Dragon Warriors: Frequently Asked Questions
	
(1)	Why are there no rules with more granularity for ranged combat/shields/sieges/skills/Vancian magic/D&D Clerics/social combat/sappers/toboggans etc.?
	 
	Dragon Warriors harkens back to a simpler time where all the rules you needed were included in the “combat” chapter. If we bolt on dozens of new rules then what we have is a clone of one of a modern fantasy games. The essence of Dragon Warriors isn’t in the rules; it’s about standing alone in the dark, shivering with cold and fear, while something terrible lurks just out of your flickering torchlight waiting for you to turn your back.
	 
	That’s not to say we don’t encourage you to create your own additions to the rules, in fact, if that is what you love to do please do go crazy! But, please don’t expect official rules covering every single situation...if you want this kind of detail in your game there are some very fine products on the market that do this very well already.
	
(2)	 Can a sorcerer with his tongue sliced off still cast spells?
	
	Nope, a Sorcerer needs his tongue to chant, as do Warlocks and Elementalists to a lesser degree. Mystics don't require gestures or chanting so they can cast without a tongue.
	 
(3)	What is the minimum number of fingers required to cast spells?
	 
	Sorcerer and Warlock finger gestures require all fingers, and are akin to sign language, replacing words in the Arcane tongue that are impossible to pronounce for a humanoid mouth. A Sorcerer who loses fingers must relearn to cast his spells using modified gestures requiring fewer fingers. This process is difficult; treat it as learning a simple language with a tutor. At the GM's discretion, a Warlock may actually need a tutor (any Sorcerer or other character who knows Arcane will do), since Warlocks don't actually understand the gestures they make. Elementalist gestures can be cruder, and therefore only require part of the hand to be intact, since Elementalist spells are primarily cast by force of will.
	 
(4)	If a sorcerer is blind in one eye, does he have a penalty in casting spells?
	 
	Nope, as long as he can see it, he can hit it.
	 
(5)	Does Deathlight shoot both targets standing 80m from each other, so long as both are within the 40m range of sorcerer?
	 
	The sorcerer needs to be able to see both targets fairly clearly, so both must be within a 90 degree arc, as seen from the sorcerer's perspective. That gives a maximum distance apart of around 57m.
	 
(6)	Is Bastion able to stop direct magic and teleportation? and etc....
	 
	If a Bastion hides you completely, like hiding behind a wall, then you can't be targeted by a direct spell. You could Teleport through a Bastion since a Teleport skips the intervening space.
	 
(7)	Is Bastion impregnable to everything? Does it stop outgoing attacks as well?
	 
	Yes, it blocks outgoing attacks. It is completely impregnable.
	 
(8)	Can an Elementalist cast raw power higher than their rank?
	 
	As the core rules are written, yes, but see the optional fix from the Players Book.
	 
(9)	Can an Elementalist use magic points from different pools at the same time when casting raw power?
	 
	No, all the points must come from one pool, corresponding to the elemental power desired.
	 
(10)	How is EVASION applied? For example, can you can attack one guy, defend against another and yet apply your EVASION to 2 javelins thrown at you, one from the front and the other from behind?
	 
	EVASION is a passive defence; it requires no action to be taken. EVASION represents both your ability to get out of the way, and your situational awareness. You do not need to be aware of any individual attack in order to evade it. You can use EVASION whils Surprised. Unless the rules specify otherwise (eg the Assassin's Shock Attack), or the GM rules that the circumstances are similarly exceptional, Evasion always works.

(11)	Does the Tangleroots spell only take effect on natural ground, or on any surface?
	 
	It is magic, and works on every surface.
	 
(12)	If a Sorcerer releases a person from their own Banish spell, does the person reappear where the Banish spell was cast? This is certainly implied for Banish spells released by a Dispel Magic, but not necessarily clear for the other way of ending the spell.
	 
	They reappear at the location they were banished from. It is not a means to sneakily transport a comrade into the queen’s bedchamber
	 
(13)	Does the Mantlet spell move with the caster after casting, or stay where it was originally cast.
	 
	It moves with the caster.

(14)	Does the caster need to know precisely where the victim is to cast the Dishearten spell and other similar direct attack spells? If so, how precisely?
	 
	You need to see your target fairly clearly in order to cast a spell. If you could point them out, that is enough. Dim lighting won’t stop you from pointing someone out, but utter blackness or being 100% hidden behind a wall would. I can cast Dishearten if I can see your arm sticking out from behind a door. I can cast Dishearten if I can see you through a hole in the wall. I can’t cast the spell if you are 100% hidden behind a solid object.
	 
(15)	As a Sword of Damocles becomes solid when activated, why wouldn’t it be stopped by a shield placed between it and characters head?
	 
	Because it is magic, it’s mysterious and powerful and breaks the laws of nature. The sword is just too strong to be stopped.
	 
