Okay, I've taken a quick scan through the PDF and I have to say, I like a lot of what I'm seeing. As much as I love MERP, RM, AtDM, I find the combat system just makes running the game too slow for my tastes. FE looks like it might be the ticket to give the vibe of those other games, while making things run more smoothly.

In no particular order, some initial thoughts and/or questions. Apologies if the answers are in the book, as I said, this is an initial scan through and fast thoughts.
1) I love, love, love the Vocation combo thing. That's so cool. I was curious if you could take the same vocation twice but I see in the example characters that that is the case.

2) I love the heroic path/milestone mechanic from AtDM and think it is great here.

3) I think initiative is far too complicated. The modifiers seem so high that they make dex not really important. Honestly, I think you could simplify it by giving a +/- 5 to a character if they have advantage/disadvantage and then have a small list of examples of things that cause it.

4) Ball and Cone spells...these require you to give up your action to make a Save, correct? What about when you turn spells that normally inflict effects (like Stun) into a Cone? Do they still need to give up their action to make a save?

5) Critical effects...I love this in theory. I wonder how complicated it will be in play though...especially with analysis paralysis on the part of players who are scanning the list everytime they get a crit. I will probably give players a cut down list of effects to pull from based on skill ranks/weapon and let them open it up over time.
My other concern is that not all of them seem particularly balanced. Like, for SL1 I can add my Str or 1/2 my skill levels to my damage. Or for 2 I can add a +2 to hit next round? That seems kinda weaksauce. I'm sure there will be lots of other examples but I haven't gone through it deeply yet.

6) Damage doubling. In the section on determining damage, you add +1 per point over 20, up to double the max of your weapon. I am unclear if this ONLY applies to this particular bonus, or if weapons are hard capped at twice their base damage (barring crits). For example, if I rolled well enough with a weapon who's base damage was 6 and rolled a 26 for 12 damage, could I also use a SL1 crit to add half my skill ranks (10, so +5) to do 17 damage? Or is 12 the absolute max?

7) Does armor limit casting? I didn't see anything about in the spell casting section. If it does, I hope it depends on 'school' of magic.

The Diagram shows 8 types of magic. But we only have 3. Will those appear later?

9) When will the rules on race creation come out? I want them now!!!!

This is a great character sheet. Couple of requests:
1) Is it possible to get a fillable version (or excel) one?
2) Would it be possible for some of the core skills to be filled in for each section? I find that helps players, especially new ones, spend their points when they can see all the options available.

I really dislike that term. I was in no way "trying to make RM/HARP only better". I was trying to make a new game. One which used features or

Sorry, didn't mean to strike a nerve. And as I said, I didn't mean it in a negative light. But this game has the DNA of RM/Harp at it's core.

My intention was to originally do up a bunch of NPCs like that. And I started that, but considering that I do this in my spare time, I kind of got redirected to other things that needed doing and never actually completed it.

That's unfortunate, but understandable.

One thing that I never even gave any sort of consideration to while making Novus was how it compared to specific settings, most especially the Fellowship (though if you do want to go back to RM, I seem to recall that MOST of them actually were of pretty high level (except for the Hobbits, who tried to avoid combat most of the time.. hehe).

Now, in Libram Novus #5, I included a table of craftsmanship ranks. You could actually apply that table to any skill if you liked. Though I would only apply this towards a skill which is the primary focus for a character.

Apprentice -- 1-5 Ranks
Journeyman -- 6-12 ranks
Tradesman (Master) -- 12-20 ranks
Artisan (Master) -- 21-30 ranks
Grand Master -- 31+ ranks

So, a Veteran Noble of many Wars would likely be in the Artisan range, while your average Bandit would be in the high Apprenticeship or low Journeyman range (with the Bandit leader being more towards High Journeyman range).

Another point that I would like to strongly stress, levels in Novus are not like in some other games. Yes, they provide training break points, and provide caps on the maximum number of ranks that a character may have in a skill, but beyond the first couple of levels even that "cap" isn't much of a hindrance. It is mostly there simply to keep first level characters from min-maxing too much and putting every available point into a single skill.

Okay, cool. That helps. Thanks.

Both actually. Since you are comparing the roll against 2 separate TNs (CTN and DEF), you would count out from each to determine Boons for each. And 1 Boon Point for casting would allow you to double that Base Damage (where a Combat Boon requires 2 Boons to do it).

But on page 58 its says, "Casting Boons may only be
applied to spells that are not Vs. DEF. Those spells that are Vs.
DEF will use the Combat Boons table.". Has this been errated?

One thing to consider is that some options are included for completeness, and to simply allow for that to be an option.  Also, not every option would be good for every situation (if it were, then it would be abused more than likely). For increasing Base Damage, I wanted it to be possible, but I did not want it to be easy or something that could be easily abused. Especially since Boons can be gotten in more ways than simply rolling over TN, and that could easily lead to Abuse.

For example, the use of a Fate Point to increase the number of Boon Points earned on a roll, might make it possible to triple or quadruple the number of base hits.

As you pointed out, the base hits for most of the attack spells is 4+ Stat Bonus (let's give a stat bonus of +2 for this example). So our example does 6 Base Hits. One Spell Casting Boon Point, increases this base Damage from 6 to 12. If you had increase the Base Hits by 3, to 9, then your Boon took it from 9 to 18 Base Hits. And a second casting Boon would increase that to 27 Hits (if you had used casting options to increase base by 3.

So, while on the surface, increasing hits may be expensive, as long a you are using Boons, that cost is about right. You have to look at everything as a whole, not just one thing.

The Boons are NOT Rolemaster Criticals. For one thing, the Player selects what he spends his Boon Points on, it is not some random roll. So you cannot just dismiss them, unless you are making other changes to the system.

I wasn't dismissing Boons, I was just pointing out that they weren't likely enough for someone to spend that many SP to justify it. 1, 2, or 3 points per 2 SP spent and needing big rolls/fate points doesn't seem worthwhile.

But saying you didn't want it to really happen that often is fine, that explains it for me.

First off, let me say, welcome to the forums!!

Thanks!

Well, I just downloaded Novus and am making my way through it.  A few things jumped out at me:
1) Elves -3 to Willpower.  Novus' Rolemaster roots are showing... I've always despised the 'low Self-Discipline' view of elves (since it nver matched their primary influence, i.e. Tolkien).  BUT... I guess since Willpower does not seem to have as large an effect on the game, its not as odious.  At least it doesn't cripple their ability to sneak...  Still, for a race with supposedly amazing Impulse Control, the idea of such a huge penalty to Willpower doesn't make much sense.

Well, Rolemaster and/or HARP had been my system of choice for over 10 years, and I used to work for Mjolnir (who was the last company, before the current one, doing business as ICE), so it shouldn't be surprising that it has influenced me to some degree - though I did try to make a conscious effort to try to limit those influences to things that can also be found in other systems as well.

And actually, Elves do not have amazing "impulse control", they are often easily distracted (compared to the other races) or side-tracked.

Now, this has nothing to do with them making long terms plans or waiting for such long term plans to come to fruition. Things that do not need 100% attention for long periods of time. Thus they can afford to let their attention wander in the long run.

Additionally, you have to remember that the stat modifiers are to the raw stats themselves, NOT to the stat bonuses. So the -3 to Willpower means that Elves can have a maximum Willpower of 17 and their stat bonuses will be the same as any other character with a total stat of 17.

Yeah, I know.  That's why I made reference to RM and Harp.

2) Half-Orcs, the Chosen Race.  Sturdy Build seems way unbalanced.  Its also the kind of ability I'd expect to see on a Dwarf, but its not something you can purchase as a talent, so only Half-Orcs get it.  If attribute modifiers for races are neutral, then I think this ability either needs to go away (maybe just give them the extra Hit Points) or it needs to be something that anyone can purchase at first level (why can you have an exceptionally Sturdy Human or Elf or whatever?).

