Extra rules for the first edition

by Magnus Seter 

Credits

Designer: Magnus Seter 
Valuable assistance: Per Brodén 
Special thanks to Nils-Erik Fahlvik, Anna Strindberg and Lisa Bydler, for being there way back when and putting up with my gamemastering for so long. 

Foreword

So here I am once more, in the playground of my broken rules. Or something like that. This is one of my two unofficial companions I put together way back in the late eighties and early nineties. The inspiration was of course The Cthulhu Companion, one of my favourite expansion for my favourite rpg … well, apart from WFRP. Or maybe CoC is better … no, WFRP … maybe.

The first unofficial companion I wrote and printed on a dot matrix printer was the acclaimed “The Unofficial Cyperpunk Companion”, for the original Cyberpunk game. Features from this “publication” were later incorporated into Cyberpunk 2020.

After that I started writing down my house rules for my 500 hours long WFRP campaign mostly set in Middenheim. This was done in 1991.

Any material found within this supplement have not been read by Games Workshop (ok, Carl Sargent once looked at it, and politely said that he liked some of it), and have as such of course never been approved as official rules additions. All views expressed in this text are the views of the author only, and have nothing to do with anything that Games Workshop may have said or done or are doing (except for their creating the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay system, that is). The same goes for all other publishers that have published the game.

The aim of this companion was to provide Warhammer players with extra rules, careers and other hardware, as well as discussing some basic approaches to campaign play in WFRP.

Starting careers and experience points

Any starter character will upon chosing his first career gain all the skills associated with the chosen career. While this is very simple and straightforward, gamemasters and players who are more familiar with the system might chose a different approach by simply giving each starting character a set amount of experience points which can be used to buy either skills or advances, even career changes. The suggested range of experience points is around 500 – 1000, the higher value the better characters.

If you’re not sure how much experience you wish to give the players, sit down and think about the overall campaign role the characters are going to have from the beginning and check the table below. If you find a role corresponding the ones in the table, then give the players the amount listed, else use your imagination and extrapolate the sums given. 

Amateur: 200 
Inexperienced: 400 
Average: 600 (normal starting value for WFRP characters) 
Minor adventurer: 800 
Recognised adventurer: 1000 

This will balance the amount of skills gained when choosing starting careers, and the extremely unprofitable beginning careers, such as Roadwarden, will not suffer from the more profitable careers, such as Outlaw. This means that all players will have roughly the same amount of skills from the beginning.

The gamemaster should be careful when letting players change careers during character generation though, and not let them go on to the advanced careers, keeping them with the basic careers. 

Some career modifications

Trollslayer +20 to WS instead of the +10 to BS.

 Watchman extra skill, Specialist Weapon – Halberd. 

Boatman extra skill, Swim. 

Tunnelfighter extra skill, Spot Trap. 

Templar extra skills, Ettiquette, R/W and Heraldry. 

Elves

As stated in the description on elves (page 15 in the rulebook), they are fine archers. So, instead of having them roll 2D10+20 for BS, let them switch the rolls for WS and BS, thus ending up with WS 2D10+20 and BS 2D10+30. One alternative is to let the player decide wether the switch should be made or not, as elves also are considered some of the finest melee warriors in the Old World. 

New careers

Introduced here are a lot of new careers to follow, complete with advance schemes and everything. Some of these are extensions or variations of those found in the basic WFRP rulebook (such as Mercenary Veteran, Roadwarden Sergeant and Pit Fighter Champion), and some are completely new, but all have their roots either in the medieval timeperiod or in the traditional fantasy setting found in most other role-playing games.

In the basic careers (noted with a (b) after the career name), the Career Entries can also function as Career Exits. The Careers noted with an (a) are advanced Careers.

Conjurer (b)

Always looking for people to entertain, the Conjurer is the equvivalent of the modern magician, having all kind of tricks up his sleeve. These people travel the Empire and the Old World, never staying for long at one place, always looking for new audiences to dazzle and entertain. Even though all knows that a Conjurer can’t be trusted, they are always welcome at fairs and local holidays, to provide some colour and entertainment to the arrangement.

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Skills: Cryptography, Palm Object, Wit 
Trappings: Flashy Clothes, Pigeons, Decks of Card, Collapsible Flowers, Nice-looking Assistant etc. 
Career Entries: Gambler, Bunko Artist 
Career Exits: Charlatan

Cook (b)

Even though being a Cook might not seem very adventurous, try working at the local Inn for a while. And good Cooks are always in demand, adventurers wanting someone to make their meals, households looking for someone to impress their neighbours with and so on. A Cook often has a couple of Servants working for him, running errands, cleaning the kitchen, washing up and such trivial tasks. Many of the legendary Cooks have been halflings, most notably the famous Maximilian Merriweather, the Master of Biscuits.

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Skills: Cook, Herb Lore 
Trappings: Cooking Utensils, Basic ingredients 
Career Entries: Servant 
Career Exits: Innkeeper 

Executioner (a)

One of the most despised occupations in the Empire, the Executioner still enjoys some fear-induced respect from the loyal citizens. Always on the move looking for work, the Executioner is a sorry sight, often having had the choice of taking the job or having his head cut off. They are most often alcoholics and most of them have homicidal tendencies. 

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Skills: Specialist Weapon – Two-handed weapon, Strike Mighty Blow, Strike to Stun, Rope Mastery (new skill), Consume Alcohol, Strike to Injure 
Trappings: Two-handed Sword or Axe, Executioners Hood, Coil of Rope 
Career Entries: Executioners Menial, Mercenary, Mercenary Veteran 
Career Exits: Assassin, Judicial Champion, Torturer

Executioners Menial (b)

Often an Executioner takes on a little child to follow him around and do the menial tasks the grown person can’t be bothered with, such as buying liqour, washing clothes and preparing dinner. As an Executioner’s idea of raising a child consists mainly of good thrashings and the occasional kick in the face, these young persons are often hushed, shy and terrified of any human contact, and too scared of the Executioner to run away. 

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Skills: Dodge Blow, Specialist Weapon – Fist Weapons, Street Fighting 
Trappings: Knuckledusters, Shortsword, Bottle of Spirit (for the Executioner) 
Career Entries: Thief, Beggar, Grave Robber, Tomb Robber, Labourer, Slave 
Career Exits: Excecutioner, Mercenary, Jailer

Innkeeper (a)

Many are the men who have dared the surronding lands and opened up a Coaching Inn, or even a Tavern in one of the larger cities. These people are often resourceful and competent, enjoying quite some respect in the emmidiate neighbourhood. It’s a hard job, and many Innkeepers find it useful to have some fighting experience to lean back on. 

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Skills: Blather, Brewing, Bribery, Charm, Consume Alcohol, Cook, Disarm, Numismatics, Strike Mighty Blow, Specialist Weapon – Two Handed Weapons, Strike To Stun 
Trappings: Inn
Career Entries: Cook, Trader 
Career Exits: Fence, Merchant

Inquisitor (a)

This is the most feared clerical official in the Empire. More devout than most Witch-hunters, the Inquisitors are always on the lookout for heretics and signs of chaos infiltrating the society and they are ruthless in their effort to purge the world from chaos, often torturing the suspects horribly and thereby making them confess to things so horrid people wonder if they at all commited those crimes. Some have said that the Inquisitors have murdered several thousands of innocents and that chaos itself is governing the head of curch. Needless to say, those opinions are heretic. The Inquisitors are based in Altdorf, the Imperial capital. 

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Skills: Etiquette, Law, Public Order, Read/Write, Secret Language – Classical, Torture, Speak Additional Language 
Trappings: Country Mansion, Town House, 3000 Gold Crowns (for expenses), D6 Scribes, Writing Equipment, D3 Torturers, Torturers Equipment, Executioner, Executioners Menial, Coach and Horses, Coachman, 2D10 Mercenaries, Mercenary Sergeant or Captain, D3 Clerics (level D4), Homing Pigeons, 10% chance of Witch-hunter, Incredibly Fancy Clothes 
Career Entries: Cleric (level 4) 
Career Exits: Witch-hunter, Monk

Majestic Exciseman (a)

Wielding even more power than the local Excisemen, the Majestic Excisemen collects taxes from all the local lords of the Empire. What is true of the Exciseman is even more true concerning the Majestic Exciseman. All are hated throughout the Empire and many are roumored to be corrupt, gaining personal wealth on the behalf of the starving populace. The Majestic Exciseman relays heavily on the authority presented in his military troops and his ability to request more miliatry aid directly from the Emperor.

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Skills: Cartography, Embezzling, Etiquette, Evaluate, History, Metallurgy, Numismatics, Public Speaking, Read/Write, Speak Additional Language, Super Numerate 
Trappings: Coach and Horses, Coachman, 3D10 Mercenaries, Mercenary Sergeant or Captain, D2 Scribes, Writing Equipment, 500 Gold Crowns (for exepenses) 
Career Entries: Lawyer, Merchant, Exciseman 
Career Exits: Explorer 

Mercenary Veteran (a)

Many Mercenaries never achieve the rank of Sergeant or Captain, but goes on fighting to make a living. Those who survive become expert warriors, skilled in the art of survival on and around the battlefield. Often chosen by officers to conduct raids on enemy lines and keep the not so experienced Mercenaries in line. To become a Mercenary Veteran, one have to participate in many campaigns and often fight against overwhelming odds. But those who survive becomes the veterans of war, the experts even kings and generals respect.

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Skills: Animal Care, Bribery, Concealment Rural, Consume Alcohol, Disarm, Dodge Blow, Drive Cart, Follow Trail, Ride, Secret Language – Battle, Silent Move Rural, Specialist Weapon – Polearm, Specialist Weapon – Two Handed Weapons, Specialist Weapon – Flail, Specialist Weapon – Parrying, Specialist Weapon – Fist Weapons, Street Fighter, Strike Mighty Blow, Strike To Injure, Wrestling, Sixth Sense 
Trappings: Full Helm, Mail Shirt, Shield, Hand Weapon, Crossbow, Specialist Weapon
Career Entries: Mercenary, Marine 
Career Exits: Mercenary Captain, Artillerist, Bounty Hunter, Judicial Champion, Outlaw 

Peasant (b)

Being a Peasant in the Old World is not an easy life. Trodden upon and often upon the brink of starvation, many are the men who leaves this hard and unrewarding life to seek their fortune elsewhere. Even so, they are the backbone of the Old World as they produce a great deal of the food and other material and pay the taxes the world needs to carry on their pursuit for happiness. Most Peasants feel the strain of the world heavily on their shoulders and trudge on in the same tracks year after year, as did their fathers, and their fathers before them.

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Skills: Animal Care, Drive Cart, Identify Plants, 25% chance of Very Resilient, Farming (new skill) 
Trappings: Small Patch of Land, Cottage, Farming Equipment, Draft Horse 
Career Entries: Slave, Labourer 
Career Exits: Agitator, Beggar, Footpad, Militiaman, Outlaw, Poacher, Servant 

Pit Fighter Champion (a)

The Pit Fighters that choose to remain at the arena after winning their freedom soon become what is known as Pit Fighter Champions. Those that survive, that is. Fearsome warriors and expert killers, these are the real crowdpleasers, drawing thousands of spectators to the arena when they perform, as they choose to call it. Highly paid, this is a profession that offers more danger than rewards. 

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Skills: Disarm, Dodge Blow, Specialist Weapon – Two Handed Weapons, Specialist Weapon – Flail, Specialist Weapon – Parrying Weapons, Specialist Weapon – Net, Specialist Weapon – Fist Weapons, Street Fighter, Strike Mighty Blow, Strike To Injure, Strike To Stun, Wrestling 
Trappings: Full Helm, Mail Shirt, Shield, Hand Weapon, Specialist Weapon 
Career Entries: Pit Fighter 
Career Exits: Judicial Champion, Mercenary

Prostitue (b)

The oldest profession in the world, some say, the prostitute is a person, male or female, selling sexual favours to other people. Often in the hands of a Pimp (treat as Bawd) who functions as a sort of manager. Unfortunately, many young boys and girls end up Prostitutes when coming to the big city searching for fame and glory. Most are ill-treated, often brutally beat up by customers and protectors and always badly paid.

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Skills: Seduction, Charm 
Trappings: Fancy and Revealing Clothes, Make-up 
Career Entries: Slave, Beggar, Peasant 
Career Exits: Bawd, Entertainer, Thief 

Roadwarden Sergeant (a)

After having spent time as a Roadwarden, some get the experience and authority to become Roadwarden Sergeants. Commanding troops of several Roadwardens, they patrol the roads and forests of the Empire and see to it that the laws of the Empire are upheld.

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Skills: Ride, Follow Trail, Strike Mighty Blow, Dodge Blow, Drive Cart, Specialist Weapon – Firemarms  
Trappings: Horse, Hand Weapon, Mail Shirt, Shield, Pistol, 2D10 Roadwardens 
Career Entries: Roadwarden 
Career Exits: Highwayman, Militiaman, Outlaw

Slave

Well, the Slave is not a very popular Career, I promise you, but it’s a fate that can happen to anyone. Most Slaves come from the countries surronding Araby, but many are the citizens of the Empire who have been kidnapped and sold on foreign slave markets. In the Empire, most slaves are treated relatively well, but there are always exceptions to this rule. Often, Peasants are forced to sell their young sons and daughters into slavery to the local lord, or to any passing strangers just to keep the children alive and to give them a chance of escaping the parents’ grief. 

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Skills: Dodge Blow, 25% chance of Animal Care, 25% chance of Drive Cart 
Trappings: None 
Career Entries: Any 
Career Exits: Servant, Peasant, Prostitute, Pit Fighter, Executioners Menial (all at Gamemasters discretion)

Archetypal careers (rough cut ideas)

These careers are for the heroes of old, the stuff that legends are made of, the shapers of our history. Any character having gained more than 1000 Reputation points (see that section) may choose any one of these Archetypical Careers, providing he’s got the necessary background and the skills needed as well as the experience. 

The advance schemes may seem outrageous at first, but remember that we are dealing with Heroes here (or Villains for that matter). The Archetypal Careers are provided so that even powerful characters have something to strive for, and so that the gamemaster can easily create a Villain to match the skills of the player characters. 

As stated above, any character wishing to enter an Archetypal Career must have at least 1000 Reputation points. He must also have the rudimentary skills of the Archetypal Career (see the specific careers) and 100 experience points to spend. If all these requirements are met, the player may spend 100 experience points, and move his character into the Archetypal Career. All normal rules concerning skills and advances apply. 

Dragonslayer (at)

The Dragonslayers are a breed of their own. Intent upon the destruction of the great wyrm and its minions, they seek all knowledge of dragons and their dwellings. 

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Skills: Dragon Lore, Arcane Language – Dragon 
Career Entries: Any advanced Warrior-type career 

Paladin (at)

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Skills: 
Career Entries: Cleric (level 4) or Templar

Archmage (at)

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Skills: Cast spells – Archmage Magic 
Career Entries: Magic-User (level 4)

New skills

Two new skills are mentioned in the section covering the new careers. They are presented here with additional new skills.

Antropology

This skill allows the character to identify humanoid creatures by racial traits. This might mean that he can see what kind of orcs that’s been following the characters and where they come from, and possibly their outlook on life (if it differs from other orcs). He can also make a guess as to how the creatures culture functions.

Farming

The knowledge of how to make a living from the land by raising crops and performing other farming activities.

Feint

By making a successful WS test, the character fools his opponent into believing that he is making an attack, but a the last moment changes the attack and strikes at a more unprotected area. If the test is successful, the character receieves a +10% bonus to his attack roll (for that attack only) and the opponent recieves a -10% penalty to any attempt to parry the attack. If the Feint test should fail, or if the opponent makes a successful Intelligence test, thereby not being fooled by the feint, the character is at -10% to hit, and the lucky opponent is at +10% to parry. 

Hanggliding

This skill gives the character a +10% bonus to any rolls to control a hangglider, such as the ones described in the scenario Eureka (see White Dwarf #93 or the Restless Dead supplement). After being developed by the brilliant inventor Kugelschreiber in Nuln, these contraptions soon found their way to Middenheim, were bored nobles made a sport out of it, jumping from the citywalls of Middenheim and trying to glide as gracefully as possible, preferably making some stunts, and then landing on a field outside the towering city. Even though not all were able to control their gliding, so far all have landed, one way or another. 

Psychology

This skill allows the character to determine wheter a person is psychologically unstable and discover some of the sypmtoms. After further study, the psychologist might be able to find the reasons for the ailment, and might be able to administer a cure. 

Rope Mastery

This skill gives the character the knowledge of different types of rope and their quality. It also gives the character intimate knowledge of tying and untying all kinds of knots. 

Weather Prediction 

By studying the current weather and signs in nature the character may predict coming weather changes. A successful Intelligence test will give a fairly accurate guess as to what kind of weather it will be the next day. For every day after this the character tries to predict the weather, there is a -10% penalty to the test.

Levels of skill

The system used in WFRP to handle skills and the effect of skills when applied towards tasks is simple and straightfroward. If you’ve got the skill, you can try a check versus one of your characteristics, often with a +10% bonus. If you haven’t got the skill, you can still try, but with a considerable penalty. A high characteristic enables a character a good grasp of the skill.

But what about the real masters, the virtouses. When you’ve reached 65 or as high as 70 in a charcteristic, it won’t matter if you practise every day until your fingers bleed, you won’t get any better. An elven minstrel who’ve had one hundred years of extra practise, is no better than an upstart elven charlatan, who’ve managed to buy the relevant skill and have a fairly high value in the appropriate characteristic (that’s the situation that occurred in my campaign).

Also, roleplaying gamers around the world delight in the prospect of their characters getting better than anyone else, in any field of expertise. The chance of being one of the worlds greatest swordsmen ever is one of the basic motivations of roleplaying gamers.

In the basic WFRP game, the skills modify the situatiuon by perhaps +10%, and if you work hard, you might get a characteristic score of 60, which results in a basic chance of success of 70%. Not a very comforting figure for the elven minstrel who’s trying to impress the beautiful elven princess with a ballad. 

Well, then, what to do about it?

My solution to the problem is the concept of skill-levels. A character may attain higher levels of expertise in any skill, as long as he’s got the experience to pay for it. There are five levels of exepertise. Each level is followed by the cost in experience points, to attain that level, starting from the previous level of expertise (eg to attain the level of Veteran in a skill, the player will have to use 700 experience points. The basic 100 to get the skill, another 200 to reach the level of Good and finally 400 points to reach the level of Veteran). 

Normal 100 
Good 200 
Veteran 400 
Master 800 
Artist 1600

Now, you’ve got the option of specialising in any skill of your choosing. The high costs for the higher levels assures that any one character can only attain this level of expertise after several years of earning and saving experience points (measured in gametime, normally), but a character can, after some hard work reach a high enough level to stand above the rest of the populace. 

What’s the effect of these skill levels then?

This varies from skill to skill, but the basic idea is that the bonus recieved from the skill (when applying it towards different tests) raises by +10% for every level of skill (eg Veteran level gives +30% bonus). If the skill haven’t got any bonus at Normal level (such as Specialist Weapons), the character gains +10% at Good level, and this bonus is then raised as the character aquires further levels of expertise. If this general rule don’t fit a specific skill, the individual gamemaster should determine the effects of levels of expertise based on that gamemasters concept of skills. If you choose to adopt this rule, a new skill should also be added to the already exisiting ones, namely Weapon Expertise. All characters are proficient to Normal level with every weapon not requiring Specialist Weapon. If they want to become better, they have to pay the cost to reach Good level, having to choose a new Weapon Expertise for each non-specialist weapon they chose to excel in. 

Advantages/Disadvantages in WFRP

A popular method of tailoring the player characters to suit the players demands is the Advantages/Disadvantages method. This way of giving characters strengths and then balance them with weaknesses gives the players and gamemaster a guide to the past of a character and a more interesting character on the whole. I will here provide you with a system for Advantages/Disadvantages in WFRP. The system rests upon the assumption that a character created according to the basic rules in the rulebook and the advanced rules found in this booklet, have a balance between Advantages and Disadvantages. In game terms, that means that he has got 0 points to buy advantages with. To gain points to buy Advantages with, the player must apply Disadvantages for his player, thereby gaining points to spend on Advantages. All Disadvantages have a corresponding points reward linked to it. The points gained must immedately be spent on Advantages for the character. They may not be saved for later use. Below are listed the Disadvantages available, with the corresponding points value for choosing that particular Disadvantage. After this, the available Advantages are listed with the cost for gaining them. Later, I will discuss some problems with using this system without supervision from the gamemaster, but more on that, later on. 

DisadvantageExplanationPoints
-1/-10The character looses 1/10 points to any charactertistic score.100
Arm or leg missing One of the character’s limbs is lost, resulting in the following modifications to the basic profile: arm missing -10 Dex, -10 Fel and -10 Ld, leg missing M 1, -10 Fel and -10 Ld. On top of this, the loss of the limb may lead to many other difficult situations.500
Loss of one eyeThe sight on one eye have been lost. BS is halved.Great blow, all Sweeps, may use Thrust at -1 Dmg and -10 To Hit.100
Blind No eyesight at all. A lot of practical consequenses follows. Modified WS, no BS, modified Dex, Observe tests and so on. These modifications are left to the individual gamemaster to apply. But you can live with it. Just look at Rutger Hauer in Blind Fury.500
HuntedThe character is hunted by his enemies, who are constantly tracking him down, demanding whatever rights they are persuing. Hunted by one enemy is worth 50 points. Being hunted by several enemies is worth 100 points. Being sought after by Imperial law is worth 150 points and having a Bounty Hunter dogging you is worth 200 points. The ultimate hunter, the Witch-hunter is worth 500 points, but any character hunted by such an adversary will not survive very long, and should he succeed in killing one of the Witch-hunters, others will follow, even more persistent. 100/150/200/500
Hand or foot missing Not quite as severe as the above, where the whole limb is missing, there is still a modification to the basic profile. Hand missing -10 Dex, foot missing – 1 M.100
Loss of hearingThe loss of hearing on one ear leads to -10 to all Listen tests. Loss of one ear is worth 50 points, both ears 100 points. Deaf from birth or from early childhood is worth 250 points, but also means that the character does not understand people unaccustomed to the handicapp, i.e. most of the exisiting populace. They will probaly not understand the character either, if not presented with very simple signs and gestures.50/100/250
DumbDumb. The loss of speaking can have very severe effects depending upon the circumstances, but generally this must be decide by the individual gamemaster. Worth 100 points. Being dumb from birth or ealry childhood is worth 250 points. 100/250
Deaf and dumbThese two handicapps can be combined, and often are. The problems of this are obvious.500
BloodoathThe character has made a bloodoath that cannot be broken. Bloodoath to friend worth 50 points, a bloodoath to a lover 100 points and a bloodoath to secret society is worth 250 points. These bloodoaths frequently involve promises of aid in difficult times or the pledge never to reveal a secret. Don’t let the player get away to easy on this one.50/100/250
Family supporter The character is a family supporter having to provide for others who cannot themselves earn their living. Every family member supported (mother, father, grandmother, wife, children, sister, brother and so on) is worth 50 points.50 per person
PregnantA clear Disadvantage if you’re an adventurer. If the character is pregnant and determined to go through the process, delivering the child, this is worth 500 points. Note that only players aware of their responsibilities and being able to correctly roleplay such a situation should be given the opportunity to choose this Disadvantage.500
Insanity The character suffers from a mental disorder. Roll once on the Disorder table (pages 83 and 84) to determine the exact nature of his ailment. Worth 100 points.100
MutationSuffering from a Chaos mutation is worth 500 points. Roll once on the table for Personal Chaos Attributes (Slaves To Darkness page 113). The gamemaster may wish to rule out certain results that would unbalance his campaign setting, only allowing mutations that are concealable one way or the other. Another option is to replace any major mutation with two minor mutations.500
Dependent The character is dependent on one item or substance, suffering psychological problems if withheld from the object of desire. Thelevel of dependency varies. Slight, suffering nervous bouts if held from object or substance is worth 50 points. Medium, suffering negative modifictions to basic profile is worth 100 points. Heavy, suffering incapacitation in case of shortage of or loss of object is worth 500 points.50/100/500
Obsession The character is attracted to another category of the same race, or nearrelated races. This is not the normal attraction between beings, but an obsession on the part of the character that results in an exclusion of normal feelings for other beings. Minor obsession is worth 50 points, major 100 points. A really unnatural obsession might be worth 500 points. I refer from giving you any examples of what these obsessions might be, since some people might find that offensive, but just use your twisted imagination, and I’m sure you’ll come up with something. 50/100/500
Allergic  Suffering physical adversities when in contact with any given substance. Minor allergies, such as astma or simple foodallergy, are unfortunately not worth anything. Severe astma and foodallergies, resulting in more than temporary discomfort are worth 50 points. Allergies that incapacitate the character is worth 100 points, and allergies that could result in fatal attacks are worth 500 points. Note that the character must choose a common substance to which he is oversensitive, as there is no point of being allergic to dragon blood or other rare substances.50/100/500

Advantages
+1/+10. The character takes any one advance. The basic profile is not changed. 100 points cost. 
Money or equipment. At the exchange rate of 1 GC per point spent on money or equipment. The Gamemaster must rule what kind of equipment is available. 
Career skill. The character may buy any skill in his current career or from previous careers. He may not advance into another career. 100 point cost. 
Additional skill. The player may give his character any skill desired, within the limitations set by the gamemaster. 500 points cost. 
Contacts. Having good relations to interesting people is very important if wishing to survive the hard life of the Old World. Use the following as a guideline to the power of the contact, making your own interpretation of the contact’s position, based upon the character and his role in the campaign. For 50 points, you’ll have a friend in a larger city that can take you in for a short time. 100 points gives you a contact that also can provide you with money and clothing as well as simple jobs. For 250 points, you’ll get all the above, with the addition that your contact an influential position within the city or region (eg a Sergeant Watchman, Minor Exisceman or an Innkeeper). For 500 points, you’ll have a relative or close friend working within the court or the higher administration. 
Supporting Family. A special case of Contacts. The character have got a family who’s supporting him with money and other special favours. Every 1 point spent on this Advantage gives the character a yearly revenue of 1 GC, recieved from his family. The character does not get the money unless he goes to the family home to collect it. The character does not start with the amount in question, but must wait one whole year to recieve the first sum. This might also include certain obligations to the family, such as studying hard, working hard and so on. A character not fulfilling his obligations might loose the revenue. 
Magic Item. Yeah, but it’s gonna cost you. For 1000 points, the player may make a roll on the Random Magic Items list on page 183 in the basic rulebook or page 98 in the Restless Dead supplement. Alternatively, the gamemaster may select one item appropriate to the campaign. The magic item gained is a family heirloom and may not be sold or given away without incurring the wrath of several family members, alive or dead. Beware! 
Friend or lover. The character is always accompanied by a faithful friend or lover. For 50 points you’ll get a close friend, and if you spend 500 points you’ll get a friend that would give his life for you. Then there is a wide range of possibilities between those extremes. 
Faithful companion. Trained from childhood by the character or saved from certain death, a faithful companion is an animal trusting completely in the character and willing to lay down its life for him. Trained to obey simple commands. The cost is 100 points + GC cost for animal. The gamemaster may wish to rule out animals not appropriate to the campaign setting.


Beware…
As you can see there are a lot more Disadvantages than Advantages, but given the examples above there should be no problem inventing additional Advantages, or Disadvantages for that matter. 
Now to the problem with a system such as this. 

Abuse. 

The rules are wide-open for abuse and general powergaming arguments. For example, if I choose to be Hunted by Witch-hunters (500 points) because I’ve got a Mutation (500 points) at the same time as I’m deadly Allergic to alcohol (500 points) and have got an Obsession about dead people (500 points), I’ll get 2000 points to spend on advantages. A character created this way is obviously deranged and totaly unplayable. So it is up to the gamemaster to draw the line. Let the rules covering Advantages/Disadvantages be guidelines to help you create characters with an added depth, and as a guide to their former doings. Be prepared to fight down players abusing the spirit of the game and don’t be afraid to hit them to hard on restrictions. It’s always easier to let up on restrictions that trying to control a game gone wild. The gamemaster may choose to allow only one or at the most two 500 point Disadvantages per character, and only let those players that can handle them take them on. 

Consumer Guide, additions
Here are some additions to the consumer guides found in the rulebook and in Warhammer City. Most are common household items and all follow the same format as those in the rulebook (name/cost/enc./availability). If an item of quality is desired, the buyer must be prepared to pay up to 10 times the price listed here. Table (4 persons)/15 GCs/600/Common 
Dinner table (6 persons)/20 GCs/900/Average 
Coffee Table/10 GCs/150/Average 
Chair/5 GCs/50/Common 
Armchair (flock)/10 GCs/200/Average 
Armchair (feather)/12 GCs/200/Scarce 
Bench (4 persons)/10 GCs/250/Plentiful 
Bed/20 GCs/900/Common 
Small Cupboard/15 GCs/250/Common 
Large Cupboard/20 GCs/800/Average 
Small Chest/5 GCs/100/Common 
Large Chest/15 GCs/500/Average 
Linen/10 Shillings/15/Average 
Pillow (straw)/5 Shillings/5/Common 
Cushion (feather)/2 GCs/5/Scarce 
Cloth (1 sqr. feet)/5 Shillings/1/Common 
Wool (one ball)/5 pennies/1/Common Crockery 
– Tea/Coffee plate/5 Shillings/2/Common 
– Tea/Coffee cup/5 Shillings/2/Common 
– Dinner plate/10 Shillings/5/Plentiful 
– Serving plate/15 Shillings/10/Common 
– Medium pot/20 Shillings/20/Common Glassware 
– Pane (1 sqr. feet)/5 GCs/15/Average 
– Bottle/4 Shillings to 1 GC/5/Average 
– Glass/ 5 to 10 Shillings/1/Average 
– Wineglass/10 Shillings to 5 GCs/1/Scarce 
Skates (strap on)/4 GCs/10/Scarce 

Critical success and Spectacular failure 
If you, when trying to pass a standard skill test in WFRP, roll lower than the number needed to succeed, you pass the test, if you fail to beat the percentage, you fail your test. Now, I will add another dimension to this, inspired by the article Oops! found in White Dwarf #90 concerning fumbles in WFRP. The concept is that if you when making a skill check roll a double (ie 11, 22, 33 and so on) something spectacular happens. If the roll is below the percentage needed to succeed, then you have scored a Critical success. If the double is higher than the percentage, you achieve a Specatacular failure. The specific effects of these successes and failures are up to the individual gamemaster who can add special flavour to any situation encountered. Critical success in combat is detailed in the Combat section and tables for Spectacular failures can be found in White Dwarf #90. That article, by the way, was written by Ashley Dennison and Graeme Davis (see, he got mentioned here anyway. There doesn’t seem to be any way around it). 

Tuition makes perfect
The article Practice makes perfect, found in White Dwarf #90 and in the Restless dead supplement, details the changing of careers and learning of new skills. I would like to make a few additions to that text. The first is regarding tuition. If you, when trying to learn a new skill which does not require tuition, still employ a tutor, you recieve a +10% bonus to your intelligence check to see if you learned the skill or not. Secondly, if you fail the intelligence check when trying to learn a skill, and get back on the horse immediately and try again (spending the required time and money), you may add +10% to the next check. If that fail, and you try again, you may add +20% to the intelligence check, and so on.

Experience points
When gamemastering a fullblown campaign, which is not based on any of the modules published by Games Workshop, the problem of awarding experience points is accentuated. Even though this problem was discussed in White Dwarf some years ago, there don’t seem to be any standard solution for the awarding of experience points. If you follow the guidelines in the WFRP rulebook, you’ll quickly end up with characters that are very powerful, and the campaign risks loosing it’s integrity. After having gamemastered a WFRP campaign for almost one year, me and my players defined a formula for awarding experience points, which not only simplified the task of gamemastering, but also made the players more involved in the game and the experience awards. It’s very simple, really. For each hour of gaming, award the players 5 points of experience each. Add to this sum 5-15 points for each objective achieved or for every action or whatever that made that special session memorable. Let the players suggest what was a good or memorable action. This way, the players go to great pains to make the gamemaster aware of everything they did that deserves experience points awards, and they will remember the events of the sessions far more clearly than if the gamemaster simply states that “you recieve 145 EP”. Some warning is in place though. Do not let the players bully you into giving them experience points, and don’t ignore the players who don’t say much during the experience awards. If they can’t find anything memorable they did, then encourage the other players to suggest reasons for experience awards. If all else fails, keep track of that player the next session and make note of the good things he does and show him the note after the session.Experienced WFRP gamemasters will notice that this system of awarding experience points results in a total that’s roughly two-thirds of the total suggested in the WFRP rulebook (on the assumption that a session equals five hours of gaming). The above formula have been tested for over a year, and it has worked out so well that we are using it in other systems as well, such as Call of Cthulhu and Cyberpunk 2020. Of course, if you choose to use this approach to awarding experience, the characters will progress more slowly through the ranks, and will have to work harder to get the skills they want. But it also means that if the players are active, and use their roleplaying skills to their utmost, they will get their experience points, and have a lot of fun while earning them.

New magic rules

After testing the magic system in WFRP, one finds out that it is simple and consistent, if somewhat sketchy. The system works well for the spell included in the rulebook, but if you wish to add the spells detailed in this publication, and I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t, you’ll have to make some additions to the basic spellcasting rules. It is no revolutional redesign of the rules, but rather additions to make spellcasting more exciting and dynamic. Even if you don’t use the new spells, and I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t, you could find these rules interesting. 

Spellcasting

A spellcaster may from now on chose between three different ways of casting his spells. The Normal Casting, which takes one round to complete without any difficulties (except those mentioned in the rulebook), the Secret Casting and the Quick Casting. These two additonal ways of casting spells are described below.

Secret Casting – When trying to cast a spell unnoticed, the magician have to make smaller gestures and use only whispered words. This means that the spell takes twice as long to cast (normally two rounds) and that the caster must make a WP test at -10% per level (no modification to Petty Magic) to avoid having the spell canceled by the lack of magic energies. Anyone observing the spellcaster is allowed an Observe test to notice the spellcasters activities. Only discrete spells may be cast this way, not physical attacks such as Magic Missiles.

Quick Casting – This enables the magician to immediately put the effects of a spell into play. It requires wild gestures and fierce shouting to enhance the flow of magic. Unfortunately there is a risk of the spell backfiring. The magician must pass a WP test at -10% per level (no modification for Pety Magic) not to loose control of the magic, resulting in a backfire. These backfires are usually the worst effects the spell can have to the caster (Fireballs exploding in his hands, Healing spells becomes Wounding spells and so on). If the WP test is passed, the magicians spell takes effect immediately in the beginning of the round. The spellcaster may, due to exhaustion not perform any other activity during the round. 
Rituals may only be performed using the Normal Casting procedures.

Combined Spellcasting

With the addition of the spells in this companion, several interesting options of spellcombinations are opened up for the players. The first one that springs to mind is Blade of Fire and Shield, which if combined provides the magician with a powerful weapon as well as a strong defense. Should this be allowed? I think so, but within limits.

The spells that after casting needs constant refueling to remain active and still allows the magic-user freedom of movement can be combined with other spells. This includes spells such as Blade of Fire, Shield, Stonefist and Flee Footed, since they only need the mental command to fuel the spells at the beginning of each round, leaving the rest of the round open for further spellcasting. The gamemaster migh on the other hand wish to rule that casting a spell while another is being fueled disrupts the concentartion of the magic-user and thereby cancels the fueled spell. In taht case he could consider uisng Combined Spellcasting, ruling that any spells can be combined and cast in one round, adding all costs and effects together and applying them to the caster or target. The one drawback is that the caster must pass a WP test for every spell involved, with a -10% penalty per spell level (no modifiers for Petty Magic). If he fails any of these tests, all spells backfire or are canceled, causing a lot of grief and frustration for the poor magic-user and his player. The chosen way to approach this problem is up to the individual gamemaster.I’ll give you an example to show you how Combined Spellcasting works. Let’s say I wish to combine the spells Fleet Footed, Shield and Blade of Fire. The total MP cost would be 6, and I would have to pass a Magic test for each spell invoved for a total of three. All three tests are made with a -10% modifier. If I pass all tests, all spells take effect. If I flunk one, all hell breaks loose. 

New Spells

While waiting for the Realms of Sorcery, if we’ll ever see such a supplement, here are some new spells for all Wizards and their like. The style of the spells are standard fantasy, and you can, if you search hard enough, find the equivalents of some of the listed spells in other role-playing games (I won’t tell you which role-playing games, you’ll have to find that out yourselves). The object of this section is to provide magic-using characters and NPC’s with a wide range of interesting spells that can be used outside the combat environment. For this purpose, most spells have been labled Petty Magic and Battle Magic, to make them accessible to all types of magicians. I have, for playtesting purposes, designed the spells so that some have very high Magic Point costs. This is because I think it is easier on the players to lower the cost after testing the spell out, rather than raising it. 

Animate Object

Spell Type: Battle magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 5 
Range: Touch 
Duration: 1 hour per level 
Ingredients: Pulverised chicken bones 

This spell allows the magician to animate one object, no larger than the caster. Simple commands, like ‘sweep the floor’ and ‘dust shelves’, can be given. The object will try to perform the commands for the duration of the spell. 

Aura of Cool

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 2 
Magic Points: 4 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 hour per level 
Ingredients: Small piece of platina

An Aura is projected around the caster who, for the duration of the spell, recieves a +10% bonus to any tests involving Cool. Also, any creature wishing to attack the caster must make a WP test, at +10%. If this test is failed, and the caster makes no offensive moves, the creature hesitates one round. All other rules concerning Auras also applies. 

Blade of Fire

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 2 per round 
Range: Personal 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Small ball of sulphur

The caster wields a sword of fire, using his WP to determine wether the attack hits. The blade may not be parried. If a hit is achieved the blade causes D6+3 points of damage (only metal and magic armour protects). Flammable targets suffer an additional D4 damage. The blade can be wielded as long as the magician channels magic points into the spell. After the end of the last round the caster may decide to throw the blade as a Fireball, doing D6+3 points of damage to any single target (irrespective of any armour). Flammable targets are caused an additional D6 points of damage. 

Call Object

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 4 
Magic Points: 10 (+5, see below) 
Range: 100 yards 
Duration: Instantaneous 
Ingredients: Small vial of milk (preferably fresh) 

The caster may target an object to be retrieved by the means of this spell. To do this, the magic-user must touch the object for more than 10 minutes and give a mental command to the object, spending 5 MP. Later on, when the caster casts tge spell, the object will instantly appear in his hands or near his person. Objects to be retrieved can not be larger than the magician himself. 

Chalk

Spell Type: Petty Magic 
Spell Level: P 
Magic Points: 1 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 turn 
Ingredients: Some dirt 

This spell allows the caster to use his index finger as it were a chalk of any desired colour for the duration of the spell. 

Cleanse

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 2 
Magic Points: 3 
Range: Touch 
Duration: Permanent 
Ingredients: Pulverised crystal 

The caster may, using this spell, cleanse one pint of any liquid or any half pound of any food, so that it will not contain any foreign substances not naturally inherent in the liquid or food. This means that poisoned food and drink will become edible, but it also means that if cast upon a delicious dinner, all spices and other ingredients will be purged from the food. 

Clearsight

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 1 per 100 feet of sight 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 round per level 
Ingredients: Eye of a wild eagle 

For the duration of the spell the caster can percieve all details within range as clearly as desired. Object must be in line of sight, with no obstructions between caster and object. 

Clot

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 2 
Magic Points: 2 per Wound 
Range: Touch 
Duration: Permanent 
Ingredients: Piece of clean cloth 

When using this spell, the caster may staunch the flow of blood of any victim. The bleeding stops by as many Wounds as the magician invests Magic Points in the spell, at the rate of exchange given above. 

Control Higher Mind

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 6 per round 
Range: 10 feet 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Brain of humanoid 

With this spell, the magician can control one higher mind (ie Humanoid creatures) for as long as he maintains concentraiton and channels magic points into the spell. The victim may make a Magic Test to avoid being controlled. Any being controlled this way obeys the casters commands as long as those actions does not put the victim or his friends in any immediate danger.

Control Lesser Mind 

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 2 per round 
Range: 10 feet 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Brain of lesser creature 

With this spell, the magician can control one lesser mind (ie animal creatures) for as long as he maintains concentration and channels magic points into the spell. The victim may make a Magic Test to avoid being controlled. Any being controlled this way obeys the casters commands as long as those actions does not put the victim in any immediate danger. 

Counting

Spell Type: Petty Magic 
Spell Level: P 
Magic Points: 1 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 round 
Ingredients: Bead of pearls 

Using this spell enables the magician to instantly determine the amount of one type of object within sight. The caster might for example use this spell to count coins in a purse (if the purse was open, that is) or the amount of enemies in an opposing body of troops. 

Delayed Fireball

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 5 
Range: Touch 
Duration: 1 turn/level 
Ingredients: Ball of sulphur 

A variant of the normal Fireball spell, this spell may be cast upon any spot the magician desires. After any period of time not exceeding the spells duration, a Fireball explodes upon the spot designated by the magic-user, having the effects of a normal Fireball upon any objects and beings within the range of explosion. Note that the caster must actually touch a spot to place the Fireball, and that it therefore cannot be placed into thin air. It can be placed upon an object which then is dropped from any heigth (a leaf or a feather, for example), or thrown at an enemy (using a stone or whatever). 

Digest

Spell Type: Druid Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 2 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 turn/level 
Ingredients: One straw of grass 

While under the effect of this spell, the caster may digest any vegetational substance not normally edible for the caster and gain nourishment from the substance. Allows the druid to eat grass, leaves and other plants. The taste of the substance will in no way be affected. Note that to gain enough nourishment to survive from only eating grass, one would have to put away quite an amount, and would have to spend a lot of time collecting it.

Electric Schock

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 1 
Range: Touch 
Duration: Instantaneous 
Ingredients: Piece of catskin and a small glass rod 

The caster charges himself with static electricity and will deliver an electrical shock to the next being or object he touches. The shock is quite powerful and delivers 1D3 Wounds, irrespective of target’s Toughness and Armour. Any victim failing a Toughness test is paralyzed for one round, unable of any physical action. 

Familiar

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 10 
Range: Not applicable 
Duration: Permanent 
Ingredients: A drop a fresh blood 

Bordering on Demon Magic, this spell summons a Familiar that is bound to the caster. This Familiar functions quite different from the Druid Familiar found in the rulebook. The magicians Familiar takes on a physical form, often that of a cat or an owl, but always an animal that corresponds with the alignment of the caster. The form may be no larger than the magician. The form will have all the normal statistics for the corresponding animal, except for WP and Int which will be equal to the caster’s. The magician and the Familiar are then in constant telepathic contact, and the caster can use the Familiar’s senses as he wishes. This contact remains as long as the magician and the Familiar are no longer than 300 yards apart. The Familiar may learn skills as any other character, within the physical limitations of it’s chosen appearence. If the Familiar is hurt, the magician suffers the same amount of damage in Wounds. Criticals taken by the Familiar does not effect the magician. 

Firestorm

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 4 
Magic Points: 10 per round 
Range: 100 yards 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: ball of sulphur and a feather of a dove 

One of the most devestating and fearsome spells ever discovered. The spell allows the caster to control a raging storm of fire within 100 yards. The storm follows the gestures of the magician and has an effective radius of 48 yards. The storm lasts for as long as the magician fuels it with magic points. All creatures and objects caught within the raging fire suffers 2D6 Wounds (Toughness and Armour protects). Flammable targets takes an additional 2D6 Wounds. All targets must also make a Toughness test to remain conscious for every round they are caught in the storm. 

Flame Arrow

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 5 
Range: Touch 
Duration: 1 round per level 
Ingredients: Sulphur and oil mixed together 

The caster smears some of the sulphur and oil on the tip of the arrow or bolt, and then intones the spell. After the spell is completed, the arrow must be shot within the duration of the spell, using either a bow or a crossbow. When striking the target, the arrow explodes as a Fireball, causing 1D10+3 points of damage to anyone within 10 feet. Flammable targets takes an additional 1D8 points of damage. If the arrow or bolt has not struck any target at the end of the duration, it explodes at the present location causing damage as above. 

Fleet Footed

Spell Type: Petty Magic 
Spell Level: P 
Magic Points: 1 per round 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 round per MP 
Ingredients: Pair of miniature golden shoes 

While under the influence of this spell the magician may add 1 to his Move characteristic. The spell lasts for as long as the caster maintain it with magic points. 

Flip

Spell Type: Petty Magic 
Spell Level: P 
Magic Points: 1 
Range: 10 feet 
Duration: Instantaneous 
Ingredients: Small coin 

The magician may flip one object no heavier than a bottle of wine . Often used to turn a page in a book, or flip a coin to impress friends and relatives.

Greater Blade of Fire

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 5 per round 
Range: Personal 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Small ball of sulphur 

This greater version of Blade of Fire creates a two-handed sword of fire. The magician still uses his WP to determine hits. The blade may not be parried. If a hit is achieved the blade causes 2D6+3 points of damage (only metal and magic armour protects). Flammable targets suffer an additional 2D4 damage. The blade can be wielded as long as the magician channels magic points into the spell. After the end of the last round the caster may decide to throw the blade as a Fireball, doing 2D6+3 points of damage to any single target (irrespective of any armour). Flammable targets are caused an additional D6+3 points of damage. 

Hold

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 2 
Magic Points: 6 
Range: 10 yards 
Duration: 1 round 
Ingredients: Small chain 

A lesser variant of the Stand Still spell, when cast upon any target no larger than the magician, the target is held by invisible hands, unable to move, for the duration of the spell. The target is always allowed a Magic Test to avoid the effects of this spell. 

Killing Touch

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 4 
Magic Points: 10 
Range: Touch 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Pulverised human bone 

When touching a living being after casting this spell, the magician channels his power into the target, which suffers a fatal heart attack and must make a Toughness test to survive the shock. The spell will only allow one touch before having to be cast again. Other magicians may also make a WP test to avoid the effect. 

Locate Large Animal 

Spell Type: Druid Magic 
Spell Level: 2 
Magic Points: 4 
Range: 100 yards 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Piece of fur from any large animal 

With this spell, the Druid may determine the existence of any large animal within 100 yards, and also its spieces, age and sex. The spell will only detect one animal at a time. 

Locate Small Animal

Spell Type: Druid Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 2 
Range: 100 yards 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Piece of fur from any small animal 

With this spell, the Druid may determine the existence of any small animal within 100 yards, and also its spieces, age and sex. The spell will only detect one animal at a time. 

Magic Steed 

Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 4 
Magic Points: 20 
Range: Not applicable 
Duration: 1 hour per level 
Ingredients: Small silver horseshoes 

The magician summons a magic steed, taking the form of a great white or black stallion. The horse have got the statistics found below. For purposes of combat, the Magic Steed is treated as if it were a Warhorse. If it encounters a fog, the Magic Steed may ride on top of the fog as well as on the ground, thereby gaining a sort of flight. It is limited to the fog and may not ride through thin air. 
Profile: M 10 WS 50 BS 0 S 7 T 5 W 13 I 40 A 1 Dex – Ld 10 Int 10 Cl 10 WP 10 Fel – 

Measure

Spell Type: Petty Magic 
Spell Level: P 
Magic Points: 2 
Range: 100 yards 
Duration: Instantaneous 
Ingredients: Small silver horseshoes 

The caster may determine the distance betweem two points, accurate down to one inch. Both the points must be within 100 yards of the magician.

Memorize
Spell Type: Petty Magic 
Spell Level: P 
Magic Points: 1 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 day per level 
Ingredients: Small ribbon 
For every 10 points of Intelligence possessed by the magician, he may memorize one single thing, such as a name or a place, a picture or a map. For the duration of the spell, he may recall the name or image to his mind and see it as clearly as if it really were there. Often used to cheat on exams, this way to good grades is frowned upon by the real academics, who are learning just for the sake of learning. 

Mend
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 8 
Range: Touch 
Duration: Permanent 
Ingredients: Piece of cloth and sticks 
Using this spell, the caster may mend any one broken limb. The spell must be applied at least within one hour of the accident, and does not stop any bleeding or other related injuries. 

Painful Touch
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 3 
Range: Touch 
Duration: 1 turn per level 
Ingredients: Silver needle 
For the duration of this spell, all living beings the caster touches experiences an intense pain, like being burned by a redhot poker, where they are touched. The targets must make a WP test not to let anything held go. If the magician holds on to a target, the victim must make a WP test each round not to pass out from the intense pain. 

Penetrating Gaze
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 2 
Magic Points: 3 per inch 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 round per level 
Ingredients: Small magnifying glass 
By means of this spell, the caster may see through items no denser than wood as if they were not there. For every 3 MP spent on the spell, one inch of material can be seen through. This spell does not allow the magician to see through metals or dense materials like granite or marble. 

Read Mind
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 5 per round 
Range: Touch 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Small pendulum 
When casting this spell the magician may scan the mind of any creature. This does not mean that the caster understands all thoughts, even though he recieves all information as pictures and words. A dragon mind, for example, is far from understandable for a simple human mind, and vice versa. The caster can through this spell gain information locked away deep in the targets brain, even things the target wishes to hide. Basic motivations, fears, loves, thoughts about specific subjects, all are scanned by the magician. The target is allowed one Magic Test per round the contact is upheld. If the magician looses his physical grip on the target or a Magic Test is passed, the contact is immediately broken. 

Read Surface Thoughts
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 3 per round 
Range: 3 feet 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Small pendulum 
This weaker mind scan allows the caster to read the surface thoughts of any creature within range. The target is allowed a Magic Test each round the contact is upheld to aviod the probe. Contact is broken as soon as a Magic Test is passed or the target moves out of range. 

Restore Minor Object
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 3 
Range: Touch 
Duration: Permanent 
Ingredients: Pieces of broken object 
Using this spell, the magician may restore broken objects to their former shape. The caster must have all pieces of the object, or the mending will be incomplete. The objects may be no larger than the average vase.

Send Thoughts
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 2 
Magic Points: 4 per round 
Range: 10 yards per level 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Feather of a pigeon 
The magician may by using this spell send any thoughts to whomever he choses within range. If the reciever is not aware of the fact that he is to recieve a message, he automatically try to defend himslef by making a Magic Test, be it friend or foe of the caster. If the reciever does not want to continue recieving messages after a link is established, he is allowed one Magic Test each round the caster tries to uphold the link between them. As soon as a Magic Test is passed, the contact is broken. 

Shield
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 3 per round 
Range: Personal 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Piece of broken shield 
When casting this spell, the magician is, on any chosen arm, given the protection of an invisible shield. The shield functions the same as a normal shield, but will not interfere with further spellcasting. The shield lasts as long as the magician continues to spend Magic Points to keep it up. 

Stairway
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 2 
Magic Points: 4 
Range: 10 yards per level 
Duration: 1 turn per level 
Ingredients: Piece of broken stair 
The caster may at any place there is space enough, create a stairway, leeding up or down, to a maximum of 10 yards in all directions per level. Any obstructions in the stairs way, immediately cancels the spell. 

Stonefist
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 1 
Magic Points: 2 per round 
Range: Personal 
Duration: See notes 
Ingredients: Knuckledusters 
While fueling this spell with Magic Points, the caster gains the skill of Strike Mighty Blow, if using his fist as a weapon. Note that as the ingredient is a knuckleduster, the damage is further modified. 

