they are suffered.

DIFFERENT CLASS [SOCIAL] (5 Points)

You had the exceptionally rare chance to experience another Nation’s culture and traditions in detail, and pick up a thing or two during your time. When creating your character, you may select a Class of a different Nation to have. For Unaligned Classes, this Perk allows you to ignore the Class’ availability restrictions.

ELEMENTAL AFFINITY [SPIRITUAL] (7 Points)

You have a knack for harnessing the power of your element, so your bending is noticeably more powerful than others’ at your level. You gain a bonus of +0k1 to the total of all Bending Rolls. Only benders may purchase this Perk.

ELEMENTAL BLESSING [SPIRITUAL] (6 Points)

You are much more aligned with a particular element, although you know not why that might be. As a result, the cost of increasing the Traits associated with one particular Element, chosen when this Perk is purchased, is decreased by 1. For example, if you choose Earth when you purchase this Perk, the cost of increasing Toughness and Perception is reduced by 1 Experience Point every time you increase them. Spirit may not be chosen for this Perk. Benders may take this Perk for 5 points.

ELEMENTAL RESISTANCE [SPIRITUAL] (4/6 Points)

You have a natural resistance against the elements, shrugging at freezing cold and scorching heat. In some rare cases, this amazing hardiness also makes you less susceptible to bending attacks. You are immune to any penalties or damage from natural weather conditions, such as winter cold, summer heat, etc. For two additional Experience Points, you

gain the enhanced version of this Perk: other than the normal advantages mentioned above, whenever you suffer damage from a bending technique, reduce the amount of damage you suffer by 1k1. Benders must spend four additional Experience Points (for a total of 10 points) to take the enhanced version of this Perk, rather than only two.

ENLIGHTENED [SPIRITUAL] (8 Points)

Your spiritual journey toward complete harmony with the universe as a whole has begun to reach its destination. In addition to whatever storyline effects your GM may choose to bestow on you, you also find it easier to enhance your connection to your spirit. When you are using Experience Points to increase your Spirit Element, the total cost is decreased by 2 points each time. Air Nomads characters may bus this Perk for 7 points.

FAST HEALING [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

Your body mends incredibly quickly, allowing you to recover from even devastating wounds with amazing speed. For the purposes of recovering Wounds, your Toughness is considered to be two ranks higher.

FEARLESS [MENTAL] (6 Points)

You have a stout heart and courage that borders reckless foolhardiness. When resisting Fear, you may spend a Spirit Point as a Free Action to completely ignore the effects of Fear for the duration of the whole scene without making a Willpower roll.

FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE [MENTAL] (4 Points)

There is a subject about which you possess considerable knowledge and insight. The problem is that this subject is forbidden, and considered grossly socially inappropriate if not outright illegal. Anyone who discovers your expertise in this area might rightly wonder how you came upon it. The benefits of the Perk vary depending upon the nature of the information, and players should discuss with their GM how this Perk will work. The most common examples of Forbidden Knowledge include:

Bloodbending: You are familiar with the sinister with the sinister and loathed waterbending technique of bending one’s blood, and may in fact be a practicing bloodbender yourself. You gain 1 rank in Remembrance: Bloodbending and, at the GM’s discretion, might begin play knowing how to bend blood if you are a waterbender.

Equalists: You are familiar with the nature and operating methods of the Equalists, a rather controversial organization that fights for bender – non-bender equality at the expense of the former. Maybe you are even a member of the organization if it exists in your time. You gain one rank in Remembrance: Equalists and gain a bonus of +1k1 on Social Skill Rolls with known members of the Equalists.

The Red Lotus: You possess an intricate knowledge of the Order of the Red Lotus, a secretive organization that wants to restore the primal chaos on the world. You may in fact be a member of that organization if it is active in your timeline. You gain one rank in Remembrance: The Red Lotus and gain a bonus of +1k1 on Social Skill Rolls with known members of the Order of the Red Lotus.

Vaatu: You are familiar with the entity known as Vaatu, the Spirit of Chaos and Darkness, and its corrupting influence. You may have come into conflict with it in the past, and perhaps it wants you still. You gain one rank in Remembrance: Vaatu and you may observe an individual and make a Lore: Vaatu / Perception Skill Roll (TN 30) to determine if he has been corrupted by Vaatu’s influence.

GREAT DESTINY [SPIRITUAL] (6 Points)

Kharma has some great purpose in store for you, and the universe will conspire to keep you alive, no matter what, until your destiny can be fulfilled. If you choose to spend Kharma to avoid death (as described in the Scroll of Fire), you must spend only 7 Kharma Points instead of the normal 10.

GREAT POTENTIAL [MENTAL] (4 Points)

Within you lies the potential to excel at one particular endeavor, perhaps more so than any other living soul in the world. Select any one Skill when you purchase this Perk. When you make Raises on a Skill Roll using that Skill, your Raises are limited by your rank in that Skill instead of your Spirit Element. If your Spirit Element is higher, however, you may use that as a measure for your Raises if you so choose.

HEART OF VENGEANCE [SOCIAL] (6 Points)

One Nation has earned your eternal, undying hatred, and nothing will ever quench your rage. Select one Nation or other faction (such as the Triads) when purchasing this Perk. You gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of any Contested Roll made against a member of that Nation/faction.

HEIGHTENED SENSES [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

One of your senses is much keener than normal, allowing you to pick even the tiniest details with ease. When you take this Perk, you must choose one of your character’s five senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch). He gains a +1k0 bonus to Perception-based rolls (Trait Rolls or Skill Rolls) made using that sense. Earth Kingdom characters may take this Perk for 2 points.

HIGHER PURPOSE [MENTAL] (3 Points)

There is some greater purpose to which you have devoted your life. This is not a simple matter, but some grand work that will take years or perhaps even the whole of your life to accomplish. Whatever this goal is, during any session in which you and the GM agree you have made demonstrable progress toward it, you gain one additional Experience Point.

INNER GIFT [SPIRITUAL] (7 Points)

You possess a mysterious gift that even sages cannot fully understand. Gurus describe individuals such as yourself as existing in a unique state of harmony with the universe, but then they say that sort of thing a lot. Your gift may be a manifestation of supernatural energies, perhaps an indicator of spirit ancestry, or any of a number of different theories. The exact nature of an Inner Gift should be discussed with the GM before taking this Perk. Examples of Inner Gifts include the following:

Inner Gift Effect

Animal Ken You may instinctively sense the mood of animals; animals regard you as friendly. Foresight You are difficult to surprise, and gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of Initiative rolls. Heart Sense You gain a bonus of +1k1 to Etiquette rolls made to determine another’s feelings/desires. Lesser Prophecy You sometimes have vague dreams of the future, such as a bloody knife before a murder. Spirit Touch You may make an Empathy Trait Roll (TN 15) to see the last person to touch an object you are

touching.

IRON WILL [MENTAL] (3 Points)

You possess a phenomenal willpower, and when you really call upon your mental fortitude, you become unbreakable like the hardest iron. When you spend a Spirit Point to enhance a Willpower-based roll (either Trait or Skill Roll), you gain a +10 bonus to the total of that roll above the normal +1k1 bonus. Fire Nation characters may buy this Perk for 2 points.

IRREPROACHABLE [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You have a soul of virtue that is beyond reproach, and others find it difficult if not impossible to lead you into dishonorable behavior. When making a Contested Roll where the other party is using the Temptation Skill, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to your roll.

KHARMIC ADVANTAGE [SPIRITUAL] (10 Points)

The universe has rewarded you with a sound Kharma, either because of your actions or to compensate for a great suffering in your past. You gain +1 Kharma Rank.

KHARMIC TIE [SPIRITUAL] (1-5 Points)

Your destiny is not yours alone, but is bonded to that of another in some fundamental way. You may have been close to this other person during a previous life, or perhaps your destiny in this life will yet be entwined in theirs in some essential manner. Select one person when purchasing this Perk. For each point spent on this Perk, once per session you gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of all attack rolls made when fighting for or protecting the person to whom you are bonded.

LARGE [PHYSICAL] (4 Points)

You are significantly larger than the average person, ranging in height from 7'0” to 7’3” in height. You gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all damage rolls for any large melee weapon.

LEADERSHIP [SOCIAL] (6 Points)

You have an innate knack for leading and inspiring others in battle. Once per Round during the Reactions stage, you may add your Insight Rank plus 1k1 to the Initiative Score of one ally in a skirmish. This bonus lasts until the Reactions stage of the following round. An individual may only benefit from one use of this Advantage per Round.

LIGHT SLEEPER [MENTAL] (4 Points)

Even as your body rest, your instincts remain ever vigilant, alerting you to danger even while you are asleep. You can awaken instantly at any sign of trouble or danger, and do so without any sleepiness or hesitation.

LUCK [SPIRITUAL] (3/6/9 Points)

Fortune favors the mortal man. A number of times per session equal to your rank in this Perk, you may choose to im-mediately re-roll any one roll you make, keeping the higher of the two results. These re-rolls come in addition to any re-rolls gained through spending Kharma Points, and are counted separately, as they have a slightly different mechanical effect.

MASTER-CRAFTED ITEM [MATERIAL] (2 Points)

One piece of equipment in your starting outfit is a real masterwork. Choose one item in your starting outfit when you take this Perk: that item is master-crafted and grants a +1k0 bonus to all rolls made with it (including attack rolls and damage rolls).

MEDIUM [SPIRITUAL] (8 Points)

You have the incredibly rare ability of perceiving spirits through the veil that separates the Mortal World and the Spirit World. You can see spirit beings and mortals using spirit projection in the Mortal World normally, whether they want it or not. You can also verbally interact with these creatures though they will remain incorporeal for you, so physical interaction is still impossible. As a Medium, you can also pass into the Spirit World much easier, as discussed in the Scroll of Spirit.

MULTIPLE CLASSES [SOCIAL] (10 Points)

You have been given an opportunity to study a profession other than your own in detail, and learn its secrets. This Perk may only be purchased during play, and once it is taken, the character stops progression in his current Class. Upon reaching the next Insight Rank, he begins learning Techniques from the new Class beginning at Rank 1. Before learning any Techniques from a given Class, you must possess at least one rank in all Class Skills presented there.

PARAGON [MENTAL] (7 Points)

You exemplify the code of light and harmony, and have taken one particular tenet to heart and made it your way of life. In addition to the benefit listed below, any time you gain Kharma for exhibiting the virtue for which you have the Paragon Perk, you gain an additional +1 Kharma.

Compassion: Any time you spend a Spirit Point to improve a roll made to directly help others in need, you gain +2k2 instead of +1k1.

Courage: You add a bonus of +1k1 to the total of any roll made to resist Intimidation or to overcome Fear effects.

Courtesy: Any time you make an Etiquette roll to avoid an embarrassment or breach of etiquette, you add +2k0 to the roll.

Duty: You may spend a Spirit Point on any Skill Roll or Bending Roll to negate all TN penalties for that roll, including Wound penalties.

Honesty: On any Etiquette (Honesty) roll, you add a bonus of +1k1. You may add this bonus even if you do not possess the Emphasis, but it would apply in the situation at hand.

Honor: You may add twice your Kharma Rank to all rolls to resist Temptation or Intimidation rolls.

Sincerity: You may add a bonus of +2k0 to all Etiquette Contested Rolls using the Sincerity Emphasis.

PRETERNATURAL GUARDIAN [SPIRITUAL] (9 Points)

You are being watched. A powerful supernatural entity takes great interest in your well-being, and it isn’t afraid to go into great lengths to help you. You guardian is not necessary benign however, as it is entirely possible that it wants you to become a vessel of some sinister purpose. When you spend Kharma Points to change a scene (as described in the Scroll of Fire), you spend one less Kharma Point than normal for the same effect.

PRODIGY [MENTAL] (6 Points)

You are naturally gifted in a certain area, having an advantage few in your expertise can match. Choose one Skill when you take this Perk: you receive a +1k1 bonus to all Skill Rolls made with that Skill. In addition, if you spend a Spirit Point to enhance a Skill Roll of the chosen Skill, you gain a bonus of +4k2 rather than the normal +1k1.

QUICK [PHYSICAL] (6 Points)

You can react quickly to others, seizing advantage where previously there had been none. If you did not act first during a Combat Round, during the Reactions Stage of combat you may add your Reflexes Trait to the total of your Initiative Score for all subsequent rounds of this skirmish. This may done each Round that you did not act first. Air Nomads characters may buy this Perk for 5 points.

READ LIPS [MENTAL] (4 Points)

Either through natural ability or incredible patience and practice, you have the ability to understand what others are saying even if you cannot hear them, simply by observing how their lips move. When you are in a situation where others are speaking and you cannot hear them, you can understand what they are saying by making a Perception Trait Roll against TN 15 + 5 for every twenty feet away from you the speakers are.

RENOWN [SOCIAL] (3 Points)

As a result of your actions or your lineage, there are many in the world who know your name. You gain +1 Fame Rank. This Perk may be taken multiple times during character creation, but it costs one additional Experience Point each time it is taken above the first (so it costs 4 points for the second time, 5 for the third, and so on).

SAGE [MENTAL] (6 Points)

You have a love of learning, and have accumulated a staggering amount of information during the course of your lifetime. Whenever you would be forced to make an Unskilled Roll when using a Remembrance Skill, you instead are considered to have 1 rank in that Skill.

SENSATION [SOCIAL] (4 Points)

You are capable of enrapturing the crowd, no matter the circumstances. Whenever you would be required to make a Skill Roll using a Perform Skill you do not possess, you are considered to have 1 rank in that skill.

SILENT [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

You have a natural talent for moving silently at all times. You add +1k0 to the total of all Stealth rolls.

