Persona 2129 Mechanics v4

This is a pastebin describing the mechanics of Persona 2129 Quest, v4. They may be changed at the QM's discretion.

UPDATED ON: 14/5/2016


[NOTABLE CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS VERSION]
-Removed overflows due to proving useless in practice.
-Added d100 and d10, included combat chain from Deniable Assets Quest.
-Added loadout system for equipment.
-Changed all opposing dice rolls to dice checks, added analysis system for gauging difficulty. All social stat rolls from now on will follow the dice check system.


Contents:
    -Voting
    -Dice Rolls
    -Star Points
    -Personas and the Velvet Room
    -Social Links
    -Social Stats
    -Combat Stats and Skills
    -C. EXP
    -Macca
    -Inventory and Loadouts
    -Build EXP and Safehouse

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[VOTING]

Choices will be given like this:
>This is a choice.
>This is another choice.
>This is yet another choice. How quaint.
>"This is a choice in quotes."
>[SOCIAL STAT] This is a choice whose success is based off one of Takashi’s social stats. May incur a roll if requirement is not met. See Dice Rolls section for more information.
>[ABILITY/STAT/SKILL/ITEM] This choice involves the usage of an ability, a regular stat or a skill. May incur a roll if a stat requirement is not met.
>[LOCKED] This is a locked choice and cannot be chosen. These will only be displayed for hints of future stuff or as jokes. They will have their requirements placed next to them like so: (EXAMPLE SOCIAL STAT Rank 3 Needed).
>Custom option. You can write whatever you want here.

Voting generally ends after ten to fifteen minutes; twenty to twenty-five is given for the opening post. You may choose more than one option, unless it includes a locked choice.

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[DICE ROLLS]

Dice rolls will be best out of three. Three types will be used:  D10, D20 and  D100. D20, with its higher crit/critfail rate will be used for ‘mundane’ rolls such as cooking, acting, fishing, studying and other activities found in an average adolescent’s life. D100 will be used for ‘suspenseful’ rolls such as combat, exploration, speech checks, exam rolls and other scenarios that are more vital towards progress through the quest. The D10 will be used for the combat chain system, done in groups of three. More information about the combat chain can be found here: http://pastebin.com/KypPFgFr. Note that in this quest Star Points are used in place of Adrenaline Points, but the difference is purely in name.

A crit is equal to the highest dice value and a critfail is equal to the lowest. They will always be on, except during a combat chain.

The values of dice rolls can be increased/decreases through the use of items, skills or talents.

Due to their random nature, opposing rolls have been removed. In their place, a dice check system will be used. The exact difficulty of dice checks will be based on the overall situation and several factors of the parties involved, such as social stats, known skills, elemental affinities and combat stats. For example, moving to cover is likely to be an easy check, whereas parrying a blow swung by a powerful enemy is likely to be hard.

Information about dice checks will be obscured, but can be obtained by increasing the controlled party’s Dice Check Analysis Level (DCA Level for short). This can be done by learning certain skills, equipping certain items or having a trained Spotter in the party. Do not expect to obtain a high DCA Level without a great amount of effort. This is an experimental system and is liable to change.

The DCA Levels are broken up as follows:

    -LEVEL 0 (None): You have no information about the dice check. Pray to god you succeed.

    -LEVEL 1 (Basic): You gain a difficulty rating of the roll described with text (e.g. Easy, Medium, Hard, Very Hard, Extremely Hard).

    -LEVEL 2 (Standard): You gain the rating from LEVEL 1 as well as the stats/affinities/talents/skills that the dice check is being based off. (e.g. STRENGTH, DEXTERITY, CHARISMA, Savate, Fire resistance, electrical affinity).

    -LEVEL 3 (Intermediate): You gain the rating, the stats/affinities/talents/skills that the dice check is being based off and an estimated range on the dice check (e.g. 16-30, 40-50, 70-90). Rolling a value within to the lower bounds of the estimated range does NOT mean you will pass the check; the range is merely there as a (possibly inaccurate) approximation. You should aim to roll as high as possible.

