Super Mario RPG

I. Introduction

Super Mario RPG, also known as Mario World, though not to be confused with the SNES vidya gaem of the same name, is a /tg/-created system for a Super Mario RPG, using simple mechanics based on D6s, low numbers, and a Stat-system based on the Mario game series. It borrows somewhat from the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game and Dark Heresy PnP games.

Note that the game is in its very beginning stage! It is not nearly ready to see play.

Players take on the role of intrepid souls exploring the world, be they wanderers, soldiers, adventurers or anything in between. The game is also meant to be highly customizable, permitting many more different templates, characters, items and so forth than are shown here. Game Masters (GMs) and players are encouraged to be imaginative and creative.

For those who need references to and information about anything involving the Mario universe (especially if you plan to add it to your game or to elaborate on items currently listed), check the Super Mario Wiki.

II. Character Creation

Like most tabletop pen-and-paper games, each player controls a single character, or PC.

This section details everything needed to make a character. You'll need a single d6.

The steps are as follows:

• Design your concept.
• Choose your race.
• Determine your Stats.
• Record your racial features.
• Roll up your Hometown.
• Choose your two Perks.
• Spend your first, and free, bonus stat point.
• Play!

Concept

A character is only as unique as her premise. Even in the simplistic and colorful Mushroom World, there are equally colorful characters that truly bring out and highlight how lively the world is. One's character is more than just numbers and items on a page; she is a (usually) living, breathing person with ideals and ambitions. The simplest way to come up with a character is to make a short blurb about who and what she is, such as "Treasure-loving Archaeologist," "Hammer-for-Hire," or "Trickster Magician" to name a few. This will be the character's foundation to be based and built upon. Nothing's stopping you from writing a full history of a character; do whatever you feel is necessary. This step is strictly optional, but it never hurts.

Races

The Mushroom Universe is full of bizarre and interesting creatures, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The following is an overview of each playable race. More races are always present and can be created at anyone's discretion, but these are the "core" races.

Koopa

One of the most common races in the Mushroom World, Koopas are humanoid (evolved from quadrupeds, though some still exist) reptiles, turtles in particular; the biggest and baddest of them all is the infamous King Bowser Koopa himself, the aptly-named "Koopa King." Koopas walk all paths of life, and while Koopas make up the vast majority of the Koopa Troop, Bowser's personal army, many others live independently, be it in peaceful hamlets, as brave adventurers, and even as citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom. Arguably their greatest strength is their adaptability, for rarely is a Koopa pigeonholed into any one role. Of course, this doesn't preclude them from becoming extremely specialized; some of the greatest warriors and magic wielders are Koopas, among numerous other occupations.

Toad

The other most common race in the world alongside the Koopas, Toads (Kinopio is an alternative designation) are the mushroom-headed humanoids of the Mushroom World, known for their speckled heads. While the Mushroom Kingdom boasts unmatched diversity, Toads are the face of the kingdom, though to live and travel abroad are not uncommon occurrences. Opposed to the Koopas and Goombas of the warlike Koopa Troop (not to be confused with other Koopas and Goombas), most Toads are peaceful, albeit many are insufferable gossips. While not necessarily as hardy as the Koopas, Toads are an adaptable people, boasting a vast intellect and remarkable agility, despite their stature. Most become scholars, magic-users or thieves, but that doesn't stop the braver ones from gaining martial prowess.

Boo

Boos (also known as Teresa) are marshmallow-like ghosts, the spirits of the dead that remain in the realm of the living for a variety of reasons, willing or otherwise. Often inhabiting abandoned estates and the dark places of the world, Boos tend to be either very shy or very bold. That is to say, many exalt in scaring the wits out of hapless passer-bys; however, they've yet to shake their reputation for being notoriously shy. Being semi-incorporeal, they do not boast fine motor control, but they can exert some force on the world. They can also fade in and out of sight -- possibly between the lands of the living and the dead -- and fly. Boos tend towards being magic-users or socialites, due to their difficulty in handling physical objects.

Goomba

Goombas (alternately known as Kuribo) are tiny sentient mushroom creatures, essentially mutated mushrooms with feet. Their size varies mildly, but most come waist-high to a Koopa. Alongside Koopas, Goombas are the most iconic of soldiers in the Koopa Troop, the "gruntiest of grunts," so to speak, while many others live in independence, often as full-fledged citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom. Stature aside, their most striking detail is their lack of arms, although they are known to fine-manipulate objects as if they had limbs (a mystery of the universe). In open defiance of their build and lot in life, Goombas are among the most steadfast and fiercest of all sentients. They are capable of very high jumps, and some varieties have small wings. Some are martially adept, while others become scholars.

