A Legendary Sandbox
Core Mission
Legends Without Number is a project that aims to use the tools within Worlds Without Number, by Sine Nomine Publishing to create a low barrier-to-entry Legend of Zelda tabletop roleplaying game experience. Due to the sandbox nature of Sine Nomine games, the Zelda content will be largely based on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, borrowing some content from other Zelda games absent from Breath of the Wild where appropriate.
Some detailed content is included separately in several spreadsheets. These are certainly not to be kept secret from the players, but players need not read them in order to play the game. They are included for the benefit of the GM, as they provide helpful stats for weapons and enemies.
What Makes It Hyrule
At its core, Legends Without Number is a sandbox roleplaying game intended to embody the land of Hyrule. This means that, compared to its counterpart Worlds Without Number (and by extension Stars Without Number), Legends Without Number will focus on characters who are more epic than gritty, more magical than realistic (whether or not they can wield magic), and more heroic than complicated.
That’s not to say Legends Without Number will not support gritty, realistic, complicated characters. Simply that its backdrop is not that of a sector of planets, cut off from their home, or a new earth, a shadow of what it once was. Rather, it is the land of Hyrule, blessed by the goddess Hylia after being born of the three goddesses of creation.
Setting Intro
The Kingdom
In Hyrule, good and evil are simpler than we may be used to. There are some who wish for destruction and domination. These entities are evil, imbued with the ancient spirit of the Demon King. Not all forces of hostility are irredeemable, but these are. These forces of evil have a wide-reaching impact on the people of Hyrule. Unsophisticated beasts, united only in their dedication to assaulting Hyrule’s people. Those untouched by the goddess live simple lives, doing their best to live in spite of these monsters of evil and calamity.
You are not like the common folk of Hyrule. You have a strong affinity for a piece of the Triforce, and in times of danger, a goddess of creation comes to your aid. This power does not come to just anyone. As adventurers touched by the goddesses, you will shape your destiny. The fate of Hyrule rests in your hands.
Optionally, you may choose to forgo this boon in your game. Understand that this will be simpler, but risky. The aid of the goddesses is intended to give you an edge otherwise not afforded by Worlds Without Number.
Environmental Hazards
Hyrule is home to various locales with different amounts of danger associated with their climates. In general, a character who spends time in extreme cold or heat without adequately protecting themselves with clothes, potions, or other remedies accrues 1 system strain per scene. In sufficiently volcanic regions, characters must make a physical save at the beginning of each scene or catch fire, taking 1d4 damage per scene until they find shelter from the heat. Certain races are equipped to handle these hazards better or worse, listed in their corresponding race focus on the next page.
System Strain
As the body is taxed by environmental hazards, magical healing, and the like, basic tasks become more difficult. A character's maximum Strain is equal to their constitution score, and their Strain thresholds are at 1/2 of their maximum and at their maximum, rounded up.
At the first threshold, characters suffer a -2 to all hit rolls and a -1 to all skill checks. At the second threshold (when their Strain is maximized), characters suffer a -4 to all hit rolls, and a -2 to all skill checks. These effects are not cumulative, meaning a character with maximized Strain rolls with a penalty of -4/-2, not -6/-4.
A character who exceeds their maximum Strain passes out immediately and will die in 24 hours without treatment or mitigation of some kind. Each day they can make a physical save without penalties to extend the time limit by 24 hours.
| Threshold | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6/11 | -2 to hit, -1 to skills |
| 2 | 11/11 | -4 to hit, -2 to skills |
The Elements
Elemental Damage
Hyrule is filled with creatures that are vulnerable or resistant to various elements. To represent this, half damage (rounded up) is added to the damage done with a particular element to a vulnerable creature, or subtracted from the damage done to a resistant creature.
Elemental Effects
Some elemental attacks can impose a temporary status effect. If using spells or equipment where this seems appropriate, have the target make the corresponding save from the list below. On a fail, they are afflicted with the corresponding elemental effect.