    -LEVEL 4 (Advanced): You gain a text description of dice check, judging stats/affinities/talents and a narrower (and thus more accurate) DC range. Disclaimer from LEVEL 3 still applies.

    -LEVEL 5 (Expert): Text description of dice check, judging stats/affinities/talents, exact DC obtained.

The information from the analysis will be made available during the roll and possibly the choices leading up to it.

It is obvious that the players will favor choices that lead to easier rolls over harder ones. To compensate for this, overcoming difficult rolls with provide bonuses--C. EXP, money, social stats increases, reputation and possibly even new skills or talents in special cases.


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[STAR POINTS]
Star Points give the players to power to succeed where they should have failed. They are acquired by…
    -Selecting the appropriate bonus at a LEVEL UP.
    -Obtaining double crits in any single die roll.
    -Obtaining triple 10s in a 3d10 roll.
    -Completing optional side objectives.
    -Purchasing them at shops.
    -Finishing an Act in the Forlorn Abyss

Star Points can be used to…
-Negate a critfail. It will be removed and the next roll will be taken. This option overrides any other option.
-Grant 25% of the dice value to the highest roll, but only if a certain item is equipped.
-In the combat chain, reroll a failed roll.
-2 Star Points can be spent to reroll.

All Star Point votes will possess half the time of regular votes.

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[PERSONAS and the VELVET ROOM]

Takashi’s main gimmick is that he isn’t limited to just one Persona. He is able to wield multiple due to the power of the Wild Card. Unfortunately, he isn’t as inherently gifted as his predecessors and can only equip a limited amount of Personas at a time. This can be increased by levelling up the Fool Social Link or completing additional side objectives.

Personas can be acquired and exchanged in the Velvet Room. Something has changed and the usual Persona fusion is no longer available. Retrieving Personas out of the Compendium does not Macca.

New Personas will be granted when the associated Social Link reaches a certain level. A selection will be shown and you will be given the option to choose one. When a new Persona is chosen, the power of the Social Link will be focused on that Persona alone. It will become the Arcana's 'main Persona'. All previous Personas will no longer receive any Social Link bonuses, although they can still be used.

Of course, it’s possible to reject the new Personas and focus the power of Takashi's bonds on his current ones. What effects could this potentially have…?


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[SOCIAL LINKS]

Social Links are representations of the bonds Takashi shares with others, each one based off a particular Major Arcana. As the power of the Wild Card comes the strength of one's bonds, levelling up Social Links is crucial to progressing through the quest. This is usually done by spending time with the people involved. Some Social Links will progress naturally, most must be manually taken care of.

All Social Links begin at Level 1 and max out at Level 10. Levelling up a particular Social Link increases the power of the Personas of that Arcana. It may also unlock additional Personas within the Velvet Room.

Social Links have five main states:
    -NORMAL: The default state of a Social link. The link is proceeding as usual.
    -MAXED: The Social Link has reached its end and an unbreakable bond has been formed. The Ultimate Persona of that Social Link’s Arcana is thus rewarded.
    -REVERSED: The Social Link no longer represents a bond of friendship and love, but rather one of enmity and hatred. A Social Link will gain this status if Takashi heavily offends the people involved. Examples include refusing to spend time with the people holding the Link, giving improper answers during conversations or booking two holiday invitations on one day. All associated Personas will be weakened. The reverse effect will last until Takashi reconciles with the Social Link’s participants.
    -BROKEN: The Social Link is destroyed and almost irreparable. Takashi can no longer wield the associated Personas. It is possible to fix a Broken Social Link back to Normal, but it is very difficult…
    -DEAD: The Social Link is dead. This only occurs if one or more of the participants has died. Obviously, it cannot increase or decrease. All bonuses gained in the past will be retained, but the associated Personas will neither grow nor weaken.

Takashi’s Social Links will also influence the battle potential of the people involved. The deeper their bonds are with him, the stronger they become. This is especially important for fellow AETHER Party Members. When their Social Links reach certain levels, you will be given options to improve their stats and acquire new abilities.


