20 Questions: How I run D&D
Posted by Joshua on Mar 3, 2012
Or how I would if I were to run D&D, which I haven’t been for a while
Untimately: 20 Quick Questions: Rules
Here are 20 rules clarifications that are likely to be needed anyways at some point.
- Ability scores generation method?
Roll 3d6, and assign to an attribute; repeat until you’ve run out of attributes. - How are death and dying handled?
I was doing 0 = dead, but now I’m thinking Trollsmyth’s Death and Dismemberment table - What about raising the dead?
Absolutely, if you can afford it. - How are replacement PCs handled?
They just show up, as soon as I can work them in. They start at 1st level. - Initiative: individual, group, or something else?
Group, only rolled at the start of the encounter. I’ve never understood why a side would sometimes get two turns in a row. If you have an initiative bonus or penalty you may go before or after the rest of the group. - Are there critical hits and fumbles?
Yes. - How do they work?
Currently damage dice are “exploding”; I’m considering switching to Arduin charts, just because. - Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet?
You’re penalized by 1 AC if you’re not wearing your helmet. It should probably be more, but then so should shields. - Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly?
Absolutely. Foes are granted cover; if the roll is a miss because of cover, compare the roll to see if it would hit your friend’s AC. - Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything?
Not only will you sometimes need to run, you probably should avoid fighting if you can help it. - Level-draining monsters: yes or no?
Yes, though I can’t recall the last time somebody ran into one. - Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death?
Absolutely. A better way to look at it is “Are there going to be cases where a PC who would have died gets off because of a succesful save?” - How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked?
Not at all. I should probably make people at least make a guestimate given their standard gear, but I don’t. - What’s required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down time?
You have to wait for downtime before I even calculate XP. You need to find or buy new spells. Training is an optional way of turning gold into XP or higher stats. - What do I get experience for?
Treasure, killing monsters, minor xp for doing something that amused the GM. XP for treasure is one of those things I think is important in order to reward not fighting everything. - How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination?
Description. Roll the dice as a save if you didn’t describe something that by rights ought to have found it. - Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work?
Absolutely. Per the D&D Basic rules (as I remember them) 2d6 vs. morale, when 1st ally dies, and when half the allies are dead. At the GM’s option if something spectacular like a critical happens. - How do I identify magic items?
Try them. Or cast Identify, or pay a Wizard back in town to do it. - Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions? Can I create magic items? When and how?
Of course, if you can afford it. Potions can be quite reasonable, permanent items cost a lot. Nobody’s gotten to high enough level to create any magic items except scrolls. - What about splitting the party?
Be my guest. Unless you mean overland or in the city, in which case running errands that will get hand-waved is fine, but I encourage the players not to go on separate adventures as a courtesy to each other and to me.
50 Ways to Save that Party!
Posted by Joshua on Mar 2, 2012
There must be 50 ways to save that party!
Let them slip out the back, Jack,
Make a new plan, Stan,
no need to destroy, Roy,
just listen to me…
In event of an immanent unacceptable TPK roll 1d8 on each table.
Foes
1. capture them
2. flee
3. parley
4. turn on each other
5. become distracted
6. change sides
7. surrender
8. are defeated by a miracle. (Stop. Do not roll on because.)
because
1. somebody the party once helped arrives*
2. an old enemy of the party arrives*
3. an enemy of the foes arrives
4. a powerful supernatural entity intervenes
5. an unforeseen disaster occurs
6. they mistake one of the party for somebody else
7. they have a change of plans
8. reroll.
* substitute a mysterious stranger if the party has no plausible old enemies or allies.
Note that in many games TPKs are entirely acceptable, or acceptable under certain circumstances. This is just for the times when a GM wants to stop a TPK in progress without fudging the dice.
Wizards
Posted by Joshua on Feb 29, 2012
A little thing I did
Zap! The Science Fiction RPG is out!
Posted by Joshua on Feb 16, 2012
And it’s totally free! Go get a copy!
Zap! The Science Fiction RPG
A Neat Character Portrait Generator
Posted by Joshua on Jan 26, 2012
Or at least that’s what I intend to use it for: Doll Divine
