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 a PDF 📖 of Matt Finch’s free Quick Primer for Old School Games. See the following post for further Referee details.
Begin OPEN GAME CONTENT
Ability Score | Modifier |
---|---|
3-4 | -2 |
5-7 | -1 |
8-13 | 0 |
14-15 | +1 |
17-18 | +2 |
Modifier
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Strength: to hit and damage in melee; feats of strength
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Intelligence: to save vs. spell; For wizards, subtract from saving throws of spells you cast
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Wisdom: to save vs. non-spells
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Constitution: adjusts all HD 📖 rolls
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Dexterity: to hit in missile; to AC 📖
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Charisma: to hiring; to loyalty; to parlay
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.
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
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.
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 × 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:
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Search a 10’x10' area
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Bind another character’s wounds (only in the turn after a combat); restoring 1d6-3 HP 📖
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Disable a trap
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Move
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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:
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Returning from perilous environs to relative safety of civilization
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Exposure to a perilous situation
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When the hiring character is incapacitated
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When orders are given from the non-hiring character