Keystones

Keystones are the building blocks of any character. You gain one per level. Taking two of the same stat group of **Basic Keystone** opens access to a **Notable Keystone** from a pool. If you take 2 skill keystones, you may instead choose from the more powerful pool of skill notables. Thus, after selecting 2 Basic **STR** Keystones, you may take a Notable **STR** Keystone as your third. If you select two **DEX** Skill Keystones, you may choose from Notables **DEX** Keystones.

You may take a specific Notable Keystone only **once**, (including a Notable Keystone of the same name in a different notable pool). Basic Keystones (such as ****Warrior****) can be picked as much as you wish. At every tier, new pools of Notable Keystones unlock (I have not yet designed higher tier keystones).

If a player wishes, they can defer their choice of any type keystone and select it at a later point in the game.

Weapon specialization keystones only function if you use only a single type of weapon. *Eg: 2 axes.* If you are dual-wielding, while you do gain the damage of both weapons, you will be unable to benefit from weapon specialization keystones if you dual wield different weapon types.

There is no limit to how many Basic Keystones you may take. However you may only take a particular Notable Keystone once.

## Basic keystones

Here are the basic keystones for each stat:

## **STR** Keystones

Picking any two Basic **STR** Keystones provides access to one  **Notable** **STR** Keystone.

### **Notables** **STR** **Keystones**

**Notables** can only be chosen once.

* ****Diamond Skin****: 9 **Resistance**
* ****Juggernaut****: Increase **Life** by 24 and **Armour** by 2
* ****Armour Master****: Increase **Athletics** and **Maneuver** by 2 and **Armour** by 9.
* ****Shield Mastery****: Reduce the “Natural Roll” of any attack against you by 1, when wielding a shield.
* ****Forceful Defender****: Using the Defend action no longer prevents you from engaging enemies. 6 increased Damage and 10 increased **Life**.
* ****Enduring****: Increase Endurance Charge maximum by 1. Increase **Armour** and **Resistance** per endurance charge by 4.
* ****Mighty Warrior****: Increase **WAM** by 2
* ****Deadly****: Increases Critical Strike chance by 1
* ****Troll’s blood****: You regenerate 4 **Life** at the start of your turn.
* ****Clobber****: Gain Pierce vs stunned foes. Increase **WAM** by 1. Only with maces.
* ****Headsman****: Increase **WAM** by 2. Only with axes.
* ****Blade Adept****: Once per combat, gain Lucky on one attack roll with swords or daggers, which allows you to reroll an attack roll and take the result of your choice.
* ****Staff Defence****: +1 Block and **WAM** increased by +1. Only usable with Staves.
* ****Shatter****: **Reduce Enemy Threshold** by 12 against cold attacks. All attacks and spells for you and your allies gain an additional +1 critical strike range against opponents chilled by you.
* ****Spear Style****: Enemies hit by your spear have their speed reduced by 2 and **Maneuver** and **Athletics** reduced by 4 until the end of your next turn. Increase your **WAM** by +1
* ****Blood Drinker****: When wielding a 2-handed weapon increase **Life Leech** by 8.
* ****Sceptre Dominance****: Elemental **Threshold** effects stack up to two times. Increase **WAM** by +1
* ****Butchery****: Increase 2 handed weapon **WAM** by 2
* ****Body and Soul****: Increase **Life** by 20 and **ES** by 20

Picking ****Hard Headed**** twice provides access to the **STR** **Skill Notables. You may pick from** **STR** **Notables instead if you wish.**

### **STR** **Skill Notables**

* ****Bronze Body****: Increase **Resistance** by 12
* ****Fearsome****: Increase **WAM** by 2 and **Reduce Enemy Threshold** by 6
* ****Iron Skin****: Increase your **Armour** by 12
* ****Relentless Warrior****: Increase your **WAM** by 1 and increase your **Life** by 24.

## **DEX** Keystones

Picking any two Basic **DEX** Keystones provides access to one  **Notable** **DEX** Keystone.

