User:Oseng
Okay, this is the new system for Persona. It is still a work in progress and things will be changing as this is tested, such as trying to make athletics less of a god-stat.
Stats
You have 15 points to sped on stats with a maximum of five in each, though this can be raised over-cap via XP in game. Your stats should generally reflect your fluff and qualities such as opulence or wealthy have been folded into background. Things like having a ranking police officer as your character's father will still benefit you, just note it in your background and please don't go overboard.
Strength (Your skill with special techniques)
Athletics (Your general physical ability, and regular attack pool)
Magic (determines # of spells, MP, and is dice roll for spells)
Defense (dice pool to avoid damage – dodging, defecting, blocking, etc etc)
Academics (dice pool for academic pursuits, intelligence based activities)
Charm (dice pool for social engagements)
Qualities (3 points per quality, limit of two)
Almighty: Your Persona's magic is non-elemental and penetrates most defenses.
Incarnate: Your Persona absorbs attacks of its element.
Inviolate: Your Persona has no elemental weakness.
Gnosis: Your Persona has long-range sensing abilities.
Savior: Your Persona can heal itself and others.
Suit
Your Persona is associated with one of the suits of the Minor Arcana and its related element. You can only cast attack magic from that element, and are especially vulnerable to attacks from the opposing element. The same will hold true for most Shadows. Ice falls under water, Lightning falls under air. There are also darkness and light spells but these are separate from the elemental system and oppose one another.
Coins (Earth). Material things.
Wands (Fire). Courage and drive.
Cups (Water). Emotions and relationships.
Swords (Air). Reason and authority.
Earth vs. Air & Fire vs. Water are the two sets of opposing elements. Also Light vs Dark but these are separate from the elemental system.
Magic
Magic involves the use of elemental attack magic, support magic (buffs and debuffs), and healing magic. Generally speaking your persona will appear and cast the spell. You get one spell per dot/point in the Magic stat, and have MP equal to twice your Magic stat. Basic spells will cost one mp to cast with more powerful spells costing more at GM discretion, but this may change. Magical attacks will receive a certain number of bonus autosux (# = GM discretion) to put it above basic attacks with weapons, beyond potential bonuses for opposed elements.
Look at the various spells on this list when developing your spell list.
http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Persona_4_Skills
Strength/Special Techniques
Special Techniques are basically a more physical alternative to magic, and generally involve direct physical attacks by your Persona. They usually have some form of special name and potentially attached status effects and will also, like magic, receive autosux for bonus damage. (In order to make Magic and Special Techniques stronger then just regular attacks with your basic weapon.) This is governed by the strength skill with 2x your strength in fatigue points, and most skills taking one point to use at GM discretion. You get one special technique for each dot/point of strength.
The physical skills in this link may be helpful in establishing your skill list:
http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Persona_4_Skills
Initiative
The basic roll for initiative will be a basic d1 with nothing added, though bonuses will be given to represent ambushes and other surprises.
Weapons
Every persona user has some form of basic weapon which they can summon and dismiss in the Shadow/Other World. This is seemingly tied to the tattoo of their arcana number, which glows when the weapon is summoned much like when you summon a persona. These weapons can take on nearly any form including swords, bows, staves, a pistol, brass knuckles, sword canes, etc etc – but in any case the basic attack role with these is a standard athletic roll as your char is directly attacking. This is your basic attack which does not cost you anything to use.