When I’ not running Macchiato Monsters or a new game I want to try, I use what Jeff Rients calls walking-around D&D. Which means, I use the mechanics I can hold in my head, and adjudicate the rest. For future reference, here is what I tell people who join a Flailsnails or generic D&D game I’m hosting. I’ll update this post as the rules see more use (edits at end of post).
Your character
– Keep your stats and hit points, unless they’re too different from TSR standards and I make you roll 3d6 six times (and arrange the scores to suit your character).
– Mods are:
4-: -2
5-7: -1
8-12: 0
13-16: +1
17+: +2
– Your Save is 18 minus your level.
Applying violence
– Group initiative on a d6, rolled every turn
– You do ONE thing every turn (including move or swap weapons)
– Attack with d20 +stat +class bonus (your level, half level, or nothing). Monsters just add +HD
– Ascending AC: light armour 13, heavy armour 15, +2 for shield, +magic. Natural AC classes have 13 +stat bonus
– Damage as weapon +STR in mêlée, +magic
– Missed attacks do 1 damage. Referee may offer a ‘devil’s bargain’: attacker rolls damage in exchange for a complication (someone loses footing, a shield is broken…). Players can always refuse
Magic
– You keep your spells and magic system with the referee’s approval
– If you don’t have one: you get one slot for every level you have. Memorize one spell per slot. You can always cast a non memorized spell, but it costs time, components, or is very risky (save to avoid losing d6 stat points per spell level).
– Spell lists are either tied to spell books (and you can find more adventuring), divine powers (fixed list), or acquired disciplines (for psions and the like).
Exploration
– Exploration turns last an hour. One character can thoroughly explore one room or corridor in that time. Divide 60 minutes by the number of active characters – a party of six members explores a room, finding everything there is to find, in 10 minutes. I draw and fill in clocks to keep track.
– Non-exploratory movement depends on encumbrance, leg size, and endurance. Rolls may be involved.
– Every hour in the dungeon, and every 8 hours in the wilderness, the referee rolls an event d6 (usually: 1 nothing, 2 resource, 3 fatigue, 4 morale, 5 clue, 6 encounter).
Task resolution
– The conversation determines what is possible and what isn’t. Time and noise are factors.
– Otherwise, you need to save. Against death or disease of course, but also against looking like an idiot or making a ruckus. Add the relevant stat modifier, and your level if using a class or race ability. A modified roll over 10 always means a partial success or hard choice.
Classes
– There is always the option to level up using Zak’s system
– For new characters, here are the basics:
Class =>
Level
|
Fighters
d6+1 HP
Kills; +lvl doors/gates or intimidation
|
Rogues
d6 HP
+lvl to thievery or acrobatics or speed
|
Wizards
d6 / 1 HP
Spells or psionic powers
|
Mystics
d6 HP
Turn undead or command spirits
|
Demihumans
d6 HP/level
+lvl vs Magic or +lvl to hide or some other skill
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2,000
|
1,200
|
2,500
|
1,500
|
2,200
|
3
|
4,000
|
2,400
|
5,000
|
3,000
|
4,400
|
4
|
8,000
|
4,800
|
10,000
|
6,000
|
8,800
|
5
|
16,000
|
9,600
|
20,000
|
12,000
|
17,000
|
6
|
32,000
|
20,000
|
40,000
|
25,000
|
35,000
|
7
|
64,000
|
40,000
|
80,000
|
50,000
|
70,000
|
8
|
120,000
|
80,000
|
150,000
|
100,000
|
140,000
|
9
|
240,000
|
160,000
|
300,000
|
200,000
|
270,000
|
10
|
360,000
|
280,000
|
450,000
|
300,000
|
400,000
|
Experience
– Is mainly gained with gold retrieved from ‘unlawful ‘areas (1gp=1xp)
– Is always divided equally, including henchmen
– Goal xp aren’t entirely unheard of. Here is the xp table I’m using in my office lunchtime game:
Discovering a point of interest: 500
Unearthing lost knowledge: 500+
Making contact with a new tribe: 1000
Treasure: 1/GP (including information sold)
Eliminating a threat to others: 100/HD (non threatening monsters are worth 10/HD)
Edit 11/4/18: Added/reorganised the classes and experience paragraph based on my current, non-Flailsnails campaign
Edit 15/2/18: made task resolution/saves clearer in an attempt to stop using target numbers when I run. Added a list of XP values.
Edit 10/1/18: removed task resolution with chances in six, replaced by Into the Odd style save when there is danger. Removed the ‘yet untested’ mention about exploration rules.
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