### **Notables** **DEX** **Keystones**

* ****Catlike****: Increase **Armour** by 6 and **Resistance** by 3
* ****Mirrored Soul****: Increase **Resistance** by 9
* ****Spider Sense****: You cannot be surprised. Increase **Armour** and **Resistance** by 2.
* ****Chaos Adept****: Increase your **WAM** with Chaos spells and attacks by 1 and damage by 2. You are Lucky on Chaos magic table rolls.
* ****Clever Construction****: Your traps cannot be damaged for 1 turn after being thrown. Increase your **WAM** with traps by 2.
* ****Riposte****: When an enemy melee attack misses you or you block, you gain a free counterattack as an immediate free action. This is a basic attack with no Skill Gem use, using your **WAM** and damage.
* ****Shield Mastery****: Reduce the “Natural Roll” of any attack against you by 1, when wielding a shield. 4 increased **Armour**
* ****Frenzy****: Increased Frenzy Charge maximum by 1. Frenzy charges grant an additional 4 damage per charge.
* ****Relentless Striker****: Increase **WAM** by 2
* ****Deadly****: Increases Critical Strike chance by 1
* ****Hungry Soul****: Increase **Mana Leech** by 1 with physical attacks and spells
* ****Hawkeye****: Increase Bow **WAM** by 2
* ****Elder Power****: Increase Wand **WAM** by 2
* ****Blade Adept****: Once per combat, gain Lucky on one attack roll with swords or daggers, which allows you to reroll an attack roll and take the result of your choice. 4 increased damage.
* ****Shatter****: **Reduce Enemy Threshold** by 12 against cold attacks. All attacks and spells for you and your allies gain an additional +1 critical strike range against opponents chilled by you.
* ****Soul Raker****: Increase **Life Leech** by 8 and **Mana Leech** by 1. Only works with claws.
* ****Spear Style****: Enemies hit by your spear have their speed reduced by 1 and **Maneuver** and **Athletics** reduced by 4 until the end of your next turn. Increase your **WAM** by +1
* ****Twin Strike****: When dual wielding, the first time in a combat that you roll a 2 or 1, reroll and take the better result on attacks. You can use this ability once per combat. Increase **WAM** by 1.
* ****Saboteur****: Increases maximum Traps by 1 and damage with traps by 2 **WAM**.
* ****Flash****: Increase your **Speed** by 2.
* ****Nimble Defender****: Using the Defend action no longer requires a minor action. (You are still unable to engage while defending.) You have +2 **Armour** and **Resistance**.

Picking ****Quick Learner**** twice provides access to the **DEX** **Skill Notables. You may pick from** **DEX** **Notables instead if you wish.**

### **DEX** **Skill Notables**

* ****Shadow Strike****: Increases your **WAM** by 2 and damage by 2
* ****Untouchable****: Increase **Armour** by 12
* ****Faster than Lightning****: Increase **Resistance** by 12
* ****Backstab****: Increase damage by 12

## **INT** Keystones

Picking any two Basic **INT** Keystones provides access to one  **Notable** **INT** Keystone.