Storm Blast
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 6 per round 
Range: 48 yards 
Duration: 1 round 
Ingredients: Piece of charcoal 
The caster throws a tremendous storm blast at his targets. All beings and objects along a straight line chosen by the magician and within 48 yards must make a Strength test to remain standing. No one may advance towards the caster. If the caster choses, he may fuel the storm blast with Magic Points for secveral rounds, requiring a Strength test each round for effected creatures. 

Warpstone Sense
Spell Type: Battle Magic 
Spell Level: 3 
Magic Points: 6 
Range: 48 yards 
Duration: 1 turn 
Ingredients: Small Warpstone 
The caster may while under the influence of this spell feel the presence, or absence of any source of Warpstone within range. The general amount of Warpstone is also felt, as is the direction and distance, in a straight line to the source of chaos. 

Wind Protection
Spell Type: Petty Magic 
Spell Level: P 
MagicPoints: 1 
Range: Personal 
Duration: 1 hour 
Ingredients: Small piece of fur 
This spell negates any effects upon the character caused by breezes and medium wind blasts. The effect lasts for 1 hour, or until dispelled by the caster. 

Reputation

When the characters perform their heroic deeds or cowardly runs away, it’s bound to get out. This is called reputation and is at the same time a blessing and a curse. The good thing about it is that people will recognise you and the bad thing is that people will recognise you. This is a coin with two sides, so to say.

If you have a favorable reputation amongst the general populace, you will be well recieved and sought after for taking care of different problems plauging the good citizens of the Empire. On the other hand, the bad guys will hate you for it and try to stick a knife in your back at the most inconvenient times. And the other way around. If you’ve got a reputation for being cruel and evil, the common people will shun you but the evil ones will welcome you as their own. 

Whenever a character performs something out of the normal, he is awarded with an amount of Reputation points, the total varying for different deeds. When the Reputaion total reaches certain levels, this will have effect upon the charcters standing in the society. For every 100 points of Reputation, there is a flat 1% chance of the character being recognised anywhere within the Empire. If the character is presently at the location where he performed any Medium or Major deeds, the chance rises to 10% per 100 Reputation points. Also the sum total of his Reputation gives the character benefits as per the table below. All bonuses are cumulative. 

under 100 points – no special effect. 
100 to 500 points – the character recieves +10% to any Cool tests. 
500 to 900 points – the character recieves +10% to any WP tests. 
900 to 1000 points – the character recieves +10% to any Fel and Ld tests. 
over 1000 points – the character receives an additional +10% to all Cool, WP, Fel and Ld tests. 

If the repuation have been gained by cowardly behaviour, the bonuses are treated as negative, thereby becoming penalties. In addition to this, the character will be recieved in according to his legend when dealing with other people. 

Now what will I have to do to earn these Reputation points? The answer is, of course, a lot. 

For every brave deed the character performs, give him 1 Reputation point. If the deed was one connected with danger and a lot of gallantry where the character risked his life to save innocents, give him 10 points. If he saved the Empire and all its inhabitants, reward the character with 100 points. 

As you can see, it’s not easy to become a hero, but if the players keep on it, they’ll get there eventually. Oh and by the way, it’s far easier to become a villain than a hero, just burn and pillage a lot, and your reputation will soar sky high. Of course, you’ll be the most wanted man in the Empire with Witch-hunters and Bounty Hunters dogging your tarils, but if you can take that, you’ll become famous.

The value of money

Most adventurers live on what they can find while adventuring and on what they are paid for carrying out different missions for other people. The amount often is often an even sum, and always over 10 Gold Crowns, more often over 100 Gold Crowns than under. But what is this money worth in the long run? What can you get for it, and how does it relate to other people’s income?

Here is given an account of what ordinary people in the Empire get paid for working, and how much they’ll have to spend on staying alive. It is the meaning of this to provide the gamemaster and players with an insight in just how much their money is worth, thus laying way for a reduction in the standard adventuring fees, which, in my opinion, are grossly overdimensioned. 

In the WFRP rulebook, page 297, a list of wages for unskilled hirelings is found. In the following text, I will use the example of an above average paid unskilled labourer, which I choose to use because he would represent an average inhabitant of the Empire, with a salary of 9 Shillings a day. This would mean a weekly salary of 54 Shillings, or 2 Gold Crowns and 14 Shillings.

According to the calender found in The Enemy Within, the year have 400 days, of which about 75% can be used for working. This gives a yearly income of 135 Gold Crowns. Indeed, not a very impressing sum for our average adventurer. And I’m not finished yet. 

The man probably have a family to look after. Let’s say he’s married and have two children. His mother-in-law is also living with them. That means that the money he earns must pay for the food and lodging for five persons. Can that be done? 

We’ll have a look at his expenses. We deduct a straight 10% for taxes, leving him with 121 Gold Crowns and 10 Shillings. The house will need repair and maintenance and the loans must be paid off, taking an addtional 20 Gold Crowns of the total. Now we’re down to 101 Gold Crowns and 10 Shillings. The family will need clothing, but we’ll assume they do a lot of sewing themselves, limiting this expense to the purchase of cloth for, let’s say 10 Gold Crowns a year. That leaves 91 Gold Crowns and 10 Shillings to pay for the food.

Looking food up in the consumer guide found in the rulebook, we easily deduct that the family cannot buy their food prepared. That leaves us with having to resort to groceries. Trying to find out the costs for this from looking in the consumer guide is not very easy, but if we take a look at the livestock, we might find some clues. A chicken costs 1 Shilling. Let’s say two chickens and some extra vegetables provides us with a standard meal for five persons, costing 3 Shillings. Then, the family will have to have breakfast or an evening meal, costing, let’s say 2 Shillings. They drink mostly water, so they we only charge them 1 Shilling a day for drink. This adds up to a total of 6 Shillings a day, or 120 Gold Crowns per year.

Having only 91 Gold Crowns and 10 Shillings left, the poor bloke can’t afford to feed his family. Either he takes another job, never seeing his kids or goes into stealing probably ending up on a chain gang. Or his wife will have to do some working on her own, letting her mother look after the children.

She takes up selling pies for a local Halfling, earning a scarce 4 Shillings a day. Over the year she works 200 days, earning a total of 40 Gold Crowns. Of this, 4 Gold Crowns are deducted for the taxes leaving the family with 36 Gold Crowns to add to the previous 91 Gold Crowns and 10 Shillings, reslulting in a grand total of 127 Gold Crowns and 10 Shillings. After paying for the food, the family have 7 Gold Crowns and 10 Shillings to spend on anything they like. 

Now, you’re probably wondering what all this have got to do with you, being an adventurer and all. Well, it’s not as much you but the rest of the inhabitants in the world that should begin thinking about this. If 175 Gold Crowns is enough to keep five people with food and boarding for one year, the people hiring adventurers will be very reluctant giving out fees the size of that.

Take for example The Oldenhammer Contract, the introductory scenario found in the rulebook. The character’s might get as much as 130 Gold Crowns each, meaning that for a normal size party, the poor Oldenhammer would have to pay 520 Gold Crowns, or enough money to keep fifteen people alive and with a roof over their head for one year. In Eureka, the charcters are offered 100 Gold Crowns each for a mere couple of nights work!

These are only a few examples of where the expenses of the player characters have been the basis for the rewards gained in a scenario, and not, as it should be, the real value of the money for the major part of inhabitants in the Empire, including the charcter’s patrons. And what should be done about this? The expenses for the characters are not likely to become less grand, because cutting down on the luxury is hard even for someone as tough as an adventurer. Being on the road the average adventurer spends over 1000 Gold Crowns a year on food and lodging, and that’s not living it up.

What needs to be done is instead to reinforce the way of thinking about money I have discussed above. The player characters should be aware of the value of money, and not go around thinking that everyone can pay them 100 Gold Crowns a piece for their services. The gamemaster should also go towards making his patrons pay up more dearly, and providing smaller sums. No one would be interested in paying up to five ordinary yearly incomes to have the characters perform one small task for them, when they can get scores of unemployed to do the same work for pennies.

Also the characters should be aware that the prices demanded in the average Coaching Inn are astronomically high, and that it would be a really neat idea to buy sopme groceries in the next town and prepare the food yourselves. A couple of nights under the sky once in a while considerably cuts the expenses. By applying this rationale, the characters become part of the world instead of something floating on top of it. The style of play will become more of the dark fantasy WFRP began as, as the characters will need to share their lives and beds with the common populace, getting involved in the hard life they lead.

Combat rules expanded

First out in this chapter are some modifications to the standard combat rules found in the basic rulebook.

Dodge blow

A very useful skill to know, it allows a character to completely avoid the effects of any one melee attack by making an Initiative test. I suggest that, because the dodge means that the character somehow moves out of the range of the attack, and therefore somewhat looses contact with the attacker, the dodging character recieves a -10% penalty to the next attack. 

