TEXT: ADVENTURE CONQUEROR KING SYSTEM – SECOND EDITION 
  The document you are reading is from the future. It was distributed as a free pamphlet at GENCON 2020 to assist 
  ACKS players in making the conversion from ACKS 1E to ACKS 2E. How it reached me, I do not know; it is perhaps a 
  result of some creatio-cognitive singularity in Indianapolis in recent days. In any event, it’s quite interesting. I have 
  some concerns about some of what’s in this pamphlet, but I can only assume that in the next 36 months that my 
  future self will experience certain playtest outcomes and player suggestions which will make it all become clear. Or 
  perhaps not – the future is, after all, still ours to shape. 
  AN INTRODUCTION TO ACKS 2E 
  Welcome to GenCon 2020! This year marks the 10th anniversary of Adventurer Conqueror King System. By the 
  standards of role-playing games, that makes it an old rules set. Of course, age alone is no reason to change 
  something; but with ten years of gameplay behind ACKS by hundreds of gaming groups worldwide, Autarch has now 
  accumulated a wealth of new knowledge about the game. With feedback from our loyal fans, we’ve decided to 
  update ACKS. This guide will walk you through the major changes to the game.  
  THE BASICS 
  There are two major changes to the core mechanics of ACKS in 2E. 
  1D20 THROWS 
  In ACKS 1E, throws were made against a variable target value that depended on the character’s class, level, and 
  proficiencies, then modified by circumstances. In ACKS 2E, throws are always made with 1d20 against a target value 
  of 20. The character’s class, level, and proficiencies provide a throw bonus which is then further adjusted by 
  circumstantial modifiers.  
  To make a throw of the dice in 2E, you follow these steps: 
   
  Throw 1d20.  
   
  Add your throw bonus for the throw to the number generated by the die.. 
   
  Add any circumstantial modifiers to the number generated by the die.   
   
  Compare the modified total to 20. If the modified total equals or exceeds 20, the outcome is favorable to 
  you. If the modified total is lower than 20, the outcome is unfavorable to you.  
   
  To calculate your adventurer’s throw bonus, use the formula (20 – 1E target value). For instance, if your saving throw 
  versus Blast had a target value of 16+ in 1E, your character’s saving throw versus Blast now has a throw bonus of +4. 
   
  2D6 ROLLS 
  All 2d6 rolls for loyalty, morale, reaction, and other interactions are replaced with throws in ACKS 2E. The same 
  modifiers apply, but the ranges on the table are adjusted, as follows.  
  Reaction, Morale, Loyalty Rolls 
  Adjusted Die Roll 
  Loyalty Result 
  Reaction Result 
  Morale Result 
  1-* 
  Hostility 
  Hostile, attacks 
  Retreat 
  2-5 
  Resignation 
  Unfriendly, attacks if stronger 
  Fighting Withdrawal 
  6-15 
  Grudging Loyalty 
  Neutral, uncertain 
  Fight On 
  16-19 
  Loyalty 
  Indifferent, helpful if compensated 
  Advance and Pursue 
  20+* 
  Fanatic Loyalty 
  Friendly, helpful 
  Victory or Death 
  *Or natural die roll of 1 or 20. 
   
   
   
  
  CHARACTERS 
  WISDOM MODIFIER 
  In ACKS 2E, your WIS modifier increases your throw bonus on all saving throws, not just saving throws versus magic.   
  DEXTERITY MODIFIER 
  In ACKS 2E, your DEX modifier increases your throw bonus on proficiency throws to perform acrobatics, open locks, 
  pick pockets, find traps, remove traps, hide in shadows, move silently, or climb walls. 
  ARMOR, WEAPON, AND FIGHTING STYLE PROFICIENCIES 
  In ACKS 1E the armor, weapons, and fighting styles available to a character were defined in natural language. This 
  occasionally made a particular class’s selections somewhat open to debate. ACKS 2E has formalized the selection of 
  armor, weapons, and fighting styles into proficiencies, so that each class can have its starting armor, weapon, and 
  fighting style proficiencies clearly laid out in a table. 
  ANIMAL COMPANIONS AND FAMILIARS 
  Instead of having ½ the Hit Dice of the adventurer they accompany, animal companions and familiars in 2E have 1 
  Hit Die less than their adventurer (½ HD at 1st level). The animal companion or familiar’s baseline characteristics 
  are adjusted based on its current Hit Dice relative to the Hit Dice of an ordinary animal of its type: 
   
   
  The monster’s attack throws, hit points, and saving throws increase or decrease by one per Hit Die.  
   
