Builder's Manual · Chapter 7
System Overview
System Overview
Root and Stem is built on a unified Graduated Roll Engine. Every action — combat, magic, social, investigation — uses the same five-tier system.
The Graduated Roll
Every roll follows this pattern:
- Compute Total Roll Bonus (stat + skill + PROF + Grace + achievements)
- Convert to SRC%
- Pick the Die (d4 through d100 based on SRC)
- Roll the die
- Read the Tier (1–5 based on die result)
- Compare to Required Tier (set by difficulty)
Die Selection:
| SRC% | Die |
|---|---|
| 0–15 | d4 |
| 16–25 | d6 |
| 26–35 | d8 |
| 36–45 | d10 |
| 46–49 | d12 |
| 50–64 | d20 |
| 65–100 | d100 |
Tier Results: each die has its own tier boundaries. Higher dice give more access to T4 and T5 results. See chapter 1 for the full per-die tier tables.
The Six Stats
| Stat | Governs |
|---|---|
| STR | Melee damage, carrying capacity, physical feats |
| DEX | Ranged attacks, initiative, acrobatics, defense |
| CON | HP, STM, wound threshold, endurance |
| INT | Spellcasting, crafting, knowledge, investigation |
| WIS | Perception, healing, social awareness, spirit sensing |
| CHA | Social encounters, exorcism, presence, leadership |
The Four Pools
| Pool | Formula | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| HP | 20 + (CON × 5) + (Level × 5) + bonus | Health; when it hits 0, you're dying |
| STM | (CON + STR) × 2 + bonus | Stamina; spend for special actions |
| MP | (INT + WIS) × 3 + bonus | Mana; fuel for spells |
| MGC | (INT + WIS + CHA) + bonus | Magicules; fuel for enchantment and Soul Attunement |
The Creation-Entropy Scale
Every action carries CE weight:
- Creation: healing, protecting, building, creating
- Entropy: destroying, decaying, killing, unmaking
- Balance (Grace 0): natural state
Grace caps at ±10. At +10 (Radiance), you glow with Creative energy. At −10 (Shadow), you radiate Entropy.
Leveling
Levels 1–29: spend XP on stats, pools, skills, PROF. Levels 30+: earn Forge Points instead of XP. Forge Points enhance items. Level 300: God Tier. You are a god.
Manual updated Sep 4, 2026.