Custom D20

The Custom D20 system is currently undergoing a less custom phase. It's difficult to be original in the year 2017, and the direction I currently wanted to go in with the D20 system was already more or less designed by someone else - namely the Mutants and Masterminds System. Right now, this page mainly serves to serve some house-rules to how I want to use that system for my own gaming needs.

Character Creation
The Mutants & Masterminds (M&M) system was seemingly created to allow players to create ANYTHING they can think of. The system unfortunately isn't 100% compatible with my needs, so you will have to adhere to a few changes.

Species
Your "Race" or "Species" is something that Mutants & Masterminds doesn't really feature, as the system is designed not to care what you play as, as long as your Power Level doesn't exceed the directive, but Species is a staple of traditional D&D, and porting it over is extremely simple - literally just record your Species and modify your stats accordingly.

Class
M&M is a class-less system, and it doesn't feature a traditional "character level". Instead, M&M uses "Character Points" and does not rely on "Level", except for "Power Level" which describes the ball-park of how many character points a character should have, and puts a capacity limitation on certain values, preventing players from making Broken Builds.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't have an idea of what you're wanting to play. If you thought building a character in D&D was difficult, being left to buy ALL stats on your own is much more complicated and involved, and it can be hard to achieve good functional values - so having a solid concept before hand is very important.

I recommend going for a certain archetype - perhaps your character is a Knight-Errant, so build your stats around your perception of what a Knight-Errant is - but remember more importantly, to build around what you want your character to be able to do.

Power Level
Power Level is the closest analogue to actual "level" in M&M, and it can be used in a similar way, but it can also just be used to measure the relative strength of a character. Power Level just tells you how many Character Points a character has, and it sets certain limitations on certain values, to prevent broken characters.

Check this link to see a table that explains how many Character Points you start with, after the GM has informed you about what starting Power Level you have.

The same link also shows you the price you pay for buying something with Character Points, and it shows the Capacity Limitations based on your Power Level, and which statistics they apply to.

Power Level 1 is for reference equivalent to a Human Child, with Level 3 being equivalent to a young adult. Few humans ever reach past level 5-6, but level 10 is the absolute capacity limitation on Power Level for ordinary humans.

Character Points
Character Points can be awarded instead of Experience Points in M&M, which is honestly a more realistic way of advancing a character - gradually becoming better instead of suddenly taking a massive leap in over-all competence. See Power Level to determine how many Character Points you start with.

Capacity Limitations
Your Power Level imposes a Capacity Limitation on many of your statistics. This limitation is equal to your power level, meaning you cannot allocate more Character Points into these stats, than you have in Power Level - but you can still have a higher SCORE. It's important to differentiate between BASE STATISTICS and SCORE in this regard.

The Capacity Limitation applies to: Defenses, Advantage (Ranks) and Powers (Ranks). Skills are limited to your power-level plus the value of the governing Ability (if positive). You attributes cannot be raised above +5, except through supernatural means, unless your Species permits this.

Attributes
Having little to no interest in the M&M attributes, we're going to use the classic 6 dungeons and dragon's attributes. Note that M&M does not support ability scores, but uses raw modifiers instead, which doesn't actually make any difference. If you ever need your ability score, derive it directly from your modifier (a modifier of 2 would mean 14).

Unlike in traditional D&D, Attributes cannot be effectively "rolled" in M&M, because there are no ability scores. When purchasing them, using Character Points, they start at 0, which is considered the human average (equivalent to an ability score of 10-11).

While M&M does not traditionally inhibit statistics, this is not the case here. As by the charts, +5 is considered the human maximum (it is +4 in traditional D&D, but why not try something new), and you cannot exceed this, except through Species Modifiers.

Agility
You might notice this system oddly features BOTH Agility and Dexterity, which are largely synonymous. Dexterity is to be viewed mechanically as your analogue to Ranged Base Attack, which is sometimes a separately recorded skill. Agility on the other hand, is your more traditional analogue to raw dexterity.

Awareness
This is your Wisdom Score analogue.