SOCIAL POISITION [SOCIAL] (3 Points)

You have received an illustrious social appointment, whether through birthright, your own accomplishments, or purely because of political reasons. You gain +1 Status Rank. This Perk may be taken multiple times during character creation, but it costs one additional Experience Point each time it is taken above the first (so it costs 4 points for the second time, 5 for the third, and so on). A character cannot have a higher starting Status Rank than 9. Characters with the Fire Nation Highborn, Earth Kingdom Elite, or Water Tribe Noble backgrounds may bus this Perk for one less point per rank.

SOUL OF ARTISTRY [MENTAL] (4 Points)

Your soul soars with the spirit of creativity. Choose either Artisan Skills or Craft Skills when purchasing this Perk. Any time that you would be required to make an Unskilled Roll using a Skill of the chosen type, you are considered to have 1 rank in that Skill.

SPIRITUAL REPLENISHMENT [SPIRITUAL] (3 Points)

You have a great reserve of spiritual energy that allows you to draw on your inner strength regardless of your bodily needs. When fasting or deprived of food, you do not suffer from the normal inability to regain Spirit Points, although other penalties apply as normal. Water Tribe characters may take this Perk for 2 points.

SPIRITUAL RESISTANCE [SPIRITUAL] (2/4/6 Points)

For reasons beyond your understanding, the supernatural are reluctant to involve themselves with you in any way. For each rank you possess in this Perk, all supernatural effects like spiritual possession (but not bending) targeting you have the TN of the made to enact it increased by +3.

SPRINT [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

You have quick legs and good stamina for running. You count your Spirit Element as one point higher for the purpose of calculating your maximum movement distance. You also gain a +1k0 bonus to Athletics Skill Rolls using the Running Emphasis.

STRENGTH OF THE EARTH [PHYSICAL] (4 Points)

In your soul can be found the spirit of the mountains and the strength of stone. You can overcome injuries that would cripple other men. The TN penalties you suffer from Wound Ranks are reduced by 3. Earth Kingdom characters may purchase this Perk for 3 points.

TACTICIAN [MENTAL] (4 Points)

You have a mind well suited to the ebb and flow of battle. When making a roll on the Mass Battle Table, you may in-crease or decrease your result by 5.

TALENTED [MENTAL] (10 Points)

You are a marvel of your kind, and most people believe that you will accomplish incredible things in your lifetime. Whenever you make a Class Skill Roll, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the roll.

TECH SAVVY [MENTAL] (4 Points)

You have an innate ability to understand the workings of technology, the nature of different materials, and the secrets of science. Any time that you would be required to make an Unskilled Roll using the Demolition, Engineering, or Technology Skill, you are considered to have 1 rank in that Skill. In addition, every time you buy a new Rank for these skills, the total cost of Experience Points to do so is decreased by 1. Fire Nation characters may bus this Perk for 3 points.

TOUCHED BY THE SPIRITS [SPIRITUAL] (5 Points)

Somehow, a fragment of a spirit’s essence is present in your soul, and suffuses everything you do.

Ancestor Spirit: When you are awarded Fame in an amount greater than 3 points, you receive one addi-tional point.

Beast Spirit: You gain a bonus of +1k1 on all Animal Handling rolls.

Dark Spirit: You gain a bonus of +5 to the total of all Intimidate Skill Rolls.

Death Spirit: When you resolve an attack that incapacitates an opponent, you immediately regain 5 Wounds.

Dream Spirit: You gain a bonus of +2k0 to Contested Rolls versus attempts to manipulate you in social interactions, such as use of the Persuade Skill.

Trickster Spirit: You gain a bonus of + 1k1 on Deceive Skill Rolls.

Elemental Spirit: You gain a bonus of +1k0 to Utility and Miscellaneous Bending Rolls, or, if you are a non-bender, you gain a +5 bonus to your Armor TN against bending attacks.

War Spirit: When making a Move Action to get into range to attack an opponent, the distance of your move is increased by 5 feet. (This costs 8 points instead of 5.)

VOICE [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

You have a voice that others find pleasing in virtually every respect. You gain a bonus of +1k1 on any Perform Skill Roll that utilizes your voice, such as Perform: Singing or Perform: Oratory.

WARY [MENTAL] (3 Points)

You are constantly on alert, always looking out for the unexpected. When rolling Awareness (Notice) / Perception against Stealth (Ambush) / Agility to detect an ambush, you add +1k1 to your roll.

WAY OF THE LAND [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You are intimately familiar with a particular region, having traveled it extensively to the point that you know it as well as the interior of your own house. Select the lands of one group of people, a major city, or some other reasonably sized region. While you are within that region, it is not possible for you to get lost, and you know the location of any available resources to be found there. Air Nomads characters may buy this Perk for 1 point.

WEALTHY [MATERIAL] (1 Point/Rank)

Your branch of the family is particularly wealthy, and they have granted you additional resources for your adventures. For each point spent on this Advantage, you gain two additional gold pieces, to be added to the amount in your Class outfit. Fie Nation Highborn, Earth Kingdom Elite, and Water Tribe Noble characters may buy this Perk for 1 point less off its total cost.

WEAPON MASTER [PHYSICAL] (4 Points)

You possess a natural affinity for weapons of all kinds, and can take up even an unfamiliar blade without difficulty in times of stress. Any time that you would be forced to make an Unskilled Roll when using a Weapon Skill, you are in-stead considered to have 1 rank in that Weapon Skill. Water Tribe characters may purchase this Perk for 3 points.

Flaws

The following Flaws may be purchased at the time of character creation. Doing so grants a character an additional number of Experience Points equal to the amount listed in the individual entries. A character may never gain more than 10 additional Experience Points from taking Flaws. If a player would like his character to have more Flaws, he may take them, but he gains no additional points for them.

ANTISOCIAL [SOCIAL] (2/5 Points)

You find the presence of others uncomfortable, so much so that it is immediately obvious to those around you. Your preference for solitude causes you to behave in a manner that might best be described as rude. If you take the 2 point version of this Flaw, you suffer a penalty of -1k0 to all Social Skill Rolls. For 5 points, the penalty is -1k1.

ASCETIC [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You have no taste for or interest in material things, and this minimalist attitude has impacted how others view you. Your Class Outfit includes only weapons, armor, clothing, necessary tools of the trade for your profession (such as a repair kit for an engineer), and nothing else. Any time you would be awarded Fame as a result of your actions, you receive only half the normal amount. This Flaw is worth 3 points to Air Nomads characters.

BAD EYESIGHT [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

Your eyesight is exceptionally poor, whether as a result of some medical condition or even from a missing eye. You suffer a penalty of -1k1 to all ranged attack rolls and to any Perception-based rolls (both Trait and Skill Rolls).

BAD FORTUNE [SPIRITUAL] (3 Points)

Kharma is a powerful force, and sometimes it is a destructive one as well. There is something unpleasant in store for you, and you may have no idea what it is until it is far too late. Bad fortunes take an almost infinite variety of forms, all worth the same number of points, and players and GMs should discuss the form of a Bad Fortune during character creation. Some of the more common versions include:

Secret Love: Somewhere, someone is madly in love with you, and will go to any lengths to sabotage your romantic interests, even politically arranged marriages, in order to ensure that you remain available, for them.

Disfigurement: You have a birthmark of some sort that appears on a visible portion of your body. Others regard it as a clear mark of bad fortune (which in the Avatar world, often is), and give you a very wide berth.

Evil Eye: One of your eyes is discolored. People avoid looking you in the eyes at all costs, and some believe your very presence invites evil spirits.

Allergy: You are allergic to a common substance, something you come into contact with regularly, such as silk, cotton, or milk. Its presence breaks you out in a very uncomfortable rash, which in turn makes others react poorly to your presence.

Lingering Misfortune: At some point in your future, you will fail an extremely important dice roll in a spectacularly disastrous fashion. The GM will decide when this happens, and no mechanical effect will allow you to overcome it or to circumvent it.

Unknown Enemy: Someone somewhere hates you, and wishes to see you dead. You have no idea who they are or why they hate you, but you will very soon.

BAD HEALTH [PHYSICAL] (6 Points)

You suffer from a chronic medical condition that constantly renders you weak and susceptible to both illness and injury. Your Toughness is considered one rank lower for the purposes of determining Wound Ranks and for resisting diseases.

BLACKMAILED [SOCIAL] (Variable)

Someone out there knows of some dark secret of yours, or some horrible indiscretion you committed in a moment of weakness. What’s worse, they intend to make you pay for it. The cost of this Flaw is equal to your Status Rank. The person blackmailing you will contact you periodically and require certain things of you. You must weigh these actions against the potential disgrace if your secret is discovered, and act accordingly.

BLACK SHEEP [SOCIAL] (3 Points)

For whatever reason, your family is completely disgusted with you and your actions. You have not been cast out, but you are no longer welcome in your own household. You may only maintain proper relations with any member of your family via the Allies Perk.

BLIND [PHYSICAL] (8 Points)

You possess no natural eyesight whatsoever maybe save for a slight ability to determine light and dark. You suffer a penalty of -3k3 to all ranged attack rolls and -1k1 to melee attack rolls. Your base Armor TN is equal to your Reflexes Trait plus 5 (armor adds bonuses as normal). Your Spirit Element is considered two ranks lower for the purposes of determining how far you may move as part of a Move Action. Any attempt at a Simple Move Action requires an Athletics/Agility roll (TN 20) or you are knocked Prone. You may not make Perception rolls unless the GM judges that you can use senses other than sight for the roll.

BRASH [MENTAL] (3 Points)

You have a notoriously short temper and are likely to answer anything you perceive as a threat with blows. If you are threatened or insulted, you must make a Willpower Trait Roll at a TN of 25, or you will provoke conflict immediately. This Flaw is worth 4 points to Fire Nation characters.

COMPULSION [MENTAL] (2-4 Points)

There is some activity in which you are hopelessly compelled to partake. It is a ritual that is so ingrained in your behavior that it requires a feat of will to forsake it, even in dire circumstances. This may be something illicit and addictive, such as alcohol or gambling, or it may be as innocuous as visiting every shrine you pass. The basic Flaw requires a Willpower Trait Roll of TN 15 to overcome. The TN of the roll increases by 5 for every additional point gained by the Flaw, to a maximum of TN 25 (4 points).

CONSUMED [MENTAL] (Varies)

You have walked a dark path, and it has consumed you utterly. One of the dark tenets has become your existence, and you live only to enact it.

Control (4 Points): You are determined to control and dominate others, no matter what the cost, and can never admit that you are wrong or might have made a mistake. You suffer a -1k1 penalty on all Awareness Skill Rolls using the Sense Emphasis.

Determination (6 Points): You believe you can do anything on your own, without the need for any outside help or agency, or even any inner strength. You cannot spend Spirit Points to enhance die-rolls. (You can still spend Spirit Points for other purposes and enhancements.)

Insight (4 Points): You seek profound insight in even the most trivial things, to the exclusion of normal ac-tivity. Choose one of your Class Skills. Any time you use this Skill, you must make a Willpower Trait Roll at TN 20 or become lost in reverie as you seek a deeper understanding of this skill. (You can be snapped out of this reverie by pain, loud noise, shaking, etc.)

Knowledge (4 Points): You are obsessed with gaining more knowledge and understanding of all things, no matter what the cost. Any time you encounter some topic, area of research, or new idea, no matter how trivial, scandalous, or blasphemous it might be, you must make a Willpower Trait Roll at TN 25 or decide to study it.

Perfection (6 Points): You must do everything perfectly, even when there is no need to do so in order to succeed. Any time you make a Skill or Bending Roll, you must call one extra Raise for no effect, or the roll will automatically fail.

Strength (5 Points): Raw physical power is the only way to defeat your foes. Finesse and negotiation are for fools. You must call one extra Raise (for no effect) in order to use the Called Shot, Feint, or Disarm Maneuvers in combat, and you suffer a -1k0 penalty to any Etiquette Skill Roll using the Sincerity Emphasis.

Will (4 Points): You must get your way, and others must give way to your wishes. You have no respect for the opinions or desires of others. You suffer a -1k1 penalty to all Persuade and Temptation Skill Rolls, as your refusal to compromise or respect others makes you socially intolerable.

CONTRARY [MENTAL] (3 Points)

Your strong will and rigid view of the world insists not only that you develop an opinion on everything, but that you must share it at every opportunity. During any debate or dispute, or even casual discussion, you feel compelled to weigh in and attempt to persuade others to see the matter from your point of view. In any tense situation, you must succeed at a Willpower Trait Roll to avoid taking action, whether to resolve a conflict physically or simply to inteiject into an argument. The TN for this roll can vary widely, and should be determined by the GM (typically somewhere between 5 and 25). This Flaw is worth 4 points for Water Tribe characters.

CURSED BY SPIRITS [SPIRITUAL] (4 Points)

The influence of the Spirit World can be felt throughout the Mortal World, and for whatever reason, the essence of one kind of spirits has marked you as a foe of all that emanate from that kind.

Ancestor Spirits: Your existence thwarts destiny in some manner. Any roll you make against a spirit of any kind suffers a penalty of -1k1.

Beast Spirits: You suffer a penalty of -1k1 to all Animal Handling rolls.

Dark Spirits: Any roll you make to resist spiritual corruption suffers a penalty of -1k1.

Death Spirits: All damage roll made against you receive a +2 bonus to its total.

Dream Spirits: When unoccupied by physical activity or social interaction, you tend to lapse into a trance-like state that causes you to suffer a penalty of -1k0 to all Perception-based rolls.

