Echoveil is built on the 5th Edition SRD — the same d20 system powering the world's most-played tabletop RPG, fully adapted for space opera. If you know 5E, you already know how to play.
Everything in Echoveil resolves the same way: roll a d20, add the relevant modifier, compare to a target number. That's the whole engine. Everything else is flavor on top of that loop.
When the outcome is uncertain, roll d20 + ability modifier. Meet or beat the Difficulty Class (DC) set by the AI GM to succeed. DC 10 is easy. DC 20 is hard. DC 25+ is legendary.
Roll d20 + proficiency bonus + ability modifier (STR for melee, DEX for ranged, or your casting ability for Veil attacks). Meet or beat the target's Armor Class (AC) to hit.
When danger threatens, roll d20 + the relevant saving throw modifier. The GM sets the DC based on the source. Succeed → reduced or no effect. Fail → full consequences.
Favorable conditions give Advantage: roll twice, take the higher. Unfavorable conditions give Disadvantage: roll twice, take the lower. They cancel each other out — they never stack.
A roll of 20 on the die is a Critical Hit (double damage dice) or automatic success on a check. A roll of 1 is a Critical Failure on attack rolls. Nat 20s and 1s only apply on attack rolls — not saves or ability checks.
Every character has a proficiency bonus that grows with level. Add it to attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks when you're proficient. It starts at +2 and scales up to +6 at level 17.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Veil Points (Veilborn) | Features Unlocked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | +2 | 2–4 | Class features, species traits, background |
| 5–8 | +3 | 6–10 | Ability Score Improvement, subclass features |
| 9–12 | +4 | 12–16 | Extra Attack II, advanced subclass features |
| 13–16 | +5 | 18–22 | Higher-rank Veil abilities, faction perks |
| 17–20 | +6 | 24–30 | Capstone abilities, Convergence resonance |
5E veterans: Echoveil uses the 5th Edition SRD ruleset with two key adaptations — Veil Points replace spell slots, and the Veilborn ability replaces the standard spellcasting mechanic. Everything else — action economy, concentration, hit points, short/long rests — is standard 5E.
Six numbers define the physical and mental capabilities of every character. Scores range from 1 to 20 (and beyond for extraordinary beings). The modifier — what you actually add to rolls — is calculated as (Score − 10) ÷ 2, rounded down.
Raw muscle and brute force. Used for melee attacks, carrying capacity, and breaking things that don't want to be broken.
Coordination, reflexes, and finesse. Used for ranged attacks, stealth, and dodging. Determines your Armor Class if you're unarmored.
Toughness, stamina, and resilience. Contributes to every hit point you gain. Used to maintain concentration on Veil abilities.
Analytical thinking, technical knowledge, and recall. Used by Voidshapers who approach the Veil with cold logic rather than instinct.
Awareness, insight, and connection to the living world. Tidecallers who harmonize with the Veil draw from Wisdom — the natural frequency of all life.
Personality, leadership, and the ability to shape how others see you. Critical for navigating the Driftway's political web and commanding crew loyalty.
Ability Score Improvements: At levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19, you can increase one ability score by +2 or two ability scores by +1 each (max 20 for player characters). Alternatively, you may take a Feat — a special bonus ability — instead of an ASI.
Creating a character in Echoveil takes five steps. The AI Game Master guides you through the process in-app, weaving your choices into the campaign's opening scene.
Your species determines your biological traits, innate abilities, and cultural starting point in the galaxy. Each species provides an Ability Score Increase, a signature trait, and often a special passive ability.
Your class defines your role in the party and how you grow. Each class provides hit dice, armor and weapon proficiencies, saving throw proficiencies, and a progression of features as you level up. Your class also determines whether you are Veilborn — capable of channeling the Veil.
Distribute scores using the Standard Array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) or Point Buy (27 points, scores 8–15 before bonuses). After assigning, apply your species' Ability Score Increases.
Your modifier for each score: Score 10–11 = +0 · 12–13 = +1 · 14–15 = +2 · 16–17 = +3 · 18–19 = +4 · 20 = +5
Backgrounds represent your life before the campaign began. Each grants two skill proficiencies, one tool proficiency, starting equipment, and a narrative feature the AI GM uses to color your story.
Record your Hit Points (max hit die + CON modifier at level 1), Armor Class, Initiative (DEX modifier), Speed, and Passive Perception (10 + WIS modifier). Choose your starting equipment, name your character, and write one sentence about why they're on the Driftway.
Then hand control to the AI GM. The Veil is already aware of you.
Six species inhabit the Echoveil galaxy, each shaped by millennia of history with the Veil. Your species is your origin — it shapes your abilities, but never your destiny.
Graceful and perceptive, the Sylari feel the Veil's currents like a second heartbeat. Their monastic traditions produced the first Tidecallers.
Information brokers and shadow operatives by culture, the Keth built the intelligence networks that underpin every major faction.
The Arion are warrior-scholars — massive, disciplined, and capable of a calm that makes them more dangerous, not less.