Dexterity
You might notice this system oddly features BOTH Agility and Dexterity, which are largely synonymous. Dexterity is to be viewed mechanically as your analogue to Ranged Base Attack, which is sometimes a separately recorded skill. Agility on the other hand, is your more traditional analogue to raw dexterity.

DO NOT REGARD DEXTERITY AS AN ATTRIBUTE - This game features separate Ranged Combat Skills, which are largely MUCH cheaper than buying an ability (or the estimated value of a Base Attack Bonus), so because of this, Dexterity is determined by adding your Awareness to your Agility and dividing by 2, rounding down.

Dexterity also governs any classic "thieving" abilities, except for stealth. I actually like this change, because I never felt like the "Rogue" or "thief" should be a separate career choice, as all adventurers suffer traps, locks and other such hindrances, and so I find that the Dexterity Value is a fair way to circumvent that.

Fighting
Fighting is basically just your Base Attack Bonus, now introduced as an Attribute. This is unconventional, but it frankly doesn't make MUCH of a difference how the game chooses to record this. The price points for attributes are rather high, as should be the case with Base Attack, so it works for game purposes.

DO NOT REGARD FIGHTING AS AN ATTRIBUTE - This game features separate Fighting Skills, which are largely MUCH cheaper than buying an ability (or the estimated value of a Base Attack Bonus), so because of this, Fighting is determined by adding your Strength to your Agility and dividing by 2, rounding down.

Presence
This is your Charisma Score analogue.

Stamina
This is just another word for Constitution.

Defenses
The Defenses are the same as Saving Throws from typical D&D. Note that you can buy points in these, and the game rules state that certain values must be added together to determine their maximum value - mind you that this value is not the TOTAL value of your Defense, but the amount of points you have placed into it, and in order to keep it more reasonable, we're going to say that the capacity on any given Defense stat, is always your Power Level, but remember that you can modify your actual score in other ways, even if you cannot modify the base value any further.

Dodge
Dodge is basically a combination of Reflex Save and Armor Class. Use it for both. The difference here being that Armor would not actually AID your Dodge, but rather subtract from it. When something tries to attack your character, and your character isn't considered "Surprised", the "attack roll" (if any) has to beat your passive Dodge (10+Dodge Value).

Parry
Your ability to actively Parry or Block attacks. Obviously, the issue is that not all attacks can be blocked or parried, but it offers "meat-shield" characters a way not to constantly soak damage. Parrying is further covered in the "Combat" Section.

Fortitude
This one is known from typical D&D, it is basically a character's health-wise fortitude. Rolled to shrug off ill effects.

Toughness
Regard this as your "armor". When you take damage, you subtract your Toughness from that damage, unless told otherwise. In the misc. field, subtract your Stamina (which is automatically added). This is not how Toughness traditionally works in M&M, but this way it works well with a D&D setting. This means that you cannot buy points in Toughness at all!

Will
Will Save is an old known value from D&D, and unfortunately one that doesn't make any sense at all. In the spirit of keeping things simple, we're just going to let that fly and let Will Save be Will Save. Your Passive Perception is equal to 10+Will Save.

Advantages
Advantages are the M&M analogues to "Features" or "Feats". Except for 4th- and 5th Edition D&D Features, most D20 features should not need much modification to work directly with M&M. Some features may need a bit of translating, but that should be the extent of what is necessary. It is possible that some Features utilize stats that no longer exist, but simply direct them to their respective analogues.

Special Features
D&D is full of Special Class Features, Race Features and similar implementations that made the Classes and Races unique from each other. M&M has a power system that renders this largely irrelevant, but if you'd like to convert a Class Feature from D&D to M&M, all you have to do is figure out if it should be converted to a Power or to an Advantage. Consult the GM.

