That's it. The simplest possible game system. One simple die roll is all that one needs. The players don’t really care, as long as the roll is honest. Very simple, fast, and elegant percentile based game. Combat is fast and deadly. A low score denotes complications. A high score signifies good stuff. Use common sense.
During the game, the Referee determine the success chances of the characters’ actions. He gives a difficulty, usually 50. If the player score is equal or higher, it’s a good result. 95+ denotes critical success, so it may trigger something special.
Characters have 5 hits. 5 fatal hits and you’re down, plus a couple more if there is armor, shield or magic. If there’s a high enough probability of success, just use common sense and do not roll dice, not even to attack. Damage is determined on a purely narrative basis, and happens simultaneously – the referee judges the players’ narration and interprets it accordingly and fairly. The players’ in-game decisions are crucially important. Clarify your players' intentions first to make a judgment. If they got hit and took damage, the Referee has to tell them, and they’d have to role-play the results of getting a blade through the guts. Sometimes, in combat, Referee may have to ask the players to roll the die when their characters are hit. High results mean they take the blow but without serious consequences. Unimportant opponents die after one hit – this includes groups of unimportant monsters.
Player Character Sheet
Name your character.
Choose the character’s background.
One special power that allows you to do things others can’t.
No stats.
5 hits, but either way, the referee handwaves and say if you die when you screw up real bad.
You have two ten sided die (d100) to resolve any questions.
The Referee's Job
The Referee decide what happens. If necessary, just do that.
The Referee decide what percentage chance an unforeseen action has to succeed. If the Referee's percentile die roll is less than or equal to this number, the action is successful.
Referees are always allowed to decide whether a character's action works automatically or not, and they are allowed to change a die roll if there is a compelling reason to do so.
Referees must always be fair.
segunda-feira, 9 de maio de 2022
segunda-feira, 2 de maio de 2022
Play worlds, not rules - 51 years of Blackmoor
It's May! Finally!
In this month, Dave Arneson would run another session of Blackmoor. 51 years ago today, Dave Arneson invented Blackmoor. He is one of the grandfathers of FKR. Us, nerds, roleplayers, must thank this man. Blackmoor was original, nothing like it existed before. It was made to be different from any other game. The game was freeform. It was fantasy adventure, or fantasy roleplaying, whatever we call it. It was a "game with no rules". Back in the day, Dave used a very freeform set of rules that didn’t care about the typical hit points and stats or saves, but he just ruled them on the fly. Also, here is a thing: Dave Arneson didn’t have a single “true system”, but he changed and switched and tried and created on the fly, before and after his sessions. David, not burdening the players with rules and tables, freed the imagination of the player to just do whatever we wanted to do. Dave didn't knew what he would do before Blackmoor. Until he watched a movie marathon on television of science fiction and fantasy movies. It was at this moment he had his idea. No one was going to look up what a Dragon can do, what a Troll can do or what an Ent can do. That's what the referee say they can do. And thus Blackmoor started.
Remember, when we play our favorite worlds, rules don't have to be consistent. When Dave Arneson refereed his games, rules changed almost weekly, but Dave kept up the ‘feel’ of his creation, Blackmoor. Dave and his players were not playing “D&D” or anything else, they were playing Blackmoor. There is something you need to notice. The emphasis seems to be on discussions of rules systems, and not much of anything on how the principles of FK can be applied to actual games. This must change. Once and for all. We need to be more simulationists and less gamists. We need to talk and write more about ideas instead of rules. FKR is about playing worlds, not rules. It’s about literature literacy and genre competence way more than any rules. Back in the day, Dave Arneson and his players didn’t play rules sets. They played a world, they played a game scenario set in a fantasy world. The setting was the important thing. And must continue to be. Us, Referees have to understand their literature. And ‘literature’ includes movies, comic books and audio plays.
If anyone is interested in the ancient times of roleplaying, in the roots of our beautiful hobby, then getting to know the work and legacy of Dave Arneson and Blackmoor is a good start. And more than theory, must have practice. Play like Dave and the Twin City gamers did. This is recommended to every roleplayer. Even and especially to folks that are new to the hobby who only know the modern incarnation of the game. Surely rookies will have a lot of fun on Arnesonian gaming. Give it a chance to play your favorite game setting with minimalistic rulings and without giving players character sheets or any indications of levels. This gives them more of a sense of reality. This is part of the Arnesonian experience.
