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Nexalis is an otherworldly realm where islands drift amidst an endless cosmic ocean of magical plasma, the Nectar. The Nectar, pulsing with vibrant, ever-shifting colors, mirrors the celestial patterns that guide adventurers on their thrilling journeys. At the heart of this sea lies the Celestial Nexus, an entrancing vortex of astral energy that births islands and renews the world in a constant cycle of creation.

As you journey through the Starbound Isles and the shimmering Nectar ocean, you will encounter vibrant cultures, awe-inspiring landscapes, ancient relics, and enigmatic secrets. Guided by celestial constellations, you will brave untold challenges, learn valuable lessons, and forge lasting bonds with the people and places you encounter.

Bright fantasy?

Nexalis is a bright fantasy game, a genre that focuses on themes of wonder, exploration, and camaraderie. It showcases a vibrant and diverse setting, filled with colorful landscapes and imaginative creatures. Stories in Nexalis tend to be character-driven, often revolving around personal growth, discovery, and the building of relationships.

There's conflict, struggle and fight, but the stories tend to maintain an overall positive and hopeful tone, even in the face of adversity. The narrative emphasizes the potential for good in people and the world.

Characters exhibit adventurous, heroic qualities and make sacrifices for noble causes, learning about themselves along the way. Magic is portrayed positively, enhancing the world's mystique more often than presenting a threat.

Nexalis is a game about exploration and growth in a mesmerizing and ever-evolving world. 

In this game, characters are drifters from diverse backgrounds, united by a shared purpose and an insatiable curiosity for the unknown. You will take on unique roles, aiding locals and protecting the delicate balance of the world, as you grow stronger and wiser with every new experience.

Embark on a voyage of wonder and revelation, guided by the stars and the whispers of the Nectar. Unravel the mysteries of the Starbound Isles, open your heart and your mind to the Nexus, and leave your mark on the world of Nexalis.

Are you ready to answer the call of the unknown, chart your course through the Nectar, and embrace the transformative power of your journey? The world of Nexalis awaits.

Highlights

• Accessible Gameplay: With rules that are easy to learn and understand, you only need two six-sided dice (2d6) to dive into the celestial adventure.
  
  
• Flexible Gameplay Style: Play solo or in a cooperative group. No need for a game master to guide the play. It's all about collective storytelling and shared discovery.
  
  
• Dynamic Worldbuilding: With 15 unique oracles and random tables, create and customize your world, the islands you explore, the missions you undertake, and the characters you embody. Nexalis does not constrain you with excessive pre-established lore, making the world truly yours.
  
  
• Procedural Gameplay: Clear and structured steps guide your gaming experience, always keeping you informed about what to do next. Two distinct phases of play alternate between high action and introspective reflection.
  
  
• Unique Combat System: Nexalis introduces a combat system where a miss offers a tactical choice influencing counter attacks and the turn order, adding a strategic layer to the battles.
  
  
• Evocative and Customizable Playbooks: The game offers 6 engaging playbooks with unique talents and highly customizable characteristics. Character creation is streamlined and fast, allowing you to dive into the game quickly.

• Immediate access to the complete PDF of the fully formatted playtest edition.
• 150-page, full-color, totally hyperlinked and bookmarked PDF.
• 6 trifold playbooks with or without character art, ready to be printed.
• Templates to create your own playbooks and adventures.
• At-cost print-on-demand coupon for the 6 x 9 in (US Trade) book, both in paperback (USD 20.91) and hardcover (USD 28.87) options.
• 15 oracles to generate everything, from islands to characters, from missions to adversities.

You are Drifters—adventurers from diverse backgrounds united by the mission to help inhabitants of the Starbound Isles and an insatiable curiosity for the unknown. In Nexalis, each character's unique abilities and traits are packed in Playbooks. There are 6 standard playbooks you can pick from. They are:

The Wildheart Embodying the untamed spirit of nature, the Wildheart is a fierce protector of the wilds, drawing strength from the mystical energies that flow through the land. These resourceful guardians command the primal forces, communicate with the spirits, and wield the raw power of the elements. Unyielding and resilient, the Wildheart stands as a bulwark between the tranquil sanctuaries of nature and the encroaching tide of civilization.

