Rules clarification and FAQ

## Regarding spells

### As a Wizard, can I prepare spells from another Wizard's spellbook? Can I learn spells from copies of another Wizard's spellbook?

If you come across another Wizard's spellbook (either from one being loaned to you, looting one off an NPC Wizard's corpse, etc.), you can use the "Borrow an Arcane Spell" activity (CRB pg. 241) to prepare spells from their spellbook. If you want to be able to prepare those spells without having to use "Borrow an Arcane Spell," you must use the "Learn a Spell" activity (CRB pg. 238). To satisfy the first requirement of the "Learn a Spell" activity, you can use another player who knows the spell, a borrowed spellbook from another player, a looted spellbook from a dungeon, or a spell scroll. [COVALON] As a special rule unique to Covalon, the amount of time it takes to use the Learn a Spell activity is waived while not in a dungeon. You must still cover all other costs and meet all the necessary requirements, however.

### Can a Wizard use the Learn a Spell activity to learn a spell from a non-Arcane caster? Which skill would I use to make the check?

You can use the Learn a Spell activity to learn a spell from any spellcasting tradition, as long as the spell you're trying to learn can be cast by the tradition of the class for which you are trying to learn the spell. The skill you use to make the corresponding check will always be the skill that corresponds to your spellcasting tradition (CRB pg. 238).

### Can I sustain the same spell multiple times per round?

[COVALON] Generally No. You can only Sustain the same spell once per round. The exception to this rule is if the spell utilises MAP - Such as Spiritual Weapon. In this case the spell may be Sustained multiple times in the same round.

### What rarity of spells can I learn when?

[COVALON] When you are required to select spells known during the level up or character creation process, you can select from any Common rarity spell. You can also select from any Uncommon spell listed as 'ALLOWED' in the #📝server-whitelist. If you do not select spells to learn at level up (i.e Druids and Clerics) you must use the Learn A Spell activity for all spells of Uncommon and above rarity. You can learn any spells listed as 'LIBRARY' by using the Learn A Spell action. If you Learn A Spell, you may add it to your spellbook if you have one. If you have a Spell Repertoire you may select it when you add or swap spells. You cannot learn any spell listed as 'DISALLOWED' at any time. The whitelist will be updated as Covalon continues to grow.

## Regarding Crafting

### What type of crafting formula do I need in order to craft spell scrolls?

To craft spell scrolls, you must have the formula for the level of scroll you are trying to create. You do not need formulas specific to the spell you are placing into the scroll, but you (or another spellcaster) must still provide castings of that spell during the crafting process as normal (CRB pg. 565).

### What type of crafting formula do I need in order to craft equipment with precious materials?

To craft equipment with precious materials, you must have the formula for the base item you are trying to create and the formula for the precious metal's grade of object you are trying to create. For example, if a player wanted to craft a "low-grade cold iron longsword" they would need the recipes for "longsword" and the recipe for "low-grade cold iron object."

### Does a basic crafter's book contain level 1 and level 2 common formulas?

Basic crafter's books only contain 0-level common formulas. (CRB pg. 293)

### Can players craft alcoholic beverages without having Alchemical Crafting?

[COVALON] As a special rule unique to Covalon, players can craft alcholic beverages without having the Alchemical Crafting feat, but if they do so, they will not have the mechanical benefits of the "Alcohol" drug. For roleplay purposes, the beverages can still be considered alcoholic

### To what items to the specialties in the Specialty Crafting feat apply?

[COVALON] As a special rule unique to Covalon, the specialties listed in the Specialty Crafting feat will apply to these items at minimum:

Alchemy: Bombs, elixirs, poisons, alchemical tools

Artistry: Aeon stones, bracelets, necklaces, rings, runes, talismans

Blacksmithing: Metal armor, weapons, shields, horseshoes

Bookmaking: Books, maps, scrolls, tomes

Glassmaking: Bottles, goggles, vials, windows

Leatherworking: Belts, boots, hide, gloves, leather armor.

Pottery: Pottery

Shipbuilding: Vehicles, ship repairs

Stonemasonry: Structures and buildings

Tailoring: Bags of holding, cloaks, hats, padded armor, robes

Weaving: Baskets

Woodworking: Crossbows, darkwood instruments, shields, staves, wands

More items will be added to this list as the admin team is asked for further clarification

### Can I use the Lead a Group Project activity after I've already started working on the item?

Players can choose to Lead a Group Project at any time during their crafting process, and can choose to end the activity at any time during their crafting process as well.

### Is there a limit to the number of secondary crafters that can participate when a player chooses to Lead a Group Project?