  The monster’s AC increases or decreases by ½ (1 per 2 HD), to a minimum of 0 and a maximum of its own 
  starting HD.  
   
  The monster deals an average of 2 hp more or less damage divided among all its attacks per HD. The 
  Judge should decide how this is manifested. The Monster Attack Table (p. XX) can be used to calculate 
  new damage dice if desired. 
   
  These rules put animal companions and familiars equal to an equivalent animal henchman acquired via Beast 
  Friendship proficiency. 
  The rules for familiars in 2E specify that the familiar cannot itself select the Familiar proficiency, nor have henchmen. 
  Familiars that take language proficiency learn to read and understand the language, but cannot speak it. Familiars 
  can only communicate with their adventurer, or with characters benefiting from speak with animals or tongues. 
  EQUIPMENT 
  COMMISSIONING EQUIPMENT 
  ACKS 2E incorporates the revised rules for Commissioning Equipment originally posted on the Official Forums.  
  If equipment the adventurers desire to purchase is not available, they may commission it to be created. The 
  advantage of commissioning equipment is that ten times more equipment can be commissioned than is available as 
  inventory. Where the number available is listed as a percentage chance, multiply the percentage by 10 and divide 
  by 100%. The integer quotient is the number of units available, and the remainder (if any) is the percentage chance 
  of one additional unit being available. 
  The disadvantage of commissioning equipment is that it is not immediately available. Buildings and vehicles, which 
  can be built by large groups, are constructed at a rate of 1 day per 500gp value. Animals take 1 day per 1gp value to 
  find and train. Other equipment takes 1 day per 5gp value. All commissioned equipment is worked on 
  simultaneously. 
  CROSSBOWS AND ARBALESTS 
  Crossbows and arbalests must be reloaded after they are fired. Reloading is an action in lieu of moving. 
  MASTERWORK EQUIPMENT 
  The rules for masterwork equipment in the Heroic Fantasy Handbook are incorporated into ACKS 2E. 
   
   
  
  PROFICIENCIES 
  GAINING PROFICIENCIES 
  In ACKS 2E, all characters have four implicit general proficiency slots which represent their potential for natural 
  accretion of knowledge over time (in addition to their starting and level-based proficiencies). Characters who are 
  not exceptionally diligent at practice automatically fill these slots after 5, 15, 35, and 70 years of work. 
  However, by extensive training, characters can accelerate their acquisition of these proficiency slots. 
   
  It takes 60 days (2 months) of major activity training that proficiency to gain the first rank of a proficiency.  
   
  It takes 240 days (8 months) of major activity training that proficiency to gain the second rank or the first 
  rank of a second proficiency. 
   
  It takes 540 days (18 months) of major activity training that proficiency to gain the third rank or the first 
  rank of a third proficiency. 
   
  It takes 960 days (32 months) of major activity training that proficiency to gain the fourth rank or the first 
  rank of a fourth proficiency. 
  The total time required to gain four proficiency ranks is therefore 1,800 days; at 6 hours per day of major activity 
  that equates to about 10,000 hours. 
  RETRAINING PROFICIENCIES 
  Characters in ACKS 2E can retrain an existing class or general proficiency for another proficiency of the same type 
  with 120 days of major activity training. The character must have access to a tutor who knows the proficiency, or to 
  a training manual of the appropriate proficiency rank. A character can train back into a proficiency he previously 
  knew with 60 days of major activity. 
  EXAMPLE: As a young man, Athelstan learned Craft (blacksmithing) and used his earnings from blacksmithing to tide 
  him over when he was recovering from adventurers. Now that Athelstan has become a lord, he has a blacksmith on 
  retainer and concerns himself with weightier matters of state. Athelstan hires a marshal to train him in Military 
  Strategy. After 60 days of training, Athelstan has learned Military Strategy. He has lost Craft (blacksmithing).  
  MODIFIED PROFICIENCIES 
  ACKS 2E incorporates the modifications to the rules for Proficiencies found in the Heroic Fantasy Handbook.   
  SPELLS 
  ARCANE REPERTOIRES AND SPELLBOOKS 
  The conceptual difference between spell repertoires, spell books, and spell formulas was somewhat confused in 
  ACKS 1E. In ACKS 2E the rules make a clear distinction between the three.  
   