Trickster Spirits: Trickster spirits plague you, and at least once a month you are the victim of some elaborate, cruel prank by some malicious spirit.

Elemental Spirits: If you are a bender, you suffer a -1k0 penalty to all Bending Rolls. If you are a non-bender, all bending attacks targeting you receive a +5 bonus to the total of the Bending Roll.

War Spirits: You suffer a penalty of -1k0 to all attack rolls. When you spend a Spirit Point to enhance an attack roll, you only gain a +0k1 bonus rather than the normal +1k1.

DARK FATE [SPIRITUAL] (3 Points)

There is a destiny of tremendous significance in store for you, and sadly it is not an illustrious one. Before your death, you will usher tremendous darkness into the world in some way. Perhaps you will allow secrets to fall into the hands of enemies, or perhaps you will fell the Avatar in combat. Destiny protects those for whom it has great plans, even if they do not desire it. Once per session, when you suffer Wounds that would kill you, you are instead reduced to one Wound.

DARK SECRET [SOCIAL] (4 Points)

You possess some horrific secret that could lead not only to your ruination, but perhaps others in your private circle as well. It may be something terrible you have learned about your family or nation that you alone know, or something you personally have done. If your secret is exposed, you will be judged, probably with rather unpleasant consequences.

DEPENDANT [SOCIAL] (Varies)

Someone who is largely incapable of defending himself or herself requires you to look after them. This may be an elderly relative, a naive spouse, or a small child. The point value of this Flaw varies depending upon how helpless the individual is and how frequently they appear in the campaign. A small child completely dependant upon you for everything might cost 5 or 6 points, while a spouse who is independent but whom you must consider before all major decisions might be worth 2 or 3 points.

DISTURBING COUNTENANCE [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

Something about your appearance causes others to respond to you with concern and caution. You are not necessarily unattractive, merely disturbing in some way. The TN of all your Social Skill Rolls is increased by +5.

DOUBT [MENTAL] (2 Points)

Something has happened to cause you to question part of your profession, so much so that it interferes with your ability to perform properly. Select one of your Class Skills. Every time you use this Skill, you must declare one Raise that confers no benefit.

DRIVEN [MENTAL] (4 Points)

You are possessed by some goal, and will sacrifice almost anything to accomplish it. Family, friends, material possessions, and even your own life mean nothing compared to the potential completion of this goal, whatever it may be.

EARTHBOUND [SPIRITUAL] (3 Points)

Your earthly attachments and materialism prevent you to reach true harmony with your spirit. You suffer a -1k0 penalty to all Spirit-based rolls. This Flaw is worth 4 points for Earth Kingdom characters.

ELEMENTAL DEFICIENCY [SPIRITUAL] (6 Points)

You are disconnected with your bending element. Your bending power is feeble and wavering, that in turn makes you an inferior bender most of the time. You suffer a -5 penalty to the total of all your Bending Rolls. Only bender characters may take this Perk.

FAILURE [MENTAL] (Varies)

Try though you might to follow the path of light, one virtue in particular is simply foreign to you, and you have no concept of how to exemplify it through your actions.

Compassion (3 Points): You must spend a Spirit Point before you are able to act on behalf of someone of lower Status.

Courage (6 Points): When facing an opponent of higher Fame or Status, or when facing a supernatural opponent, the TN of all rolls you make is increased by +5.

Courtesy (4 Points): Any time you make a Social Skill Roll to apologize or avoid giving offense, you must call a Raise for no effect, or the roll will automatically fail.

Duty (6 Points): You cannot spend Spirit Points to negate Wounds.

Honesty (3 Points): You cannot spend Spirit Points on any Etiquette Skill Roll to which the Honesty em-phasis could apply (whether or not you have the emphasis).

Honor (3 Points): You suffer a -1k0 penalty to rolls made to resist Intimidation or Temptation

Sincerity (4 Points): You must call an extra Raise on any Etiquette Skill Roll using the Sincerity Emphasis for no effect, or the roll automatically fails.

FASCINATION [MENTAL] (1 Point)

You are completely fascinated by some subject, and will go to great lengths to learn more about it or to experience it in new ways. Typical subjects of a one’s fascination include music, horses, poetry, and history. This fascination badly impedes your judgment, and you will take even dangerous actions to learn more, which could cause quite a lot of trouble for you.

FRAIL MIND [MENTAL] (3 Points)

You have difficulty concentrating, even when focusing your attention on an opponent. Whenever you make a Contested Roll using Willpower, your opponent gains a bonus of +2k0.

GREEDY [MENTAL] (3 Points)

Material wealth is more important to you than anything else. Opponents attempting to use Temptation (Bribery) rolls against you gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of the roll. This Flaw is worth 4 points for Earth Kingdom characters.

GULLIBLE [MENTAL] (4 Points)

Your trust is given easily and you place tremendous faith in those whom you trust, unfortunately making it very simple for others to take advantage of your naive nature. Opponents attempting to use the Deceive Skill against you gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of their rolls.

HAUNTED [SPIRITUAL] (3 Points)

A spirit has chosen to bestow personal attention on you, constantly offering you advice and making demands. You must show all due deference and respect to the spirit, and do your best to live up to its expectations. If you fail to do so, the spirit’s disapproval will bring bad fortune upon you: so long as the spirit remains angry, once per session one of your die rolls (chosen by the GM) will suffer a -1k1 penalty.

IDEALISTIC [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You have a hopelessly naive view of the world and how things work. You have impossible standards that not even the most heroic individual could hope to meet, much less you. The Kharma Point costs of all options listed in the Kharma section (se the Scroll of Fire) is increased by 1. This does not affect options that are not listed there, like those provided by the Dark Paragon Perk.

INFAMOUS [SOCIAL] (2 Points per Rank)

You are well known among some circles, but not in the manner you might wish. Rather than being known for your valor and your courage, you are known for being ruthless, cruel, and dangerous. This reputation may not be deserved, but it is widespread enough that it no longer matters if it is true. Your starting Fame Rank is replaced with an Infamy Rank, which serves in exactly the same capacity, save for the reaction of those who recognize you. This Flaw may be taken multiple times during character creation, increasing the character’s Infamy Rank by 1 each time it is taken.

INSENSITIVE [MENTAL] (2 Points)

Your primary interest is in yourself and things that you care about. The plight of others simply does not interest you, and you find it difficult to pretend otherwise. With the exception of those who contribute directly to your well being, such as a close companion, you must spend a Spirit Point to place yourself at risk for the welfare of any other person unless there is an immediate benefit for you personally.

JEALOUSY [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You are obsessed with outperforming another individual in order to prove that you deserve all the things he has, things you perceive as superior to your own. Choose one other PC or a major NPC in your campaign. You are obsessed with overcoming them at all costs, and will go to any lengths to do so. Once you have bested the target of your jealousy, your nature will cause you to become jealous of someone else.

KHARMIC IMBALANCE [SPIRITUAL] (7 Points)

The universe has little patience for you, and you are poorer for it. Whenever you lose Kharma Points, you lose one additional point over the normal amount.

LAME [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

One of your legs is withered or perhaps even near-useless, either due to a birth defect, a crippling injury, or a ravaging disease. Your Spirit Element is considered 1 for the purposes of determining Move Actions, and any Agility Trait Rolls or Agility-based Skill Rolls that require any sort of activity in your lower limbs suffer a penalty of +10 to the TN.

LECHERY [SOCIAL] (2 Points)

Physical pleasure is a weakness of yours, and you spend considerable time pursuing it. When an opponent makes a Temptation (Seduction) roll against you, he gains a bonus of +1k1 to the total of his roll.

LILY-LIVERED [MENTAL] (3 Points)

You have a faint heart and probably a low self-esteem too. Things that would barely frighten others are stuff of nightmares for you, and you aren’t very good with controlling your weak nerves either. You suffer a -1k1 penalty to rolls made to resist Fear, and if you fail any of these rolls by 10 or more, then you lose your composure and faint or flee, depending on the GM’s decision.

LUNAR CURSE [SPIRITUAL] (3/5/7 Points)

The so-called “Lunar Curse” is a rare and poorly understood illness that turns people into sleepwalkers for the duration of the full moon. Many who suffer from this phenomenon have tried to counteract the ill effects by staying awake, but the curse has always managed to eventually overpower them. You gain an additional Spirit Point at sunset on any night of the full moon. If you do not use this Spirit Point, it is lost with the sunrise. However, when the full moon rises, you must make a Willpower Trait Roll against TN 15+5 for each level in this Flaw after the first. If you fail the roll, you lose control of your character for the evening. You awaken the next morning with no idea what strange acts you might have committed... This Flaw worth one additional Experience Point for Water Tribe characters.

LOST LOVE [MENTAL] (3 Points)

You shared a bond of true love with someone once, and have since lost it. This need not be romantic love, as familial or brotherly love lost is equally tragic. You tend to suffer bouts of melancholy when reminded of your lost love. When you are reminded of your loss, all your TNs are increased by 5 until you spend a Spirit Point to regain your focus. This disruption of your concentration cannot happen more than twice per day, and at least one hour must pass between instances.

LOW PAIN THRESHOLD [PHYSICAL] (4 Points)

Your ability to focus in the face of pain is less than that of others. The TN penalties you suffer due to Wound Ranks are increased by +5 each rank.

MISSING LIMB [PHYSICAL] (6 Points)

One of your limbs is missing, either through catastrophic injury or due to an unfortunate defect of your birth. You suffer a penalty of +10 to all TNs involving the use of the limb missing. For example, wielding a two-handed weapon with only one arm would have a +10 to all TNs, but an Athletics (Running) Skill Roll would not.

OBLIGATION [SOCIAL] (3/6 Points)

There is someone to whom you are indebted or for whom you must fulfill some significant duty. The nature of this debt can vary considerably, but when it comes due, nothing else matters. You must honor it, even if it leads to your ruination. The first level of this Disadvantage is a relatively minor matter that nevertheless demands your full attention. The second level represents a major, significant obligation that could potentially damage your social standing if you do not devote considerable time and resources to fulfilling it.

OBTUSE [MENTAL] (5 Points)

You have a hard time to learn complex subjects, and the life’s more sophisticated occupations tend to elude you. The Experience Point cost for increasing any Specialist Skill other than Trade is doubled.

OVERCONFIDENT [MENTAL] (3 Points)

You possess a grossly inflated view of your own prowess, and are often incapable of recognizing when a situation is beyond your ability to handle. When outnumbered or facing a clearly superior enemy (whether in court or in battle), you must succeed at a Perception Trait Roll (TN 20) in order to recognize the situation for what it is and leave instead of engaging. This Flaw is worth 4 points to Fire Nation characters.

PERMANENT WOUND [PHYSICAL] (4 Points)

Some wounds will not heal, not matter how often they are treated or by what means. Your first Wound Rank is always considered full.

PHOBIA [MENTAL] (1-3 Points)

You possess an irrational fear that you cannot overcome, no matter how much you struggle to convince yourself that there is no reason behind it. When confronted with the object of your phobia, all of your TNs are increased by +5 for every point you possess in this Flaw.

RUMORMONGER [SOCIAL] (4 Points)

You cannot resist the temptation to spread rumors and gossip, no matter how ridiculous or outlandish they might seem. When presented with an opportunity to spread rumors, to resist doing so you must succeed at a Willpower Trait Roll with a TN equal to 5x the Fame Rank of the highest-Fame individual involved in the rumor.

SMALL [PHYSICAL] (3 Points)

You are noticeably smaller than average for a denizen of the Avatar world. As a result, your Spirit Element is considered one rank lower for determining the distance of your Move Actions, and you suffer a penalty of -1k0 on the Damage Rolls of all your melee attacks.

SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE [SOCIAL] (3 Points)

By lowly birth or simple misfortune, you have slipped from the society, and now linger at the bottom of it. You begin with Status Rank 0.

SOFT-HEARTED [MENTAL] (2 Points)

Human life is precious to you, so much so that when faced with the opportunity to harm another human being, you must succeed at a Willpower Trait Roll (TN 20), or you are unable to do so. If you do serious harm to another (like putting them into Crippled or worse Wound Rank), the TNs of all your rolls are increased by +10 for one day as you are wracked with guilt. This penalty is not cumulative with multiple cases. This Flaw could potentially also apply to harming nonhuman creatures or even spirits, although the Experience Point value should be increased in such cases. This Disadvantage is worth 3 points to Air Nomads characters.

SPIRITUAL DRAIN [SPIRITUAL] (6 Points)

Your spiritual reserves are somewhat… leaky. Any Technique or Perk that requires you to spend a Spirit Point to activate instead requires two Spirit Points.

SPIRITUAL LOCK [SPIRITUAL] (8 Points)

There is a fundamental spiritual imbalance present in your soul that no one can explain or rectify, but it has a dramatic impact on your spirituality, and prevents you from accessing your inner powers. You possess Spirit Points, but you may not spend them on anything except Class Techniques which specifically require Spirit Points. The basic uses of Spirit Points listed in the Scroll of Fire are unavailable to you. Only non-benders can take this Flaw. Having this Flaw also prevents you to ever become a bender.

STRANGE NAME [SOCIAL] (1 Point)

Either your parents didn’t take their duty to name you very seriously, or you have made an unfortunate change of name, but your name is a real one-of-a-kind, and not in the good way. Having a name like Deathripper or Xvgkfjikka is not necessary a bad thing per see, but others regard you questionably as a result. Your individual dice may only explode once on a Social Skill Roll (that is, each die has a maximum possible result of 20) if the other party involved in the roll knows your name.

