Explanation of Setting, Game Mechanics and House-Rules
The type of game will be homebrew, will have a generally serious tone with a focus on character and narrative, and feature a balance of combat, exploration, and social interaction. The genre is low-fantasy with elements of dark fantasy. The setting is more grounded in realism. Magic and monsters are rare and people are superstitious. The game can take players from level 1 to 10+.
GM Style: The rules used are heavily based on Basic Fantasy RPG, but the game will be free-form rather than defer to a rule system. The DM will resolve most PC and NPC actions by making rulings using the core mechanic. Many
house rules are used to simplify and speed up the game and eliminate
rules discussion during play. My rules will make things abstract rather than
simulate how they would really work and will make certain assumptions. These rules are explained below to help players understand the GM's style and the setting in five sections: General Information, Setting Information, Character Creation, Survival Mechanics, and Combat & Chases.
DM rulings based on what seems reasonable will resolve anything not covered by the rules. Players will tell the DM what they want to do and the DM will tell them whether or not it's possible and what they need to roll if a roll is called for.
Core Mechanic: Roll a d20, roll high. Try to meet or beat a target number.
Target numbers for the difficulty of tasks will be arbitrary and take the following into account: Your DM will assume what your character is good at (skills, training, and knowledge) based on your character's class, level, and the background provided by players. The actual conceivable difficulty of the task will inform the target number. Stressful or intense situations (situational modifiers) may modify a target number. The difficulty of target numbers will trend higher at lower character levels and lower at higher character levels.
Secret Rolls
will be made by the DM on behalf of the players for some actions when
it's reasonable that the character would not to know whether they failed
or not such as hiding, searching for a secret door or hidden trap, or listening for danger. This is done to create uncertainty which can create tension and suspense, to encourage cautious play, and to mitigate meta-gaming.
Inspiration
is not used, but if you roleplay well and if it's dramatically
appropriate, your DM will allow you to fail forward on unsuccessful rolls.
Failing forward means when you fail a roll, you succeed instead but at a
cost.
Cell phones are not allowed so bring your paper character sheet, a pencil and dice.
No rule books during
play. If you don't know a rule or how something works such as a weapon
or a spell, the DM will make a ruling and move on. The rule can be
looked up after the game. Make sure you know how your character works.
Absent or tardy players will not stop the group from playing depending on the group size. Absent players' characters do not earn XP. If you're absent, the DM may either run your character or assign your character to a player to run. For habitually absent players, the DM will declare your character as the official party door opener for the sessions you miss.
Charisma checks: I want to encourage speaking in character but I don't want to penalize players who are not comfortable speaking in character. Therefore, a roll for speech or charisma may depend on what
the player character says rather than how the player says it.
Living expenses; To simplify book keeping,
a modest adventurer's living expenses costs approximately 1 gp per day
or 30 gp per month spent in a village, town, or city. This is assumed to
be paid by player characters and covers food, hygiene needs, maintenance of
weapons, armor, clothes, shoes, etc., and lodging. Players who use ammo
regularly are assumed to restock a minimum quantity after returning from
adventure. Characters who desire a more comfortable lifestyle will
spend more.
Universal Target Numbers (Optional Rule)
The DM may make known to the players a universal target number that
applies to everything within a room, themed area or section, or a floor of
a given location to speed up and simplify gameplay. Example: All
enemies in this area have an AC of 11, it's 11 to search for hidden doors, 11 to sneak, 11 to trick a guard, 11 to
decipher a magic glyph, 11 to pick a lock, 11 to disarm a trap.
Reputation and status;
As a general rule, your character's status in the setting will be proportionate to your level.
Your party will earn a reputation based on party and character behavior,
such as acting noble, heroic, roguish, etc., living expenses, and general success or
failure rate of goals.
Item crafting is
not available to player characters except for high level Clerics and
high level Magic-Users, other conditions apply, unless you provide a
good backstory supporting your character having skill with a specific
type of crafting. See page 154 of the core rules for Basic Fantasy RPG
for Magic Research.
XP is awarded at the end of each session and XP is based
on a combination of things: Overcoming enemies and obstacles, acquiring
treasure, and completing objectives. Note that killing enemies is not
the only way to earn XP from them.Player Etiquette & Expectations
1. The first round of character creation will be done as a group (Session 0) so that players can bounce ideas off each other, ask questions, and make characters who mesh. Alternatively, 1-on-1 with the DM. Bring multiple character concepts and be prepared to create a personalized backstory for a character before session 1 or the DM will assign you one. Pre-gens available on request.