### **Notables** **INT** **Keystones**

* ****Unnatural Calm****: Increase **ES** by 24. Increase **Resistance** by 3.
* ****Essence Surge****: You now regenerate double your **Threshold** when you don’t take damage with Energy Shield. Increase **ES** by 24.
* ****Elemental Shield****: Increase **Resistance** by 9
* ****Chaos Adept****: Increase your **WAM** with Chaos spells and attacks by 1 and damage by 2. You are Lucky on Chaos magic table rolls.
* ****Deep Wisdom****: Increase **Mana** by 6 and **ES** by 12.
* ****Lord of the Dead****: Increase the amount of Zombies you can summon by 1 and Increase all Minion Life by minion base amount.
* ****General of the Dead****: Increase the amount of Zombies you can summon by 1 and Increase all Minion damage by 3.
* ****Grave Attunement****: Increase the amount of Spectres you can summon by 1 and increase all minion resists and **Armour** by 2.
* ****Voodoo Charm Mastery****: Increase **ES** by 20 and Increase damage by 3.
* ****Magi****: Increase **WAM** by 2
* ****Deadly****: Increases Critical Strike chance by 1
* ****Pyromancer****: Increase fire damage by 12
* ****Heart of Ice****: Increase cold damage by 12
* ****Stormwalker****: Increase lightning damage by 12
* ****Elder Power****: Increase Wand **WAM** by 2
* ****Blade Adept****: Once per combat, gain Lucky on one attack roll with swords or daggers, which allows you to reroll an attack roll and take the result of your choice.
* ****Staff Defence****: +1 Block and **WAM** increased by +1. Only usable with Staves.
* ****Sceptre Dominance****: Elemental **Threshold** effects stack up to two times. Increase **WAM** by +1
* ****Shatter****: **Reduce Enemy Threshold** by 12 against cold attacks. All attacks and spells for you and your allies gain an additional +1 critical strike range against opponents chilled by you.
* ****Static Charge****: You and your allies gain 2 bonus **WAM** against enemies you shock.
* ****Cataclysm****: Increase fire damage by 6. Increase fire Critical Strike damage by 14.
* ****Powerful****: Increase Power Charge maximum by 1. Gain 4 damage per power charge.
* ****Sanctity****: Increase **Life** by 20 and Energy Shield by 20
* ****Selfless Medic****: Applying a flask to an ally takes only a minor action. Flasks applied to an ally heal an additional amount equal to 2x your **INT**.
* ****Overflowing Flasks****: Your flasks can have up to an additional +5 charges stored. If you lose possession of a flask, it loses this bonus, spilling the extra soul energy.

Picking ****Reader**** twice provides access to the **INT** **Skill Notables. You may pick from** **INT** **Notables instead if you wish.**

### **INT** **Skill Notables**

* ****Applied Physics****: Increase all elemental damage by 12
* ****Iron Mind****: Increase **Mana** by 9 and **ES** by 12.
* ****Crystal Soul****: Increase **ES** by 24, **Resistance** by 3 and **Armour** by 3
* ****Sixth Sense****: Increase **WAM** by 2 and damage by 2

## Ultimate Keystones

You gain an Ultimate Keystone every 10 character levels (called a tier). This is a powerful ability that drastically alters the way you play. Ultimate Keystones, once selected, are a permanent part of your character. It's encouraged that the GM allow players to change keystones around somewhat to help fit whatever Ultimate Keystone the player chooses.

### **STR**

* ****Resolute Technique****: You cannot critical strike. You cannot miss (though your attacks can still be blocked). Gain Lucky on all attack rolls. Lucky allows you to roll twice and take the higher result.

*Lucky vs Unlucky:* in some situations, an individual with Lucky might attack a target which forces attacks to be Unlucky. When a Lucky attack is made Unlucky, both effects cancel each other out, resolve the attack normally.
* ****Blood Magic****: Lose all **Mana**. You spend **Life** instead of **Mana** at a rate of 2 **Life** per point of **Mana**. Skill Gems that reserve **Mana** now reserve a portion of your **Life** at 2 **Life** per point of **Mana**. For purposes of Fatigue, consider your character to have **Mana** equal to their level.
* ****Unwavering Stance****: You cannot be stunned or knocked down. You now gain **STR** x 2 **Life** from **STR** instead of **STR** x1.
* ****Iron Grip****: Use **STR** or **DEX** as your attack stat for all archery skills, whichever is higher. Treat all bow keystones and bow Skill Gems as **STR** or DEX skills, whichever you prefer. You may use **STR** Skill Gems with a bow if applicable. For example, Leap Slam, and other melee **STR** skills, can now be used at range with your bow. When you gain levels in **STR**, you may pick ranged/bow keystones and notables as if you were taking a level in DEX. Finally, enemies you attack in your Zone are Engaged, as if you were using a melee weapon. +1 **WAM** per tier
* ****Ancestral Bond****: You can now summon a maximum of 2 totems at the same time. Gain a free major action per round that may only be used on a Skill Gem through one of your two totems. Reduce your **WAM** by 4. You cannot deal damage with Skill Gems yourself, only your totems may damage others.