SWORN ENEMY [SOCIAL] (3 Points)

You have earned an enemy, one who will stop at nothing to see you defeated or even killed. The basic version of this Flaw assumes that your enemy is of equal Insight Rank. For each Insight Rank above yours your enemy possesses, in-crease the value of this Flaw by 1. For 2 additional points, the enemy becomes your Kharmic Nemesis, and you may not spend Kharma Points when opposing him or her in any situation.

TAME [MENTAL] (2 Points)

You are sensitive to verbal harshness, and it is easy to hurt your feelings. You might cover your weakness with bravado, or bury it under your self-discipline, but others will still find it easier to cow you or make you panic. When an opponent makes an Intimidation roll against you, he gains a bonus of +1k1 to the total of his roll. Having the following Perks or Flaws reduce this bonus to +1k0: Daredevil, Dark Paragon (Will), Fearless, Iron Will, Paragon (Courage), Consumed (Will), Overconfident.

TRUE LOVE [MENTAL] (3 Points)

True love in the Avatar world can be a wonderful experience, but sometimes, it is a straight way to disaster as you place the well-being of your beloved over things that must be done. Whenever you are in a position where you must choose between love and duty, you must spend a Kharma Point before you can choose your duty over your lover.

UNLUCKY [SPIRITUAL] (2 Points per Rank)

Fortune favors the mortal man... just not in your case. A number of times per session equal to your rank in this Flaw, the GM may force you to immediately re-roll one roll, keeping the second roll in all cases.

WEAKNESS [PHYSICAL] (6 Points)

You have a significant weakness of some sort, either physical or mental, that is difficult to overcome even under ideal circumstances. Select one Trait. That Trait is treated as if it were one rank lower for the purposes of all rolls arid Trait-based mechanical effects.

WRATH OF THE ELEMENT [SPIRITUAL] (3 Points)

One particular element seemingly has a vehement dislike, and when invoked to strike you, it gleefully and enthusiastically complies. Select one element when you purchase this Flaw. Bending effects of this element cast against you confer one Free Raise on the Bending Roll. Benders who have chosen their bending element must also take a Raise on all their Bending Rolls for no effect or their bending will turn against them (treat this as an Offensive bending attack against the character, using the character’s Offensive Technique Rank, Element, and Class Rank to work out the effect).

BENDING

Bending is the character’s special power to manipulate an element with his chi. There are five bending arts: four for each element and spiritbending (also known as energybending), the unique and extremely rare ability to bend one’s own spirit. A character may only possess one kind of bending ability. The only person who can bend more, than a single element is the Avatar.

Whether a character is a bender or not is normally determined by his Class. However, taking a non-bender Class does not deprive a character from the ability to bend: with the GM’s approval, the character may still have the potential for bending, and he can unlock this potential by taking a bender Class later with the Multiple Classes Perk.

Basics

When bending an element, a bender first determines what exactly he wants to do. There are seven categories that encompass every available option:

- OFFENSE: A bending action that causes direct harm to someone or something with an attack that uses the element. This is usually a ranged attack, but it can be used for melee attacks too. Examples include bending air to knock down opponents with a surge of wind, bending fire to throw fireballs at a group of bandits, bending earth to launch massive boulders at a wall, and bending water to grapple someone with a whip made of condensed water. Firebending is the most powerful bending art for offensive use.

- DEFENSE: A bending action that raises a defensive barrier that can negate attacks and protect those who seek cover behind it. As long as it is created with the purpose of protection, it is treated as defensive bending, even if it can cause harm (like a wall of fire). Examples include bending air to create a sphere of streaming wind to protect a caravan from arrows, bending fire to raise an impassable wall of fire, bending earth to wrap yourself into an armor of rock, and bending water to create a shield of ice. When it comes to defense, earthbending has a significant advantage over all other bending arts.

- COUNTER: A bending action that is made to disrupt another action, usually an attack. Unlike offensive actions, it is not meant to cause harm other than inconvenience, and it differs from defensive actions in a way that it is neither solely defensive, nor lasting. A counter action always targets a specific action, rather than a person or object. Examples include bending air to blast a bunch of leaves into an archer’s face when he tries to fire an arrow, bending fire to temporarily blind someone with a flash of fire, bending earth to disrupt movement with a localized earthquake, and bending water to turn a fireball into harmless smoke. Waterbending puts great emphasis on countering, and it is undoubtedly better than any other bending art with this technique.

- MOBILITY: A bending action that boosts the bender’s mobility, either by direct augmentation or by removing obstacles in his path. Examples include bending air to boost one’s jump with a gale, bending fire to propel yourself forward in the air, bending earth to create a land-bridge, or bending water to walk on water as it was solid surface. Powered by the element of freedom, airbending offers the greatest mobility one can potentially achieve with bending.

- UTILITY: A bending action that has a useful effect, but it is too generic and commonplace to include in any of the other categories. This is the most common use of bending, as these actions make a bender’s life much easier. Examples include bending air to sweep the dust from a room, bending fire to light a campfire, bending earth to create a tent, and bending water to lift a bunch of keys with a small water-whip.

- MISCELLANEOUS: This category includes everything that cannot be fitted into any of the other categories listed above. Most of the time, this means using bending for harmless tricks or other forms of entertainment.

- SPECIAL: Each bending art has a special use, an exotic sub-art that utilizes the element in a unique way. These special uses will be discussed later in this section, in the description of the relevant bending art.

Each type of bending action has an associated Bending Technique Rank that goes from 1 to 10. Bending Technique Ranks are essentially the Skill Ranks of your bending, the representation of your expertise with the given action – the measurement of how skilled you are with that specific use of bending. Rank 1 in a technique represents little more than some basic training, while Rank 10 is reserved for the true masters.

Each technique works slightly differently for each element. A complete list of all techniques for each element can be found later in this section.

Bending Rolls Expanded

After he successfully determines the type of bending action he takes and the relevant Bending Technique he is going to use, the bender must take a Bending Roll. As described in the Scroll of Fire, the Bending Roll is a unique roll used by benders to harness their bending powers. When using his bending, a bender rolls a number of dice equal to his rank in the relevant Element plus his Bending Technique Rank, and keeps a number of dice equal to his Element.

EXAMPLE: Peter’s airbender character wants to use his airbending to blow a bunch of papers from a bureaucrat’s desk into the air with a gust, so that an important document will land right in his hands. This is going to be a utility action. The character has Air 3 and 4 Ranks in the Utility Bending Technique. He rolls 7k3 (7 = Air 3 + Utility Bending Technique Rank 4, keeping Air), and gets 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, and 9, keeping the 5, 6, and 9 for a total of 20.

Depending on the Bending Technique in use, the Target Number of the Bending Roll can vary: Offensive actions roll against the target’s Armor TN, while the other Bending Techniques use flat TNs determined by the GM, depending on the complexity of the action. Whether the bender manages to beat the TN with his Bending Roll or not, the nominated bending effect happen regardless, it is just not going to happen in a way the bender wanted it. In this case, it is up to the GM to determine what happened actually.

EXAMPLE: Peter’s GM has decided that the bending action peter’s character wants to employ is a rather difficult one, so he calls for a TN of 25 (the normal TN for difficult tasks, as listed in the Scroll of Fire). Unfortunately, the result of Peter’s Bending Roll is just 20, so he failed the roll. His airbending missed its mark, and what hit the papers was too feeble to beat the paperweight on the documents, so they remained in place. However, the gust knocked over the ink-pot on the desk, much to the bureaucrat’s annoyance.

When you make Raises on a Bending Roll, your Raises are limited by your rank in the Bending Technique used for the Bending Roll instead of your Spirit Element. If your Spirit Element is higher, however, you may use that as a measure for your Raises if you so choose.

A bender cannot make a Bending Roll using a Bending Technique he has zero Rank in. He must possess at least one Rank in a Bending Technique in order to use it, or spend a Spirit Point to temporarily gain a rank.

Cooperative Bending Rolls

Two or more benders can work together to perform the same Bending Technique with a Cooperative Bending Roll. In this case, all participating benders make a separate Bending Roll and add their totals together to determine the final result. Combined with Bending Maneuvers, this allows benders to create extremely powerful effects when working together – but this is an intentional mechanic to reward team play and let low-level benders combine their power to deal with more powerful benders.

Cooperative Bending Rolls usually require the participants to have the same bending power, but the players are free to come up with creative applications of different elements in the same Cooperative Bending Roll. After all, a massive boulder from an earthbender sends a much more assertive message if it is superheated by a firebender and propelled forward by a powerful gust from an airbender!

Restrictions

Using a bending technique requires a Complex Action. Only the most powerful Feats and Class Techniques allow a bender to use his bending with a Simple Action. In addition, the bender must be able to move in order to use his bending. If he is restricted in his movement (he is in a Grapple or Entangled), then he suffers a -10 penalty to his Bending Rolls. If he is completely immobilized (his limbs are pinned to a wall for example), then he cannot bend at all.

Earth and waterbenders also require a certain amount of their element to be present in their vicinity to use their bending powers. The GM is the final arbitrator of whether the necessary amount of earth or water is available for the bender, but he must warn the players for the lack of element before they make the Bending Roll. If they still chose to make the roll, then the Bending Roll automatically fails, even though some negligible effect will take place, depending on the actual amount of bendable element present. Airbenders too might encounter this problem, like in vacuum or deep underwater, but otherwise, they have an infinite supply of their element. Firebenders can generate their own fire, so they never run out of their element. As a general guideline, most bending techniques require at

least a half cubic feet of bendable element, or five cubic feet for defensive techniques – each Raise made on the Bending Roll doubles this amount.

Bending Maneuvers

Bending Maneuvers, just like normal Maneuvers, are special attack forms that can be used by benders. They require Raises to be performed, and they can be limited to a certain Stance. Benders have access to all the basic Maneuvers listed in the Scroll of Fire, plus a number of additional element-specific Maneuvers described later, under each element’s Bending Technique.

General Techniques

These uses of the Bending Techniques are the same for all four elements, and cover all the most basic things a bender could do with his bending.

OFFENSIVE

Using the Offensive Bending Technique follows all the normal rules of a ranged or a melee attack. The Bending Roll in this case replaces the attack roll, but all modifiers that would normally affect the attack roll must be used for the Bending Roll too. For example, if the bender attacks someone in melee range with a ranged bending attack, he suffers a -10 penalty to his Bending Roll made to attack his target in the same way if he was making a normal ranged attack.

Bending attacks roll Bending Class Rank + Element, and keep Element for the damage roll. So a character with a Rank 2 in the Firebender Class and Fire 3 would roll 5k3. If the character has Class Ranks in multiple Bending Classes, then the Ranks are cumulative. For example, a water bender with 3 Ranks as Southern Waterbender and 2 Ranks as Northern Waterbender and with Water 4 would roll 9k4 (9 = 3 Southern Waterbender Class Ranks + 2 Northern Waterbender Class Ranks + Water 4 / Water 4) for damage.

Bending can be “dual wielded” and counts as a medium weapon when doing so. Note that otherwise, bending is not a weapon, so it can’t be disabled with the Disarm Maneuver or targeted with Called Shots. If the character fights only with his bending, then he is unarmed for all purposes. Wielding a weapon does not hinder a character’s ability to bend in any way.

The following Bending Maneuvers can be used by all elements when performing an Offensive Bending Technique:

Area Effect (2 or More Raises)

Bending attacks normally affect a specific target like a person or an object, but with this Bending Maneuver, the bender can target an area up to two feet in radius. Make only one Bending Roll and damage roll for all possible targets in that area, but work out the attack separately for each of them, using the total of those rolls. Multiple Raises can be made to gain a larger area of effect, at the ratio of 1 Raise for up to 1 additional feet of radius, but all Raises made in one combat Round count as one effect for the purposes of any mechanics that decrease the number of Raises required. The bender never takes damage from his own bending when he uses this Bending Maneuver.

Multiple Targets (2 or More Raises)

When using this Bending Maneuver, the bender can nominate a second target for his bending attack that is no further from the first target than 10 feet. Make a separate Bending Roll and damage roll for each target, using the same penalties from making Raises to perform this Bending Maneuver in each case. Any of these attacks may miss without any negative effects to consequent attacks made as part of this Bending Maneuver. Multiple Raises can be made to nominate more targets, at the ratio of 2 Raises for each additional target, but all Raises made in one combat Round count as one effect for the purposes of any mechanics that decrease the number of Raises required.

Sweeping Attack (4 or more Raises)

This Bending Maneuver allows the bender to attack all targets in a cone-shaped area extending in a 30-degree from the bender out to up to half the bending attack’s normal range. Make only one Bending Roll and damage roll for all

possible targets in that area, but work out the attack separately for each of them, using the total of those rolls. Multiple Raises can be made to gain a larger area of effect, at the ratio of 2 Raises for 30 additional degree of opening, but all Raises made in one combat Round count as one effect for the purposes of any mechanics that decrease the number of Raises required.

DEFENSIVE

The Defensive Bending technique allows the bender to create a heavy cover or move an existing piece of cover to protect someone. The TN to create a cover large enough to shelter an average person from one direction is 10. This usually means a cover 8 feet high, 5 feet wide, and 2 feet thick made from the bent element, but the actual dimensions may vary from element to element. Dragging an existing light cover has a TN of 10 while moving heavy covers has a TN of 20. The GM is free to rule out the possibility to move a cover if it is

not moveable by the bender, or it is too big for the bender’s power.

While using the Defensive Bending Technique to create a cover, the bender can make the following Bending Maneuvers:

All-Around Protection (2 or 4 Raises)

The newly created cover will only protect from one angle (usually from the front), but when using this Bending Maneuver, the bender can make 2 Raises to add another angle. For 4 Raises, he can create a cover that protects from all four angles.

Enhanced Durability (3 Raises)

For three Raises, the bender can increase the Armor TN bonus the cover provides by +5.

Larger Size (1 or More Raises)

For one Raise, the bender can increase the size of his cover so that it can protect up to two people instead of just one. For each additional Raise taken for this Maneuver above the first one, the cover can shelter one more person. All Raises made this way in the same combat Round count as one effect for the purposes of any mechanics that decrease the number of Raises required. When used to protect an object, it is up to the GM to determine how many Raises the bender must make for this Bending Maneuver to create a sufficient cover.

COUNTER

Counter is a special Bending Technique as it does not require the bender to take an action, but instead, it can be utilized in response of an enemy action. Once per Round, the bender can nominate that he is using this Bending Technique when another character takes an action. He must then make a Bending Roll against a TN of 15 (if the target has a lower Initiative score than the bender) or 25 (if the target has a higher Initiative score). If the Bending Roll is successful, then the target receives a penalty to any rolls he should make as part of his action equal to the bender’s Counter Bending Technique Rank plus his Bender Class Rank. If the action does not require a roll, then the GM must make a suitable Trait or Skill Roll (for example, Athletics / Agility for a Move Action) against TN 20, but the target receives no penalties to that roll.

EXAMPLE: A runaway tries to escape from Sam’s earthbender by climbing through a wall - Sam’s character in turn uses her Counter Bending Technique to prevent this. She has Earth 3 and 3 Ranks in the Counter Bending Technique. The runaway has a higher Initiative score however, so Sam rolls 6k3 against TN 25. She gets 2, 2, 6, 7, 9, and 9, for a total of 25 – a success. Sam’s character has 2 Ranks as an Earthbender, so the runaway receives a -5 penalty to his Athletics (Climbing) / Agility Skill Roll (5 = 3 Counter Bending Technique Ranks + 2 Earthbender Class Ranks).

You can only use this Bending technique while you are in the Attack or Defense Stance.

Any benders can use the following Bending Maneuvers with the Counter Bending Technique:

Increased Penalty (1 or More Raises)

You may make one or more Raises as part of your Bending Roll when using the Counter Bending Technique to increase the penalty the target receives by 3 for each Raise you have made.

Second Strike (4 Raises)

The bender can choose to use this Bending Maneuver to get a second use of Counter Bending Technique for the Round after this one. You must make the Raises for the Bending Rolls of both Counter actions. You can’t use this Bending Maneuver more, than once per Round.

MOBILITY

The Mobility Bending Technique is used when the bender wants to reach a specific point, using his bending to boost his movement and overcome obstacles. The actual method is up to the bender, and it will directly influence the difficulty of the Bending Roll. Bending Rolls using the Mobility Bending Technique are rolled against a TN determined by the GM, and it depends on the movement distance, the complexity of movement required, and the described method. For example, a simple jump boost to reach the top of a high wall would have a TN of 10, while blowing a hole in the wall to reach the other side would have a TN of 20. Since the character takes no Move Actions while using this Bending Technique, he ignores his maximum allowed movement distance for the purpose of working out the effects of this technique.

UTILITY

Use of the Utility Bending Technique can take many forms, and its mechanical effects are mostly up to the GM. In some cases, using the Utility Bending Technique only provides a bonus to another Skill Roll, like when a waterbender uses her bending for hunting - in this case, she would probably gain a bonus to the total of her Hunting Skill Roll equal to her Utility Bending Technique Rank. In other cases, it requires a Bending Roll against a TN determined by the GM, like when a firebender tries to put out a bushfire with his firebending.

By using the Utility Bending Technique, a bender can manipulate up to one cubic feet of his element for every Rank he has with the technique.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Miscellaneous Bending Technique is used for everything that is not Offensive, Defensive, Mobility, Counter, Utility, or Special bending. Generally speaking, this leaves bending forms that are similar to the use of the Games and Perform Skills, and the Prestidigitation Emphasis of the Sleight of Hand Skill. A bender can add his Miscellaneous Bending Technique Ranks to the total of these Skill Rolls if it is appropriate and the GM allows it. Otherwise, Bending Rolls concerning the Miscellaneous Bending Technique usually have a low TN (between 5 and 20), as this Bending Technique requires creativity more than power or skill.

Airbending Techniques

The key to airbending is flexibility and finding and following the path of least resistance. Airbending is notable for being almost purely defensive, as well as the most dynamic of the four bending arts. Airbenders can overwhelm many opponents at once with large and powerful attacks that could prove fatal; however, due to the pacifist nature of the Air Nomads, such attacks are rarely used. Due to their aforementioned spirituality, they often adapt to the situation surrounding them and employ negative jing, preferring evasive maneuvers as opposed to direct confrontation.

Airbending has an effective range of 60 feet. By taking a Raise on his Bending Roll, an airbender can increase this distance by +40 feet.

OFFENSIVE

When using the Offensive Bending Technique, the airbender receives a Free Raise to his Knockdown and Sweeping Attack Bending Maneuvers. When using the Knockdown Bending Maneuver, the airbender may choose to deal no damage, but perform the Bending Maneuver for 0 Raises.

The following unique Bending Maneuver can be used only by airbenders:

Wind Blast (2 Raises)

The airbender focuses his attack into a powerful gust, launching his opponent into the air. An attack made with this Bending Maneuver deals no damage, but instead, it throws the target directly away from the airbender to a distance equal to the total of the damage roll in feet. The target then suffers falling damage, treating the distance he was thrown as the height, and is knocked Prone. If the target hits another character during his flight, the other character must take a Reflexes Trait Roll against TN 10 or he too gets thrown for the remaining distance and suffers all the usual effects (falling damage and knocked Prone).

DEFENSIVE

Airbenders cannot create permanent covers, but they must maintain the created cover with a Complex Action each Turn. If the airbender doesn’t spend this Complex Action in his Turn to upkeep the cover with his airbending, then the cover dissolves at the end of his Turn.

The bonus to Armor TN provided by an airbender’s cover is doubled against ranged weapons.

COUNTER

An airbender follows all the general rules mentioned earlier when using the Counter Bending Technique.

MOBILITY

In addition to the normal use of the Mobility Bending Technique, an airbender can also choose to substitute his Spirit Element with his Mobility Bending Technique Rank for the purpose of determining movement distances, including the maximum distance he is allowed to move. This does not prevent the airbender to use other Bending Techniques. For example, he can make a Free Move Action, moving Mobility Bending Technique Rank x 5 feet, then use the Offensive Bending Technique in the same Turn with a Complex Action, then use the Counter Bending Technique later in the Round.

When the airbender uses his Mobility Bending Technique to bypass an obstacle, rather than bend his way through it, he reduces the TN of his Bending Roll by 5.

UTILITY

Airbending uses the general rules discussed above for the Utility Bending Technique.

MISCELLANEOUS

When using the Miscellaneous Bending Technique, an airbender gains a Free Raise to his Bending Roll.

SPECIAL: FLYING

Airbenders can use their Special Bending Technique to fly, either by using their air gliders or any other similar device, like a parachute or a wing suit. With a Free Move Action, an airbender can fly up to 10 x Air feet to any direction, or he can fly 30 x Air feet with a Simple Move Action. Any movement related rolls should be Special Bending Rolls while the airbender is flying in the air.

Firebending Techniques

Firebending is notable for its intense and aggressive attacking style and general lack of adequate defensive moves, although some notable firebenders utilize creative defensive techniques by creating large walls of fire, or shooting down incoming objects with precise attacks.

Firebending has an effective range of 40 feet. By taking a Raise on his Bending Roll, a firebender can increase this distance by +40 feet.

OFFENSIVE

A firebender receives a +1k0 bonus to his damage rolls when using his Offensive Bending Technique. He also receives two Free Raises to his Offensive Bending Rolls when using the Area Effect, Extra Attack, or Sweeping Attack Bending Maneuvers.

DEFENSIVE

Just like airbenders, firebenders must also sustain their cover when they use the Defensive Bending Technique by making a Complex Action each turn. Characters can move through a cover created by firebending, but they suffer 2k1 damage while doing so.

A cover made by a firebender has no Reduction value, and cannot benefit from the Enhanced Durability Bending Maneuver.

MOBILITY

A firebender can propel himself forward with his firebending, gaining a limited ability to fly for short distances. This normally requires no Bending Roll. The firebender can move this way a number of feet straight forward in one direction equal to 3 x his Mobility Bending Technique Rank.

COUNTER

When using the Counter Bending Technique to disrupt an earthbending, waterbending, or another firebending attack action, the firebender receives a bonus to his Bending Roll equal to his Fire Element.

UTILITY

A firebender can use the Utility Bending Technique to increase or decrease the size of an existing fire. The TN to do so is 10, and it allows the firebender to spread or move back the fire by one feet in one direction. He can increase the TN by 5 to improve this distance by an additional feet, and he can opt to do this multiple times up to his Utility Bending Technique Rank. Completely putting out a fire has a TN of 15. The GM may judge that certain especially wild or powerful fires (like chemical fires) have a higher TN or are beyond the firebender’s ability to manipulate.

MISCELLANEOUS

As an exception from the normal rules, a firebender may use the Miscellaneous Bending Technique untrained, without spending a Spirit Point. If he does so, he rolls and keeps a number of dice equal to his Fire Element, and his rolled dice cannot explode.

SPECIAL: HEAT GENERATION

Firebenders can use their firebending to melt or vaporize solid material with their touch. This requires a Special Bending Roll against a TN of 15. Tougher materials, like steel or basalt, might need the firebender to pass a higher TN, depending on the GM’s discretion. The firebender is immune to the heat of the molten material – it will harmlessly flow through his fingers, causing no damage.

Earthbending Techniques

The key to earthbending is utilizing neutral Jing, which involves waiting and listening for the right moment to strike and, when that moment comes, acting decisively. In other words, earthbenders generally endure their enemies' attacks until the right opportunity to counterattack reveals itself.

Earthbending has an effective range of 60 feet. By taking a Raise on his Bending Roll, an earthbender can increase this distance by +20 feet.

OFFENSIVE

Earthbending uses the general rules for the Offensive Bending Technique. It also has the following unique Bending Maneuvers that can be used in conjunction with the Offensive Bending Technique:

Earth Prison (2 Raises)

When using this Bending Maneuver, the earthbender traps his target in earth, either by raisings slabs of rock around him or by sinking him into the ground (earthbender’s choice). The bending attack will suffer a -1k1 penalty to the damage roll, but it will also immobilize the target and prevent him to take any actions other than maybe speak if the earthbender doesn’t cover his mouth too. Other benders can try to break the earth prison by making a Mobility Bending Roll against TN 20. Otherwise, a character trapped in an earth prison remains trapped until someone frees him by breaking up the earth prison.

Launch Cover (0 Raise)

With this Bending Maneuver, the earthbender can use an earth-based piece of cover as a projectile to attack his enemies. This follows all the normal rules of an Offensive Bending Roll, but the damage roll is determined by the cover thrown at the target: a Light Cover does 3k1 damage, while a Heavy Cover does 4k2. The earthbender receives a bonus to the total of his damage roll equal to his Earth Element plus his Insight Rank.

DEFENSIVE

Cover created with earthbending confers a +13 bonus to the Armor TN of any character behind it and provides Reduction 6. When using the Defensive Bending Technique, an earthbender may choose to either use the All-Around Defense Bending Maneuver once or the Larger Size Bending Maneuver twice without the need of making any Raises.

An earthbender can use the Defensive Bending Technique in place of the Counter Bending Technique, with all the normal effects of using Defensive bending, when countering an attack aimed at him. In this case, the cover is created before the attack roll is made, thus the earthbender will benefit from the Armor TN bonus and the Reduction against the attack. When using this option, the TN of the Defensive Bending Roll is increased by +5 against attacks from a character with a lower Initiative score and +10 against attacks from a character with a higher Initiative score.

MOBILITY

Keep in mind that earthbending usually creates permanent objects like rock columns and earth ramps when the Mobility Bending Technique is used. Other characters (allies and enemies alike) can use these objects as cover or to follow the earthbender, depending on the GM’s decision.

An earthbender with 5 or more Ranks in the Mobility Bending Technique may also tunnel through earth, treating as if it was water. Tunneling is only detectable by seismic sense or similar methods, but the character can only take Free Move Actions while moving in the earth.

COUNTER

When using the Counter Bending Technique, an earthbender follows the general rules discussed above.

UTILITY

An earthbender can manipulate three times the normal amount of his element when using the Utility Bending Technique; this usually means that he can bend 3 cubic feet of earth for each Rank.

MISCELLANEOUS

Earthbending uses the general rules for the Miscellaneous Bending Technique.

SPECIAL: SEISMIC SENSE

An earthbender can use this Bending Technique in lieu of his Awareness Skill if the Search Emphasis could be applied to the Awareness Skill Roll. If he chooses to do so, he makes a Bending Roll using his Special Bending Technique rather than an Awareness roll. It takes only a Complex Action to use seismic sense, and it can reveal anything that is connected to the ground (by standing on it or being part of it), even things that would be normally undetectable by the earthbender’s senses (like a secret tunnel running under the floor). Seismic sense cannot detect objects and

people that are not connected to the ground – for example, an earthbender couldn’t find a knife hanging from the floor with his seismic sense.

With the GM’s approval, an earthbender can use seismic sense instead of other Perception-based rolls too, if its use would be sensible in the situation.

Waterbending

The fighting style of waterbending is mostly fluid and graceful, acting in concert with the environment. Foggy Swamp style waterbending, however, is more rigid and straight. Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy; they let their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' own forces against them. Even when waterbenders do take an attack stance, their moves always appear to flow from one to the other.

