Pulp 70s D@D House Rules (open to comments)

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Recent Updates are in RED!
Classes updated to reflect player input
Ordinary Skills cleaned up and descriptions added
Equipment has had weapon damage added




Hiya,

I'm just getting into running a game soon, and wanted a place to post my thoughts. I tend to keep things in my head, and there they go and get all lost on me! Please feel free to comment or leave advice on what I put up here.

I'll break this up into several posts by topic, and will edit them as I change my ideas or post them.

About the game: I am starting a sandbox game based off a sword and sorcery approach. I expect about 3-5 players, with a rotating roster of folks, depending on who shows up. All of my players have played older versions of D&D at some point.

Note: The skill ideas are taken from M.A.R. Barker's Empire of the Petal Throne, which was cited as inspiration for Dragons at Dawn priests.

Some themes/ideas I want to keep in mind as I toy with things; I want my campaign to run this way:

• Sword & Sorcery: Focus on swift, personal action by picaresque protagonists. Gritty slums, smokey taverns, wanton women, smelly alleys, harsh mountains, howling black temples to chaos.
  
  Ancient Howardian Civilizations: Barbarism is the natural state, all civilizations decline and become corrupt, and this cycle has been repeated many, many times. The elves are headed down this road, and the dwarves are not far behind. Barbarism is Chaos and civilization is Law.
  
  Aliens: The oldest civilizations, long forgotten, may resemble strange, futuristic societies. Magical automotons, fire lances, reincarnating akashic computers.
  
  Underworlds: Old civilizations literally form the bedrock of the world. In a Holmsian way, the underworld is a history book underlaying current events. Of course the world may just be hollow. Go down deep enough and you might find Answers.
  
  Small Gods: Deities live in the world, and are local in worship. They are slightly more impressive than a superpowered adventurer, and focus only on small domains of influence (mostly); still not to be trifled with. All small gods are Lawful. They have an interest in the way things are, even if it involves blood sacrifices.
  
  Big Gods: If there are any otherworldly gods, HPL and CAS have a good handle on them. They don’t live in the earth, and for good reason; they are beyond the small sentient life that infests the worlds. Demonic entities, diablolic cults, and Chaos.
  
  

[paramander]

Ability Scores

As an overall concept I want to use ability scores as skill bundles. Thus Wisdom encompasses all skills related to its area. While a level-based game may want to let level determine ability, I'd rather level just be a overall assumption of combat or magic ability, while mundane proficiencies are simply handled by the six ability scores.

Appearance: covers all activities that attempt to influence others. While a better name might be Charisma or Persuasion, Appearance starts with the letter 'A' and does not duplicate Constitution's letter 'C'.

Brains: covers all activities that rely on logic, the written word, and memory.

Constitution: Obviously handles chances to resurrect, force-march, hold one's breath, and so on.

Dexterity: Fine motor skills, balance, speed, and coordination.

Strength: Physical power and ability to apply force.

Wisdom: Unspoken non-verbal knowledge, such as dreams, hunches, intuition, as well as understanding the universe and the All.

As a general rule, I want player skill to come first before character skill. So I do not want to be rolling for everything all of the time. An ability score check (lets just call it a saving throw) should be for somewhat challenging events. Everyday, normal uses of the ability should be not rolled for. That means 2d6-2 is a somewhat difficult check, not an easy one. Thus an average ability checks successfully 58.33% of the time. A check implies significant doubt exists for a normal, healthy person when making the save.

If the check involves great difficulty a -2 to the ability score would be justified. For something that even the best of the best might give pause for, a -4 would work. Effectively impossible should be -8.

[paramander]

Races go here

[paramander]

Classes

I'll stick with Warrior, Mage, and Priest.

Warriors can use any armor or weapon. A swashbuckling type may decide to get bonuses on Dexterity rather than Strength, but that needs to be made at level one.

Mages get renamed so they don't start with a 'W' like Warriors. That way I can refer to any class with a single letter (W, M, P). Mages cannot wear armor, and may only use light weapons, unless it is a magic sword.

Priests can use the Thief-Assassin table for HD, HPV, and XP progression. Priests must pick an alignment, Law, Neutrality, or Chaos. Priests may use any armor, and any light or hand weapon, thrown weapon, or crossbow. Unless the bow or a great weapon is a favored weapon of their deity they are unfamiliar with it. A priest of Law should pick a deity from the Judges Guild supplement The Unknown Gods. A priest of Chaos should pick some Elder God, Cthulhoid monstrosity, demon, or some such. Neutral priests are basically druids, worship nature, and should use agricultural type weapons of some sort.

Borrowing from M.A.R. Barker's Empire of the Petal Throne, Warriors, Mages, and Priests can pick up special skills peculiar to their class.

Merchants and Sages are cool, and so are Thief-Assassins, but I hate % and would rather make checks against those nifty ability scores. So If that is the case, why not have the class abilities just be checks against Appearance, Brains, or Dexterity?

UPDATE: Some of my players are clamoring for alternate classes, such as the Merchant. If that continues, I may allow those classes anyway, with a +1/+2/+3 to those Ordinary Skills (levels 1/4/8 respectively) with the ability saving throw replacing the % mechanic. That would mean four scholar skills for the sage, plus a curse skill as a class skill. I imagine the merchant gets the merchant skill for free, and bonuses on appraising and haggling anything, plus free Group I or Group II ordinary skills. The Thief-Assassin would get the Assassin-Spy and Thief skills for free, plus the bonuses, plus any Group skills as cover as he levels up (may be one at level 4, another at level 8). I guess the bottom line is give 'em bonuses and extra ordinary skills. That would mean bumping the priest to the regular table shared with the Mage, I suppose.

[paramander]

Ordinary Skills

These are tasks that require some sort of specialized knowledge to do well, unlike climbing, jumping, noticing things, moving boulders, recalling written passages, or seducing a despotrix. So while characters can try just about anything, these sort of skills can be difficult for the untrained (use the penalty modifier applied to the ability score). In-game it is possible for a character to get this sort of training, but it will take time and money, money that could be spent on XP.

Ordinary Skills
Characters can pick from Group I, Group II, and Group II skills. These skills are specialized skills that can not normally be emulated professionally; untrained characters may attempt them but will never achieve the same level of skill.

Difficulty (modifier) Example (ability used)
Very easy (+6) ..........Notice something large in plain sight (Wisdom)
Easy (+4) ..........Climb a knotted rope (Strength)
Average (+2) ..........Hear an approaching guard (Wisdom)
Tough (+0) ..........Rig a wagon wheel to fall off (Brains)
Challenging (-2) ..........Swim in stormy water (Strength)
Formidable (-4) ..........Open an average lock (Dexterity)
Heroic (-6) ..........Leap across a 30-foot chasm (Strength)
Nearly impossible (-8) ..........Track a squad of orcs across hard ground after 24 hours of rainfall (Wisdom)

As a general rule, unmodified rolls should be able to handle most challenges. Player skill should be allowed to negate any dice check.


How many ordinary skills do I get?
Roll 2d6-2. Nobility lose one Group I and one Group II skills. Gentry lose one Group I skill.

0-2 .....Choose one skill from Group I
3-5 .....Choose one from Group I and one from Group II
6-7 .....Choose one from each of the three Groups
8 .....Choose 2 from Groups I and II and one from Group III
9 .....Choose 3 from Group I, and 2 from each of the other two groups.
10 .....Choose 4 from Group I, and 3 from each of the other two groups.

Intelligence may modify how many ordinary skills you have
(1-3) .....May only have Group I skills
(4-6) .....No adjustment to skills known
(7-9) .....May have one additional skill from an available Group
(0) .....May have two additional skills from an available Group

Mages have one less Group I and Group II skill.
Priests have one less Group II skill.

Group I Skills (-4 untrained adjustment)
baker
barber
bookmaker - literate
bricklayer
butcher
carpenter
carpet maker
cook
dyer
farmer
fisherman
glassblower
grocer
mason - literate
merchant - literate
miner
paper-ink maker - literate
perfumer
potter
rope and net maker
sailmaker
tailor
tanner
weaver
wine-maker

Group II Skills (-6 untrained adjustment)
animal trainer - train any animal not totally hostile to man, taking from one to three months, depending on the creature’s intelligence, and the type of tasks it is being trained to do.
bird trainer - as animal trainer.
fletcher
hunter
jeweller-goldsmith
mountaineer
sailor
scribe-accountant - literate
ship-builder
ship captain - literate
slaver
smith-armorer
swimmer-diver
wheelwright

Group III Skills (-8 untrained adjustment)
acrobat
alchemist - literate
artist-sculptor
assassin-spy (includes Disguise and Backstab)
astronomer-navigator - literate
author - literate
botanist - literate
courtesan/gigolo - literate
dancer
engineer-architect - literate
geologist
interpreter - literate
mathematician - literate
musician
orator
physician - literate
poet - literate
scholar - literate
thief (includes Thievery)
tracker

Explanations of Ordinary Skills

Bakers know how to produce a wide array of delectable items, from breads and savories to sweet confections. Bakers may hide all sorts of things in specialty items, including weapons, scrolls, and gems.

Barbers can safely shave, trim, and style any customer, as well as extract teeth, bleed the ill, and use leeches to effect. Barbers treat daggers and small knives as normal handweapons in melee.

Bookmakers know not only how to bind books, but how to repair them, assess the value of a volume, and determine origin. A bookmaker may determine if a book is magical, but not otherwise gain insight into its nature.

Bricklayers can find employment in putting up structures that will stay put rain or shine. Bricklayers have no fear of wolves, strangely, but detest scarecrows (animate or otherwise).

Butchers can prepare a corpse to best effect, wasting little meat and providing a cut that enhances the cook's efforts. Only a professional butcher can produce edibles from monstrous cadavers.

Carpenters can make cabinets, tables, chairs for even wealthy clientele. They may be able to identify age and origin of wooden furnitures. A carpenter may be able to make some repairs to boats, wagons, and the like.

Carpet makers are also able to make tapestries, which take months or years to produce, but are a symbol of status among the well-born and wealthy. Of course they may have a good chance to recognize the origins and age of carpets and tapestries. Carpet makes automatically befriend magical tapestries of the non-Chaotic sort.

Cooks can make even simple ingredients tasty, and old or spoiled food, or poisons, can be disguised effectively with herbs or spices. A party with a cook will avoid many burnt or overcooked, bland meals. Cooks who gain employment in high-born households can be highly regarded until their master falls over black with poison. Wise cooks avoid noble tables.

Dyers have a simple understanding of several chemical reactions, and can produce luxurious colors to decorate the most discriminating noble. Many dyes are sought after, but remain secrets, which can cause a dyer to have highly-placed enemies.

Farmers often have a good knack for determining imminent weather, aside from being skilled at horticulture. Many landowners have farming as part of their involvement in the management of their lands.

Fishermen can row or sail in familiar coastal or lake waters, catch fish with nets and poles, and determine if waters are likely places to fish or if the weather is turning for the worse. They can also make minor repairs to nets and small boats.

Glassblowers can produce bottles, flasks, alchemical retorts and beakers, as well as less functional but highly decorative items.

Grocers know how to stock shelves to avoid early spoilage, which items are in-season and cheapest to buy, and how much a group will need to provision themselves. Grocers will know how to pack a mule. Grocers tend to know the gossip of villagers.

Masons can cut and work with stone, and will be able to determine strong and weak points in stone structures, general architectural styles, and identify stone traps and features like sloping passages. Masons speak a ritual language derived from the dwarven language, and wear leather aprons.

Merchants know how to ferret out information about commodities prices in various regions, the conditions of trade routes, how to haggle over virtually any item, and how to pack a mule effectively. A merchant will be able to appraise most trade items aside from jewelry and other extremely rare commodities.

Miners can tunnel at twice the speed of another character, prevent the collapse of a mine shaft, identify and smelt ores, and figure out how to get out of a mine without a map. A miner can pack a mule effectively.

Paper and Ink makers can produce vellum, papyrus, true paper, as well as any sort of ink, mundane or exotic. They will have a knowledge of secret ink and writing techniques.

Perfumers will have some chemical knowledge, and know how to remove stubborn odors, produce exotic attractants and musks for many species, and a knowledge of noble clientele. Exalted perfumers are rarely seen atop lonely mountains.

Potters can produce ceramic flasks, vases, containers, plates, and the like. They will be able to identify in some cases origins of ancient urns and the like.

Rope and Net makers can produce cheap hempen ropes, sleek silk ropes, exotic ropes made of troll gut or nets made of the hairs of a siren. They will be experts in knots as well.

Sailmakers may produce sails for any vessel, and also importantly make lasting repairs, which frequently plague any ship that survives a storm at sea. They may apply their skills to creating basic clothing for giants, titans, and the like.

Tailors are skilled in producing fancy clothes above and beyond the basic trews and tunics found on coarse, rustic backs. They are also able to evaluate textiles of any sort. A good tailor has expensive clients and will be privy to intimate gossip. Those without a good tailor will be taken for the unwashed sort.

Tanners have the advantage of turning monstrous hides into wearable symbols of boasting, as well as producing mundane items such as customized backpacks. A tanner who is also a skilled armorer may make monstrous armor heavier than leather.

Weavers may produce fine clothes beyond the rough homespun found in peasant huts. Using exotic materials they can make nixie flax, drider silks, and the like, which may have special properties. A skilled weaver may even have a chance to challenge the gods.

Wine-Makers are beloved by all except certain priests, and may identify the correct vintage for any pairing, understand that a nose is not the lump between one's eyes, and do a passable snobbery on the uninitiated. A master wine-maker may even terrorize a noble at the table.

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Warrior Skills


Pick one skill from any one eligible Group at every odd level. While warriors can use any weapon, they get a special boost when they possess the skill for the weapon they use.

FS refers to Fighting Strength, which determines the number needed to roll under on the combat matrix.

Group A Weapons
spear man (with at least two other spearmen can add +1 to FS per extra spear man, maximum of +4 FS)
mace/flail user (may use any mace or flail on foot; ignores shield adjustment to opponent’s AC)
swordsman (+1 FS when using any one-handed sword)
slinger (may use a thrown weapon twice in a combat round)
crossbowman (may reload a crossbow in no time by making a Strength Saving Throw)
horseman (may fight from horseback, doubling FS while mounted on a trained warhorse with horseman’s melee weapons)

Group B Weapons (requires Dexterity of 7 or greater)
archer (may always fire a bow in the first segment of combat, even if it is unreadied)
horse archer (may fire a bow while mounted, using split move-fire)
lancer (may fight with a lance and double damage on a strike)
broadsword and dagger man (may fight florentine-style, improving AC by 1 or HD by 1, as stated at the start of each round)

Group C Weapons (requires Intelligence of 7 or greater)
sapper (may dig tunnels and undermine foundations)
catapult-artillery man (may operate siege equipment)
strategist (may operate as a general) (requires level 4)
warlord (may inspire nations) (requires Charisma of 7 or greater and level 4)


Group D Weapons (requires Strength of 7 or greater)
Axeman ( +1 HD when using a battle axe)
Greatswordsman (+1 HD when using a two-handed sword)

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Mage Skills

Wizards start with 3 skills at 1st level
add one per even level for wizards
may pick group II at level 4
may pick group III at level 8

Group I Mage Skills
control of Self
create light
fireball
know two ancient languages
levitate
lightning bolt
see in darkness

Group II Mage Skills
astrologer
control natural creatures
clairaudiance
clairvoyance
illusionist
medium
telekinesis
slumber

Group III Mage Skills
control monster
greater dispel magic
necromancy
the grey hand
elemental wall

GROUP I Mage Skills

Know two ancient languages : these, too, were listed in Sec . 420. These languages are very important for the reading of scrolls, books, maps, etc.

Create Light: this spell produces a soft radiance with a radius of 3 inches [N .B . one inch = 10 feet in the Underworld]. This illumination can be produced at-will. It lasts for six turns.

Fireball: Creates a sphere of fire 8” to 20” across that can be hurled up to 60 feet. Where it strikes it produces a 5’ radius burst of flame that does damage equal to the HD of the mage. A Dexterity save can be made for half damage. The fire will set alight flammable objects that fail their save.

Levitate : This permits the user to rise into the air and remain there for 2 turns. He moves upwards 6 inches per turn to a maximum of 12 inches, followed by a soft landing at the end of the second turn . He does not move in any horizontal direction, however, but only moves in the vertical plane . This spell may be used only upon oneself.

Lightning bolt: Creates a 5’ wide line of lightning that is 6o feet long. All caught in the effect take damage equal to the HD of the mage. A Constitution save can be made for half damage. Those that fail their save are stunned for the remainder of the round.

Control of self : the user can control his own body: e.g . hold his breath indefinitely, stop his heartbeat, hold some object with an iron grip for a long period, enter into a trance, have total memory recall, seal his ears, etc. He cannot perform actions impossible for a body, of course (e .g . extend his arms twenty feet) . This spell can indeed be broken, but only by very powerful magic or strength: a person or being of nine or more hit dice can break the grip of a person using this spell, for instance. Usable twice a day .

See in Darkness: The mage can see in the dark like a dwarf. Always active.

GROUP II Mage Skills

Illusion : limited illusions can be created . These require a Brains save to disbelieve them. Automatons, androids, etc. do not believe them at all . Damage taken from an illusion which is believed is treated as actual damage . Note that the illusion is limited to the user only, he cannot create the illusion that his whole party is invisible, for example, although he can create this illusion about himself . Usable once a day, this spell has a duration of three turns .

Clairaudience : the user can hear what is happening in an adjoining room . Range : 2 inches. Duration : 2 turns . Usable three times a day .

Clairvoyance : this picks up a picture of an adjoining room or space. Distance : 2 inches, fading out quickly beyond this range. Duration : 2 turns . Usable 3 times a day.

Telekinesis : the user can move solid objects through air or water (but not through walls, etc .) The weight of the object and the distance depend upon the user's experience level : a first level user can move an ounce about 10 feet ; a 3rd level person can move 3 ounces 30 feet ; a 5th level character can move 5 ounces 50 feet, etc . Objects can be moved fast enough to stun an unarmored man, but not so fast as to penetrate his skull . One may thus stun an opponent , but not kill him . Edged weapons or missiles cannot be transported by this spell . Telekinesis is usable twice a day.

Slumber: This spell affects 2-12 HD of beings. It does NOT affect any being of level 5 or over. Its range is 100 feet . Beings put to sleep will remain so for eight hours - or until physically shaken awake by their comrades . This spell does not work on automatons, androids, the undead, animals.

Astrology : this is not really "magic" at all but rather a means of discovering the character, motives, etc . of a being through the positions and influences of the sun, four planets, and two moons. Such a horoscope takes one full turn to construct, and the user must have the proper instruments (an astrolabe), and reference books (ephermerides, a table of houses, etc .) with him . This horoscope is infallible . It may also predict short distances into the future: one hour, Wisdom for accuracy; one day, Wisdom -1 accuracy; one week, Wisdom -2 accuracy, one month, Wisdom -3 accuracy; one season, Wisdom -4 accuracy; one year, Wisdom -5 accuracy; one decade, Wisdom -6 accuracy, etc.. This is usable repeatedly, although the same question may not be repeated.

Medium : the user can speak to the dead, to spirits, and to distant living beings (over five miles away) to gain information and guidance . Usable 3 times a day.

Control Nature : the actions of 1-12 (roll a 12- sided die) animals or plants can be controlled for 3 turns . Nonhuman races, creatures of the Underworld, and the undead are excluded . Usable once a day, this spell has a range of 50 feet . Animals may make a saving throw against this spell.

Charm Person: a single human, demihuman, or humanoid may be influenced to be friendly in the most effacious way. The charmed person may make a Brains check each day to break free.

GROUP II Mage Skills

Necromancy: 1-12 undead beings can be controlled for 6 turns, although a saving throw is permitted for any undead creature with more than 3 hit dice. Usable once a day at a maximum range of 30 feet. This effect lasts 10 turns minus the HD of the undead creature. It is also possible to create a "zombie" from a dead being : this creature obeys its maker's orders for thirteen days and then returns to its inanimate, dead condition. This effect requires 1d6 HTK of damage to the necromancer, but may be used as often as desired.

Control Monster: 1-6 creatures can be brought under control for 6 turns . This spell does not work upon animals, humans, intelligent nonhumans, and the undead, and a saving throw is permitted for any creature with over 3 hit dice. Usable once a day, this spell has a maximum range of 30 feet .

The Grey Hand : this is the power of instant death, no saving throw being possible . The mage makes an attack as if a HD equal to his level. and if there is a hit, the victim is reduced to a heap of greyish dust, but the user must actually touch the victim (or his arms or armor), risking the chance of a dying blow . It is possible to revive a person slain by the Grey Hand, but two is subtracted from his Constitution Saving Throw, and he is unable to fight or partake in
strenuous action for one additional week! Usable once a day.

[paramander]

Priest Skills

Priests start with 3 skills, and add one new skill per additional level. They may pick from Group II at level 4, and from Group III at level 8.

Priest Skills (will vary by deity, but this is a generic list).

Group I Priest Skills
calm
command undead
control nature
create food and drink
cure light wounds
detect law/chaos
knows 2 modern languages
knows 2 ancient languages
produce light
turn undead

Group II Priest Skills
blessing
control person
cure disease
cure serious wounds
ESP
neutralize poison
protection from law/chaos
telepathy
withering

Group III Priest Skills
mental immunity
quest
reincarnation
remove curse
revivify

Know two modern languages : A knowledge of Common is assumed, unless the player is starting in some other country.

Know two ancient languages : These languages are very important for the reading of scrolls, books, maps, etc.

Create Light: this spell produces a soft radiance with a radius of 30 feet. This illumination can be produced only once a day. It lasts for ten turns .

Detect law/chaos : this warns the user of hostile alignments inherent in objects, adjoining rooms, etc. It does not work when used upon persons or creatures, and it does not indicate the exact type of danger. It lasts two turns, and it is usable only once a day .
Calm : This spell sends a wave of peace and tranquility. It is efficacious against "walls" of Wind or Water (see below) and also against storms and rioting mobs of first level beings (e .g . peasants).

Create food and drink : Rations for 1-10 persons can be created .

Cure light wounds : this restores 1-6 points of lost hit dice points to any being . A 6-sided die is rolled to determine the number of points restored to the character. It is usable only once a day per hit die of the character. This requires the priest to touch the character to be healed.

ESP : the user can detect the surface thoughts (not memories) of living beings (though not undead or soulless automatons, etc.) in adjoining rooms . It operates up to a distance of 20 feet, lasts two turns, and can be used three times a day .

Telepathy: this makes it possible for a character to commune telepathically with another character, and for that character to reply, though no other can hear this conversation . It works over a distance of 240 feet, lasts one turn, and can be used three times a day .

Protection from law/chaos : this creates a one inch circle of protection around the user . It cannot be penetrated by undead ; it adds + 1 to all saving throws, and it takes away -2 points from the damage dice done by an attacker . It lasts three turns and can be used once a day .

Blessing: as per Dragons at Dawn

Turn Undead: as per Dragons at Dawn

Control Nature : the actions of 1-12 (roll a 12- sided die) animals or plants can be controlled for 3 turns . Nonhuman races, creatures of the Underworld, and the undead are excluded . Usable once a day, this spell has a range of 50 feet . Animals may make a saving throw against this spell.

Dispel evil/good : This spell allows the user to dispel any evil or good spell he wishes, providing that the opposing spell is operating within a range of 20 feet . This spell lasts three turns; after that it is no

Cure serious wounds : this spell restores 2 6- sided dice of lost hit points . It can be used three times a day.

Cure disease : This spell cures any disease instantly. It has no effect on wounds or bruises . It is usable on only one person .

Neutralize poison : This spell is equivalent to a successful saving throw against poison, bites, stings, etc. The victim is restored to complete health immediately .

Fear: This spell causes one opponent to panic and flee . He is then totally defenseless (Morale drops three levels) . A Wisdom saving throw is permitted, of course . This spell has a range of 20 feet, and since it takes two combat rounds to travel from its sender to the victim, the latter may cast a Dispel Evil spell and hence nullify it - if he guesses that it is coming. A player casting this spell must thus write a note to-this effect on the turn in which he casts it and show this to the referee when it reaches its intended victim . A saving throw is permitted, of course .

