JanusBasicRules

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Basic Rules

In Janus if a character has the competence to do something they can. The only question is how long it takes to do. For example most people can jump over a three foot (1 meter) hole but would not do it instantly because they would need time to 'think it over'. But an Action Hero would and can. There is no rolling or spending action point; they just do it.

Every action has an Effect Level. This is the measure against a normal person's abilities. A level of NULL is below a 'normal person', so that it is relatively no challenge to a normal person. Each level is this sort of step higher, a normal person just can't run faster than someone trained or gifted in running.

Effect Level Example Damage NULL an object Trivial Tickle 0 normal person. Normal Fist, Foot 1 gifted or trained person. Professional Knife, Animal Claw 2 gifted and trained person. World Record Gun, Monster Claw 3 an animal could do. Skeet Surfing Auto Gun, Fire 4 a machines could do. Run on Heads Tank, Avalanche 5 a divine action Catch a Bullet Nuclear, Volcano

For Example: To jump over a 3ft hole is a Effect Level 0 action but whilst been chased this would be increase to a 1. To drop down the hole whilst being chased would be a 2.

Heroic Rules

There are two sorts of Actions that can be done in a round. These are Ordinary and Heroic ones. Only characters with a Miraculous or Heroic Attribute can do a Heroic action. This can be done in the same round at the same time as well as thier Ordinary one.

A Ordinary action is specifically any action that a character can do without drawing on a Miraculous or Heroic powers. For example, lifting somthing, shooting a gun or writing a novel.

A Heroic action uses a Miraculous Ability, Heroic Stat or Gift. The effective level of these effects can be increase with the use Mirical or Hero Points. These actions happen at the same time as a Ordinary action and can be at the same Effect Level.

For Example: a character can Miraculously defend at Effect Level 1 and Mundanely attack at Effect Level 1 in the same round, if the character has the Skills and Abilities to do it.

Ordinary and Miraculous Conflicts

Any Ordinary Action that is in opposition to a Heroic Action must be greater than the Heroic Action otherwise it is defeated. This is because Heroic Actions are not just at the same Effect Level for that action but at all similiar actions as well.

For Example: some one miraculously dodging an normally fired bullet (at the same effect level) is not just 'quicker' -- they are 'smarter' and more 'observant' at that Effect Level at the same time as the marksman's ordinary shooting skill.

Hence when two Actions are in conflict if one is Special, the Mundane one must be higher.

If the actions are of the same type and the same level then there is a stalemate. This stalemate is resolved by the referee using some situation modifiers for the action. When it is two ordinary actions then action 'most likely' just succeeds unless there is a reason for it not to. When it is two amazing actions, the action 'most likely' just fails.

For Example: a simple dodge vs a skilled shot will just wing the target, a miraculous dodge vs. a gifted shot will just hit the dirt next to the target.

Joint Actions

Each level of an Ordinary action requires 5 times more people at the same level to achieve some thing of the next level.

For Example: it takes 5 normal people (at 0) to do an effect of a trained person (at 1) and 25 for a gift and trained person (at 2).

Joint Effect/ No of at Effect Level 0 1 2 3 4

1	5
2	15	5
3	75	15	5
4	375	75	15	5

5 1875 375 75 15 5

Each level of Miraculous action requires one extra person.

For example: two characters with 2 Special actions of Effect Level 2 can produce a effect that could not be replicated by a mortal man (ie Effect Level 3).

Note: This means that someone Miraculously defending with Effect Level 1 can defend themselves against 5 normal men, two miraculous defenders can defend against 25 normal men (if you think this is weird, consider Miyamoto Musashi claims to have been able to defeat 50 men single-handed IIRC).

Time and Tools

All actions are assumed to happen in a realisic time and use the correct tools by default.

For Example: To constuct a software application might take 3 man years, require a modern computer system with a standard developement environment. This would be an Effect Level of 1 task. A single normal trained programmer could achieve this given the time and tools.

If time is varried using the following chart then the Effective Level of the task is steped up and down.

        Seconds
        Minutes
        Hours
        Days
        Weeks
        Months
        Years

For Example: If the programmer has only got 3 weeks to write the application that makes the task a Effect Level 3, outside the ability range of even a skilled and gifted individual (2) with standard equipement.

Having tools steps the tasks level in the same way. And no required tools steps it down.

         No Tools
         Inferia or ad hock tools
         Correct Tools
         Advanced or master work tools
         Divine Tools

For Example: If the programmer as given the most advanced developement system this would drop the level by one. Hence it would now be possible with 5 standard developers (see joint actions) or 1 guru programmer.

The princeple can be reversed taking longer to achieve an imposible task.

For Example: Say a bank safe has a lock with Effective Level of defence 4 and the safe cracker is skilled (1). The correct tools will be used. It normally takes him seconds to open a standard safe so this bank safe will take 4 steps longer ie Weeks of planing and access to the safe.

Aura (NPC only)

Some creatures have a Spirit Stat or Aura Gift, these creatures have protective sheild of about 5ft around them. This Aura can defend them against some Mundane and Miraculous effects with no cost of power.

More

Janus Character Generation is at: JanusCharGen.

Ref: JanusRPG, Next: JanusCharGen

 The Janus RPG © - Copyright 2002,2003 David Allan Finch - all rights reserved