Kastorix
TTRPG Overview
Kastorix is the name of both the TTRPG and the world its set in. It's D20 based system heavily inspired by Pathfinder 2e.
In Kastorix magic is commonplace and mages are one of the main sources of power for nations. There are no classes, instead options comes from feats and spells. In a sense, everyone is a mage, though there is considerable between different mages from the feats chosen.
To start making a character players pick their species, then pick up feats and spells
The world and magic of Kastorix is inspired by magitech worlds like Eberron, Ravnica and Avishkar,
as well as progression fantasy worlds and stories like Arcane Ascension and Mother of Learning.
Actions
Kastorix words on a 3 actions system similar to Pathfinder 2e. On each turn players (and creatures) have three actions which they can spend on whatever they want to do. Common actions include Stride, Step, and Strike, but there are many more. There are some activities that cost more than one actions such as spellcasting which costs between 1 and 3 actions. The quickened and lowed status effects increase and reduce the amount of actions players start their turn with respectively.These symbols show how many actions an activity takes.
1 Action 
2 Actions 
3 Actions 
Creatures also have one reaction per round which they can use on other players turn
Stats
There are 4 primary stats in the game which are designed to all be useful to all charachters in some way.- Physique (PHY). Handles what would in Strength and Constitution in other RPG's, as strength is not very useful in a game about mages. How much health you have, how good are you at resisting damage and physical restraints, how much stuff can you carry
- Dexterity (DEX). Dodging spells and attacks, casting magic with somatic gestures, attacking with some weapons, acrobatics, sleight of hand
- Intelligence (INT). How many spells you know and much you can modify them. How quickly you learn spells and skills, history, arcana, crafting, society,
- Will (WIL). How much mana you have and how much you can put into spells, the strength of your aura.
Skills
Skills work similar to Pathfinder 2e, with a few changes. There are 18 skills in the game, and players can be trained, expert or master in them. Profficiceny bonus is +3 for trained, +6 for expert and +9 for master, but does not increase with level.
- Acrobatics, DEX - Jumps, flips, gymnastics, walking on edges
- Arcana, INT - Theoretical knowledge of magic and magical creatures
- Athletics, PHY- Pushing, pulling, carrying, holding. Interacting with heavy things.
- Crafting, INT - Making things, artifice, technology
- Deception, WIL - Lying, omitting the truth
- History, INT - Knowledge of the past
- Insight, WIL - Reading people.
- Intimidation, PHY - Scaring people
- Medicine, INT - Recognizing diseases and treating them. Fixing wounds. Anatomy
- Mana Sensing, WIL - Sensing Mana, Auras and Magical Creatures and objects
- Nature, INT - Knowledge of plants and creatures
- Perception, INT - Seeing, detecting, not missing things
- Performance, DEX - Dancing, performing, singing
- Persuasion, WIL - Debating, haggling, passing on the blame
- Society, INT - Reading and making maps. Knowledge of current cultures and events
- Sleight of Hand, DEX - Stealing things, but also delicate touches
- Stealth, DEX - Hiding, sneaking
- Survival, WIL - Finding tracks, not getting lost, "Applied Nature"
Character building/Progression
There are 16 levels, divided in the five ranks of magic users. Apprentice, Adept, Magus, Grand Magus and Archmage.
Each level provides a small increase in health and mana, as well as two feat and some other benefits.
Their are four types of feats: Arcane, Ancestry and General feats, as well as Advantages.
- Arcane feats comes from your practicing and learning of magic. You can pick one new arcane feat each level.
- General feats comes from your combat and general life experience. You can pick one new combat feat every other level.
- Ancestry feats comes from your species, and you can pick one new ancestry feat every third level.
- Advatages are powerful feats that shape your character. You pick one advantage at level 1, 4, 8, 12 and 16.
Level One
At level one players pick their species, which provides their base mana and health, some stat increases and a few special abilities. They then get to increase two stats by one point each, reduce one stat by one point.
- Pick a Background, which provides some skill proficiencies and a few special abilities
- Pick an Advantages, which provides a special ability
- Pick two Arcane Feats
- Pick one General Feats
- Pick one Ancestry Feat
Mana
Mana exists in all living things and is necessary for life.
Creatures ambiantly absorb mana from their surroundings, into their Mana Wells.
Larger and more magical creatures generally have larger Mana Wells.