  A spell repertoire is the set of spells that an arcane caster is capable of casting. The size of a caster’s spell 
  repertoire is limited by his class, level, and ability scores. 
   
  A spell book is the set of spells that an arcane caster could have in his repertoire. There is no limit to the 
  size of a caster’s spell book. 
   
  A spell formula is the information necessary to add a spell to a spell book. Spell formulas can be found on 
  scrolls, in other caster’s spell books, or in rare books. 
  It requires 1,000gp and 1 week of game time per spell level, plus access to the appropriate spell formula, to add a 
  spell to your spell book. If your repertoire is not full, you may automatically add the spell to your repertoire at the 
  same time. If the your repertoire is full, you may automatically replace one spell of the same level with the new spell 
  at the same time. 
  An arcane spellcaster who already has a full repertoire of spells may sometimes wish to replace one spell in his spell 
  repertoire with another of equal level already recorded in his spell book. It costs 1 week of game time per spell level 
  to replace a spell in the repertoire with another in the spell book.  
   
   
   
  
  ADVENTURES 
  ATTACKS AND ARMOR PENETRATION 
  ACKS 2E uses the rules for Attacks and Armor Penetration found in the Heroic Fantasy Handbook. 
  CONDITIONS 
  The effect of various conditions in combat has been formalized in ACKS 2E following the rules from Axioms VI. 
  CRITICAL HITS 
  ACKS 2E uses the rules for Critical Hits found in the Heroic Fantasy Handbook. 
  DAMAGE 
  When doubling (tripling, quadrupling, etc.) damage dice, increase the damage bonus by the same factor. 
  HIT POINTS AND HEALING 
  ACKS 2E uses the rules for Hit Points and Healing found in the Heroic Fantasy Handbook. 
  MORTAL WOUNDS 
  In ACKS 2E, adventurers with d6 HD add +2 to their 1d20 roll on the Mortal Wounds table. Adventurers with d8 HD 
  add +4, adventurers with d10 HD add +6, and adventurers with d12 HD add +8. 
  However, the penalties for negative hit points are more severe. The Mortal Wounds throw is modified by +5 if hp 
  are exactly 0; -2 if hp are at a negative value from ¼ to ½ max hp; -5 if hp are at a negative value of ½ max hp to max 
  hp; -10 if hp are at a negative value of max hp to twice max hp; and an additional -5 for each max-hp interval 
  thereafter. 
  EXAMPLE: Athelstan has 40 hp. At 0 hp, the modifier is +5. At -5 hp, the modifier is 0. At -10 hp, the modifier is -2. 
  At -20 hp, the modifier is -5; at -10 hp, the penalty is -2; at -20hp, the penalty is -5; at -40hp, the penalty is -10; at -
  80hp, the penalty is -15, and so on. 
  SPEARS 
  When attacking with a spear, an attack throw of natural 1 results in a non-magical spear's haft being broken. A 
  magical spear's haft is damaged. A magical spear can be damaged a number of times equal to its bonus before its 
  haft is broken. A spear with a broken haft can be used as a dagger or a quarterstaff, but no longer functions as a 
  spear. A nonmagical or magical spear can be repaired by setting the spearhead onto a new shaft, which costs 1gp 
  and requires 1 rank of Craft (weaponsmithing). 
  SPECIAL MANEUVERS 
  ACKS 2E adds the clamber and sweeping attack special maneuvers from the Heroic Fantasy Handbook. It also makes 
  special maneuvers more useful. When you succeeds on a disarm, force back, knock down, or sunder special 
  maneuver, you may choose to deal normal damage in addition to triggering the effect of the special maneuver. 
  When you succeed in a wrestling special maneuver, you may choose to deal brawling damage in addition to 
  triggering the effect of the special maneuver.  
  THIEVERY 
  ACKS 2E uses the rules for Thievery found in the Heroic Fantasy Handbook, including encumbrance, equipment, and 
  revisions to the thief skills. 
  CAMPAIGNS 
  CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES 
  Campaign activities in ACKS 2E are governed using the rules for Campaign Activities found in Axioms Special Edition.  
  MAGICAL RESEARCH 
  Weapons: Weapons that use ammunition (bows, crossbows, slings) and the various types of ammunition (arrows, 
  bolts, and stones) cost only ½ the time and gold to enchant as other weapons. This is because the magical bonus 
  applies only to the attack throw or damage roll and not both. 
  Potions: Potions have a duration of 1d6+6 turns or the duration of the spell granted by the potion, whichever is 
  shorter. Potions enchanted with spells of instantaneous duration (such as healing potions) remain instantaneous. 
  