2. The game should be fun for everyone. If you make a character who causes issues, the DM will have a talk with you about retiring that character.
3. It is the player's job at character creation to provide a good reason for their character to adventure with the party and better yet a good reason to be loyal to the party. Example: A Lawful character may need a very good reason to adventure with a character who is an outlaw.
4. Players cannot create evil characters or play their characters evilly. Specific restrictions include: No backstabbing, no stealing from other PCs, no speech checks or mind control against other PCs.
5. Players should make a character who is compatible with the group as well as the game. Maybe this isn't the group or the campaign for that one character concept you've been itching to play.
6. Players should pay attention and be ready when it's their turn.
Setting Information
Thorncroft is a large town or small city with lots of farmland and ranches on its outskirts and is located on the edge of a frontier. Player's characters are required to register with the mercenary guild to receive official mercenary work from Thorncroft regency. NPCs around town may offer rumors and less prestigious yet potentially significant quests. Per the arrangement between Throncroft and the mercenary guild, players will eventually receive a title to land with a simple house on the city outskirts, but they must swear loyalty before a witness first:
"I will be a lawful man and bear loyalty to our king and his heirs, and to my lord and his heirs, and I will be a justicicable to my guild master, so help me God and the saints."
Entering the city. Upon arriving at the city, guards will collect a toll. The toll will be based on an assumption of the character's wealth based on how they're dressed or what wealth they're carrying, but will be no higher than 10 gp. Visitors names are recorded as well as where they're from, what their business is in the city, and where they'll be staying. They will be asked if there is anyone in the city who can vouch for their character. Visitors will be the first suspects of any crimes and a visitors host will be responsible.
Laws are strict. Mercenaries are not allowed to wear armor or carry shields in the city. They can wear a weapon, however, drawing a weapon for any reason inside the city is illegal and you will be arrested for attempted murder and executed in d4 days without trial. Fighting will get you locked up for 1d4 days and fined 10 gp. Thievery is not tolerated. If the value of the item stolen is under 10 gp, you will be locked up in the stocks for a week on a first offense. On a second offense or if the value of an item is 10 gp or greater, you will lose a hand and be expelled from the city. After that, thieves are executed. Magic-Users witnesses casting spells will be arrested and given a witch trial by the church.
Classism exists and the Merchant and Noble Classes do not often intermingle with the peasant class. Sumptuary laws are in place that restrict the way you dress and what part of the city you're permitted based on your social class, and require people to identify their trade by a wearing a garment, a pin, button, a patch, or a symbol on a necklace. Dressing above your station includes wearing fine clothes, gold or silver jewelry, is illegal and will result with a 10 gp fine on a first offense and sentenced to the stocks for 1d4 days on future offenses.
Traders and numerous in the city and in the outskirts. The city primarily produces food, alcohol, and also a variety of trade goods. Notable merchants include a middle-aged blacksmith named Allan Armstrong whose weapons and armor are fine, superior, and masterwork quality, but there is a waiting list, they are expensive, and wearing one may be a violation of sumptuary laws.
Brief history: The city was once a collection of farms with battle fortifications, called crofts. The regions also contains an abundance of a thorny weed locally called Devil Weed that was used as an improvised defensive barrier against thieves and wild animals. This is where the city gets its name Throncroft. The people of Thorncroft have always been brave and hard working, but have always respected the dangers of the frontier. Devil Weed still grows abundantly.
The Frontier is a largely unexplored and uncharted wilderness with many unknown dangers. Expeditions have historically failed. The frontier is home to wild animals, barbarian tribes, brigands, and pariahs.
The Church of Saint Rose
is a clone of Christianity. I decided this for two purposes. 1. because of its imagery within
fantasy and horror and 2. Peoples general familiarity with it. The sabbath day is Sunday on which they do not eat meat or do work. Followers may not eat animals considered to be unclean, such as vermn, scavengers, shellfish, or bugs. Acolytes, priests, nun, and clerics, also called the clergy, may not get drunk and take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The church opposes black magic and witchcraft, and does not make a distinction from magic used by Magic-Users.
Monsters, including
the undead, are rare and mysterious. It is assumed that Adventurers do
not know any monster lore such as monster weakness or powers. An entire
plot or adventure may revolve around a single monster. The church would order any cleric to vanquish monsters.