Powers
M&M features a complex system of "Powers" that substitute any kind of actual Magical Power. This is fine, but ultimately not necessarily compatible with the idea most people have of traditional fantasy adventure - some might seek a direct analogue to D&D Spell-casting. In reality, Powers can be used to substitute any magical ability, including all spells, but a part of D&D was the Wizard's ability to cast certain "prepared" spells and for the Priest to summon "miracles", and this could be difficult to effectively duplicate in M&M without crazy point-expenditure.

Spell-Casting
The solution is fairly simple, you just invent a Power called "Wizard" and place how ever many ranks in the power, as you would like to simulate effective "Spell Levels". The power works uniquely in that it allows you to prepare spells from a Spell-Book, and cast them a limited number of times, or alternatively that some sort of entity allows you to draw on its power and call forth miracles in its name, but only a limited number.

Because Powers are usually more limited, I'd suggest off-setting the balance issue, by forcing the Players to buy an Advantage that allows the purchase of a specific set of powers.

Suggestion: "Magi - You have access to buy ranks in the power "Wizard" and you can buy a number of minor spells as powers too (Arcane Blast should reasonably replace magic missile, which is too unbalanced to port).

Further to offset the balance issue, I recommend that players be forced to invest in a Skill - let's make it an Expertise Skill, and call them respectively "Occult" and "Arcana" for Priests and Wizards respectively. Rolled with intelligence each time the player wishes to cast a spell, and full affected by Skill Check Penalty.

Proficiencies
There are no direct analogues to Proficiencies in M&M, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Weapon Proficiencies
Weapon Proficiencies can easily be recorded as separate weapon "skills" which are also used to fight. They should probably attempt to reflect a Fighting Style more so than just a singular weapon however, so you could choose "Historical European Martial Arts" for instance, which would cover most traditional weapons, though anything sufficiently exotic would be alien to you, and the GM might not allow you to make use of certain special features of certain weapons, due to having too generalist training.

Selecting "Polearms" would give you a general affinity for any polearms however, and no matter how strange the polearm (sometimes maybe if it wasn't even intended as a polearm), you can use it to the fullest extent, but other weapons that are not polearms will be wasted on you.

Particularly exotic and unique weapons might require a unique specialization in that one weapon.

Armor Proficiencies
Armor Proficiencies existed in D&D to punish players for using armor, if their class was determined to be too powerful that it would be unbalanced for them to use it. There is no direct analogue, but I'd rather say that anyone can use armor and all receive penalties, but with a specific Advantage (M&M analogue to "Features" or "Feats"), you might lessen these penalties.

Light Armor is generally too light and uncomplicated that I think any kind of training is really necessary. However, Medium- and Heavy Armor are different stories.

Suggestion: Armor Training - Your training with Medium Armor allows you to move faster and more efficient while wearing this, you do not become fatigued from extensive use of such armor. Increase your maximum Dexterity Bonus by 1, lower your Skill Check Penalty by 2. While you gain no additional benefits from wearing heavy armor, you do not become fatigued from wearing it.

Other Statistics
There are a few Statistics that do not exist in M&M that are staples of the D&D playstyle. They are for the most part easy to re-implement.

Speed
Your Species has a Speed Factor, and you simply add your Agility to this and there you have your Speed, which works just like in regular D&D - record it.

Hitpoints
See the "Damage" Section under Combat for a more detailed view of how this will work. M&M doesn't naturally feature a totally comparable "Health" system, but it is easy to add.

Multiple Attacks
You do not gain multiple attacks in this game, as was previously the case. Multiple attacks was basically always an issue in various editions of D&D, and objectively just the most powerful thing you could obtain, perhaps except for area of attack damage. While I have implemented a version of multiple-attacks, it will be severely less effective than in various editions of D&D. See Combat section for more details.

Equipment
While M&M has its own equipment, and it does function differently than in D&D, it isn't a problem to utilize equipment directly from D&D material for the most part, just make sure to translate names of values appropriately, and that is frankly all that is necessary.

Weapons
Because I will be presenting a Hitpoint System, weapon Damage Die functions just fine as well, and need no changes.

Armor
The AC Bonus listed on Armor is not applied to your Dodge as veteran D&D players might suspect, but instead it is added to your Toughness, and serves as Damage Reduction.