When using the Lead a Group Project activity, there is no limit to the number of secondary crafters that can participate.

### Do secondary crafters need to know the formula for an item when they participate in the Lead a Group Project activity?

Secondary crafters must meet all requirements for crafting the item in order to participate in the Lead a Group Project activity, including knowing the formula for the item.

### If an item is crafted from unusual materials via the Scrounger dedication, does this change the material of the finished item?

[COVALON] At this time, items in Covalon cannot have any homebrew functionality, so items crafted with unusual materials via the Scoundrel Dedication can be *flavored* to look or work differently for roleplay purposes, but must function exactly as their book entry for mechanical purposes.

### Can crop harvested from the Farmkeeping activity be used as magical reagents for magical crafting?

[COVALON] Crop harvested from the Farmkeeping activity can be used as alchemical reagents for alchemical crafting, but not magical reagents for magical craftin

## Regarding Attacks

### How do handwraps of mighty blows interact with unarmed Strikes granted by a Polymorph effect?

Item bonuses never affect unarmed Strikes granted by a Polymorph effect (CRB pg. 635). Striking runes set the amount of weapon damage dice of a Polymorph-granted Strike to a certain number if that Strike has an amount of weapon damage dice less than that of the amount granted by the striking rune, determined by the type of striking rune; they do not grant a flat increase in weapon damage dice (CRB pg. 581). [COVALON]: As a special rule unique to Covalon, *property* runes etched on handwraps of mighty blows will apply to the wearer's Polymorph-granted Strikes.

### Can you throw a melee weapon without the thrown weapon trait?

[COVALON] Whether or not a melee weapon without the thrown weapon trait can be thrown, and how it functions if it can be thrown, is up to the discretion of each GM during the dungeon they are running.

### If I apply an injury poison to a weapon, how long does it last?

[COVALON] A normal injury poison applied to a weapon lasts until it is used. On a melee weapon, this means succeeding, critically succeeding, or critically failing on an attack roll with the poisoned weapon. On ranged ammunition, this means making an attack roll with that piece of ammunition. If the poison has the infused trait (such as ones made from the Alchemist's daily infusions), the poison will last until it is used OR your next daily preparations, whichever comes first. If the poison is made using Quick Alchemy, it must be applied to a weapon before the start of your next turn, but if it is applied before then, it will remain potent until your next daily preparations.

## Regarding Feats

### Special Rule for Forge-Day's Rest

[COVALON] As a special rule unique to Covalon, the Dwarven ancestry feat, "Forge-Day's Rest," will operate by the following text instead of its written text: "You gain the Fast Recovery general feat."

### Can Dwarven Reinforcement affect shields? How does the 1-hour requirement for Dwarven Reinforcement work in Covalon?

Dwarven Reinforcement cannot affect shields. [COVALON] As a special rule unique to Covalon, the one hour of time needing to be spent reinforcing an item is waived while not in a dungeon.

### How does the Bargain Hunter skill feat function in Covalon?

The Bargain Hunter skill feat functions as normal - the player spends their day visiting NPC stalls in the marketplace to make a profit off of buying and selling mundane goods.

### Does the Experienced Professional skill feat affect non-Lore skills?

No, Experienced Professional affects only Lore skills (CRB pg. 261).

### If I start retraining a character option and decide that I want to change the option I am losing or gaining before the process completes, do I have to start my retraining over?

[COVALON] Yes. You must select the character option you are retraining *out of* and the character option you are retraining *into* at the start of your seven days of downtime. If either of these selections change, you must restart the seven days of downtime to retrain.

### Do I have to select new character options (new feats, skill increases, etc.) immediately upon leveling up, or can I delay them?

[COVALON] You do not need to select new character options immediately upon leveling up. You can select them at any time when your character is not currently participating in a dungeon.

### If I retrain several related character options at once, do I get a discount on the amount of time it takes?

[COVALON] Although page 502 of the CRB allows for a discount on the time needed to Retrain under certain circumstances, we will not be using this rule in Covalon.

### If a Ranger obtains an animal companion through a source other than their class feat (such as through the Beastmaster Dedication and related feats), does it benefit from the Ranger's Hunted Edge?

[COVALON] All Ranger animal companions benefit from Hunter's Edge, regardless of the source from which they are obtained.

### When I take a feat that advances my animal companion, is the size increase optional?

When an animal companion advances to a mature, nimble, savage, indomitable, or other stage of animal companion, any size increase associated with the advancement is mandatory.