Mercenary Guild keeps the mercenaries in line and gives them work. The guild has been granted a charter by Thorncroft regency. The presence of mercenaries makes some people uneasy, but others have gotten used to it. Player Characters must register with this guild. The registration fee and monthly will replace the modest lifestyle expenses of 30 gp per month. After registering with the mercenary guild, you'll be read the riot act (issued a severe warning) about expectations in and out of the city. If the mercenary can't police themselves, they could all be penalized by the city.
Magic in this setting is rare and mysterious. Clerics use a soft magic system perceived as miracles. Magic-User's use a hard magic system. Soft magic and hard magic refer to how complex and clearly defined are the rules of a magic system. This adds variety to the the play-styles of each class.The magic used by Magic-Users is indistinguishable from witchcraft or black magic to followers of the Church who are superstitious and fearful. Maybe you can explain that you're a performing illusionist which is still frowned upon but likely to save you from a witches' death.
Soft Magic
rules: When you want to cast a
spell, you will describe the desired effect to the DM and the DM will
tell you to make a spellcasting roll, which is a d20 + your spellcasting ability bonus or penalty. If you roll low, casting the spell
may fail in which case nothing happens, or the spell may be miscast, meaning the effect may be less potent than
described, or something may go terribly wrong. You can cast a number of
spells per day equal to your character's level + your spellcasting
ability bonus or penalty. You can refer to the rule book for inspiration
or select an appropriate class spell out of the rule book to cast.
Hard magic rules: Traditional Vancian magic. Spells are kept in written from, such as a spellbook. Magic script can only be read by magic-users, and discovering it would be terrifying to ordinary people. Spells must be memorized to be cast and are forgotten once cast. You can memorize a number of spells per day equal to your character level + your spellcasting ability bonus or penalty. You may choose to forget a spell without casting it to memorize a different spell. Memorizing your spells for the day or any new spells requires one uninterrupted hour. Memorized spells that are not cast persist from day to day. The effects of some spells improves with character level sometimes also called caster level. Magic typically forces targets to make a
saving throw rather than a caster making an attack roll.
Potions found randomly as treasure have to be identified either by testing them or by tasting them. This is dangerous and can result with death if you taste poison and fail your saving throw. Drinking, administering, or throwing a potion requires an action.
Apothecaries (as well as herbalists, alchemists, and high level magic users) in this setting make potions and sell them as medicine. Apothecaries may also be able to make poisons, but that would be unlawful. Many people are suspicious that apothecaries make and deal poison, and so the business is feared and stigmatized. Apothecaries can identify some but not all potions and poisons for a price.
The Setting's identity is inspired by low fantasy and medieval European material (anachronisms abound such as Ethnicity not being important to people). You might be able to find a scimitar, but you won't find a katana. The setting is feudal and so most people are lawful and are loyalty to a lord or a realm is important to people. Faith in whatever the predominant religion is is also strongly valued by people. People everywhere will generally be suspicious of people without a country or a religion.
The Language
of the setting is based on a low-tech culture and is therefore simpler
and less consistent (it lacks standardization) than modern language. Separate concepts might not be differentiated by the words people know. As a consequence, the meanings
of words may vary in different villages, towns, and cities or they may have
their own words for the same thing. This is significant because what one
culture calls a goblin, another culture may call an imp or a gremlin, and so the
only way to know for sure what the villagers are scared of may be to come
face to face with it. Do the simple villagers know the difference between an ogre, an orc, a troll, a bugbear, a wild man wearing a bear pelt, or an unusual cave bear?
Character Creation
Pitch your character concept.
What is your name, class, backstory, and a specific, dramatic goal.
Also write about something your character loves, something they hate, and something they fear. Backgrounds will be used for story material. You must pick one of the four basic class (fighter, cleric, thief, magic-user; refer to my setting pitch linked at the very top) and you may flavor it anyway you like; however, characters
must suit the genre, setting, and tone for the game. Players
characters should mesh and players have to work out a good reason why their
characters adventure together. No evil player characters.
Ability scores are generated randomly by rolling 3d6 in order
to create unique characters. The idea is that you're playing an average
person who either chose or was forced to a life adventure. Abilities do not ordinarily improve with experience. Ability bonus and penalties are small.
- A score of 9-12 gives no bonus or
penalty.
- 13-15 and 6-8 give +/-1 respectively.
- 16-17 and 4-5 give +/-2 respectively.
- 18 and 3 give +/-3 respectively.
