Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
A Supplement For
PERILOUS
REALMS
Suggestions for Pick-up Sessions and Otherwise Rollicking
Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns
Playable with Original Edition Rules
and Their Various Simulacra
A Helpful
Referees Lodge
Publication
Nathan Jennings
2015
All rights reserved. Creative Commons attribution for all content usage.
Referees Lodge
www.campaigns-playable.blogspot.com
INDEX
Foreword ............................................................................................................................ 5.
Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 5.
Scope .................................................................................................................................... 5.
Recommended Equipment .......................................................................................... 5.
MEN AND MAGIC
Character Classes ........................................................................................................... 7.
Magic-users ...................................................................................................................... 7.
Optional: Thief Class ..................................................................................................... 7.
Abilities and Prime Requisites .................................................................................. 8.
Prime Requisite and Experience ............................................................................... 8.
Races .................................................................................................................................... 9.
Alignment .......................................................................................................................... 9.
Modifiers............................................................................................................................. 9.
Languages ......................................................................................................................... 9.
Class Based Armor Class and Weaponry ............................................................... 9.
Encumbrance .................................................................................................................10.
Experience Points .........................................................................................................10.
Levels .................................................................................................................................10.
“Top Level” and Limits ................................................................................................10.
Hit Dice by Level per Class.........................................................................................11.
Starting Hit Points ........................................................................................................11.
Fighting Capability ......................................................................................................11.
Attack Rolls .....................................................................................................................11.
On “Grappling” ...............................................................................................................12.
Spells per Level ..............................................................................................................12.
Optional: Elf as Class ...................................................................................................12.
Saving Throws................................................................................................................13.
Clerics versus Undead Monsters ..............................................................................13.
Clerics versus Demons .................................................................................................13.
Books of Spells ................................................................................................................13.
MONSTERS AND TREASURE
Monster Attack Rolls and Saving Throws ........................................................... 15.
Monster Multiple Attacks and Damage ............................................................... 15.
Level Drain and Experience .................................................................................... 15.
Magic-sword Ego-struggles...................................................................................... 15.
Treasure and Precious Metals ................................................................................. 16.
INTRODUCTION
This booklet contains suggestions for modifying original edition rules. The
goal is to eliminate any need for players (and, to a certain extent, even for
referees) to refer to tables or charts in the course of normal play. I assume, as
with all previous published supplements, that you own and have some famili-
arity with the original edition (1974) with its first three little brown books.
Anything not noted assumes continued use of original edition rules. The or-
der of the text coheres with that of the little brown books except all notes on
monsters have been moved to “Monsters and Treasure,” and all notes on non
-playing characters have been moved to “Underworld and Wilderness Adven-
ture.” Various simulacra of the original edition are available at little or no
cost if you cannot find a copy of the original rules. I recommend Delving
Deeper. I will sometimes use “d-notation”, e.g., “1d6” indicates one six-sided
die, etc. Where the original edition uses “men,” I will use “human beings,” etc.
As with the first published supplements, any and all of the suggestions given
herein are entirely optional; take what you like and leave the rest.
SCOPE
The original edition encouraged fantasy wargames campaigns at nearly eve-
ry level of play. It assumed, however, a community of wargamers familiar
with tactical and strategic levels of play; a familiarity that cannot be assumed
among denizens of “role playing games” today. Most play focuses on the skir-
mish level no matter how powerful playing characters may have become.
Although an attempt to simplify the rules, some of the suggestions that fol-
low also encourage player engagement with tactical and strategic levels, in-
cluding adjusting level advancement, eliminating “top level,” adjusting the
cost of upkeep, etc.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
Encourage players to bring the following to each session:
Pencil
Notepaper
Graph paper
Character record
1d20
3d6
1d% (recommended, but not necessary)
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MEN & MAGIC
Character Classes
Use the three main classes of characters. Some referees drop clerics. In this
case add some of the clerical spells to the magic-user’s repertoire. Some ref-
erees include thieves as a class. A simplified thief class appears below. Con-
sider treating elves as a class, see notes to that regard after “Spells per Level”
below.
Fighting-men/Amazons
Magic-users
Clerics
Thieves
Elves (if treated as class)
Magic-users
Allow magic-users to produce scrolls and potions so long as they are one
level above the spell level of the enchantment. Allow magic-users to enchant
objects from level eight and up. Follow the original rules for cost in time and
gold pieces.
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Employ the mechanic for listening to attempts to use any of the five senses,
including equilibrium when trying something acrobatic. As a general sense
check, this mechanic can be useful for tracking, etc.
If with a party of characters and the party is surprised, the thief may roll for
surprise separately. If unsurprised, the thief has successfully hidden before
the encounter.
Employ the mechanic for forcing doors to opening or freeing any sealed or
bound object or person. Even failure when using skeleton keys or locksmith-
ing tools may not demand a random monster check. The activity is quieter
than forcing a door. The thief may use skeleton keys for one attempt per door
(they fit or they do not), locksmithing tools for as many turns as the party
chooses to spend.