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[SOCIAL STATS]

There are four crucial social stats: UNDERSTANDING, CHARISMA, INTELLIGENCE, WILLPOWER. Levelling them up is crucial to the player’s progress. They will unlock dialogue choices, Social Links, special interactions with characters, improve dice rolls and much more. Each one has six main ranks and three negative ranks. Negative ranks are only really there for storytelling purposes.

The requirement for each rank will be revealed when the rank below it has been achieved.

UNDERSTANDING: The ability to empathize with your fellow man. You need to this if you want to comprehend what others are feeling. Good for maintaining relationships and forgiving others.

-Sociopath (-200)
-Callous (-120)
-Cold Hearted (-50)
-Insensitive (-15)
-Basic (0)
-Average (15)
-Kindly (60)
-Generous (150)
-Brotherly (???)
-Saintly (???)

It can be increased by…
-Reading some books
-Being selfless and kind to others

CHARISMA: The ability to influence and convince others. It is a combination of appearance, strength of character and charm. Some individuals will only talk to you once this has increased to a certain level. Good for seeing through deception, resisting coercion, haggling prices and manipulating others. Can potentially avoid combat scenarios.

-Withdrawn (-220)
-Misanthrope (-100)
-Reclusive (-50)
-Distant (-15)
-Unsocial (0)
-Ordinary (15)
-Assertive (65)
-Confident (150)
-Popular (???)
-Divine (???)

It can be increased by…
-Reading some books
-Attending drama classes
-Selecting certain dialogue choices
-Increasing one's reputation around school.

INTELLIGENCE: The amount of knowledge and the ability to learn, think and remember. Useful when one encounters unfamiliar situations or needs to think quickly. Increasing this is crucial to scoring high on exams.

-Complete Dunce (-200)
-Stupid (-100)
-Feeble Minded (-60)
-Thick (-20)
-Slacker (0)
-General (20)
-Decent (70)
-Smart (160)
-Expert (???)
-Scholar (???)

It can be increased by…
-Studying at home or with friends
-Listening in class
-Providing the correct answer in classes
-Reading books

WILLPOWER: The strength of one’s mind and personality. Allows a person to persevere through difficult circumstances and emerge without losing confidence. Good for intimidating others, resisting temptation and keeping one’s cool in the face of danger. Can also be used to frighten others and coerce them into obeying you.
-Craven Doormat (-200)
-Spineless (-100)
-Faint Hearted (-60)
-Anxious (-15)
-Mild (0)
-Standard (20)
-Reliable (65)
-Determined (160)
-Courageous (???)
-Heroic (???)

It can be increased by…
-Attending sports clubs.
-Training your body.
-Winning duels
-Fighting optional bosses.

Be sure not to neglect your social stats throughout the course of the quest.

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[COMBAT STATS and SKILLS]

See the Persona, Character Sheet and Spell/Skill pastebins for more information. The links are found in the quest OP.

But the rundown is that every person has six main attributes. They are STRENGTH, MAGIC POTENTIAL, ENDURANCE, AGILITY, LUCK and DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL. These are all measured with a letter ranking system, starting from E- and increasing to A+ (then S-, S and S+).

STRENGTH (STR): Raw physical power. Affects...
        -Physical and gun skills
        -Intimidation rolls (along with Willpower)
        -Usage of weapons requiring power, such as sledgehammers or greatswords

DEXTERITY (DEX): Skill and grace with the actions of one’s hands. Affects…
        -Usage of weapons requiring finesse, such as rapiers or bows
        -Precise attacks, such as gun skills or certain martial art techniques (Japanese kenpo, some aspects of karate etc.)
        -Cast speed of spells
        -Stealth skills
        -Tasks requiring control over many small parts, such as repairing machines
        -Reflexes and hand-eye coordination

MAGIC POTENTIAL (MAG): Aptitude to perform magic, also known as the power to alter reality. Affects…
        -Amount of mana
        -Resistance against magic
        -Cast speed and spell power
        -Persona augmentation and chi casting
        -Usage of magically enhanced weapons