  Potions have a caster level equal to the minimum caster level required to cast the spell with which the potion has 
  been enchanted. 
  Wands and Staves: Wands have a caster level equal to the minimum caster level required to cast the highest-level 
  spell with which the wand has been charged. Staves have a caster level equal to the three levels higher than the 
  minimum caster level, or equal to that of the caster who enchanted them, whichever is lower.   
  Constructs and Machines: The cost of adding a major special ability to a construct or machine is 5,000gp. The cost 
  of adding a minor special ability is 625gp. Major and minor special abilities are currently explained in Lairs & 
  Encounters. 
  STRONGHOLDS AND DOMAINS 
  ACKS 2E uses the revised approach for strongholds and domains found in Axioms III in lieu of the system found in 
  the Campaigns chapter of ACKS 1E, as well as the ancillary rules for separating land and lordship, establishing senates, 
  and managing domain encounters from that same issue, and for beastman clanholds, chaotic domains, and tribal 
  warriors from Axioms II. 
  BATTLES 
  The 2E rules adopt the revised approach for abstract battle resolution found in Axioms IV in lieu of the system found 
  in Domains at War: Campaigns.  
  MERCANTILE VENTURES 
  ACKS 2E incorporates the rules for mercantile ventures found in Axioms III. 
  ABSTRACT DUNGEONS 
  ACKS 2E incorporates the rules for abstract adventuring found in Axioms VI.  
  MONSTERS 
  MONSTER REACTIONS 
  The monster listings now include a reaction score for each monster, which is applied as a modifier to reaction rolls 
  when the monster is encountered by adventurers. This score can vary depending if the monster is encountered in 
  its lair. 
  EXAMPLE: Owlbears are mean-spirited carnivores gripped by bestial madness. Their reaction modifier is -10. 
  Owlbears almost always attack adventures they encounter.  
  TREASURE 
  TREASURE TYPE 
  ACKS 2E uses the updated treasure type tables found in Heroic Fantasy Handbook. 
  POTIONS 
  Potions have a duration of 1d6+6 turns or the duration of the spell granted by the potion, whichever is shorter. 
  Potions enchanted with spells of instantaneous duration (such as healing potions) remain instantaneous. Potions 
  have a caster level equal to the minimum caster level required to cast the spell with which the potion has been 
  enchanted. 
  SCROLLS 
  Scrolls have a caster level equal to the minimum caster level required to cast the spell, or the caster level of their 
  users, whichever is greater.  
  WANDS AND STAVES  
  Wands have a caster level equal to the minimum caster level required to cast the highest-level spell with which the 
  wand has been charged. Staves have a caster level equal to the three levels higher than the minimum caster level, 
  or equal to that of the caster who enchanted them, whichever is lower.   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Adventurer Conqueror King/ACKS Patreon Content/ACKS 2E Intro (ACKS).pdf