Change Log – Patch 1.4

Jun 22, 2021 | Rules and Mechanics

Patch 1.4 

  • Changed: However, if they were to take an action (such as an Atonement ritual, for example) that served to wash the sins from their mind and spirit, their Depravity in that particular category is reduced by 1 point. In this instance, the Depravity score would go down to 1 from 2.  From there, if they murdered again, they would again earn another Depravity point to go back up to 2.
    To: However, Depravity in a particular category may be reduced by methods such as an Atonement ritual from one of the various religions or from the Confidence ability.  Atonement rituals will wipe clean all Depravity from an entire category, reducing it to 0, whereas Confidence will reduce the Depravity score by 1 point.  A character may not benefit from an Atonement rite if they are Faith in Self, nor may a Faith in a Higher Power character benefit from Confidence. Should the character again commit murder after this, their Depravity earned would be either 1 or 2 points – whichever brings them back up to the level of the sin
    • Added under Bows: Arrows are expended when fired, just as firearm ammo is.
    • Added to Shields: Shields may not be Disarmed.
    • Added to armor: You cannot gain the benefits of multiple pieces of armor on the same hit location unless it specifically says so in the schematic or tag.
    • Added the following non-combatant rules under Safety:  NON-COMBATANTS

      In Age of Ashes players may signal that they are non-combatants by wearing an orange sash, generally of a large size.Since it is not always obvious when combat is going to break out, we ask that players who are non-combatants wear their sash as long as they are in the event space during game hours. If it is too dark for the sash to be seen or if a non-combatant thinks that for any reason nearby combatants will be unable to see their sash then they should call out SAFETY and move away from any fighting immediately.Combatants should strive to avoid fighting directly around non-combatants, and should never use them as part of their combat strategy.
      Players who are non-combatants are not to be physically struck, although they may be attacked via the system below. This holds true for any physical strike within the system.A non-combatant does not have to fall to the ground when injured/dying. Instead they may move to the side of the immediate area and await healing (or death) and/or looting there.

      In order to attack a non-combatant or for a non-combatant to attack another, it is necessary to walk up to the target and announce an intention to attack. The attacker will then point out which body part they are attacking and engage the defender in a rock-paper-scissors match in order to see if the hit connects. If the hit lands then the defender may call defenses as appropriate. On a tie the attacker and defender will engage in another rock-paper-scissors match until there is no longer a tie. If either participant in the match successfully defends in the rock-paper-scissors engagement, then they are deemed victorious and may disengage from the attacker. They may not be attacked by the same attacker for a minute although they may still be attacked via rock-paper-scissors by other combatants. If the attacker has an ability or skill that increases the chances of striking a defender (e.g. assassinate) then they win on ties and there is no need to replay the match.

