[outdated] Fabula Ultima: Tactical Rules Module (Patreon)

Important note: these rules are kept here as a piece of development history, but do not really work well with Fabula Ultima. They tend to kill the action and make the game extremely slow, and do not take into account the many additional classes released over the years.

Hooray hooray! A few of you have been waiting for this since... almost a year, I'd say, and I've finally decided to throw it together!

Also, please enjoy the many gifs from Final Fantasy Tactics scattered throughout this post.

The following rules are designed to allow Fabula Ultima to be played on a 1-inch grid battlemat with minimal effort. Aside from finding suitably cute miniatures, of course.
You will see that they are rather simple, but still allow for a certain amount of depth while in play - especially since several effects are tied to die sizes and thus can be lowered or increased by spells, skills and status effects.
I think these would be a lot of fun.

MOVEMENT AND DISTANCES

• Movement and distances are always counted and performed orthogonally; this means that moving to a diagonally adjacent square actually equates to moving two squares.
• Allies do not block movement, but enemies do.
• You can't stand in the same square as another character.
• Entering a square of difficult terrain costs 1 point of movement; leaving a square of difficult terrain costs 2. If you move from a square of difficult terrain to another square of difficult terrain, it still costs you 2 points of movement.
• Elevation is also measured in one-square increments. When moving, characters may freely drop to squares of a lower elevation, or climb/jump to squares of a higher elevation as long as the difference in elevation is lower than or equal to your current Might die size, divided by 4. So if you have a Might of d10, you may jump up to a spot that is 2 squares above you.
• Optional Rule - Armor reduces movement: If you want heavier armors to impose a penalty on movement, you may adopt this rule. Whenever a character willingly performs a movement while wearing armor, reduce the maximum number of squares they can move by an amount equal to the initiative penalty imposed by the armor they are wearing (the Guardian's armor mastery skill becomes very valuable). This cannot reduce a character's movement to less than three squares.
• Optional Rule - Threat Area: By default, characters can freely walk near enemies and past them. If you want to make things more challenging, you can give each character a threat area. This means that the squares within distance 1 of a character are treated as difficult terrain by their enemies; characters who wield a spear increase their threat area by 1 (see diagram below).

LINE OF SIGHT

• To determine whether you can see another character, use the following method: if you can trace at least one unobstructed line from any corner of your square to any corner of the target's square, you can see the target.
• The Game Master must inform players of which terrain features block line of sight. Corners of blocking squares are considered to be blocking line of sight.
• Creatures do not block line of sight, unless they have a special skill that allows them to do so.
• Optional Rule - Elevation: By default, elevation doesn't affect line of sight. In some situations, this may seem absurd. If you use this optional rule, two characters at different elevations can see each other provided all of the following are true:
  - the higher character is within 1 or 2 squares of the "edge";
  - one character is X or more squares away from the other character, where X is
    equal to the difference in elevation (if the higher character is within 1 square of the
    "edge") or equal to twice the difference in elevation (if the higher character is within 2
    squares of the "edge").
  See diagram below.

ACTIONS

• In addition to their default action during a turn, characters may move  a number of squares up to their current Dexterity die size. They must do so either at the beginning or at the end of their turn.
• The Guard action must be applied to a target within 1 square of you, or within 2 squares if you have a shield equipped. The benefits only extend as long as the character you are protecting remains within that distance.
• The Pursue Goal and Hinder actions might be limited by the distance between you and your target. The Game Master has final say on this.

WEAPONS

• Arcane: Has an attack range of 1 square. For each arcane weapon you have equipped, increase the range of your spells by 1 square.
• Bow: Has an attack range equal to your current Dexterity die size +10, but cannot target enemies that are within 4 squares of you.
• Brawling: Has an attack range of 1 square. Whenever you successfully hit one or more targets with a brawling weapon, you may switch places with one of them after the attack is resolved.
• Dagger: Has an attack range of 1 square. Whenever you perform a movement, you may move an additional square for each dagger weapon you have equipped. This applies to any willing movement you perform, including the special effect from swords (see below) or the Guardian's protect skill (see below).
• Firearm: Has an attack range equal to your current Insight die size +8, but cannot target enemies that are within 2 squares of you.
• Flail: Has an attack range of 2 squares. Whenever you successfully hit one or more targets with a heavy weapon, you may choose one of those targets after the attack is resolved and pull that creature 1 square towards you, ignoring difficult terrain.
• Heavy: Has an attack range of 1 square. Whenever you successfully hit one or more targets with a heavy weapon, you may choose any number of them after the attack is resolved: you may push each creature chosen this way one square away from you, ignoring difficult terrain.
• Spear: Has an attack range of 2 squares and can attack targets whose elevation is up to 2 points higher or lower than yours.
• Sword:  Has an attack range of 1 square. Whenever you perform an attack with a sword weapon (even if it is a free attack), you may move 1 square before or after the attack, ignoring difficult terrain (you can use this to get your target within range of your attack).
• Thrown: Has an attack range equal to your current Might die size.

