FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The purpose of these rules are to lay out a quick and dirty setup for people who want to play in chat rooms, forums, and other such places. I've personally found that an element of randomness can add some very pleasant "spice" to roleplaying fun, and recommend the practice to anyone who's willing to try. There are plenty of free dice programs out there, so just do an internet search and pick out one you like.

A disclaimer: these rules are still exremely rough, and will almost certainly need to be tweaked over time and with playtesting. They've worked all right so far, but they're not really meant for extensive use by those with actual math skills.

Rolls are decided by either opposition (opposed rolls - the one who rolls best wins), or as flat checks (roll a percentage or under to succeed). Combat rolls are always opposed.

Combat is decided by a simple contest of rolles: two combatants roll their chosen combat skill and compare rolls. Most characters start with three "strike points," as in "three strikes and you're out," though weak "mook" enemies might only have one or two, and more experienced opponents might have many more, as seems appropriate. Player characters can buy more as an advantage (see below), or sacrifice one as a disadvantage at character creation. In large fights, if multiple characters gang up on a single opponent, then this is rolled out as though it were a series of contests between two opponents.

Initiative, or the order of who acts when in combat (or any other time) is decided by rolling either the Skill or Soul of the combatants (whichever is highest for a given character), and then comparing the values of these rolls to determine the order of actions in a combat round. This can be rerolled each round of combat (a round being a full sequence of actions by all participants in the combat), or just rolled once per combat for sake of rapidity.

Every paragraph-length post in a chatroom earns 1 experience point (posts that spill over in some programs, or multi-paragraph posts, give 1 point for each such paragraph break). 1 experience point is also gained for every major conflict overcome, as decided by the roleplayers. These experience points can be spent as follows:

1 point = +1 percentage chance to an attribute

10 points = 1 advantage

Here are the four attributes that determine how well a character can do stuff (just delete the description, and add a percentage instead for your character sheet):

-Strength

Physical power. Can be used for combat rolls. Used for matters of raw might and endurance outside of battle.

-Skill

Agility, dexterity, intelligence, and talent. Can be used for combat rolls. Also for outwitting others. Can be used for sense checks. Also used for initiative checks.

-Social

Charisma and the ability to influence others. Used as an opposed roll against Soul, this attribute can be used to make an opponent lose their turn, or the percentage subtracted from an opponent's combat rolls until another such check is attempted.

-Soul

Will and mystic power. If the character has powers that use it (for instance, magic or psi), then it can be used for combat rolls. Can be used to resist Social rolls to create distractions or seduction. Can be used for sense checks. Also used for initiative checks.

Where more than one attribute is listed as being able to do something, just use whichever attribute is highest to perform the desired task: be creative!

A player character should pick the following starting percentages for their four attributes:

Favorite (60%) - a tough boss.

Second Best (50%) - most high-end opponents.

Second-to-last (40%) - the specialty of a midboss opponent.

Last (30%) - typical opponent.

The descriptions following each of these four are what is expected from a typical opponent the player character might face.

If a player wants to run more than one character, any additional characters made subtract 10% from each of the above success chances, since they're not as experienced as the primary character. So 50, 40, 30, 20. If a player wants a greater challenge, then this can be the starting set of attributes instead, or the starting attributes can be set even lower, depending on the desired difficulty level.

These attributes are deliberately really vague and open to interpretation, to make them easier to use in roleplaying. Try using them whenever and wherever it feels appropriate.

Here's what sets your characters apart, though: advantages. You can pick three advantages for your starting character, and two for any secondary characters you make, or if you prefer to start with a less-powerful character.

Later advantages can be bought for 10 points each.

You can also select any number of disadvantages you wish, and take an additional advantage in exchange.

(I'm open to suggestions to this list, and will probably be updating it myself regularly.)

Advantages either give a new power that otherwise wouldn't be available, or add +10% to any roll that applies, as indicated by the description of a particular advantage. Disadvantages typically subtract -10% from rolls where they apply. When appropriate, percentage gains or subtractions from advantages and disadvantages stack.

Multiple levels of most advantages and disadvantages can be taken, at 10/level. Each level adds +10%, or subtracts -10%, respectively.

Do note: there aren't any "skills" per se in this system. Characters are just assumed to be able to do most reasonable tasks - assign an attribute to what you'd like to do, and roll the dice. However, for especially specialized skills, see the "Training" advantage, below.

Advantages:

Alertness: Applies to all sense checks.

Animal Empathy: Most non-sapient creatures will not be suspicious or even hostile toward you as a default. However, with this advantage, you can use Social checks to influence animals normally, without any penalties. Additionally, you get a bonus on Social rolls against all sapient creatures with animal-like characteristics (ie, "furries").

Appearance (Good): Something about your appearance attracts others. Applies to all Social rolls where appearance plays a factor.

Charisma: Animal magnetism. You are naturally good at social interactions. Applies in all social situations. Can attempt to seduce anyone, at any time. Not tied to appearance: quite monstrous creatures who aren't attractive in a typical sense can be *very* charismatic.

Combat Skill: You are good at fighting with your body. Applies to all physical combat situations.

