MLP Mechanics

CHARACTERS

Your characters are the stars of the movie, the main characters in the game. We sometimes refer to them as "heroes," not in the "good guy" sense per se, but in the sense of the main protagonists of the story. Each character's imaginary life is different. Your character might be ...

• A tough Pegasus athlete.
• A Unicorn seeking to gain power in Magic.
• A gambler looking to make the next big score.
• A workhorse with a heart of gold.
• A young noble from Canterlot.
• A scout exploring the Everfree Forest.
• A guard trained to defend a frontier town.
• Or any other kind of character you can imagine.

WHAT You NEED TO PLAY

Here's what you need to start playing the My Little Pony Roleplaying Game:

• This book, which tells you how to create and play your character.
• A copy of the character sheet (on page 287)
• A pencil and scratch paper.
• One or two four-sided dice (d4) four or more six-sided dice (d6) an eight-sided die (d8) two ten-sided dice (dlO) a twelve-sided die (d12) and a twenty-sided die (d20).
• A miniature from the My Little Pony Blind Bag line to represent your character (optional).
• A battle map with l-inch squares to put your miniature on (optional).

Players should read the front sections of this book, the parts dealing with character creation, skills, feats, and equipment. The rest of the book is for the Stablemaster, providing advice for running the game, opponents to throw at the players' characters, and a few starting points for adventures.

DICE

The rules abbreviate dice rolls with phrases such as "4d6+2," which means "four six-sided dice plus 2" (generating a number between 6 and 26). The first number tells you how many dice to roll (all of which are added together). the number after the "d" tells you what type of dice to use, and any number after that indicates a quantity that is added to or subtracted from the result.

THE BASICS

THE CORE MECHANIC

The My Little Pony Roleplaying Game uses a core mechanic to resolve all actions. This central game rule keeps play fast and intuitive. Whenever you want to attempt an action that has some chance of failure, you roll a twenty-sided die (or "d20"). To determine whether your character succeeds at a task (such as an attack or the use of a skill). you do this:

• Roll a d20.
• Add any relevant modifiers.
• Compare the result to a target number.

If the result equals or exceeds the target number (set by the Stablemaster or given in the rules). your character succeeds at the task at hand. If the result is lower than the target number, you fail.

THE STABLEMASTER

When you play the My Little Pony Roleplaying Game, you're participating in an interactive story. Players take on the roles of unique characters, called heroes. One player serves as the Stablemaster, a combination director, narrator, and referee. The Stablemaster describes situations, asks the players what their characters want to do, and resolves these actions according to the rules of the game. The Stablemaster sets each scene, keeps the story moving, and takes on the roles of the opponents and other characters that the players' heroes encounter in each adventure. If you're the Stablemaster, you should read through all sections of this book; you don't need to memorize it, but you do need to have an idea of where to find things once play begins.

HEROES

If you're a player, you take the role of a hero-one of the "stars" of the My Little Pony universe that you, the other players, and the Stablemaster all help to develop. You create your character with the help of the game rules that follow, according to your own vision for the type of pony you want to play. As your character participates in adventures, he or she gains experience points (XP) that help him or her improve and become more powerful. For more information on character creation, see MLP Character Creation.

GAME PLAY

This overview gives you enough of the basics to get a feel for how this roleplaying game works. The chapters that follow take these basic concepts and expand upon them.

Important! You don't have to memorize the contents of th is book to play the game. It's a game, not homework. Once you understand the basics, start playing I Use this book as a reference during play. The table of contents and index should help you find a specific topic easily. When in doubt, stick to the basics, keep playing, and have fun . You can always look up an obscure rule after your game session ends, but remember that you don't have to sweat the details in the middle of play.

ROLLING DICE

We've already explained the basic rule that forms the foundation of the game-roll a d20, add a modifier, and try to get a result that's equal to or greater than the target number. Whenever your character tries to accomplish something significant, the Stablemaster asks you to roll a d20. Important! Not every action requires a die roll. Roll dice in combat and other dramatic situations when the success of an action is in doubt. The d20 is used to determine results in combat and when making skill checks and ability checks. In other words, the d20 determines whether or not you succeed at an action. The other dice (d4, d6, dB, d10, and d12) are used to determine what happens after you succeed. Usually, the other dice come into play after making a successful attack roll to determine how much damage the attack deals to the target.

A GAME SESSION

In the My Little Pony Roleplaying Game, the Stablemaster and players get together to tell a story through the play of the game. We call these group- created stories "adventures." A My Little Pony adventure features plenty of action, and a sense of wonder and grandeur. Typically, the game consists of adventures that resemble episodes in the series. One adventure might play out in a single game session; another might stretch across several evenings of play. A session can last as long as you're comfortable playing, from as short as one hour to as long as a 12- hour marathon. Most groups get together and play for two to four hours at a time. The game can be stopped at any time and restarted when the players get back together. Each adventure consists of interrelated scenes. A scene might feature some kind of challenge or roleplaying encounter, or it could revolve around combat. When there's no combat going on, play is much more casual. The Stablemaster describes the scene and asks the players what their characters do. When combat breaks out, game play becomes more structured, and the action takes place in rounds.

WHAT CHARACTERS CAN DO

A character can try to do anything you can imagine, just so long as it fits the scene the Stablemaster describes. Depending on the situation, your character might want to:

• Listen at a door
• Use a tool or device
• Explore a location
• Converse with another creature
• Bargain with a merchant
• Talk to an ally
• Pilot a vehicle
• Search for a clue
• Bluff an official
• Repair an item
• Move
• Duck behind an obstacle
• Attack an opponent

Characters accomplish these things by making skill checks, ability checks, or attack rolls, all of which entail a modified d20 roll.

ABILITY SCORES

Just about every dice roll you make is going to get a bonus or penalty based on your character's ability scores. A tough character will be having a better chance to get clear trough a freezing cold night. A perceptive character is more likely to notice somepony sneaking up from behind. A not so intelligent character is less likely to find a concealed panel that opens up the closed passageway. Your ability scores tell you what your modifiers are for rolls such as these. Your character has six abilities: Strength (abbreviated Str), Dexterity (Dex), Constitution (Con), Intelligence (Int), Wisdom (Wis), and Charisma (Cha). Each of your character's above-average abilities gives you a benefit on certain dice rolls, and each below-average ability gives you a disatvantage on other dice rolls. You generate six abilities by the point-buy system below, assign them to the abilities you like, raise and lower them according to your species, and then raise them, as your character advances in experience.

ABILITY MODIFIERS

Ability Score	Modifier	Ability Score	Modifier
0-1	-5	12-13	+1
2-3	-4	14-15	+2
4-5	-3	16-17	+3
6-7	-2	18-19	+4
8-9	-1	20-21	+5
10-11	+0	22-23	+6

ABILITY GENERATION

You may select the scores you want by using the planned character generation method. This requires a bit of thought and effort on your part, since you need to know what kind of character you want to play so you can select your scores appropriately. Determine your species and class beforehand, then select your scores as outlined below. Your character's ability scores all start at 8. You have 25 points to spend to increase these scores, using the costs shown below. After you select your scores, apply any species modifiers.

Ability Score	Cost	Ability Score	Cost
6	-2
7	-1	13	5
8	0	14	6
9	1	15	8
10	2	16	10
11	3	17	13
12	4	18	16

STANDARD SCORE PACKAGE

Another method of determining ability scores is the standard score package, a balanced mix of scores designed to quickly create hero characters. Assign the scores to the abilities as you like. After you assign your scores, apply species modifiers. The standard score package is: 15,14,13,12,10, and 8.

THE ABILITIES

Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of your character's actions. The description of each ability includes a list of notable characters along with their scores in that ability.

STRENGTH (STR)

Strength measures your character's muscle and physical power. This ability is especially important for athletes and rangers because it helps them prevail in physical challenges. You apply your character's Strength modifier to:

- Climb, Jump, and Swim checks (the skills with Strength as the key ability) .
- Strength checks (for breaking down doors and the like).
- Melee attack rolls.
- Damage rolls for melee and thrown weapons.

DEXTERITY (DEX)

Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance. This ability is the most important ability for scoundrels, but it's also high on the list for characters who want to handle the controls of a vehicle fairly well. You apply your character's Dexterity modifier to:

- Acrobatics, Pilot, Ride, and Stealth checks (the skills where Dexterity is the key ability).
- Ranged attack rolls, such as with lassos.
- Reflex Defense, provided the character can react to the attack.
- The number of combat- or flying maneuvers you learn when you take the Combat Training or Flight Training feat.

When a character's Dexterity score permanently increases or decreases, his number of known maneuvers/spells also changes. For every instance of the Combat/Flight/Spell Training feat that you have, you gain one maneuver/spell (and additional use of already-known maneuvers/spells) for every point by which your ability modifier increases. If you instead suffer a permanent reduction in your ability modifier, you lose access to the same number of maneuvers/spells; you must choose which maneuvers/spells (and extra uses of the same maneuvers/spells) you lose.