### Does the Deadly Simplicity feat increase the damage die of a staff to a d10 if it is being wielded in two hands?

[COVALON] Deadly Simplicity increases the staff's damage die from a d4 to a d6 when wielded in one hand, but will not increase the damage die from a d8 to a d10 when it is wielded in two hands.

### How does Prescient Planner and related feats work in Covalon?

[COVALON] Prescient Planner and related feats can only be used to purchase items from the general store.

### Does Deadly Simplicity increase the two-handed damage die of a staff?

Deadly Simplicity only applies to the weapon's base damage die, not damage die changes due to weapon traits.

### How do feats with the Prediction tag work in Covalon?

[COVALON] The story of Covalon is written as it happens. Therefore, there is often no written future that admins and GMs can predict. Any feats or spells with the Prediction tag only work in dungeons, and even then, they might not work as the player expects. Please consider this before choosing character options with the Prediction tag.

## Regarding Actions

### Does Natural Medicine affect Battle Medicine?

Natural Medicine does not allow you to substitute a Nature check for a Medicine check for Battle Medicine.

### Can I use the Escape action and Athletics attack actions while in a Polymorph battle form?

[COVALON] As a special rule unique to Covalon, all Polymorph battle forms have access to the Escape action. Your Polymorph battle form *may* have access to Athletics attack actions if your GM deems so.

## Regarding Player Interaction

### If I am a Tiny character, can I mount another player who is Smaller or larger as per the new rules in the Lost Omens Ancestry Guide?

[COVALON] As a special rule unique to Covalon, players are not allowed to mount other players in encounters. In exploration mode it is permitted only at the GM's discretion.

### Can players create custom city-wide projects?

We are currently not allowing players to create custom city-wide projects, though the admin team may decide to change this in the future.

### Can I use the Lie skill action against another player?

[COVALON] If you use the Lie action against another player, change the Success/Failure entries to the following: **Success** The target does not know for certain you are trying to Lie to them, but might still be suspicious. **Failure** The target knows that you are trying to Lie to them. Regardless of the outcome, another player does not have to believe that what your character is saying is the truth.

## Regarding everything else

### Is there a world map of all the different civilizations of Covalon?

As far as calamity survivors are aware, Covalon is the only inhabited settlement remaining in the world. None of the settlements listed in #🌇pre-destruction-civilization are still inhabited, and some are no longer standing at all.

### What is the term length for elected Covalon officials?

The term length for the RP government positions in Covalon is two months.

### What item levels are the basic bardings?

Light barding is level 0 for both the small/medium and large variants. Heavy barding is level 2 for the small/medium variants and level 3 for the large variant. (CRB pg. 295).

### What are patrols?

Patrols are short adventures that usually consist of one combat encounter, limited roleplaying opportunities, and no exploration or puzzles, but grant the same amount of XP and treasure that a normal dungeon would. They are intended as a way for low level characters to catch up to higher level characters on the server. For the purpose of server rules, any time "dungeon" is mentioned, it is also inclusive of patrols.

### Can I use the infirmary to heal my animal companion(s) and familiar(s)?

When you use the Seek Treatment activity at the infirmary, your animal companion(s) and familiar(s) are also restored to full hit points. Remember that you can only perform this activity once per day.

### How does a Channel Protection Amulet interact with a living creature with Negative Healing, such as a Dhampir?

[RAI Ruling] A living creature with the Negative Healing trait (such as a Dhampir) receives resistance 5 against *Heal* spells while they have invested a Channel Protection Amulet.

### How are addictions handled in Covalon?

[COVALON] It is up to the player if they want to use the addiction rules for items with the drug trait as provided by the Gamemaster Guide. Admins, moderators, and dungeon guides will not be tracking individual player addictions.

### Can I play multiple characters in Covalon?

At this time, we are limiting each player to a single character.

### Are shields strapped to the arm, held in one hand, or both?

Unless a shield explicitly states that it is strapped to an arm, it is only held. Some shields are both strapped to an arm *and* held in one hand.

### Can Contracts of Terran Revival counteract effects that normally prevent resurrection?

[COVALON] The Heart of Terra always successfully counteracts effects that prevent resurrection when executing a Contract of Terran Revival.

### Can the Pocket Stage item be shrunk down and reused like other items with the structure trait?

[COVALON] Add the following line of text to the Pocket Stage item when using it in Covalon: "If you use an Interact action to pull a rope on the stage left of the pocket stage, the pocket stage reverts back to its miniature replica form."

### Is it anathema for Wild Order Druids to call Covalon their permanent home?

[COVALON] For the time being, ignore this portion of the Wild Order's anathema. This ruling may be changed in the future.