Shadow & Fae

 Magus Ludus What if everyone were wizards?

No time for a fight? Want to fast forward a minor fray? More interested in exploration and RP than violence? Why not Uber Simple Combat? Of course, if you prefer gritty, interesting turn-by-turn combat, see my other post . Second Wave , by Andrew Kuzinskiy Uber Simple Combat When a fight begins, each side adds up their Combat Bonus then rolls a d20+that Combat Bonus. Combat Bonus consists of: Total Party Level Highest to-hit bonus Average AC-10 +3 for 1 Situational Bonus such as surprise or the high ground. The difference between the 2 rolls is the "Challenge" of the combat.  10+ Crushing Defeat, each loser takes 4d6 damage! Winners take no damage. 5+ Major Defeat, each loser takes 2d6 damage! Winners take d2 damage. 1+ Minor Defeat, each loser takes d6 damage! Winners take d4 damage. Tie: Everyone takes d4 damage. Either side may flee. If both sides remain, roll again. Once challenge is determined, each character may attempt to adjust the challenge by wagering a relevant fea...

Storming the Castle, Derek Zabrocki There's something about coming up with crazy plans and rolling dice to see if they work out that just feels good . Combat, however, often feels like there's only "1-right-choice" and anything other than that choice is just a skill issue . What if combat offered meaningful player agency? These rules are designed to largely replace existing combat rules in just about any  d20 game. Of course there will be exceptions. Crits & Fumbles A roll of 1 on the d20, or with a sum of 1-, is a fumble. A roll of 20 on the d20, or with a sum of 20+, is a critical.

D&D Motif Index by Theme This list is not complete, and may never be. If you wish to contribute, leave a comment with a motif and its theme. Motif : A common and recognizable element in story-telling. Adventure Goals (Also Villainous Plots) Capture Individual Capture Territory Defend Location Destabilize Faction Destroy Object Escort Individual Gather Components Gather Intelligence Kill Creature Map Area Reach Location Recover Item Rescue Individual / Creature Secure Alliance Solve Mystery Steal Valuables Sway Opinion Win Competition Curses Ability Removal Aging - Rapid Banishment Haunted Immortality - Unable to Die Inconvenient Compulsions Lycanthropy Mutation Nightmares - Unable to Rest Sentient Undeath Vampirism Wandering - Endless Death - Means Of Assassination Asphyxiation Blood Loss Chemical Overdose Crushed Decapitation Dehydration Drowning Eaten Execution - Legal Falling Illness Incineration Magical Accident / Experimentation Monster - Other than Eaten Murdered Old Age Petr...

Inspiration taken from Goblin Punch , Whose Measure , and Various Others Well of Bolonchen, by Frederick Catherwood At times my brain enters a lucid state of creative day-dreaming, and glorious ideas pour forth like rain in the spring, and at times I sit and pray desperately for a drop of inspiration to quench my thirst. This is a post for those dry times, when inspiration teases but never delivers, and deadlines loom ever nearer. How can that tiny drop of inspiration be stretched into something playable? This is also somewhat a distillation of the "Dungeons" section of my massive module creation document. . A. Gather Dungeon Inspiration What compels  your imagination ? Choose 2-3 one-sentence themes , and a scenario tying them together. Themes may be environmental conditions or factions. Write more than necessary and choose the best . Don't worry about making them all unique or fascinating, we'll get there. Some Examples: A sentient and hostile mushroom forest. The a...