CONSTITUTION (CON)

Constitution represents your character's health and stamina. Constitution adds to a hero's fatigue, so it's important for everyone, but most important for guards and athletes. You apply your Constitution modifier to:

- Each die roll for gaining additional hit points (though a penalty can never drop a hit point roll below 1; a character always gains at least 1 hit point each time he or she goes up a level).
- Fortitude Defense, for resisting poison, radiation, and similar threats.
- The Endurance skill.

If a character's Constitution changes, his or her fatigue points should also increase or decrease accordingly.

INTELLIGENCE (lNT)

Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons. Intelligence is important for commoners, scholars, and any character who wants to have a wide assortment of skills. You apply your character's Intelligence modifier to:

- The number of languages your character knows at the start of the game.
- The number of trained skills you have.
- Knowledge, Mechanics, and Use Computer checks (the skills with Intelligence as the key ability).
- The number of Spell slots you generate when you take the Spell Training feat.

Beasts have Intelligence scores of 1 to 4. Sentient creatures have scores of at least 5. When a character's Intelligence score permanently increases or decreases, its number of trained skills and known languages also changes. When a character's Intelligence score permanently increases or decreases, his number of known maneuvers/spells also changes. For every instance of the Combat/Flight/Spell Training feat that you have, you gain one maneuver/spell (and additional use of already-known maneuvers/spells) for every point by which your ability modifier increases. If you instead suffer a permanent reduction in your ability modifier, you lose access to the same number of maneuvers/spells; you must choose which maneuvers/spells (and extra uses of the same maneuvers/spells) you lose.

WISDOM (WIS)

Every creature has a Wisdom score. Wisdom describes a character's willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition. Compared to Intelligence, Wisdom is more related to being in tune with and aware of one's surroundings, while Intelligence represents one's ability to analyze information. An "absentminded professor" has a low Wisdom score and a high Intelligence score. A simpleton with low Intelligence might nevertheless have great insight (high Wisdom). Wisdom is the most important ability for scouts, but it's also important to characters wishing to be in-tune with their environment or characters who like to gamble. If you want your character to have keen senses, put a high score in Wisdom. You apply your character's Wisdom modifier to:

- Will Defense, generally for resisting certain Force attacks.
- Perception, Survival, and Heal checks (the skills with Wisdom as the key ability).

CHARISMA (CHA)

Every creature has a Charisma score. Charisma measures a character's force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness. It represents actual strength of personality and force of presence, not merely how others perceive you in a social setting. Charisma is most important for diplomats and entertainers. You apply your Charisma modifier to:

- Deception, Gather Information, Persuasion, and Use the Force checks (skills with Charisma as the key ability).
- The number of Social maneuvers you learn when you take the XXX feat.

When a character's Charisma score permanently increases or decreases, his number of known maneuvers/spells also changes. For every instance of the Combat/Flight/Spell Training feat that you have, you gain one maneuver/spell (and additional use of already-known maneuvers/spells) for every point by which your ability modifier increases. If you instead suffer a permanent reduction in your ability modifier, you lose access to the same number of maneuvers/spells; you must choose which maneuvers/spells (and extra uses of the same maneuvers/spells) you lose.

CHANGING ABILITY SCORES

Over time, your character's ability scores can change. Ability scores can increase without limit.

• At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level, a heroic character increases two ability scores by 1 point each.
• As a character ages, some ability scores go up and others go down. See MLP Age for details.

When an ability score changes, all attributes associated with that score change accordingly. For example, when Butterflake becomes 4th-level, she increases her Dexterity from 15 to 16 and increases her Charisma from 13 to 14. Now she's become even more beautiful, which may get her into better social events, and more nimble, therefore better able to fly or drive a vehicle. All of her other Dexterity-based and Charisma-based skills improve as well.

