Arkaders: The Open-Codex Rules

An ArKader is more than just a label; it’s a celebration of a generation and an era that defined gaming and pop culture. It’s a term synonymous with Millennials or Generation Z, those born in the 80s and 90s, but it also embraces gamers of all ages who are drawn to the time when it all began: the rise of arcade games, the birth of RPGs, and the creation of legendary movies and cult-classic TV shows.

It was an era of fascinating, one-of-a-kind stories set in incredible universes, filled with deep, inspirational lore that transported us to worlds beyond imagination. These narratives were more than just entertainment; they were a source of wonder, a spark of creativity, and a legacy of inspiration that continues to influence the culture of gaming, storytelling, and art to this day.

To be an ArKader is to embrace this legacy with passion and carry forward the spirit of an era where imagination had no limits, and legends were born.

An ArKader was that player who spent weekends in the ArKades with friends, followed by trips to the cinema to watch a movie they knew would be epic because it starred their favourite actor or actress. After the cinema, they’d head to a friend’s house for an RPG adventure that felt just as legendary.

Sundays were reserved for immersing themselves in the lore of epic tales—stories so compelling and vivid that they’ve stayed with us to this day. They were also collectors, curating collections of dice, miniatures, and meticulously painting their figures to proudly showcase in their wargaming battles.

To be an ArKader is to feel a connection to a golden age, when the glow of arcade screens illuminated imaginations, and pixelated adventures became the cornerstone of modern gaming. It’s not just about nostalgia; it’s about a passion for the creativity, stories, and culture that emerged during that era.

But for us, the concept of an ArKader goes further.
We’ve created this concept to represent an epic and legendary profile of gamers who are ready to dive into the world of Role-Finale, a captivating role-playing game built upon a rich and immersive lore, which you can explore for free on this website. With simple rules, you’ll be able to start playing on day one. Here, you can purchase miniatures to play with, paint and personalise them, and expand the game with rule sets that bring new dimensions to your adventures.

This includes thrilling expansions like Crush-Finale, which seamlessly integrates wargaming systems into your sessions, and Arcade-Finale, the perfect bridge between arcade gameplay and tabletop games. And the expansions don’t end there—there’s much more to explore. Dive into our website and become an ArKader, an expert in the world of Role-Finale.

Even if you weren’t born in the 80s or 90s, you can still become an ArKader. If you feel drawn to that golden era, when legends came to life and the world of gaming was ablaze with new ideas and adventures, then you are already on the path to earning this title.

But becoming a true ArKader is no small feat. Only a veteran Arcader, one who was forged in the neon glow of the arcades and the lore of epic RPGs, can bestow this honour upon you. To earn it, you must understand the essence of the ArKader spirit—the love of stories that transcend time, the commitment to creating and preserving legends, and the joy of sharing unforgettable adventures with others.

When you prove yourself worthy—by embracing the culture, legacy, and camaraderie that define this title—you will stand among the few who truly understand what it means to be an ArKader. And in that moment, with their blessing, you will carry the name with pride, honouring the past and bringing its spirit into the future.

But don’t mistake ArKaders for obsolete players—nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it’s their profound knowledge as gamers that makes them uniquely capable of creating their own worlds and universes. Arcaders aren’t just players; they are creators, builders of new RPG adventures, their own rules, characters, and stories, collaborating as a community to develop new game modes and experiences.

With the tools we provide on this platform, ArKaders go beyond creating their adventures—they can design their own game items, tokens, miniatures, and characters, unleashing their creativity in ways never imagined. These tools,  available to all, empower Arcaders to explore infinite possibilities, transforming their gaming worlds into vibrant realities. Be an Arcader, be a Free Player!

ArKaders are masters of innovation, seamlessly blending the cutting-edge capabilities of AI with their classic gaming expertise. This fusion of advanced technology and retro mastery makes them a new breed of gamer—free players with unlimited creative potential. With AI as their ally, ArKaders are empowered to take their imagination to new heights, designing unique adventures and redefining what it means to play.

Can you imagine being an ArKader? Rediscover your origins, harness their legacy, and amplify them with the power of Artificial Superintelligence. The era of the ArKaders has arrived. It’s time to redefine gaming and shape the future.

And finally… why is ArKaders spelled with a K instead of a C, like in the word Arcade?

Because we’re not just players.
We’re not just fans.
We are ArKaders — loyal followers of the Kwasar Universe, guardians of its lore, and keepers of its legends.

The K is more than a letter.
It’s a symbol.
A tribute.
A battle cry.

It’s the K of Kwasars — the core of everything we believe in.
Every time you write ArKaders, you carry the Kwasar flame.
You tell the world: I belong to this universe.

And that’s what makes you one of us.
One of the true ArKaders.

 

🎮 ROLE-FINALE: ARKADERS EDITION – OPEN-CODEX RULES

0. What is Role-Finale: Arkaders Edition?

Role-Finale: ArKaders Edition is your gateway—a vibrant entry point into the world of tabletop role-playing games. It’s the most accessible, playful, and beginner-friendly RPG system in the Role-Finale collection.

While Role-Finale is our most advanced and feature-rich role-playing system, and Role-Finale Lite offers a simplified experience for casual players, ArKaders stands as our crown jewel of simplicity and fun—a celebration of imagination designed especially for newcomers.

It’s bold. It’s joyful. It’s unforgettable.

Whether you're 8 or 99 years old, ArKaders welcomes you to your very first adventure—with open dice and infinite worlds.

🎮 Welcome to Role-Finale: Arkaders Edition... or simply, Arkaders.

Let the story begin.

🎮 1. What Is Arkaders about?

Arkaders is more than just a role-playing game.
It’s a portal—a living system that blends nostalgic arcade energy, open-ended fantasy, and player-driven storytelling into one blazing digital saga.

At its core, Arkaders is a world where you can become anything:

  • A pixel paladin wielding a glitchblade of destiny

  • A hacker princess riding the stormcode of a dying galaxy

  • A robot ninja bard who fights using rhythm

  • Or a sentient flame that speaks only in ancient melodies

🎮 But how does it begin?

Before the story even starts, before dice are rolled or characters chosen, the players engage in the first rite of power: the Arcade Duel. This is no ordinary warm-up—this is a legend-shaping challenge, where friends face off in any kind of competition they choose:

  • Retro racing games

  • Hand-eye mini games

  • Real-world skill tests (like a dance battle or a riddle-off)

  • Or even pure randomness—whoever rolls the highest on a d20

This opening competition is sacred in Arkaders. It decides who among you is worthy of becoming the Master.

