New Fear/Terror Rules

By Paul Beck

The one failing of the original WFRP Fear/Terror rules that I see, is the fact that they have only a single result. Either you pass the test and nothing happens, or you fail and suffer the results of Fear or Terror.

Instead of the two separate Fear and Terror tests, I have replaced them with a single test and an effects table.

Please note that these Rules have not been playtested.

Fear Rating

Each creature that causes Fear or Terror in the WFRP Rulebook, is now given a Fear Rating. This determines how terrifying the creature is in the minds of others.

Click here to go to the Fear Rating Guidelines page.

Example:

· A Bear has a Fear Rating of 20

· A Bloodthirster of Khorne has a Fear Rating of 250

When testing for Fear or Terror

The procedure is now as follows:

1. Roll D100

2. Add the Fear Factor of the thing that caused the test

3. Subtract the Tester's CL

4. The result is the Fear Effect Value, cross reference this on the Fear Effects Chart

Example:

· A Character encounters a Dragon with a Fear Rating of 100.

· The Character’s Player rolls a D100 and gets an 87.

· The Dragon’s Fear Factor is 100. 87 + 100 = 187.

· The Character’s CL of 42 is subtracted, leaving (187 - 42) 145.

· The GM now looks up 145 on the Fear Effects Chart. This is Minor Fear for D8 Rounds and 1 Insanity Point.

Each Fear Effect has a randomly determined Duration. This is the number of Rounds that the Fear Effect is in effect.

When the Duration of the Fear Effect runs out the Character is able to act as normal, and does not need to take another Fear/Terror Test unless another Fear/Terror causing source is encountered.

If a Character is forced to take another Fear/Terror Test before the duration of the first effect has fully worn off, then they do have to take another test (usually with reduced characteristics). The Character then suffers then worst of the two effects and has to roll a new Duration for it, but still gains the Insanity Points associated with the new test.

Example:

· The Character above with a CL of 42 ended up with a Fear Effect Value of 145, which is Minor Fear.

· He rolled a 7 for the Duration, and he currently has 3 rounds left to go.

· The Dragon’s mate appears on the scene causing him to take another Fear/Terror Test.

· This time the Player rolls a D100 and gets an 87.

· The Dragon’s Fear Factor is again 100. 87 + 100 = 187.

· However, because the Character is already suffering from Minor Fear, his CL is reduced by 10 to 32.

· The resulting Fear Effect Value is (187 - 32) 155, which is Major Fear.

· This is a greater effect than what he is currently suffering, and takes effect. He gains 2 Insanity Points and suffers from the effects for D8 Rounds.

· If he had rolled a 31 on the D100 the resulting Fear Effect Value would have been (31 + 100)-32 = 99. This would have been Afraid, which is one stage less than the Minor Fear that he was on. He would have gained the 1 Insanity Point from Afraid, and had to have re-rolled the D8 for the duration of the Minor Fear.

_{Fear Effect Value}	_Effect
< 0 - 10	Not Impressed No effect, carry on as normal. 15% of 1 Insanity Point if cause is approached or if engaged by cause
11 - 20	Shocked -20 I May approach the cause 25% of 1 Insanity Point if cause is approached or if engaged by cause Duration: 1 Round Only
21 - 40	Unnerved -20 I, -10 WS, -10 BS May approach the cause If engaged, or engaging, may fight with above modifiers 50% of 1 Insanity Point if cause is approached. +1 Insanity Point gained if engaged by cause Duration: D3 Rounds
41 - 55	Shaken Badly -20 I, -10/-1 All Others except T May approach cause If engaged, or engaging, may fight with above modifiers 1 Insanity Point automatically gained. +1 Insanity Point gained if engaged by cause Duration: D6 Rounds
56 - 100	Afraid -20 I, -10/-1 All Others except T Cause may not be approached Can approach other things as normal If engaged, or engaging, may fight with above modifiers 1 Insanity Point automatically gained. +1 Insanity Point gained if engaged by cause Duration: D10 Rounds
101 - 150	Minor Fear Must move away from the cause whenever possible Cause may not be approached -20 I, -10/-1 All Others except T If engaged, or engaging, may fight with above modifiers 1 Insanity Point automatically gained. +1 Insanity Point gained if engaged by cause Duration: D8 Rounds
151 - 175	Major Fear Must move away from the cause whenever possible Cause may not be approached -20/-2 All Characteristics except T If engaged, or engaging in combat with something other than the cause, may fight with above modifiers If engaged by the cause, must pass a CL Test or Flee at earliest opportunity 2 Insanity Points automatically gained. +1 Insanity Point gained if engaged by cause Duration: D8 Rounds
176 - 201	Minor Terror Must Flee from scene and away from the cause Cause may not be approached -20/-2 All Characteristics except T If engaged by anything, must Flee at earliest opportunity May only Parry D4 Insanity Points automatically gained. +2 Insanity Points if engaged by cause Duration: D6 Rounds
202 - 230	Terror Must move or withdraw backwards, away from the cause at cautious rate Cause may not be approached -20/-2 All Characteristics except T If engaged by anything, must Flee combat at earliest opportunity May only Parry D4 Insanity Points automatically gained. +D3 Insanity Points if engaged by the cause Duration: D6
231 - 250	Mind numbing Terror Freeze - Character may not move towards or away from the cause or anything else -30/-3 All Characteristics except T If engaged by anything, may only Parry No Dodge attempts can be made D6 Insanity Points gained automatically. +D6 Insanity Points if engaged by cause Duration: D6 Rounds
251 - 270 +	Mind Blowing, Sanity Blasting Terror Freeze - Character may not move towards or away from the cause or anything else Character is counted as Prone for duration -30/-3 All Characteristics except T If engaged, may only Parry if a (I + CL)/2 Test is passed No Dodge attempts can be made D6+1 Insanity Points automatically gained. +D6+1 Insanity Points if engaged by cause Duration: D6 Rounds