“Read language” deciphers maps, etc. “Read magic” casts spells from scrolls,
etc.
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Races
The fay races include dwarves, halflings, and elves. Grant all fay a quadruple
(+4) bonus to saving throws. Simplify the range of special capacities for each
fay race down to only one or two: Half lings attack with range-fire at two
higher levels (+2). Further, for class differentiation, require halflings to fol-
low cleric hit dice progression as fighting-men, magic-user hit dice progres-
sion as thieves. Dwarves note architectural features such as sloping passages
and new construction. For further class differentiation, dwarves follow cleri-
cal saving throw bonuses. Elves detect secret doors; or, the referee may
choose to give elves the same advantages to normal exploration skills as de-
scribed, above, under “Optional: Thief Class,” with an additional chance of
discovering secret doors simply by passing them on d6 = 1-2. (For an option-
al “Elf as class,” see below.)
Alignment
For new players and pick-up games, require all
characters to begin lawful. Allow cases to be
made for neutral. Avoid chaotic.
Modifiers
Drop all modifiers (e.g., bonuses and penalties)
to player’s dice-based mechanics derived from
ability scores. Never allow bonuses to stack.
Characters receive only the highest bonus
available.
Languages
Drop alignment-based languages. Give all fell
races one language with several dialects. Apply
prime requisite scale to the possibility of
language acquisition. So, in addition to common (and dwarfish and elfish for
dwarves and elves, respectively) map intelligence scores to languages in the
following way:
18-16 = 2 additional languages
15-13 = 1 additional language
<9 = illiteracy, and perhaps remedial language skills in the common
tongue
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Weapons limitations per class and race
Fighting-men = any
Magic-users = daggers, staffs, slings/stones
Clerics = nothing edged
Halflings/Thieves = nothing large
Dwarves = nothing long
Elves = nothing blunt
Encumbrance
Map character movement to armor class (AC):
AC 9-6 = MV 12”
AC 5-4 = MV 9”
AC 3-2 = MV 6”
All small items such as gems, scrolls and the like count as a “piece” of money,
all large items count as ten such pieces. Extremely large and cumbersome
items count as much as 100 pieces. Map the number of pieces a character
may carry to AC by multiplying AC by 100, e.g., AC 9 = 900 pieces, etc. Except
absurdities, factor standard gear per class into the abstraction.
Experience Points
Drop the division of XP based upon the ratio of dungeon level to character
level, etc. Grant 100 experience points per hit die (HD) of the creature or
creatures dispatched, never less than 100 experience points even for crea-
tures of fewer than one hit die (<1HD). Attack bonuses, multiple attacks,
magical capacities, special attributes (e.g., dragon’s breath weapon) may
grant an additional 100 experience points each, etc. Grant experience for
dispelling undead.
Levels
Experience points necessary for characters to attain the second level: 2,000
experience points for fighting-men, 2,500 experience points for magic-users
and 1,500 experience points for clerics. Each subsequent level requires ex-
actly double the experience necessary to reach the character’s current level.
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Hit Dice by Level per Class
Fighting-man and Amazon level indicates number of hit dice for cumulative
hits.
Magic-users get an additional hit die every odd level, while adding one hit
point (+1HP) every even level. Hit point bonuses are cumulative. When roll-
ing up a non-playing twelfth-level magic-user, roll six dice and add six hit
points (+6HP).
Clerics get an additional hit die most levels, but skipping every third, e.g.,
levels 3, 6, 9, 12, etc.). Clerics add one hit point (+1HP) each skipped level. Hit
point bonuses are cumulative. When rolling up a non-playing twelfth level
cleric roll eight dice and add four hit points (+4HP).
Note: some referees reroll hit dice per level, adventure, or even encounter.
When using this approach to hit die, remember to add any cumulative addi-
tional hit points.
Fighting Capability
Allow fighting-men (or perhaps any class) to
split hit dice (HD) for attacks. So a 2HD
fighting-man could make one 2HD attack or
two 1HD attacks. Allow the application of
additional damage dice from cumulative hit
dice. The player would declare the applica-
tion before attack and loose however many
attack dice. So a 4HD fighting-man could de-
clare an additional damage die, subtracting
one from his hit-dice. He would thus make a
single 3HD attack, and, if successful, roll two
dice of damage.
Attack Rolls
Use a “Target 20 System” for attack rolls.
Target 20 attack roll formula
Successful hit on d20 + HD (+magical bonuses) + target AC ≥ 20
For referees who would like to keep target armor class secret, have the play-
er roll a twenty-sided die, add the character’s current cumulative hit dice
together with any relevant magical bonuses and give that number to the ref-
eree. The referee adds the target’s armor class and informs the player wheth-
er the attack succeeds or not.
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On Grappling
Sometimes players do not want their character to kill an opponent, but to
incapacitate or capture. Allow all involved to make an attack roll. All success-
ful parties would roll a number of dice equivalent to their hit dice. They
would then total the roll, subtracting any hits currently sustained. The
defender would also do the same. If the grapplers succeed, the enemy is
grappled. If not, they are “thrown off” by the defender. Ties go to the
defender.