Shy Guy

One of the grand question marks of the world, Shy Guys are squatty humanoids whose most striking detail, regardless of their garb, build or environment, is an unsettling white -- sometimes decorated -- mask to hide their true identity, hence the name; only a truly select few have ever seen beneath the mask, though they refuse to say what is there. One of the most mysterious and enigmatic races in the world, Shy Guys are thought to originate from the dream world of Sub-Con, though like most things about them, it is not truly known. It doesn't help that their society, however it manifests, is almost exclusively insular. What is known is that apart from being nearly unrepentant tricksters, they are one of the most technologically savvy races, employing all manner of tools they find or make.

Yoshi

Yoshis, either named for an individual or the entire race, are intelligent, bipedal dragons/dinosaurs that come in all colors of the rainbow -- and then some! -- with large snouts and smiles. Hailing from mostly tropical regions, most notably Yoshi Island, their claim to fame is being omnivores of the highest caliber: with long, sticky, prehensile tongues and a seemingly bottomless stomach, Yoshis will eat almost anything and everything. Their digestion is almost instantaneous, and often, they excrete an item they eat as a speckled egg they either use for storage or to throw as explosive projectiles. Depending on what they eat, they can gain abilities ranging from growing wings to breathing fire. Sometimes serving as mounts or protectors, they possess their own, tribal society.

Bob-omb

With a fuse on the top and an individual-designed turnkey on their backside, modern Bob-ombs are, put simply, sentient bombs with feet. Like Goombas, they have no immediately discernible arms, yet they can manipulate objects with little issue. Intelligent and living as full citizens of their nation of choice, most are stoic and tough, often moving with military precision, though as the colloquialism implies, many suffer from -- pardon the pun -- a short fuse. As expected of any bomb, a Bob-omb's special ability is to self-detonate in an admirable explosion; while one may think such an act as suicide, modern Bob-ombs have perfected the art of blasting to where it is no longer an issue. Their explosions, outside of functional use, are seen as the highest form of expression for Bob-ombs.

Stats

Now that you've chosen your race, you can determine your Stats. Stats represent your PC's raw physical and mental skill. There are six Core Stats and two Derivative Stats.

Heart (H):	This Stat represents your character's physical health, but also guts, determination and spirit.
Power (P):	This Stat represents your character's raw, physical strength.
Smarts (S):	This Stat represents your character's intelligence and mental fortitude.
Coolness (C):	This Stat represents your character's charisma, looks and and social skills.
Defense (D):	This Stat represents your character's ability to withstand injury.
Speed (Sp):	This Stat represents your character's physical quickness, manual dexterity, and reaction speed.
Health Points (HP):	This Stat represents how much damage your character can suffer before becoming KO'd. It is derived from Heart and is equal to Heart * 2.
Flower Points (FP):	This Stat represents your character's potential to perform specials (techniques, spells, etc.). It is derived from, and is equal to, Heart + Coolness (unless otherwise noted).

An average Koopa or Toad civilian would possess a 3 in Heart, Power, Smarts and Coolness, while possessing a 1 in Speed and Defense.

Over the course of a campaign, stats can be buffed or debuffed, either permanently or temporarily, but aside from HP/FP, they can never be reduced below the minimum of 1.

Determining Stats

There are two ways to determine Stats: random rolls, or point buy. The methods to each are displayed below.

Random Rolls

For Heart, Power, Smarts, and Coolness, roll 1d6+1 (This will result in a number from 2-7).

For Speed and Defense, roll 1d6/2 (This will result in a number from 1-3).

Bowser's Favor: On a single roll where you rolled a one, you may reroll.

Point Buy

You have 10 points to add to your Stats.

Heart, Power, Smarts, and Coolness start at 3, and have a limit of 7. You may shuffle the existing points around before applying your new points, but you cannot reduce a stat below 1 -- even after racial modifiers -- nor exceed the chargen limit of 7.

Speed and Defense start at 1, and have a limit of 3 each. Your Speed + Defense values cannot exceed 5 at chargen, meaning at most, you may have 3 points in one stat and 2 points in the other.

Racial Features

Depending on the race chosen, your character naturally receives the following Stat modifiers and Abilities. If playing a non-standard race, discuss potential modifiers and Abilities with your GM, if any.

Koopa

Stats: As long as he is wearing his tough shell, a Koopa receives an extra point of Defense but loses one point of Speed. Shell aside, he also gains one point in Power.

Abilities: Bowserkin - When a Koopa is at low health (1 or 2 HP), he becomes more resilient and gains one temporary point in both Power and Defense. This lasts until either his health is restored from this minimum, or he is KO'd.