Yes, Sturdy Build is too powerful (and this has been discussed in several other threads), and it will be getting adjusted accordingly in the next Open Beta update.

Cool.

3) Fate Points-I assume when these are spent, they are gone for good until you gain more upon leveling?  I couldn't see that specifically stated (though I may have missed it).  Considering the example has a character blowing 3 on a sneak roll, it kind of seems like they ARE NOT permanently spent.  If they are permanently spent... I really don't think you should roll their effect.  I think they should add or subtract a flat +5 or more.  Otherwise their use can go from amazing to completely pointless, which kind of seems to run contrary to the point of having such a mechanic in the first place.

Hmm.. having them give a static bonus (such as a +5) gives another option (i.e. you can spend one to get a +5, or take the chance to get something higher, with the attendant risk of getting something lower.

One of the things in discussion is possibly making them regenerate each session. But then again, you also gain a Fate Point every time you make a Nova Roll as well.

I think its ok if they are spent permanently (or if they refresh, both work).  I think if they refresh, you could add a Talent (lucky, Very Lucky) which would change your starting amount.  But if they are permanently spent, I'd rather they be really meaningful. 

4) "Spoken Elven and Written Elven count as a single language when determining how many languages a character knows. The same applies for the spoken and written forms of other languages as well."  If the same applies to other languages, why is Elven mentioned at all?  Why not just say-Learning a language allows you to both read and speak it, if there is a written form to the language.  Or something similar?

Writing a language and speaking a language is treated as a single language for determining how many may be learned overall. However, each must be learned separately.

Now, there will be some languages with only a spoken form and no written form and some where all that remains is the written form and the spoken form of it is dead.

The idea here is to allow more flexibility overall.

That's fine (though I totally DID not come away from that section realizing that's what you meant).  What I mean is, why mention elven in one sentence and in the second say that they all act the same?

5) AR is total AR from all the parts of armor worn, unless its a called shot, right?  I couldn't find this spelled out in the armor equipment section or basics of combat, but I may have missed it.

Yes, unless dealing with a called strick, the sum of AR from all armor worn is subtracted from attacks.

Things like this are why Novus is in Open Beta -- to find the little quirks and fix them, or find where I don't say something explicitly when it needs to be said explicitly.

Cool.  I assumed it, but couldn't find it to verify it.

6) Save versus Will to avoid losing a spell when hit in combat... ah, here is where Elves suck thanks to the RM holdover.  Not really great combat casters are they?  I find it odd that this is simply a stat save and there is nothing (like a Concentration Skill) that can modify it (or did I miss something in the skill section?).

Actually, we may need to change that so that the Save uses the Magic Stat. In a previous version of the rules, Will was the only stat used in the Spellcasting skill, so the Save to keep from losing the spell also used Will.

Thanks, I will be taking a second look at this now, to see if it really is something that needs fixing.

Ah, yeah, I think making it based on the Magic Stat would be great. 

7) I'm very much against the Armor Impediment rules for spell casting.  Novus seems like its supposed to be a generic rpg, and not everyone agrees with Gary's notion that spell casters and armor don't mix.  Casters do not seem wildly more powerful than non-casters, so why do they need this 'balance' limitation put in?  They already have to pay to learn to wear armor.  Especially by type (Divine Magic, Paladins, even Black Magic, all have a long tradition of being usable by armored casters).  I'd rather see this as an optional rule, or at least there exist Talents to address this.  However, at least its not a casting penalty. 

Without this sort of balance factor, most folks would play spell users and not other , non-spellcasting classes.

I'm not sure I agree with that.  I've known tons of players that will not play a casting class (or specific casting classes) no matter what mechanical advantages they possess.  I honestly think the better way to handle it is to make non-casters have their own advantages and bonuses that make them just as desirable.  You know, maybe Combat Training 2 can only be purchased at first level like Major Adapt, or limit it so that no character can have both Combat Training 2 and Major Adapt (that might be a simpler method).  So you immediately have an opportunity cost to your choice of archtype, one or the other.