Hit points
will be low and are generated by rolling your hit die and adding your
constitution
bonus or penalty. You keep all 1's you roll. You always gain a minimum
of 1 hit point per level regardless of penalties. Enemy hit points will
generally be low too.
Starting money will be 3d6 *10 gp which the players will use to purchase their starting equipment.
Carry capacity is the maximum number of item slots you can have and is equal to 20 + your Strength score. A backpack or reasonably equivalent container is worth 20 of those slots. Your movement becomes 0' if your inventory
exceeds your max carry capacity. Items of size, shape, and weight that cannot
reasonably be carried, can't. Items that reasonably stack, do, but to a limit. Equipment
worn and money carried count against your carrying capacity. Your
movement is reduced by 10' if the number of items in your inventory is
within five of your capacity. Characters are assumed to carry all items
in their backpack but may choose 5 weapons or items that can be worn or
stored in pockets or pouches. You can draw or stow one worn or pocketed
item as part of your action. Items in your backpack require a full combat turn
to withdraw.Thief Skills are what makes the thief special and worth having in the party. All classes can listen at doors, search for secret doors and search for hidden traps (and succeed by rolling a 1 on a 1d6), but only the thief can climb sheer walls (with climbing gear), move silently, hide in shadows, pick pockets, pick locks (with thief tools) and
disarm traps (also requiring thief tools). The
thief will improve at these skills over time. Thieves use percentile
dice for all skills listed. When any other class attempts to listen at
doors or search for hidden doors and traps, they roll a d6 and succeed
on a 1 (or must roll an 18 or better on a d20 modified by Wisdom). Thief skills do not work in metal armor.
Want to be a Cleric?
Clerics have access to awesome powers. The exchange they accept is that
they have to live by a strict code and are lawful good. That creates
game balance. Clerics have a holy cause and a level of determination that distinguishes them from the rest of the party who might just be mercenaries.
Clerics don't cast spells, they pray for miracles. Clerics
can pray for miracles a number of times per day equal to their level +
their Wisdom bonus or penalty. After that, their prayers will not be
heard until the next day.
If a party has a Cleric and a Magic-User, (or a Cleric and Thief for that matter) it's up to the players to work out a plausible explanation why the cleric does not attempt to kill or capture the Magic-User as a witch and submit them to god's judgement and would even hide the Magic-User from the church.
Class Options?
If you have character concept you would like to realize that does not
fit the four basic classes, discuss potential flavor or mechanics
changes with the DM. The DM will attempt a re-skinning of a class that
suites the setting before making any minimalist mechanical changes. For
example, a Cleric can be reskinned as a Druid. Paladins are a prestige
class in the Thorncroft setting as well as combination Martial-Magic classes. Martial artists who use Ki, characters with a lineage granting them innate magic, and psychics
are not setting appropriate. Necromancy is not available to players.
Players who want to play a character who makes a contract with a magical
creature, fey, or demonic entity in exchange for power would very rare
but available as a reskinned Magic-User with a soft magic system like
Clerics, and contractual obligations similar to Clerics code of ethics.
Survival Mechanics
In-game time will
be measured in rounds. The lengths of rounds will vary from abstract to
precise and will be context based. Exploring a dungeon? 1 round is 10
minutes because it assumes slow, cautious and methodical exploration in a
dark, trap laden, danger infested, unfamiliar, and complex environment. It also assumes the party is mapping. Rushing in a dungeon? A round might be 1 minute. 1 round of combat or a
chase? 10 seconds. Exploring a city? A round might be morning,
afternoon, evening, or night, or 1 or 2 hour chunks. Exploring the
wilderness might be day and night or 4, 6, or 8 hour chunks.
Sleep, food and water requirements will be considered in the wilderness or in a dungeon. You need at least 6 uninterrupted hours of sleep (or abstracted as one uneventful night) per 24 hours. Food and water requirements are measured abstractly. You require at least 1 inventory space of food and 1 inventory space of water per day. Food and water carried are assumed to be consumed throughout the day. You are exhausted if you fail to meet these requirements after 1 day and you suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks until you get all your required sleep, food, and water. If you are exhausted for 2 consecutive days, you no longer heal lost hit points. You die after 3 consecutive days of exhaustion.