Make a Mental save. On a failure, you drop whatever you're holding.
Elements and Magic
With Worlds Without Number’s magic system, it is reasonable to question what elemental damage a particular type of magic uses. The list below is a general rule to follow. If it doesn't seem right for a particular case, keep the damage as non-elemental. Invokers follow whatever tradition the spell or art they are using comes from. Skinshifters, Beastmasters, and Accursed are able to use the element associated with their chosen form, companion, or patron spirit. Other traditions not listed do not do elemental damage.
Elementalism
- Fire
- Water
- Electricity
High Magic, Blood Priest
- Light
Necromancy, Thought Noble
- Dark
Race Foci
During character creation, in addition to choosing the regular starting foci, players should choose a race for their character. In Hyrule, races typically live together, since they're best equipped to live in certain environments, but this is certainly not a rule, should a player want their character to live apart from others of their race. Your race has no bearing on your destiny, but instead determines your innate gifts: the skills, vulnerabilities, resistances, or abilities you were born with.
Hylian
Blessed by the goddess Hylia, Hylians are uniquely neutral elementally, having no elemental resistances or vulnerabilities. Hylians have a natural connection with their goddess, and gain Pray as a bonus skill. A jack of all trades, Hylians can traverse many environments, but they must contend with all unnatural terrains and extreme weather conditions.
Zora
A proud aquatic race, the Zora are resistant to Water and vulnerable to Electricity. They can breathe water, travel through water at 60' per move action, and persist in any amount of underwater pressure. They are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, gaining 2 system strain per scene of being in severe heat without protection, rather than 1.
Goron
Gorons are a loyal people who make their homes in volcanic regions. They are technically omnivores, but they usually prefer to eat high-quality rocks. Gorons are resistant to Fire and vulnerable to Water. They can curl up into a ball and roll 60' per move action on solid ground. Gorons can roll this way to traverse mountainous terrain with no penalty. Trying to move less than 60' this way requires a DC 8 Str/Exert check. They are far too heavy to swim in any capacity, and sink in water. Their bodies are not flammable, and as such they are immune to catching fire (but not to fire damage).
Rito
Masters of the skies, the Rito are an avian race who live in and around cold mountaintops. They are resistant to Water and vulnerable to Fire. Rito's feathered arms allow them to fly 40' per move action through the air. Rito’s feathers give them resistance to the cold, allowing them to persist in extremely low temperatures without taking any system strain. Conversely, they catch fire more easily than other races, granting them disadvantage on physical saves against catching fire.
Deku Scrub
Small woodland creatures with wooden skin, Deku Scrubs are resistant to Water and vulnerable to Fire. Deku Scrubs can travel their movement through an underground network of burrows. Burrowing or resurfacing takes half their movement as an On Turn action. Deku Scrubs easily camouflage in forested environments. When hiding in a burrow or in the woods, roll Sneak checks with 3d6, dropping the lowest result. Being made of wood, Deku Scrubs catch fire easily, applying disadvantage on physical saves against catching fire.
Gerudo
Once a band of desert thieves, the female Gerudo warriors are resistant to Electricity and vulnerable to Water. Gerudo are at home in the sand, moving through it at 40' per move action. They are resistant to extreme heat, being able to persist in extremely high temperatures without taking system strain. Similarly, they are vulnerable to extreme cold, taking 2 system strain per scene in severe low temperature conditions.
Sheikah
Stealthy servants of the goddess Hylia, Sheikah are resistant to Light and vulnerable to Dark. Sheikah have aptitude for stealth and for creating many magical and non-magical workings. Gain Sneak and Craft as a bonus skill. A Sheikah’s eyes are accustomed to the dark and can see as if in dim lighting.