Alternatively, make a Talent that allows casting in armor without penalty so people like me can grumble less...

9) Why does Wisdom act as a 'kicker' stat to several spells (like Infernal Bolt and Heal Bruise)?  Shouldn't that be based on your Magic Stat?  If this is intentional, I really think it should be changed to Magic Stat.

It should be based on the Magic stat -- good catch.... sigh... something else for me to fix....





Glad I could help!

10) Summon Familiar... think there should be options other then demons and devils.  It is a Universal Spell, so divine casters and non-black magicians should get something equivalent (even if it uses the same stats just refluffed to something not evil).  Otherwise this should be a Black Magic spell.

Others have made the same comment. I think that adding in Nature Spirits would aid in resolving this, along with some adjustments of the numbers.


Yeah, even make a few 'minor angelic beings'.  Stats could basically be the same, but there's no reason the forces of the Gods should have their own magic pets!

11) Boons and Spells-to make sure I understand how you apply casting boons... if someone increased the numerical effect of Faith Healing by 1 Boon point, that would let them heal 20+2xWis mod.  Is that right?

Yes. The table actually gives an example (looks like I should change the example so that the Base # of hits healed is higher than 1).

Yeah, I saw that.  It just seemed to be a huge jump for something like Faith Healing.  But that's cool that I understood that right.

12) Opposed rolls seem needlessly complex.  Rolling to succeed at a task should be just that.  I don't understand why you need to, for example, succeed at being stealthy before the opponent must see if they spot you.  Why would there be an initial difficulty with a pass/fail point?  If John can fail his Stealth roll then surely the guard can also fail his spot, even though John made a noise (i.e. they both fail their initial test).  As the rules read, the second character has the advantage (and there is no guidance on determining who is the primary and who is the secondary character... in a stealth versus perception, who is to say the stealth test should be the primary and the perception reactive?  One could argue it could work either way).  Since the primary roller is at a disadvantage, because they can fail and the other character automatically succeed without a roll, it behooves people to try to be the reactive individual.

It seems this would be far simpler and more intuitive to simply have a straight roll of their skills...highest wins. 

Part of it deals with making the second roll be based on the success/failure of the first.

If the person doing the sneaking fails his roll (and the TN of the first roll should be determined normally, based on the situation).

If somebody in dark clothing is trying to sneak past a gaurd in a room with bright light and no shadows, the TN of the sneaker's roll should be much higher (maybe TN30), so, even if he does succeed, the amount over won't make the defender's roll to hard to be succesful.

Conversely, if the sneaker wears dark clothes and that area is in heavy shadows, the TN of the Stealth roll should be lower, and thus making the TN of the Perception that much more difficult to be successful.

The situation makes an impact. In a straight roll vs. roll, the situation has little to no impact on the opposed roll, only the number of skill ranks does.

I understand your reasoning, but I disagree with your last statement there.  There is nothing saying you can't apply those modifiers to the direct roll.

Bob is sneaking in bright room while wearing a clown suit.  The bright room subtracts 5 from his roll and the clown suit subtracts 3.  He rolls his stealth (-

Active/Passive may need more explanation.

For example, attempting to sneak past a guard makes the sneaking (Stealth Skill) be the active skill and the Perception skill be the passive.

Turn that around and have a guard searching (Perception Skill) for somebody who is hiding (Stealth Skill), and Perception is the active skill and Stealth the passive one...

Yeah, and to me that's a problem, because the advantage in RAW is always to the passive character because they get an auto success if the Active character fails. 

13) Basilisk-why do you save vs Will to 'avoid meeting its gaze'?  Surely that should either be a choice ('I don't look at it.'  'Ok, fight it blindly') or perhaps a save vs Speed to look away quickly or something?