(16)	Evil Eye – why do the effects from loss of binocular vision in this spell not match effects from loss of binocular vision in permanent injuries tables?
	 
	The effects are not identical, just similar.
	
(17)	Suspended Animation – can a Mystic end this spell early?
	 
	Yes
	 
(18)	How does the Pursuit spell work? Does the Mystic just know the direction of the target once the spell is cast, wherever they are, or do they need to start from a location the person was at and track their path from there?
	 
	You need to track their path from a location, passing objects they touched etc. It’s about as accurate as a really good sniffer dog. Otherwise it’s too easy to follow folks.
	 
(19)	Is the Mystic Blast bolt noticeable as an energy bolt? Or is it invisible, since it is a psychic force bolt and thus not noticeable? Same question for Thunderclap.
	 
	Mystic Blast and Thunderclap are not visible but the direction they come is usually pretty obvious. A logical guess at the point of origin could be guessed.
	  
(20)	What are the scores for the different swarms an air Elementalist can summon with Host of the Air?
	For a swam of insects, the smallest category of swarm as outlined under killer bees be used. If a flight of birds of prey are summoned, this should consist of 8 birds with the following statistics:
	 
	ATTACK 11 Peck (d2,1)
	DEFENCE 9 AF 0
	MAGICAL DEFENCE 2 Movement 2m (Flying – 25m)
	Health Points 1 STEALTH 16
	Rank-Equivalent 1 PERCEPTION 16 (normal)
	  
(21)	Can a sorcerer move or defend while casting a spell?
	The caster cannot move. The rules describe what can be done in a round on page 71. The only action that can be taken after moving (a quarter of maximum distance) is a melee attack. The caster can defend as normal.
	 
(22)	Can the user of a missile weapon still defend normally in melee?
	Yes.
	 
(23)	What effect does cover (including, perhaps, human hostages) have on missile combat?
	A -2 penalty for 50% cover (covering approximately half the body)
	A -4 penalty for 75% cover (covering approximately three quarters of the body)
	Total cover should make a missile attack impossible.
	
(24)	Are large targets easier to hit with a missile weapon than normal sized ones?
	Not unless the target is as big as a barn door, in which case a +2 bonus to Attack applies.
	 
(25)	What exactly does "Moving Slowly" and "Moving Quickly" mean in the missile combat modifiers table?
	
	Moving slowly indicates the target is moving at five metres or less per round. Moving quickly means the target is moving at more than five metres per round. More simply put, the target is walking or jogging.
	  
(26)	How small is a "small' target on the missile combat modifiers table? Does this modifier increase if the target is very small (for instance if you wanted to hit an imp)?
	Small is about half the size of a human being. With very small targets, you may increase the penalty to the roll by +2 for every further halving of size.
	 
(27)	* Can a sorcerer do anything else for the three rounds it takes to visualise his destination when casting Astral Gate?
	 
	No. But the Sorcerer can break off the visualisation to defend, thereby cancelling the spell without a loss of Magic Points.
	 
(28)	Could an attacker be allowed to voluntarily reduce his Defence to zero to enable him to move half rather than one quarter normal movement (in effect acting as though he had surprised his enemy, even if he hadn't)?
	
	No, that exception only applies if the attacker succeeds in surprising their opponent.
	 
(29)	Would a Troll be injured if a tree fell on him?
	Yes, the protection specified under the Troll entry comes from rubbery skin. It does not protect from massive weights and crushing. The tree would obviously need to be large enough to affect the troll in such a manner.
	 
(30)	Could you make a vessel to hold cloudspider venom from the cloudspider's carapace?
	
	As the rules are written, no, but an exceptionally powerful magus might devise a way.
	 
(31)	Do Vampires reflect in a mirror and are they burnt up by the sun?
	
	Vampires do not reflect in a mirror and cannot survive sunlight. There are rumoured to be breeds of vampire from strange lands that can be seen in mirrors. The Vrykolakas of Emphidor, for example, are said to reflect in mirrors.
	 
(32)	Is MAGICAL DEFENCE automatic or does it require conscious effort?
	It is automatic.
	 
(33)	Is a person's MAGICAL DEFENCE impaired when they are asleep?
	
	No, it is not.
	 
(34)	Is a victim aware that they are being magically attacked before the spell takes effect?
	
	Usually not. If they are not familiar with magic, they may not realise that they have been attacked even after the spell has taken effect. A mild creepy sensation, a slight shiver, or a bout of nausea may be all the evidence of a failed spell casting.
	 
(35)	Exactly what kinds of physical gestures are required for a sorcerer to cast a spell? Does he need one or both hands free?
	
	He needs his left hand free and the gestures are large enough to be noticeable to any observer. Think of a sorcerer’s hand gestures to be akin to sign language since in most cases that’s exactly what it is: a replacement for words in the Arcane tongue that cannot be spoken by the human voice box.
	 
(36)	Is Bastion impenetrable to Direct Attack Magic, Peer, Teleport and Intangibility?
	
	You need to be able to see your target to use Direct Attack magic, so in most cases it protects completely. Peer is only stopped by metal so it bypasses Bastion. Likewise, Teleport bypasses Bastion since it doesn’t go through the intervening space. You cannot use Intangibility to walk through a Bastion spell.
	 
(37)	Can a Fossilized being be harmed while in that state? If so, what happens to them when the spell is dispelled?
	
	A Fossilized being is functionally a statue and can be damaged as any other statue might be. When the spell is dispelled, the damage will remain and could easily prove fatal or cause other penalties.
	  
(38)	How far away from the caster does a Phantasm or Battlemaster materialise when summoned?
	
	Unless otherwise specified in the description of the spell, a summoned creature appears at the caster's side.
	  
(39)	Is the ability to see through an Illusion affected by a person's PERCEPTION?
	No.
	 
(40)	Do you still lose 1 Health Point for forcing a door even if you don't need to make the d20 roll to attempt it? Can you bash down a door with a battleaxe or sledgehammer (or whatever) and not lose any Health Points?
	
	Forcing a door costs 1 Health Point even if your Strength is high enough to avoid the d20 roll. Use of a weapon such as an axe to bash down a door does not cost health points, but takes longer – a couple of minutes, rather than as little as one round.
	 
(41)	What happens if you try to carry more than your allowed encumbrance?
	
	Dragon Warriors deliberately tries to simplify encumbrance, so strictly speaking, this is impossible. You can’t move if you exceed your encumbrance. The Games Master may allow it under exceptional circumstances, but could certainly reduce movement to a near-standstill as well as inflicting Health Points damage to the character to represent overexertion.
	 
(42)	Can equipment be resold for their original price?
	
	This isn’t a matter for the rules, but for the GM’s judgement based on their knowledge of the circumstances in which the item is being sold. If you can find a buyer they may be willing to pay more than the original price, particularly if in need of an item that cannot be easily found in their area. Sometimes you may not be able to sell an item at any price no matter how low. Remember, most people won’t buy items from an “itinerant adventurer” at full price unless desperate...they’d much rather trust a local trader who they know will be there tomorrow if something goes wrong. As a rule of thumb, you could allow second-hand equipment to be resold at half price.
	 
(43)	Can a fighter protect another person with his own shield?
	
	No. Most shields are not designed for this.
	 
(44)	Do indirect-attack spells like Deathlight count as magical for the purposes of attacking immune beings like Dragons?
	
	Yes
	 
(45)	Will an Enslaved being commit suicide if instructed to do so?
	
	Yes, assuming they have the ability and/or a practical means to do so. They won’t just drop dead. The will to survive is quite strong, however, and the GM may optionally rule that a second Magic Attack roll is required for obviously suicidal actions.
	 
(46)	Does Dragonbreath, Firestorm and any other flame-based attack harm the fiery Malgash?
	
	Flame-based attacks do not harm the Malgash.
	 
(47)	When a sorcerer kills a load of enemies with Hecatomb, does he get the experience points for doing so (thus offsetting the 1d100 xp he loses by casting the spell?). It doesn't seem like you would learn all that much from the experience.
	
	Yes, he does get the experience points – maybe he learned that this is something he’d prefer not to do again. This brain-blasting spell is not one most Sorcerers would care to cast more than once in a blue moon, and so each casting is in itself a learning experience.
	 
(48)	Can a Phantasm be created in the form of a giant eagle, large enough to carry the sorcerer aloft?
	
	Yes.
	 
(49)	Does cheaper poison than that made by a Sorcerer exist? 1200 florins (plus labour) seems a lot for a dose of poison if you're the town ratcatcher and need to take care of an infestation.
	
	Sure – Assassin’s Lotion just represents one example. Sorcerers have this strange need to make everything so complicated. The poison created by Sorcerers also has a shelf-life measured in centuries.
	 
(50)	Is Steel Claw considered to be an enchanted weapon (for the purposes of attacking spectres etc)?
	Yes.
	 
(51)	Can Intangibility be used to drop through the ground, for instance into an underground lair or whatever? How does the Mystic avoid this happening normally anyway?
	
	Yes, it can be used in that way. The Mystic is able to control his movement to ensure that he doesn’t fall to places he doesn’t want to. He can’t defy the laws of gravity and use it to fly, though.
	 
(52)	Can a Mystic cast spells while he's away from his body during a Trance
	
	No. While using the Trance, his Ka can’t interact with others. This includes casting spells.
	 
(53)	Is there a limit to how many potions a sorcerer can brew at once, provided his lab is big enough? The rules say up to ten can be on the brew at once "in a normal sized laboratory", so presumably a large laboratory could have more.
	
	Yes, but each doubling of size of the laboratory doubles the price, obviously.