Twili
The Twili are a people mysteriously separated from their home in another world draped in twilight. Twili are resistant to Dark and vulnerable to Light. The Twili have a deep connection with their ancestor's magic, casting Light magic as Dark instead. Gain magic as a bonus skill. A Twili’s eyes are fully calibrated for darkness and do not require a light source to see comfortably. In extremely bright conditions, Twili take system strain as if they were in extreme heat.
Hybrid Races
Whenever there are races, there are players who want to play hybrid races. The final call of which hybrid races are allowable is left to the GM, but generally speaking, Hylians, Gerudo, Twili, and Sheikah are all reproductively compatible (bearing a close resemblance to human reproduction). Zora and Rito are reproductively compatible as well due to their closely shared ancestry and anatomy. Goron hybrids are rare, since gorons don't require a partner to reproduce. They incorporate what they eat into their body, and after an incubation period, a goron is hatched from a pod on their back. Gorons usually eat rocks, not meat or bones, so they rarely incorporate any significant amounts of external DNA.
When creating a Hybrid character, keep in mind that a character typically has 3 racial effects. Taking characteristics from multiple races is perfectly allowable, but take care not to double up or deny a character any of these effects:
- An elemental resistance/vulnerability
- A movement or sight bonus/penalty
- Susceptibility to environmental hazards or a bonus skill
Special Movement Rules
Many of the races across Hyrule have special movement abilities. Where movement abilities require extra rules, these rules are listed below.
Zora Swimming
Many Zora like to leap out of the water like a dolphin to strike. Mechanically, this functions like a charge attack, but vertical rather than horizontal. When Zora take this action, they can leap up to 10 ft above the water.
Goron Rolling
A Goron's body is made of rock, and they have no trouble rolling across mountains or steep surfaces. If they are able to roll, they bypass the usual movement penalty and potential Str/Exert check to climbing. Even without rolling, their rocky fists can dig new handholds, granting a +1 to Str/Exert checks to climb steep surfaces, or allowing them to make climbing checks for surfaces normally too steep to climb at all.
Rito Flight
As a Rito, your flight speed is 40 ft. In order to maintain flight, you must move at least once each turn. If flying in a cramped space, you might need to make an Dex/Exert check to avoid crashing.
Your arms are wings. If you use them to take an action other than flying, you fall 10 ft (this doesn't use up your movement). If you're less than 10 ft high, you need to either fly upwards or land before you can act. After falling, if you're still in the air and you have at least 10 ft of movement remaining, you can recover and move 10 ft in any direction. Otherwise, you continue falling up to 500 ft per round.
It's hard to keep flying when you get hit. You need to succeed on a DC 7 Dex/Exert check, potentially at a penalty if you are sufficiently damaged or strained. If you still have at least 10 ft of movement remaining, you can use it to recover as above. If you fail, and you don't have enough movement, you fall up to 500 ft per round.
Cover and surprise may work differently for a flying Rito. Depending on the situation, you may get a +1 or +2 to a Dex/Sneak check to determine surprise if the potential combatants aren't likely to look up at the sky or if the weather might obscure you overhead. You may get a -1 or -2 if the potential combatants are likely to look up or it's a particularly clear day. You bypass some forms of cover, like boulders, but some forms of cover only affect flying characters, like a roof or thick trees. These modifiers are situational, and ultimately up to the GM.
Deku Scrub Burrowing
Although Deku Scrubs can move underground, these burrows function more as narrow tunnels beneath the surface, rather than a fully 3-dimensional space. Deku Scrubs who burrow are effectively 5 ft underground and can be hit, assuming the attacker is aware of their position, albeit at a -2 penalty to the attack roll.
Gerudo Sand Surfing
A Gerudo's feet don't necessarily ignore the sand that slows other races down. When a Gerudo takes advantage of their ability to quickly move across sand, they are performing advanced sliding maneuvers that would be extremely difficult (and dangerous) for anyone else to attempt.