How you can have a good FKR session:
1. Read books instead of roleplaying rulebooks. Just read the book, not the system.
2. Pick any setting you like and write down stuff for it. If one knows how the world works, it gets pretty easy and fun to play.
3. Pick a free and simple rules set, or come up with your own.
4. Grab your favorite dice, establish simple ground rules for conflict resolution (“low is good, high is bad” or "high is good, low is bad"). Use tools, not rules.
5. Create characters based on the setting you want to play.
6. Just start playing. Use natrual language. Wing it, and you’ll see rulings emerging. If you’re so inclined, you can write them down and use them as rules.
7. You don’t need professional modules, adventures and stuff. Come up with an interesting situation, introduce a twist or two, get players, a trutworthy dice, snacks and alcohol. Have a very good time.
8. Again, because it’s so important: Play the world. Fuck the rules.
Here is a quick example of Arneson gaming using the incredible and simple Sword and Backpack (Twin Cities Edition)
My character is Peter, the Fighter. He went to explore a dangerous dungeon named "Black Worm Hideout". He reached the first room of the dungeon by going down the staircase of stone. He fought a lobster-like creature and won. A few rooms later, he met a weird magician. The magician lost was not too friendly and cast a spell on Peter. Even though Peter won, he got a bit injured. After some tumbling and bumbling through other rooms, Peter meets a beautiful woman called Sarah. He discovered she was the king's daughter who was kidnapped by the mysterious magician from the previous fight. Peter managed to escape with the princess after defeating the terrible Black Worm and when far enough from the dungeon and in a quiet place, Peter and Sarah had some sexy-time. The adventure ended with Peter and Sarah coming back home, Sarah's father giving the title of "Hero" for Peter. Peter ended up being happy with the beautiful Sarah and 1000 silver richer.
All combats were made using only 2d6 and a condition parameter instead of "hit points". Simple enough.
David Lance Arneson passed away in April of 2009, but his legacy still lives and his play style still lives within us from the FKR.
In this month, Dave Arneson would run another session of Blackmoor. 51 years ago today, Dave Arneson invented Blackmoor. He is one of the grandfathers of FKR. Us, nerds, roleplayers, must thank this man. Blackmoor was original, nothing like it existed before. It was made to be different from any other game. The game was freeform. It was fantasy adventure, or fantasy roleplaying, whatever we call it. It was a "game with no rules". Back in the day, Dave used a very freeform set of rules that didn’t care about the typical hit points and stats or saves, but he just ruled them on the fly. Also, here is a thing: Dave Arneson didn’t have a single “true system”, but he changed and switched and tried and created on the fly, before and after his sessions. David, not burdening the players with rules and tables, freed the imagination of the player to just do whatever we wanted to do. Dave didn't knew what he would do before Blackmoor. Until he watched a movie marathon on television of science fiction and fantasy movies. It was at this moment he had his idea. No one was going to look up what a Dragon can do, what a Troll can do or what an Ent can do. That's what the referee say they can do. And thus Blackmoor started.
Remember, when we play our favorite worlds, rules don't have to be consistent. When Dave Arneson refereed his games, rules changed almost weekly, but Dave kept up the ‘feel’ of his creation, Blackmoor. Dave and his players were not playing “D&D” or anything else, they were playing Blackmoor. There is something you need to notice. The emphasis seems to be on discussions of rules systems, and not much of anything on how the principles of FK can be applied to actual games. This must change. Once and for all. We need to be more simulationists and less gamists. We need to talk and write more about ideas instead of rules. FKR is about playing worlds, not rules. It’s about literature literacy and genre competence way more than any rules. Back in the day, Dave Arneson and his players didn’t play rules sets. They played a world, they played a game scenario set in a fantasy world. The setting was the important thing. And must continue to be. Us, Referees have to understand their literature. And ‘literature’ includes movies, comic books and audio plays.
