Proficiency

The Ability and Proficiency System
	This page involves the Abilities and Proficiency system, which is a core part of how Combat Roleplay and "Competitive" Roleplay works on Massivecraft. To see an explanation of general Rules, Terminology, and Mechanics used on this page, read the Abilities page. To see a broader explanation of the Abilities and Rules used on this page, read the Proficiency Page. To see an indexed list of all Abilities, read the Ability List Page.

The Proficiency System is how we regulate Characters' skills. It is inspired by DnD, but also by RPGs, Elder Scrolls for example. If you are having trouble understanding or want a personal explanation, please ask for help in our Roleplay Community Discord. Both Players and Staff are always willing to help out. There are two parts to the system, Proficiency and Point Buy. Proficiency, a simple way to allocate stats to your Character, is mandatory. Point Buy, a more comprehensive ability system, is optional. Finally, there is the Abilities system, which you should read after picking out your Point Buy.

Point Allocation

Proficiencies

Proficiencies are useful for direct comparisons when Characters compete, and general skill checks, like Constitution to maintain a jog or Strength to hold a door closed. There are seven proficiencies:

Strength dictates your Character's strength, or combat experience.
Constitution dictates your Character's health, fitness, and physical endurance.
Intelligence dictates your Character's knowledge about the world, or technical skills.
Wisdom dictates your Character's knowledge of people, and caring for them.
Dexterity dictates your Character's agility and general sleight of hand.
Faith dictates your Character's religious knowledge and use of blessings.
Magic dictates your Character's prowess with and knowledge of Magic.

Having 0 in Constitution does not mean your Character is made of glass. 0 just means Average. Every Proficiency above that is purely added skill.

Allocation Rules

There are two rules that dictate how many points you can spend, and when they max out:

Every Character has exactly 14 points to spend between the above Proficiencies.
Every Proficiency can only have up to 7 points invested in any of them.
To learn how to show allocation, consult the Character Sheet Template on the Forums.

General Proficiency Rules

These rules apply to all Proficiencies and Packs.

If a Pack is listed as "Free" and comes attached to the purchase of another Point Buy Pack, these "Free" Packs can always be removed or re-added without restrictions.
If a Pack or Ability is granted for "Free", it does not grant Stats like it would if the player purchased the Pack.
If an Ability or Mechanic offers a bonus (ex. +1 CON, +2 STR, etc), this never confers additional Point-Buy Packs.
If an Ability or Mechanic offers a bonus (ex. +1 CON, +2 STR, etc), this never exceeds the maximum cap for that proficiency (7), unless it specifically states it does so, or if the Character has another Ability that increases their cap.
A Character can only ever have (from any source, free, purchased, etc) one Stance Ability. Only Custom Kits allow for Characters to have multiple Stances, with different rules.
A character cannot be identified by the Abilities or Mechanics that they use, meaning while someone can know a character is a mage for casting magic, they cannot know someone's specific identity from casting alone.
A character can always choose to have an Ability or Mechanic fail if they OOCly want them to. Using or benefitting from Abilities or Mechanics is always optional, but Mechanics that serve as restrictions must always be followed.

Hobbies and Talents

Hobbies and Talents are a number of things characters can do that have some rules, but do not require any Proficiency Point Investment. A Character can choose any number of Hobbies or Talents, as long as they follow the general rules listed in that section. Regardless, a character who does not want to interact with CRP or the Ability system can use the Hobbies page to help determine what they can do.

Combat Styles

Combat Styles are specifically only used for characters who plan on engaging in Combat Roleplay, or CRP. If you don't want to fight on your Character, this section can be skipped, but this section is mandatory for Characters who plan to engage in Combat. Combat Styles determine a Character's Attack Stat and Defense Stat, and direct a player to what Proficiencies they should invest in to compliment that style. Players can choose any number of Combat Styles, but, Combat Styles cannot be used together at the same time, and investing in too many will lower the character's capacity to use them. We encourage players to pick one Combat Style for their Character, and find friends who compliment that with their Combat Styles.

Melee Combat Styles

Warrior: The Character uses a Melee Weapon, and sometimes a shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Strength, and Defense Stat is Constitution.
Magic Warrior: The Character uses Magic to emulate a Melee Weapon, and sometimes a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Magic, and Defense Stat is Wisdom.
Holy Warrior: The Character uses a Melee Weapon, and sometimes a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Strength, and Defense Stat is Faith.
Hunter: The Character uses a Melee Weapon, and sometimes a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Strength, and Defense Stat is Wisdom.
Chembrawler: The Character uses Alchemy and Technology to emulate a Melee Weapon, and sometimes a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Intelligence, and Defense Stat is Constitution.
Spellblade: The Character uses Magic to emulate a Melee Weapon, and sometimes a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Magic, and Defense Stat is Constitution.
Holy Spellblade: The Character uses Magic to emulate a Melee Weapon, and sometimes a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Magic, and Defense Stat is Faith.
Rogue: The Character uses a Melee Weapon, but never a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Dexterity, and Defense Stat is Constitution.
Cultist: The Character uses a Melee Weapon, but never a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Dexterity, and Defense Stat is Faith.
Engineer: The Character uses Alchemy and Technology to emulate a Weapon, but never a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Intelligence, and Defense Stat is Wisdom.
Spy: The Character uses a Melee Weapon, but never a Shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Dexterity, and Defense Stat is Wisdom.