Will roll just seemed the most appropriate. If you are fighting it while blind-folded, then you wouldn't have to make the will roll because you couldn't possibly meet its gaze.

However, if you are trying to fight it while also trying to not look it in the eye (while it is also trying to make you look at its eyes), then you have to make a roll, and Will seems the most appropriate to me.

Unless it's exerting some sort of mental influence to draw a person's gaze, I don't really understand, but its a small thing.

14) First off, I LOVE the idea of the Boon system in combat.  I've only seen something similar in one other system (Zir'An), and I always thought it was an excellent idea.  However, I do think that the combat effects that cause effects unless a save is made need to be looked at.  Why spend 5 boon points to death strike someone when a measly TN15 save negates it?  Maybe the attacker's level could be added?

You are forgetting that the TN is increased by 2 for every Boon Point that the attack earned. This means that the Base TN of a Save vs. Death Strike is 25, not 15 (though this could be lower if a Fate Point was used to increase the number of Boon Points earned).

Hmm... I wouldn't add level, but I might change it to make the TN be equal to 15 + # of ranks in the attacking skill (i.e. not total skill bonus). So, if the character has 5 ranks, the TN would be 20, if he had 20 ranks, the TN would be 35, etc..

Yeah, I totally missed that about the TN increasing with BP earned.  Where is that?  If that's the case, its probably sufficient... though without some sort of scaling, eventually at high levels even a 25 TN won't be much of an issue (granted, we are talking like level 13+).

Anyway, I like a lot of what I see here.  I think this could be really good.  I'm curious how it plays at high level (20th, 50th, etc) and whether the math holds out or not (most games break down at that point!).  I'm even toying a playtest on Rpg.net though I haven't decided.

I would be interested in knowing the results myself.



I'll let you know if I decide to do it.

I'd love to see more combat maneuvers, spells, and (most importantly) Talents.  That would really make this game rock (even more) I think. 

More all those are to come. But they won't be in the core rules (because I am trying to keep the page count down, thus make it more affordable overall...

Makes sense.  thanks for the quick response!

Posted by: Tywyll
I loathe the 'mages can't wear armor' trope in a game that is supposed to be generic and in which it is unnecessary for balance.  Wizards in DnD weren't allowed to wear armor as a way of limiting their ultimately cosmic power.  Casters in Novus don't seem to have access to that kind of gross imbalance, and so its a purely aesthetic decision rather than a mechanical one.

I have not become an expert on the Novus System yet, and I can't yet speak on the limitations of the magic system, but while looking over the Libras Novus I supplement, it appears to me that mages can and will have access to fairly powerful spells- especially since the system allows for spell creation.

I don't have that supplement.  I'm only talking about whats in the main book.  Maybe they do have access to that stuff, but the core mechanics do not NEED 'no armor' by default to balance them.  They simply are not that much more powerful than non-casters.

Now if the author/creator of a system desires Impedance, so be it. Just because a system is "generic", doesn't mean it can't have both aesthetic (setting) and mechanic rules. You as a GM have the power to modify any sytem any way you desire to. I honestly don't think I have ever played in or GMed a game that hadn't been "houseruled" or modified in some form.

Of course they can.  But equally, this game does intend to compete with an already full market.  Since the rules are divorced from any sort of setting, if I were buying it, I'd be looking for something generic.  So when I hit a SETTING based rule in my system, as a customer, I find it rankles.  If there is clear balancing going on, fair enough.  If there are other factors involved (different types of magic behave differently), again, I'm amenable. 

I mean, look at the basic elements of the system: we have a 'Class' system that is, for the most part, merely a template that reflects the direction of character development but, like Rolemaster, is not meant to limit character growth based on player concept.  Fighters can learn magic, rogues can learn to fight well, and wizards can learn to fight too. 

But they can't wear armor.

It just seems needless, from a balance perspective, and antithetical to the core assumption of being able to build the character YOU want to play.

   

Magic Stat determined by Class (or dispense with most of the classes and make a generic caster template that had flexible skills)

Magic Stats are determined by class already. The system is based upon Classes. Its not a classless system- although that is my preferance! 



Yeah, I know that.  I was looking for a way of making 'Class' even relevant in my proposed changes.  So skill selection and Magic stat are determined by your class, but you get to pick your spells to build your 'school' (or the GM picks them for you). 

My original idea was that you would pick the stat you wanted your magic to be based around.  You could have a Con based innate magician, for example.

'why can't my priest of nature use Nature spells?'

Who says he can't? The Player and Gm simply need to work together and create some Nature spells.

I like your ideas alot and simply see them as inspiration for creative GM's and players to go nuts, using the flexibility of the system as it stands.

Thank you.  I agree that GM's can and usually do houserule any system they play with.  But thinking about it from the perspective of new players/groups and I wonder why things should require them to do so.  I think Priests as a concept should have that element to begin with, rather than needing to add it later.   

Posted by: Rasyr(Tim)
However, I am actually working on (thanks to some comments from a poster on rpg.net) a single spell using Class that does away with the the existing spell-using Classes and replaces them with a single Class (4 Favored Skills, 3 other skills selected by the Player).

As a stickler for continuity, I must ask- if there is a single spell-using class that does away with the existing classes (allowing for more flexibility), will there also the be a single melee or martial class that allows for the same flexibilty? Then players and Gm's can basically make and design their own classes, by choosing the skills they want?

Yeah, I gotta agree with you there.  I'd rather see four archetypes:
Martial
Rogue
Caster
Hybrid (Caster+Martial or Rogue)

Each with flexible skill sets/advantages so you can build your own.  Martial and Rogue characters would get X advantages from a list, or maybe Martial get Combat 2 + X Points of advantages from the following...  Rogues get Combat 1 + X points of advantages from the following... 

Easy peasy...

I like 'Low' Magic.  Or maybe even Hedge Magic.  I don't like Neutral Spells or Mundane (Common, etc) as magic shouldn't be mundane...

Well, I just downloaded Novus and am making my way through it.  A few things jumped out at me:
1) Elves -3 to Willpower.  Novus' Rolemaster roots are showing... I've always despised the 'low Self-Discipline' view of elves (since it nver matched their primary influence, i.e. Tolkien).  BUT... I guess since Willpower does not seem to have as large an effect on the game, its not as odious.  At least it doesn't cripple their ability to sneak...  Still, for a race with supposedly amazing Impulse Control, the idea of such a huge penalty to Willpower doesn't make much sense.

2) Half-Orcs, the Chosen Race.  Sturdy Build seems way unbalanced.  Its also the kind of ability I'd expect to see on a Dwarf, but its not something you can purchase as a talent, so only Half-Orcs get it.  If attribute modifiers for races are neutral, then I think this ability either needs to go away (maybe just give them the extra Hit Points) or it needs to be something that anyone can purchase at first level (why can you have an exceptionally Sturdy Human or Elf or whatever?).

3) Fate Points-I assume when these are spent, they are gone for good until you gain more upon leveling?  I couldn't see that specifically stated (though I may have missed it).  Considering the example has a character blowing 3 on a sneak roll, it kind of seems like they ARE NOT permanently spent.  If they are permanently spent... I really don't think you should roll their effect.  I think they should add or subtract a flat +5 or more.  Otherwise their use can go from amazing to completely pointless, which kind of seems to run contrary to the point of having such a mechanic in the first place.

4) "Spoken Elven and Written Elven count as a single language when determining how many languages a character knows. The same applies for the spoken and written forms of other languages as well."  If the same applies to other languages, why is Elven mentioned at all?  Why not just say-Learning a language allows you to both read and speak it, if there is a written form to the language.  Or something similar?

5) AR is total AR from all the parts of armor worn, unless its a called shot, right?  I couldn't find this spelled out in the armor equipment section or basics of combat, but I may have missed it.

