Skeleton of Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game

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game design
house rules
open game content
role-playing game
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I’m preparing to run an RPG at my Friendly Local Game Store – Better World Books of Goshen. I’ve been vacillating between Sword & Wizardry (Complete, or White Box), Labyrinth Lord, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and the Heroes Journey.

Instead of picking one, I opted to create just what will be needed for that first session. This is by no means a complete game, but provides much of the player facing information to proceed. It is something I can print out and put in front of the players.

For more details concerning Old School Gaming, go grab Matt Finch’s free Quick Primer for Old School Games (PDF). See the following post for further Referee details.

Begin OPEN GAME CONTENT
Table 1: Ability Scores
Ability Score Modifier
3-4 -2
5-7 -1
8-13 0
14-15 +1
17-18 +2

Modifier

  • Strength: to hit and damage in melee; feats of strength
  • Intelligence: to save vs. spell; For wizards, subtract from saving throws of spells you cast
  • Wisdom: to save vs. non-spells
  • Constitution: adjusts all HD rolls
  • Dexterity: to hit in missile; to AC
  • Charisma: to hiring; to loyalty; to parlay
Table 2: Classes at Level 1
Features Cleric Dwarf Fighter Thief Wizard
Armor any any any leather none
Backstab - - - +4/x2 -
Base to Hit Bonus +0 +0 +0 +0 +0
Base MV 12 9 12 12 12
Cleave No No Yes No No
Climbing 1 in 6 1 in 6 1 in 6 5 in 6 1 in 6
Detect secret doors 1 in 6 4 in 6 1 in 6 2 in 6 1 in 6
Hit Dice (HD) 1 (1d6) 1+2 (1d6+2) 1+1 (1d6+1) 1 (1d6) 1 (1d6)
Listen 1 in 6 2 in 6 1 in 6 3 in 6 1 in 6
Read Unknown Languages no no no 4 in 6 3 in 6
Saving Throw 14 13 15 15 15
Saving Throw Bonus +2 vs. death/poison +2 vs. poison/spells +2 vs. death/poison +2 vs. traps +2 vs. spells
Shield any any any none none
Spells - - - - 1 1st
Thievery - - - 1 in 6 -
Turn Undead Yes No No No No
Weapon Damage, Medium 1d6 1d6 1d6 1d6 2W6
Weapon Damage, Light 2W6 1d6 1d6 1d6 2W6
Weapon Damage, Ranged 2W6 1d6 1d6 1d6 2W6
Weapon Damage, Two-Handed 1d6 2B6 2B6 1d6 1d6
XP to level 2 1500 2250 2000 1250 2500

Dice Notation

  • 1d6 - Roll 1 six-sided die
  • 2W6 - Roll 2 six-sided die, keep worse result
  • 2B6 - Roll 2 six-sided die, keep better result

Class Features

Wizard Spells

Charm Person Range: 30 ft, Duration: until dispelled, Save: negates, Affects: 1 living humanoid of human-size or smaller ; Caster is treated as trusted friend.

Detect Magic Range: 60 ft, Duration: 30 minutes; Caster senses location of magic within range

Hold Portal Range: 30 ft, Duration: 1 hour; Magically holds a door or gate for the duration.

Light Range: 60 ft, Duration: 1 hour; Target produces light as a torch (30 ft radius)

Magic Missile Range: 150 ft; A magic dart hits the target for 1d6 points of damage, no save.

Sleep Range: 240 ft, Affects: 2d6+3 HD of creatures, Duration: Referee’s discretion; Affected creatures enter an enchanted slumber

Turn Undead

Brandish your holy symbol and roll 3d6. Consult the following table. If the roll is successful, those creatures within 60 ft are turned – fleeing or cowering for 3d6 combat rounds.

Table 3: Turn Undead
HD Example 3d6
1 Skeleton 10+
2 Zombie 13+
3 Wight 15+
4 Wraith 17+

Starting Equipment

You get both your class specific gear and an adventuring pack of your choice.

Class Specific Gear

Cleric : Mace with Chain Armor and Shield (AC 15)

Dwarf : One-handed weapon, crossbow, chain armor, and shield (AC 15) or Two-handed weapon, crossbow, chain armor (AC 14)

Fighter : One-handed weapon, bow, chain armor, and shield (AC 15) or Two-handed weapon, bow, chain armor (AC 14)

Thief : One-handed weapon, leather armor (AC 12)

Wizard : Spellbook (choose 1 spell, one at random), staff

Adventure Packs

Choose one of the following:

Pack 1 : Backpack, bedroll, flint & steel, 6 torches (burn 1 hour, 30 ft radius light), 50 ft rope, crowbar, 7 days rations, and a water skin

Pack 2 : Backpack, bedroll, flint & steel, hooded lantern with 2 pints lantern oil (burn 4 hours, 30 ft radius light), hammer, 12 iron spikes, 10 ft pole, 7 days rations, and a water skin

Pack 3 : Backpack, bedroll, flint & steel, 6 torches (burn 1 hour, 30 ft radius light), a torchbearer (HP 2, AC 10, Move 12, Attack none, Carry torch, Loyalty 7+Charisma modifier), 7 days rations, and a water skin

Movement and Encumbrance

Table 4: Movement Modifications
Encumbrance Modifier
Chain mail or greater -3 MV
Each 25 + (Strengh modifier x 10) pounds of treasure -3 MV
Excessive amounts of gear (Referee's discretion) -3 MV

Note: Coins, gems, and jewelry each weigh 0.1 pounds. Note: Dwarves ignore the first two penalties to movement.

Table 5: Movement Rates
Description Speed Results
Sneaking MV x 10' per turn As walking but able to move with stealth.
Walking MV x 20' per turn Mapping and careful observation of the surroundings are possible.
Running MV x 40' per turn No mapping permitted. Characters are automatically surprised and have no chance to surprise others. The sound of running may attract the attention of enemies.
Combat MV / 3 x 10' per round Dashing around, battling foes, or fleeing.

Exploration

I encourage players to draw a map of the dungeon as it is explored (graph paper will be provided). Some things may only be discovered by reviewing the map.

Each turn of exploration (10 minutes), each character may:

  • Search a 10’x10’ area
  • Bind another character’s wounds (only in the turn after a combat); restoring 1d6-3 HP
  • Disable a trap
  • Move
  • Resolve an encounter

Every 3 turns, there is a 1 in 6 chance of a random encounter. Every 6th turn, the characters must rest.

Death and Recovery

When a character is reduced to below 0 HP, they must make a saving throw vs. death. Success means they are incapacitated, though any further damage they are killed outright. Failure means they are dead.

Characters recover 1 HP per day; 2 HP per day of bed rest.

Experience

While the current state of the rules does not deal with character advancement, it is something that bears discussion.

For each silver piece of treasure spent in town, the character gains 1 XP. Characters also gain XP for defeating monsters. However, the distribution of treasure XP to monster XP is about 4 to 1.

In other words, the vast majority of XP comes from treasure; plan accordingly.

Unlike many other systems, this uses the silver standard.

Checking Hireling Loyalty and Morale

Roll 2d6 and compare to loyalty of the retainer; If it is higher, then the retainer leaves.

When to roll:

  • Returning from perilous environs to relative safety of civilization
  • Exposure to a perilous situation
  • When the hiring character is incapacitated
  • When orders are given from the non-hiring character
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