Core Rules

The foundational systems of Einsol's Razor — how space, time, movement, actions, and dice rolls work in and out of combat.

Space & Time

Distance (Space)

Einsol's Razor uses the Metric System. 1 meter ≈ 3 feet.

On a Battle Map: 1 Square = 1 meter. A character with 12 m speed can move 12 squares. No measuring needed.

Mass

Mass is tracked in kilograms (kg). 2 lb ≈ 1 kg.

Push/Pull/Lift: 5 × Strength Score = Amount in Kg your character can lift.

Creature Sizes

Size	Tall × Wide	Examples
Tiny	.25 m × .25 m	Nanites, Old Forest Sprite
Small	.5 m × .5 m	Patrol AI, Gnome
Medium	2 m × 1 m	Human, Elf
Large	5 m × 3 m	Tetorlith Monstrosity, Task-AI
Huge	10 m × 6 m	Colossi, Ethereal Dragon
Massive	20 m × 10 m	Dreadnought

In-Game Time

Turn-Based (Encounter Time)

A Round represents 6 seconds in-game.
A Round ends when all PCs and NPCs have taken their Turns.
10 Rounds = 1 minute of in-game time.

Real-Time

Used in role-playing, travel, and chase scenes. Time flows continuously, and the GM determines movement and events.

Movement & Speed

Speed represents in-game movement in meters. Items, equipment, and abilities can modify Speed.

Climbing & Crawling

Takes twice your Movement Speed (rounded up).

Falling

Free fall: 50 m per Round. At the end, take 1d10 Bludgeoning Damage per Round fallen and land Prone.

Flying

Flying speed is generally the same as the creature’s base speed.

Running

In an Encounter: Run Action moves you at double your Movement Speed. Outside: run for minutes = 2 × Endurance Modifier.

Swimming

Movement Speed is halved. Prolonged swimming risks Exhaustion (Fortitude DC 10 every 30 min).

Zero Gravity

Normal Base Speed in any direction. Changing direction requires a Parkour or Stunts Skill Check.

Jumping

Horizontal: Jump meters equal to your Reflex Modifier. Vertical: Based on creature size.

Size	Vertical Jump
Tiny, Small, Medium	.5 m
Large	1 m
Huge	2 m
Massive	5 m

Challenging Terrain

Rough terrain, steep inclines, and dense forests halve your movement speed. Navigation may require Skill Checks or specific tools.

Senses & Light

Characters use sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste to discern information. Visual senses depend on environmental light levels.

Bright Light

Vision is normal.

Dim Light

Vision distance halved. Only shades of gray.

Darkness

Vision lowered to 1 m. Only abstract shapes.

Magical Darkness

Vision useless unless you have Shadow Sight.

Vision & Sensory Types

Enhanced Auditory (Hearing)

30 m

Grants +2 to Awareness Skill Checks that rely on sound.

Enhanced Olfactory (Smell)

30 m

Grants +2 to Awareness Skill Checks that rely on smell.

Night-vision

45 m

Dimly lit areas are treated as if in Bright Light, and complete Darkness is treated as Dim Light.

Non-Visual Processing

20 m

The world is processed as electrical energy in varying vibrant blue colors, heat signatures are in reds and yellows, and shapes are sensed as an abstract, colorful overlay.

Partial Darkvision

20 m

Dim Light is treated as Bright Light and the visibility range when in complete Darkness is 5 m.

Superior Darkvision

30 m

Dim Light is treated as Bright Light and the visibility range when in complete Darkness is 10 m.

Shadow Sight

40 m

Complete Darkness is treated as Dim Light. Magical Darkness is treated as naturally occurring Darkness.

Action Economy

Each Round, players receive 4 Action Points (AP) to spend. Unused AP does not carry over.

2 AP

Core Action

(CA)

1 AP

Quick Action

(QA)

1 AP

Reaction

(R)

0 AP

Free Action

(FA)

Weaving Spells: Variable AP cost. Check each spell's description.

Communication: Speaking and non-combat Skill Checks don't cost AP but should be limited to maintain pacing.

Offensive & Defensive Actions

Action	AP	Type	Description
Attack	2	CA	Make an Attack against a target.
Additional Attack	2	CA	After making an attack, make an additional attack at −2 on the roll.
Brace	3	CA	Gain +3 to Fortitude Defense Rolls until the start of your next Turn or you take another Action.
Dodge	2	CA	Gain +2 to Reflex Defense Rolls until the start of your next Turn or you take an Offensive Action.
Escape	2	CA	Make a Brute Force, Stamina, or Stunts Skill Check to break free from Grappled, Restrained, or otherwise immobilized.
Focus	2	CA	Gain +2 to your next Attack and Will Defense Rolls until the end of the Round.
Grapple	2	CA	Make a Brute Force, Stamina, or Stunts Skill Check to restrain a target you can touch. On success: target suffers −2 to all Rolls, Speed is zero, cannot use two-handed weapons or Weave Spells requiring hands.
Opportunity Attack	1	R	When a creature moves outside your Melee Range, make a single attack with your held weapon.
Overcome	2	CA	Re-roll the Defense Roll of an active Effect, Debuff, or Condition to immediately end it.
Parry	1	QA/R	While wielding a Melee Weapon, gain +1 to Reflex Defense Rolls against Melee Attacks.
Shove	1	QA/R	Contested Brute Force Skill Check to knock a creature Prone or push them 1 m away (one Size larger or smaller).