Specialist weapon

Instead of the characters having a flat 10% chance of using a weapon without the proper Specialist Weapon skill, there should be a -25% penalty to Wepaon Skill when using that weapon. This way, a seasoned Mercenary Veteran will be slightly better using an unfamiliar weapon than an untrained Peasant, instead of them being of equal skill, as is the current situation. 

Armour modifications

A character wearing armplates or chain on his arms, is penalised by -5% to attack and parry for every armourpoint worn (the arms are not counted seperately). Thus, armourplating on both arms gives -5% and chain and armourplating on both arms gives -10%, in addition to any Initiative penalties you might be using already. You might wish to rule that every armour point worn on the legs gives -2 yards penalty to movement, in addition to any encumberance rules you might be using. 

Attack types

The system presented below was designed to allow the players more involvment in the melee situations, and try to get away from the boring “I try to hit him with my sword and I rolled a 24 so I hit and he gets 5 points of damage is he dead?” type of combats, trying to create an atmosphere of speed and whirling death. The rules are not complicated, but applying them might be. I suggest that the individual gamemaster read the rules, decides whether he’ll use them or not, and then use the rules given to create his own set of combat procedures. 

The breakdown of attacks into categories based upon the inherent abilities of a weapon will complicate things both for gamemasters and players as they will have to devote more time to accurately understand the flow of a melee combat situation, but the degree of realism acheived is, for me, enough reason to adopt a system such as follows. Don’t be alarmed if you don’t grasp the spirit of the rules at first, but read it again and try to picture the situations in your head as you encounter problems. The rules are meant to capture the flavour of cinematic combat as well as trying to be realistic, and if anything seems unclear to you, just think about how it would work in real life. 

Attacks are from now on defined as either a Thrust, a Sweep, a Great blow, a Punch, or a Kick. Not all weapons can perform all attacks, and some are more restricted than others. In the table below, you’ll find the weapons from the WFRP rulebook and the attacks that are possible using those weapons and the penalties applied if using the weapon for an awkward attack. The Great blow is an attack performed the same way as if you chop some wood for your fire, using an axe, or if your prefer, the attack mode chosen by an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The other attacks are self-explanatory.

WeaponPossible attacks
2-Handed FlailGreat blow, all Sweeps
2-Handed Weapons Great blow, all Sweeps
2H SwordGreat blow, all Sweeps, may use Thrust at -1 Dmg and -10 To Hit 
Axe Great blow, all Sweeps
Bastard SwordGreat blow, all Sweeps, all Thrusts at -1 Dmg 
Buckler High Punch, Punch, if spiked also all Thrusts 
Fist Weapon High Punch, Punch
FlailGreat blow, all Sweeps
Halberd all Thrusts
Improvised Weapon at GM’s descretion
Kick High Kick, Kick
Knife/Dagger all Sweeps, all Thrusts
Lance High Thrust, Thrust
Left-hand Dagger all Sweeps, all Thrusts
Mace, Hammer Great blow, all Sweeps
Net Entangle
Quarter Staff  Great blow, all Sweeps
Rapier all Sweeps, all Thrusts 
Spear all Thrusts 
Sword  Great blow, all Sweeps, all Thrusts at -1 Dmg
Sword-breaker all Sweeps, all Thrusts 
Whipall Sweeps, may Entangle

Furthermore, each attack type (except Great blow) is divided into either a High, Normal or Low attack. Each of these attacks have their advantages and disadvantages when used in combat. The following table shows the Initiative, To Hit, Damage and Parry modifications used when applying that attack. All modifications follow the same format as the weapon modifications. 

Attack TypeITo HitDmgParry
Great blow -20 -10 +2 +10  
High Sweep––––
Sweep––––
Low Sweep––––
High Thrust+10––+10
Thrust +10+10–––
Low Thrust+10––+10
High Punch+10–––
Punch+10–––
Kick+10–––

Now, how does this affect our combats? Well, every round the combatant must choose an attack type to perform. The weapon he uses must be able to perform the attack, and the attacker must have room enough to make the attack (no Swings or Great Blows in cramped spaces) and the combatant must apply all modifiers to his Initiative, To Hit and his Damage roll and the defender has to apply the Parry modification if he choses to Parry the attack (see also below). The attacker must also be in such a position that he can carry through the chosen attack.

If the character achieves a hit, proceed to the appropriate Hit Table to see where the attack landed.

 The result of the hit, if a hit is achieved, may have other consequenses than direct damage. The basic result is the “winning” situation found in the rulebook. If you score more damage than your opponent, you press him backwards, gaining +10% to hit for the next round. In addition to this, the following results apply.

 If the resulting damage (ie the damage subtracted from the wounds) is greater than the characters Strength (or Toughness, at the Gamemasters discretion), he must make a Strength test (or Toughness) or be knocked back 1D6 feet, and falling down, only being able to attack standing opponents with a Normal Thrust at -10% to hit and -1 to damage. The opponent may parry these attacks at +10%. All parries for the character are at -10%. The character remains on the ground until he “wins” a round or until he is left alone for one complete round, when he can get up. 

If a character is hit on a location not armoured, there is a precentage chance equal to the resulting damage times 10 that superficial bleeding occurs. If the head gets hit and superficial bleeding ocurrs, the character is at -5% to hit and parry, until the bleeding is stopped. If three or more locations have been struck and bleeding have occurred, the character is at -10% to hit and parry (-15% if the head has been affected). Wounds taken in the legs affect the Movement of the character. For every two Wounds taken, the Movement score of the character is modified by -1. If a character is hit by a Great blow from an opponent of equal or larger Strength, he must make an Initiative roll to avoid loosing his footing. If this roll fails, the character will be knocked back 1D6 feet and loose his next attack. He is able to parry normally though. If the attacker continues attacking he will gain the +10% for winning, even if no damage was scored.If a Great blow misses it’s target completely, the attacker must make an Initiative roll to regain his footing. If this roll fails, the attacker will be unable to perform any other attack than a Low or Normal Sweep at -20% when his next attack comes up, and is at -20% to parry for the remaining of the combat round. When the character has spent either one attack regaining his posture or making the described attack, he may again attack without any special penalties. If a Great blow is parried the character is at -40% to parry a riposte from his opponent, if the opponent is not struck back (see above). This attack must be either Normal or Low if the defender is not larger than the attacker, in which case any attack is possible. If an attacker chooses a Great blow and recieves a hit from another Great blow before he can make his attack, the attack is lost, completely. 

And now for the parrying. A character may at the beginning of a combat round state that he is making either a High, Normal or a Low parry. If he manages to predict where the opponent is placing his blow, any penalties to the parry for the attack type are ignored and the parrying character recieves a +10% bonus to the parry roll. If a character goes for a High parry and gets a Low attack, the parrying character recieves an additional -10% to the parrying roll, and vice versa. A character may always choose a Normal parry, thereby adopting a stance that allows quick reaction to any attacks from the opponent, thereby negating the -10% mentioned above even if the attack is Low or High. But how in the world is a character going to predict where his opponent is going to try and hit? Well, in some cases that’s rather obvious. For example, a snotling fighting a human would probably only make Low or Normal attacks, and even if it tried a Great blow, that would still land in the Normal area. A snotling standing on a shelf, on the other hand, will make High attacks. A giant will try Great blows most of the time with an occasional Low attack that uses the High attack To Hit table. Use your common sense and your ability to improvise when dealing with these situations. If you use this system with the option of “double criticals” found below you’ll find that your melees will never be the same again. Watch your footing. If you fall down, you might never get up again! 

Hit TablesHigh Attack 01-40 Head, 41-55 Right arm, 56-70 Left arm, 71-00 BodyNormal attack 01-29 Body, 30-52 Right arm, 53-74 Left arm, 75-87 Right leg, 88-00 Left leg Low attack 01-35 Right leg, 36-70 Left leg, 71-00 Body

Critical hits anew

Yes, I suggest yet another way of achieving critical hits without having to bother beating the opponent to a bloody mass first.

To speed up your fights considerably, let every double success (11, 22 and so on as long as it’s below the number needed to hit) rolled result in a critical hit. The level of the crit is the amount of damage rolled, no toughness subtracted. Simple as that, and very deadly. It means that every character, no matter how good, can be knocked over by a lucky score from a snotling.

I’ll give you an example, to clarify the whole thing. Corl, leader of the famed mercenary group the Grey Wolves, whips out his bastardsword, aiming at his opponents head. The result is 33, and since this is less than the number needed to hit, his attack succeds and he scores a critical hit. The location of the hit is the head, and the critical is 10 (d6 roll of 2, S6, Strike Mighty Blow and Bastardsword dmg modifier). Looking this up in the crit tables we find that Corl have concussed his poor opponent.