Shield
Shields are the exception to the Above. Shields provide a Passive bonus to Dodge, until the shield is used to Parry With, at which point the passive dodge bonus is lost until the start of the Character's next round.

Initiative
Note that Initiative is a work in progress and the rules here contradict the rules found in the "Combat" headline just below, but the rules are easily compatible.

Initiative describes a character's ability to act during combat or other intensive situations, and is a game mechanic that directly affects how many actions a character can take.

How does it work?
Initiative allows a character to take a turn, by buying a turn at the cost of 5 Initiative, or a minor action out of turn, by paying the appropriate cost - however, the amount of initiative a character has also determines the turn order, and a character with lower initiative than a given other character cannot act before the character with higher initiative has taken their turn, or skipped it.

Spending Initiative
The character who currently has the most Initiative is the first to decide their actions. This character can spend Initiative to take certain Initiative Actions, or can Cash In 5 initiative to take a turn. Every time a character spends Initiative, their place in the Turn Order is moved down accordingly, and if by taking an action, a character's initiative is moved past another character's initiative, thus making someone else higher in the turn order, that character may attempt to interrupt the actions taken, and any actions the first acting character was attempting are not assumed to be completed until after the actions of the characters they lowered past have decided their own actions.

Maximum Initiative
Maximum Initiative is always 15 for a regular character. Only supernaturally enhanced characters or inhuman characters can obtain a higher Initiative than 15.

Minimum Initiative
A character starts all action-phases (such as combat) with an initiative rating equal to their Dexterity Score+1+1d4. Certain Advantages add a considerable bonus to starting initiative.

Gaining Initiative
Characters gain initiative each round equal to their Dexterity Score+1, though always a minimum of 1 initiative gained each round. A negative Dexterity Score only affects starting initiative.

Initiative Carry
Initiative carries over from round to round, but cannot exceed the maximum.

Gaining and Losing Initiative
At any given time when a character is attacked and successfully parries (actively defends against) an attack, they lose an amount of initiative equal to the amount that their Dodge rating was beaten by, and this initiative is gained by the attacker, who still cannot exceed his maximum and with the defending character not being able to go below the minimum of 1.

Taking a turn
When 5 initiative is converted into a full-turn where general actions can be taken, the five initiative is converted into 5 Action Points.

Action Points
Action Points can be used to take actions inside of a turn, where as Initiative can be paid to take certain few actions outside of a turn. Certain equipment and conditions modifies how many action points a character obtains from cashing in 5 initiative to take a turn, and the given weapon used alters the amount of Action Points that it costs to attack with the given weapon.

Finesse Penalty
Finesse Penalty describes the penalty that a character suffers when wearing armor or other cumbersome equipment (including a heavy backpack, for instance). A character's Finesse Penalty is applied against their available action points when cashing in Initiative for a Turn.

Action Cost
Certain Equipment that can be used during a turn has an affiliated Action Point cost. If no cost is listed, always assume the cost to be 1.

Holding Turn
Cashing in initiative for a turn can sometimes result in not being able to act, perhaps because of Finesse Penalty or other conditional modifiers that prevents a character from acting - thus, this requires building momentum to do what is intended, but this comes with the disadvantage that the moment to act could slip by while the character waits for a chance to act, and further more gives the opponents a chance to read the characters intentions.

Declaring a Hold Turn
When a character decides to Hold Turn, they save all left-over Action Points they had, and may combine them with the action points obtained from the next time they are able to cash in Initiative for an additional turn, but they also commit to not taking any significant actions while waiting for the chance to act.

Reading a Character
A character who holds turn must declare to the GM what his intention is upon being permitted to act, and any character who passes an Insight Check versus the Holding Character's Deception or preferred fighting roll becomes privy to the loosely described intention of the character (attack, move etc.).