Waterbending has an effective range of 60 feet. By taking a Raise on his Bending Roll, a waterbender can increase this distance by +60 feet.

During the full moon, waterbenders count their Water Element as one higher for the purpose of their Bending Rolls and bending effects.

OFFENSIVE

A waterbender receives a Free Raise for performing the Multiple Targets or Sweeping Attack Bending Maneuvers. When augmenting an Offensive Bending Roll from assuming Center Stance in the previous turn, the waterbender gains a +2k1 bonus to his Bending Roll rather than the normal +1k1. Waterbenders also have access to the following special Bending maneuvers when using the Offensive Bending Technique:

Ice Prison (2 Raises)

The attack only causes 1k1 damage, but it traps the target in a block of ice, rendering him unable to take any actions other than talk (if the waterbender chooses to leave the target’s mouth free). Characters in an ice prison can try to break free in their Turn by making a Mobility Bending Roll against TN 20, or a Strength Trait Roll against TN 25.

DEFENSIVE

If a character behind a cover created by a waterbending receives more, than 40 points of damage before calculating Reduction, the cover breaks and it no longer confers any bonuses.

MOBILITY

Waterbenders may treat water features as solid surface for the purpose of their movement. This is a passive ability that requires no Bending Roll. While using waterbending to move on water, a waterbender may exchange his Spirit Element with his Mobility Bending Technique Rank to determine his movement distances.

COUNTER

A waterbender reduces the TN of his Bending Roll to use the Counter Bending Technique by 5 (to 10 against targets with a lower Initiative score, and 20 against targets with a higher Initiatives score). He may also perform the Second Strike Bending Maneuver for only 2 Raises rather than 4.

UTILITY

Waterbending can be used to create small water-tentacles that are solid enough to manipulate their environment, in the same way as they were the waterbender’s limbs. However, they are fairly clumsy and hard to properly coordinate, so the waterbender suffers a -1k0 penalty to Utility Bending Rolls made to perform precise motions with the water-tentacles.

The Utility Bending Technique also can be used to change the state of water, between solid (ice), liquid, and gas (steam). The TN to do so is 10, and the waterbender can affect 3 cubic feet of water with his waterbendign this way for each Rank he has in the Utility Bending Technique. He can take Raises on the Utility Bending Roll to increase the volume of the affected water, at the rate of 1 Raise for 1 additional cubic feet.

MISCELLANEOUS

When making a Cooperative Miscellaneous Bending Roll, all participating waterbenders treat their Miscellaneous Bending Technique as one Rank higher than normal.

SPECIAL: HEALING

A waterbender can use his Special Bending technique to heal someone by making a Cumulative Special Bending Roll against TN 40. This restores the target to full health (0 Wounds). The TN increases to 60 if the target is in the Out Wound Rank. Healing can be used to cure poisons and sickness, using the normal TN to remove the poison or sickness, but the character makes a Cumulative Special Bending Roll and once he succeeds on that roll, the poison or sickness is cured instantly. Waterbending cannot be used to regenerate lost limbs or to remove physical Flaws (like Lame or Permanent Wound); it also cannot heal spiritual corruption.

EQUIPMENT

Armor

Armor has two primary benefits to those who wear it. First, it increases the Armor TN of the individual wearing it, making them more difficult to hit with attacks. Second, it possesses a quality called Reduction. Reduction decreases the amount of any damage roll made against the person wearing the armor by the amount listed in the description. So an individual wearing Light Armor (which has Reduction 3) who suffers 12 Wounds from an attack would instead only take 9 Wounds. This applies to all damage from attacks unless otherwise specified.

REINFORCED CLOTHING

While it looks like any other kind of clothing, reinforced clothing has small armor plates and chainmail carefully hidden under the cloth, providing some limited defense to the wielder. This kind of armor is especially popular among people who are not supposed to wear armor yet want at least a modicum of personal protection, like merchants and travellers. Reinforced clothing can be of any clothing variant (fine, normal, sturdy, traveling, warm), and its cost is increased by the cost of the base clothing.

Bonus to Armor TN: +2

Reduction: 0

Special Rules: Reinforced clothing looks exactly like its normal variant, and it can be easily mistaken to be one, unless the observer makes an Awareness (Notice) / Perception Skill Roll against TN 20.

Price:

LIGHT ARMOR

Much less expensive to produce than either medium or heavy armor, light armor is also lighter, less restrictive, and less protective than traditional light and heavy armor. It consists of plates that protect the head, torso, and upper legs. It is not unheard of for scouts among official military units to wear light armor in lieu of traditional military-grade armor to afford them greater mobility in the execution of their duties. Bandits also wear it because of its affordability.

Bonus to Armor TN: +3

Reduction: 1

Special Rules: None.

Price:

MEDIUM ARMOR

Far and away the most common armor worn by warriors in the armies of the Four Nations, medium armor is the standard by which other armor is measured. The overlapping plates protect primarily the torso, head, upper arms and upper legs, but the lower arms and legs are left largely uncovered in order to prevent excessive loss of mobility or range of movement. Medium armor is generally favored by scouts and infantry, particularly infantry that needs to move quickly on the battlefield.

Bonus to Armor TN: +6

Reduction: 3

Special Rules: Wearing medium armor increases the TN of all Acrobatics, Athletics, and Stealth Skill Rolls by +5.

Price:

HEAVY ARMOR

While medium armor is frequently worn by scouts or rapid infantry, heavy armor is preferred by troops on the front lines or those who are expected to be in the thickest part of the fighting. Heavy armor protects the entire body, including the arms, legs, hands, feet, and face, which is protected by a full helm. While the wearer’s mobility is significantly impacted, many consider the increased protection well worth the effort.

Bonus to Armor TN: +10

Reduction: 5

Special Rules: Wearing medium armor increases the TN of all Skill Rolls using Agility or Reflexes by +5.

Price:

PLATE ARMOR

Bonus to Armor TN: +13

Reduction: 8

Special Rules: Plate armor is considered heavy armor for the purposes of mechanical effects that specify armor type, including Techniques, Perks, etc. Wearing plate armor increases the TN of all Skill Rolls using Agility or Reflexes by +10; if the wearer has a Strength of 5 or higher, the penalty is only +5 instead. Price:

BARDING

Bonus to Mount’s Armor TN: +7

Reduction: 3

Special Rules: None.

Price:

Shields

Shields, just like armor, offers a bonus to the wielder’s Armor TN and provides Reduction. The difference between armor and shields is that shields occupy one of the user’s hands, and they must be readied like weapons (counting as large weapons) for use. Also, shields offer no bonuses when the character is in the Full Attack Stance.

With the GM’s approval, shields can be bypassed with the Called Shot maneuver. Also, attacks from behind the wielder also ignore any bonuses the shield might provide.

BUCKLER

Bonus to Armor TN: +3

Reduction: 1

Special Rules: A character wielding a bucker can use a small or medium weapon in the same hand.

Price:

SMALL SHIELD

Bonus to Armor TN: +6

Reduction: 2

Special Rules: None.

Price:

LARGE SHIELD

Bonus to Armor TN: +12

Reduction: 3

Special Rules: None.

Price:

Weapons

Each weapon entry in this section includes a notation called DR. This is shorthand for “damage rating," and indicates the amount of damage rolled when using the weapon in question. For melee weapons, a character using a weapon adds his Strength to the number of rolled dice in the DR. For a ranged weapon, the bow’s Strength is added to the number of rolled dice for an arrow’s DR.

Weapons have a size: small, medium, or large. Although the categories have no drawbacks or benefits in and of them-selves, they are a matter of consideration for other mechanical effects. Readying a large weapon takes longer than readying a small weapon, for example, and it is easier to conceal a small weapon, but of course large weapons tend to inflict more damage.

Certain weapons also have ‘two-handed’ listed in their type. This means that the character needs two free hands to use the weapon – if he has only one hand available (because of injury or because he holds an object in one hand), then he cannot use the weapon.

Even more rarely, a weapon has a Nation as a type. These weapons are mostly used by the warriors of that nation, and others could find them difficult to wield. Characters who are not from the Nation listed in the weapon’s type suffer a -1k0 penalty to their attack rolls with that weapon, unless they have the Emphasis for the weapon.

ARROWS

There are a variety of different arrows used by archers in the Avatar world, all with a heavily specialized purpose, and all produces relatively inexpensively. The DR of an individual arrow is added to the Strength of the bow used to fire it to determine the total amount of dice used for the damage roll.

Armor Piercing

These arrows have a narrow spike for head, intended to punch through armored plates. They are effective in penetrating armor, but sacrifice some of the damage inflicted.

DR: 1k1

Special Rules: Ignores the Armor TN bonus provide by armor.

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Broadhead

The standard arrow used by archers throughout the Avatar world. Three quarters of all arrows carried by a typical archer are broadhead arrows.

DR: 2k2

Special Rules: None.

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Concussive

Concussive arrows have blunt heads made from dense metal so that they make a much more forceful impact than the broadhead arrows.

DR: 1k2

Special Rules: Characters hit by this arrow are Dazed until the next Reaction Stage; ½ range.

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Flesh Render

These arrows have broader, sometimes barbed, heads intended to inflict tremendous damage on unarmored targets. They are almost useless against armored targets and cannot be fired as far as a standard broadhead arrow, but against unarmored targets they are devastatingly effective.

DR: 2k3

Special Rules: Double the Armor TN bonus provided by armor; ½ range.

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Humming Bulb

These arrows have a blunt, hollow tip that produces a loud whistling sound when fired. They are used for signaling or sounding alarms, and generally do little damage. DR: 0k1

Special Rules: Makes a loud whistling sound.

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Rope Cutter

Rope cutters have broad, crescent shaped heads intended to cut rope or other similar items, such as banner strings and the like. DR: 1k1

Special Rules: Confers 2 Free Raises for Called Shots against inanimate objects; ½ range.

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Star Shot

Star shot arrows are made from light materials and are much more carefully balanced so that they fly further than normal arrows.

DR: 0k2

Special Rules: +50% range.

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Snare Blossom

Sometimes also called “man-catcher arrow”, the snare blossom has a large, heavy arrowhead that explodes into a strong net before impact, trapping the target. Though rare and expensive, the snare blossom is still widely popular thankfully to its unquestionable effectiveness against benders.

DR: 0k1

Special Rules: Characters hit by this arrow become Entangled; ½ range.

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BOWS

Although they are clearly inferior to bending most of the time, bows are still weapons worth considering for a variety of reasons. They are far more common, for one thing, and they can engage targets much further away than even the most powerful bender. Bows are traditionally carried unstrung to avoid stretching or breaking the bowstring. A skilled archer has been trained to string a bow extremely quickly, however, and is rarely at a disadvantage unless ambushed. A bow adds its strength rating to the first number of the DR of the arrow being fired. For example, a character wielding a short bow (Strength 3) firing a broadhead arrow (DR 2k2) would roll a total of 5k2 for damage. However, a character whose Strength is less than that of the bow he is wielding uses his Strength instead of the bow’s Strength.

All bows have a range listed. This is the maximum possible range that an arrow can be fired using this bow without incurring penalties. A bow can fire an arrow an additional distance up to twice listed range, but suffers a -1k0 penalty to the attack roll for every extra 50’ beyond the listed range. Bows fired against opponents currently in melee range with the archer also incur a penalty of -10 to the total of the attack roll.

Hunting Bow

Type: Small, Two-Handed

Strength: 1

Range: 100’

Special Rules: Allows the character to use his Archery Skill instead of his Hunting Skill for hunting animals. If he chooses to do so, increase the TN of the Skill Roll by 5.

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Short Bow

Type: Medium, Two-Handed

Strength: 3

Range: 250’

Special Rules: None.

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Longbow

Type: Large, Two-Handed

Strength: 4

Range: 500’

Special Rules: Minimum Strength 3 required to wield. Increase the TN of all attack rolls by +10 is used while mounted.

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BLUNT WEAPONS

Blunt weapons are simple to make and easy to wield. They are popular among those who don’t want to seriously harm their opponents, like members of law enforcement organizations and Air Nomad monks. Because they are so light and lack penetrating power, blunt weapons are spectacularly ineffective against most armored targets. Double the Armor TN bonus conferred by an opponent’s armor when they are being attacked using a blunt weapon.

Club

Type: Medium

DR: 0k3

Special Rules: None.

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Nunchaku

A weapon that consists of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope. They take some skill to use, since the inexperienced often wind up hitting themselves with it.

Type: Small, Air Nomads

DR: 1k2

Special Rules: Can be used with both hands to gain a Free Raise to Disarm and Feint Maneuvers made with the weapon.

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Quarterstaff

A simple wooden staff 5 to 6 feet in length. It is used as a walking staff by travelers and monks, and doubles as a weapon for those bold enough to use it. Like most blunt weapons, the quarterstaff has almost no power to defeat armor.

Type: Medium, Two-Handed

DR: 1k2

Special Rules: None.

Price: 5 SP

Tonfa

A wooden shaft roughly the length of a man’s forearm, with a handle on the side that allows it to be held along the forearm. Held in this manner it is an effective defensive tool, but can also be spun as an offensive weapon.

Type: Small

DR: 0k2

Special Rules: None.

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CHAIN WEAPONS

Chain weapons are extremely uncommon, due to the sheer difficulty of their use. There are countless variants of these weapons, but all are comprised of one or two weapons attached by a length of chain. Some are a weapon linked to a weight, while others may have two weapons. They are traditionally wielded by twirling one or both ends and swinging them at one’s opponent, either striking them outright or entangling them so that they can be struck with the weapon at the other end.

