Note from the creator

This book would have never been possible without the valuable help of my friends and people who played the game over the years. As an indie creator of games, I never had the means to test my game extensively with thousands of players for thousands of hours. However, the instincts of my friends, their willingness to support me and our experience over the years have made up for what I lack in means.

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This game is dedicated to you all!
May we keep playing forever!

Yours faithfully,
Angelos Kyprianos

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How To Play The Game
Meteor Tales requires what most roleplaying games necessitate: a group of friends/players and a Game Master, along with pens, papers, and a grid for placing tokens during combat. Additionally, it requires half a set of polyhedral dice, specifically a D20, D12, and a D10. Each player must create one or two characters (preferably), and the Game Master must prepare a story for the characters to engage with. Following this, all steps for character creation must be adhered to, and the information should be transcribed onto character sheets, which are available Online for free download if not included with the purchase. Once all characters are completed and the Game Master has crafted their story, the adventure can commence!

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The Game System
Meteor Tales features dynamic combat and introduces a unique system called The Grit System, which lies at the core of the game. The aim was to create a gaming experience reminiscent of a fantasy novel, enabling epic cinematic combat with mechanics that are both simple and engaging. In the Grit System, a character’s performance in all endeavors, including combat, skills, and interactions with the environment, is determined by their Grit. This single bar, named Grit, dictates a character’s effectiveness. Rolls in the game are made using three main dice: a D20, a D12, and a D10, reflecting the character’s performance based on their Grit. As a character’s Grit decreases, so too do the dice they roll, impacting their overall performance. This straightforward mechanic facilitates dynamic shifts between characters without the need for complex calculations, modifiers, or explicit mechanics. It allows for diverse character abilities simply by altering the dice rolled. For example, a character equipped with a torch in a dark room might roll a D20, while a character without a torch would roll a D10, reflecting the torch’s advantage in the dark. Furthermore, external factors such as environmental conditions can influence dice rolls. For instance, during a severe storm, all characters engaged in combat may drop to rolling a D12, reflecting the storm’s adverse effects on their performance.

The Grit System, combined with a classless, boundless design and trademark character development of a Meteor Tales game, as well as a unique, modular approach for magic users, promises to deliver the gaming experience you’ve been longing for.

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Terminology

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Dice
Core Dice: These are the primary dice used in most rolls. They factor in all relevant modifiers, including Risk and Critical effects.
Bonus/Penalty Dice: These dice enhance or diminish a roll’s outcome but do not interact with modifiers like Risk or Critical effects. They simply adjust the final result without affecting other mechanics. Bonus Dice can be added to an attack roll before resolution or applied as additional damage or effects after a successful hit.
Strong/Weak Dice: Another die of the same type as the Core Die (or all Core Dice) is rolled and the best or worst roll applies.
Active Dice: A die is rolled automatically, independent of an Action or Reaction. It applies to Critical Effects but is unaffected by Risk (also referred to as Active Damage or Effect).
Mixed Dice: An additional die of a different type is rolled alongside others for special cases. It applies to Critical Effects but is unaffected by Risk.
Explosive Dice: When a die rolls its maximum

value, an additional die of the same type is rolled and added to the total. Risk and Critical factors remain unaffected.

Grit
Affected by Grit: Signifies if a selected Action or Skill is affected by a creature’s Grit Level.
Frail Grit: Poor status of a creature referring to performance.
Grit Points: Points that measure a creature’s overall effectiveness.
Grit Level: Determines a creature’s effectiveness varying from Prime, Reduced or Frail levels.
Prime Grit (or Default Grit Level): High status of a creature referring to performance represented by the D20.
Reduced Grit (or -1 Grit Level): Lowered status of a creature referring to performance represented by the D12.
Frail Grit (or -2 Grit Levels): Lowest status of a creature referring to performance represented by the D10.
Core Grit: Represents your character’s Grit Level as determined by internal factors only.
Effective Grit: Represents your character’s Grit Level after applying external modifiers.

Other Terms
Absorption: Indicates an Armor’s capacity to absorb Damage.
Actions: Number of Actions or Reactions a creature can perform in a round.
Active Action: An Action caused by a sustainable effect.
Advanced Domains: List of sophisticated Skill categories.
Advantage: Determines the order of all involved creatures in battle.
Adventuring: Skills that relate to adventuring.
Attributes: Core attributes of all creatures (Threat, Mobility, Vigor, Perception).
Basic Domains: List of most common Skill categories and subcategories.
Catalyst: A resource that fuels rituals and other practices, measured in charges.
Character Arc: A word or set of words that highlight a creature’s personality.
Conditions: Describes specific side effects that a creature suffers due to an event.
CR or Critical Resistance: Indicates an Armor’s capacity to reduce the severity of a Critical attack.
Crafts: Skills that relate to crafting.
Critical: Extra Damage or effect from high roll attacks by weapons or spells.
Critical Range: Determines when a weapon or spell scores a Critical hit across all Dice.
Critical Level: The Critical Level of an attack as a variable (+1 Critical refers to +1 Critical Level).
Difficulty: Target score that must be matched or overcome by Skills, Actions and generally Contested Checks.
Domains: Broad categories of Skills.
Durability Checks: Determine when an item is tested for its durability.
Durability: Determines an item’s resilience against hardships.
Duration: Determines when an effect expires.
Experience: Points that measure a character’s development.
Impact: Property that allows weapons to forfeit Armor Absorption.
Insignia: Refers to add-ons that can enhance spells.
Karma: Points that can be spent to affect the narrative of the story.
Legacy: Special abilities provided by a Race or Tribe.
Level: Milestones of characters gained via experience.
Magic: Skills & Effects that relate to magical combat.
Mastery: Development meter of a character based on experience.
Mental Effects: Spells or abilities that affect the mind of a target, usually related to Core Magic.
Mobile Action: An Action that includes Movement in a single sequence.
Mobility: Attribute that determines a creature’s movement speed.
Natural Range: Reach of a creature based on its size.
Perception: Attribute that determines a creature’s overall perception.
Quickdraw: A weapon that can be used without having to spend an Action to equip it.
Radius: Area of effect of a spell or ability measured in Tiles.
Range: Range of a weapon or spell measured in Tiles.
Risk: Measures the amount of Risk of an Action in combat.
Risk Roll: Success is guaranteed unless the roll falls within a Risk Zone.
Roll: A number value determined by rolling dice.
Round: Measures when creatures concluded their Actions in combat.
Shape: Describes the exact form that a spell can take under the guidance of a magic user.
Slot: Measures the capacity of an item, or the size of an item.
Spellbook: A collection of spells under a main school of magic.
Spells: Spells contained within a spellbook that relate to the main effect of the spellbook.
Sustained: Indicates that the ability or effect is ongoing, imposing Risk on the creature.
Threat: Attribute that determines a creature’s fierceness.
Throwable: Can also be used as a Ranged weapon.
Versatile: Can also be used as a 2-handed weapon gaining a +1 bonus to its Critical Range.
Vigor: Attribute that determines a creature’s innate resistance to spells and effects.
Warfare: Skills that relate to physical combat.
Worn: Can be used at all times without occupying the hand slot.