Table of Contents

Sanity System

This module adds psychological pressure, horror, and mental instability to ODDS RPG.

Use this in:

If not using horror themes, this module is optional.


Sanity vs Resolve

The GM chooses one approach:

Option 1:

Replace Resolve with Sanity.

Option 2:

Keep Resolve for morale and add Sanity as a separate track.

Recommended for horror:

Separate Sanity track.

If separate:

Sanity = 10 + Presence


Sanity Checks

When a character encounters:

Roll:

1d20 + Presence

TN guidelines:

Unsettling → 12 Horrific → 15 Mind-shattering → 18 Reality-breaking → 22

Failure:

Lose 2d10 Sanity.

Strong Failure (miss by 5+):

Lose 2d10 Sanity and gain a Condition.

Sanity Conditions

At 50% Sanity:

Gain one Minor Instability.

At 0 Sanity:

Character Breaks.

Broken state:

Recovery requires:


Minor Instabilities

Roll 1d8 or choose:

1 Paranoia (-2 Insight-based rolls) 2 Tremors (-2 ranged attacks) 3 Nightmares (no Resolve recovery on short rest) 4 Phobia (GM-defined trigger) 5 Obsession (fixate on clue or object) 6 Emotional detachment (-2 social rolls) 7 Hallucinations (minor distortions) 8 Compulsive behavior

Instabilities persist until treated.


Treatment & Recovery

After major rest or downtime:

Roll 1d20 + Mind vs TN 15.

On success:

Recover 1d10 Sanity.

Professional therapy, magical cleansing, or advanced tech may grant Advantage.

Sanity should recover slowly to maintain tone.


Short-Term Shock (Optional Rule)

On failing a Sanity roll by 10+:

Roll 1d6:

1 Freeze (lose next Action) 2 Flee immediately 3 Drop held item 4 Attack nearest target 5 Collapse prone 6 Catatonic for one round

This adds horror unpredictability.


Long-Term Effects (Optional Rule)

If a character reaches 0 Sanity twice:

Gain a Permanent Scar.

Examples:

Permanent Scars are roleplay-driven and may impose -1 to a relevant area.


Design Principles

Sanity should:

Do not use it to punish normal combat stress.

Reserve it for true horror elements.


ODDS RPG Sanity Module v1.0