Teens on Mana is, mechanically, based on the Kids on Brooms system. The gameplay and skills section relies heavily on KoB, with some name changes; more mechanics have been expanded upon, and new rules are obviously made up. You can hover on labelswow, secrets! for more info. (click on mobile)
Gameplay
Casting rolls
The main gameplay of ToM is based on casting rolls.
Whenever an event calls for it, The GM will set skill and difficulty for you to roll.
difficulties
ToM Difficulty
Desc
D&D DC equivalent
1 to 2
ridiculously easy
5
3 to 6
easy, but failable
10
7 to 9
easy if you're skilled
15
10 to 12
impressive, but expected if you're skilled
17
13 to 16
incredible, even when skilled
20
17 to 19
incredible, even when skilled
22
20 +
nearly impossible
25
To cast a roll, roll the dice of the declared skill and add any relevant bonuses, traits or ranks .
If you roll the maximum value on a dice, you critmax: meaning get to roll again, adding both dice rolls
If you are not in a rush, you can take your time: meaning you may use 1/2 of your skill dice value instead of rolling
Sometimes, you may not have time to do a proper cast. In these situations, you are reacting: meaning you cannot take your time or get help
fail/success tresholds
| result disparity with target |
Desc |
|---|---|
| +10 or more | succeeds flawlessly and effortlessly. May gain additional benefits. |
| +9 to +5 | succeeds impressively. May gain minor additional benefits. |
| 4 to 1 | succeeds adequately. |
| 0 | barely succeeds, nearly fails but just makes it. |
| -1 to -4 | fails inconsequentially. |
| -5 to -9 | fails pretty bad. May suffer minor consequences. |
| -10 to -14 | fails impressively. Should suffer significant consequences. |
| -15 or more | fails catastrophically. Will suffer long-term consequences. |
Once your total calculated, you can expend to increase your total. It is recommended to save your to avoid failures, or at least lower the failure treshold.
If you don't have enough left, you can get help; meaning another player's can be used to boost your cast, granted the player narrate how their character is helping.
If, after all bonuses and boosts, you still fail your cast, it's okay! You get to recieve one
Casting Spells
Casting spells is similar to casting regular rolls, but additional stats are added. Every spell cast benefits from the magic died4.
Spells have their own difficulty system open spell cost calculator)
Confrontation
When starting a confrontation, start with an engagement roll. The attacker must roll
tussle
vs the defender's
grit
to confront or
flight
to flee. This determines the order in which the following contested rolls happend.
contested rolls
| result |
effect |
narrative |
|---|---|---|
| D wins by 10 or more | D ripostes | D narrates how they turn A's attack agaisnt them |
| D matches or surpasses A | D is unaffected | D explains how they doge/resist |
| A wins by 3 or less | D is momentarily inconvinienced | A attack, D explains how they mitigate |
| A wins by 6 or less | D is moderately hurt | A attack, D defends, A retorts |
| A wins by 9 or less | D is significantly hurt | A attack, D attempts defence, A retorts |
| A wins by 10 or more | D is a gravely hurt, or dead | A takes narrative control for the attack |
Fear mechanic
fear
| malus |
fear level |
|---|---|
| -1 | fear instance is minor / distant |
| -2 | fear instance is nearby / persistent |
| -3 | fear instance is present / overwhelming |
Skills
 |
Smart or academic knowledge; the ability to use logic and figure things out
used to reveal secrets, decode/encoode messages, perform divination...
|
 |
Charm or social aptitude; the ability to read emotion and manage conversation
used to create illusions, disguise your intention, and, tough frowned upon, influence other's thinking
|
 |
Grit or resolve; the ability to keep your cool and being streetwise
used to dispell magic, protect yourself or others
|
 |
Vigor or physique; the ability withstand bodily challenges
used for telekinesis, restraints, and the likes
|
| |
Tussle or fight; the ability withstand challenge an opponent
used for attacks, breaking curses, and blowing shit up
|
 |
Flight or evasion; the ability to get the fuck out of dodge
used to hide, evade attacks, and move by magical means
|
 |
And dont forget your Magic Die (d4) when casting spells! |
More mechanics
Classes & Ranks
Some classes have specializations, which act as their own standalone skill. Altough I'm thinking of implementing a mechanic that reduces the cost of ranking up in specializations if you already have ranks in the class?
Classes
| class |
subclass |
applicable situations |
|---|---|---|
| MMBMage & Magic Basics | - | understanding magic, knowing the rules, creating spells... |
| ANIArcane Notation Interpretation | - | reading/wrinting spells/recipies, deciphering old scrolls... |
| ALCAlchemy | - | crafting/identifying/developping potions/canisers/etc |
| MDPMagic Deflection and Protections | - | defending agaisnt magical threats, making wards... |
| S&SSpirits and Summoning | - | interacting with spirits, planar knowledge... |
| TFGTransfiguration | - | Shapeshifting (items, familiars, self) |
| DVIDivination | - | Predicting events, gain insight... |
| MRIMagical Ressources & Ingredients - Inert matter | mattery | identifying, finding, refining inert matter (crystals, metals, dust...) |
| MRIMagical Ressources & Ingredients - Botany | botany | identifying, finding, refining botanical matter (plants!) |
| MRIMagical Ressources & Ingredients - Botany | zoology | identifying, finding, refining zoologic matter or beings (animals!) |
| AUGArcane Augmentation | enchantment | identifying, developping, crafting enchantments |
| AUGArcane Augmentation | druidism | identifying, developping, crafting druidic enhancements |
| AUGArcane Augmentation | artificery | identifying, developping, crafting arcanomechanical/technical items |
It works by investing points into each classes, which upon certain tresholds, lets you gain Ranks, which gives you bonuses to add to your rolls. These points are invested between sessions, during "level up" (even tough there are no levels).
Ranks
| Investment |
Rank |
Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | beginner | none |
| 2 | trained | +1 |
| 5 | studied | +3 |
| 10 | master | +5 |
Crafting
Using a difficulty mechanic similar to spells, tough various bonuses or maluses can apply
Unless you have a rank in the corresponding craft class, the crafting is a reactionprevents the "taking your time" mechanics. If you have ranked up in the corresponding class, add your rank bonus. Additionally, you may take your timelets you use 1/2 your dice value instead of rolling. You may only get helplets another player donate some essence to boost your roll if the other player also has a rank on the corresponding class
Crafting Classes
| Class | Subclass | Product |
|---|---|---|
| ALC | - | Brew a Potion/Tincture (applies to a person) Canisters/Capsules (aoe) |
| AUG | Enchantment | Add a temporary bonus to an item |
| AUG | Druidism | Appeal to a natural phenomenon? I guess?? |
| AUG | Artificery | Create a one-time use contraption |
Crafting is much more involved than your traditional spellcasting. As such, some requirements might need to be met. On top of the base difficulty, unmet requirement may be added by your GM.
Crafting Mechanics
| difficulty modifier |
instance |
|---|---|
| 20 | missing key ingredient ✦ a special, rare ingredient that needs a quest to aquire |
| 12 | missing key component/tool ✦ ex: brewing a potion without a cauldron |
| 8 | missing recipe ✦ not necessarily a physical one, can be remembered |
| 5 | missing basic ingredients ✦ the kind you can find in a shop or in the class's storage |
| 3 | improper environment ✦ ex: crafting in your dorm room instead of the artificery workshop |
Alternatively (or additionally), crafting might come with a non-numerical cost. It might take time, making your characters miss events, or mana, making your character magically exhausted and unable to cast spell until you rest.