Triforce Powers
When your character reaches half of their max HP for the first time since fully resting, a glowing triforce will appear on their dominant hand, a portion lit up corresponding to the goddess for whom they have affinity (The right Triforce of Courage for Farore, the top Triforce of Power for Din, and the left Triforce of Wisdom for Nayru). When they use the blessing as an Instant action, the triforce will fade from their hand. If they do not use it before the danger passes, the light will fade, but the triforce will remain on their hand until the blessing is used or until they fully rest.
Blessings of the goddesses manifest differently for different adventurers, according to individual personalities, preferences, goals, and other personal factors. It is up to each player to determine how their particular character’s blessing physically and visually manifests, as well as how they respond to it. Does it tire them out? leave them feeling warm? give them an adrenaline rush? Mechanically, the blessings function as described below, but the rest is up to you.
Din’s Wrath
Deal [lvl] d8 damage to all creatures within a radius of 10 ft, halved if they succeed an evasion save
Nayru’s Protection
Gain [lvl] d8 temporary HP until end of scene
Farore’s Blessing
Gain an extra move or main action. At Level 8, this can be used twice
Hyrulean Currency
The currency of Hyrule is the rupee. There are different colors of rupee gems, corresponding to their rarity, and by extension, their value. All rupee gems have roughly the same weight - 100 physical gems are worth 1 item of encumbrance, regardless of the value of those gems. As indicated below, 1 rupee can be treated as equivalent currency to 1 copper coin in Worlds Without Number. Optionally, encumbrance can be tracked more simply by using the rule of thumb that roughly 2000 rupees are worth 1 item of encumbrance.
| Color | Value | Equivalence |
|---|---|---|
| Green | 1 Rupee | 1 cp |
| Blue | 5 Rupees | 5 cp |
| Yellow | 10 Rupees | 1 sp |
| Red | 20 Rupees | 2 sp |
| Purple | 50 Rupees | 5 sp |
| Silver | 100 Rupees | 1 gp |
| Gold | 300 Rupees | 3 gp |
New Combat Actions
No Zelda media would be complete without some important combat actions, listed below. As always, these are common combat actions, provided to help create rulings for common situations, but players are free to get creative with their actions, and it is up to the GM to adjudicate their actions and any required rolls.
Flurry Rush - (main action)
Use your main action to do nothing but prepare. Upon being attacked next, if the attack is unsuccessful, you get 2 free attacks on that creature immediately, assuming this is plausible (expires after 1 attempt or at the start of your next turn).
Parry - (move action)
Use your move action to do nothing but prepare. Upon being attacked next, if the attack is successful, make an opposed Exert/DEX check. If the check is successful, the attacker is parried and the attack is unsuccessful. A melee attacker drops their weapon. A ranged attack is deflected back at the attacker, who must make an evasion save or suffer their own attack damage.
Spin Attack (move + main action)
Make a single melee attack against any number of enemies within your attack range. A spin attack takes both a move and main action to perform.
Target Weak Point
Pass a combat skill check (base DC 7) to shift a successful attack to a creature’s weak point, assuming doing so is plausible given your method of attack. Unless otherwise specified, successfully hitting a weak point adds half damage to the attack and stuns the enemy, granting +4 to any attacks made against it until its next turn, and failing causes the attack to do half damage. A creature's weak point can't be targeted during this stunned period. A natural 20 on a combat roll automatically targets the weak point, assuming there is one.
Weapons
Durability
When a weapon is used in a way that could be reasonably expected to break it, including throwing a weapon that isn't designed for it, the GM should determine how likely the weapon is to break, and have the player roll a d100. Each time you succeed this check imposes a -10 penalty the next time you make this check for the same weapon. Breaking a weapon on an enemy adds half damage to the attack.
For example:
- A player throws a boko bat for the third time. On a hit, The GM has the player roll 1d100-20, explaining that a roll of 50 or lower means that the weapon has shattered.