👑 2. The Master’s Ascension

The player who wins the challenge becomes the Master—not as a punishment or burden, but as a position of honour and creativity. The Master is the World Weaver, the Lore DJ, the pixel-dreamsmith who crafts the story ahead. They are:

  • The voice of the world

  • The breath behind the monsters

  • The whisper in the glitch

  • And the storm behind every choice

And the others? They become Arkader Heroes—the chosen avatars of chaos, courage, and creativity.

✨3. The Spirit of Arkaders

This game doesn’t just support wild imagination—it demands it.
Want to be a frog-paladin who rides a jellybean mech into battle? Go for it.
A former racing AI now trapped in a floating sword? Absolutely.
A ghost that possesses vending machines to spit out holy grenades? Heck yes.

You don’t just play Arkaders. You bring it to life.

The rulebook is the launchpad.
The dice are the fuel.
Your imagination is the fire.

🔥 So press START.
The multiverse is calling your name.
And legends don’t create themselves.

🧑🏫4.  The Role of the Master – Worldshaper of Arkaders

In Arkaders, the Master is not just a narrator.
They are the Architect of Realms, the Voice of Destiny, the Glitch behind the Curtain.

Imagine a film director who doesn’t work with actors, but with gods-in-the-making—each player creating their own story in real time. The Master is the one who guides, surprises, and ignites the journey, turning dice rolls into drama and choices into fate.

🎮 What does the Master do?

  • 🎨 Paints the world with words—describing glowing cities, forgotten temples, corrupted code, and pixelated gods.

  • 👁️🗨️ Brings characters and enemies to life—voicing heroes, villains, aliens, dragons, merchants, glitch ghosts and more.

  • 🎲 Chooses when the dice decide fate—deciding which attribute is tested in each moment of challenge.

  • ⏱️ Sets the rhythm—guiding pacing, tension, humor, and suspense like a conductor of chaos.

  • 🃏 Distributes Token Cards and Rewards—as treasures, blessings, or consequences of player choices.

The Master is not an enemy to the players. They are the curator of challenge, the keeper of surprises, and the guardian of balance.

🗣️ Example Dialogue
🎭 Master: “You stand before the Temple of Echo. Its gates are sealed. A rune hums across the stone: ‘Only the wise shall pass unseen.’ What do you do?”
🧙♀️ Luma (Blue-class mage): “I want to decode it using my knowledge of lost languages. Can I roll with Magic?”
🎭 Master: “Excellent. Your Magic is 15. Since you’re a Blue-class, add 1d6 to your d20. Let’s see what fate has to say…”

👑 Being the Master is not a job—it’s a sacred role. It’s the power to summon worlds, challenge friends, and tell stories they’ll remember forever.

🧑🚀5. The Role of the Players – The Living Legends

Players are the beating heart of Arkaders.
Each one controls a Hero forged from imagination, charged with powers, flaws, and destiny. These aren’t blank avatars—these are living symbols of who you want to be, right now, in this story.

Every Arkader Hero is a storm of story in human (or non-human) form. And each player’s voice brings the world to life.

🎮 What do Players do?

  • 👤 Create a Hero — A warrior of light, a ninja of glitches, a bard-bot with lightning lyrics—anything you dream.

  • 🗣️ Roleplay — Speak, act, and think as your hero. Be noble, be chaotic, be hilarious. This is your stage.

  • 💡 Make decisions — Fight? Flee? Negotiate? Sacrifice? Trick? The world reacts to your every choice.

  • 🎲 Roll the dice — When the path is uncertain, the d20 tells the tale.

  • 🧩 Solve, scheme, and survive — Use weapons, powers, tokens, and teamwork to outwit whatever the Master throws at you.

🗣️ Example Dialogue
🟢 Yuko (Green-class scout): “I sprint up the crumbling wall, flip midair, and throw my shadow dagger at the golem’s eye.”
🎭 Master: “Incredible. That’s Agility. Since you’re Green-class, roll 1d20 + 1d6.”
(Yuko rolls and nails it!)
🎭 Master: “Your dagger hits its mark—sparks fly as the golem staggers back, howling in static!”

💥 In Summary

The Master creates the World.
The Players create the Heroes.
Together, they create the Legend.

🎮 Arkaders is not about winning. It’s about telling the kind of story you wish you could jump inside of. Well—guess what? Now you can.

🛠️ 6. Character Creation – Forge Your Arkader

Your character isn’t just a stat sheet.
It’s your avatar in the multiverse. Your chosen glitch in the fabric of fate.
An Arkader Hero is a being of power, passion, and pixel-born potential—crafted from your imagination.

There are no limits.
You can be a feline samurai with armor made of chrome koi.
A child of thunder who commands the winds with a whisper.
A reassembled war cyborg who dreams in lullabies.
Or something the universe has never even imagined.

In Arkaders, if you can dream it—you can play it.

🧾 Heroic Identity Sheet – Who Are You?

When creating your hero, take your time. This isn’t just about stats. It’s about style, vibe, and legacy.

Fill in the following:

🗣️ Name

Your hero's name sets the tone. Is it noble, cryptic, punk, ancient, meme-worthy, or tragic?

  • Examples: Xyla, Rax Turbo, Estrella-7, Circuit Monk, Ghost Echo, Zan’kar the Hollow Spark

👤 Race / Species

What are you?
Human, alien, elf, robot, glitch-being, undead streamer, jellyfish in a mech suit?
You decide. Invent a race if it doesn’t exist. Combine two. Be weird.

📏 Height & Build

Are you a towering brute with neon tattoos, or a silent shadow barely visible in the light?
Thin and agile? Heavy and indestructible? Floating with no legs? Glitching between shapes?

👁️ Eyes / Skin / Texture

Let’s go wild:

  • Eyes like glowing data spirals

  • Skin of glass, bark, plasma, wires, ink

  • A body made of forgotten memories stitched together

Describe it as poetically or simply as you like. This is visual storytelling.

🧥 Clothing / Gear / Aesthetic Armor

What’s your style?

  • A cloak made from ghost-fire

  • Cybernetic monk robes

  • Streetwear enchanted by a fashion witch

  • Bone armor crafted from a past life

Let it scream your identity without needing to say a word.

