Over the past few months, I’ve been looking at OSR rules and procedures. With the arrival of the Burning Wheel Codex, I wanted to map some of the OSR procedures to Burning Wheel Gold.
Reaction
When introducing new NPCs 📖 that are not part of a Circle test, consider their disposition based on their BITs 📖 and any relevant reputations of the PCs 📖 . When in doubt consult Table 54: Reaction Roll.
2d6 | Result |
---|---|
2 | Hostile |
3-5 | Unfavorable |
6-8 | Indifferent |
9-11 | Favorable / Talkative |
12 | Helpful |
Morale
When NPCs encounter stiff opposition, the GM 📖 should reference their relevant BITs to determine a response. This overlaps with Steel tests, however with a bit of modification, could help determine the response to a failed Steel test. When in doubt consult Table 55: Morale Check.
2d6 | Result |
---|---|
2 | Routes |
3-6 | Retreats |
6-8 | Assess fight or flight |
9-11 | Fight on |
12 | To the Death! |
Initiative
If there are multiple actions in which timing is critical, leverage the following procedure for simultaneous declaration:
- Players may declare task and intent (+1s for Speed tests).
- Game master declares task and intent.
- Remaining players declare task and intent (-1s for Speed tests).
- All participants roll Speed to determine order of execution.
- Resolve actions from most successes to least. Characters may cancel actions but not revise.
This is a refinement on my experience hacking together a Burning Wheel Conflict resolution - a conflict that involved 34 characters that took 20 minutes for talking, stabbing, and looting.