Chain Dagger

The chain dagger is a pair of sharp, curved blades fixed on the ends of a strong chain. It is a very compact and easy-to-use, a suitable weapon for assassins and headhunters.

Type: Small

DR: 1k1

Special Rules: None.

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Meteor Hammer

A weapon that consists of two weights connected by a rope or chain. Due to its flexible construction, the meteor hammer could be easily concealed as a defensive or surprise weapon.

Type: Large, Two-Handed, Earth Kingdom

DR: 1k3

Special Rules: None.

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Serpent Blade

The most common chain weapon, the serpent blade is particularly popular with the pirates of the Avatar world. It is essentially a kama (see Slashing Weapons) attached at the base of the handle to a length of chain roughly five to six feet long. The other end of the chain is attached to a weight, typically a metal cylinder or sphere.

Type: Large

DR: 0k2 (blade end), 0k1 (weighted end)

Special Rules: None.

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HEAVY WEAPONS

The term heavy weapon applies to a number of different weapons that can be grouped together primarily because of their size and increased damage capacity.

Great Axe

A large two-handed axe that can easily be used to fell trees or to sever limbs. The sheer force that can be channeled by an overhand strike into the thin edge of an axe blade results in perhaps the most devastating personal weapon that a trained warrior can wield.

Type: Large, Two-Handed

DR: 0k4

Special Rules: None.

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Mace

A long club weapon. Large and heavy, they have either metal studs or spikes running in vertical rows along the length of the weapon and have enough power to easily smash bones, even if the target uses a shield.

Type: Large, Two-Handed

DR: 3k3

Special Rules: None.

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War Hammer

Type: Large, Earth Kingdom

DR: 5k2

Special Rules: None.

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KNIVES

Knives are small, easily concealed blades that are popular among shady individuals because they can be hidden and taken into places where one is not supposed to have a weapon. More well-mannered individuals like to keep them on hand for mundane tasks that would only waste the blade of a true weapon.

Dagger

Type: Small

DR: 2k1

Special Rules: None.

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Knife

Type: Small

DR: 1k1

Special Rules: Confers a +5 bonus to the total of all Subterfuge (Conceal) rolls made to hide the weapon.

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Stiletto

A stiletto is a dagger with a long slender blade and needle-like point. It is a very effective stabbing weapon, and it can be also thrown like a dart with great accuracy.

Type: Small, Fire Nation

DR: 0k2

Special Rules: The stiletto may be thrown accurately up to 30’, using the Throwing Weapons Skill.

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POLEARMS

Polearms are long hafted weapons that can be used to keep an opponent at a distance or to attack opponents on horse-back from foot.

Glaive

The glaive is a sword blade attached to the end of a long wooden shaft.

Type: Large, Two-Handed

DR: 3k2

Special Rules: Wielding a glaive confers a Free Raise towards use of the Extra Attack Maneuver.

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Spear

The most basic polearm, the spear has a strong wooden shaft six to eight feet in length and end in a triangle-shaped metal spike. Other than offering sufficient offensive power in melee, it can be thrown short distances with limited accuracy. It is also cheap and easy to use, so most non-bender military units fight using this weapon.

Type: Medium, Two-Handed

DR: 2k2

Special Rules: The spear may be thrown accurately up to 50’, using the Throwing Weapons Skill, and has DR 1k2 when thrown.

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Halberd

Type: Large, Two-Handed

DR: 3k3

Special Rules: None.

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SLASHING WEAPONS

This category includes every bladed weapon that lacks the sophistication to be a real sword or knife. They are especially popular among scouts and militias because of their utility as tools and availability.

Axe

The basic one-handed axe, mostly used by woodsmen and hunters.

Type: Medium

DR: 2k3

Special Rules: None.

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Kama

The kama was improvised from a sickle of sorts, and the vast majority of kama in the Avatar world are still being used in the fields by farmers to harvest crops.

Type: Small

DR: 0k2

Special Rules: None.

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Machete

A thick metal blade made of steel and used in a harsh chopping motion to clear underbrush and other vegetation out of the path for farming or making one’s way through the wilderness.

Type: Medium

DR: 2k2

Special Rules: DR increases to 3k3 against plants or any vegetation-based targets.

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SWORDS

Swords are easily the most common weapons in the Avatar world. They are universally liked for their reliability, and even benders sometimes learn how to use them.

Short Sword

Type: Medium

DR: 2k2

Special Rules: Wielding a long sword confers a Free Raise towards use of the Feint Maneuver.

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Long Sword

Type: Medium

DR: 3k2

Special Rules: None.

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Scimitar

A heavy, curved blade that is popular among Fire Nation second-line military units.

Type: Medium, Fire Nation

DR: 2k3

Special Rules: None.

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THROWING WEAPONS

Bows are far from the only ranged weapons used by the warriors of the Avatar world. Numerous other weapons can be used at range, although generally their range is significantly less than that of a bow. Unless otherwise specified, thrown weapons add the wielder’s Strength to the weapon’s DR when determining damage, just as melee weapons do. Armor TN bonuses provided by cover are doubled against attacks made with throwing weapons.

Throwing Knife

Type: Small

DR: 0k1

Range: 30’

Special Rules: Confers a Free Raise towards use of the Called Shot Maneuver.

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Throwing Star

A small metal disk with sharpened edges or flat spikes that protrude out from the center. They are cheaply made, easily concealed or disguised, disposable, and simple to produce in large numbers. Because of their size, throwing stars do not add the wielder’s Strength to their DR when used as ranged weapons, and their damage dice do not explode.

Type: Small

DR: 1k1

Range: 30’

Special Rules: With one Attack Action, a character may throw a number of throwing stars equal to his Insight Rank.

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Bola

Weighted lengths of cord thrown to entangle and bring down the target. While they are somewhat unwieldy to use, bolas have a reputation of being very effective anti-bender weapons.

Type: Medium

DR: 0k1

Range: 20’

Special Rules: Characters hit by a bola become Entangled.

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Boomerang

A small, L-shaped weapon made of metal. It is a thrown projectile that travels in a curved path and returns to its point of origin when thrown correctly.

Type: Small, Water Tribes

DR: 1k2

Range: 100’

Special Rules: The boomerang returns to the character in the next Round and can be caught for further use with a Simple Action. It also confers a Free Raise towards use of the Feint Maneuver.

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WAR FANS

There are a variety of war fans that are popular throughout the Avatar world. While often overlooked for more powerful weapons, war wans are truly suitable for warriors who exercise finesse and subtlety in combat rather than brute strength.

Razor Fan

Its incredibly sharp – often serrated – metal edge makes this war fan variant a quite intimidating sight and an equally effective weapon.

Type: Small

DR: 2k1

Special Rules: None.

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Steel Fan

This war fan variant has hardened steel ribs that can be used to trap the opponent’s weapon and disarm him quickly.

Type: Small

DR: 1k1

Special Rules: Confers a Free Raise towards use of the Disarm Maneuver.

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Winged Fan

The winged fan is carefully balanced and has a more aerodynamic shape, so that it can serve as an effective throwing weapon.

Type: Small

DR: 0k1

Special Rules: The winged fan may be thrown accurately up to 40’, using the Throwing Weapons Skill.

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Miscellaneous Equipment

There is a variety of equipment beyond weapons and armor that can be of great use during an adventure.

Unless it is specifically stated otherwise, bonuses from using multiple pieces of the same equipment for a Skill Roll are not cumulative.

Air Glider: This is a quarterstaff (see blunt weapons in the weapons section above) that has a pair of folding wings. They are used by the Air Nomads to enhance their airbending and generally have little use for non-airbenders. An airbender wielding an air glider receives a +1k0 bonus to his Bending Rolls.

Backpack: A simple backpack used to carry around items. It is usually made of strong linen or leather and often has a wicker frame making it fairly rigid.

Basket: The most common container, crafted from wicker. It is sometimes worn as a hat.

Blanket: A blanket appropriate for travel, often used stacked for warmth.

Bottle: Clay, glass or occasionally metal, used for storing liquids for travel.

Books and Scrolls: Sturdy records used for journals and recording new information.

Bowyer’s Kit: Used for maintenance of bow and arrows. Also allows the crafting of new arrows.

Brazier: Vessel for holding burning substances or for heating liquids.

Bucket: A metal vessel with a handle, primarily for toting water.

Candle: A simple, hand-dipped candle. Comes in a pack of five.

Chest: Wooden chest with a lock for storing precious items.

Cloth: Used for mending, protective wrapping, etc.

Coin Purse: A small, easily concealed bag.

Compass: Handheld compass. It confers a +5 bonus to the total of all Navigation Skill Rolls.

Crystal: A small fragment of green crystal. It glows faintly in the dark, and naturally draws spiritual energy. It confers a +1 bonus to the total of Meditation and Occultism Skill Rolls. The bonuses of multiple crystals stack up to a maximum of +10.

Demolition Kit: Tools and materials for crafting, planting and defusing explosives. Confers a +5 bonus to the total of Demolition Skill Rolls. Contains enough materials for ten uses.

Disguise Kit: Professional accessories like high-quality wigs and special makeup that can alter one’s look quite drastically. Confers a +5 bonus to the total of Subterfuge Skill Rolls when the Disguise Emphasis is used.

Divination Kit: Sets of coins or carved sticks used for divining. Confers a +5 bonus to Occultism Skill Rolls when the Divination Emphasis is used.

Fishing Kit: Consists of a hook, strong string, a small net, and a cleaning knife. Allows any character with at least one Rank in the Hunting Skill to catch one fish per hour without making a Skill Roll.

Flint and Steel: Useful for creating sparks and lighting fires.

Folding Stool

Games Kit: Various accessories for popular games like Pai Sho and Four Nations.

Grapple Hook: An iron hook meant to be attached to a rope for climbing.

Grooming Kit

Iron Pot

Lantern: Used for decoration and illumination.

Lantern Oil: Highly flammable liquid used in lanterns.

Light Globe: A small, transparent sphere of glass-like material with a special alchemic substance inside. Shaking the globe for a few minutes will make it glow with a soft yellowish light for a half hour.

Medicine Kit: Needle and thread, cloth bandages, herbal disinfectants (10 uses).

Mirror: Glass or metal, polished to a high sheen.

Musical Instrument

Paper: Ideal for writing for scrolls or books.

Parchment and Charcoal: Cheaper alternative to brush and ink.

Quiver: Cloth satchel for arrows (holds up to 60).

Repair Kit

Rope: Varying quality made of hemp, hair, or silk.

Sack: A sturdy silken or linen bag with a draw string.

Scissors: A larger scissors used to cut soft material like paper and rope.

Shovel: A simple digging tool.

Sleeping Bag

Small Knife: Used for carving or personal grooming.

Smoking Pipe

Spices: Used to add flavor to food while traveling, or for barter.

Spyglass

Survival Kit

Sweets: Popular snacks include small cakes, candies, buns, or honeyed rice.

Tent: Suitable for two people.

Tools

Torch

Toy

Traveling Rations: Food enough for one day.

Umbrella: Made of wicker and silk to hold off the elements.

Walking Stick: A simple cane to aid in walking. Not suitable for a weapon.

Water Skin: Lightweight pouches used for the storage of water. For waterbenders, it also serves an additional use as a source of bending material in situations where water may be scarce or unavailable.

Whetstone: Used to sharpen weapons.

Writing Kit: Contains brushes, ink stones, a water bowl, and sand.

Clothing and Accessories

Brim Hat: A wide-brimmed hat made from straw and used to protect the face from the sun.

Fan: Paper fan with customized patterns.

Fine Clothes: Stylish and comfortable clothes mostly worn by rich people.

Gear Vest: A thick leather or linen vest that can hold various tools and other objects for easy accessibility.

Jewelry

Makeup Kit

Mask: Vary from silk to metal. Often intricately patterned.

Monk Robes

Normal Clothes

Perfume

Protective Garb

Pouch: A small pouch that fastens to the belt.

Snow Shoes

Sturdy Clothes

Traveling Clothes

War Paint Vial

Warm Clothes

Wig: Used for disguise or to gain attention.

The Traveling Pack

Most if not all Classes include in their starting Outfit a Traveling Pack. What exactly is a Traveling Pack? Well, that depends on the background, the Class, and the individual. A Traveling Pack is essentially a traveling bag filled with various items that the individual might be interested in. When creating a character, select any ten miscellaneous item, clothing, or accessory that are found within the character’s Traveling Pack.

UNALIGNED CHARACTERS

Not everyone in the Avatar world is born as part of one of the Four Nations. There are people who – through birth and raise – cannot associate with the world’s normal division, and they live their life outside of this system. In rarer cases, a person might associate with more than one Nation, and act according to his perceived “multi-nationalism”. The nomadic barbarians roaming the eastern plains of the Earth Kingdom are a good example for the former, while the Avatar perfectly represents the later.

Unaligned characters may take any of the location-themed national backgrounds (like Southern Air Temple or Central Islands, but not backgrounds like City-Dweller or Highborn), in addition to the following Unaligned-specific backgrounds. They may also take any bender Class, regardless of their background, or any non-bender Class if their background is from the Nation the non-bender Class belongs to. The only exception is the Warrior Monk Class, that is unavailable for Unaligned characters.

There is also a selection of Unaligned Classes that are available for a certain selection of characters, listed in the description of the Class. Note that characters who don’t fit the requirements can still take these Unaligned Classes using the Different Class Perk.

CHAMELEON ISLANDS BACKGROUND: +1 Agility Kharma: 2.5 ELEPHANT KOI PENINSULA / KYOSHI ISLAND BACKGROUND: +1 Empathy Kharma: 3.0 NOMAD BACKGROUND: +1 Intelligence Kharma: 2.3 OUTCAST BACKGROUND: +1 Toughness Kharma: 4.5 SPIRIT WORLD BACKGROUND: +1 Spirit Kharma: 5.0 WHALE-TAIL ISLAND BACKGROUND: +1 Strength

Kharma: 1.9

CLASS: AVATAR

Available to: Any non-Unaligned character.