Born on generation ships, station rings, or in null-gravity habitats — the Drifborn have no homeworld. They adapt to everything, belong to nothing.
Insectoid and ancient, the Naxxid carry traces of a long-dissolved hivemind — enough to sense the world in ways other species simply cannot.
Reptilian and relentless, the Vrask have survived three extinction events and a genocide. They do not break. They do not forgive. They endure.
In 5E, spellcasting uses spell slots. In Echoveil, the Veilborn use Veil Points — a pool of resonant energy drawn from the Veil itself. The mechanics are equivalent; the flavor is entirely different.
Not every character can channel the Veil. Only the Veilborn — those born with an innate resonance to the invisible field threading the galaxy — can spend Veil Points to manifest abilities. Whether you Tidecall or Voidshape determines which path you walk and what the Veil costs you.
You flow with the Veil rather than commanding it. Casting ability: Wisdom. Tidecallers excel at healing, enhancement, and reading the battlefield. They recover Veil Points on a Short Rest. Their power grows in community — they suffer in isolation.
You cut yourself from the Veil and draw power from the cold silence left behind. Casting ability: Intelligence. Voidshapers specialize in control, entropy, and force. They recover all Veil Points on a Long Rest only. Their power is greater — and lonelier.
Concentration: Sustained Veil abilities require Concentration. You can only concentrate on one ability at a time. Taking damage forces a DC 10 or half-damage CON save — fail and the effect ends. Abilities that deal damage but don't persist never require Concentration.
Tidecallers recover on short rest.
Voidshapers recover on long rest only.
| Ability Rank | VP Cost | 5E Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | 1 VP | 1st-level spell |
| Rank 2 | 2 VP | 2nd-level spell |
| Rank 3 | 3 VP | 3rd-level spell |
| Rank 4 | 4 VP | 4th-level spell |
| Rank 5 | 5 VP | 5th-level spell |
| Upcast +1 Rank | +1 VP | Upcasting |
| Cantrip (0-rank) | Free | Cantrip |
Combat in Echoveil is turn-based and tactical. It uses the full 5E action economy — initiative, turns, actions, bonus actions, reactions, and movement — all adjudicated by the AI GM in real time.
Hidden attackers vs. Passive Perception. Surprised creatures lose their first turn.
d20 + DEX modifier. Establishes turn order for the entire encounter.
Move up to your speed. Take one Action, one Bonus Action (if available), and any Reactions as triggered.
Roll damage dice. Apply resistances, vulnerabilities, and immunities. Reduce target HP.
0 HP = unconscious. Three failed Death Saves = dead. Three successes = stable at 1 HP.
Make one or more attack rolls against a target in range. On a hit, roll damage. Some classes gain Extra Attack at higher levels.
Channel the Veil to manifest a rank 1–5 ability. Spend the required Veil Points. Cantrips (rank 0) are always free.
Double your movement speed for this turn. You can't use Dash more than once per turn without a feature that says otherwise.
Your movement doesn't provoke Opportunity Attacks for the rest of this turn.
Until your next turn, attacks against you have Disadvantage and you have Advantage on DEX saves — if you can see the attacker.
Give an ally Advantage on their next ability check or attack roll against a creature you can see and threaten.
Make a contested STR (Athletics) check to knock a creature Prone or seize it as Grappled (speed = 0).
Activate a device, administer a stim-pack, prime a grenade, or interact with a complex environmental element.
When wielding a light weapon in each hand, make one off-hand attack as a bonus action (no ability mod to damage unless negative).
Many class features — Cunning Action (Drifter), Martial Arts (Veilblade), Healing Word (Tidecaller) — are Bonus Actions.
When a creature within your reach moves out of your reach without Disengaging, you may use your reaction to attack once.
Class features like the Engineer's Countermeasures or Veilblade's Veil Parry trigger as reactions to incoming attacks.
Armor Class (AC): Determines how hard you are to hit. Light armor: 11 + DEX. Medium armor: 13 + DEX (max +2). Heavy armor: flat 16–18. Unarmored Naxxid: 13 + DEX. Drifters have Unarmored Defense: 10 + DEX + INT. The AI GM always rolls enemy attacks against your current AC — make sure it's up to date.
Skills represent specific applications of ability scores. When you're proficient in a skill, add your proficiency bonus to ability checks using that skill.
