Rarity Scales

Overview

The Rarity Scale is SystemRPG's primary classification system for measuring the potential power and advancement difficulty of game elements. This 25-level progression system (Abundant → Beyond) provides a consistent framework for balancing power effects, advancement costs, and gameplay expectations across all aspects of the game.

What Uses Rarity Rankings

Classes, Skills, Spells, Traits, and Tek all utilize rarity rankings to determine:

• Base Power Level: The scope and magnitude of effects possible
• Targeting Capabilities: Number of targets and range of influence
• Effect Capacity: How long abilities last, what kind and complexity of effects they can have and their possible impact
• EXP Investment: The experience cost required for advancement or creation

How Rarity Affects Power

Higher Rarity = Greater Potential, Greater Cost

• Low Rarity (1-5): Basic effects with limited scope but easy advancement
• Mid Rarity (6-12): Specialized capabilities requiring significant investment
• High Rarity (13-25): Extraordinary abilities that reshape reality itself

Power Scaling Examples:

• A Common (Rarity 3) healing spell might restore 50 HP to one target but not correct bones or regenerate them
• A Greater (Rarity 7) healing spell could restore 200 HP to multiple allies or possibly rejoin a broken or otherwise severed limb
• A Mythic (Rarity 19) healing spell might grant permanent regeneration to an entire army

EXP Cost Progression

Rarity directly determines the base EXP cost for advancing or creating abilities:

• Abundant-Common (1-3): Low base costs, quick early progression
• Uncommon-Advanced (4-6): Moderate costs, noticeable investment required
• Greater-Superior (7-9): High costs, major time commitment
• Legendary+ (10-25): Exponentially increasing costs, defining character choices

These base costs are then modified by Power Scales milestone multipliers to create the final advancement requirements.

The Rarity Hierarchy

The complete 25-ranks of rarity progression system used throughout SystemRPG:

1. Abundant
2. Plentiful
3. Common
4. Uncommon
5. Special
6. Rare
7. Greater
8. Exotic
9. Superior
10. Legendary
11. Epic
12. Ancient
13. Runic
14. Unique
15. Esoteric
16. Peerless
17. Timeless
18. Fabled
19. Mythic
20. Ascendant
21. Transcendent
22. Celestial
23. Primordial
24. Exalted
25. Beyond

Practical Applications

For Game Masters:

• Use rarity to gauge appropriate challenge levels for encounters
• Balance rewards by matching rarity to party advancement stage
• Control power creep by managing access to higher rarity abilities

For Players:

• Understand the long-term investment required for different character builds
• Make informed decisions about specialization vs. breadth
• Plan character progression around milestone achievements

For Character Creation:

• Higher rarity starting abilities require special circumstances or backgrounds
• Rarity restrictions help maintain game balance across different origins
• Path choices often unlock access to specific rarity tiers

Integration with Other Systems

The Rarity Scale works in conjunction with:

• Power Scales: Determines milestone multipliers for advancement costs
• Skills System: Establishes base difficulty and potential for all skills
• Classes: Class rarity affects stat bonuses and skill availability
• 8-Projects/ttrpg_gameDev/systemRPG/3-Mechanix/Paths/Paths: Path completion often unlocks higher rarity abilities

This unified approach ensures consistent power scaling and meaningful progression choices throughout all levels of play.