If anyone is interested in the ancient times of roleplaying, in the roots of our beautiful hobby, then getting to know the work and legacy of Dave Arneson and Blackmoor is a good start. And more than theory, must have practice. Play like Dave and the Twin City gamers did. This is recommended to every roleplayer. Even and especially to folks that are new to the hobby who only know the modern incarnation of the game. Surely rookies will have a lot of fun on Arnesonian gaming. Give it a chance to play your favorite game setting with minimalistic rulings and without giving players character sheets or any indications of levels. This gives them more of a sense of reality. This is part of the Arnesonian experience.
How you can have a good FKR session:
1. Read books instead of roleplaying rulebooks. Just read the book, not the system.
2. Pick any setting you like and write down stuff for it. If one knows how the world works, it gets pretty easy and fun to play.
3. Pick a free and simple rules set, or come up with your own.
4. Grab your favorite dice, establish simple ground rules for conflict resolution (“low is good, high is bad” or "high is good, low is bad"). Use tools, not rules.
5. Create characters based on the setting you want to play.
6. Just start playing. Use natrual language. Wing it, and you’ll see rulings emerging. If you’re so inclined, you can write them down and use them as rules.
7. You don’t need professional modules, adventures and stuff. Come up with an interesting situation, introduce a twist or two, get players, a trutworthy dice, snacks and alcohol. Have a very good time.
8. Again, because it’s so important: Play the world. Fuck the rules.
Here is a quick example of Arneson gaming using the incredible and simple Sword and Backpack (Twin Cities Edition)
My character is Peter, the Fighter. He went to explore a dangerous dungeon named "Black Worm Hideout". He reached the first room of the dungeon by going down the staircase of stone. He fought a lobster-like creature and won. A few rooms later, he met a weird magician. The magician lost was not too friendly and cast a spell on Peter. Even though Peter won, he got a bit injured. After some tumbling and bumbling through other rooms, Peter meets a beautiful woman called Sarah. He discovered she was the king's daughter who was kidnapped by the mysterious magician from the previous fight. Peter managed to escape with the princess after defeating the terrible Black Worm and when far enough from the dungeon and in a quiet place, Peter and Sarah had some sexy-time. The adventure ended with Peter and Sarah coming back home, Sarah's father giving the title of "Hero" for Peter. Peter ended up being happy with the beautiful Sarah and 1000 silver richer.
All combats were made using only 2d6 and a condition parameter instead of "hit points". Simple enough.
David Lance Arneson passed away in April of 2009, but his legacy still lives and his play style still lives within us from the FKR.
domingo, 30 de janeiro de 2022
About my D&D campaign
The Player Characters
Nia Steinbeck - Half Dryad Bard
Héktor - Tor'Shad Gunslinger
Jaden - Tor'Shad Wizard
Taegas - Human Fighter
Story so far (first and second session report)
Nia and her partner Héktor join the Red Manati, which is a "Metal Belly", a large, metallic vessel whose engine is powered by Syqua, the rare and toxic metamagic crystalline metal that is mined from the mines located in the kingdom of Tar'Syqua, passes through the forges and purifying refineries to eventually reach the great Talohara River and be distributed to all the Draconic Domains that form the Pact of Dragons (the one that gives the title to this D&D setting). The Syqua is an important part of the Pact, but unfortunately, in the present time population suffer from a scarcity of Syqua, putting the Pact at risk. Syqua is transported by the extensive Syqua Route, taken through the extensive river basin of Mindrayrth, which is the Draconic Domain that our adventure is set. The adventurers explored the memorial of the martyr dragon Lay'Ronia after the Red Manati landed in a forested area due to a storm. Returning from grueling exploration, the adventurers tell Captain Laryssa Ironfists the news. What was supposed to be a calm trip turns into a nightmare. In the skies, dozens of carrion birds flying in circles, a sure harbinger of tragedy. As soon as the last hundred meters inside the dense forest had been overcome, a real catastrophe occurred. The crew's bodies are completely destroyed and scattered. Blood and guts stained the mud and plants around it. In turn, the Red Manati is split in half, floating silently upside down in the waters of the Talohara River. The captain's voice calls for help. The bones in her arms and legs are broken, and the mark of a large claw-shaped wound nearly split her body in two. She is dying and far beyond the capabilities of any divine help available. Poor woman, she speaks with difficulty. Laryssa explains that a group of dragons suddenly attacked everyone out of nowhere just after dawn. In addition to killing the crew, they took the precious cargo, which consisted of a mysterious glowing cube. She asks the adventurers to seek out Alkrak'Tir, the Woman who Sings to the River. She lives on the banks of the Talohara River, near the city of Faularya. They need to warn her that Calyanon's Band of Broken Bones is back from the dead. After life leaves the captain's body, she has a well-deserved funeral ceremony and the adventurers regain their strength, finally they get a ride to Faularya in another "Metal Belly". After arriving in the city, they will now need to search for answers in order to avenge Captain Laryssa's death and retrieve the magic cube.