⚖️ Alignment

This is your moral compass. Not rigid—just a guide. Choose one:

  • Good – You protect, rescue, heal. Even if the world burns.

  • Neutral – You observe, adapt, and weigh every side.

  • Evil – You control, break, deceive—or maybe just want freedom at all costs.

Optional: Invent your own alignment system. “Chaotic Hype”? “Loyal to Lore”? Go for it.

🎭 Personality Traits

These are keywords that define your soul. They help you roleplay and guide your reactions.

  • Examples:

    • Brave, sarcastic, impulsive, analytical

    • Soft-hearted, vengeful, trickster, silent

    • “Has conversations with their weapon”

    • “Trusts no one, not even the sky”

These traits don’t affect stats. They affect story, fun, and connection.

🧠 Pro Tip:

The more vivid your description, the more alive your character becomes.
Every choice is a story seed. Every detail can become a turning point.

"The more you imagine, the more the world imagines you back."

🎨 7. Heroic Classes – The Path You Walk

In Arkaders, your Class is not a cage—it’s a banner you raise.
It defines your narrative flavor, your vibe, your instincts, and yes—your power.

Each class represents a core essence, tied to one of the four attributes.
When you choose your Class, you gain:

  • A +1d6 bonus to that class’s core attribute

  • A style, an archetype, a legacy

  • And a foundation to build something uniquely yours

📝 Your total in that attribute can never go above 20 after bonuses.

But remember: this is only the beginning of your legend.
You can play against type. Break tropes. Create something unforgettable.

🔴 RED – Strength & Fury

Core Attribute: Strength
Vibe: Bold. Brutal. Unstoppable.
You hit first, ask questions later, and break through whatever stands in your way. You’re the tank, the berserker, the frontline champion who carries the team on your shoulders—and sometimes throws them for extra range.

Red-class heroes are explosions in motion. You act with force, speak with presence, and never back down from a challenge.

Examples:

  • Arcade barbarian who wields a joystick warhammer

  • Cybernetic wrestler built from old console parts

  • Rebel minotaur with fists made of meteors

Iconic Moves: Smash doors, lift cars, intimidate crowds, protect allies by standing between them and the storm.

🔵 BLUE – Mind & Magic

Core Attribute: Magic
Vibe: Smart. Mysterious. Precise.
You see the threads behind reality—whether through arcane energy, futuristic tech, or sheer logical genius. You’re the problem-solver, the decoder of riddles, and the one who always has a backup plan hidden in your data scroll.

Blue-class heroes don’t fight with fists—they manipulate the battlefield itself.

Examples:

  • Quantum sorceress who rewrites light

  • Rune hacker who speaks fluent firewall

  • Time monk who only acts after thinking in four dimensions

Iconic Moves: Dispel traps, disable drones, analyze enemies, manipulate systems or minds.

🟢 GREEN – Speed & Stealth

Core Attribute: Agility
Vibe: Swift. Sharp. Ghostlike.
You’re a whisper on the wind, a blur of movement, a shadow in motion. Whether parkouring through a collapsing city or slicing the air with laser daggers, your body is your weapon—and no one sees you coming until it’s too late.

Green-class heroes outpace danger, outsmart traps, and always find the back door.

Examples:

  • Glitch ninja who phases between frames

  • Neon racer with magnetic boots

  • Street rogue who steals energy more than gold

Iconic Moves: Dodge beams, leap across rooftops, sneak past guards, deliver strikes with surgical precision.

🟠 ORANGE – Heart & Harmony

Core Attribute: Spirit
Vibe: Empathic. Supportive. Unbreakable.
You may not seek glory—but you amplify others. You’re the medic who never lets a teammate fall, the engineer who builds hope out of scrap, the bard who sings worlds into alignment. Your strength isn’t loud—but it’s vital.

Orange-class heroes stabilize chaos. Heal wounds—physical or emotional. And inspire allies to go beyond their limits.

Examples:

  • Data-druid who speaks to corrupted forests

  • Techno-medic who patches hearts with nanites

  • Digital bard who boosts power with beats

Iconic Moves: Heal friends, build machines, calm raging monsters, give the speech that saves the day.

🌟 Final Thought:

Your class isn’t a rule.
It’s a theme, a vibe, a spark.

You can play a gentle Red. A chaotic Blue. A stealthy Orange. A magical brute.
What matters is how you tell your story—and what mark your hero leaves on the world.

✨ The class is your foundation. Your creativity builds the rest.

Would you like a matching illustrated “class card” template or poster-style spread for each of these archetypes?

saves the day.

📊 8. Attributes – The Core of Your Hero’s Power

Every Arkader Hero is built on four core Attributes—fundamental aspects of your identity, power, and purpose. These aren’t just numbers. They’re echoes of who your hero is and how they face the challenges of the multiverse.

Each attribute reflects a different pillar of play: muscle, movement, mind, and soul.

To determine your stats, you’ll roll one 20-sided die (1d20) for each attribute. This number reflects your base natural talent in that area.

Then, you’ll roll an extra 6-sided die (1d6) for the attribute tied to your chosen Class. This represents your specialized training, cosmic connection, or glitch-enhanced gift.

📝 The final total in any attribute can’t exceed 20, no matter what you roll.

🔻 The Four Attributes

💪 Strength

Power. Endurance. Force.
Used for physical actions: smashing doors, carrying teammates, punching through enemies, withstanding poison or fatigue.

You're the one who can flip tanks, hold a gate closed with your back, or carry an ally to safety.

🌀 Agility

Speed. Grace. Reflex.
Used for dodging, sneaking, jumping, flipping, precision strikes, or catching that one falling object that matters most.

You're the blur across the battlefield, the whisper in the vents, the glitch that no one can hit.

🔮 Magic

Intellect. Energy. Technology.
Used for casting spells, deciphering runes, activating ancient tech, rerouting circuits, hacking minds, and bending the fabric of reality.

You don’t just fight the world—you rewrite it.

🕊️ Spirit

Emotion. Willpower. Empathy. Resolve.
Used for resisting fear, inspiring allies, channeling inner strength, connecting with creatures, and healing others through sheer will.

You are the spark that brings light into darkness. The steady voice. The unshakable hope.

🎲 Attribute Creation – Step by Step

Imagine you’re forging your character’s soul like a blade from stardust. Here's how:

  1. Roll 1d20 for each of the four attributes (Strength, Agility, Magic, Spirit).

  2. Then roll 1d6 for the attribute tied to your Class:

    • Red → Strength

    • Green → Agility

    • Blue → Magic

    • Orange → Spirit

  3. Add the d6 to that attribute’s original d20 roll (unless it would go over 20—then cap it).

  4. The results are your final attribute values.

🧠 Example – Building Luma the Techmage

Luma is a Blue-class Arkader (Magic-focused). She’s a techmage who channels power through light fractals and encrypted prayers.

🎲 She rolls:

  • Strength: 1d20 → 7

  • Agility: 1d20 → 12

  • Magic: 1d20 → 14

  • Spirit: 1d20 → 10

As a Blue-class hero, she rolls 1d6 for Magic → rolls a 4.
→ Magic becomes 14 + 4 = 18

🧮 Final Stats:

  • Strength: 7

  • Agility: 12

  • Magic: 18

  • Spirit: 10

Luma’s mind is her might. She’s not the strongest, but in moments of magical crisis, she’ll be the one who rewrites fate itself.

🎮 These numbers aren’t just mechanics. They’re the heartbeat of how your Arkader hero faces the impossible, resists the corrupted, and becomes something more.

✨ Stats shape your roll. Your soul shapes the legend.

📐 9. What Are Attributes For?

In Arkaders, your attributes aren’t used as target numbers to beat. Instead, they define who your hero is, what they excel at, and how strong they are narratively.

Here’s how attributes influence the game:

✅ 1. They Set Your Power Level

  • Your attributes determine your Power Level, which is used for Life Points and to unlock lore-based heroes.

✅ 2. They Describe What You’re Good At

  • A character with Agility 18 is great at dodging and running.

  • One with Spirit 6 probably struggles to resist mind control or inspire others.

✅ 3. They Help the Master

  • The Master can lower or raise difficulty based on your stats.

“You have Magic 19? Then detecting this spell should only be Difficulty 10.”

✅ 4. They Work with Items and Class Bonuses

  • Items and Classes grant +1d6 to actions that involve specific attributes. The stronger the attribute, the better your result will multiply!

❌ What They Don’t Do:

  • You don’t compare your roll to your attribute anymore.

  • Instead, you try to beat the Difficulty Number the Master gives you.

🧠 Attributes are your strengths—not your limits. Use them to shape your actions and character identity.

🔋10. Power Level & Life Points – Measuring Your Hero’s Spark

Your Power Level isn’t just a number.
It’s the pulse of your potential.
The signal strength of your soul.
The energy output that echoes through every challenge you face.

Your Life Points (also known as HP, or just Life) reflect how long your spark lasts in the face of danger, chaos, and cosmic nonsense.

🧮 How to Calculate Power Level

  1. Add together all four of your attribute scores:
    Strength + Agility + Magic + Spirit

  2. Divide that total by 4 to get the average.
    (You can use a calculator or quick math—don’t worry.)

  3. Round down to the nearest whole number.

⚡ Power Level

This is your overall rank as a hero.
It determines:

  • Which official lore characters you’re strong enough to embody

  • Your overall threat level in the universe

  • The scale of challenges the Master might throw at you

Higher Power Level = Greater narrative influence.

❤️ Life Points

Your Life Points = Power Level

That’s it. Clean and simple.
When you take damage in combat, you lose Life.
When you hit 0, you’re down—but not necessarily out (the Master will decide your fate based on the moment).

✨ Example: Calculating for Luma the Techmage

  • Strength: 7

  • Agility: 12

  • Magic: 18

  • Spirit: 10

🔢 Total = 47
47 ÷ 4 = 11.75 → Rounded down = 11

Luma’s Power Level = 11
Luma’s Life Points = 11

She’s a mid-tier Arkader—strong enough to stand among the elite, but still growing into her legend.

🔑 Why This Matters

  • A Level 5 hero might face a bandit gang.

  • A Level 12 hero could survive a collapsing reality.

  • A Level 20 hero might punch a god in the code and rewrite time.

Your Power Level sets the scale.
But it’s your creativity, teamwork, and boldness that write the story.

🎮 Your stats shape your limits. But you decide how far to push them.

🧬 11. Character Creation Modes – Choose Your Path

In Arkaders, there are two simple ways to create your hero:
You either roll the chaos or choose a legend.

🎲 1. Random Creation Mode – Forge Your Hero

This is the creative chaos path.

You don’t start with a plan—you start with the dice.
Let randomness shape your destiny, and build a story from the numbers you roll.

How it works:

  • Roll 1d20 for each of your four attributes: Strength, Agility, Magic, and Spirit.

  • Add +1d6 to the attribute boosted by your chosen Class.

  • Based on those final stats, invent your hero:

    • Who are they?

    • What do they look like?

    • What do they do with these strengths and weaknesses?

  • You then calculate your Power Level and Life based on the results.

🧪 This mode is perfect for players who love surprises and spontaneous storytelling.

“I didn’t know I’d be a talking chair with psychic powers… but here we go.”

📜 2. Fixed Character Mode – Choose a Legend

This is the lore-driven path.

You select a pre-written hero from the Kwasar: Chronicles of Heroes or any Master-approved roster. These characters already have stats, backgrounds, powers, and Power Levels.

How it works:

  • Browse the available characters.

  • Choose one whose Power Level fits the game.

  • Play them your way: change the voice, personality, or even appearance—but keep the stats.

🧠 This mode is perfect for fast starts, experienced roleplayers, or people who want to explore iconic heroes in new ways.

“I’m playing as Sigma-9, but in this version, she’s sarcastic and terrified of fish.”

💡 Master’s Advice

Keep the table consistent.
All players should use the same creation mode for balance and fairness—unless you're playing a wild, chaotic one-shot where anything goes.

🎮 Whether you build from the dice or choose from the legends, the world is ready for your hero.

🎲 12. How to Play – Rolling the Dice, Shaping the Outcome

In Arkaders, when your hero tries to do something risky, cool, dangerous, or surprising, the dice decide the outcome. This makes the game exciting and unpredictable!

You describe what you want to do...
The Master sets the difficulty...
And the dice reveal your fate.

🎯 When Do You Roll?

The Master will ask for a dice roll when:

  • There's a chance you might fail

  • The action is dangerous or dramatic

  • Your choice could change the story

  • You’re trying something beyond the ordinary

🧪 Common Reasons to Roll

  • Jumping from one crashing skytrain to another

  • Convincing a villain to stand down

  • Hacking a glitch-ridden portal before it overloads

  • Punching a ghost made of static and fire

  • Solving an alien puzzle under pressure

🎮 If it feels cinematic, exciting, or risky—it's roll time!

🧮 Step-by-Step Roll Guide

1. 🎭 Describe your action

“I leap across the rooftop and try to grab the falling orb mid-air!”

2. 🎩 The Master sets the Difficulty Number

  • Easy: 8–10

  • Normal: 11–14

  • Hard: 15–17

  • Epic: 18–20+

“Catching the orb while jumping? That’s Difficulty 14.”

3. 🎲 Roll your dice

  • Always roll 1d20

  • Add +1d6 if:

    • Your Class boosts the attribute used

    • You're using an Item that fits the action

Important Rule: If your Class and Item both apply, you still roll only one 1d6. Bonuses do not stack. This keeps the system fast and fair for all players.

4. ✅ Compare the total to the Difficulty

  • If total ≥ difficulty → Success!

  • If total < difficulty → Failure! (but maybe not a boring one)

⚠️ Note on High Rolls

When using Token Cards or bonus dice, your total roll result can exceed 20—there’s no upper cap when comparing to a Difficulty Number.

However, other parts of the system (like Life Point damage or narrative effects) may still be capped at 20, or scaled narratively by the Master to keep the story balanced.

🔍 Example 1 – Agility Jump

🎭 Master: “You must leap the broken bridge. Difficulty: 13.”
🟢 Player (Green Class, using speed boots): “Perfect, that’s my Class and I have an Item.”
🎲 Rolls 1d20 = 9
🎲 Rolls 1d6 = 4
→ Total = 13 ✅
🎭 Master: “You sprint, flip through the air, and land just as the ledge crumbles. Nailed it.”

🔍 Example 2 – Magic Puzzle

🎭 Master: “The code rune pulses. If you misread it, it might explode. Difficulty 15.”
🔵 Player (Blue Class, using a spellbook): “I’m analyzing it with my Arcana Scanner.”
🎲 1d20 = 10
🎲 1d6 = 5
→ Total = 15 ✅
🎭 Master: “You solve it perfectly. The trap disarms and leaves a glowing key.”

❌ What Happens If You Fail?

Failure doesn't mean "nothing happens." It often means:

  • Something funny happens

  • You succeed but with a twist

  • You create a new problem

  • The story moves forward in a new direction

🎭 Master: “You tried to jump the chasm but fell short. Instead of falling, you hit a lever that opens a hidden door below. Unexpected win!”

🧠 Master Tips for Setting Difficulty

Difficulty Description When to Use
8–10 Easy or routine task Jumping a low fence, calming a friend
11–14 Normal difficulty Fighting a minor enemy, disarming a basic trap
15–17 Challenging Convincing a villain, surviving a firestorm
18–20+ Epic, near-impossible feats Rewriting a magical law, catching time mid-flow

🎴 13. Token Cards – Power in Your Hands

Token Cards are bursts of epic energy—moments when your hero unleashes legendary force, magical mastery, impossible skill, or fate itself.

They represent:

  • 🎯 Spells

  • ⚔️ Special attacks

  • 🛡️ Relics and shields

  • 💫 Gadgets and magical items

  • 💥 Legendary weapons or heroic actions

They are your ultimate tools for overcoming danger, turning the tide, and creating unforgettable scenes. Every time you play one, the story bends in your favor.

🧾 What’s on a Token Card?

Each Token Card includes:

  • A Multiplier: Always present, from x2 to x10
    → You multiply your total dice result by this number.

  • An Illustration: A dramatic image showing a power in action
    → This is flavour only. Anyone can use any card, regardless of who’s in the picture.

  • An Optional Item Tag: If the card is also a Weapon, Spell, Shield, Relic, or Gadget, it may give a +1d6 bonus to a specific attribute when used.

✅ 1. Multiplier (x2 to x10) – Always Applies

This is the main effect of the card. You take the result of your dice roll and multiply it by the card’s multiplier.

🎲 Example:
You roll a 5
You use a Token Card with x4
Final result = 5 × 4 = 20

This multiplied result is then compared to the difficulty set by the Master. If it’s equal or greater—you succeed.

✅ 2. +1d6 Bonus – Only Applies If It’s a Special Item

Some Token Cards are also items (like a sword, relic, spellbook, or shield). If the item matches the attribute you’re using, you can roll +1d6 and add it to your d20 roll before multiplying.

⚠️ You can only use one +1d6 item bonus per scene or combat.

🔍 How to Know If It Grants +1d6

Check the category on the card:

  • Weapon

  • Spell

  • Relic

  • Shield

  • Gadget

  • Magic Item

If it has one of those tags and fits your action, it gives you +1d6 on that roll.

📊 Item Types and Attribute Bonuses

Item Type Boosts Attribute
Swords, Axes, Fists Strength
Staffs, Books, Wands Magic
Boots, Precision Weapons Agility
Shields, Spiritual Relics Spirit

🧪 Full Example – Weapon Token

You want to smash through a sealed vault door.
The Master says: Difficulty 18.
You have Strength 9 and a Token Card called:
“Molten Axe – x4 – Weapon (Strength)”

🎲 You roll:

  • 1d20 = 6

  • +1d6 (because it’s a Strength weapon) = 4 → Total = 10

  • Apply x4 → 10 × 4 = 40

✅ You obliterate the door in an explosion of stone and fire. Total success.

🎁 How Many Token Cards Do You Get?

  • Every player begins the game with 3 random Token Cards.

  • You may use 1 Token Card per scene or combat.

  • The Master can grant more for:

    • Completing a major quest

    • Incredible roleplay

    • Creative or bold solutions

    • “Cinematic moments” worth remembering

🧠 Strategy Tips

  • Save high-multiplier Tokens (x7–x10) for boss fights, plot twists, or desperate turns.

  • Use low ones (x2–x4) to secure a normal action that would otherwise fail.

  • Combine Tokens with:

    • Your class bonus

    • A relevant item

    • Good timing or dramatic description
      …to unleash truly legendary moments.

🎨 Symbolism Reminder

📝 Just because the card’s artwork shows a dragon, a knight, or a floating mech doesn’t mean only that kind of character can use it.

The image is symbolic—not a restriction.

A bard with a crowbar can use the same “Thunder Nova” Token as a space paladin.
It’s your legend. Your style. Your rules.

🔢 Example 1 – Brute Force Entry

🧑 Player: “I want to break open the reinforced vault door. Strength check.”
🎭 Master: “Okay, Difficulty is 18.”
🧑 Player: “I’ll play my Token Card: x4.”
🎲 Rolls 1d20 = 5 → 5 × 4 = 20
✅ Final Total: 20 ≥ 18 → Success!
🎭 Master: “You crash through the vault like a living battering ram. Dust and sparks fly. Epic entrance unlocked.”

📘 Example 2 – Magic Overload

👩 Player: “I’ll cast a mega spell using my x3 Token and spellbook item (+1d6 to Magic).”
Her Magic is 15. Master says: Difficulty 16.
🎲 1d20 = 6
🎲 +1d6 (from the spellbook) = 4 → Total = 10
10 × 3 = 30
🎭 Master: “You shatter the sky with radiant runes. Your spell erases the enemy’s code from existence. You crushed the Difficulty. Total domination.”

🧪 Items + Tokens = Extra Boost

Some Token Cards are also special items.
These can give you +1d6 to the relevant attribute when they apply.

  • You may only gain one +1d6 item bonus per scene or combat.

  • Example:
    A Token Card named “Shadow Bow – x4 – Weapon (Agility)” would let you:

    • Add +1d6 to your Agility roll

    • Then multiply the total by x4

🔥 Important Rule – Tokens and Damage

When using a Token Card to overcome a Difficulty, the multiplier (x2 to x10) is applied to your total roll.

However, when using a Token Card to deal damage, the multiplier is treated as a flat bonus to the damage roll. A Token x4 adds +4 damage, not ×4.

🎯 This keeps damage balanced while still making Tokens powerful and fun.

🃏 Earning More Token Cards

The Master can grant new Token Cards as rewards for:

  • Completing major missions or objectives

  • Making daring or creative choices

  • Exceptional roleplay or storytelling

  • Discovering powerful locations or items

  • Having a moment that feels like a comic book splash page

🧠 Strategy Tips

  • Save your high multipliers (x7 to x10) for boss battles or game-changing scenes.

  • Use low ones (x2 to x4) to make sure important actions don’t fail.

  • Combine Tokens with class bonuses, items, and storytelling flair for massive effect.

  • Token Cards aren’t just boosts—they’re the sparks that light up a scene.

🎮 Final Thought

Token Cards are cinematic fuel.
They’re your hero’s “super meter”, your plot armor, your ultimate move.

✨ You only have three.
Use them like your legend depends on it.
And when you do…
Make it unforgettable.

 

⚔️ 14. Combat – Action Scenes and Epic Moments

In Arkaders, combat isn’t just about who hits harder.
It’s a story within a story, a moment where heroes shine, chaos explodes, and decisions matter.

Combat is fast, narrative, and driven by imagination. You won’t be counting squares or checking grids—you’ll be diving off hover-trains, casting spells in rhythm duels, and swinging pixel-forged axes while laughing in the face of doom.

📌 When Does Combat Begin?

The Master decides when the stakes are high enough for structured action.

Combat begins when:

  • An enemy steps forward to challenge the party

  • A chase escalates into danger

  • A scene demands turns for clarity

  • The group enters a situation that’s time-sensitive, explosive, or theatrical

Examples of combat triggers:

  • Fighting a corrupted knight in a temple made of mirrors

  • A spell duel on a collapsing bridge made of light

  • Racing to deactivate a ticking data-bomb

  • A musical battle where riffs deal radiant damage

🎮 Combat in Arkaders is a stage. Make it legendary.

🕒 Simplified Turns – Fast & Flexible

Each player takes one turn per round. A turn includes:

  1. One main action:

    • Attack

    • Cast a spell

    • Use a Token Card

    • Activate an item

    • Perform a wild stunt (yes, even “ride a dragon’s tail to uppercut a drone”)

  2. Movement or Positioning:

    • Run, hide, leap, flank—describe it!

  3. Quick speech:

    • Yell orders, banter with enemies, shout catchphrases, or cry out for help

🧑🏫 The Master can decide the order narratively—who acts first based on creativity or urgency. Or, if your group prefers structure:

🎲 Everyone rolls 1d20 at the start of combat → Highest roll acts first.

🔁 What Can You Do in Combat?

Almost anything—if you can describe it, you can try it. But here are the basics:

  • Attack an enemy (use Strength or Agility, depending on your style)

  • Cast a spell or use tech (roll with Magic)

  • Inspire, defend, or support (roll with Spirit)

  • Do something creative, chaotic, or unexpected

    • Flip a table for cover

    • Use a Token Card to summon a lightning aura

    • Push a golem into a lava pit with a hover-crate

    • Dive onto a hoverboard mid-air to rescue a friend

🎮 Combat is where heroes become legends. Don’t just hit—create scenes people will talk about later.

🎲 How Combat Rolls Work (Updated for Difficulty System)

Here’s how a standard combat action works under the Arkaders roll-over system:

🎭 1. The Player Describes Their Action

“I swing my hammer into the mech’s power core!”

🎯 2. The Master Sets the Difficulty and Says Which Attribute Applies

“That’s Strength. Difficulty: 16. It’s a tough mech.”

The attribute used depends on the nature of the action:

  • Strength → Brute force, physical hits, lifting, smashing

  • Agility → Dodging, quick strikes, parkour, stealth

  • Magic → Spells, tech, logic-based control

  • Spirit → Defense, healing, morale, psychic resistance

🎲 3. The Player Rolls

  • Roll 1d20

  • If your Class or Item boosts the attribute in use → Add +1d6

🧠 4. Total the Roll and Compare to the Difficulty

  • If your total is equal to or higher than the Difficulty → ✅ Success!

  • If it’s lower → ❌ Failure (but it might still have fun or dramatic consequences)

🎬 5. The Master Narrates the Outcome

This is your moment. The Master uses the result to tell what happens:

  • Did you damage the enemy?

  • Did something explode or shift?

  • Did your failure still change the scene somehow?

🧪 Example 1 – Smashing a Beast

🧑🏫 Master: “The plasma beast charges. To hit it, Difficulty 15.”
🔴 Player (Red Class – Strength boosted):
“I grab a metal pipe and swing hard at its leg joints!”
🎲 1d20 = 10
🎲 +1d6 = 5 → Total = 15
✅ Success!

🧑🏫 Master: “CRACK! The pipe slams into its leg, sparks fly, and the beast crashes to one knee. The crowd roars.”

🧪 Example 2 – Missing but Creating a Twist

🧑🏫 Master: “The rogue sentinel is escaping. Difficulty to intercept: 17.”
🟢 Player (Green Class – Agility boosted):
“I wall-run and leap to tackle it mid-air!”
🎲 1d20 = 7
🎲 +1d6 = 3 → Total = 10
❌ Failure

🧑🏫 Master: “You leap—and miss! But you land on a console, accidentally activating a force field that blocks the sentinel’s escape. The fight isn’t over yet.”

🔥 Combat = Story + Action

In Arkaders, combat is never just numbers. It's an invitation to:

  • Act like a hero

  • Fail like a legend

  • Roleplay through action

  • Push the scene forward

⚡ Swing with style. Cast with flair. Say something cool.
🎲 Let the dice roll. Let the story roar.


15. 📉 Receiving Damage & Falling in Battle

In Arkaders, damage isn’t just a number.
It’s the impact of failure, the price of risk, and the crackle of consequence when things go wrong.

When you take a hit—whether physical, magical, digital, or emotional—you lose Life Points. But the how can vary depending on your group's style of play.

❤️ What Are Life Points?

  • Your Life Points are equal to your Power Level.
    (If your Power Level is 11, your Life = 11.)

  • When damage reduces your Life to 0, you’re not dead—just knocked out or downed.

  • You can recover with time, healing, support—or a dramatic comeback moment, if the Master allows it.

💥 How Damage Works

In Arkaders, damage can be handled in two main ways. Choose the one that fits your group best—or switch between them based on the scene!

📖 Option 1: Narrative Damage (Default)

This is the fast, simple, story-driven method.

Here, the Master decides how much Life a character loses based on the intensity, drama, and impact of the moment—no rolling required.

🔧 Master Damage Examples:

  • A weak goblin punch → Lose 1 Life

  • A sword slash from a mini-boss → Lose 3–5 Life

  • A blast from a corrupted war-god → Lose 6–10 Life

  • An enemy using a Token Card x5 → Lose 5 extra Life (added to base damage)

🎭 “You get hit hard in the ribs by a plasma hammer. Take 4 damage. You’re still standing—but barely.”

✅ This method is great for:

  • Younger players

  • Narrative-focused tables

  • Fast-paced action

🎲 Option 2: Random Damage (Optional Rule)

For groups who enjoy more tension and unpredictability, you can roll dice for damage after a successful hit.

🧪 Suggested Damage Dice:

Attack Type Damage Roll
Light hit 1d4
Strong or cinematic hit 1d6
Critical strike or special move 1d10
Boss attack
1d12 or 1d20

🎴 Token Cards and Damage

When a Token Card is used in an attack, it adds its number (x2–x10) as bonus damage, instead of multiplying your roll.

🎲 Example:
You roll 1d6 for damage = 5
You played a Token x4
Total damage = 5 + 4 = 9

This keeps the math simple and gives Tokens real, punchy power in combat!

🎮 Combat Example – Full Scene

🎭 Master: “The mechanical beast rises before you—claws spinning, eyes glowing red.”
🔴 Kai (Red Class): “I charge with my energy hammer and play a Token x3!”
Master sets difficulty = 14
🎲 1d20 = 10 + 1d6 = 4 → Total = 14 ✅ Success!
🎲 Damage roll = 1d6 = 3
➕ Token x3 = +3
🧨 Total Damage: 6

🎭 Master: “Your hammer slams into its metal shell. Sparks fly and it stumbles back—its armor cracked and systems flickering.”

🧠 Optional Rule – “Staggered but Not Slain”

When a hero reaches 0 Life Points:

  • They collapse, glitch out, or fall unconscious

  • They can’t act unless:

    • Healed

    • Protected

    • The Master triggers a dramatic comeback

No instant death—unless the story demands it.

“Your body hits the ground in slow motion… but something glowing pulses from your belt.”

🧠 Final Master Advice

Use Narrative Damage for:

  • Younger players

  • Fast sessions

  • Big action with fewer numbers

Use Random Damage Rolls for:

  • Epic boss fights

  • Dice tension and tactics

  • Experienced or older groups

✨ Reminder about Token Cards in Damage:
If a Token Card is used to enhance an attack, its number (x2 to x10) is added as bonus flat damage, not multiplied.
Example: A Token x6 adds +6 damage to your damage roll.

⚡ Bonus Tip: Choose What Fits the Scene

You can switch between both damage styles depending on tone and energy. What matters is fun, fairness, and cinematic energy.

Token Cards = bonus +X damage
Combat = story in motion
You = legend in progress

16. 🎁 Leveling Up – When Heroes Evolve

In Arkaders, your hero doesn’t level up because of numbers alone.
They evolve through choices, bravery, emotion, and creativity.

Whether you’ve survived a digital apocalypse, delivered a speech that saved a star colony, or simply made the table erupt in laughter—growth is earned, not farmed.

The Master is the one who decides when the moment is right to grant improvements. And when they do… it matters.

🧭 When Do You Level Up?

The Master may allow players to level up or upgrade after:

  • 🌌 A full adventure is completed

  • ⚔️ A dramatic boss battle is overcome

  • 🧠 An emotional or moral arc is resolved

  • 🎭 A roleplaying moment is truly unforgettable

  • 🔥 The players surprise everyone—including themselves

🎮 Rewards may be given individually or to the whole group, based on tone, pacing, and impact.

🛠️ Upgrade Options – Choose One

When the Master allows a character to improve, that player may choose one of the following rewards:

🎲 Reroll a Low Attribute

If you have an attribute below 10, you may reroll that 1d20 and keep the new result (if it’s better).

"You’ve grown. You’re stronger now. Let the dice reflect that."

🪙 Gain a New Token Card

  • For smaller adventures or side quests → draw a low-tier Token (x2 to x5).

  • For epic, campaign-shaking events → earn a high-tier Token (x6 to x10).

"Fate just handed you a new glitch in the system. Use it wisely."

🧠 Increase an Attribute by +1

  • Only if the attribute is currently under 20.

  • You must have used that attribute meaningfully throughout the game.

“You've fought with your heart. Your Spirit rises by 1.”

🧬 Gain or Evolve an Item

The Master may upgrade one of your current items, or grant you a new, permanent artifact.

Examples:
“Your plasma dagger evolves into a Shadowbrand.”
“Your cloak now lets you phase through solid walls—once per day.”
“The gauntlet you found starts whispering names of your enemies.”

❤️ Full Recovery

At the end of an adventure, all players restore their Life Points completely. You may also stabilize any wounded or downed characters.

Healing is part of storytelling. Every great hero has scars—but they also have second chances.

🧝 Example of Heroic Growth

🎮 After saving the City of Dreams from the Eternal Glitch:

🔵 Lira (Blue Class) used her Magic attribute in every key puzzle.
→ The Master grants her +1 to Magic (17 → 18).

🔴 Kai (Red Class) took massive damage defending the others.
→ The Master gives him a new Token Card (x6) and allows him to reroll his Spirit (was 6 → rolls 12).

🎭 Master: “The Elder of the Code approaches you, Kai. He places a shimmering gem in your hand. ‘It remembers who you are.’”

→ Amulet of Memory: Grants +1d6 to Magic once per day.

💬 Narrative Rewards – Beyond the Numbers

Sometimes, the most powerful rewards are not mechanical.

The Master may grant:

  • 🏙️ The admiration of a city

  • 👥 A new ally who once was an enemy

  • 🛡️ The right to form your own guild, faction, or school

  • 🧠 A unique story ability:

    • “You can now speak to ancient machines.”

    • “The spirits of the fallen sometimes whisper advice.”

    • “Everyone you inspire gains +1 Life for the rest of the mission.”

🌟 Final Thought

In Arkaders, rewards are more than bonuses.
They are story beats, emotional payoffs, and fandom moments waiting to happen.

Each one makes your hero more legendary—not just statistically, but spiritually.

🎮 Every roll is a spark. Every scene is a test. And every reward is a page in your myth.

17. 🎲 Arkaders – Quick Reference Guide

1️⃣ Roll Your Attributes

Roll 1d20 for each of the four core stats:
Strength, Agility, Magic, Spirit.

2️⃣ Add Your Class Bonus

Add +1d6 to your Class’s core attribute:
🔴 Red = Strength | 🟢 Green = Agility
🔵 Blue = Magic  | 🟠 Orange = Spirit
Max result per attribute: 20

3️⃣ Power Level & Life

Add all attributes → divide by 4 → round down.
➡️ This is your Power Level, and also your Life Points (HP).

4️⃣ Face Challenges

Roll 1d20 to act.
➕ Add +1d6 if your Class or item fits the action.
(Never stack both.)
🎯 Succeed if your total ≥ Difficulty set by the Master.

5️⃣ Boost Actions, Not Damage

🎴 Use a boost to multiply your final roll (x2 to x10) when overcoming a challenge.
⚔️ If dealing damage, treat the boost as a flat bonus instead:
e.g., x4 = +4 DMG, not x4 multiplied damage.

🎴 Token Quick Rules

  • ✅ Roll 1d20 (+1d6 if Class or item applies).

  • ✅ Multiply total roll to beat Difficulty (x2 to x10).

  • ⚠️ Damage = Base Roll + Boost Value (not multiplied).

  • 🛡️ Only one +1d6 bonus per scene/combat — from Class or item.

  • 🎭 Any character can use any Token—art is symbolic only.

  • 🔥 1 Token per scene/combat — save the big ones for epic moments.

✨ 18. Infinite Imagination – You Are the Code

Arkaders is not a closed game.
It is a living engine. A remixable, expandable, chaos-friendly, legally hackable system built for dreamers, rebels, kids, creators, streamers, and world-shapers.

At its core lies a single command:

Make what you need.
The only limit is your imagination and your ambition.

🔓 The Open-Codex System

Arkaders runs on Open-Codex—a game design philosophy where you are as much a developer as a player.

Here’s what it means:

✅ Free to Use, Modify, and Share
Print it. Teach it. Translate it. Remix it with other systems. Publish it on your blog or YouTube channel.

✅ Genre-Agnostic and World-Friendly
Fantasy, sci-fi, cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic street duels, retro anime detective mysteries, meme-fueled chaos campaigns—Arkaders works with any universe you imagine.

✅ Accessible for All Ages
Built to be learned in minutes by kids, mastered with creativity by adults, and endlessly explored by anyone with dice and a dream.

🛠️ What Can You Change?

Literally everything.

🎲 Don’t like the four core attributes? Invent your own—Luck, Music, Chaos, Gravity? Sure.

🧙 Want to add new Classes like “Pink Class: Chaos & Love” or “Grey Class: Void Coders”? Do it.

📦 Want a campaign where all the heroes are magical bakers in a recipe war? Please, yes.

🃏 Dice aren’t your thing? Use cards, apps, spinning wheels, rock-paper-scissors—whatever fits your world.

🌌 Build Your Own Universe

Use Arkaders as a launchpad to craft your own mythos.

Change the tone, the art, the rules, the names, the tech, the stakes. Make it personal. Make it cinematic. Make it hilarious or heartbreaking.

Examples:

  • A school of glitch sorcerers hidden inside a sentient video console

  • A cosmic tournament where each player represents a planet in crisis

  • A parody RPG that lovingly mocks every video game and anime trope you know

🎮 Arkaders is not a prison of rules.
It’s a factory of legends.
You are the designer, the hacker, the coder, the bard.

This is your game now. Take it further than anyone thought possible.

🚀 19. Your Mission

Now that you hold the rules, the Classes, the dice, the Tokens, the weapons, and your fully-loaded imagination...

Only one thing remains:

PLAY.

Gather your friends.
Create a world.
Pick the Master.
Roll the dice.
Laugh. Fall. Rise. Shout. Win. Lose.
Make something unforgettable.

Don’t wait for permission.
Push START.
Craft your legend.
Unleash the Arkader within.

The story is yours now. Go break the game—in the best possible way.

🎮 Welcome to the Open-Codex Era
You don’t just play Arkaders.
You build it.