Additional Attack rules:

• Multi: Melee attacks with multi must target creatures within the range of your weapon. Ranged attacks with multi must target creatures within the range of your weapon, and within X squares of each other, where X is your current Insight die size.
• Enemy attacks: The range of enemy attacks is established by the Game Master. Generally, melee attacks have a range of 1 square and ranged attacks have a range of 10 to 20 squares.
• Elevation: Melee attacks can be aimed at targets whose elevation is up to 1 point lower or higher than yours; ranged attacks can be aimed at targets whose elevation is up to 4 points higher or lower than yours; regardless, attacks always require you to see the target.

CLASS-SPECIFIC RULES

• Arcanist: Arcana can affect creatures within a range equal to twice your current Willpower die size.
• Chimerist: The targets of your spells must be within a range equal to your current Willpower die size. If a spell has multiple targets, those must be within X squares of each other, where X is your current Might die size.
  This also applies with spells with a range of special.
• Elementalist: The targets of your spells must be within a range equal to your current Willpower die size. If a spell has multiple targets, those must be within X squares of each other, where X is your current Insight die size.
  This also applies with spells with a range of special.

• Entropist: The targets of your spells must be within a range equal to your current Willpower die size. If a spell has multiple targets, those must be within X squares of each other, where X is your current Insight die size.
  This also applies with spells with a range of special.
• Fury: Provoke can affect targets within a range equal to your current Willpower die size.
• Guardian: When Protect triggers, the Guardian may move a number of squares up to their current Might die size, ignoring difficult terrain. They must end their movement within 1 square of the creature they want to protect. Then, they then suffer the effects of the threat.
• Loremaster: No changes.
• Orator: Unexpected Ally, Words of Hope and Words of Ruin can affect targets within a range equal to your current Willpower die size.
• Pathfinder: Beast Bond can affect targets within a range equal to your current Insight die size.
• Rogue: Soul Steal  can affect targets within a range equal to your current Insight die size.
• Sharpshooter: Crossfire can affect any target within range of a ranged weapon you have currently equipped.
• Spiritist: The targets of your spells must be within a range equal to your current Willpower die size. If a spell has multiple targets, those must be within X squares of each other, where X is your current Insight die size.
  This also applies with spells with a range of special.
• Warlord: Rout and Strike Now!  can affect targets within a range equal to your current Willpower die size. Battlefield Awakening affect the entire battlefield.
• Weaponmaster: No changes.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

• Push and Pull: You may force another creature to move 1 square in a direction of your choice, ignoring difficult terrain.
• Dash: You may immediately move a number of squares up to half your Dexterity die size.

MISCELLANEOUS RULES

• Areas for Inventions and Rituals: The areas for inventions and rituals are as follows:
  - individual (1 square)
  - small (5x5 squares)
  - large (20x20 squares)
  - huge (the entire map)
• Elemental Shards: These inventory items can affect targets regardless of distance.
• Falling Damage: If a character falls for 3 or more squares, they suffer minor damage. If they fall for 6 or more squares, they suffer heavy damage. If the fall for 9 or more squares, they suffer massive damage.
• Flying Creatures: Flying creatures can move wherever they want on the map, ignore elevation restrictions and difficult terrain, and have all the benefits from the core rules.
  These advantages are all lost if the creature is in HP Break or has been forced to land.
• Forced Movements: When a creature suffers a forced movement (such as being pushed by a heavy weapon), that creature cannot avoid the movement and ignores difficult terrain during it.
• Mounts: If you perform a movement while riding a mount, you ignore difficult terrains during your movements.

• Potions: Potions can be used on targets within 1 square.

... and I guess we're done for today! Please let me know what you think, and don't forget to join the discussion on Discord!!

I'll see you next time with the 2.8 update for Fabula Ultima! ;)