Healing
is slow like natural healing to reinforce the severity of wounds and
injuries aka taking damage. You recover 1 hit point per day. You recover
an additional 1 hit point per day if you choose bed rest. You can visit
an apothecary or herbalist for medicine. Exhaustion from a lack of
sleep, food, and water can interfere with natural healing. You can visit a church and donate money for healing services. Magic-Users recover expended spell-slots after a full night of rest. Optional rule: To speed up gameplay, PCs recover 1d3 HP per day and an additional 1d3 HP if they choose bed rest.
0 Hit Points means you are dead. Player deaths are a part of gaming and the threat of which is essential to
creating tension and an exciting experience. In order for life and
death to mean anything, resurrection is not available by ordinary means. Make decisions
for your character like you value them. Be resourceful, be clever, and
use good teamwork.
Save or Die,
meaning that failing a single saving throws such as Save vs. Death Ray,
Save vs Poison, and Save vs Turn to Stone can mean a slow but certain
death or instant death. Therefore be smart and cautious.
Navigation. Characters can travel confidently on roads, in familiar regions, by using a map, when led by a guide. Otherwise, players must navigate. The party declares the general direction and distance, or an intended destination. The DM may call a for a navigation check. On a failure, the party is lost and the DM determines how lost. Getting lost results with lost time and resources, and more opportunities for unwanted random encounters.
Travel Speed. The party can travel across wilderness at a rate of 6 miles for every 10' of movement per day (8 hours march). Some terrain may reduce the party's travel speed. The party travels at the speed of its slowest member. In dungeon exploration phase, the players move 3 times their movement per 10 minute turn. In combat, the party moves their movement speed per turn.
Marching and Forced March. PCs can travel the wilderness 8 hours per day. If they travel any longer, that is called a forced march; They may travel up to 12 hours per day then they roll a Save vs Death Ray + Con or take 1d6 damage.
Light Sources will be required by adventurers to light caves and dungeons or dark wilderness if they want to travel at night. Torches stack up to 3 and 1 torch burns for approximately 1 hour or 6 rounds in a dungeon. Lanterns burn one flask of oil in approximately 4 hours or 24 turns in a dungeon. Candles stack up to 12, shed much less light, 5'. They burn for 3 turns per inch of height.
Doors in dungeons generally very solid and heavy. They are usually jammed or stuck and often swing closed behind you, re-jamming. Forcing open doors is loud and can can alert or attract danger. You can keep doors from closing behind you by spiking them open (hammering an iron spike in to the door frame). Sometimes doors will be blocked from the other side and can't be opened. Characters can listen at doors for sounds of movement or talking on the other side (rolling a 1 on a d6).
Combat & Chases
Initiative
will be countdown initiative. Each player rolls a d6 for initiative.
The DM counts down from 6. When your initiative number is called, you go. Ties
go simultaneously with priority typically going to missile attacks, then
melee, then magic. The DM then resumes the countdown until everyone has
had their turn. Initiative is rerolled each round so that turn order is
not predictable. You have a 3 minute time limit to declare what you're
doing or else your turn is skipped and the DM declares that your character hesitated.
Zone combat (may be used)
mixes the abstract nature of theater of the mind style play and the
tactical nature of a battle map. The map is broken up into zones that
represent ranges: Melee range in the center, Missile range outside of
that, and far range outside of that. Per move action, creatures can
change one range and may move up to the length of a pencil or a hand.
Creatures in missile range can make melee attacks against adjacent
creatures in missile range, but melee attacks cannot be made across
ranges. Creatures in Far Range are too far to see combat, but they can
hear it.
Actions in Combat.
On your turn, you can move and you can make one action, you can move
twice (called running), you can move without acting, or you can act
without moving. That's it. You can do anything for your action within
reason. Attacking
ends your turn. You can choose to hold your action and act on a later
initiative count, in which case your action has first priority.
AC or Armor Class
is an abstract value of your character's total ability to defend themself + their armor and shield. AC assumes the target is prepared to
defend. If the target is not prepared to defend, perhaps because they
are asleep, paralyzed, or somehow rendered helpless, attacks may be
automatic and damage may be maximized or doubled. In some cases, a the
target may roll Save vs Death Ray to avoid attacks.
Saving Throws
represent your characters reflexes, therefore, you may not always be
allowed a save against an attack or trap that you're not aware of it or
when you're not being careful.Flanking gives you a +1 attack bonus. Attacking form behind gives you a +2 attack bonus unless the creature's anatomy grants them no such weakness. These bonuses do not stack with backstab.
Cover is abstracted thusly: Partial cover, which generally provides a +3 bonus to AC and saving throws, and full cover which grants complete protection from attacks or spells that require line of sight. The DM may rule that the bonus provided by partial cover is different depending on the type of cover.
