You are a loan warrior in a grim world of vicious battles and glorious conquests. You fight for sport in the Arena, facing many horrible and ferrocious opponents. There's only one rule that need be abided by: kill or be killed!
You begin by creating a character ('New' from the 'File' menu). A window will appear with several possible visages of your character and his/her current statistics (and yes, as with most games, higher is better). Keep re-rolling until your heart is content, click the done button when you are satisfied and name the little bugger. Now you're ready for the best hack-n-slash you've ever played.
When you begin, it is advisable that you first purchase armour (from The Armoury) and a weapon (from The Weaponsmith). Having done this you may choose your first opponent from the 'Opponents' menu.
ABBREVIATIONS: For those of you familiar with the Warhammer™ system, the abbreviations will be known to you. For those new to this style of Fantasy Role-Playing, 'ere ya go:
#d#: multiple dice. (ie 2d4 = 2 4-sided dice; 3d6 = 3 6-sided dice; 5d8 = 5 8-sided dice, etc.). The dice are totaled to produce a final dice score.
WS: Weapon Skill
S: Strength
T: Toughness
W: Wounds
I: Initiative
A: Attacks
Cl: Cool
WP: Will Power
XP: Experience Points
AP: Armour Points
CHARACTERISTICS:
Characteristics describe your character in a mathmatical form (but you don't need to know math, just which number is higher, yours or your opponents!). This makes for easier, faster game play.
WEAPON SKILL (WS): Your ability to fight with hand-held weapons; efficiency in battle. (think of it as a percentage; it's always compared to d100). Average is 30.
STRENGTH (S): This measures the limit of your character's physical strength. When used in combat it is added to the weapons damage bonus plus d6 to determine the amount of damage delivered. Average is 3.
TOUGHNESS (T): This is how much physical punishment your body can withstand before suffering severe damage. This number is added to your Armour Points (see Armour), and subtracted from your opponents combined (S + weapon damage bonus). Average is 3.
WOUNDS (W): This represents just how much severe damage your body can withstand. Damage caused by an opponent which passes through armour and T is subtracted from this score. When it goes below 0 you're dead. Average is 6.
INITIATIVE (I): Represents your reflexes and reaction time. (think of it as a percentage; it's always compared to d100). Average is 30.
ATTACKS (A): The number of times per combat round that you can attack. Average is 1.
COOL (Cl): Your ability to remain calm in stressful, crazy situations. (think of it as a percentage; it's always compared to d100). Average is 35.
WILL POWER (WP): This characteristic measures your character's magical and mental resistance. (think of it as a percentage; it's always compared to d100). Average is 30.
TRAINING
While fighting opponents your character gains insights on monster weaknesses and recognises his/her own weak points. In order to take advantage of this knowledge, the character must consult an expert and practice (in the Training Hall).
After defeating an opponent you'll receive gold and Experience Points for your blood and sweat. XP are used in training. Once you've gained enough experience points you may go to the Training Hall and advance one or more of your characteristics. 300 experience points will buy 1 unit in 1 characteristic. Units, however, depend on the statistic.
300 experience points will buy you:
1 point of Strength, Toughness, Wounds or Attacks (up to the maximum)
10 points of Weapon Skill, Initiative, Cool, or Will Power (up to the maximum)
The more powerful the opponent you defeat, the more Experience Points you'll receive to spend on your characteristics.
COMBAT:
Combat is broken up into rounds. There are two halves to a round; yours and your opponents.
When first entering combat, your Initiative (I) is compared against your opponents. The higher of the two attacks first.
To attack a random number between 1 and 100 is determined and compared to your Weapon Skill. If the number is lower, your attack was successful and you hit your opponent (not neccessarily causing damage, read on).
On a successful hit, a d6 is rolled and added to your Strength and your weapon's damage bonus. This indicates the amount of damage your blow has the POTENTIAL to cause. (This score is subtracted from your opponents combined Toughness and Armour Points - If the remainder is positive it is subtracted from your opponents Wound score; If it is negative your blow was too weak and didn't penetrate the creature's defenses).
