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I decided to put together the core of my personal house rules after years of collecting, tweaking, and trying out various DIY D&D approaches. The notion with these rules was to boil it down to only the things that will be true in just about every campaign I might want to run, rather than trying to capture all of the cool setting-specific rules I might change up. I managed to compress all of that down into six A5 spreads, including character generation, which I'm pretty proud of.
What's not in here? Campaign-specific stuff including equipment lists, monster lists, detailed treasure lists, sanity rules, that kind of thing. I'm planning on all of that being modular as I move forward, which helped drive some of my decision-making in which rules to include.
Which gets to the last point: there is shockingly little that is original here. I've mostly cobbled together the ideas of people cleverer than myself, detailed below.
You can get the pdf of the rules here, or you can read the rules in blog form (no sweet spreads or art deco style, though) below.
Outlook
I put together these rules to have my preferred mishmash of “base” D&D rules all in one place. The thought is that these are the rules I’ll use regardless of setting, and I can bolt on specific modules for different campaigns. Every single rule is subject to tweaking for campaign-specific effects, so that I could take out all the parts where it says “in some campaigns, this will be different.”
There’s nothing very original here, and I tried to document where I got all this stuff below - if you see a rule that came from your blog or a G+ discussion and I missed you, let me know!
Every rule should encourage the type of play desired.
Rules should be modular and avoid interconnectedness.
Rules should be as simple as possible and no simpler.
Rules should be as compatible with old school modules and rules as possible, easy to adapt, cut, or supplement.
Use “incomparables” as much as possible rather than straight numeric modifiers.Don’t try to be comprehensive - let optional modules handle that.
All rules carry the implicit assumption that they are the default, to be modified as needed for different campaigns or play styles.
Acknowledgements
These rules are very much the product of the fantastic DIY D&D/OSR scene, and just about nothing here is totally original. Huge thanks to the following:
Arnold K and his GLOG for how to approach xp & Leveling, skills, hp and recovery, combat maneuvers, and general design philosophy
Gus L for his take on exploration, encumbrance, exhaustion, light sources, weapon characteristics, and combat options
Brendan S for the original “overloaded encounter die”
Delta for the Target 20 combat mechanic
Chris Hogan for the monster profile, calling attack bonus “weapon skill”, and treasure generation, which I have never been able to muster the interest design on my own
Logan Knight for lots of great conversations on fiddly rules stuff
James Young for introducing me to usage dice, though I can’t remember where he found them
Arnold, Gus, Brendan, Logan, and others for lots of different takes on encumbrance
Jim Raggi for LotFP’s skills, chase rules, combat options, and layout inspiration
Fifth Edition D&D for Advantage and Disadvantage
Wolfgang U. Ackerman for the photo the illustration is based on
Lynda Moseley for the brooch the cover image is based on
Of course, the original games and the great hobby they created - this is my attempt to still have “y’know, basically D&D” but with all the little tweaks and house rules I prefer.
Characters
Attributes
Characters have six attributes that describe their basic abilities.
Strength (Str)
Raw physical power. