2019-03-12 Twenty Questions, Again

It’s been a long time and a recent podcast episode of Daydreaming about Dragons reminded me of Necropraxis’ twenty questions about rules.

=> podcast episode | twenty questions about rules

Some of my answers have changed! Previously in 2012 and in 2014.

=> in 2012 | in 2014

1. Ability scores generation method?

3d6 in order.

2. How are death and dying handled?

When you reach 0hp and every time you are hit thereafter you roll on the Death and Dismemberment table; this rule also applies to retainers, if players ask for it.

3. What about raising the dead?

High-level clerics are very hard to find and require days of travel. If you find them, they will cast the spell in exchange for suitable favors. Essentially I will exploit the situation for plot hooks.

4. How are replacement PCs handled?

Start with 0 XP at level 1, or one of your retainers.

5. Initiative: individual, group, or something else?

Group.

6. Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work?

On a natural 20, you do max damage.

7. Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet?

Yes; some entries on the Death & Dismemberment table have less severe results for helmet wearing victims.

8. Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly?

No.

9. Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything?

You will need to run.

10. Level-draining monsters: yes or no?

Yes.

11. Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death?

Yes.

12. How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked?

Not. I use the “rule of cool.” Just don’t be ridiculous.

13. 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?

It can happen at the end of a session which is when I hand out XP for monsters defeated or during the game when a character wastes an appropriate amount of gold.

14. What do I get experience for?

About 90% is for treasure spent: Building houses, erecting statues, sponsoring parties, donations, salaries paid to employees. The remaining 10% is XP for monsters defeated.

15. How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination?

There are very few traps. I try to make them “in your face” obvious. They are triggered by rushing through and committing other foolish mistakes.

16. Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work?

Yes. They roll morale when asked to do things they consider to be too dangerous. If you play this right, they never roll. Enemies roll morale when the first enemy drops and when half the enemies are down; two checks at most.

17. How do I identify magic items?

I will allude to their properties as soon as you examine them. It will be obvious from the description.

18. Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions?

No buying of magic items. Occasionally a village will have an alchemist with a fixed set of potion recipes. These cost 300-500gp each. Other magic items require barter or quests.

19. Can I create magic items? When and how?

No.

20. What about splitting the party?

Sure.

=> Death and Dismemberment

​#RPG ​#Old School