Control person : 1-6 persons (including intelligent nonhumans, but not animals, monstrous creatures, automatons, etc .) can be brought under the user's control for 3 turns. A Wisdom saving throw against spells is permitted . There is no possibility this spell operating against a person of greater than seventh level . It can be used only once a day, and it has a maximum range of fifty feet .

Withering : This spell affects one or more of the limbs of an enemy, shrivelling it away to uselessness . A 6-sided die is rolled, and 1 = the left arm ; 2 = the right arm ; 3 = the left leg; 4 = the right leg; 5 = both arms or both legs (referee's option) ; and 6 = one arm and one leg (referee's choice of which) . A Constitution saving throw is permitted, and if this is not made the limb is withered, reducing movement and action accordingly . A withered limb can only be restored by some member of the party must casting a spell of Cure Disease, Neutralize Poison, and Remove Curse upon the victim at once; otherwise two 6-sided dice of damage are taken . Range : 60 feet .

Madness : This spell drives the victim permanently insane. A saving throw is permitted, however. If he does go mad, the referee determines the victim's actions randomly. This spell operates at a range of 30 feet . It does not work upon a person who is using the Control of Self spell, and it can be cured by a Remove Curse spell .
Plague : This spell causes the victim to fall ill with a hideous rotting plague . It has a maximum range of 30 feet . Only a cure disease spell will rescue the victim, and if this is not cast at the beginning of the next combat round or turn, he dies at once. Since the body putrefies immediately, revivification is more difficult, and he loses one extra from his constitution in addition to the one regularly lost.

Mental Immunity: as per Dragons at Dawn

Remove curse : this spell takes away curses from objects, changes the alignment of swords and other magical weapons, restores magically changed beings and objects to their proper forms, and returns beings driven mad by magic or by certain Underworld creatures to sanity . Usable upon one person or object only, and only once a day.

Revivify : depending upon the character's constitution, this spell restores one slain human or intelligent nonhuman to life . A newly revived being cannot engage in fighting for a period of one week . This spell must be used within one week of the being's death ; otherwise he or she cannot be revived . Usable once a week by persons of eighth level or below; usable once a day by those above eighth level .

Quest : This spell sends 1-10 beings upon a quest of the user's choice . A Wisdom saving throw is permitted, and if this is not successful, the victims must complete the quest before returning to their usual activities . It has a range of 30 feet . A victim of this spell can be released from it by the application of a Dispel Magic or Remove Curse spell.

Reincarnation : A deceased character can be reincarnated as some other life form (i .e . not revivified or "raised," as above) . This creature has the original being's hit dice potential and not those of the form in which it is reincarnated . This spell can only be used upon one being, has a maximum range of 10 feet, and does not allow for a saving throw (in case the victim does not wish to be reincarnated!) . This spell is permanent, unless a Dispel Magic spell is employed, whereupon the being is returned to his or her normal form - but is still dead and must be revivified .

[paramander]

Equipment

Weapons
Light Weapons do -1 damage per Hit Die (record this in the dmg mod box on the character sheet)
examples of light weapons include daggers, staves, cesti, spiked gauntlets, slings, and javelins.
Hand Weapons do normal damage per Hit Die
examples of hand weapons include swords, hand axes, maces, flails, spears, morning stars, short bows, and light crossbows.
Great Weapons do +1 damage per Hit Die (record this in the dmg mod box on the character sheet)
examples of great weapons include two-handed swords, battle axes, pikes, longbows, and heavy crossbows.
Unarmed characters do -3 damage per Hit Die, but negative damage is simply stun damage that 'heals' at about 1 point per minute.

[paramander]

[glow=red,2,300]Adventuring[/glow]


Movement and Encumbrance
A special thanks to Raggi over at Lamentations of the Flame Princess for his ideas on how to handle this...this is all his.

A character has one pip [O] for each point of Strength, one O at the Over-encumbered line for Strength 1. For each additional point of strength add one pip starting at Severely Encumbered an moving up the table. Once you hit Unencumbered start over at Severely Encumbered again.

The numbers below show at which point of Strength a O pip is added to the Encumbrance chart for that character. MV stands for the Movement Value for the character at that encumbrance.

4 9..........Unencumbered.......MV 12/4
3 8..........Lightly Enc.............MV 9/3
2 7..........Heavily Enc............MV 6/2
1 6 10.....Severely Enc..........MV 3/1
0 5..........Over-encumbered..MV 0

Thus a character at strength 3 would be:
Unencumbered
O Lightly Enc
O Heavily Enc
O Severely Enc
O Over-encumbered

On the character sheet darken the pips that are NOT available to the character due to his Strength, then 'X' out pips that are encumbered.[/b]

Encumbrance pips for items:
[/li][li]Individual small items do not have any pips of encumbrance.
[/li][li]Normal items add together. A total of 6 normal items is one pip of encumbrance. Each additional 5 normal items is one additional pip of encumbrance.
[/li][li]A sack of 100 coins is one pip. A sack of 300 coins is 3 pips.
[/li][li]An oversized item, such as a spear, great sword, 10' pole, or longbow counts as an encumbrance pip instead of a normal item.

Fill in Encumbrance pips from top down. Fill in all pips at each level starting at Unencumbered and working your way down.

MOVEMENT
A character has a MV score represented by two numbers x/y.

The first MV number is for turn-by-turn movement, and the next number is for round-by-round movement.

Each point of MV represents 10 yards outside, and 10 feet inside or underground.

This assumes cautious movement, looking for traps and ambushes.

For normal, but less cautious movement, double the listed MV.

For running, which is rather reckless and asking to be waylaid or triggering a trap, triple the listed MV.

For long-distance movement double the MV in miles per day.

Thus a warrior with a MV of 9 would move 90 yards per ten-minute turn exploring outside, 90 feet per ten-minute turn underground. In combat he would move 30 yards per one-minute round outside, 30 feet per one minute round underground. He could run 90 yards in a round outdoors, and 90 feet in a round indoors or underground. He would travel 18 miles per day.

[paramander]

Combat this is purely speculation..I will run several combats using the D@D matrix and this one with the players Saturday to see what they like better.

I am thinking of using a different combat matrix for D@D, the combat matrix from the Lonewolf gamebooks:

On the table LW stands for the player character. The number is the modifier to the character's HPV. If the result is K, the weakest character is automatically killed. The attacker may roll freely to attack again. If a damage number is the result, it is applied to the weakest (lowest HD or HPV) member first.

The combat ratio is the total Fighting Strength of the player's side minus that of the enemy's side. Fighting Strength is HD with modifiers.

Fighting Strength modifiers:
+2 FS for using a shield
+x FS where x is magic weapon/magic shield bonus
+1 for having a higher strength than the opponent*
+1 for having a higher dexterity*
*optional
Morale effects take place only on base HD before other modifiers are added

HPV is modified for wearing armor:
leather armor +2 HPV
chain armor +4 HPV
plate armor +6 HPV
+x where x is the magic armor bonus

Weapon Effects:
Unarmed -4 FS
Improvised Weapon -2 FS
Light Weapon -1 FS
Hand Weapon no adjustment
Great Weapon double damage on a hit
Bow may move and fire, fire and move, or fire twice
Crossbow may full move and reload, move and fire, move and reload, or fire and reload. Crossbows do double damage.
Thrown weapon may throw, and full move or charge; daggers and javelins may add an extra throw and simply full move without a charge
Maces/Flails may ignore the FS adjustment for shields.
Spears/Polearms add +1 FS per extra spearman (max +4 FS)

Multiple Opponents: simply add the HD for the extra opponents, but do not add in shield adjustments unless half the opponents have a shield, then simply adjust once.

Melee Combat: A warrior who slays all opponents within 10' may continue to make new attacks against all opponents within 30' as long as he keeps killing them. The instant an opponent survives the warrior stops attacking.

Missile Attack: The attacker does not take damage if they are not engages in melee. If they are engaged in melee they may not fire. Bows may split damage up among consecutive opponents. Crossbows may only injure one opponent in a round. An opponent who has fired a weapon and is engaged takes a -4 to FS while they struggle to draw a melee weapon, and may not have a shield ready. Firing into melee gives -4 FS.

Surprise Rounds: Ignore the damage to the attacker.

REASONING:
The dice rolling is minimized. Hitting and damage to all parties is resolved all at once.

However, it is far easier to characters to take small amounts of damage even when successful.

Combat Example:

Parine the 6th level Warrior is equipped with +2 Plate Armor, a +1 magic sword, and a +2 shield. He has 6 HD. His Fighting Strength (FS) is 6 HD +1 magic sword +2 shield +2 magical shield bonus = TOTAL FS 11. He has HPV of 14 for being 6th level, +6 for plate armor, +2 for magical armor bonus, for 22 HPV.

He encounters six 1 HD Orcs (3 HPV) in Chain Mail and Shield. That is 6 HD total, +2 since most have a shield, or 8 FS. Each has 5 HPV.

Parine's FS 11- the Orc's FS 8 means a -3 Combat Ratio. His player rolls a 7, and does -11 HPV to the orcs. two orcs are killed, and a third takes -1 HPV. Parine takes -1 HPV, and drops to 21 HPV.

The orcs have lost 1/3 their numbers, and must roll morale (4 or less); they roll a 9, and fail their morale. They are shaken, and drop to 4 FS. The combat ratio is now +7.

Parine rolls a 7. He takes -2 HPV (19 total), and deals out -11 HPV. 4 points fell a third orc, while second one is slain, and a third takes 2 points of damage. The last orc is uninjured.

The orcs have lost 2/3 of their numbers, fail their morale check, and are disrupted. They have a FS of 3, which means a +8 CR.

The third round the warrior rolls a 2, and takes -3 HPV (down to 16), and deals out -8 HPV, killing the last two orcs.

Later, and still wounded, Parine surprises a troll (6 H) and two ogres (4 HD each) from about 50' away. His crossbow is readied, so he can fire. His FS is his HD, 6 versus the target, an ogre with HD 4. He rolls a 6 and with a Combat Ratio of +2 does -9 HPV, badly wounding the Ogre.

The next round he drops the crossbow and engages the trio. The total FS is 14 versus his FS of 11, Combat Ratio -3. He rolls an 8, taking -1 HPV, and doing -8 HPV. He drops the wounded ogre, with -5 HPV left over for the other ogre.

The following round morale is maintained, and the FS of the monsters is only 10, so the Combat Ratio is +1. He takes -3 HPV (down to 12) and deals -6 HPV, and the remaining ogre has 1 HPV left.

Two rounds of combat later he is down to 8 HPV and has slain the ogre and the troll.

[paramander]

Experience and advancement goes here

[paramander]

Spells


Creating spells:
Roll Brains, -1 per spell level over spell level I. +2 if the spell has been made before, +1 if Dexterity 8 or 9, +2 if Dexterity 10.

Cost: A spell takes 100 gp per spell level to create. When the spell is complete it generates 1 XP per gold piece required.
Time: Take the square of the spell's level, as weeks of time required. Multiple spells may be made at the same time, as long as all the required materials (cost) is spent ahead of time.

[paramander]

Monsters


HPV for monsters

points per HD:
1: puny
2: noncombatant
3: standard
4: tough/monster wears leather
5: tough/monster wears chain
6: armored/monster wears plate

[paramander]

Treasure goes here

[paramander]

Wilderness and Underground Adventures

Currently thinking of Blackmoor, but Minaria also calls, and the thought of modding the Barbarian Prince map is attractive. I like using pre-existing maps for inspiration, then altering things to taste. Have to have something ready by Saturday. Thinking...

[aldarron]

Awesome. I love how you are drawing on EPT for your custom build. It's not unlike the skills set I have coming out in the supplement.

Now I see what you meant by Lone Wolf combat. Seems a little fiddly woth so many modifiers to keep track of but that's just my skim through impression. Maybe I'll get a chance to take a closer look tomorow. Keep it coming!

[paramander]

;D TY! I am very much looking forward to Dragons at Twilight. Seeing how other people tackle all kinds of ideas is like brain candy. Can't wait to see what is in there.

I can see how LW might seem a bit fiddley at first blush...let's see what the players think!

[paramander]

Made some updates to various sections, and threw up some era-appropriate images to spur the imagination. So far my players seem fine with the house rules, although they seem to want to use the Dragons at Dawn combat rules first to see how it goes.


One of the actually complained about the character sheet having artistic nudity.

[Professor P]

Very cool ideas, thanks for sharing. <Exalted>

[aldarron]

May 3, 2011 17:25:15 GMT -6 paramander said:

HPV for monsters

points per HD:
1: puny
2: noncombatant
3: standard
4: tough/monster wears leather
5: tough/monster wears chain
6: armored/monster wears plate

Nice idea. Not unlike a range Arneson used (look at the OD&D dragon) but he assigned the pips based on age.

Seperate question: The skill system you are using is straight EPT right?

Seperate Seperate Thought:
Merchants, in the hands of the right player, are great fun at the table. There always trying to wheel and deal instead of slash and hack - kinda like the difference between greedy versions of Picard and Kirk.

[blackbarn]

This is very cool. Interesting to see the Lone Wolf combat table implemented!

[paramander]

Thanks for the exalts.

For HPV/HD I was indeed inspired by the dragon write-ups. Of course this works well for unnamed spear-carriers; named antagonists deserve better, they deserve a grown-up Armor Class!

The skill system is essentially MAR Barker's. I adjusted for non-percentile rolls, and added a bit of sacrifice for priests and mages. I fleshed out the Group I Ordinaries with some flavor text to show the possibilities for adventurers to make good use of them.

As far as Priest and Wizard skills go, I abandoned the necessity of obtaining the entire list as one progresses. It actually becomes impossible to get the whole list; instead you can take a certain flavor (spiritualist, dark warlock, etc) by adopting certain skills.

The Warrior skills are my own, since EPT just gave you the ability to wield the weapon; D@D Warriors can use any weapon, the skills just give you small tweaks.

As far as the LW combat matrix, yeah, I am all for it, but it may not see use yet..we will wait and see. One reason I like it as you can go BELOW a minimum value, while it is hard to go below one HD of Fighting Strength on the D@D chart. I suppose one could extrapolate if need be....Hmm...I may need to do that.

If I have the time this weekend I have things to put up, thoughts that have been raging in my head today...Mother's Day approaches however, so we will see, or Mrs. Paramander will have my head.