A for instance follows:
Fumeghore: Wears chain mail and wields a battle axe.
Ratling: Wears chain mail and wields a flail.
Fumeghore has an I of 65 which is higher than the ratling's score of 42 (which is actually 52 because of the weapon bonus but still not higher than Fumeghore's). Fumeghore attacks first.
A random number between 1 and 100 (d100) is determined and compared against his WS of 45. The number is higher so his attack misses. He only has 1 A so now it's the ratling's turn.
The ratling warrior rolls d100 and rolls under his WS of 40. A hit. Now determine damage. A d6 is rolled (4). We add the ratling's S of 3 to it for a total of 7 (it has no damage bonus for it's weapon, but if it had, that would have been added as well). Fumeghore has a T of 4 and 1 AP. Total the two and subtract that from the ratling's damage. The formula (7 - 5 = 2). Fumeghore suffers 2 points of damage and subtracts this from his W score (was 7; now 5). On the ratling's second attack he rolls a 23 and hits (23 < WS of 40). He rolls a 1 for damage (1 + S of 3 = 4). 4 minus Fumghore's (T + AP) or (4 + 1) is -1 so the blow hit but caused no damage.
Now it's Fumeghore's attack again...
WEAPONS:
These are your instruments of destruction, with which you will cleave a bloody path to victory. Because of their design, some weapons enhance your character's profile.
They very much resemble their relatives from our medieval Europe with the exception that their damaging end is slightly more exaggerated.
WEAPON'S TABLE
Axe +0 WS +0 I +0 Dam. 30 gold
Longsword +0 WS +10 I +0 Dam. 40 gold
Flail +0 WS +10 I +0 Dam. 35 gold
Bastard Sword +0 WS +0 I +1 Dam. 60 gold
Ball & Chain +10 WS +0 I +1 Dam. 75 gold
Battle Axe +0 WS +0 I +2 Dam. 125 gold
Warhammer +0 WS +0 I +3 Dam. 170 gold
Bastard Axe +10 WS +0 I +3 Dam. 230 gold
Mourning Star +0 WS +20 I +4 Dam. 390 gold
Berserker Blade +10 WS +10 I +3 Dam. 700 gold
Fleshskulptor +20 WS +0 I +4 Dam. 950 gold
Bonecleaver +10 WS +20 I +4 Dam. 1300 gold
Faithshaker +20 WS +20 I +5 Dam. 1600 gold
Chaos Rune Blade (see Chaos Mutations below for stats) This weapon is not available for purchase.
Magical Weapons:
These weapons are inscribed with ancient runes which imbue them with arcane magicks.
MOURNING STAR: This morning star is constructed of a reddish metal and emitts a soft moaning when used in combat.
BERSERKER BLADE: This bastard sword is cast in a black metal with red, glowing runes along the blade's length. When wielded in combat it seems to push the character beyond physical limitations, imbuing him with a killing frenzy.
FLESKSKULPTOR: This bastard axe is constructed of a dull, grayish metal. It's massive, serrated heads are surrounded in a red aura.
BONECLEAVER: This huge two-handed sword is constructed entirely of meteorite-iron. The entire length of it's blade is inscribed with ancient, glowing runes.
FAITHSHAKER: This warhammer is cast in meteorite-iron and was cooled from the forge in a pool of daemon blood.
The Weaponsmith:
The place to purchace your weapons.
Green buttons signify weapons which you can afford.
Red buttons signify the weapons you can't.
When purchasing a new weapon you will NOT be credited for your old one. It is too battered and shoddy to be traded in.
ARMOUR:
Armour is your first line of defense against all the vicious nasties you'll face in The Arena.
CHAIN MAIL: A heavy, flexable coat of tiny, inter-woven iron links. 1 AP
PLATE ARMOUR: Iron plates worn over chain mail. (cuisse / greaves / vambrace / breastplate). 2 AP
FIELD PLATE: Similar to plate armour but includes leather padding and a knight's helm. 3 AP
GROMRIL PLATE: Sturdy field plate constructed by the dwarfs from an iron-based alloy. 4 AP
RUNE ARMOUR: A suit of gromril plate inscribed with runes by ancient dwarf runesmiths. Absolutely the best protection money can buy. 5 AP
ARMOUR POINTS (AP): Armour Points (AP) is the level of protection a particular suite of armour bestows. This number is added to your character's Toughness score to determine how much damage he can withstand before he begins suffering serious wounds.
The Armoury:
The place where armour is purchased. While here, you'll have your choice of armour (as long as you can afford it).
Green buttons signify armour which you can afford.
Red buttons signify the armour you can't.
When purchasing a new suite of armour you will NOT be credited for your old one. It is too battered and shoddy to be traded in.
AMULETS
Many of the beasts in The Arena possess some form of special attack, may it be causing infected wounds, breathing fire, or the ominous corrode metal.
These little babies are your character's "ace up the vaumbrace" so to speak. These ancient, rune-enscribed amulets possess great powers which they impart upon the wearer.
Alas, due to the strength of the amulets great dweomer, only one may be worn at any given time. Amulets may be purchased in the Magic Shop:
HEALTH: This amulet protects against poisonous, infected or diseased wounds caused by some monsters. (+20 T)
IRON RESOLVE: This amulet helps you remain under control during combat with some of the more horrendeous creatures encountered in The Arena. (+20 Cl)
SWIFTNESS: Wearing this amulet enhances your combat reflexes. (+20 I)
INVISIBILITY: Wearing this rune causes you to become invisible, thus becoming harder to hit. (-20 Monster WS)
IRON: This amulet endows it's wearer with extra protection during combat. (+1 T)
CLEAVING: This magicked medallion endows it's wearer with added strength. (+1 S)
PARRYING: This amulet allows the wearer to automatically parry a single attack against him. The wearer does not loose an attack. (-1 Monster A)
REGENERATION: This amulet allows the character to regain 1 lost W when the combat round is over. It will not, however, revive the character from the dead.
SCROLLS:
Scrolls are archaic parchments inscribed with ceremonial incantations that will summon forth arcane powers. You need simply recite the passages and the spell will take effect. Once a scroll has been used it crumbles into dust.
Characters are only allowed 3 scrolls.
Using a scroll costs you 1 Attack for that round.
Scroll of:
DAMAGING: causes d4 damage.
HEAL MINOR WOUNDS: heals the character for d6 lost Wounds.
SLOWNESS: causes the monster to loose 1 Attack (min of 1) for the duration of the combat.
BLIND FOE: monster's Weapon Skill is reduced by 30.
FIREBALL: causes d6+3 damage.
CRIPPLING: monster suffers 2d6 damage and looses 1 Attack (min of 1) for the duration of the combat.
QUICKNESS: your character gains 2 Attacks for the duration of the combat.
HEAL MAJOR WOUNDS: heals the character for 2d6 lost Wounds.
DECIMATION: causes 4d6 damage.
VORPAL HURRICANE: causes 6d6 damage.
CHAOS
Somewhere beyond the Known World is the horrifying Chaos realm. Here great daemons worship and serve omnipotent Chaos gods while preparing for the decimation of the mundane world. The gods are whimsicle creatures which follow no ethics, granting death and life in the same breath.
By submitting to Chaos you forsake all that you are. Catching a Chaos god's attention during prayer results in a great surge of dark power rushing through your mortal shell. This surge will not leave you unchanged. It's power twists your frame and your soul. Some gifts may even prove to be benificial.
But most times they pay you no heed!
Characters may only gain 6 Chaos Gifts.
Minimum Req. T: 6, Cl: 60
For those of you serious enough about the game I've saved a list of the available chaos mutations and made certain annotations next to several of them (Chaos Lord, Chaos Spawn).
MUTATIONS:
ADDITIONAL EYE: You grow an extra eye in the center of your forehead.
ALBINO: You are weakened. Your skin turns dead white and your eyes glow vibrantly red. T reduced to half!
