It is important to understand how quickly characters and creatures move in a game of Shapers. Can they run fast enough to escape the monster that is chasing them? Will they reach the escape hatch before the ship explodes? Can the characters reach cover in time to stop the villains shooting at them?
Movement (and positioning) is important.
Walking
Characters moving at a brisk walking speed do so at a rate of ½ metre per point of Physical Agility per round. So an average human with a Physical Agility of 4 could walk 2 metres per round.
Jogging
A character that is jogging moves 1 metre per point of Physical Agility per round. Characters may jog in this way for a number of minutes equal to their Physical Fortitude score. For each minute after that make the character take a Physical Fortitude + Endurance test to continue jogging.
Running
A running character moves at Physical Agility x 2 metres per round. So an average human with Physical Agility 4 can run 8m per round. Running is hard and can only be sustained for relatively short periods of time. As a general rule, characters can run for half a minute per point of Physical Fortitude. After that point they must make a successful Physical Fortitude + Endurance test every 30 seconds to continue running. Each time the roll is passed, reduce the TN of the next roll by 5.
Sprinting
A sprinting character is running at full tilt and can cover Physical Agility x 4 metres per round. Characters can sprint for a number of rounds equal to their Physical Fortitude. A sprinter must make a successful Physical Fortitude + Endurance roll every round thereafter to continue sprinting. Each time the roll is passed, reduce the TN of the next roll by 10.
Climbing and Difficult Terrain
Difficult terrain – uneven and broken ground, sand, knee deep water, squelchy mud and the like – slows down movement. This is represented by a maximum safe move speed, which will never be more than jogging. Characters can attempt to move more quickly, but will need to pass a Physical Agility + Athletics test with a difficulty determined by the terrain they are crossing. Success means they can increase speed by one category (walking to jogging, or jogging to running). Failure usually results in them falling over or becoming stuck (GMs choice).
Climbing is treated in the same way as other difficult terrain, except that characters must use Physical Strength + Climbing instead.
GMs may decide that appropriate tests are required regardless of the speed the character is moving. Sometimes difficult also means dangerous!
Below are a few examples for you to plunder for your own games.
| Terrain | Maximum Safe Move Speed | Difficulty (TN) |
|---|---|---|
| Climb a ladder | ½ Walking speed | Easy (TN 70) |
| Climb a rock wall | ½ Walking speed | Hard (TN 30) |
| Uneven ground | Jogging | Average (TN 50) |
| Sandy beach | Jogging | Average (TN 50) |
| Shallow water | Walking | Hard (TN 30) |
| Tangled Undergrowth | ½ Walking | Very Hard (TN 10) |
Jumping and Leaping
In Shapers there are three types of jump, vertical, horizontal and a mixture of the two. In all cases you work out your base movement first and then roll to see how much it gets modified. Use the chart below to work out your base movement vertically and horizontally.
| Type of jump | Base movement in meters |
|---|---|
| Vertical | 0.1 x Physical Strength |
| Standing horizontal | 2 + (0.1 x Physical Strength) |
| Running horizontal | 3 + (0.5 X Physical Strength) |
Once you have your base movement worked out, you make an Average (TN 50) Physical Agility + Athletics roll. For every point of success below the TN add 0.01m (1cm) to the distance travelled. For every point of failure above the TN deduct 0.01m (1cm) from the distance travelled. If you are trying for both vertical and horizontal distance, only make one roll and apply the result to both.
Falling
Falling hurts and it is inevitable that adventurous types will find themselves taking a tumble or two. Sometimes on purpose!
Characters can fall without ill effect up to a quarter of their creature size in metres. So a size 10 human can happily drop 2.5 metres without harm, but anything more and they will start to get into trouble.
Characters take 2 points of damage for every metre fallen plus their creature size and reduced by their Physical Fortitude as normal (armour doesn’t count!). So if that size 10 human had a Physical Fortitude of 5 and fell 10 meters, that would be 20 + 10 – 5 = 25 damage!
If a character is jumping down on purpose, they may attempt to reduce the damage taken by making a Physical Agility + Athletics roll. The TN starts out at 50, but is reduced by the distance in metres. For every 10 points of success, reduce the damage taken by 1. So back to our example human falling 10 metres, the TN would be reduced from 50 down to 40, before then being bumped (a bit) back up again by their Physical Agility and Athletics. They had better roll well though!
Swimming
Characters with points in the Swimming Aptitude may swim up to half their Physical Strength in meters per round under normal conditions without having to make a test. In strong currents, choppy water or while trying to do something difficult or potentially dangerous, the GM may require a Physical Strength + Swimming test to avoid anything going wrong.
Characters with no points in the Swimming Aptitude may only flounder and try not to drown and therefore must succeed at an Average (TN 50) test every round they remain in the water.
Swimming is tiring and characters can only maintain speed for a number of rounds equal to their Physical Fortitude + Swimming. After that time they must rest on dry land, tread water or succeed at a Physical Fortitude + Endurance test to continue swimming for another round.