6) Save versus Will to avoid losing a spell when hit in combat... ah, here is where Elves suck thanks to the RM holdover.  Not really great combat casters are they?  I find it odd that this is simply a stat save and there is nothing (like a Concentration Skill) that can modify it (or did I miss something in the skill section?).

7) I'm very much against the Armor Impediment rules for spell casting.  Novus seems like its supposed to be a generic rpg, and not everyone agrees with Gary's notion that spell casters and armor don't mix.  Casters do not seem wildly more powerful than non-casters, so why do they need this 'balance' limitation put in?  They already have to pay to learn to wear armor.  Especially by type (Divine Magic, Paladins, even Black Magic, all have a long tradition of being usable by armored casters).  I'd rather see this as an optional rule, or at least there exist Talents to address this.  However, at least its not a casting penalty. 

8 ) Since casters can't wear armor by default, then there should be a Protection/Mage Armor/Shield type spell in Universal or in every school. 

9) Why does Wisdom act as a 'kicker' stat to several spells (like Infernal Bolt and Heal Bruise)?  Shouldn't that be based on your Magic Stat?  If this is intentional, I really think it should be changed to Magic Stat.

10) Summon Familiar... think there should be options other then demons and devils.  It is a Universal Spell, so divine casters and non-black magicians should get something equivalent (even if it uses the same stats just refluffed to something not evil).  Otherwise this should be a Black Magic spell.

11) Boons and Spells-to make sure I understand how you apply casting boons... if someone increased the numerical effect of Faith Healing by 1 Boon point, that would let them heal 20+2xWis mod.  Is that right?

12) Opposed rolls seem needlessly complex.  Rolling to succeed at a task should be just that.  I don't understand why you need to, for example, succeed at being stealthy before the opponent must see if they spot you.  Why would there be an initial difficulty with a pass/fail point?  If John can fail his Stealth roll then surely the guard can also fail his spot, even though John made a noise (i.e. they both fail their initial test).  As the rules read, the second character has the advantage (and there is no guidance on determining who is the primary and who is the secondary character... in a stealth versus perception, who is to say the stealth test should be the primary and the perception reactive?  One could argue it could work either way).  Since the primary roller is at a disadvantage, because they can fail and the other character automatically succeed without a roll, it behooves people to try to be the reactive individual.

It seems this would be far simpler and more intuitive to simply have a straight roll of their skills...highest wins. 

13) Basilisk-why do you save vs Will to 'avoid meeting its gaze'?  Surely that should either be a choice ('I don't look at it.'  'Ok, fight it blindly') or perhaps a save vs Speed to look away quickly or something?

14) First off, I LOVE the idea of the Boon system in combat.  I've only seen something similar in one other system (Zir'An), and I always thought it was an excellent idea.  However, I do think that the combat effects that cause effects unless a save is made need to be looked at.  Why spend 5 boon points to death strike someone when a measly TN15 save negates it?  Maybe the attacker's level could be added?

15) Having played around with char gen a bit, I feel like attribute modifiers are functionally negligible.  The bonus is too small, and the scope is too large (by which I mean the fact that the bonus increases by 1 for every 3 points).  After a few levels, the attribute bonus will hardly be felt.  This was also an issue I had with RM and Harp.  I really feel the chart should go: 10-11 +0; 12-13 +1; 14-15 +2; 16-17+3; 18-19 +4; 20-21 +5, etc.  While this won't entirely remove the issue of attributes diminishing significance at higher levels, it will spread it out some.  It would also make it so that someone who has maxed out an attribute gets a benefit for it (there is no current benefit to having anything higher than a 19, unless your race breaks the 21 point cap). 

Anyway, I like a lot of what I see here.  I think this could be really good.  I'm curious how it plays at high level (20th, 50th, etc) and whether the math holds out or not (most games break down at that point!).  I'm even toying a playtest on Rpg.net though I haven't decided.

I'd love to see more combat maneuvers, spells, and (most importantly) Talents.  That would really make this game rock (even more) I think.