| Skill | Ability | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatics | DEX | Tumbling, balance, zero-gravity movement |
| Animal Handling | WIS | Alien creature interaction, mounted combat |
| Arcana | INT | Veil theory, ancient power, Voidshaper lore |
| Athletics | STR | Climbing, swimming, jumping, grappling |
| Deception | CHA | Lying, disguise, bluffing through checkpoints |
| History | INT | Galactic events, faction histories, ruins |
| Insight | WIS | Reading motives, detecting lies, empathy |
| Intimidation | CHA | Threats, hostile negotiations, interrogation |
| Investigation | INT | Evidence analysis, tech diagnostics, hacking |
| Medicine | WIS | Field triage, toxin ID, stabilizing wounds |
| Nature | INT | Alien ecology, survival environments |
| Perception | WIS | Noticing details, hearing, spotting threats |
| Performance | CHA | Entertainment, distraction, cultural rituals |
| Persuasion | CHA | Negotiation, diplomacy, inspiring others |
| Religion | INT | Veil cults, species cosmologies, ancient orders |
| Sleight of Hand | DEX | Pickpocketing, concealment, sabotage |
| Stealth | DEX | Moving silently, hiding, infiltration |
| Survival | WIS | Tracking, navigation, foraging, harsh environments |
Some checks don't require a roll — your passive score applies automatically. Passive Perception (10 + WIS mod + proficiency if applicable) determines what you notice without looking. The AI GM uses this when you're not actively searching.
When one creature acts against another — Stealth vs. Perception, Deception vs. Insight, Athletics vs. Athletics in a grapple — both roll and compare results. The higher roll wins (ties go to the creature initiating the contest).
Tools are not skills, but proficiency works the same way. Relevant tools in Echoveil include: Hacking Kit, Navigator's Tools, Vehicles (Space), Explosives Kit, Medic's Case, Thieves' Tools, and all standard artisan's tools.
When the whole party attempts the same task — crossing unstable terrain, staying silent — everyone rolls. If at least half succeed, the group succeeds. This prevents a single bad roll from ruining a team effort.
Conditions alter a creature's capabilities in defined ways. The AI GM applies and tracks them automatically. Many can be cleared by a save, an ally's action, or short rest.
You can't see. Attack rolls against you have Advantage. Your attack rolls have Disadvantage. You automatically fail checks that require sight.
You can't attack the charmer or target them with harmful abilities. They have Advantage on CHA checks to influence you. Ends if the charmer harms you.
You can't hear. You automatically fail checks requiring hearing. Communication is visual or tactile only.
Disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source is in sight. You can't willingly move closer to the source of your fear.
Your speed becomes 0 and can't be increased. Ends if the grappler is incapacitated, or if you escape with a contested STR/DEX check.
You can take no Actions or Reactions. Many worse conditions (Paralyzed, Stunned) also impose Incapacitated.
Incapacitated. Can't move or speak. Automatically fail STR and DEX saves. Attacks against you have Advantage — and hits within 5 ft are automatic crits.
Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. Common in alien environments, biological weapons, and contaminated food supplies on outer-rim stations.
Movement costs double. Melee attacks against you have Advantage. Ranged attacks against you have Disadvantage. Stand up by spending half your speed.
Speed is 0. Attacks against you have Advantage. Your attack rolls have Disadvantage. Disadvantage on DEX saves.
Incapacitated. Can't move. Can only speak falteringly. Automatically fail STR and DEX saves. Attacks against you have Advantage.
Echoveil exclusive. You cannot use Veilcasting or spend Veil Points. A Voidshaper's aura, a Severance grenade, or a Null-Zone field can impose this. Duration varies by source.
Echoveil's AI GM isn't a random encounter table. It's a persistent, memory-aware narrator that runs full 5E rules while weaving your history, relationships, and choices into every scene.
The GM calculates all dice results, tracks HP, applies conditions, handles saving throws, and adjudicates edge cases — all in real time, no human referee required. When rules are ambiguous, the GM makes a ruling and tells you what happened and why.
Every choice is remembered. The Driftway merchant you cheated in session one? She has contacts. The Sovereignty soldier you spared? He owes you. The Veil notices what you do — and the GM ensures the world does too.
The AI scales encounter complexity to your level and play style. It won't throw a CR 15 Voidborn Warlord at a level 1 party — but it will make level 5 feel earned. It reads your engagement patterns and adjusts pacing accordingly.
The GM knows the lore — the six factions, the Convergence prophecy, the Driftway's political landscape — and uses it. NPCs have motivations that extend beyond the current scene. Nothing happens for no reason.
If the GM makes a ruling that surprises you, ask. It will explain its reasoning, cite the relevant rule or situation, and — in genuine edge cases — invite you to contest the call. The goal is a fair, transparent game, not a black box.
I try to convince the guard captain that I'm a Sovereignty inspector here to audit the detention block.
Deception check (CHA +3, proficient +3). Roll: 14 + 6 = 20 vs. DC 15.
Captain Vex squints. Your credentials — forged though they are — are exactly the format the Sovereignty used before the Driftway Accord. He doesn't know they changed the seal last cycle. He waves you through with a quiet warning: "Audit fast. Administrator Ruck doesn't like surprises."
Note: Vex has now seen your face. If you surface on another Sovereignty station within three sessions, he may recognize you. The galaxy remembers.
House Rules: You can ask the AI GM to apply custom rulings — different rest variants, alternate death save rules, flanking bonuses. State your preference at session start and it will apply consistently throughout your campaign. Your table, your rules.
The rules are a framework. The Veil is the story. Request early access and be among the first to take your character into the galaxy.