RWBY RPG
This system has been conceived specifically for RWBY, and with that in mind is geared toward devoting as much attention to awesome, dynamic, and intuitive fighting with interesting weapons as possible.
There are a lot of free form elements in this system, part of the fun of RWBY is the innovative and intuitive way that characters use their weapons and powers to interact with the world and their opponents; I didn't want to unnecessarily bog down that "coolness" with a large number of rules and regulations.
That said; Rule Zero: You cannot do things you cannot do. (EG; if you're using an antique sword and shield you probably can't attack the Nevermore that's 300 feet in the air. If you can give me a logical reason for WHY you can, then you can go for. Saying, "I attack." will get you no where in this game.)
Things That Are Rolled:
Trivialities: Trivialities are not rolled! Walking around, eating, drinking, talking to people about basic stuff or factual information (within reason) does not require a roll.
Conversation: Trying to actively convince someone of something, get them to reveal privileged information, or conceal information from them, does require a roll. You and the person you are interacting with (be it a player or an NPC) each roll 1d6 + any appropriate bonuses. The winner gets their way.
Non-combat, Non-conversation (NCNC): NCNC rolls are everything that isn't combat or talking. If you engage in an NCNC action that involves another character it is resolved identically to having a conversation. If you engage in an NCNC action that is against the world, the world gets a d8 or a set value (2, 4, 6, 8, or 10) if it is plot relevant or ridiculous.
Combat
Combat is based primarily on 3 things:
First and foremost, your ability to effectively, and creatively, describe you're character's actions. You cannot do things you cannot do. Your turn ends when you choose to end it, you fail a roll, or you can no longer logically describe your actions.
Second, momentum. Momentum is a mechanic which rewards you for making successive successful rolls. In this game, the amount of damage that you do is based on the number of dice that you roll, not the number you roll on the dice. After you make your first successful combat roll you automatically receive 1 additional d6; there after, you must make a number of successive successful rolls equal to half your max Hit Points to receive another d6. The maximum number of dice that you can generate from momentum is 5.
Third, is aura. Aura is an innate ability that everyone has that keeps them from dying! Everyone has a base Aura of 4. Whenever you fail a roll that would result in them logically being harmed, you must roll a d6. If you roll less than or equal to your current Aura, you avoid being harmed. Whenever you make a roll that breaks 10, you Aura is reduced by 1. Your aura cannot be reduced below 1. Aura is restored to maximum at the end of combat.
COMBAT HAS A FEW MORE INS AND OUTS THAN THIS THAT I WILL COVER LATER; MOVING ON TO CHARACTER CREATION
Character Creation
Every character has a Base Background (Class), a Character Trait, a Character Flaw, a Semblance, and a Hit Dice.
Characters can be small (d4), moderate (d8), or sturdy (d12). Remember, this affects your ability to build momentum. (A character with a d4 hit die only needs to make 2 consecutive successes to gain an additional dice, the character with a d12 must make 6. While it isn't impossible for the d12 character to be the "striker" it is recommended that they perform the roll of "tank.")
Your hit die is totally up to you.
Base Background
Base backgrounds reflect the life and upbringing that your character has had and comes with particular bonuses and draw backs.
Aristocrat - Starts with quadruple gold, receives twice as much gold at each stipend, but receives it half as often. The Aristocrat suffers a -2 to all conversation rolls with non-aristocrats, and a -4 when conversing with the Fauness and Street Urchin Backgrounds.
Street Urchin - The Street Urchin starts with half gold, but may pick pocket to receive small amounts of gold in between missions. Receives half gold at each stipend. Street Urchin also receives +2 to all NCNC rolls.
Faunus - Faunus receives -2 to all conversation rolls with non-Faunus NPCs. Faunus recieves +2 to all NCNC and Combat rolls at night. The Faunus may choose to have Connections as a bonus Character Trait, but receives a -4 when conversing with the Aristocrat (putting them on equal footing.)
Warrior Born - The Warrior Born may choose, Destroyer: have +1 true damage to all combat rolls; or Defender: mitigate 1 damage received by them automatically.
Touched by Destiny - your Aura cannot be reduced below 2. At every other stipend distribution the DM will roll a d100 to determine whether or not you accidentally find a chest of Platinum.
The Fool - you may freely reroll all non-combat rolls (cannot reroll rerolls). All rolls against you receive +2. You may select another Background at half potency.
Everyone starts with 200 gold and gets 50 gold per stipend.
Vials of Dust cost 50 gold and have 2 uses each. (Dust varieties are Fire, Ice, Electricity, Force, and Time) Dust allows you to modify weapons to give you more options for things to describe doing in combat.
Character Traits, Flaws, and Semblances; ONE DAY THERE WILL BE A LIST, FOR RIGHT NOW, JUST TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY DO MECHANICALLY.