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Saving Throws
Use a Target 20 System with class-based
bonuses.
Target 20 saving throw formula
Save on d20 + HD + class bonus ≥ 20
Class-based bonuses to saving throws
Fighting-men = +3
Magic-users = +5, +6 vs. magic
Clerics = +6
Fay = additional +4
Thieves = +6
Books of Spells
Allow magic-users and clerics to possess their first spellbook or prayer book
without cost (a gift from their master, perhaps?) but still requiring the pur-
chase or discovery of higher-level or lost spellbooks thereafter.
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MONSTERS & TREASURE
Monster Attack Rolls and Saving Throws
Use a Target 20 System to resolve monster attack rolls and saving throws.
Give all monsters that are not a playing-character class a generic bonus (+1)
to attack rolls:
Target 20 monster attack roll and saving throw formula
Success on d20 + HD (+ 1 + target AC for attacks) ≥ 20
Spells count towards one such attack, breath-weapons as all attacks save
spells.
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Treasure and Precious Metals
Consider dropping copper pieces. Or, consider making them two to one sil-
ver. Make silver two to one gold. This will make treasure more worthy of
recovering, requiring thoughtful role-play in the face of encumbrance. Char-
acters will accrue experience at a more rapid pace. This will prove helpful for
one-off pick-up sessions or campaigns where players cannot meet as fre-
quently as, say, once a week. Such valuation aids when using the simplified
method for attaining levels, as higher levels become fairly astronomical in
experience requirements.
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UNDERWORLD & WILDERNESS ADVENTURE
Obtaining Specialists and Men-at-arms
The effect of a character’s charisma score on the number of unusual hirelings
represents the number of monsters and high-level non-playing characters of
a playing-character class that a character may hire and nothing more. Other-
wise, specialists for the building of strongholds and running of baronies
should be based solely upon availability and the character’s ability to make
payment.
The weekly cost of advertisement (100-600 gold pieces) applies only to at-
tracting a significant detail of soldiers for wilderness exploration or the
building of a standing-army for a stronghold for the first time. Advertisement
is irrelevant to hirelings for dungeon exploration. Even for details of soldiers
for wilderness exploration or the building of a standing army for strong-
holds, once the detail or the army has been built re-hiring for losses does not
require advertisement as the character’s (and the barony’s) fame will have
spread abroad. For dungeon exploration, characters buy a round of ale at the
local tavern for one to six gold pieces. However, for dungeon exploration, the
cost of the troops listed should represent the cost by day of dungeon endan-
germent rather than month of army service. Likewise, the cost of the troops
listed might represent the cost per week for wilderness exploration as op-
posed to a month of regular army service.
Footmen may serve as men-at-arms, or as shield bearers, for magic-users.
Non-fighters represent such hirelings as porters, cooks, torchbearers, etc.
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Dropping “top level” allows characters to count as barons of their respective
baronies, accruing the benefits of population for conscription and inhabitant
taxation more quickly and easily. Consider adding, instead, a requirement of
the building of a standing army of no less than 30 troops. Thus a barony is
established in the wilderness immediately upon completion of a stronghold,
the clearing of the land, and the building of an army (not necessarily in that
order).
In order further to encourage baronies, all gold pieces accrued from taxation
count toward experience points. Allow further investment to enable more
rolls for settlements or settlement-population until the maximum number of
settlements and their respective maximum populations are reached. Further,
consider allowing investment not only to affect the amount excised but also
the frequency of revenue e.g., every game season or even month rather than
year.
Simplified Mass-combat
Encourage players to engage in wilderness adventure and barony warfare
(i.e., tactical and strategic wargaming), by using simplified rules for mass
combat, e.g.: Group any creatures less than three hit dice into units of ap-
proximately ten hit dice each. These units deal and receive damage in terms
of hit dice, not points. A unit of ten normal men takes ten points damage be-
fore removal. Units roll attacks en masse as ten hit dice creatures of the given
type. Upon success, pips on damage dice indicate loss of target’s hit dice, not
points. Spells that deal a number of hit dice of damage inflict that number of
hits on mass combat units. Units save for half damage. Characters and crea-
tures that take both hit die and point damage in the same battle convert hit
dice to points on a 2:7 ratio. Removal of leader-types forces morale checks;
removing a high-level leader forces loss of morale. Upon conclusion, re-
moved and damaged units save for half losses. If using battle-mats with one-
inch hexes, scale as described in the original rules: one inch equals ten yards.
Healing Wounds
In order to keep play moving, each full day of rest under adverse conditions
restores one hit point. Each full day of rest under conditions of relative safety
restores one die of hit points.
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AFTERWORD
There are, of course, many other aspects of the original edition that could
be simplified or streamlined. The focus has been on the essentials and
what I could imagine and remember. Join an on-line community engaged
in discussing original edition play to help develop your own house
rulings for your campaign and your players’ preferences. Please share
what you do with the rest of us; we could all improve as referees!
FIGHT ON!
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