Mana

Mana is generally something used for video games. Often it limits magic use and when mana is decreased to zero, spells can no longer be cast until it regenerates.

In Dice Mob, mana is used to measure how often skills can be used before the character’s inner fortitude (or whatever we’re measuring here) is depleted. Not all skills have to use mana. Some might be considered so innate as to not cost mana at all. And some skills will only cost mana at higher degrees. In general, though, mana is depleted at one point per skill degree used with the skill degree being determined based on the minimum level required to use that skill in the way it is used, not necessarily the skill degree of the character. If a skill only amounts to additional dice rolled in the case of attack or defense, this does not require the use of mana.

Every character starts off with ten mana points plus two mana points per level after first. Certain races might also have additional mana points added to them as well.

Like hit points, mana should be handled either by keeping track of “mana used” that parallels the “damage taken” for hit points. The difference between the two is considered the “current mana”.

Unlike hitting zero hit points, reaching zero mana does not necessarily render a creature unconscious. For most creatures, mana depletion simply means that creature cannot use skills requiring mana until they have recovered sufficient to use that again. Magical creatures whose life force depends on mana, such as golems, and undead, or creatures whose existence in the world is based on the mana they possess, such as genies, angels and demons, would be affected, either being destroyed or dismissed when their mana is depleted to zero.

Natural recovery of mana is the same as that of hit points, one per hour of low activity, two per hour of sleep, and the recovery of all mana in a day or six hours (see hit points). Hit points and mana can be recovered in parallel. It isn’t one or the other. Also like hit points, mana potions or magical items could aid in immediate or faster recovery.

Optionally characters can perform uninterrupted meditation for an hour and receive all their mana points back as well.

Mana restoration, sometimes called Mana Regeneration, is simply the ability to automatically recover lost mana at an accelerated rate, not just while resting or meditating but at any time, even during combat. This ability cannot be learned and is considered a Special Ability only available to certain races or other specialized individuals.

Mana restoration adds a lot more complexity to handling mana than just using up standard mana points. Instead it adds the concept of a finite Mana Pool where recovery is pulled from.

Characters with this special ability automatically recuperates mana at a rate of two per degree per round up until the mana pool is depleted.

No mana cost is required for the use of this special ability.

Mana restoration pulls from a limited pool of available mana called the Mana Pool¹⁾. After the Mana Pool is depleted, no mana can be recovered through mana regeneration until the pool is replenished. The Mana Pool is equal to twice the maximum mana the character has available. At first level, the pool would be twenty mana. Characters cannot pull from the Mana Pool while unconscious (unlike Regeneration which can pull from its Regeneration Pool).

The pool replenishes after the character sleeps at least six hours or recovers it via some form of extended meditation.

A character may choose to push their mana below zero in dire circumstances, but not without cost. Each use of a skill that places a character below zero requires rolling a number of dice equal to the absolute value of their current mana. A character whose skill use drops their mana to negative three would roll three dice. Negative five, five dice. The GM would also roll three and five dice respectively as an opposing roll. All losses to the GMs dice result in actual HP damage, with zero active HP rendering them unconscious.