Game in the Brain

Here is my Qin TWS notes. It will speed up understanding and consuming the system.

Basic Rules p.55

Ying Yang Dice (YyD)
2d10s, one Yin and another Yang (the dice have to be different so you can track). Roll both, Higher minus the lower. In some situations

Aspect (Basic Stat) + Skill + YyD vs > Success Threshold aka Difficulty (a target number)

Success Threshold 
This is a Target Number, where 5 is average and 9 is very hard and 1 is very easy.

Critical Success

• Rolling Doubles (instead of Greater – Lesser, just take the double result; two 3s is a critical succes IF 3+aspect+skill beats the ST. 
• Roll Double 0 is crit failure. 

Accumulated Margin of Success
For Long activities. There will be an ST, MoS Quota, and Interval per roll.

Other Rules.
Reputation

• This is a % score beginning with highest skill + deeds + witnesses
• divided by location /1 (city) to /5 wilderness.
• Ex. Kings have a 500 reptuation, Governors 100-200, etc..

Character Creation
Choose Background p.37
Aspects = Basic Ability scores p.39
Metal is Combat Ability (body) Score (Str, Dex, Con, … when it relates to combat)
Water is Physical Stats (body) (Str, Dex, Con, Dodge and Movement in yrds)
Fire is Social and Artistic ability (mind) (Cha and Wis)
Wood is Intelligence (mind) (Int and Wis)
Earth is Spiritual or Mystical ability (Wis and Supernatural Ability).
Starting points is 14, Stat Ranges 1-5, average is 2.
Improving costs 5xp*new score

Gifts and Weaknesses
basically advantage disadvantages, exchanged 1:1.

Skills (the same with other systems) p.44
15 points to spend
1-3 in starting points.
Skills are prerequisities for Combat Techniques, Magic, and Taos
Highest Skill Multiplies Qi4 and is base reputation.
Skill-1 (Apprentice) cost 1point or 4xp
Skill-2 (Competent) costs 4 points (+1, +3)points or 4xp+8xp
Skill-3 (Expert) costs 10 points (+1, +3, +6) points or 4xp+8xp+12xp
Skill-4 (Master) costs 10 points (or 24xp) plus 16xp
Skill-5…

Combat Techniques, Magic, and Taos p
Start with 15 points for all of these.
Cost as much as skills to improve, dependent on skills (cannot be higher than its skill).
They are special abilities, feats, and spells. Some (especially spells) consume Qi4

Secondary Aspects
Just like Secondary Abilities (like AC, Defense)
Importance Concept: Balance = this is mind vs body (higher – lower) aspect. 0 is best, meaning the character achieves balance see p.50.
Passive Defense (like AC) = Wood+Water+2 (plus various modifiers)
Qi4 p.49

• Qi4 = Balance * Earth * Highest skill 
• Spending Qi4 (pronounced Chee) adds Earth to a Roll. 
• Roll Meditation vs ST7 to recover all chi. one successful recovery per day, one hour per attempt. p.75
• Gain Qi4 equal critical success score.

Resistance (Fort Save) = Metal + Earth
Breath of Life (basically hitpoints p.50) = Balance & Resistance

Combat Rules

• Initiative is YyD + Water (in ties > water wins)  
• Round = 2-3 seconds
• # of Actions per round is equal to Skill+1 (1-7)
• Each Action is resolved as an “Exchange” everyone has one action per exchange
• Movement is an Action, Move = Water in yrds. 

Attack
Metal + Skill + YyD vs Passive Defense

Damage
Weapon + Metal + Yang (if yang is > ying) – Armor of the opponent.

Active Defense
-if you have not acted or have acted but have an action left, you may take an active defense. it is a simple test (Parry/Block uses Metal+skill or Dodge Water+Dodge)

Breath of Life p.50

• 5 wound conditions, this HP can be found in p.50. 
• greater the wounds the greater the penalty to all actions = 0/0/+1/+3/+5 ST penalty. 
• Worse Wound conditions, harder to heal (ST 3/5/7/9/11).

Healing 

• First Aid only heals 1pt. 
• Healing 1pt per restfull night, 0.5 on light activity, or 1/7 strenuous activity like work or practice. 

Money 
this was hard to find, p.217.
1 ounce silver = 1000coins

Experience Points (Ep, but I call it Xp since its more approachable)
Like points, buys skills and abilities.

Review 
Critiques

No Fatigue System 🙁
But Qi4 gives foundation
Travel Time is very optimisitic at about 2mph per hour for 10 hours to 4mph for 10 hours. I house ruled it by giving a ST to travel and MoF is cost in Qi4. Note that negative Qi4 deals damage. if you run, this reflects the microfracturing that can lead to a broken foot, shin or ankle if not properly conditioned.

Information Overload for Players :((
the prep is too heavy. It should be 1-2 pages and pretty rail-roady. I don’t know anyone, even those studying Chinese who would be able to follow. I can barely follow and I’m a Zhong1guo2 history geek what more normal gamers.

No Index :((
this means I’m dependent on my search function to comb through the book. 🙁

Some wrong Grammar and poorly structured translation 🙁
I’m a munchkin, there are holes that are easily exploited like the Qi4 rules.

Very Nice presentation and Layout. 🙂
Good art, Good layout,

Very Original and Relevant Subject Matter. :)))
The east is a mystery, and its a great way to understand it much better. As a person who learns through games, this is really a good way to introduce Chinese and Eastern culture. Its also awesome that the amount or recovered artifacts from this period is really amazing as well. The world is getting smaller and I think its about time to visit some other places.

Simple System 🙂
overall it is a very simple system, my overview should be enough for anyone to jump in.