Confidence: Females and hermaphrodites only. The character has an aura of raw femininity that leaves no doubt as to the sexual nature of this character's personality. The character can choose when to roll pregnancy chances (normally this is a flat 5% per ejaculation), though this becomes an opposed Strength check against Potent characters, and when having sex with multiple partners (at least one of whom should be able to produce virile sperm), can use a flat Strength roll to determine if appropriate partners involved in such scenes get pregnant. Additionalls, most other characters instinctively sense this character's sexual ability, and subtract -10% from most opposed checks against the Confident character whenever sex is involved (this can include non-lethal combat).

Flexible: You are versatile and talented, as well as physically flexible. Applies to all Skill checks out of combat.

Luck: You can reroll any one failed roll once per 5 posts after the last reroll. Additional levels reduce the number of posts needed by 1 each (minimum 1, allowing Luck to be used every other turn, tops).

Magic/Psionics (pick one): You can now use Soul for attacks. Additionally, you can perform various feats using Soul for your percentage chance, either as spells or psychic skills - feel free to be creative, using spells from various settings as a guide. Selecting both Magic and Psionics (taking two choices of advantages) gives a +10% bonus to using the other advantage. Can only pick one level of these two advantages.

Multiple Attacks: Each level gives you one extra action in combat.

Potent: Males and hermaphrodites only. Normal pregnancy chances are a flat 5% per ejaculation. With this advantage, the character can choose instead to use the Strength attribute to impregnate someone (or as an opposed roll against a Confident character). Additionally, most other characters instinctively sense this character's sexual potency, and subtract -10% from most opposed checks against the Potent character whenever sex is involved (this can include non-lethal combat).

Strike Points: You get an extra strike point, letting you take more damage.

Strong Will: Applies whenever resisting Soul or Social checks, or to resist giving in to disadvantages.

Super Powers: Pick any power desired, and tie it to an attribute to determine its chance of success. You can now use that superhuman ability whenever appropriate.

Training: You have more than average skill in any one skillset that you pick each time you select this advantage. This advantage encompasses the specialized skills required by professionals in many fields, like computer experts, engineers, smiths, rangers, thieves, and similar persons who rely on their training to see them through the performance of their jobs. Pick this skill if you want to get the expected skills of an expert in a field, and the training that will let you perform tasks associated with that profession (for example, a ranger or other wilderness expert could track, while a robotics engineer would have an edge with making, repairing, or defeating robots). When you select "Training" as an advantage, be sure to indicate what sort of training it is, specifically.

Voice: Your voice has powerful qualities to influence others. Applies on any Social check where your voice can be used. Also adds to Soul checks for magic or psionics with verbal components, or to super powers that employ the voice.

Wealth: Creates a separate attribute, starting at 30%, usable whenever money plays a factor. Can be bought up like normal attributes. Often also given as a reward for successful adventures. Reduces by 1% every time it's used, though.

Well-Endowed: Size actually isn't everything - a part of your body just catches attention, and distracts others. You also have lots of raw natural talent in bed. -10% to the combat rolls of enemies (and allies) who can see your well-endowed body part, and +10% to all checks for seduction, distraction, or to gauge sexual performance. Additional levels each apply to a separate body part.

Disadvantages:

Appearance (Bad): Something about the way you look disgusts, frightens, or otherwise puts people off. Applies to all social rolls where appearance plays a factor, except intimidation, where it acts as an advantage.

Berserk: You have a 30% chance of being able to break off combat should there be a need. Additionally, you have a 30% chance of resisting any opportunity to start a fight (modified by Strong Will). You don't necessarily have to kill your opponents, but you won't stop engaging in violent behavior while berserk.

Cowardice: You are weak against attempts at intimidation, and also have a penalty on all physical-based, direct combat checks.

Disturbing Voice: For whatever reason, your voice is very scary or troubling to others. Reduces any checks involving your voice, as the opposite of the Voice advantage, except on rolls to intimidate others. Incompatible with Voice.

Fat: Penalty to Skill where agility is involved, but not while swimming.

Greed: You are easily swayed by money. 30% chance to resist any offer of cash or other assets (modified by Strong Will).

Honorable: You will always keep your word, no matter what. Should you make formal vows of some sort (knightly, bushido, etcetera), you mean the vows, and will uphold the honor of your order to the best of your ability.

Lecherous: You are especially weak against seduction. You also have a hard time resisting any opportunity to take advantage of persons you find attractive whenever an opportunity arises, and have a only 30% chance of resisting such opportunities if you really, really need to (modified by Strong Will). When taken with Berserk, you become wildly aroused in fights, and have to roll to resist raping a defeated opponent you find attractive rather than continuing an ongoing battle, unless interrupted somehow, or you fail the normal 30% chance of being lecherous if there is more than one attractive opponent available - then you want them all!

Overconfident: You must roll against Will whenever an opportunity to show off occurs, or you must take that opportunity.

Skinny: Penalty to Strength checks when resisting slams and similar attacks where weight is involved.

Strike Point Reduction: You lose a strike point, down to as few as one. Can only be taken at character creation (which means a total potential of 2 lost strike points).

Weak Will: Subtracts -10% from rolls to resist Social or Soul checks, or to give in to various disadvantages.

Primitive: You don't use advanced weaponry or gadgets. You also aren't literate.

Youth: Every level of this disadvantage gives a -5% penalty to all four attributes.

So a blank character sheet would look like this:

Name:

Physical Description:

Personality and Roleplaying Notes:

Biography:

-Strength:

-Skill:

-Social:

-Soul:

-Advantages:

-Disadvantages: