Terms

Abilities
Please see Abilities

Armor Class
Often referred to as AC, this determines how difficult is is to attack a target. This is usually calculated by  versus Attack Roll.

Advantage and Disadvantage
Most rolls are the sum of 2d6 to do something, such as attack or perform a task. However, when you have an Advantage, you roll 3d6, discard the lowest number, and add the two highest numbers out of the 3d6 together. When you roll with Disadvantage, you roll 3d6, discard the highest number, and add the two lowest numbers out of the 3d6 instead.

For example, if you have Advantage, you roll 3d6 and roll a 1, 3, and a 6, you discard the 1 and add the 3 and 6 together. Using the same example with Disadvantage, you would discard the 6, and add the 1 and 3 together, instead.

Advantage doesn't guarantee success nor does Disadvantage guarantee failure, but increases your odds of success (Advantage) or failure (Disadvantage).

Attack Roll
To attack, you will normally roll  versus Armor Class. If you are using a melee (hand-to-hand) weapon, you normally use Strength. If you are using a ranged weapon, such as a bow, you use Dexterity instead.

Character Level
Often abbreviate as CL, when PCs gain enough XP, they are able to gain or raise to the next character level. This often includes additional improvements, such as additional HP, Feats, etc.


 * Epic

d6
This is your typical six-sided dice, found in many common board games, such as Monopoly, and can often be purchased from the game section in many department stores. Rolling multiple six-sided dice and adding them together is often denoted as xd6. For example, 2d6 is two six-sided dice, 3d6 is three six-sided dice, and so forth. The most common roll is 2d6 (two six-sided dice).

Difficulty Class
Often referred to as DC, this is often a non-combat challenge posed by a situation. It could be a PC wanting to break down a door, or determine if an NPC is lying. PCs will often roll 2d6 (two six-sided dice) and add or subtract their Ability to the sum of the 2d6 against the DC. If the total is less than the DC, then the attempt failed. If the total is the same or higher than the DC, than the attempt succeeded. DCs are rated as follow:

Dungeon/Game Master
Often referred to as the DM or GM, this person is the narrator or storyteller, and also controls all of the NPCs. They create and shape the fictional world around the PCs, both directly and indirectly. They are also the referee during combat situations. And like a referee, what they say goes. They have the final word.

Experience Points
Often referred to as XP, experience points are earned by the PCs given by the DM/GM. The most common way of earning experience points is to kill monsters, but the DM/GM may award experience points for completing tasks, adventures, quests, or simply for role-playing your PC or coming up with a very good, unique idea.

Fantasy Role-Playing Game
Often referred to as FRPGs, it's a tabletop, pen-and-paper game where players role-play as fictional characters along to a story the DM/GM created using their imaginations. Most FRPGs are loosely based on medieval fantasy (think Lord of the Rings), wielding swords and shields, wearing armor, and casting magic spells.

Feats
Please see Feats for details.

Hit Points
Often referred to as HP, this is the amount of physical damage a target can take. All HP is measured in multiples of 6 (six) and can be increased or decreased depending upon Constitution. All PCs start with 6 HP plus their Constitution (or minus if Constitution is a negative number), and increases by this number every time they raise to the next level of experience.

Unconsciousness and Death
A PC dies if they reach the negative of their maximum HP. For example, if a PC's maximum HP is 12, they die if they reach -12. If a PC's maximum HP is 144, they die if they reach -144. If a PC reaches zero or less HP, they immediately fall unconscious. If they are negative HP (-1 or less), they start dying, and lose 1 HP every round if left untouched. Of course, enemies can inflect more damage every round until the PC is dead.

Magic
All magical spells are divided into two categories &mdash; Arcane and Divine. Arcane Spells are often learned or raw power that comes from within, and most use your Intelligence (unless specified otherwise). Whereas Divine Spells often come from a deity, demigod, or even an ideology, and most use Wisdom (unless specified otherwise).

Non-Player Characters
Often referred to as NPCs, these are both monsters and people played by the DM/GM within their world. Sometimes they are hostile, and sometimes they are friendly. These NPCs vary anything from the boisterous barkeeper to the dangerous dragon.

Players
These are the persons role-playing a fictional player character they create and control within the world and rules of the DM/GM.

Player Characters
Often referred to as just characters or PCs, these are the fictional people created and controlled by the players.

Quest
Often called an adventure, this could be a single game session (or make take several) to complete. In traditional FRPGs, it's often go talk to an NPC, go kill monster, retrieve item, bring back to NPC for XP and other items.

Race
The biological being the player chooses to play. In typical fantasy role playing games, this can be human, elf, dwarf, gnome etc. The choice of race typically affects the basic traits of the character. Please see Races for more information.

Skills
Please see Skills

Spell Points
Often abbreviated as SP, all magical spells cost Spell Points. How many Spell Points you have is your Character Level + Intelligence (Arcane Spells) or Wisdom (Divine Spells). If you have both Arcane and Divine Magic Feats, you simply add your Character Level and combine both your Intelligence and Wisdom into a larger, single pool of Spell Points for casting either Spell type.