Gates to Beyond/Mechanics

This is a list of intended mechanics in the game Gates to Beyond, the first large-scale RPG associated with the Hastam setting and also likely the first game belonging to the Final Refraction series.

Statistics & Skills

There are three main statistics that each character in Hastam, including the player character, utilises. Each one has multiple associated skills, and training in the skills improves general proficiency in the statistic as a whole. The skills each have a maximum level of 5 in Vignette, and 15 by the end of Stanza. Statistics are calculated as your third highest skill corresponding to that statistic plus your lowest skill corresponding to that statistic. and they can be used in place of any skill belonging to that statistic when a test is made. Levelling up grants two points to allocate for skills - the maximum character level in Vignette is 15, and the maximum in Stanza is 50, with levels 15 and 30 increasing the skill cap by 5 points each (from a starting point of 5, the same as Vignette), so that a player doesn't immediately level to 15 in any given skill at the start of the game. Classes have skill, stat and level requirements, as many classes are direct upgrades to other classes to grant a sense of progression. NPC characters have automatic skill increases to compensate for the unique locked class paths they go down. The statistics, as well as the skills that come under them, are as follows:

Body

This statistic allows one to interact with the physical world in the most obvious ways, as it directly impacts one's physical strength, durability and weapon-wielding capabilities.

Fortitude

Fortitude is the primary skill covering passive physical defence. It enables a greater level of resistance to attack damage and the elements,

Momentum

Momentum covers physical speed, encompassing both movement and to a lesser extent attack speed.

Power

Power corresponds the most directly to physical strength,

Travel Mechanics

Boat

Only certain routes allow for travel by boat, and it is generally among the safest and speediest methods of travel in Hastam. Unfortunately there is some risk of sea monster attack on one or two routes, and it tends to cost a fair amount to make the journey.

Horseback

The fastest way of travel without delving into the Safe Rooms. Horseback travel is about 1.5x faster than travel by wagon but horses on their own can carry far less, meaning you'll need a horse per companion and can't bring all of them along wherever you go. The faster speed means you have less of a chance of being raided and it is cheaper than wagon travel. Horseback travel can be improved through Expertise or Influence.

On Foot

Fairly self-explanatory, right? This method is the slowest, taking twice as long as a wagon and three times as long as horseback, but it is free and doesn't inherently cost any sanity (you might want to travel light though), or guard yourself well. On-Foot travel can be improved by Momentum or Fortitude. It isn't recommended you try and do any water routes without a boat, but if you're maxed out in both Momentum and Fortitude you can do anything, right?

Safe Rooms

The Safe Rooms are theoretically the quickest method of travel in Hastam, allowing one to move from location to location in mere hours as long as the doors one aims to access have been travelled through before. However, the network of rooms shifts its formation each time it is visited and borrows from the traveller's subconscious. This means the Safe Rooms get more dangerous as time goes on, with the landscape becoming more and more shattered, gravity shifting and constructed hostile people occasionally appearing. The Safe Rooms feast on one's sanity, meaning staying in them for too long is unwise. One can improve their ability to travel through the Rooms with Willpower and Intuition.

Wagon

Although at first it may seem like the most expensive method of travel in Hastam, renting a wagon allows one to actually make money if they take on trade goods at one location and deposit them at another. It is slower than horseback travel but a lot better than walking, and lets you bring all your friends. Wagon travel can be improved through Dominance or Prowess.