Tomb of the Bear God [mini-scenario]

Everyone knows that Beyreg the Sneak is a coward, a footpad, a lurker, a petty thief. So when two of the sheriff's men went out to find him in the woods and were found dead, with their skulls broken and their chests ripped up, what could have gotten the better of them?

There's an old tomb that once belonged to the Bear God deep down among the oldest, most tangled trees. Hunters saw Beyreg prowling out there. The reaching roots and storms have finally broken into the side of the barrow. And what could Beyreg the Sneak have found inside the tomb of a lost god?

Winding forest paths, tracks of a monstrous bear; the old, dim tomb and chambers full of bone; strange etchings on the walls, and a violated altar, the great bearskin of shape-shifting priests.

XD20: notes and house-rules

In the last post, I looked at the super-light, very flexible, D&D inspired XD20 system. Although the XD20 system is very compact and informal, it still carries a few oddities and ambiguities that could be handled with some of the suggested house-rules below. The beauty of the system, and the concept, is that the GM can choose or adapt whatever works.

Update: for an example of an adaptation of the basic principles of XD20, see this system, presently nameless, designed to run simple dungeon and wilderness fantasy adventures with any source at hand.

Character Creation

XD20 rules recommend deducting a roll from the maximum to generate stats, but there's no reason, since lower stats are better, not to roll and add to the minimum, or experiment with different rolls. Rolling 6 + 1d8 gives a wide spread for stats, but 2d6+3 or 6+1d6 give more focus and control.

TAC, PSYCH, and WAH map roughly to physical, mental, and spiritual (maybe just luck) abilities. Then there’s Health. These are easy to rename or reconfigure for different games. TAC (Toughness and Constitution), INT (Intellect and Training), PWR (Presence, Will, and Resolve), and Stamina for instance.

Health: In XD20 the weaker the character the lower the character's Health stat, since Health is based on a combination of the character's lowest scores. But Health, unlike stats, is better the higher it is. There's a nod in the rules towards game balance, but why should a mighty warrior tend to have worse health than an inept hedge-wizard? Instead, Health should start at zero (or 2 or 4 for constitutionally weaker characters with the Mystic/Magical type). Health would then go up (bad) as hits accumulate, and characters with more than 20 points against Health would be knocked out or killed.

This means that current Health can also be used for rolls if the character's constitution or fatigue is tested.

Combat

XD20 is vague about combat damage, but effects, and hence weapon damage, are decided by a D20 roll. Bear in mind that even a dagger between plates of armour can kill. But to estimate damage, assign about 6 points for a small weapon or a light hit, 8 for a medium hit, and 10 points or more for a big hit. Pull back for adventure games and push for gritty games. Or just adapt the damage dice from the equipment table in any D&D retroclone.

A high success (based on the difference from the target) should nudge up a low effect roll.

To integrate parries, dodges, tricks and other multiple actions and reactions in combat, each additional roll might be allowed with a -4 penalty.

In the end, cut to the chase for combat: assume that weapons and armour are already integrated into TAC and Level, and only deal out adjustments for major tactical differences or special cases.

XD20: an appreciation (and thoughts for Dungeons and Dragons)

Since this year is the 40th anniversary of the Dungeons and Dragons system, this year's first post takes a quick look at an obscure off-shoot of that famous game, XD20.

XD20 is an extremely free-form, rules-lite system included in XDM: Extreme Dungeon Mastery, a guide to DMing and RPGs by Tracy Hickman and Curtis Hickman. XDM as a book shows signs of hasty development and editing, as well as containing considerable filler in the form of mostly unusable stage-trickery and dice prestidigitation, but at its core there is also a sound and interesting guide to bringing fun, action, humour and interest back into roleplaying games, as a reaction to the slow, overly-cautious, procedural style of dungeon-crawling play that D&D games can slip into.

This review on RPG.net is a pretty good summary of the XD20 system, and interested me enough to buy the e-book version through Kindle.

In brief, the 'advanced' version of XD20 generates characters with three scores or stats: TAC (Toughness and Constitution, the only acronym that is explained), PSYCH (intelligence and skill), and WAH (luck, willpower, and magic specifically). There is also a Health score, based on a combination of the other scores. Characters have a few notes regarding skills and abilities (based on their character Type) a Level, and any equipment the DM deems reasonable at the time.

The three scores combine ability scores, bonuses and saving throws, and so lower numbers are better (except for Health, oddly).

The mechanics are even simpler. The player describes an action, and the DM may ask for a related stat and apply any modifiers that seem relevant or entertaining and sets the target number. The player then rolls greater than or equal to the target number on d20 to succeed. If the success or failure has some effect, like damage or magical strength, then another d20 is rolled and the higher the roll, the better. In essence, the DM estimates the chance of success based on a stat or the situation, and sets the target number accordingly.

Combat rounds are unstructured. The only rule is that everyone gets a chance to act in a single round, and damage is fudged – you can roll, or apply a fixed number, or the DM can make something up.

The mechanics may seem sketchy and rather arbitrary, and in a sense they are. But XD20 captures a deep truth about RPG systems which has influenced my thinking considerably: there are only 20 digits on a d20, and most rules in all their calculations, modifiers and tables are ultimately aimed at proposing a number that seems fair given the situation: so why not just cut to the chase, pick a reasonable target, and roll?

The handling of magic has a similar elegance. A magician describes a spell, the DM sets a target number, the roll is made and the effects decided. The Hickmans point out that magic should be consistent with the rest of the rules of the game and the nature of magic in the game-world, not based on exceptions and special cases. This of course requires inventiveness as well as consistency and a great deal of judgement, but it also pushes players and DMs to treat magic as, well, magic, rather than a sort of special in-game munitions in prepackaged units.

Finally, although characters have a Level, there is no material benefit from gaining a level (which happens whenever the DM thinks it should happen). Instead, characters simply face challenges and opponents consistent with their level and the general difficulty of play remains the same.

XDM is clearly based on playing and revising D&D, with its vast lists of specialist classes, optimal "builds", spells, special abilities and feats, and countless modifiers, options and case-based exceptions. After all, everybody knows what a fighter or a barbarian or a wizard should do, what equipment they carry, what they can face at first level or tenth level. XD20 urges players and DMs to cut away the detritus and focus on the action, puzzles, roleplaying and story. With a few scores on the character sheet for fighting, skill and magic, some health points, a few dice, a few equipment tables to adapt and plenty of imagination and judgement, what could be closer to the original spirit of the first fantasy RPG?

Of course, the XD20 system is not perfect, and even some of its very few rules (in particular, how Health is figured) run against common-sense, which can hamper engagement. But its core ideas present a huge amount of flexibility, and I'll be looking at these options in an upcoming post.

Unexpected Journeys - An RPG for "The Hobbit"

Notes

Since it's the holidays, this light RPG system is inspired by the brilliant Freeform, Universal (FU) system by Nathan Russell. If anything, it’s a little simpler than FU, as it’s designed to capture something of the simplicity and swift pacing of fantasy adventures in the style of “The Hobbit” (the movies or the book, depending on your tastes).

The FU system uses no numbers, only descriptions, which allows a great deal of flexibility but also the chance to bring together characters of quite different status and ability (such as wondering wizards and homely halflings). The probabilities are very granular, and largely advantage the characters, except when chances are against them.

Characters

Characters have three descriptive qualities, or descriptors:

Kin: A lineage, background or kind (such as Dwarf, Hobbit, Dunadan, or Elf).
Calling: A profession or main area of knowledge and skill (such a burglar, warrior or ranger), which may be only an aspiration when you begin.
Trait: A special attribute or ability that defines you (such as nimble, hardy, swift, or stern).

Putting your descriptors together defines your character:

Stern Dwarvish Warrior...
Nimble Hobbit Burglar...
Hardy Dunadan Ranger...

Of course, you may have some equipment and possessions, or nothing but your waistcoat.

Adventuring

When you meet a hazard or trial:

• Pick up one die if it is something any of your kin could attempt.
• Pick up one die if it is something any of your calling could attempt.
• Pick up one die if your character trait or ability applies.

Roll all the dice you have, and take the best result:

1: Mishap the worst outcome, with complications or losses
2-3: Awry - failure, thwarted or crooked
4-5: Square - a success, sound
6: Boon - a success, with a benefit or a clear advantage

GM: Three dice are usually enough. If there are more dice in play, perhaps the roll could be passed over and the next challenge arise?

Danger

Dangers or conditions may cause you to set down one or more of your dice, as the GM directs. But you cannot set down your last die. Roll one die for each danger after your last die and take the lowest die you roll.

Battle

In battle, make the same check as an adventuring roll, but the GM may cause you to set down dice if you are matched, or daunted, by your foe.

In battle, you may be hit and wounded if your attack goes awry, or worse. If you are hit, you may have cause to roll to check your Wounds and Weariness, as below.

Wounds and Weariness

If you are wounded, or grow weary, pick up a die and roll. Then check the result.

6: Hale
5-4:  Shaken, then hurt
3-2: Weary, then wounded (a condition against you)
1: Out of play - GM will rule on consequences

Pick up another die when you have good armour, proof against your attacker. Set down dice against deadly attacks (such as a morgul blade). Depending on the result, the GM may also assign a suitable condition.

The latest check sets your current status. If the next roll is higher than your current score, lose one point instead. Lose nothing if the roll is a 6.

Monsters and other foes may start weakened or have several dice to use up before they fall.

Good rest and other healing will restore your condition towards Hale.

Other Conditions

You may be affected by other conditions, such as becoming Lost, Frightened, Daunted, Despairing or Enchanted. The GM will tell you when a condition will also affect your rolls. Some conditions may be easy to remove or overcome, whereas others may require considerable healing or success to cast off.

At times, and with luck and skill, you may inflict conditions, as well as wounds, on your foes (such as terrifying goblins, or enraging wolves).

Hope

Every character begins with two points of Hope or Courage. You can cancel the effects of a condition with a point of Hope, or expend one point of Hope at any stage to gain another die to roll.

Gear

Generally, the gear you carry will not affect rolls, although if you lack equipment, this may be a condition against you. Only rare, strong magic can add dice to your rolls.

Long Tales

As you adventure, you may gain new descriptors at certain points, becoming Wise or Nimble or Travel-worn. However, you may also gain a Shadow, such as Pride or Greed, which acts as a negative condition for certain rolls you attempt.

Notices

This work is based on FU: The Freeform/Universal RPG (found at http://nathanrussell.net/fu), by Nathan Russell, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

Tinkering with SKILL (Fighting Fantasy)

In a previous post, I put up some house-rules for running the venerable Fighting Fantasy system in Arihmere. I suggested a fixed SKILL score of 9 for all basic characters, but although this is near the average for any character created with the original rules (6+1d6), a SKILL of 9 would mean that most Tests of SKILL would succeed (about 83%, or 5 in 6).

This means that characters will mostly succeed at standard (unmodified) tests and have rough combat parity with many powerful FF monsters. The GM, of course, is expected to devise modifiers for situations to make play more interesting and dramatic. Characters with a high SKILL also gain less from a rare +1 magic or enhanced weapon or tool.

But if you want to make Arihmere a more dangerous place, make the standard SKILL 8 for an adventurer, and 7 for an untrained traveller at the start of adventure.

An initial SKILL of 8 means that the character is equal to a strong monster like a troll, but not a deadly or rare creature. It also means that finding a +1 item is more meaningful, as is any gain in SKILL through experience or magic. Characters with lower initial SKILL must fight harder together, and use their wits and strategy (and LUCK) to overcome tough opponents.

Fighting Fantasy in Arihmere

For many gamers, the Fighting Fantasy series is the distillation of the role-playing experience: not just a first step into the hobby, but the first gaming experience, and the first set of playable rules. The fabled passages under Firetop Mountain remain the first dungeon, the first great adventure.

The rules for FF are elegant and concisely constructed around SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK – brief, memorable, and surprisingly flexible, but they work best for solo questing, where the single character must be as strong and capable as a party of adventurers. A few years after FF, I ran a few sessions of Fighting Fantasy: The Introductory Roleplaying Game, and they worked well for a single player but had evident weaknesses for playing with a larger group.

(I also collected the first Advanced Fighting Fantasy set, and though these rules are a fun introduction to fantasy adventure roleplaying and a useful resources, some of the flaws in the original system remained.)

Over the years, I've tinkered with the FF system and wondered if it would be possible to scale it up to a multiplayer experience without losing the fun and accessibility of the original system. Here are some ideas.

Fighting Fantasy House Rules from the Tinkerage

Characters

Skill: A character's Initial SKILL score is 9.

(Skill is so important in FF that a small difference in initial skill provides a huge advantage. A fixed Skill puts characters on an equal footing.)

Optionally, an advanced character with the ability to use magic has a SKILL of 7.

Stamina: A character's Initial STAMINA score is half of 12+2d6.

(Guarding lower Stamina means that characters should consider LUCK and Escape as options in combat more often.)

Luck: A character's Initial LUCK score is 6+1d6.

Using Skill

A test of SKILL (opening doors, detecting traps, overcoming obstacles or avoiding danger) requires a roll of less than or equal to current SKILL on two dice to succeed. The test may be subject to penalties or small bonuses depending on the situation.

In some cases, particularly in dodging sudden danger, LUCK may be used instead of SKILL.

Fighting

Use the FF combat procedures. Treat wounds from combat as scrapes, scratches, knocks, and bruises, until STAMINA drops below zero and the character is severely wounded. 

Encourage the use of LUCK to enhance or deflect harm, and the Escape rule to flee combat.

Heavy weapons: A weapon that does three points of damage has a -1 penalty to attack strength.

Armour: Tough armour (mail) will turn any normal damage to a 1 point hit on a die roll of 4+ and imposes a -1 penalty on all movement.

Heavy armour (plate) will turn any normal damage to a 1 point hit on a die roll of 3+ and stop all damage on 5+, and imposes a -2 penalty on all movement and perception.

The GM should also allow rest and provisions to restore STAMINA.

Crilmede [Mini-scenario]

There are three old tombs at the back of the little cove at the upper end of the steep-sided mountain lake of Crilmede. The only way in is by boat, or the narrow, crumbling track that starts a mile back along the shore.

Two of the tombs belong to princes of the Ellfolk, but the last one, the deepest and darkest, belongs to one of the old druit arch-priests, a powerful and cruel magician. They say fifty warriors with spear and shield were sacrificed and their bodies tipped into the dark depths of the cove – but sacrifices or not, they still answer the call of the arch-priest.

Problem is, no one remember which tomb is which. What are the chances that foolhardy grave-robbers would pass the wrong door at the end of the lake?