2012/02/29

OSR Experiments #31: Brendan's 20 Questions for a not really D&D game any more

Yes, why not answer Brendan's 20 questions for Dark Dungeon too? It's not really the same sort of game as D&D, it's not a homebrew, but if conversion works, why not answer the questions too. Might be enlightening too!

Here are 20 rules clarifications that are likely to be needed anyways at some point.

1. Ability scores generation method?
50 points are given to starting characters, and typically 20 points are used for abilities, assigned by choice. Two points per ability point, with 0 being average, and 5 being very high and maximum starter level.

2. How are death and dying handled?
Characters receiving Critical wounds may die if they do not get medical attention and fail their CONstitution check. Terminal wounds are final unles you use a Luck point (these are finite).

3.What about raising the dead?
Unusual, but not impossible. Some Saints and Gods do grant this miracle. And there are some magickal-technical ways to reincarnate in a cloned body fo select groups.

4. How are replacement PCs handled?
As new heroes to be written into the story. I'm not sure I get this question.

5. Initiative: individual, group, or something else?
Initiative is individual and essential in combat, as the one who has initiative may be the one to set the rythm of a combat. If you don't have the initiative you may be forced into the defensive, having to parry or evade all the time.

6. Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work?
Critical hits on a "natural" roll of 10 on d10, and on an effective 15 or more when adding skill. Fumbles occur on a natural roll of 1 on d10, and a reroll of 4 or less. The lower the reroll, the worse the result. Magick is prone to side-effects and gets a fumble-like result on any natural roll of one.

7. Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet?
Yes, any head hits will receive the armor bonus of the helmet, probably saving your life.

8. Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly?
A fumble 1-2 is a "hit friend", so yes. Especially if friends are in the line of fire these sort of hits are more likely. And you can PvP and make the GM nuts, yes.

9. Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything?
Not running from some encounters will probably kill you.

10. Level-draining monsters: yes or no?
Levels are not a true issue in DD2. So level draining is not possible. Some monsters may have draining effects on abilities though, which gives a similar effect.

11. Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death?
Yes. But as long as you have luck points (extra ones awarded for good role play), you may cheat fate and at the very least claim a reroll.

12. How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked?
To be honest, in practice, hardly. But that may be part of the typical game I see played with DD2, being more scene oriented, and not dungeon-mission typed. Resource and wound tracking is a possibility for some games though.

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?
You can only gain increase or gain skills between sessions. Whether you can within an adventure that spans several sessions is to the discretion of the GM - usually it should fit with what your character has been doing. Training is usually abstract - and as no empasis is laid on treasure, no buying of training is needed within the system. However, sometimes a story is made up why or how some new skill is learned.

14. What do I get experience for?
For good roleplaying, for effective team-playing, for the heroicness of the adventure, for the dangers weathered, for the duration of the session. All added up.

15. How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination?
Usually a combination. But can be either, depending on the GM.

16. Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work?
Some campaigns are full of supporting NPCs, but these are typically controlled / played by the GM. Morale may be simulated by dice roll with a check in Willpower.

17. How do I identify magic items?
By role playing, or by rolling on your detection, divination or estimate value skill.

18. Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions?
Sometimes. Depends on the campaign, but buying usually only partly or unidentified items at own risk sometimes happens. Then again, Bazaars of the Bizarre have also entered play one time or other.

19. Can I create magic items? When and how?
Yes. A subset of special rules has been used in our shared world to do so, with limited success. These rules included astrological signifiers, materials to use, rolls to make, money to invest and quests to do.

20. What about splitting the party?
Depends on the GM. With me, it happens often, but of course that limits individual play time. However tasks may also be delegated with more ease, then the group comes together again and... typically shares most knowlegde but forgets something essential.


Now I wonder what that tells non-DD2 gamers. Cheers Brendan!

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