Pre-OSR
System
All
Damage comes from one of three sources:
Magic
Combat
Physical
Environment.
Three
character classes:
Fighters
Mages
Cleric/Harpists
Each
character has 1d6 per level, characters are measured by HD. For the
convention, everyone has a 6HD character.
In
a melee round, a character allocates their HD. A fighter usually
allocates all HD to attack, so a 6HD fighter would roll 6d6 in the attack.
A
mage can allocate HD to magic effects or cast a spell.
A
cleric can attack in combat or can allocate HD to restore others or to affect
Undead or to clerical effects.
Combat:
Mages
can wear light armor, use light weapons.
Clerics
can wear medium armor, use shields and use medium weapons.
Fighters
can wear heavy armor, use shields and/or use heavy weapons.
Light
armor +0 Light weapon can have +1 to
Attack or +1 to Defense (mages)
Medium
armor +1 Medium weapons split 2 points between Attack and Defense.
Heavy
armor +2 Heavy weapons (2H weapons) are +3
on Attack
Shield
is +1
Missile
weapons -1Hd per 10’ of range covered by missile.
Magic
missiles (such as a magic arrow) do not lose HD for range.
Magic
user weapons are the following.
Dagger:
+1 Magic, +1 in combat Attack
Wand:
+2 Magic, +0 in combat attack.
Staff:
+1 Magic, +1 in combat Defense
Some
examples.
Frederick
of the Hills is a 6HD Dwarf Fighter. He wears heavy armor (+2 on defense)
and uses a medium weapon (an axe, +2 on attack). He is facing a 3HD Orc
in light armor with a light weapon (+1 attack, fire hardened spear).
The
highest HD character attacks first. Otherwise roll d6+Dex to see who goes
first.
Frederick
rolls 6d6. Since he is using a battle ax, he adds +2 to each roll.
In
defense, the orc rolls 3d6. With light armor, he adds +0 to each roll.
Let
us suppose Frederick rolls 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. That becomes 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,
3.
The
Orc rolls 6, 6, 6. 8>6 so the Orc is down to 2 HD. 7>6 so the
Orc is down to 1 HD. 6 = 6 so the Orc doesn’t lose that HD. 5>0 (Orc
is only 3 HD) so the Orc loses another HD is now 0 hit dice and
incapacitated. 4>0 and the Orc is dead.
Had
the Orc had surprise and gotten to go first, let us assume 6, 6, 6.
Frederick rolls 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. With +2 on his armor, that becomes 8, 7,
6, 5, 4, 3. With +1 for the spear, the Orc gets 7, 7, 7. 8>7 so
no effect. 7=7 so no effect. 7>6 so Frederick loses 1 HD and
only gets to roll 5 HD for his counter-attack on the Orc.
Mages:
Spells:
First Level Stun area
(sleep)
Second Level Stun single target (charm/hold)
Third Level Damage area with mage’s
element
Fourth Level Damage with alternative element
Fifth Level Specials
Effects
(affects are limited to HD effects of ½ the HD of the character)
1HD Effects
Detect Magic
Hold Portal
Read Magic
Read Languages
Light
2 HD Effects (uses 2HD)
Detect Invisible
Levitate
Locate Object
Invisibility
Detect Evil
3 HD Effect
Fly
Dispel Magic
ESP/Clairvoyance
Infravision
Protection normal missiles.
Water Breathing
Attack
Spells
1st 2nd
3rd 4th
5th
1HD
1
2HD
2
3HD
3 1
4HD
4 2
5HD
4
2 1
6HD
4
2 2
7HD
4
3
2 1
8HD
4
3
3 2
9HD
4
3 3
1 1
Area
spells affect all in an area. The HD are divided between all the
targets. So, a 3HD mage who casts sleep, gets a 3HD attack on all in the
target area. If three Kobalds of 1d3 each in the area, the mage would
roll 1d6 against each Kobald.
Harpist/Clerics
Assume
a 6HD cleric in combat, armed with a Mace. They could strike a foe with a
6HD attack in melee. They could use 3HD for a 3HD effect and use 3HD to
support another character (in either attack or defense). They could use
2HD for a 2HD effect, use 2HD to heal another character and use 2HD against an
undead creature. Or any similar breakdown.
Effects
(affects are limited to HD effects of ½ the HD of the character)
1HD Effects
Purify food & water
Detect Magic
Detect Evil
Light
2HD Effects
Find traps
Speak with animals.
Silence 15’ from caster.
3HD Effects
Remove Curse
Cure Disease
Speak with recently dead.
Vs.
Undead Roll HD. Double the roll and apply in an attack at up to
HDx10’ against the undead. Thus 4d6 would become 4d(2d6). On a
push, if the Undead has no hit dice left other than ones remaining from the
push, the undead flees.
Pre
generated Characters (pre-OSR)
Human
Cleric
STR
9
DEX
15
Con
13
INT
14
WIS
18
CHA
11
Medium
Armor
Shield
Mace
(+2 attack) +1 Magical in attack, +2 when attacking undead in combat or by
dispel.
Has
a llama
Fae/Elf
Harpist
STR
12
DEX
16
CON
14
INT
13
WIS
17
CHA
12
Medium
Armor
Harp
(functions as a shield and as a weapon +2 to defense, +1 magic to defense in
combat or magic, +2 when dispelling undead).
Has
a llama
Mage
Human/Earth
STR
10
DEX
14
CON
13
INT
18
WIS
10
CHA
13
Ring
of +1 to defense against magic
Uses
a staff, which is magical, +1 to combat defense, +1 to magical attacks.
Has
a llama
Mage
Korlinth/Air
STR
8
DEX
14
CON
14
INT
18
WIS
14
CHA
8
Ring
of +3 to CHA
Uses
a dagger, enchanted to +1 to combat attacks, +1 to magical attacks.
Has
a llama
Frederick
of the Hills, Dwarf Fighter
STR
19
DEX
11
CON
16
INT
10
WIS
10
CHA
12
Heavy
Armor, +1 enchantment to defense
Heavy
Weapon, two handed ax, enchanted to +1 on attacks.
Dwarf,
adds +1 to rolls vs. physical hazards
Has
a clay mule construct
Arkat
Dark-Breaker, Human Fighter
STR
16
DEX
10
CON
15
INT
12
WIS
10
CHA
16
Heavy
Armor, +1 enchantment to defense
Shield,
+1 enchantment to defense, +1 to defense from magic
Medium
weapon, battle sword, +1 to defense, +1 to attack, enchanted +1 to attack.
Has
a llama.
Fighters
also have swarm ability when fighting from a mount that has swarm capability
(other character types do not).
Llamas
are 2HD, move as a medium horse, carry encumbrance as a light horse, swarm
Clay
mule is 4HD, move as a medium horse, carry as a heavy horse, cannot swarm.