    • Changed: Weapon Basics: All weapons will need to be inspected for safety each and every game. Any weapons outside of the approved lengths are not allowed to be used by players.
      To: Weapon Basics: Weapon Basics: All weapons will need to be inspected for safety each and every game.  Any weapon not approved by staff is not allowed to be used by players. Melee weapons may be used without any skill, although Ranged weapons require a skill to use. 
    • Under Hit Resolution added: In the event that multiple people hit a single target in a short amount of time, the target may use one singular Defensive call to counter all of those received hits. Those attackers who have a counter may then use it.  For example, if five PCs land hits on a monster within the same span, the monster may call Parry against all of them. If one or more of the five PCs has a use of Mighty, they may then call it and the monster would take the hit from that PC. 
    • Changed: An injury that is stabilized becomes a Battered Torso or Limb. You regain partial strength and must use that limb or Torso as though it is in immense discomfort. You may not use combat skills, although you can still hold a sword or shield and use Guarded, Armor and Strike. A strike to a Battered torso or limb
      To: An injury that is Stabilized becomes a Battered torso or limb. When someone who is Downed is stabilized, they are considered to have a Battered torso. In this state, partial strength is returned, though continued discomfort or pain should be roleplayed.If you have a Battered limb, you may not use any combat skills with weapons held in that limb. If you have a Battered torso, you may not use any combat skills, although in both instances you may still hold and use weapons to guard, strike, and use non-combat skills. As ranged weapons require the use of a skill to utilize, you may not use a firearm or a crossbow in a Battered limb or if you have a Battered torso, and you may not use a two handed bow with either arm Battered or a Battered torso. Other skills, such as social and crafting, may be used without any penalty. A strike to a Battered torso or limb becomes a Maim.
    • Changed Natural Weapons: Natural Weapons – Primarily used in brawl, these padded red or red-marked batons have a padded part that is approximately between 6” and 18” and the entire weapon cannot be longer than 21”. You must strike with the padded section of the weapon. Monsters may use natural weapons that are longer than this to signify claws and monstrous attacks.  For natural weapons that are not brawl related, such as stitching tentacles, check the schematic for required lengths.
      To: Natural Weapons – Primarily used in brawl, these padded red or red-marked batons have a padded part that is approximately between 6” and 18” and the entire weapon cannot be longer than 21”. You must strike with the padded section of the weapon. Monsters may use natural weapons that are longer than this to signify claws and monstrous attacks.  For natural weapons that are not brawl related, such as stitching tentacles, check the schematic for required lengths. Natural weapons cannot be used to guard against melee weapons or parry with unless you have Superior Balance in the Martial Arts Tree.
    • Changed: Firearms- Should be single shot only, unless you have a schematic allowing for alteration. Firearms ignore armor and sunder heavy armor and shields.  You can only have one bullet in your gun at a time, and you have to keep additional bullets in your pocket, to be reloaded one at a time. In addition, you will need to have a tamp for your gun and when you reload you will need to put the bullet in and then mime tamping it down. Long, foam, NERF-type bullets are acceptable, while the ball-shaped ones are not.
      To: Firearms –  Should be single shot only, unless you have a schematic allowing for alteration. Firearms ignore armor and sunder heavy armor and shields.  You can only have one bullet in your gun at a time, and you have to keep additional bullets in your pocket, to be reloaded one at a time. In addition, you will need to have a tamp for your gun and when you reload you will need to put the bullet in and then mime tamping it down.Currently Age of Ashes allows front-loaded spring powered stock commercial blasters that fire standard Elite/Mega darts or equivalent darts. We do not allow for NERF Rival series, disk shooters, air soft or any Rival similar high velocity ball shooters, and our FPS cap for dart blasters is 100 FPS- which we will test via range testing or chronograph.Regarding modifications of nerf weapons, we welcome cosmetic modification on weapons but ask you do not change any of the stock firing components to increase performance. This includes barrel attachments or stock attachments that directly relate to firing performance.For all ranged weapons you are responsible for collecting your own ammo.  We encourage you to put your name on your ammo for ease of identification. If a ranged weapon user fires a shot that another character or NPC does not appear to have registered, they may call “Confirmed Arrow” or “Confirmed Bullet”, etc. as relevant, prompting calls in cases where a hit may not have been noticed. We also encourage ranged weapon users to use chalk on the end of their weapons if they would like, in order to better indicate hits.
  • On https://ageofasheslarp.com/perks-and-flaws/
    • Changed: Follow the Grey Ones (-3) While not common, you belong to a group of the Forgotten Ones that worship the old gods, and if others among the Forgotten Ones were to discover this, they would be forced to ostracize or destroy you. You must offer a blood sacrifice to the Old Gods by murdering something in the outdoors at sunset once a game and leave a blood splatter out of character.  If you do not offer a sacrifice by sunset on Saturday you suffer the Bleed condition for the rest of game, even if bandaged or otherwise healed.
      To: Thrall of the Grey Ones (-3) While not common, you belong to a group of the Forgotten Ones that worship the old gods, and if others among the Forgotten Ones were to discover this, they would be forced to ostracize or destroy you.  You have not sworn any vow to them, and do not suffer a sin of blasphemy. You must offer a blood sacrifice to the Old Gods by murdering something in the outdoors at sunset once a game and leave a blood splatter out of character.  If you do not offer a sacrifice by sunset on Saturday you suffer the Bleed condition for the rest of game, even if bandaged or otherwise healed.
    • On https://ageofasheslarp.com/benalian-cyanite/, we added clarification “This vow applies to the Cyanite’s relationship with others, and does not apply to rituals of their faith.”