Actions permitted during a Hold Turn
A character who is holding may Defend themselves, but are forced to roll a Will Save versus DC 10+X, with X being the number of Action Points they are intending to carry over after having attempted to defend themselves. If they fail the Will Save, they lose as many held action points as they failed the DC by (to a maximum of all the Action Points). A character may also move, but only if the move action is to preserve the original declared intention of their Hold Action.

Combat
Combat is not exactly the same in M&M and in D&D - but it is similar enough that it isn't an issue just to convert it simply.

Multiple Combat Actions
This game divides Combat Actions into Defensive Actions and Offensive Actions, and generally requires you to plan ahead and split your "pool" into multiple pools.

Dice Pool
The term "Dice Pool" comes from game systems where the number of dice rolled increases depending on how good a character is at something. This doesn't quite apply to D20, but in this case, it refers to the bonus added to the dice roll instead.

Splitting a Pool
When splitting a pool for the sake Combat Actions, each new sub-pool must be equal to the others in size, and each must be at least 1, and you always round down in the case of decimals.

Unsplit Penalty
If you fail to plan ahead, and you decide to take an extra Combat Action regardless, this requires you to split your full Pool in three for the second action, forcing you to use a much lower pool for the second action. If a third action is taken, then it will be split into four, and so forth.
 * Note that these penalties applies to all further unplanned Combat Actions, meaning if you incur a penalty on an unplanned extra offensive action, and then attempt to make an unplanned defensive action, the defensive action will be penalized as if was the third offensive combat action, by being split into four pools.

Defensive Actions
Any actions taken in a round, that are for defensive purpose are considered defensive actions (generally speaking "parry rolls") and rely on your "parry" ability, requiring you to split your parry-pool if you wish to have the ability to attempt to parry multiple times.

Offensive Actions
Any action taken in a round, that are for an offensive purpose are considered offensive actions (generally speaking attack rolls) and rely on which ever combat skill you are using, requiring you to split that attack pool for multiple attack actions.

Riposte and Intercept
Riposte and Intercept are both Offensive Maneuvers, both interrupt the attacker's turn and require a character to be under attack before they can be taken, making them easy to confuse for defensive abilities.

Riposte
If you have successfully parried an attack, and you are either willing to suffer an unsplit-penalty on further unplanned rolls, or you planned ahead and split your attack pool (if it has not been your turn yet, you may not yet have had the option to make such a choice, forcing you to go with the unsplit option), then you can perform a riposte, which is basically just an attack roll made during the opponent's turn, at the end of which, the opponent resumes their turn (if still conscious).

Intercept
If your character has more reach than their opponent, upon being attacked in general, they can attempt to intercept the attack, by attacking first. If their attack is successful, it interrupts and disrupts the incoming attack.
 * You can only attempt to Intercept one attack from each opponent, each round, as it is assumed that a successful attack by your opponent means that they have closed the distance, and your superior reach no longer matters.
 * Intercepting sounds appealing, but it is also dangerous, because if you fail to connect to your opponent, the attack is not interrupted, and you can no longer choose to parry.

Dual-Wielding
Dual-Wielding, meaning in this case, to wield two weapons simultaneously, immediately seems both difficult and highly effective. Effectively speaking, there isn't much difference between wielding a second weapon, and wielding a shield, however, people often dramatically underestimate the difficulty of wielding a shield, and this is why dual-wielding and using a shield is considered the same thing in this system.

Dual-Wielding in general
Obviously, there has to be some sort of significant advantage to dual-wielding to make it worthwhile, and in this system, that advantage is that the Unsplit Penalty from unplanned attacks, only further applies to the same hand that was used to make the unplanned Combat Action. The drawback from dual-wielding is the penalties that come with the territory. Dual-Wielding requires special training and comes with harsh restrictions on equipment for it to be effective, or it quickly turns into a nightmare of penalties.
 * For example, if fictional "Character A" (called "Allan") attacks fictional "Character B" (Called "Bob"), with his main hand weapon, having not split his attack pool, and misses, and then decides to attack Bob again with his off-hand weapon, he takes an unsplit penalty to any further Combat Actions with his off-hand, but not if he later tries to parry an attack from Bob with his main-hand, or decides to riposte against Bob with his main-hand.

Dual-wielding with a Shield
Using a shield without specific training in using a shield (advantage: Shield Training, which requires 1 rank in Westerland Arms, Oriental Arms or similar) means that the shield bonus only effectively be applied to Dodge, and not to parry.
 * Attempts to parry with the shield result in a loss of the Shield Bonus, meaning it is a naked parry roll, even if the Shield Bonus had not already been applied to Dodge during the same round.

Dual-Wielding with weapons
Due to many modern RPGs, people often think of Dual-Wielding two weapons as yet another viable choice, in a long line of choices. The truth is, that dual-wielding was usually the result of being in a very sub-optimal situation, and is largely viewed as totally inferior to using a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon and a shield, but is better than using a one-handed weapon alone.
 * Dual-Wielding weapons requires the Advantage "Dual-Wielding", which in turn requires one rank in either "Westerland Arms", "Oriental Arms" or similar, or alternatively merely the Advantage "Ambidextrous".
 * Dual-Wielding two weapons results nets a -2 penalty to any action taken with the off-hand, and a -1 penalty with the main-hand. The -1 penalty on the main-hand is removed if the character has the Advantage "Dual-Wielding", and the penalty to the off-hand is removed only if the character has the Advantage "Dual-Wielding" and the advantage "Ambidextrous".
 * Any short weapon can be used for dual-wielding without incurring further penalties, but using any non-short weapon, excluding small-swords (sabers, rapiers etc.) results in a -2 penalty to the hand that wields it.

Mounted Combat
Mounted Combat, in one form or another, has advantages and disadvantages. The first thing that comes to mind is that it becomes very difficult to dodge attacks, and that the vehicle used (animals referred to as vehicles in this article) could sustain damage, but on the other hand, it would be dangerous to get in the way of a mounted character, and the mounted character probably moves a lot faster.

Mounted Combat in general
Mounted Combat requires a Vehicle check, and the DC is usually 10. A Vehicle with reduced handling will incur a higher DC (a non-combat trained horse, for instance, has a higher DC to be ridden successfully into Combat). This is merely to perform mounted combat - any additional maneuvers require additional vehicle checks.

Vehicle Pool
How many vehicle checks you can make in a round depends on your relevant advantage. Having a Horseback Advantage, for instance, at rank 3 allows you to make 3 vehicle rolls, in addition to the first one made just to initially ride into combat.

Ride-By Attacks
Any vehicle has a basic movement speed (some may have much more advanced speeds as well, but ultimately it boils down to a movement speed). Providing your vehicle has movement left over after you've successfully attacked your target, regardless of the distance you are from that target, your vehicle will still travel this full distance in a straight line. Diverging from this straight line, or attempting to stop, requires a vehicle check.
 * It is not necessary to make a maneuver check to initiate a Ride-By, as it is the default means of mounted combat.

Run-Down
Referred to as trampling, running over or many other such names, the art of attacking someone, or something, with a vehicle is a frequently used strategy, that doesn't necessarily harbor any negative consequences for the vehicle itself.
 * When performing a run-down maneuver with a mount, the target must be at least one size-category smaller. If the vehicle was at charging distance, the impact damage is doubled - otherwise determined by the vehicle itself, and further doubled for each additional size-category it exceeds the target by.
 * A target that is struck by a run-down attack is always bull-rushed to a side of the pilot's choice, unless they are knocked down. A knock-down is always attemped, but could fail, resulting it an automatic bull-rush.
 * If the target is knocked down, the target suffers base impact damage of the vehicle once more.
 * Running a target down is not any different from attempting a ride-by, and does not require any special consideration or maneuvers, other than rolling to enter combat with a vehicle in the first place.

Damage
In this game, you suffer damage when an enemy hits you and deals more damage than your Toughness Score can soak.

Every time you suffer Damage, you record it on your sheet, until your damage exceeds your Toughness Score, at which point you erase the damage, add the remainder from the most recent infliction, starting from 0 again, then you roll a 1d20 to determine what injury you suffer.

1-5 represents an injured leg, 6-10 represents an injured arm, 11-15 represents a torso injury and 16-19 represents a head injury. Upon rolling a 20, your character is immediately incapacitated. When you obtain an injury, you must make a fortitude save vs. DC 10+X where X is equal to twice the number of wounds you currently have. If you fail, you are incapacitated, your character falls down and drops his weapon and cannot get back up on his own - but he is not dying.
 * Every leg-injury reduces your Dodge by 1 and your speed by 3.
 * Every arm-injury reduces your Fighting by 2.
 * Every torso injury lowers your maximum Hitpoint Value by 2
 * Every head-injury results in a -2 penalty to all skill-checks.

Hitpoints
Hitpoints is how many points of Damage you can take before you obtain a wound. Your initial maximum HP value is equal to your toughness score, but you do gain a size-bonus to it as well, which is equal to 1 HP per size category (humans are considered Medium, which is category number 5 - so a human would have an extra 5 hitpoints).

Custom Advantages
Some of these may technically already exist, but I cannot be bothered to read through the entire collection of M&M Advantages.

Backgrounds
Backgrounds are a type of advantages that a character may only possess one of - they often give very hefty advantages, that are very situation specific, and may not necessary provide a significant advantage throughout the game. A character who does not have a background, if setting applicable, may select one from the list.

Noble Background
The low-nobility, contrary to what one might presume, had very harsh upbringings. Society largely rested in the capable competent hands of the low-nobility, who filled most offices and served as advisers to the title-holders, who often came from significantly different backgrounds - having been practically born in the purple by comparison.
 * Type: Advantage
 * Price: Standard - One rank available.
 * Restrictions: May not have any other background advantages.

The low-nobility were no strangers to backbreaking work, though their work often took very different shapes than the actual work done by commoners. It was study, training, repetition and chores.

As a result, you may roll untrained expertise on maintenance rolls for armor and weapons - but if you are trained, you may take advantage on rolls to maintain gear. In addition, this also applies to tending horses and anything relation to courts and lordly households - for instance setting a table or how to properly serve someone.

Combat
Combat Advantages are specific to combat. Remember that combat advantages necessitate some sort of access to combat training, so do not choose one of these without running it by your GM first - in fact, asking for a list of combat training that may have been accessible to your character may be a good idea if you're interested in these.

Combat Training
Combat Training specifies a category of weapons that your character is trained with. You can improve your combat training, for a +1 with this category for each rank that you possess. Taking this advantage necessitates taking the Weapon Specialization Advantage, which requires choosing a specific weapon from within the category that your character is particularly adept with - while weapon specialization cannot be advanced as an advantage, Combat Training can advance as far as your Power Level permits.
 * Type: Advantage
 * Price: Standard - Limited by Power-Level
 * Restrictions: Must buy Weapon Specialization, choosing a weapon from the same category as chosen for Combat Training, when buying a new Combat Training Category.

Weapon Specialization
Weapon Specialization works a bit differently from setting to setting. In a more medieval setting, you specialize with a type of weapon, for instance, "Halberds" - but in a more modern setting, it would be specific product lines, for instance "AR-15 Rifles", or more specific if necessary, for instance; "S&W M&P Pistol". You gain advantage with combat rolls made with weapons you specialize in.
 * Type: Advantage
 * Price: Standard - One rank available.
 * Restrictions: Cannot buy weapon specialization for a weapon that falls into a category you do not have training with (unless weapon falls into multiple categories, and you have training with it through other means).

Armor Training
Your character is conditioned to wear armor from within his culture group (to be assessed by what kinds of weapons he has training with - a man who specializes in longswords in the 20th century wouldn't be conditioned for plate-carriers, but would probably be familiar with chainmail if he did have armor training!). You reduce all armor penalties by 1 point for each rank in armor-training.
 * Type: Advantage
 * Price: Standard - Five ranks available.
 * Restrictions: n/a