Prone means you are flat on the ground. You can choose to drop prone at no cost or you can be knocked prone. You expend half your moment to stand from prone. While prone, you can crawl for half your movement. Dropping prone behind partial cover means you receive the benefits of full cover. While prone, melee attacks made against you have a +4 bonus. Ranged attacks made against a prone target have a -4 penalty if the target is greater than 5' away and a +4 bonus if the target is within 5'.
Kneeling can provide archers with a +2 attack bonus, however, rising from a kneel costs half movement.
Critical hits.
I don't use critical hits because of the low hit points nature of my game. In combat, a natural 20 always hits. A natural 1
always misses. Double damage is achieved by thieves performing a
backstab.
Underwater combat. Only Melee weapons that do piercing damage are effective underwater. Missile and thrown weapons do not work if fired into water or under water. Slashing and bludgeoning weapons do half damage. Exceptions may apply to aquatic and marine creatures. Fire magic does not work underwater.
Dual-wielding is permissible (yet a-historical) with light or medium weapons only. Your off-hand attacks with a -5 penalty. You cannot take your move action in-between attacks, but you can attack separate adjacent targets.
Grappling. To grapple, make an attack roll. If you are successful, you can restrain a creature that is about your size or smaller. A grappled creature has a movement of 0 and can attempt to escape on their turn by making a Save vs Death Ray, or they may attack their attacker at a +2 bonus. One who has successfully restrained a creature can make an automatic attack against that creature on their next turn.
Brawling. Punching and kicking does d3 + strength bonus or penalty damage, minimum of 1 damage. If you punch or kick a creature in metal armor, you receive damage instead. Brawling is considered subduing damage.
Ranged Attacks that Miss. If you make a ranged attack against a creature and your attack roll fails, you might hit an adjacent creature within 5' instead. The DM makes attack rolls for the attacker against all adjacent creatures within reason until rolling a single success or until the attack misses all creatures.
Subduing damage or non-lethal attacks. You can knock an opponent unconscious rather than kill them by declaring an an intent to do so and then reducing an opponent to 0 hit points with a melee attack. This cannot be accomplished with cutting or piercing features of a weapon. Using such a weapon to attempt subduing damage deals 1d4 damage.
Improvised Weapons are objects or tools resembling weapons. They do 1d4 damage.
Missile Fire ranges: A ranged weapon receives a different bonus or penalty to attack rolls at the following ranges: short (+1), normal (+0) and long range (-2).
If your target is 5' away and is able to defend themself or if the target is at short range or greater and is prone, you have a -5 to your attack roll.
Backstab grants a +4 to your attack roll. It typically works on a creature once per encounter; Once you backstab a creature, it will be careful of you. To backstab, you must be behind a creature. You either must be hidden or it must be reasonable that the creature is not aware of your presence or able to defend.
Social Interaction Rules
Speech checks will be resolved either by Roleplay or you may state "my character explains this in this manner." The DM will use this information to determine whether to call for a speech roll and how high to set the target number. Charisma, status reputation may influence the roll.
Hirelings are NPCs that the players can hire to join them on their adventures with fighters being the most common. Hirelings can be used to round out the party. First level adventurers can typically only hire 0 level NPCs. PCs cannot hire NPCs who are a higher level. Players will have to seek potential candidates NPCs and make a proposition. Quality hirelings will charge a fee and expect an equal share of any treasure or reward, and an equal share of the risk. Hirelings who are mistreated by the PCs with spread the word. Hirelings earn a 1/2 share of XP instead of a normal share. The quality of your offer will add a bonus or penalty to the roll.
- Nat 1; Offer refused and NPC is offended; -1 on successive attempts
- Low roll; offer refused offer
- Medium roll: NPC not satisfied and asks for a better offer
- High roll: NPC accepts offer
- Nat 20; Offer accepted and NPC is impressed, +1 loyalty
Reaction Rolls: For random NPCs or monster encounters, the DM may be undecided or desire to determine randomly the NPCs first impression of the party by a roll and adjusting with the lead character's charisma.
- 1 or Nat 1; NPC is Hostile or Suspicious
- Low roll; NPC has a negative disposition towards the party
- Medium roll: Fair or mild disposition towards the party
- High roll: Friendly or Positive disposition towards the party
- Nat 20 or 20+; NPC is very kind or generous
Updated 11/11/2020 by Joshua
