An advance apology: this specification is meant to be used as a reference work, not as a read text. You are, of course, welcome to read through it, but be forewarned that it is notably dry, excruciatingly specific, and worded like a legal document so as to prevent ambiguity. It's definitely not popular publication-quality material. If you want a discussion of this specification designed to be read and designed to address the game design issues specific to System X, you definitely want to read the System X Manual instead.

System X Specification

for System X Version 1.0

Copyright (c) 2001 Patrick Chipman

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the Invariant Sections being Definitions, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Table of Contents

In this table of contents, applicability of the requirements of sections is marked in brackets. A designation of "uSX" means "Uses System X," while "SXc" means "System X Compatible" and "SX!" means "System X Compliant." If the section does not discuss specification-related issues, no designator is used. If the parent section for a section contains the appropriate designator for the entire section, no designators are used on the child sections.

• 0 GNU Free Documentation License
• 1 Definitions
• 2 Core Resolution Mechanic [uSX, SXc, SX!]
• 2.1 Overview
• 2.2 Tasks and Actions
• 2.3 Dicing
• 2.4 Skill Values
• 2.4.1 Derivation of the Skill Value [SXc, SX!]
• 2.4.2 Component Bias [SXc, SX!]
• 2.5 Roll Chart
• 2.5.1 System X Compatible Roll Chart [SXc, SX!]
• 2.5.2 System X Compatible Roll Chart Model [SXc, SX!]
• 2.6 Exception Rules [SX!]
• 2.6.1 Opposed Skill Checks
• 2.6.2 Combined Skill Checks
• 2.6.3 Synergistic Skill Checks
• 2.7 Modifiers
• 2.8 Wound Penalty [SX!]
• 2.9 Flat Probability (Non-CRM) Task Resolution
• 3 Non-CRM Interpretation Rules for System X Compatible Games [SXc, SX!]
• 3.1 Required Interpretation Rule Sections [SXc]
• 3.2 Damage [SXc, SX!]
• 4 Non-CRM Interpretation Rules for System X Compliant Games [SX!]
• 4.1 Character Entities
• 4.1.1 Attributes
• 4.1.1.1 Agility
• 4.1.1.2 Charm
• 4.1.1.3 Endurance
• 4.1.1.4 Intellect
• 4.1.1.5 Mystic Ability
• 4.1.1.6 Speed
• 4.1.1.7 Strength
• 4.1.2 Skills
• 4.1.2.1 Skill Exceptions
• 4.1.3 Combat Attributes
• 4.1.3.1 Initiative
• 4.1.3.2 Maximum Wounds, Wounds Remaining
• 4.1.3.3 Wound State
• 4.1.3.3.1 Normal Wound State
• 4.1.3.3.2 Near-Death Wound State
• 4.1.3.3.3 Incapacitated Wound State
• 4.1.3.3.4 Dying Wound State
• 4.1.3.3.5 Dead Wound State
• 4.1.3.3.6 Parts Wound State
• 4.1.4 Character Advancement
• 4.2 System Entities
• 4.2.1 Round
• 4.2.2 Miss Margin, Margin Multiplier
• 4.3 Required Interpretation Rule Sections
• 4.3.1 Character Generation
• 4.3.1.1 Point Allocation Systems
• 4.3.1.2 Derived Attributes
• 4.3.2 Core Resolution Mechanic
• 4.3.3 Skill List
• 4.3.4 Combat
• 4.3.5 Character Advancement
• 4.4 Combat Interpretation Rules
• 4.4.1 Sequence of Combat
• 4.4.2 Interpreted Combat Actions
• 4.4.2.1 Attack Rolls
• 4.4.2.1.1 Attack Roll Modifiers
• 4.4.2.2 Evasion Rolls
• 4.4.2.2.1 Margin Reduction Evasions
• 4.4.2.2.2 Attack Cancellation Evasions
• 4.4.2.2.3 Non-Action Evasions
• 4.4.2.3 Surprise
• 4.4.3 Damage
• 4.4.3.1 Armor
• 4.4.3.2 Applying Damage
• 4.4.3.3 Circumventing the Wound Penalty
• 4.4.3.4 Stun Damage
• 4.4.3.5 Special Damage Types
• 5 Summaries
• 5.1 Summary of Requirements for a Game That Uses System X [uSX]
• 5.2 Summary of Requirements for a System X Compatible Game [SXc]
• 5.3 Summary of Requirements for a System X Compliant Game [SX!]
• 6 Logos [uSX, SXc, SX!]