Toad

Stats: A Toad receives an extra point in Smarts, reflecting her well-read, peaceful nature.

Abilities: Scholarly Aptitude - A Toad makes up for her lack of strength with her cleverness and knowledge, be it in whatever pursuit of her choice. Instead of Heart + Coolness, she may therefore choose to calculate her Flower Points as equal to Heart + Smarts.

Boo

Stats: A Boo receives an extra point in Coolness; her charisma is otherworldly, not to mention it takes work to make a good scare.

Abilities: Outta Sight - A Boo -- and whoever is holding onto her -- is capable of fading invisible and incorporeal at-will for a number of times per day equal to her Coolness rating. A single use counts as from initiating the fading to the Boo dispelling the invisibility, regardless of length of time.

Goomba

Stats: A Goomba is tough, stubborn and used to taking a fall, so he gains an extra point in Heart.

Abilities: CHOOSE: Frenzy - A Goomba who is at 1 or 2 health may enter a frenzy and has a 50% chance to make an additional attack. OR Tattle - On a successful Smarts (1) check, a learned Goomba may observe an enemy and discover its remaining health and any general knowledge about it.

Shy Guy

Stats: A Shy Guy is inventive and clever, but he is also reclusive and unsettling. He gains two points in Smarts, but he loses a point of Coolness.

Abilities: Gadget - A Shy Guy may begin the game with a helpful gadget of their design. (Player creativity and GM's discretion needed!)

Yoshi

Stats: A Yoshi is innately strong and fleet of foot, regardless of the weight he carries. It doesn't change that he's still a dinosaur. He gains an extra point in both Power and Speed, but he loses a point in Smarts.

Abilities: Swallow - A Yoshi may swallow nearly any object smaller than himself in range of its tongue. He may hold the object in his mouth for [Heart x 2] turns until he is forced to swallow or spit it out. He can then lay an egg, which he can use to either store an item or make a ranged attack. An egg lasts until it is used, and a Yoshi can possess a number of eggs equal to his Coolness rating.

Bob-omb

Stats: A proud Bob-omb is stalwart and rarely backs down from a challenge, and people find that inspiring. She receives a point in both Heart and Coolness.

Abilities: Bomb - For breaking down walls or just making an explosive impression, a Bob-omb may self-detonate at-will for a number of times per day equal to her Coolness rating. The force of her explosion is equal to her Power rating. She must recuperate for a turn after exploding.

Hometowns

Everyone was born somewhere! If you don't want to choose your character's origin yourself, then roll 2d6 to determine where you're from on the chart below.

Roll	1	2	3	4	5	6
1- Wilderness	Plains	Forest	Desert	Mountains	Island	Choose your own!
2-Farm	Bean Valley	Flower Fields	Twilight Town	Moleville	Starborn Valley	Choose your own!
3-Village	Petalburg	Dry Dry Outpost	Fahr Outpost	Monstro Town	Koopa Village	Choose your own!
4-Town	Poshley Heights	Seaside Town	Rogueport	Marrymore	Rose Town	Choose your own!
5-City	Toad Town	Nimbus Land	Diamond City	Mushroom City	Shiver City	Choose your own!
6-Abroad	Sarasaland	Beanbean Kingdom	Isle Delfino	Dinosaur Land	Dark Land	Choose your own!

Perks

((Idea taken from ChromeStrike))

It's not just a player character's exceptional stats or ambition that separate him from everyday inhabitants of the Mushroom World. More often than not, it's a certain quality or je ne sais quoi that sets him apart from others like him. These are represented as perks: minor qualities or feats that further distinguish a character and make him truly unique. They are bonuses to rolls or stats that occur under very specific conditions, and the best part is that you can make your own! After all, it's one thing to say your character keeps cool under pressure, but it really brings that point home when it's serialized in a perk such as "Cool Heads Prevail: +1 dicepool bonus on a spell check to dispel/counter fire spells."

At character generation, a character chooses two perks with which to distinguish their character. Players are encouraged to create their own perks, including naming them; anyone can help, and the GM has final say in approving, tweaking, or disallowing any particular perks, for the sake of balance or otherwise. A rule of thumb is that the larger or more profound the bonus, the less likely it should be expected to come up regularly in-game. The following are common guidelines or ground rules to follow when creating perks, along with examples. Unless otherwise noted, assume that any bonus listed is to a player's dicepool.