The Bladesworn The Bladesworn is a valiant champion of honor, courage, and skill, sworn to a cause or bound by loyalty. They are the stalwart defenders of the weak and the vanquishers of the wicked. With a keen mind and a steadfast heart, the Bladesworn excels in the art of war, turning the tide of battle through their unwavering resolve and mastery of arms.

The Spellweaver Masters of arcane secrets and the intricate tapestry of magic, Spellweavers command the unseen forces that shape reality. With a vast reservoir of knowledge and a keen intellect, they weave complex spells to confound, protect, or destroy. In the ever-changing world of Nexalis, the Spellweaver is a beacon of wisdom and power, illuminating the path through the darkest of nights.

The Pathstrider Nimble and elusive, the Pathstrider moves like a whisper on the wind. These adept scouts and hunters have an uncanny connection to their surroundings, navigating the terrain with ease and grace. Whether stalking prey or evading capture, the Pathstrider thrives at the edge of civilization, where the wilds meet the shadows, and the unknown awaits.

The Nightstalker Silent as a shadow and cunning as a fox, the Nightstalker is the embodiment of stealth and deception. Masters of the art of subterfuge, they can slip into the darkest corners, strike from the shadows, and vanish without a trace. As adept in the tangled alleys of a bustling city as in the dense undergrowth of a primeval forest, the Nightstalker turns darkness into an ally and secrecy into a weapon.

The Thundersoul Unleashing a storm of fury and destruction, the Thundersoul is a whirlwind of raw power and relentless ferocity. These warriors channel their inner rage and untamed energy, blending brute force with a touch of the arcane. In the heart of battle, the Thundersoul is an unstoppable force, carving a path through foes with reckless abandon and leaving only echoes of their wrath.

Our intuitive gameplay mechanics are centered around a simple and approachable core (rolling 1d6+modifiers) with enough nuance to offer immersive gameplay and strategical choices. Nexalis employs three key types of dice rolls to handle all your adventures: Challenge Rolls, Contest Rolls, and Combat Rolls.

Challenge rolls encompass actions such as overcoming an obstacle, solving a puzzle, accomplishing a task, avoiding a threat, enduring a hardship, disarming a trap, and so on. Your roll needs to meet a Challenge Rating (CR). If you do so, the challenge is overcome. If you don't, you can decrease the CR by 1 and keep trying with a different approach, if it makes sense.

Contest rolls are used when you want to oppose someone (or something) else on a task, such as a chase, a competition, a debate, a non-lethal duel, a negotiation, and so on. The core roll is the same, but instead of a CR, you are performing opposing rolls in a tug-of-war mechanic, and whoever gets to the end of the track first, wins the contest.

Combat rolls are needed when both sides of a conflict are willing to harm one another. Again, you are performing opposed rolls, and the difference between the rolls is the damage inflicted. However, whenever a miss occurs, you're faced with a pivotal choice: either keep the rhythm of battle as is, or opt for a bold counterattack, potentially accepting damage in exchange for seizing the initiative. Every decision you make in combat plays a critical role in shaping the flow of battle, adding another layer of tactical depth.

Other system highlights

• Face Death: When your character drops to 0 Health Points or lower, their soul is transported to the Spirit Realm, where they'll need to win a Contest against Death itself. If they win, they spring back into action. If they lose, their soul is taken and a Relic from the Spirit Realm materializes in the place of their body.
  
  
• Splitting Dice: Whenever your die rolls a 6 during any kind of roll, you have the option to split that die. If you choose to do so, roll two new dice and replace the original 6 with the sum of the new results.
  
  
• Oracles: Whenever you need to answer a Yes or No question, you can ask the Oracle. You can even ask about the limits of your character's abilities, and use it to clarify game mechanics and effects.
  
  
• Recover and advance: Recovering and advancing your character are tied to the seafaring phase, when you embark on a journey to the next island, reflect on your experiences and bond with your colleagues and with the mysterious Nexus itself.