Lightraiders Advanced Rules

Increasing the Challenge

In addition to some of the techniques listed later (like graduated damage), use these methods increase the challenge of Lightraiders as a Christian rpg. Keep in mind, increasing the challenge also increases the time it takes to complete an episode. Each technique listed here increases the challenge on its own. Combining techniques compounds the difficulty.

Increase Targets

The simplest and most customizable way to increase the challenge of Lightraiders. Increase the target for any Ability test. You can do this on a case by case basis or use a house rule like “increase all targets by 1.”

Decrease Wp

To create a greater challenge from moment one, reduce the starting Wp during the character creation phase. We suggest removing the “add 5” from the initial uplifted starlot roll or having players roll a single starlot instead of three.

You can also decrease the amount of Wp gained during an adventure by awarding only 1 Wp for reciting a verse and awarding no Wp for reading a verse.

Or naturally decrease Wp for some ambitious players by reminding them that continually converting Mu to Wp under the basic rules means they’ll never raise all their Core Strengths to 10. Such players will struggle in the later quests of the curriculum.

Increase Enemy Vitality, Numbers, and/or Damage

Damage tracker boxes in the Lightraiders system are time-based. We balanced the total damage needed to complete a battle scene against the type of creature faced and the time available in one episode of the Bible curriculum. For groups with more time available, increase enemy vitality/PF or increase the number of enemies.

Damage inflicted by an enemy also raises the game challenge without slowing you down. When applying this technique, don’t forget the PCs’ Keledan armor. They use the armor’s active effects during battle (once each), but the armor also provides passive protection. Keledan armor significantly reduces enemy damage inflicted in the basic system. When you increase the damage suffered, your players must spend extra Wp healing friends. You may have to provide extra found/purchasable healing kit supplies. We included suggested base vitality/PF and damage in the Creature Standard Stats and Dragon Standard Stats charts below.

Creature Standard Stats

Use this chart for reference when increasing the difficulty of battles for your group. Add or subtract vitality or damage inflicted at your discretion based on the adjective used to describe the creature (old, scrawny, vigorous, pyranium, etc.).

Dragon Standard Stats

Use this chart of dragon standard stats for reference when increasing the difficulty of dragon battles for your group.

Battle Additional Rules

The Lightraiders system uses a “clash” style of battle. Two characters engaged in combat (adjacent) only need one roll. The roll accounts for attack, defense, and damage. When engaged with a troll (NPC), the player rolls to determine success or failure. Success means the lightraider damages the troll according to the PC’s stats. Failure means the troll damages the lightraider according to the NPC’s stats. The following are additional rules for battle.

Dual Wielding

Since the Keledan armor is a spiritual gift from the Rescuer, lightraiders may “dual wield,” meaning a fighter may wield two weapons in the same attack during battle, but this is not easily done. When the player declares the lightraider will dual wield, use Fight target +2. A successful dual wield attack inflicts damage equal to both weapon bonus totals plus the character’s Might.

Example: A lightraider with Might 1 wields a common sword with blade skill 1 and a superior dagger with small blade skill 2. He rolls a 9 for a successful attack. He does damage to the enemy equal to 1 (blade skill) + 0 (sword “common” quality bonus) + 2 (small blade skill) + 1 (dagger “superior” quality bonus) + 1 (the lightraider’s Might). This gives him a total damage of 1+0+2+1+1 = 5 damage inflicted on the enemy. Had the PC not risked dual wielding and only attacked with the sword, the damage would have been 2.

What About NPC Armor?

Some NPCs may be wearing armor. If the armor is not accounted for in the adventure text or battle information box, reduce damage done to the NPC in each attack by -1 for leather/copper armor, -3 for iron/steel armor, and -5 for pyranium armor.

Expendables

Limit arrows to 12 and bolts to 20. PCs must collect them after battle or purchase more.

Graduated Damage

Increase or decrease the damage inflicted or suffered by the degree of success or failure in the Fight roll. A PC who barely passes a Fight test will inflict less damage. A PC who passes a Fight test well above the target will inflict extra damage. Likewise, failing a roll by a lot will cause the PC to suffer greater damage. Reference the chart for the roll’s degree of success of failure and be sure to also apply the following rules.

Success: Inflict no less than 1 damage, despite any reductions. Wp MAY NOT be spent to increase damage.

Failure: Extra damage from a failed roll is offset because matching the target is still a success. Wp MAY be spent to reduce extra damage.

Extra damage inflicted for an Achievement is already accounted for in the basic rules.

Extra damage suffered for a Mishap is already accounted for in the basic rules.

Weapon Damage Bonuses

Certain weapon types deal +1 damage to certain creature types (see the chart).

Additional potential damage is already accounted for in the creature’s damage tracker or standard vitality.