• +1 bonus to a combat check: These require a very specific condition(s) to be met. These should neither add to hit always with a specific type of weapon or spell (e.g. hammers, shells, ice spells, etc.), nor to dodge, defend or resist damage unless under particular circumstances.
  • I Like These Odds: +1 to hit when outnumbered 2:1 or more
  • Thunderstruck: Ignore debuffs from electric-based damage, such as numbness.
  • Clever Girl: +1 to base damage value when sneak-attacking from natural flora
  • Take a Breath, Man: +1 to hit when unharassed for a full turn
  • "That's HIGH Archmage to you!": +1 to offensive casting and counterspelling checks when directly battling other magicians
  • "Mayday, mayday!": +1 to damage resistance against falling damage when shot down from the air

• +1 Stat bonus towards a specialty or skill: These perks generally should have nothing to do with combat; these are the closest thing to skill bonuses than anything else.
  • Mr. Atlas: +1 Power when lifting, pushing or carrying something
  • Ironshroom: +1 Heart towards tests of endurance
  • Horticulturist: +1 Smarts when identifying flora or fauna
  • "I never said THAT:" +1 Coolness when fast-talking/bluffing if there is some truth in the PC's words
  • Every Goomba for Himself!: +1 Speed to escape when surprised
  • First Impressions: +1 Coolness when meeting someone for the first time, particularly those of equal or greater social standing

• +2 bonus in specific, infrequent scenarios: These perks are miscellaneous in nature, almost wholly trade-based. Be it academic study, networking, handyman work or a job at the circus, these apply to careers, hobbies, or some past history of the character.
  • Duct Tape & Elbow Grease: +2 to repair an item if using secondhand materials or improvising
  • Quality Control: +2 to appraise an item of its performance and craftsmanship
  • Queen of the Opera: +2 to mesmerize an audience and to subsequent social rolls during and following a singing performance
  • Karry Koop-dini: +2 bonus when escaping any binds or cuffs
  • Royal Attaché: +2 to social rolls when addressing foreign officials and royalty not of the character's native citizenship
  • Pull It Together: +2 to hit when dealing nonlethal damage to an ally

III. Mechanics

Core Mechanic

The primary mechanic is a dicepool system similar to Shadowrun: when performing any sort of test or check, roll Xd6, where X is the character's most pertinent stat to the task at hand as well as any additional modifiers such as from equipment or power-ups (note that total mods cannot exceed the value of the stat). A die that rolls a 4-6 counts as a "success" or "hit," and the successes are totaled and compared against a threshold or an opposing test. If the threshold is met, the check is successful. The more net hits, i.e. the more hits rolled above the threshold or opposing test, the greater the degree of success. Implementing the rule of "exploding dice" (a die that rolls a 6 counts as both a success and a free reroll) is still under debate.

Example: A character finds a strange mushroom growing just outside a power plant, and he wants to know what it is. To identify the mushroom, it would be a Smarts check; if he has 3 Smarts and is carrying a book on flora and fauna, which the GM rules is a +1 modifier for the test, he rolls [3+1]d6 = 4d6. The threshold for the test is (secretly) established at 1. In this case, no successes means the character can't immediately find the mushroom in his book or can't jog his memory enough to remember it at this time. One success means the character properly identifies the mushroom as a Volt Shroom, while two successes would both identify the mushroom and offer more exact information, particularly its function (renders a character or object electrified for a period of time).

Equipment

There are no strict classes in Super Mario RPG; all a character has to do is literally pick up an item and go. If a character is carrying a hammer, then he can use special melee techniques; if he promptly drops the hammer and picks up a magic wand, he can cast spells as a magician. Characters have their own inherent techniques, and some weapons can bequeath a unique technique themselves. Armor is somewhat similar: put on a spiked shell, and you both improve your defense and protect yourself from above. Don a caster's robes, and your inherent magic flows more freely, to say nothing of potential enchantments and functions of the robe itself. In this game, you are what you wear, and there is little to no penalty for changing roles, although some characters will naturally be more proficient at certain roles than others.

Combat

There can be no story without conflict, and sagas in the Mushroom World are no exception. Functionally, combat is no different from any other series of checks. The Mario games lend themselves to fast-and-loose, narrative combat, so miniatures and grids shouldn't be required for games, although there is no rule saying they can't be used. A combat round lasts five to six seconds, for the purpose of moderation.

Hearts & Flowers

A character's Health Points (HP) represents her current vitality and endurance. HP is equal to twice the value of her Heart stat (e.g. if she has 5 Heart points, then she has 10 HP). If she is reduced to 0 HP, then she is knocked out (KO'd): any effects she was sustaining promptly end, and she cannot move or act unless either a partner revives her somehow or the combat ends, at which point, in the case of the latter, she automatically revives with only one HP. The main ways to restore health is with restorative items (Mushrooms, etc.), finding special places in the world (shrines or springs) or just a good night's sleep. It's worth noting that death is a relatively uncommon occurrence in the Mushroom World, despite what the rampages of a certain Italian duo would have you believe. Unless the concept of death is pertinent to the situation at hand, then assume that all encounters are to KO.