Movement Actions

Action	AP	Type	Description
Movement	0/1	FA/R	Move up to your total Movement Speed on your Turn. Spend 1 AP as a Reaction to move remaining distance after your Turn. Moving through Occupied Spaces costs double.
Jump	1	QA	Leap up to twice your Reflex Modifier in meters. Make a Stunts or Parkour Skill Check to clear Challenging Terrain.
Run	2	CA	Move at double your normal Movement Speed.
Withdraw	4	CA	Move up to your Movement Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Utility Actions

Action	AP	Type	Description
Applying Toxicants	1	QA	Apply a dose of a toxicant to your weapon or ammunition.
Arming/Disarming Explosives	1	QA	Set or disable an explosive device or accessory.
Assist	1	QA/R	Aid another character within 1 m, granting +2 on a Skill Check or Attack Roll. Once per Turn per Player.
Delay	1	QA	Skip your current Turn and move to the bottom of Initiative order for the remainder of the Encounter.
Draw/Stow a Weapon	1	QA/R	Equip or stow one weapon.
Hide	1	QA/R	Creatures cannot detect or target you unless they make a Contested Awareness vs. your Stealth. Lasts until you move or take another Action.
Improvise	1	QA/R	Use an object in a creative or unexpected way. Outcome determined by a Skill Check at GM’s discretion.
Prepare	2	CA	Ready an Action with a specified trigger. If the trigger occurs before your next Turn, use a Reaction to perform the Prepared Action.
Prone	1	QA/R	Drop flat on the ground. Attacks against you from outside 5 m suffer −2. Height Advantage cancels this.
Reload	1	QA/R	Reload a Ranged Weapon.
Throw	2	CA	Hurl an object or weapon within Range and make an Attack Roll.
Using a Potion/Concoction	1	QA	Consume a potion or use a concoction to activate its effects.

Checks & Rolls

When attempting something uncertain, players make Checks or Rolls measured against a Difficulty of Challenge (DC) set by the GM.

Difficulty of Challenge (DC)

Difficulty	DC	Example (Strength)
Trivial	1–4	Forcing open a wooden drawer; tearing loose a cable restraint.
Easy	6–10	Kicking down a flimsy door; prying open a car trunk or cargo crate.
Moderate	11–14	Forcing open a sealed bulkhead; breaking free from heavy restraints.
Hard	16–20	Bending iron bars or holding a closing security gate open.
Very Hard	21–28	Punching through reinforced glass; toppling a heavy statue or street drone.
Extremely Hard	28–32	Forcing apart hydraulic doors; flipping a small hovercar.
Nearly Impossible	33+	Ripping open an airlock with bare hands; catching a falling dropship cable.

Meet it to Beat it: If a Roll matches the DC, it succeeds. Always round down unless stated otherwise.

Skill Check

d20 + Ability Modifier + Aptitude Points + Aptitude Dice

Determines whether a character's Skill is sufficient to accomplish a task. Characters with Aptitude roll their Aptitude Dice alongside the d20.

Contested Check

d20 + Modifier + Bonuses/Penalties

Two characters compete by each rolling a d20 + relevant Modifiers. The higher roll wins.

Initiative

d20 + Reflex Modifier + Bonuses/Penalties

Rolled at the start of combat to determine turn order. Spells, items, and Feats may add or subtract modifiers.

Edge & Hindrance

Edge

Bonus from class features, Feats, magic, equipment, or favorable circumstances. Cumulative.

−2

Hindrance

Penalty from magic, environmental conditions, or negative status effects. Cumulative.

Critical Hits & Failures

Natural 20 (Critical Success)

Attacks: Automatically hits. Damage dice are doubled before adding Modifiers. Does not apply to Spells requiring a Defense Roll.
Skill Checks: Extraordinary success, even if the total wouldn't normally beat the DC.

Natural 1 (Critical Failure)

Attacks: Automatically misses, regardless of bonuses.
Skill Checks: Dramatic failure with a complication or setback.

Dueling Crits: If both attacker and defender roll a natural 20 or natural 1 simultaneously, both sides must re-roll.

Aptitude

Aptitude represents training and expertise. When your character has Aptitude, it allows:

Use of specific Armor, Weapons, and Toolkits
Aptitude Dice added as a Bonus to Skill Checks
Bonus to Crafting with a Toolkit
Bonus to Spell Weaving Checks

Armor Aptitude

Granted by Class and Background. Without Aptitude: armor THP is halved, cannot Weave Spells, and −8 on all rolls.

Weapon Aptitude

Granted by Class and Background. Without Aptitude: −8 to Attack Rolls and all Damage Rolls are halved.

Firearm Aptitude

One firearm at a time unless a Feat grants dual-wielding or both are Light. Dual-wielding without permission: −3 to all Attack Rolls.

Leveling Progression

Characters earn Experience Points (XP) to gain levels. The GM determines the XP system.

Milestone

Recommended

Level up by achieving objectives or story milestones. Structured, narrative-driven, and easily balanced.

Linear

Set XP per completed Encounter. Level at a predetermined threshold. Straightforward but may lead to uneven leveling.

Custom

XP based on GM criteria: role-playing, combat, teamwork, coolness, and completing objectives. Rewards varying play styles.

Level Progression Table

Level	XP	Apt. Dice	Narrative Progression
0	0	—
1–3	0–8K	d4	Has completed their first full mission or dungeon.
4–7	8–72K	d6	Has achieved their first major goal or aligned with a major faction.
8–11	72–150K	d8	Has completed a large quest or campaign arc.
12–15	150–300K	d10	Has meaningfully changed a civilization, plane of existence, or major world power structure.
16–20	300–500K	d12	Has reached story-defining, world-altering events — final arcs, prophetic fulfillment.

When your character reaches Level 1:

Choose your Base Class
Choose your first Feat
Receive your Aptitude Dice (d4)
Increase your Maximum Hit Points and HP Dice

Ready for Combat?

Now that you know the foundations, see how they play out in encounters.

Combat & Survival Back to Rules Hub