Benefit: +1 Spirit

Skills: Defense, Meditation 2, Occultism, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any two Skills

Outfit: Normal clothes, traveling pack

Special: The Avatar always starts with the Class Technique suiting his nationality and progress with Class Techniques according to the Avatar Cycle (Fire – Air – Water – Earth). The Class Technique progression listed below is an example for a Fire Nation Avatar. The Rank 5 Class Technique is always The Avcatar State, regardless of the Avatar’s nationality.

Techniques

Rank 1: The Power of Fire

You become a firebender and you may spend 20 bonus experience points on buying Firebending Technique Ranks. Any experience points not spent this way are lost and cannot be used later. You gain a +1k0 bonus to all Fire-based rolls (Fire Element Rolls, Strength and Willpower Trait Rolls, or any Skill Rolls using these Traits).

Rank 2: The Freedom of Air

You become an airbender and you may spend 20 bonus experience points on buying Airbending Technique Ranks. Any experience points not spent this way are lost and cannot be used later. You may add twice your Air Element to the total of your Initiative Rolls and Social Skill Rolls.

Rank 3: The Flow of Water

You become a waterbender and you may spend 20 bonus experience points on buying Waterbending Technique Ranks. Any experience points not spent this way are lost and cannot be used later. There is no limit on how many Spirit Points you can spend in one Round. Whenever you spend one or more Spirit Points, roll a D10: iuf the result is lower than your Insight Rank, you immediately regain one Spirit Point.

Rank 4: The Steadiness of Earth

You become an earthbender and you may spend 20 bonus experience points on buying Earthbending Technique Ranks. Any experience points not spent this way are lost and cannot be used later. You treat your Toughness as one point higher when calculating Wound Ranks, and you halve all Wound Rank TN penalties. You also gain a +1k1 bonus to your Awareness Skill Rolls.

Rank 5: The Avatar State

You may spend a Spirit Point at the start of your Turn as a Complex Action to activate this Technique. For a number of Rounds equal to your Spirit Element, you automatically pass all Bending Rolls and may bend as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action. While in the Avatar State, you have Rank 10 for all your Bending Techniques.

CLASS: KYOSHI WARRIOR

Available to: Any female character.

Benefit: +1 Agility

Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Defense, Stealth (Sneaking) 2, Unarmed Combat, War Fans

Outfit: Medium armor, sturdy clothes, any two war fans, war paint vial, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: Kyoshi’s Shield

Opponents attacking you must add their Strength Trait to your Armor TN. While in the Defense or Full Defense Stance, you gain an additional bonus to your Armor TN equal to your Water Element.

Rank 2: Kyoshi’s Grace

You gain a bonus to your Empathy and Agility based rolls (Trait Rolls and Skill Rolls) equal to the sum of your Class Rank and the number of Spirit Points remaining.

Rank 3: Kyoshi’s Wrath

You may make attack actions as Simple Actions instead of Complex Actions while unarmed or wielding a war fan.

Rank 4: Kyoshi’s Guidance

Each Maneuver you perform (including Bending Maneuvers) needs one less Raise in total (to a minimum of 1 Raise) than normal. You also gain a +1k0 bonus to your Perception and Intelligence based rolls (Trait Rolls and Skill Rolls).

Rank 5: Kyoshi’s Light

You gain a +4k2 bonus to rolls made to resist spiritual corruption. When you interact with a spirit, you may spend one or more Kharma Points to gain a +1k0 bonus to your roll for each Kharma Point spent.

CLASS: FREEDOM FIGHTER

Available to: Any character with a location-themed or the Outcast background.

Benefit: +1 Empathy

Skills: Deceive (Manipulate), Etiquette, Forgery, Hunting, Subterfuge, any one Warrior or Low Skill, any one Common or Specialist Skill

Outfit: Reinforced normal clothing, any one weapon, traveling pack

Techniques

Rank 1: Fortune Favors the Bold

A number of times per session equal to your Class Rank you may add a number of unkept dice to one Trait or Skill Roll equal to your Kharma Rank (a minimum of one dice). You also gain a +2k0 bonus to your attack rolls as long as none of your opponents have a higher Initiative Score than you in a skirmish.

Rank 2: The Strength of One Man

While facing multiple opponents or an enemy with a higher Status or Insight Rank, you add +1k1 to your attack and damage rolls.

Rank 3: Inspiring Leadership

Prior to a battle or skirmish, you may inspire your allies by speaking for a few minutes and rolling Command (Inspire) / Empathy at a TN equal to 15 + 5 per person you are inspiring. With a successful roll, each person you inspired may add your Fame Rank to the total of any one Skill Roll during that battle or skirmish. If this benefit is not used by the end of the battle, it is lost.

Rank 4: Strike for Freedom

You may make attacks as a Simple Action rather than a Complex Action with weapons you have an Emphasis for.

Rank 5: Field Expertise

When you make Raises on any Class Skill Roll, if you meet or exceed the original TN (before Raises) but fail to meet the Raised TN, you succeed without the benefits of Raises.

THE OTHER NATIONS

During the long history of the Avatar World, nations other than the Four have risen and fallen several times. Before the Four Nations, there was the Hierarchy - the very first human nation, the Spirit Nation - the empire of the spiritbenders, and the Steel Dominion – a powerful and progressive human empire that was eventually consumed by a terrible civil war. Even during the Age of the Avatar, new nations appeared from time to time: the three United Empires that each united the Four Nations into a single body for a short period of time, the Three Stars Alliance that sprawled across several islands until its eventual demise, and most recently, the United Republic. The Four Nations themselves have often splintered, giving way to small sub-nations like the Air Raiders and the Sun Tribes. These nations never lasted long though, as they all collapsed under internal pressure or external threats. While this makes them less significant than the Four Nations, they were still important in their time, and adventures taking place in those specific eras might include characters from these nations.

The United Republic

The United Republic of Nations, more commonly known as the United Republic, is a sovereign state created by Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko after the end of the Hundred Year War. It was formed from the oldest Fire Nation colonies established in the western Earth Kingdom and was created to serve as a society where benders and nonbenders from all four nations could live and thrive together in peace and harmony. The United Republic is known for having a unique culture, which was shaped by immigration and a technological revolution.

COUNTRYSIDE BACKGROUND: +1 PERCEPTION Kharma: 2.0 REPUBLIC CITY BACKGROUND: +1 EMPATHY Kharma: 3.0

CLASS: PROBENDER (Firebender or Earthbender or Waterbender)

Benefit: +1 Strength or +1 Toughness or +1 Agility

Skills: Acrobatics 2, Defense, Remembrance: Pro-Bending, Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts), any two Skills

Bending Techniques: Offensive 1, Counter 1

Outfit: Normal clothes, protective garb (probender uniform), traveling pack

Special: When taking this Class, you must choose to be a firebender, an earthbender, or a waterbender. You Class Benefit changes according to the bending element you have taken: firebenders gain +1 Strength, earthbenders gain +1 Toughness, and waterbenders gain +1 Agility.

Techniques

Rank 1: Pro-Bending Basics

You gain a +1k0 bonus to your Offensive and Counter Bending Rolls. You also add your Acrobatics Skill Rank to your Armor TN against bending attacks.

Rank 2: Sport Celebrity

You may add your Fame Rank to the total of your Social Skill Rolls. Once per session, you may treat your Status Rank equal to your Fame Rank for the duration of a scene.

Rank 3: Coin Match

As long as you are fighting against only one opponent in a skirmish, you gain a +5k0 bonus to your Offensive and Counter Bending Rolls.

Rank 4: It’s All in the Rules

You may add your Class Rank to the total of your Initiative rolls, Offensive and Counter Bending Rolls, and Social Skill Rolls when interacting with probenders or probender fans. If you are fighting in a skirmish alongside two benders of different elements, you gain a +1k0 bonus to all your rolls in that skirmish – this bonus increases to +1k1 if these benders are pro-benders themselves.

Rank 5: Your Finest Hour

If you are fighting multiple opponents in a skirmish while you are alone, you gain an extra Spirit Point for each opponent above the first. These Spirit Points may increase the number of Spirit Points you have above your Spirit Element, but they are going to dissolve at the end of the skirmish if you don’t spend them.

ALTERNATE MEANS OF RANK PROGRESSION

The Classes described under the individual Nation sections of the Scroll of Earth are the most prevalent Classes that can be found in the Four Nations. Even taking into account the options presented by Skills, Perks, and the various advanced options included in this chapter, however, there is a finite amount of difference between two practitioners of, for example, the Fire Nation Swordfighter Class. For Game Masters who desire more diversity and complexity in their characters, there are Advanced Classes and Alternate Paths.

Advanced Classes

Advanced Classes represent the possession of some rare expertise that is not available for anyone. Advanced Classes consist of three Techniques, which are generally more specialized and more powerful than traditional Class Techniques, albeit more narrow in focus. Advanced Classes possess requirements for entry, and any character who wishes to take ranks in that Advanced Class must meet all pre-requisites before he or she will be allowed to pick up the Class. Because of the prestigious and exclusive nature of these Classes in the setting, Game Masters may wish to make gaining entry into an Advanced Class part of the campaign, as a character must seek out a suitable teacher or go through an arduous process of self-instruction.

ADVANCED CLASS: CHI BLOCKER

Requirements:

Rings/Traits: Reflexes 3, Perception 3, Agility 3

Skills: Unarmed Combat 5, Sleight of Hand 5

Techniques

Rank 1: De-Bending Strike

When making an unarmed melee attack against a bender, you may make 3 Raises to turn your attack into a de-bending strike. The attack deals only 1k1 damage, regardless of your Strength or any special abilities you possess, but it will also prevent the bender from using his bending for the rest of the skirmish. All ongoing bending effects generated by the bender immediately dissipate as soon as your attack hits him. Otherwise, this technique does not hinder the bender in any other way, and he may perform non-bending actions without any penalty.

Rank 2: Crippling Strike

You may make 1 or more Raises on an unarmed melee attack to activate this technique. The attack will cause no damage, but the target reduces his Reflexes, Strength, and Agility Traits each by 1 for each Raise you have made on the attack roll. If any of these Traits would drop to zero because of this technique, then the target becomes incapacitated. This technique lasts for the rest of the skirmish, and multiple uses of it against the same target does not stack. Keep in mind that the Trait reductions will probably also decrease the target’s Elements.

Rank 3: Empty Strike

When you use the Increased Damage Maneuver for an unarmed attack, you gain a +1k1 bonus to your damage roll per Raise instead of the normal +1k0.

Alternate Paths

Like Advanced Classes, Alternate Paths are lesser training tracks within a profession. Although not as prestigious or as rare as Advanced Classes, they are still looked upon with great favor by the people of the Avatar World. Unlike Advanced Classes, Alternate Paths grant a single Technique that replaces one in the normal progression of the character's Class. When that Technique is gained, and the character advances to the next Insight Rank, he returns to his original Class and resumes his course of progression, bypassing the Technique the Alternate Path replaces and gaining the next one in sequence.

Because Alternate Paths are not as restrictive, and because they are generally more flexible, it is possible for a character to have multiple Alternate Paths. Each rank in a character’s basic Class can only be replaced once, however, so there is a limit to how many can be combined. A single character could not take two different Alternate Paths that both replaced Air Nomads Warrior Monk Rank 3, for instance.

ALTERNATE PATH: SHADOW DANCER

Technique Rank: 3

Replaces: Airbender Rank 3, Air Nomad Rank 3, Infiltrator Rank 3

Requirements: Air 3, Perform: Dancing 6

Technique: Dancing with the Shadows – You may make a Perform: Dancing / Reflexes roll instead of a Stealth Skill Roll to sneak past people or to ambush others. Unlike with the normal use of Stealth, your movement is not restricted while using this technique.

ALTERNATE PATH: SUN WARRIOR

Technique Rank: 4

Replaces: Firebender Rank 4

Requirements: Fire 4, any two Firebending Techniques at Rank 5

Technique: Agni’s Power – You may spend a Spirit Point at the start of your Turn as a Free Action to activate this technique. For the remainder of that Turn, you may either firebend as a Simple Action rather than as a Complex Action, OR you may add +5k0 to your Bending Rolls when using your firebending.

ALTERNATE PATH: DAUNTLESS SHIELD

Technique Rank: 2

Replaces: Earthbender Rank 2, Earth Guard Rank 2, Kyoshi Warrior Rank 2

Requirements: Earth 3, Defense 3 or Defensive Bending Technique 3

Technique: The Defending Mountain – While using the Guard Action, both you and the guarded character gain an additional bonus to your Armor TN equal to your Defensive Bending Technique (if you are an earthbender) or your Defense Skill Rank (if you are a non-bender). When spending a Spirit Point to decrease the amount of wounds suffered, you negate an additional 5 wounds if you are in the Defense Stance or 10 wounds if you are in the Full Defense Stance.

ALTERNATE PATH: BATTLEMASTER

Technique Rank: 2

Replaces: Wolf Warrior Rank 2

Requirements: Strength 4, any two Weapon Skills at Rank 4

Technique: Battle Master - You may wield any two-handed weapon with one hand (except for bows). You gain a Free Raise for performing the Disarm, Feint, or Knockdown Maneuvers. Finally, you gain a +2k0 bonus to your Initiative roll if one or more of your opponents have a lower Insight Rank than you.

Running an Avatar Campaign