Weapon Details
Detailed weapon stats are included in a separate spreadsheet. See the table below for new weapon traits.
| Abbreviation | Weapon Trait |
|---|---|
| A | Ancient: add half damage to ancient technology for each rank (i.e. guardian sword adds half damage, and guardian sword++ adds 3/2 damage) |
| T | Throwable: may be thrown without risking breaking. Throwing a weapon without this trait has at least a 50% chance to break |
| ST | Stoneware: This weapon can be used for mining without calling for a durability test and adds half damage to stone enemies, but does half damage to non-stone materials |
| WC | Woodchopping: This weapon can be used to chop wood without calling for a durability test and does double damage to plant based enemies, but has a 20% chance to break if used on harder materials like stone |
| AE | Apply Element: This weapon can be used to apply an elemental effect (fire/ice/electricity) |
| F | Fragile: This weapon has -10 to durability rolls |
Armor
Armor in Hyrule
Unlike Worlds Without Number, Breath of the Wild's armors grant bonuses when worn. To account for this, certain special armor sets may have traits that grant you a special effect when you wear them. These armor sets are intended to supplement the existing armors within Worlds Without Number, not to replace them. Feel free to use the existing armor and magical armor rules independently of these special armor sets.
Mixing Armor Pieces
Armor cannot be effectively mixed as it can be in Breath of the Wild. Armor sets have three pieces: Head, Chest, and Legs. If you wear pieces from different armor sets, you get the lowest AC from among them, and you do not get any special effects the armor may come with unless you wear the full armor set. Each armor piece costs a third of the full set price, and the encumbrance is averaged.
Armor Details
| Set | Type | AC | Cost | Enc. | Trait | Trait Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climbing Set | Light | 10 | 100 | 0 | Boosted climbing | Increase climbing speed up to 2/3 movement speed |
| Gerudo Set | Light | 10 | 150 | 0 | Heat Resist | Extreme heat doesn't add system strain |
| Barbarian Set | Light | 11 | 200 | 0 | Adrenaline | Spin Attack takes only a Main Action |
| Hero Set | Light | 11 | - | 0 | Skyward Strike | At full HP, gain skyward strike, as hand hurlant |
| Tingle's Set | Light | 11 | - | 0 | Cartographer | +1 to Navigation skill checks |
| Snowquill Set | Light | 12 | 500 | 0 | Cold resist | Extreme cold doesn't add system strain |
| Royal Guard Set | Light | 13 | 500 | 1 | Adrenaline | Spin Attack takes only a Main Action |
| Hylian Set | Light | 14 | 500 | 3 | - | - |
| Stealth Set | Light | 14 | 2,500 | 1 | Stealthy | +1 to Sneak checks |
| Desert Voe Set | Medium | 14 | 2,500 | 1 | Electricity resist | Take half damage from electricity |
| Zora Set | Medium | 16 | 5,000 | 3 | Boosted Swimming | Increase swimming speed up to 2/3 movement speed |
| Ancient Soldier Gear | Heavy | 16 | 10,000 | 2 | Ancient Power | Treat all ancient weaponry as 1 lvl higher |
| Soldier's Set | Heavy | 17 | 20,000 | 2 | - | - |
| Fireproof Armor | Heavy | 19 | 40,000 | 3 | Fireproof | Immune to catching fire |
Potions
A Magical Craft
Potions are valuable resources, if an adventurer is hoping to survive. They require ingredients from all over Hyrule, including insects and parts of monsters. Potions come in 3 tiers, and can be brewed as single use items in empty bottles, or brewed in bulk in magical cauldrons. In either case, potions can only be brewed by those with at least skills of Craft-0 and Magic-0.
NPC potion brewers are rarely gifted enough to hunt monsters, so potion brewers often depend on adventurers or traders to supply them with the ingredients they need. A persuasive adventurer can get a range of discounts in exchange for materials.
Buying Potions
Potions are important for any adventurer, and the commerce they bring in is important for any settlement. It's common for every town to have at least 1 potion brewer in the local Bazaar, if not in a dedicated establishment.