INTELLIGENCE, WISDOM, AND CHARISMA

A character with a high Intelligence score is curious, knowledgeable, and prone to using big words. A character with a high Intelligence but low Wisdom may be smart but absent-minded, or knowledgeable but lacking in common sense. A character with a high Intelligence but a low Charisma may be a know-it-all or a reclusive scholar. The smart character lacking in both Wisdom and Charisma usually puts her foot in her mouth. A character with a low Intelligence mispronounces and misuses words, has trouble following directions, or fails to get the joke. A character with a high Wisdom score may be sensible, serene, "in tune," alert, or centered. A character with a high Wisdom but a low Intelligence may be aware, but simple. A character with a high Wisdom but a low Charisma knows enough to speak carefully and may become an adviser or "power behind the throne" rather than a leader. A character with a low Wisdom score may be rash, imprudent, irresponsible, or "out of it." A character with a high Charisma may be beautiful, handsome, striking, personable, and confident. A character with a high Charisma but a low Intelligence can usually pass herself off as knowledgeable, until she meets a true expert. A charismatic character with a low Wisdom may be popular, but he doesn't know who his real friends are. A character with a low Charisma may be reserved, gruff, rude, fawning, or simply nondescript.

SYSTEMS OF HARMONY AND DISCORD

HARMONY POINTS

A very important game stat of your character are so-called Harmony Points. They are an indicator of how harmonic the character interacts with his or her surroundings. You get 5 Harmony Points at 1st level. Some racial talents or feats modify the number of Harmony points a character starts with. For example Ponies from the Crystal Kingdom start with only three Harmony points at first level due to the dark past of their heritage.

DISCORD POINTS

Discord Points are the polar opposite to Harmony Points. They represent the characters affinity to the forces of chaos and disorder. Most of the time Discord points are used by non-player characters, but some effects or actions may cause a harmonic character to gain Discord Points. If a harmonic character would get a Discord Point he or she looses a Harmony Point instead. Should the Harmony Point score of a character drop to zero, that character changes from harmonic to discordic. Any further Discord Points the character gains now increase his score in Discord Points. Analoguous, if a discordic character receives Harmony Points, they eliminate an appropriate number of Discord Points.

RECEIVEING HARMONY POINTS

There are a number of different ways to receive Harmony Points. In most cases the Stablemaster awards Harmony Points in certain situation, were characters have shown behavior, that was especially helpful, kind, honest, etc. toward other characters or their environment. Awarding a Harmony Point can be a reward for special actions by players, or at the end of an adventure. Stablemasters should talk to their players if the awarding of a Harmony Point in a certain situation is appropriate. When you gain a new level, you lose any unspent Harmony Points from the previous level but gain a number of Harmony Points equal to 5 + one-half your new character level (rounded down). Some talents or special effects also generate Harmony points.

RECEIVEING DISCORD POINTS

Similar to Harmony Points, Discord Points may be assigned to characters for certain types of behavior inappropriate to a given situation, or acting ruthless or mean toward other characters. Stablemasters should keep in mind that assigning Discord Points should be done for dramatic purposes, and not for punishing certain courses of action. Should a harmonic character be assigned Discord Points for his or her actions, try to compensate the assignment with useful information, equipment, or something that furthers your story, or an amount of experience at the end of the story. When assigning Discord Points to a discordic character, follow the same rules as with Harmony Points for harmonic characters.

USING HARMONY/DISCORD POINTS

On your turn, you may spend a Harmony Point (or Discord Point, if you play a discordic character) as a free action to roll 1d6 and add the result to a single attack roll, skill check, or ability check. You can do this once per round. At 8th level, when you spend a Harmony Point, you instead roll 2d6 and take the best die result as your bonus; at 15th level, you roll 3d6 and take the best die result as your bonus. Some talents or maneuvers require you to spend a Harmony Point to activate. In the case of a talent or maneuver that is tagged as [Harmonic] or [Discordic] only appropriate Points may be used to activate it.

AURAS OF HARMONY AND DISCORD

In some areas of Equestria there are special magical auras of harmony or discord affecting the environment. They affect all characters, creatures and objects, which stay in the area in question for a certain amount of time. These auras can be rated from 1 to a maximum of 3. For instance an Aura of Harmony conveys Harmony Points to all targets in the area of effect in set intervals up to a maximum of the rating of the aura. Should a discordic character stay in such an area its Discord Points erode in the same interval as harmonic characters receive harmony points and vice versa. In addition the aura imparts a bonus to rolls appropriate to its nature and incurs a penalty to rolls opposed to its nature equal to its squared rating. So a level 1 Aura of Harmony gives a +1 bonus to harmonic actions and imparts a -1 penalty to disharmonic actions. A level 2 Aura of Harmony gives a +4 bonus to harmonic actions and imparts an equal penalty to discordic actions, while a level 3 Aura imparts a bonus or penalty of +/-9. Sometimes certain dramatic situations can spontaneously create auras of harmony or discord.