OK, what do you think about that one? Ignore for now wording and spelling, it's a rough one, I'm asking mostly about structure and level of detail (ex if not too many numbers).
==================================
1. Introduction
2. Party Creation
3. Character Statistics
4. Game Screens
5. Adventuring
6. Combat
7. Magic
8. Items
9. History and Geography of Amberland
10. Designer's notes
Appendix A. Keyboard shortcuts
Appendix B. Monsters
1. Introduction
...
2. Party Creation
Classes
Character class determine HP, MP, starting attributes, talents, special combat ability, maximum encumbrance, base damage, base arcane. It also affects free attributes the character gets upon level up.
Knight (Fighter)
Knights are strong and possess extremely high maximum encumbrance which allows them to wear the heaviest armor. They also start well equipped. Best to be positioned in the central slot of the party.
Primary Attributes: Strength, Dexterity
Maximum Encumbrance: 42
HP (Hit Points): 6 + 6 * level
Damage multiplier: x5
Warrior (Fighter)
Warriors are the strongest fighters and possess formidable toughness and maximum encumbrance.
Primary Attributes: Strength, Toughness
Maximum Encumbrance: 28
HP (Hit Points): 6 + 8 * level
Damage multiplier: x6
Ranger (Fighter / Magic user)
Rangers are a mixture of a fighter and a magic user. Capable of using magic similarly to wizard but at a much lower efficiency.
Primary Attributes: Dexterity, Strength
Maximum Encumbrance: 20
HP (Hit Points): 6 + 4 * level
MP (Magic Points): 2 + 2 * level
Damage multiplier: x4
Arcane multiplier: x4
Bard (Fighter / Magic user)
Bards are a mixture of a fighter and a magic user. Capable of healing.
Primary Attributes: Dexterity, Willpower
Maximum Encumbrance: 15
HP (Hit Points): 6 + 3 * level
MP (Magic Points): 3 + 3 * level
Damage multiplier: x3
Arcane multiplier: x4
Healer (Magic user)
Healers are magic users skilled in the art of healing and restoration. Very weak at direct combat, need to be protected by fighters.
Primary Attributes: Willpower, Knowledge
Maximum Encumbrance: 12
HP (Hit Points): 6 + 3 * level
MP (Magic Points): 4 + 4 * level
Damage multiplier: x2
Arcane multiplier: x5
Hit and Evade: -20%
Wizard (Magic user)
Wizards are the most powerful magic users capable of dealing massive damage to enemies. Very weak at direct combat, need to be protected by fighters.
Primary Attributes: Willpower, Knowledge
Maximum Encumbrance: 10
HP (Hit Points): 6 + 2 * level
MP (Magic Points): 5 + 5 * level
Damage multiplier: x2
Arcane multiplier: x5
Hit and Evade: -20%
Special Combat Abilities
Each class has an unique combat ability which can be used once (then the party needs to rest to replenish it). Such ability can target all party members, single characters or a monster.
Rally (Knights)
Target: ALL PARTY MEMBERS
* remove Afraid
* chance to remove Confused
Strike (Warriors)
Target: SINGLE MONSTER
* special attack, guaranteed hit
Detoxicate (Rangers)
Target: ON SELF
* remove Poisoned status
* restore a bit of HP
Play Song (Bards)
Target: ALL PARTY MEMBERS
* remove Afraid
* chance to restore a bit of HP
* chance to restore a bit of MP
Focus (Wizards)
Target: ON SELF
* restore 33% MP
Restoration (Healers)
Target: ALL PARTY MEMBERS
* restore 25% HP
* chance to remove Paralysed
* fallen characters back to Conscious
Talents
Characters have talents based on their class. Talents determine the secondary use of Knowledge attribute is used.
Tactics (Knights and Warriors)
Knowledge increases Critical Hit Chance.
Awareness (Rangers and Bards)
Knowledge is added to Dexterity for the purpose of Evade calculations.
Knowledge reduces damage from traps.
Arcane Mastery (Wizards and Healers)
Knowledge bonus to Arcane doubled.
Races
Humans
Humans are the youngest and the most abundant race in Amberland. The most versatile race. No special abilities.
* They require 5% less experience to level up.
Half Elves
When humans wander too long in forests they might meet a beautiful elf princess or something. If they get attracted to the elven beauty then a half elf might be born.
* Can use "Eleven Song" spell regardless of class.
* Slightly lower Strength and slightly higher Willpower.
Perfect choice if you want a Knight or Warrior that can use a bit of magic.
Elves
The oldest race in Amberland. Long living and proficient in magic.
* Can use "Eleven Song" and "Elven Touch" spells regardless of class.
* Additional +1 MP (Magic Point) per level.
* Immunity to Mesmerize.
* Lower starting Strength and higher starting Willpower.
* -1 to Maximum Encumbrance (need to wear lighter equipment).
* They require 5% more experience to level up which makes them level up slower than other races.
Dwarves
Masters of digging in the underground. But some drop this noble profession and become adventurers.
* Additional +10% to Critical Hit Chance when using axes.