PCs may be able to buy potions this way, but potion shops often require a fee of ingredients or monster parts.
PCs and Potions
If PCs want to brew their own potions, it will be treated as a supplementary variation on the Worlds Without Number magical item creation rules.
Focused Work
PCs must first decide what potion they are trying to make, either from the adjacent potions table or their own (GM-approved) design. The DC for each tier applies to all skill checks involved in the process.
The Materials
A forager makes a Survive/INT to forage for ingredients in the appropriate environment for the potion they want to brew. On a success, the forager finds some ingredients without any trouble. On a failure, something prevents the PCs from foraging, unless they deal with the problem. Often, but not always, a monster shows up, and must be dispatched for the PCs to continue foraging. Gathering all the ingredients for a potion takes a number of foraging checks completed equal to the potion tier. Foraging takes time equal to twice the potion tier, in hours.
Brewing
Once all the ingredients are gathered, the potion brewer attempts to brew the potion with an Craft/INT skill check (assuming they have the prerequisite skills and an empty bottle), consuming the ingredients.
The Results
If the Craft/INT check is a success, then the potion is made, and can be used once, freeing up the empty bottle. If the Craft/INT check is a failure, the potion brewer rolls on the Magical Flaws table. The potion brewer may decide to accept this flaw and retry the Craft/INT check at a cumulative +1. Otherwise, the potion and ingredients are lost.
| Potion | Foraging Area | Effect | Store Cost | Tier 1, DC 8, | Tier 2, DC 9 | Tier 3, DC 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teal Potion | Forest | Gain temporary HP | 400 | 3 HP | 6 HP | 9 HP |
| Yellow Potion | Water or Rain | Double normal rest recovery | 400 | 1 night | 2 nights | 3 nights |
| Green Potion | Forest | Recovers system strain | 200 | 1 SS | 2 SS | 3 SS |
| Purple Potion | Water, Rain, or Forest | Increase movement until end of scene | 1,200 | +5 ft | +10 ft | +15 ft |
| Blue Potion | Forest (Night) | Boosts Sneak until end of scene | 1000 | +1 | +2 | +3 |
| Orange Potion | Non-cold | Cold resist | 300 | 1 scene | 2 scenes | 3 scenes |
| White Potion | Non-hot | Heat resist | 300 | 1 scene | 2 scenes | 3 scenes |
| Sour Potion | Desert or Electricity | Electricity resist | 400 | 1 scene | 2 scenes | 3 scenes |
| Hot Potion | Volcanic | Fireproof | 500 | 1 scene | 2 scenes | 3 scenes |
| Bitter Potion | Forest | Boosts damage until end of scene | 300 | +1/2 damage | +damage | +3/2 damage |
| Viscous Potion | Forest | Boosts AC until end of scene | 300 | +1 | +2 | +3 |
| Red Potion | Fairy | Restores HP | 700 | 8 HP | 12 HP | 16 HP |
| d8 | Magical Flaws |
|---|---|
| 1 | The potion can only be used by the first person to touch it after brewing. |
| 2 | The potion does the opposite of the intended effect. |
| 3 | The potion is very slow, not taking effect until the round after it's used. |
| 4 | The potion is overtly magical, emitting a loud hum, glowing brightly, giving off a strong odor, and radiating heat until the potion's effect subsides. |
| 5 | If the potion brewer dies, the potion completely loses its effects and becomes an inert liquid. |
| 6 | The potion adds 1d4 System Strain when used. |
| 7 | The potion is impossible not to notice and recognize as magical. Stealth is impossible while carrying it. |
| 8 | The potion is unreliable. When it's used, roll 1d6. On a 1, the potion does nothing. |
Notable Region Features
This section contains names of notable features in each region of Hyrule. This list is by no means comprehensive. Rather, it exists as quick-reference material if you need something to fill out the world the PCs are exploring. Included is a combination of locations from Breath of the Wild and common features and locations from other Zelda media.