Magical creatures use mana to fuel their magical abilities, like a dragons breath or a coatls flight.
Mages are simply those who use the mana in their Mana Wells to cast spells.
As mana is used, the Mana Well depletes, and must be refilled by absorbing more mana.
Doing this will over time grow the Mana Well, allowing more mana to be stored.
However if a Mana Wells runs out of mana, the creature will die.
There are no spell slots in Kastorix, Mana is the resource used to cast all spells.
Casting spells costs mana depending on their rank and traits.
Mages can cast spells beyond their natural mana limit, but doing risks mana poisoning and possibly death.
The rate of mana regeneration is based on the Mana Density of the location, but can be increased by certain feats and actions.
Mages can generally recover all their mana during a long rest, but in low mana density areas this can take longer.
Auras
Just as we breathe out carbon, mana not used by the soul is also expelled.
This forms what's known as an aura, clinging to the creature like breath on a cold day.
Auras are invisible to most, but mages can learn to see them, and some creatures can naturally see them.
They provide a weak magical shield around the creature, protecting them from harm.
As mana wells grow, so do auras, becoming stronger and more protective.
Mages can also learn to manipulate their auras, shaping them and using them for magical effects.
Creautes have an Aura Health equal to their mana.
Whenever they take damage, half of that is absorbed by their aura, which can be restored far easier than normal health.
When the Aura Health reaches zero, the creature takes full damage until the Aura Health is restored.
Poison and Vital damage bypass auras.
Mages can spend three actions to raise or lower their aura. While down it wont protect them, but it also can't be detected by others.
They also have the Aura Block reaction and the reinforce aura action.
Aura Block. when you would partially block damage with your aura. Block the force of the attack with your Aura, making it take all of the damage. If it breaks your aura, you take the remaining damage.
Reinforce Aura. Spend mana up to your level + your Wil times 2, and restore aura health by that amount.
Spellcasting
Spells are the tools of mages, allowing them to manipulate the world around them.
Spells are learned through study and practice, and can be modified and changed by the mage.
Spells are cast by expending mana, shaping it into the desired effect.
Spells can be cast quickly in the heat of battle, or prepared ahead of time for more complex effects.
Some spells are simple and straightforward, while others are complex and require careful planning.
Spells are invented, refined, and recorded by spellcasters around the world, resulting in thousands of spells and variants.
Many spells have been independently invented by different cultures and individuals across Kastorix.
To cast any spell in Kastorix you need to make spellshaping check to see if you succeed.
The difficulty of the check depends on the complexity and rank of the spell you are casting and the characters may have many bonuses and penalties to the roll.
In general spellcasting check are designed so that you succeed most of the time.
Spells have a vocal and somatic component, which adds INT and DEX to the spellcasting check respectively.
Attemting to cast a spell while silenced or restrained means casting without that component.
The result of the spellcasting check also serves as the "Spell Save DC" of other systems, meaning that spellcasting works via opposed rolls, (both parties roll dice).
Opposed Rolls
Kastorix works based on opposed rolls, for every action both combatants roll dice.
So there is no more "do I roll a dice? no its a spell so I roll against your saving throw".
Every spell cast requires a spellshaping check and their targets roll against it to dodge/resist/shield against them.
Basic attacks also use opposed rolls.
Instead of having an armor class, characters make Reflex saves against attack rolls.
Attacks hit if the attacker rolls higher than the defender.
Armor instead provides resistance to different types of damage, making it easier to survive hits.
Targetted Attacks
When making attacks or casting spells with the Targetting trait, attackers can choose to target a specific part of the body.
This can inflict special conditions, like blinding or slowing the target, but makes the attack harder to hit.
Creature gain a bonus to their Reflex saves based on the part of the body being targeted.
Attacks with a a weapon or spell with the Precision trait reduce this bonus by 2.
Some creatures have special body parts that can be targeted, like a dragons wings or losungis venom fangs
But there are some common weak points on most sapient creatures:
- Head +6 to Reflex saves. If hit the creature is dazed 2.
- Arms +3 to Reflex saves. If hit the creature has -2 pentalty to attacks and actions with that arm next turn
- Legs +3 to Reflex saves. If hit the creature has -1 tile move speed next turn
- Eyes +10 to Reflex saves. If hit the creature is blinded next turn