BESTIAL FACE: Your face distorts and twists into that of a wolf. + 1 A.
BESTIAL LEGS: Your legs and feet become goat-like.
BLACK SKIN: Your skin turns utterly black seemingly absorbing light, and your eyes turn a glossy, milk white.
BLOOD RAGE: Your hatred for all living things manifests itself during combat. +2 A, +1 S.
BREATHES FIRE: Once every round you are able to belch forth a huge ball of enflamed phleghm. This pyrotic chunk of lung butter causes d6 + 6 wounds, deducting only the creatures T. (Webster eat your heart out!)
CHAOS LORD: Some vastly uncomprehensible chaos entity grants you the status of Daemonhood. You've become a Chaos Lord. +2 A, +21-40 WS, +2 S, +2 T, +7-12 W,+21-40 Cl.
•NOTE: You will not be allowed any more mutations if this attribute is gained!
CHAOS RUNE BLADE: A mighty daemon-slaying weapon indeed! This black-bladed, rune encrusted bastard sword radiates great, dark magicks. (Weapon Stats: +40 WS, +40 I, +8 Dam.) Definately no need to visit the Weaponsmith again!
CHAOS SPAWN: Your frail mortal shell twists and morphs into a protoplasmic blob of primordial ooze. ALL ATTRIBUTES ARE MODIFIED RANDOMLY!
•NOTE: You will not be allowed any more mutations if this attribute is gained! However because I have sympathy for anyone reduced to such a state, armour and weapons may still be purchased and used.
CLOUD OF FLIES: Your are constantly surrounded by a swarm of flies, enveloping you in a swirling, buzzing black mass.
CYCLOPS: Your eyes merge into a single huge eyeball.
FACELESS: Your facial features disappear, leaving you with only an entirely blank face.
HEADLESS: Your head disappears from your neck and appears in the center of your chest.
LIMB ATROPHY: Your arms and legs shrivel to pathetic little twigs. S and T reduced to half!
MASSIVE HORNS: Great horns sprout from your temples allowing you to make a gore attack during combat. +1 A.
MULTIPLE ARMS: A pair of muscled arms bearing razor-taloned claws spring forth beneath your own. + 2 A.
NOTHING: The silence drones on.
PUNISHMENT: The Chaos gods mock you and your pitiful pleas for help. -10 WS, -4 W, -1 A.
ROTTING FLESH: Your skin turns rotten and putrid. Great globs of flesh slide from your rancid body.
SCORPION TAIL: You sprout a gigantic scorpion's stinging tail. +1 A.
SKIN OF IRON: Your skin becomes covered in tiny, overlapping iron and mithril scales attached to one another by rivets of steel. +3 T.
TENTACLES: Your arms wither and turn into grasping tentacles, covered in suckers.
TWO HEADS: You sprout an extra head!
VERY AGILE: You become extraordinarily agile. +30 I.
CHAOS LORDS
It is now possible for your character to battle other characters who have reached the status of CHAOS LORD (through bestowal of the mutation). Simply choose Chaos Lords from the Opponents Menu and open the Chaos Lords folder (it is best to store Chaos Lords you receive through the Internet or friends in this folder).
NOTE: This menu option will boink if you try to open a character who is not a Chaos Lord!
SPECIAL MONSTER ATTACKS
Some of the denizens of The Arena possess extraordinary attacks. A list/description fillows:
POISON - Mild Irritant: causes d2 damage.
POISON - Neuro-Toxin: causes d6 damage
POISON - Lethal: causes Death or d6+6 damage
DISEASE - Infected Wounds: causes d3 damage
DISEASE - Creeping Buboes: causes d6 damage
DISEASE - The Rot: causes Death (the Rune Amulet of Health offers no protection against this dreaded disease.
STRENGTH DRAIN: causes d6+4 damage and drains 2 attacks for the duration of the battle OR causes d4 damage.
BREATH WEAPON: causes d6+4 damage or d4 damage.
Thanx to all of you warhammerers who have kept the spirit of The Arena alive!