### **DEX**

* ****Iron Reflexes****: Enemies attacking you are Unlucky, forcing them to roll twice and take the lower result. You now gain no **Armour** or **Resistance** from your **DEX** and **INT**.

*Lucky vs Unlucky:* in some situations, an individual with Lucky might attack a target which forces attacks to be Unlucky. When a Lucky attack is made Unlucky, both effects cancel each other out, resolve the attack normally.
* ****Point Blank****: When attacking, you are Lucky against enemies in your Zone with ranged attacks and spells.
* ****Acrobatics****:  At the start of your turn roll 1d10. On a result of 8, 9 or 0 all attacks and spells automatically miss you until the start of your next turn.

### **INT**

* ****Pain Attunement****: At your **Threshold** or below in health, you gain +2 to all **WAM** die rolls for the purposes of damage calculation and increase your **WAM** by 4 per tier. This does not work with Chaos Inoculation.
* ****Chaos Inoculation****: Increase your total **ES** to **INT** x2. Your **Life** total goes to 1. You are immune to chaos damage and effects and are immune to the addictive effects of Chaos Skill Gems.
* ****Eldritch Battery****: Convert all **ES** into **Mana** at a rate of 2 **ES** per 1 **Mana**. You no longer have **ES**.
* ****Whispers of Doom****: Enemies can have one additional curse. If your allies cast a curse on an enemy you have cursed twice, they overwrite the oldest curse.
* ****Minion Instability****: Slain minions explode dealing damage equal to their **Threshold** to all enemies in their Zone. Multiple explosions at the same time combine into one total.
* ****Elemental Equilibrium****:  After hitting an enemy with an element, you and your allies gain Pierce with spells of all other elements against that target with your next attack. For example, if you hit an enemy with a Fireball, and then proceed to hit them next round with cold or lightning damage, you will gain Pierce, and thus reduce the enemies ER by 50%.
* ****Burning Cold****: Converts all cold or fire elemental damage into Frostfire. Frostfire counts as both cold and fire damage. Both Burn and Freeze activate when you bypass enemy **Threshold** and the higher of a target’s fire or cold resistance applies to Coldfire damage. Keystones and equipment that add to fire and cold both add to Coldfire damage. Cannot be combined with Avatar of Fire. Increases **WAM** by 1 per tier.
* ****Mind Over Matter****: Use **Mana** to absorb damage instead of **Life**. Whenever you take damage you may use **Mana** to absorb damage instead of **Life**. 1 point of **Mana** absorbs up to 4 points of damage. Increase **Mana** by 6 per tier. You may choose exactly how much **Mana** you use whenever you absorb damage.

### Global

* ****Conduit****: Share frenzy, power and endurance charges with party members in your Zone when you gain them. Increase maximum Endurance, Power and Frenzy charges by +2.
* ****Avatar of Fire****: All physical and elemental damage is converted into fire damage. All keystones and items that increase physical or elemental damage now equally increase your fire damage. All abilities gain an extra 1 **WAM** per tier. You have Pierce with all the fire damage that you deal, ignoring half of the **Resistance** of any target you attack.

Halve your resistance to cold damage and double your resistance to Fire damage. You cannot **Stealth**, and being fully submerged in water deals chaos damage equal to your **Threshold** per turn.
* ****Vaal Pact****: Cannot gain **Life** from flasks and regeneration. You need no food nor sleep. Only the souls of the fallen feed you. When you die, your soul will be damned for all eternity. All damage you deal, including elemental damage, heals you **Life** of the same amount. This is considered natural healing, not leech. As long as you continue to feed on the life energy of others, you do not age and can live as long as you can sustain your hunger for souls. You are immune to fatigue.

The first year of your Vaal Pact, you need to consume at least one soul a week. If you do not feed on a soul you die. Every subsequent year, increase your daily requirement by 1. For example, after you have had a Vaal Pact for 10 years, you need to feed on 10 souls a week to continue to live.
* ****Necromantic Aegis****: Your minions gain all the benefits of your shield, and you lose its benefit. If you have this keystone, Tempest Shield will affect your minions.