A character's Flower Points (FP), named for the iconic Fire Flower, represents her energy and knowledge towards using special techniques or spells. FP is equal to the combined values of her Heart and Coolness stats (e.g. if she has 5 Heart points and 4 Coolness points, then she has 9 FP). Using a special technique or spell (hereafter known as "specials") costs a certain amount of FP, depending on the complexity and intended effect of the special, regardless of whether or not the special was successful. If the character runs out of FP or does not have enough for a given special's required investment, then she cannot use that special. FP does not auto-regenerate except in special circumstances, and just like HP, the main ways to manually restore FP is with items (Syrups, etc.), special locations in the Mushroom World, and a good night's rest.

Initiative & Actions

To determine initiative, all participants in the combat roll a Speed check and add the hits to their Speed score for their final initiative. In the event of a tie, the higher Speed wins. Everyone goes once in a single turn, unless a power-up or other bonus permits extra actions or entire turns for that character; in that case, everyone takes their turn, then the character with extra actions or turns goes again until all extra actions are used, after which the turn actually ends and the next one begins.

There are two types of actions that a player can take: standard actions and free actions. Move actions are omitted from the game for the sake of simplicity, though a GM may choose to add them for more particular actions like sustaining commands or more specific movement. A standard action is the bulk of significant activities in a combat: attack, defend, use an item, swap equipment, and so on. Every character has only one standard action per turn. Free actions are non-significant actions that take little to no effort, such as talking, activating bonuses from equipment or power-ups, and so forth.

Attacking & Defending

Depending on the weapon of choice of a character, the primary stat rolled to attack will change. A melee fighter will usually use Power, a caster will use Smarts or Coolness, and a ranged combatant will use Speed. Whatever the stat used, the attacker rolls a opposed stat check with that particular stat against the defender's stat of choice (depending on the defensive action taken) and counts the total hits. Regardless of the defense used by the defender, if the attacker scores more net hits, the attacker wins the engagement. The attacker then does damage equal to his primary stat plus any modifiers subtracted by the opponent's Defense (if the defender's Defense is greater than the total attack value, then the attack does no damage). If the defender wins the test, the attack either misses or is absorbed.

A defender, when under attack, may choose one of three defensive tactics as a contextual response (four, if you count "doing nothing"): guard, dodge, and counter.

• If he chooses to guard, he will attempt to absorb the brunt of the damage with an active defense; he rolls Defense as his stat in the opposed test, and if successful (i.e. the defender has equal or more net hits), he reduces the attacker's damage by his Defense plus his total hits. If he fails, he takes damage as normal. If he chooses to defend as part of his standard action for the turn, then his defense is boosted; his dicepool becomes [Defense x 2] for the opposed test.
• If he chooses to dodge, he will try and avoid the attack altogether, be it by darting away or ducking and weaving; his stat of choice for the opposed test is Speed, and if successful (i.e. the defender has equal or more net hits), the attack misses entirely and the defender takes no damage. If the attacker wins, then the defender takes damage as normal.
• If he attempts to counter, then he will attempt to actively respond to the enemy attack with his own. The defender responds with his own attack check against the attacker (using the most pertinent attack stat). If the defender wins, then the attacker's attack is deflected, and the defender hits the attacker directly for his net hits' worth of damage, ignoring Defense. If the attack is a spell or spell-like ability and the defender is a caster himself, he will instead attempt to counterspell and dispel the offending spell with his own magic; treat the test as a Defense test, except replace Defense with the defender's casting stat (Smarts or Coolness). If the attacker wins, the defender takes full damage from the attack as normal. Not all attacks can be countered.

Character Progression

If the players successfully complete an encounter or a story arc or any other significant event, they are awarded with experience. In Super Mario RPG, experience in this game is represented by Star Points (SP). Like their Paper Mario namesake, Star Points follow the trend of coins in the platformers: collect one hundred (100) points to gain a level. Depending on the difficulty of an encounter and stage of the campaign, Star Points earned will scale based on said difficulty; you can only earn so many SP from Goombas before it's time to move on to stronger foes.

With each level, a character's stats will randomly grow in different categories; following the trend of the SNES game, the player also receives one free bonus point that she may spend on any stat of her choice. Optional rule: every fifth level, a character may also gain a new Perk. See the perk rules above for details.