* +1 to Maximum Encumbrance (can wear heavier equipment).
* Lower starting Willpower and higher starting Strength.
* Can't become Wizards or Healers (limited interest in magic)
3. Character Statistics
Attributes
Strength
* Damage bonus.
* Every 10 STR points increase Maximum Encumbrance by +1.
Toughness
* HP (Hit Points) bonus.
Dexterity
* Hit bonus.
* Evade bonus.
Knowledge
* Arcane bonus.
* Additional effect which depends on character's talent (Tactics, Awareness, Arcane Mastery).
Willpower
* MP (Magic Points) bonus.
* Chance to resist some mind based effects (Mesmerize, Confuse), cumulative with resistances.
Derived Statistics
Damage
* How much physical damage this character is dealing in combat.
Affected by level, class, strength.
Hit
* Chance to hit enemy in combat.
Affected by level, class, Dexterity.
Evade
* Chance to evade being hit by an enemy in combat.
Affected by level, class, Dexterity.
Armor
* How much physical damage this character can ignore in combat.
Affected by equipment.
Arcane
* Only magic users have this statistic. It affects spells mastery levels, so it determines which spells a character can use and with what efficiency.
Affected by level, class, Knowledge.
Resistances
...
Immunities
...
Encumbrance
Encumbrance shows the total encumbrance of all equipped items. If exceeded the character faces significant penalties.
It's described in detail in chapter "8. Items".
4. Game Screens
...
5. Adventuring
...
6. Combat
Combat Interface
* Fight - Repeat the previously used action for this character. Either Attack or Cast Spell.
* Attack - Melee attack.
* Wait - Skip a turn.
* Special Ability (Rally, Strike, Restoration, etc) - Each class has a special combat ability. Such ability can be used once and replenishes itself when the whole part rests. It's usually a powerful ability best saved for tough situation.
* Cast Spell - Cast a magic spell.
* Spellbook - Select a spell to cast.
* Monsters - Information about the monsters the party is facing.
Position of Party Members
The position of characters determine when they will act and how likely they are to be targeted by monsters.
The central slots are the most dangerous, monsters tend to target central characters the most. Also central slots have the highest initiative and act earlier in combat.
Flank slots are sort of protected, as long as the center holds the flanks won't get targeted by most monsters.
It's probably the best to put in the center heavily armored knights or dwarves whole keeping feeble wizards and healers near safe flanks. Of course you might try a different approach like putting a wizard in the center and greet incoming monsters with a fireball taking advantage of a high initiative of the central slot.
Note that the position of party members can be change only while outside of combat.
7. Magic
...
8. Items
The party is in a possession of a magic bag of carrying which can hold an unlimited number of items. All items from the bag are accessible by any party member.
But equipment they wear and use in combat is not supported by any magic so what they can wear is limited by maximum encumbrance. Exceeding maximum encumbrance is possible but results in significant penalties.
Equipment Slots
Each character can wear 1x Head wear, 1x Body armor, 1x Weapon, 1x Shield, 3x Accessories (but maximum one of each accessory type, so can't wear 2 girdles).
Maximum Encumbrance
There are no class limits what each character can wear, so in theory there can be a wizard with a heavy plate armor wielding a long sword. But class determines maximum allowed encumbrance, so in practice knights will end up with the full plate armor and a large shield while wizards will tend to wear robes or leather armors. Of course you can always use the rare Girdle of Carrying to boost maximum encumbrance of the feeble wizard.
Maximum encumbrance is also affected by race (dwarves have it higher elves lower).
There are two grades of penalties for exceeding maximum encumbrance:
1) Overburdened (the encumbrance turns yellow), it yields 50% penalty to melee combat and magic use.
2) Crushed (the encumbrance turns red), it yields 75% penalty to melee combat and magic use.
How to increase Maximum Encumbrance?
1) Choose strong fighter class (especially Knights are masters of Encumbrance which allows them to wear the heaviest equipment).
2) Choose dwarves (they get +1 to Maximum Encumbrance) and avoid fragile Elves (they get -1 to Maximum Encumbrance).
3) Invest in Strength (every 10 points of Strength the character gets +1 Maximum Encumbrance) .
4) Equip rare items that boost Maximum Encumbrance (like the famous Girdle of Carrying).
Item properties
Equipment can improve statistics (Damage, Arcane, Armor).
Equipment can improve attributes (Strength, Toughness, Dexterity, Knowledge, Willpower).
Equipment can grant resistances to damage (Fire, Cold, Lightning, Acid).
Equipment can grant immunities to effects (Poison, Fear, Paralysis, etc).
Weapons can have a special attack property (Elvenblade, Whirling, etc).
Equipment can have special effects (Protect, Carry, etc).
Each item (except accessories) has encumbrance which determine how heavy and troublesome it is to wear and use. Exceeding allowed encumbrance yields penalties.
Note that Mithrtil items are lighter and use less encumbrance points than similar items made from other materials.
Bottom line, if it worked for something like BG or Wizardry 7 or Daggerfall or whatever, it will work for any other RPG too.
