LibriumArcana.Games

So at a recent convention I went to, I found a new RPG called Artesia: Adventures in the Known World, with an associated comic book series. Now, normally, knowning little or nothing about this system, I was somewhat impressed by the art, but I became more interested to learn it was powered by the Fuzion system, the same system that powers Cyberpunk v.3.

Well, since I'm a member of the R. Talsorian Demo Team, I figured it was worth looking into, as I may end up demoing it eventually. First off, I would like to say that the comics are fantastic. Good story, great mythology, wonderful art, and an epic scale (some sections are like reading a comic book adaptation of Total War engine battles). However, reading through the main rulebook was a much heavier task. The amount of detail that went into the setting are truly inspiring.

The Fuzion system is fairly straightforward, stat + skill + 1d10 + modifiers is used for skill checks both in and out of combat. The advancement system is skill-based, rather than level-based, allowing for (in my opinion) more organic character development. However, Artesia takes the core system and just heaps on the same attention to detail the background has. If this is a good or a bad thing depends on how much complexity and detail you like in character creation and management. There are a grand total of 18 stats (15 + 3 derived), a far cry from D20's 6 or the 3 found in even simpler systems. The list of skills is equally impressive, as is the system's modification of the Lifepath System found in Cyberpunk 2020/v3.

While the Lifepath System in CP2020 allows you to add some flavor and background to your character for additional depth, in Artesia it is vital towards the creation of your character. Things such as your lineage, birth sign, your and the social status of your parents all determine what your initial stats and skills are going to be. Unlike most games, your stats are not determined through a point-buy or 3d6 or what have you. Rather, you start at 5 (human average) and go up and down from there. Once you start rolling each year on the lifepath, you are given skill points and arcana points with which you can actually start building your character as you see fit. Arcana points can be used to increase skills, stats, reduce bindings, and gain special gift, but in a limited way.

You see, depending on the starting "class" you choose, you get a set of skills and arcana linked to that job. Arcana are paths of destiny, based on the 22 major arcana from tarot decks. During play, these will become very important, as XP is given through these cards. Each arcana has three linked stats, some linked skills, some linked gifts (supernatural abilities), and linked bindings. As you play in a normal game, your actions determine what Arcana you become linked to.

Now, bindings are another point. In order (I imagine) to encourage players to actually play their roles, bindings give negatives to various actions, stats, or what have you. Some of them may be seen as similar to flaws in other settings, for example, Lust, Fury, Shame, Amnesia, and so on. You don't get points back for taking them, and in fact you really don't have a choice about when you get them, it's up to the GM during gameplay, but you can spend arcana points to reduce them and get rid of them over time. For example, if you have a lust binding for a tavern wench, you could admit your failings and set yourself for divine judgement. That action might gain arcana points you could use to get rid of(or at least reduce) the Lust binding. However, that is only because The Last Judgement Arcana has lust as an associated binding. It should be noted that you only get Arcana if the action that normally earns arcana is part of a larger narrative, to keep people from doing mundane things to keep piling up Arcana Points.

Now then, Combat. My fancy is tickled because I like systems that award beating someone by ridiculous amounts by letting you do more damage. Combat is done by opposed rolls, attack and defense. However much you beat your opponent by determines how much damage you do in addition to the normal damage of the weapon, which is usually the character's strength minus 1-4. Reach is a factor, as is fighting in formation. True to the comics, you can have combat between dozens of people in formation with polearms. Armor provides various protection from different types of damage (cut, impact, and puncture). Critical hits cause things known as grievious wounds, which actually reduce stats until they are healed. In short, combat can be very short and lethal, but can also allow for drawn-out battles.

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Next up is magic. In the game, magic is something that is an undercurrent to just about every aspect to life, and just about anyone is capable of learning rituals if they can find someone to teach them. Magic is far more subdued in Artesia than in, say, D&D, but it is quite varied. There are runes of power, rituals of many different sorts, incantations, and of course, herbalism and alchemy. Depending on your religion, the rituals and incantations you may learn will be different. Almost universal, however, are rituals of purification, which cleanse the soul and help to preserve the sanctity of holy places. Forbidden rituals, of course, tend not to care if you've bathed yourself in the blood of your children.

While some magics are obviously quite powerful in game, such as incantations of ruling (catch-all for charm-like spells) and divination, there are no spells that summon fire and lightning to do your bidding, though you can bind spirits and elementals to you, curse your enemies, fortify yourself and your allies, and with the right gifts, heal the sick and wounded. If you are a blacksmith, you can fashion arms and armor with various runes of power, giving bonuses combat, command, and any number of other things. If you are a witch, you can toy with the minds of others, and so on.

That said, it's all very complicated and in-depth, deeply rooted in the lore of the setting. In fact, certain rituals are unwelcome in various places. The rituals of the Cult of Yhera, for example, are banned in the realms of the Sun Court, because the Divine King, Isilik, forbade sacrifices in his name (and the Sun Court takes that to mean to all gods, the Pheonix Court however has other opinions). In fact, there are even rules for what happens to you once you die. Depending on the manner of your death, your spirit may be cursed to haunt the lands or disappear into limbo. Your soul may become reincarnated, allowing you memories of your past life, or you might assemble a cult around you and ascend into the heavens as a mortal made god, like the Divine King.

By and large, the bestiary consists of largely conventional creatures, with a handful of fantastic beasts, like Wyrms, Faeries, Elementals, and Spirits. However, these beings are not to be taken lightly, and if you ever meet a dragon, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye unless you've been preparinig for years in game. Most conflict comes from the many wars currently going on, the minor conflicts between lesser lords, bandits, and of course, intrigue.

Characters can run the spectrum from bandits to serfs to lords and kings, though of course the GM can put a cap on the social level to prevent people from going overboard.

In short, here are some quick opinions:
Pro: Epic setting, highly detailed characters and magic system, skill-based, Margin of Success sensitive, Interesting new way of awarding players improvement
Con: Very complex, hard to jump into right away. Lack of immediate control right away over character creation may rub people the wrong way. Takes a while to actually MAKE a character.

A word of fair warning, both the main rulebook and the comic display nudity and some sexual themes (the comic more than the rulebook), so if you're offended by the naked form of humans (male and female), you can't say I didn't tell you.

Naturally, if anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.