ENDURANCE (END): The measure of one’s overall fitness. A character with high endurance may survive where others may not. Affects...
        -Amount of vitality
        -Amount of stamina
        -Pain tolerance
        -Resistance against attacks
        -Resistant against ailments...a little

AGILITY (AGL): Coordination and the ability to move one's own body well. Affects...
        -Running speed
        -Reflexes and evasion
        -Speed of attacks
        -Body control and balance
        -Escape rate from battle
        -Stealth skills

LUCK (LCK): Fate and Karma, a measurement of success and failure through chance. Isn't as important as the previous five...or is it?
        -Certain dice rolls
        -Loot drops
        -Macca earned
        -Random encounters

DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL (DEV): Rate at which the persona/Persona grows and gains experience. Affects...
        -The rate at which new skills and abilities are obtained or learned
        -C. EXP gained
        -C. EXP requirements for the next LEVEL UP
        -Social Stats (a little bit)
        -Skills and stat boosts from Social Link increments (other Personas only)

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[C. EXP and LEVEL UPs]

C. EXP stands for COMPETENCE EXPERIENCE. It is gained engaging in combat or passing dialogue choices. Once you have enough C. EXP equivalent or more than the denominator (i.e. requirement), you may LEVEL UP. When you LEVEL UP, you will grow stronger. Depending on the circumstances, you may increase base stats, learn new abilities, gain new skills or even a combination of all three.

If more C. EXP than what the current LEVEL UP requirements requires is accumulated, then the LEVEL UP will proceed as usual and the remaining C. EXP will spill over to the progress for the next LEVEL UP.

Overflows proved to be useless in practice and were removed.


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[MACCA]

In the year 2051, the currency of Japan was changed from yen to macca. Somehow, it works inside the Blackened Void and the Forlorn Abyss. Either way, you will need it to purchase weapons, equipment, healing items, combat items, bribes and more. Debt is also possible, and if you don’t pay up in time you will be punished.

Macca will now be measured in terms of 1000s (k). For example: 10k refers to 10,000 Macca and 12.5 k refers to 12500 Macca.


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[INVENTORY and LOADOUT]

You will encounter a number of items during the quest. There are several categories:
    WEAPONS: Tools of war.
    DEFENSIVE EQUIPMENT: Armor and protective charms.
    ACCESSORIES: Rings and other objects that benefit the wearer.
    HEALING ITEMS: Name says its all. Includes status healing items.
    COMBAT ITEMS: Items to be used during battles, such as explosives or weapon augmenting consumables.
    KEYS: Used to open doors.
    MISCELLANEOUS: Stuff that cannot be fitted into the above six categories.
    SUMMON OBJECT: For summoning Companions.
    SPECIAL: Very important goods, don't lose them.

Some items are bought in stores, others are found as treasures in the Blackened Void. Use them when the situation requires for it. You may even persuade others with certain items.

In certain situations, usually before missions, you will be asked to organize Takashi's loadout. This means choosing the WEAPONS, DEFENSIVE EQUIPMENT and ACCESORIES he is to take into battle. At the beginning, he can only choose 1 WEAPON, 1 piece of DEFENSIVE EQUIPMENT and 2 ACCESSORIES. This may change depending on the success of the system and choices made during the quest. Most loadout stuff affects dice rolls (by percentages), so do your utmost to find the most optimal loadout.

If there are not enough pieces of equipment for the players to make choices, loadout selection will be skipped.

You do not have to organize the loadouts of other members of the party. They will be automated, as before.

Thanks to kami_789 for providing the idea for the loadout system. His/Her stuff can be found here: http://pastebin.com/unLqQZWH

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[BUILD EXP and SAFEHOUSE]

In the middle of the Blackened Void, there lies the AETHER Player’s safehouse. It can be modified through the use of Build EXP, which is gained from completing AETHER missions. Any modifications made are instantaneous. As time passes, more options will be made available. The safehouse upgrades will have plot significance, so get building.

Of course, you don’t have to use the magical computer program to construct the safehouse. You could just do it manually…