Ranged Combat Styles

Ranger: The Character uses a Ranged Weapon, but never a shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Dexterity, and Defense Stat is Constitution. This Style requires players to invest into either Ranger Point Buy or Deadeye Point Buy.
Scout: The Character uses a Ranged Weapon, but never a shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Dexterity, and Defense Stat is Wisdom. This Style requires players to invest into either Ranger Point Buy or Deadeye Point Buy.
Mage: The Character uses magic to emulate a Ranged Weapon, but never a shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Magic, and Defense Stat is Wisdom. This Style requires players to invest into Ranger Point Buy or Deadeye Point Buy.
Holy Mage: The Character uses magic to emulate a Ranged Weapon, but never a shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Magic, and Defense Stat is Faith. This Style requires players to invest into Ranger Point Buy or Deadeye Point Buy.
Chembomber: The Character uses Alchemy and Technology to emulate a Ranged Weapon, but never a shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Intelligence, and Defense Stat is Wisdom. This Style requires players to invest into Ranger Point Buy or Chem Point Buy.
Holy Shooter: The Character uses a Ranged Weapon, but never a shield. The Character's Attack Stat is Dexterity, and Defense Stat is Faith. This Style requires players to invest into Ranger Point Buy or Deadeye Point Buy.

Support Combat Styles

Tactician: The Character does not attack themselves, but commands their allies to fight better. The Character's Attack Stat is N/A, and their Defense Stat is Wisdom. This Style requires players to invest into Command Point Buy.
Healer: The Character does not attack themselves, but heals and protects their allies. The Character's Attack Stat is N/A, and their Defense Stat is Wisdom. This Style requires players to invest into Medical Point Buy.

Point Buy

Point Buy is based on a Character's stats. They can have as many Point Buy Packs from a stat as they have points in it. For example, a 6 Strength Character can buy 6 Packs from the Strength category, a 0 Constitution Character cannot buy any Packs from the Constitution category, and a 2 Magic Character can buy 2 Packs from the Magic category. Below are links to each of the Categories. All packs have uses in Roleplay, although some are more useful than others.

Skills that don't exist in Point Buy, like cooking, cleaning, and underwater basket weaving, can just be things a character knows how to do. If it doesn't have a Pack, it can be done for free.

Strength

Melee Point Buy, which is for weapon skills and Abilities.
Athletic Point Buy, which is for specific athletic training.
Bruiser Point Buy, which is for shield-free melee skills.

Constitution

Shielding Point Buy, which is for shield-related defense Abilities.
Training Point Buy, which is for physical defense and bodybuilding.
Tanking Point Buy, which is for sacrificing all damage for defense.
Mounted Point Buy, which governs the use of Cavalry and Carriages in combat.

Intelligence

Puretek Point Buy, which is for anti-Magic Holy-firearms.
Tech Point Buy, which is for Technology in combat and utility.
Adapt Point Buy, which is for Mundane/Tech/Magic Mechanics.

Wisdom

Medical Point Buy, which is for dedicated Healers and Medics.
Chem Point Buy, which is for Alchemy in combat and utility.
Command Point Buy, which is for commanders and general support.

Dexterity

Ranger Point Buy, which is for the use of versatile Bows and Guns.
Deadeye Point Buy, which is for the use of extra-long ranged Bows and Guns.
Roguery Point Buy, which is for crime and sleight of hand.
Cutthroat Point Buy, which is for the use of finesse with blades.

Faith

Paladin Point Buy, which relates to religious holy warriors.
Shaman Point Buy, which relates to soothsayers and shamans.
Theurgy Point Buy, which relates to dark rituals and possession.
Cleric Point Buy, which relates to support/healing God Magic.

Magic

Magic Point Buy, which is for the casting of all kinds of magic.

Languages

Check the Languages page for what different languages your Character could know. Take as many as you like, but be reasonable. It's hard to learn many languages.

System Combat Rules

Combat Roleplay is common in the city of Regalia, and PvP can take a while. Because of this, players use these System Combat Rules to keep fights manageable.

During combat, each character has 10 base HP or Hit Points unless an ability specifies otherwise. For each damaging attack against the character that cannot be dodged or blocked, they lose 2 HP. When a character drops to 0HP, they are ‘downed’. This can mean unconscious, or simply unable to fight, move, or use abilities. Once combat ends, damage is more free-form, and HP resets to full once the character is healed.
Any armor worn by characters grants them a single Block Token that cannot be affected by Abilities and Mechanics. This can be assumed to be the armor protecting them.
- When tracking health, any Block Tokens should be counted separately from a character’s HP.
Basic attacks are decided with in-game rolls. Each attack is decided with competing rolls using the /dice command, with the attacker using their current main combat stat to roll for basic attacks, and the defender using their current main defense stat to roll for defense against them. If the defender loses the roll and cannot block or stagger it, they lose 2 HP. If there is a tie, roll again.
- Basic attacks are rolled as 1d[10+ the user’s Attack Stat], whether that be Strength, Magic, or Dexterity. Loading rules and ranges of certain weapons or attacks still apply.
- Defense is rolled as 1d[10+the user’s Defense Stat], whether that be Wisdom, Constitution, or Faith.
- Attack is capped at a maximum of 7 without Abilities and Mechanics, Defense is capped at a maximum of 5 without Abilities and Mechanics.
- Basic Attacks are always Melee Range (1-2 Blocks), unless the Character has an Ability that changes this.
- For Abilities or Mechanics that state a character is proficient in a weapon without stat investment, their attack roll is set to a flat 1d14 that cannot be changed by further modifiers.