Nia and Héktor find Alkrak'Tir inside a tavern in Faularya. She takes them to her cabin, which is far away. There she tells everything she knows. She knows many things, thanks to the Seer Stone, a glowing crystalline sphere. Alkrak'Tir says they'll need help if they want to have any chance against the forces of Calyanon. The duo soon meet Jaden and Taegas. A rogue named Ziggy joins the group as well. During a conversation between them in the city of Radras, they are attacked by a horde of 8 dragons. The group survives the attack being aided by a mysterious golden dragon. One detail is that these dragons that attacked are from the Saykorr lineage (poisonous dragons) and these appeared to be dead dragons, but somehow they were alive. So, yes, living dead dragons. The adventuring party heads to the Forest of Mists to locate the "Pits of Dragons", the first base of operations for the Band of Broken Bones. For the rest of the adventure they encounter Canidrakos (dog dragons), a dangerous purple-scaled Hydra, dragon eggs and even the general who commanded them all, Schkorr, a dragon of the Saykorr lineage. To face Schkorr it was necessary for Nia to distract him and Ziggy to assume his true form. His real name is Qasinn, and he is a red dragon. Schkorr is defeated, the group gets some objects inside this first dungeon and now they basically defeated the first base of operations of the Band of Broken Bones. The dragon eggs found in the "Pits of Dragons" were taken to a safe place by Ziggy. Victorious, the adventurers return to Alkrak'Tir's hut and are given clues on what to do next. They now go to the city of Andrarth and there they will get help to continue their great adventure. What awaits the group from now on? Time will tell!
Who is the Woman who Sings for River?
Alkrak'Tir is a very beautiful and very wise woman. She is gentle, she is too honest, incapable of deceit, and is also too literal and doesn't appreciate metaphor or sarcasm. She has extensive knowledge of law and is convinced that the law removes violence from society. She has a great bond with the Talohara River. She acts as a shaman, being able to make connections with the material plane and the spiritual plane with ease. She owns the artifact called Seer Stone.
Who is Calyanon?
Calyanon was once the highest representative among the Saykorr bloodline of dragons. She had with her a loyal following and a few human cultists. This extremist group called itself the “Band of Broken Bones”. Calyanon has fallen from grace by betraying her own bloodline and her own race. She was banished from Mindrayrth, but swore revenge. She said that one day she would return with enough power to make the entire domain bow before her. However, she contracted a disease of magical origin that slowly deteriorated her body. Calyanon passed away. But suddenly she returns to life with her consciousness altered. She became a unique, legendary creature that no one had ever seen before. Having come back from the dead through wild magic, she has gathered her retinue of faithful followers again and infected them with her nefarious essence. Now they were all wild, mindless beings in the service of their mistress. And now she wants her revenge at any cost.
What is the Band of Broken Bones?
A group of bandits, cultists and creatures that serve Calyanon, heeding her whims and being rewarded for doing so. They are radical, liars and they have little shame in themselves and little respect for life.
What was so precious inside the Magic Cube?
The cube is a special magic item of immeasurable power. Within him is an almost infinite power. If it falls into the wrong hands, it will result in the total and complete extermination of life. The strange energy that exists in this cube cannot be easily controlled by a person who does not know its correct configuration. Calyanon wants to use the cube.
Nia Steinbeck - Half Dryad Bard
Héktor - Tor'Shad Gunslinger
Jaden - Tor'Shad Wizard
Taegas - Human Fighter
Story so far (first and second session report)
Nia and her partner Héktor join the Red Manati, which is a "Metal Belly", a large, metallic vessel whose engine is powered by Syqua, the rare and toxic metamagic crystalline metal that is mined from the mines located in the kingdom of Tar'Syqua, passes through the forges and purifying refineries to eventually reach the great Talohara River and be distributed to all the Draconic Domains that form the Pact of Dragons (the one that gives the title to this D&D setting). The Syqua is an important part of the Pact, but unfortunately, in the present time population suffer from a scarcity of Syqua, putting the Pact at risk. Syqua is transported by the extensive Syqua Route, taken through the extensive river basin of Mindrayrth, which is the Draconic Domain that our adventure is set. The adventurers explored the memorial of the martyr dragon Lay'Ronia after the Red Manati landed in a forested area due to a storm. Returning from grueling exploration, the adventurers tell Captain Laryssa Ironfists the news. What was supposed to be a calm trip turns into a nightmare. In the skies, dozens of carrion birds flying in circles, a sure harbinger of tragedy. As soon as the last hundred meters inside the dense forest had been overcome, a real catastrophe occurred. The crew's bodies are completely destroyed and scattered. Blood and guts stained the mud and plants around it. In turn, the Red Manati is split in half, floating silently upside down in the waters of the Talohara River. The captain's voice calls for help. The bones in her arms and legs are broken, and the mark of a large claw-shaped wound nearly split her body in two. She is dying and far beyond the capabilities of any divine help available. Poor woman, she speaks with difficulty. Laryssa explains that a group of dragons suddenly attacked everyone out of nowhere just after dawn. In addition to killing the crew, they took the precious cargo, which consisted of a mysterious glowing cube. She asks the adventurers to seek out Alkrak'Tir, the Woman who Sings to the River. She lives on the banks of the Talohara River, near the city of Faularya. They need to warn her that Calyanon's Band of Broken Bones is back from the dead. After life leaves the captain's body, she has a well-deserved funeral ceremony and the adventurers regain their strength, finally they get a ride to Faularya in another "Metal Belly". After arriving in the city, they will now need to search for answers in order to avenge Captain Laryssa's death and retrieve the magic cube.
Nia and Héktor find Alkrak'Tir inside a tavern in Faularya. She takes them to her cabin, which is far away. There she tells everything she knows. She knows many things, thanks to the Seer Stone, a glowing crystalline sphere. Alkrak'Tir says they'll need help if they want to have any chance against the forces of Calyanon. The duo soon meet Jaden and Taegas. A rogue named Ziggy joins the group as well. During a conversation between them in the city of Radras, they are attacked by a horde of 8 dragons. The group survives the attack being aided by a mysterious golden dragon. One detail is that these dragons that attacked are from the Saykorr lineage (poisonous dragons) and these appeared to be dead dragons, but somehow they were alive. So, yes, living dead dragons. The adventuring party heads to the Forest of Mists to locate the "Pits of Dragons", the first base of operations for the Band of Broken Bones. For the rest of the adventure they encounter Canidrakos (dog dragons), a dangerous purple-scaled Hydra, dragon eggs and even the general who commanded them all, Schkorr, a dragon of the Saykorr lineage. To face Schkorr it was necessary for Nia to distract him and Ziggy to assume his true form. His real name is Qasinn, and he is a red dragon. Schkorr is defeated, the group gets some objects inside this first dungeon and now they basically defeated the first base of operations of the Band of Broken Bones. The dragon eggs found in the "Pits of Dragons" were taken to a safe place by Ziggy. Victorious, the adventurers return to Alkrak'Tir's hut and are given clues on what to do next. They now go to the city of Andrarth and there they will get help to continue their great adventure. What awaits the group from now on? Time will tell!
Who is the Woman who Sings for River?
Alkrak'Tir is a very beautiful and very wise woman. She is gentle, she is too honest, incapable of deceit, and is also too literal and doesn't appreciate metaphor or sarcasm. She has extensive knowledge of law and is convinced that the law removes violence from society. She has a great bond with the Talohara River. She acts as a shaman, being able to make connections with the material plane and the spiritual plane with ease. She owns the artifact called Seer Stone.