    • On https://ageofasheslarp.com/materials/, removed the duplicate “cleansed triumverati ashes.” It is an uncommon wyrd quest material, and not a common wyrd quest material. 
    • On https://ageofasheslarp.com/grey-ones/ Changed Grey Bastion: There is a downside to this boon, however, for when it is used, all companions within speaking distance, including the user, must make an Anacrusis roll.
      To: There is a downside to this boon, however, for when it is used, all companions within speaking distance, including the user, must make an Anacrusis roll. For the purpose of this roll, Sveas falls under the water element, Aufvalder under the air element, Ura under the Earth element, and Ulfrandr under the fire element.
  • On each of the Triumverati ritual pages (Tarrantists, Kuarlites, and Lazarines) we have added the following clarification: All Rank 0 rituals do not cost XP to learn. 
  • On https://ageofasheslarp.com/terms/ 
    • Changed Despair: A State in which the character is considered to be at level 0 for all skills and in which they cannot gain or use hope. Despair can be shaken by getting a new point of depravity, accepting a related insanity, earning a personal victory, or through specific character skills and abilities
      To: A State in which the character is considered to be at level 0 for all skills and in which they cannot gain or use hope. Despair can be shaken by getting a new point of depravity, accepting a related insanity, earning a personal victory, or through specific character skills and abilities. Despair is acquired in a number of ways, including suffering a personal failure or watching a close friend die- even if you are sure they will return. 
    • Added Arcane <effect>, arcane powerstrike, arcane resist <effect>
    • Added: Improvised/Crude, this item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter.  After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
    • Changed Sunder: Sunder-The defender’s equipment is reduced to a state that the defender is no longer able to use any skills or calls with it. It is rendered completely useless and broken after combat, and must be repaired or replaced in order to use it again.
      To:  Sunder causes a piece of armor or a weapon to lose all of its calls. You may still use the weapon with no skills until the end of the fight. A shield that is Sundered is useless and all attacks pass through it. Ideally, it should be discarded to the ground if possible.
    • Added the following clarification to Escape: Escape may be used in certain situations where the character meets the qualifications.  For example, if you possess the skill Slippery Customer and can reach an unlocked window with your hand, if you possess contortionist and perform 30 secs of wriggling near an opening your head can fit into, or if you have Speed 2 and are 20 feet away from another character. Provided no one else has the same call and skill, the character has successfully fled the scene and evaded pursuers.  If you successfully escape enter the OOC state by placing a closed fist on your forehead and swiftly exiting the area. You must re-enter game out of line of sound and sight from those you escape from
    • Changed Maims: Maims are a permanent injury, and cannot be Stabilized. They represent grievous injury, the likes of which will not heal on their own and require specialized healing.
      To: Maims are a permanent injury, and cannot be Stabilized. Maims are inflicted after a limb or torso is Battered and then hit again. They represent grievous injury, the likes of which will not heal on their own and require specialized healing.
    • Added under Natural Philosopher: Perception. Perception allows you to see things that are not visible to most people. Perception tags may be taken and picked up unless the tag specifically says you cannot. If you wish to engage with the tag, we recommend picking it up and bringing it with you.
    • Added the following text under Social: When utilizing social powers please use both the assigned hand symbol and the verbal call. This is to ensure that people who might not be sure of which power you are using, or if you’re using a power at all, are certain, and they know which defense they can use. When using group social powers you may add a verbal call “Group” in addition to the Group hand sign to clarify to those that do not see your sign. 
    • Added a Finesse section with the following: Finesse is the Skill tree that encompasses skills involving deftness of hands, subtle control of your body, and stealth.One skill branch that falls under the Finesse skill tree is Legerdemain, which allows characters to steal items from other characters.  Staff has a thief log where they keep track of everything that is taken from another player. In the event that you steal an item, you must steal both the phys rep and attached tag. For example, when looting armor off of the battlefield, you will need to remove the armor from the character rather than simply taking a tag from their body. Please bring the phys rep prop and the tag to staff, where we will keep the prop for safe-keeping and return to the owner, and will issue you a tag for the item for you to attach to your own phys rep at your next opportunity. The player who has been stolen from can require that the thief use the original prop for the tag.
  • On https://ageofasheslarp.com/perks-and-flaws/ 
    • Changed the “Loremaster” perk to “Archivist”
    • Changed Honor Code: The character is honor sworn to a specific set of principles or rules. You determine a number of Beliefs, which are “Always” or “Never” statements with no qualifiers such as “unless or” “except when” about your character’s personal ethics.  Violating these precepts works exactly as if you were violating your Devotion, causing a Personal Failure.Given that breaking these tenets results in a personal failure, for each tenet you provide you must also provide an explanation of why this tenet is so important to your character it would result in a personal failure and list some examples of failure states.These tenets should be “above and beyond” normal behavior,  be action oriented rather than thought oriented, something that a player would regularly encounter in the game space, have an obvious failure condition, and be a meaningful tenet that carries emotional weight.For each point this flaw awards, two Beliefs are required
      To: The character is honor sworn to a specific set of principles or rules. You determine a number of Beliefs, which are “Always” or “Never” statements with no qualifiers such as “unless or” “except when” about your character’s personal ethics.  Violating these precepts works exactly as if you were violating your Devotion, causing a Personal Failure.

      Given that breaking these tenets results in a personal failure, for each tenet you provide you must also provide an explanation of why this tenet is so important to your character it would result in a personal failure and list some examples of failure states.

      These tenets should be “above and beyond” normal behavior, be action oriented rather than thought oriented, something that a player would regularly encounter in the game space, have an obvious failure condition, and be a meaningful tenet that carries emotional weight. Some good examples include: I will always pray for at least one minute before engaging in any combat AND I will never allow a non-Benalian to touch a Benalian artifact.

      For each point this flaw awards, two Beliefs are required
  • On https://ageofasheslarp.com/righting-wrongs/ corrected example 6a to be venial bias rather than venial blasphemy
  • On https://ageofasheslarp.com/schematics/
    • Changed Simple Alchemical Schematic: Antitoxin – Removes the effects of a normal toxin from a monster
      To: Antitoxin – Reduces all attribute effects, both positive and negative, from an alchemical concoction that is delivered via ingestion or inhalation by the level of antitoxin.
    • Changed Intermediate Alchemical Schematic: Potent Antitoxin – Removes the effects of a normal or potent toxin from a monster
      To: Potent Antitoxin: Reduces all attribute effects, both positive and negative, from an alchemical concoction that is delivered via ingestion or inhalation by the level of antitoxin.  Cannot be resisted by the tolerance grit skill or by subjects under the tolerance builder effect.
    • Changed Simple Alchemical Schematic: Antivenom – Removes the effects of a normal venom
      To: Antivenom –  Reduces all attribute effects, both positive and negative, from an alchemical concoction that is delivered via injury or contact by the level of antivenom.
    • Changed Intermediate Alchemical Schematic: Potent Antivenom – Removes the effects of a normal or potent venom
      To: Reduces all attribute effects, both positive and negative, from an alchemical concoction that is delivered via injury or contact by the level of antivenom. Cannot be resisted by the tolerance grit skill or by subjects under the tolerance builder effect.
    • Changed Simple Alchemical Schematic: Bearclaw, corrected excitent to excitant
    • Added Woundstitcher schematic to the simple alchemical schematics
    • Fixed typo that had longbow as a gun
    • Removed placeholder intermediate alchemical potion  
    • Added the following schematics:
        • Basic Foul Concoction
          • 1 herb with the foul effect
          • An ingestible concoction with the foul property. Can be added to any food or drink. 
        • Improvised metal edged weapon
          • 2 hard iron
          • Medium Weapon
          • Bleed. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised metal driving weapon
          • 1 hard iron
          • Light Weapon
          • Driving. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised wooden driving weapon
          • 1 hard wood
          • Light Weapon
          • Driving. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised wooden blunt weapon
          • 2 hard wood
          • Medium Weapon
          • Crushing. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised metal blunt weapon
          • 2 hard iron
          • Medium Weapon
          • Crushing. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised leather blunt weapon
          • 2 heavy leather
          • Medium Weapon
          • Crushing. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised metal hooked weapon
          • 2 hard iron
          • Medium Weapon
          • Disarm. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised wooden hooked weapon
          • 1 hard wood
          • Medium Weapon
          • Disarm. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised metal dense weapon
          • 2 hard iron
          • Medium Weapon
          • Sunder. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised wooden dense weapon
          • 2 hard iron
          • Medium Weapon
          • Sunder. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
        • Improvised leather dense weapon
          • 2 heavy leather
          • Medium Weapon
          • Sunder. This item can only be used for a single combat or scene, whatever is shorter. After that it breaks and must be repaired in order to be used again as a tagged item.
  • Herbs with the mending quality have been added to the database