Who is Calyanon?
Calyanon was once the highest representative among the Saykorr bloodline of dragons. She had with her a loyal following and a few human cultists. This extremist group called itself the “Band of Broken Bones”. Calyanon has fallen from grace by betraying her own bloodline and her own race. She was banished from Mindrayrth, but swore revenge. She said that one day she would return with enough power to make the entire domain bow before her. However, she contracted a disease of magical origin that slowly deteriorated her body. Calyanon passed away. But suddenly she returns to life with her consciousness altered. She became a unique, legendary creature that no one had ever seen before. Having come back from the dead through wild magic, she has gathered her retinue of faithful followers again and infected them with her nefarious essence. Now they were all wild, mindless beings in the service of their mistress. And now she wants her revenge at any cost.
What is the Band of Broken Bones?
A group of bandits, cultists and creatures that serve Calyanon, heeding her whims and being rewarded for doing so. They are radical, liars and they have little shame in themselves and little respect for life.
What was so precious inside the Magic Cube?
The cube is a special magic item of immeasurable power. Within him is an almost infinite power. If it falls into the wrong hands, it will result in the total and complete extermination of life. The strange energy that exists in this cube cannot be easily controlled by a person who does not know its correct configuration. Calyanon wants to use the cube.
quinta-feira, 27 de janeiro de 2022
Super-condensed D&D - Playing with quick rules
So, I wanted to run a new game last week, but I was kind of insecure to run it. But my players wanted me to run it, so I kept with the idea. We started the session. I helped the players with the character creation. Very quick to be honest. And we started playing.
We started our D&D campaign. Of course, I wasn't going to play one of the original games or popular OSR variations. We are playing my own set of rulings. We are playing a boiled down version with a d10 roll over core mechanic for combats. Arnesonian/Barkerian game.
Here is one of the characters of the campaign (this character hasn't appeared in the game yet):
Name: Castiel Von Linders
Race: Human
Profession: Fighter
Weapon: Shield
Armor: Plate mail
Simple character sheet. And he is ready to make up cool stuff and go on adventures.
The point here is I wanted to explore a new setting I discovered recently, as it was kind of interesting for me (it is called "Pact of Dragons"). But of course, since it has very few metaplots (almost none), I wanted to run my campaign in this setting with my own vision, my own version. The first session was awesome, I used the adventure module that came with the setting's quickplay PDF to start the campaign. The session ended with a cliffhanger and we are going to have new player characters in the next session this week.
Now I'll talk about the procedures of play. Everything was based in the kind of game I wanted to play. The combats are and will always be deadly. I determine initiative any way I like. To attack, roll a d10, try for high. I hate hit points, but since it's a fantasy game, I want to have hit points (and variable damage too). Characters started at Level 1, with 6 HP. They advanced to the Level 2 in the first session. After levelling up, they get 2 points to their current. Now they have 8 HP. I decided to introduce the hit points because, in the fantasy games, it’s not that uncommon to fight against different kinds of opponents on any given day. Also, combat is chaos, it has lots of uncertainty. One blow might knock you down, or barely scratch you. And that's what I am applying in my D&D campaign.
Okay, I am explaining the rulings for this campaign from the beginning, starting for the character creation. Choose a cool name, the race, the class (profession as I am calling at the table), a signature weapon and a signature armor for your character. You start with three spells if you are a magic user. The spells will be chosen from a list I will show you.
No dice outside combat. The early role-playing games had rules only for combat, so I am honouring this fact at the table. During combats, roll a d10. Roll high to hit. I am not telling you the exact number. If you hit successfully, the enemy dies instantly or resist damage, depending of the kind of enemy. Each successful attack reduces your hits by 1 or more points depending on the weapon or magic. When reduced to half of your hit points, the character is now bleeding and will lose 1 hit point per round until help comes. If you’re down to 0 HP, roll the d10 to being critically injured and eventually dying. Higher is better. Failing the death saving throw means your character is dead. If successful, the character comes back with 2 HP.
That's it. Nothing but D&D. It feels like D&D, and it certainly plays like D&D, only faster. And, just like in pre-D&D roleplaying games, I can add stuff on the fly if I want to.
We started our D&D campaign. Of course, I wasn't going to play one of the original games or popular OSR variations. We are playing my own set of rulings. We are playing a boiled down version with a d10 roll over core mechanic for combats. Arnesonian/Barkerian game.
Here is one of the characters of the campaign (this character hasn't appeared in the game yet):
Name: Castiel Von Linders
Race: Human
Profession: Fighter
Weapon: Shield
Armor: Plate mail
Simple character sheet. And he is ready to make up cool stuff and go on adventures.
The point here is I wanted to explore a new setting I discovered recently, as it was kind of interesting for me (it is called "Pact of Dragons"). But of course, since it has very few metaplots (almost none), I wanted to run my campaign in this setting with my own vision, my own version. The first session was awesome, I used the adventure module that came with the setting's quickplay PDF to start the campaign. The session ended with a cliffhanger and we are going to have new player characters in the next session this week.
Now I'll talk about the procedures of play. Everything was based in the kind of game I wanted to play. The combats are and will always be deadly. I determine initiative any way I like. To attack, roll a d10, try for high. I hate hit points, but since it's a fantasy game, I want to have hit points (and variable damage too). Characters started at Level 1, with 6 HP. They advanced to the Level 2 in the first session. After levelling up, they get 2 points to their current. Now they have 8 HP. I decided to introduce the hit points because, in the fantasy games, it’s not that uncommon to fight against different kinds of opponents on any given day. Also, combat is chaos, it has lots of uncertainty. One blow might knock you down, or barely scratch you. And that's what I am applying in my D&D campaign.
Okay, I am explaining the rulings for this campaign from the beginning, starting for the character creation. Choose a cool name, the race, the class (profession as I am calling at the table), a signature weapon and a signature armor for your character. You start with three spells if you are a magic user. The spells will be chosen from a list I will show you.
No dice outside combat. The early role-playing games had rules only for combat, so I am honouring this fact at the table. During combats, roll a d10. Roll high to hit. I am not telling you the exact number. If you hit successfully, the enemy dies instantly or resist damage, depending of the kind of enemy. Each successful attack reduces your hits by 1 or more points depending on the weapon or magic. When reduced to half of your hit points, the character is now bleeding and will lose 1 hit point per round until help comes. If you’re down to 0 HP, roll the d10 to being critically injured and eventually dying. Higher is better. Failing the death saving throw means your character is dead. If successful, the character comes back with 2 HP.
That's it. Nothing but D&D. It feels like D&D, and it certainly plays like D&D, only faster. And, just like in pre-D&D roleplaying games, I can add stuff on the fly if I want to.
sexta-feira, 14 de janeiro de 2022
Statless d100 play, inspired by Rolemaster
Back again here, people. This time to talk about dice rulings. Recently I got caught up in the idea of transforming my D&D campaigns completely. They will keep simple but there is one thing I will change. In the first Aisottiton session, I got myself into using the "X in 6 chances" method. I won't deny is very good. But the child inside me said to start playing around with dice. I got myself into the Rolemaster method.
Few people know, but, Rolemaster is a fantasy role-playing game published by Iron Crown Enterprises since 1980. Rolemaster uses a percentile dice system and employs classes with a different name. They are simply called "Professions". The task resolution is done by rolling percentile dice, applying relevant modifiers, and looking the result up on the appropriate chart to determine the result. There are various charts to increase the realism in the game, but most of these are optional, and many rolls can be made on a relatively small number of tables. You can restrict the game to rolling only during combats and never outside them.
Well, that's basically what I am doing. I put inside my head the idea of using Rolemaster as the motor of my campaign. When I decided using d% in my campaign, I preferred doing it just like the system Phil Barker also used for a while. Roll the d%, low is bad, high is good. Very good dice results may trigger something more.
Always before the roll, I may define the possible impact on a successful and unsuccessful roll. In Rolemaster, for example, a critical hit can be dealt by the result on the weapon table. Things such as bleeding, broken bones, loss of limbs or extremities, internal organ damage and outright death. If a crit is inflicted, a second roll is made on the appropriate critical table. All specific injuries carry with them injury penalties. In my free-form version, there will be no stats, no modifiers, no tables, not a single thing. The participant just rolls d%. If the roll is higher enough, the character succeeds. If not, something bad happens. I expect the player to roll higher instead of using a fixed target number. Anyways, I WILL NOT TELL the target number. If the player roll high enough, he hits and do damage. The target number is basically invisible. I don't use a specific target number, it's spur of the moment. Against specific opponents there is a fixed target number. In combats, the player must roll that opponent’s Defense Score (DS) or higher. I just tell the player to roll and secretly rule that he need 50 or more to hit and do damage.
Some examples:
- Zombie (30)
- Werewolf (50)
- Walking Horror (70)
- Dragon (90)
About hit points, nothing changes too much. I’m using hit points or “hits” but not in the D&D sense. I just apply a fixed number of times somebody can be hit before dying. I'll keep with my standard: 3 solid hits and you’re down. I will roll the percentile dice when the characters are hit; low results mean they take the blow without serious consequences. High numbers means a lethal hit. Just like in Rolemaster, the damage may have variations such as slash, crush, puncture, etc. I will describe the wounds whenever the character is hit with specific details of the injury inflicted. My logic here is simple: whenever a character get hit and take damage, I will tell it, afterwards they will have to role-play the results of getting a blade through the guts. As a responsable referee, I will record the injuries while the players and I are playing the game. I will keep with my standard. After the first hit, you are lightly injured. After the second, severely injured. After the third, mortally wounded. I will juts play like it's real. It's all just d100 and when you get hit hard, you are fucked up.
That's it. That's the new ruling I am using at my campaign. Simple single roll D100 resolution system. Higher roll determines good things happen. Still using "hits". Three solid mortal wounds and the character is dead. "Oh, he stabbed you successfully and you fall to the ground in pain."
Also, check out what Sam wrote recently. It was one of my inspirations for writing this new article.
Sam (Dreaming Dragonslayer) - Nim Style (Statless 2d6 play)
Few people know, but, Rolemaster is a fantasy role-playing game published by Iron Crown Enterprises since 1980. Rolemaster uses a percentile dice system and employs classes with a different name. They are simply called "Professions". The task resolution is done by rolling percentile dice, applying relevant modifiers, and looking the result up on the appropriate chart to determine the result. There are various charts to increase the realism in the game, but most of these are optional, and many rolls can be made on a relatively small number of tables. You can restrict the game to rolling only during combats and never outside them.
Well, that's basically what I am doing. I put inside my head the idea of using Rolemaster as the motor of my campaign. When I decided using d% in my campaign, I preferred doing it just like the system Phil Barker also used for a while. Roll the d%, low is bad, high is good. Very good dice results may trigger something more.
Some examples:
- Zombie (30)
- Werewolf (50)
- Walking Horror (70)
- Dragon (90)
About hit points, nothing changes too much. I’m using hit points or “hits” but not in the D&D sense. I just apply a fixed number of times somebody can be hit before dying. I'll keep with my standard: 3 solid hits and you’re down. I will roll the percentile dice when the characters are hit; low results mean they take the blow without serious consequences. High numbers means a lethal hit. Just like in Rolemaster, the damage may have variations such as slash, crush, puncture, etc. I will describe the wounds whenever the character is hit with specific details of the injury inflicted. My logic here is simple: whenever a character get hit and take damage, I will tell it, afterwards they will have to role-play the results of getting a blade through the guts. As a responsable referee, I will record the injuries while the players and I are playing the game. I will keep with my standard. After the first hit, you are lightly injured. After the second, severely injured. After the third, mortally wounded. I will juts play like it's real. It's all just d100 and when you get hit hard, you are fucked up.
That's it. That's the new ruling I am using at my campaign. Simple single roll D100 resolution system. Higher roll determines good things happen. Still using "hits". Three solid mortal wounds and the character is dead. "Oh, he stabbed you successfully and you fall to the ground in pain."
Also, check out what Sam wrote recently. It was one of my inspirations for writing this new article.
Sam (Dreaming Dragonslayer) - Nim Style (Statless 2d6 play)
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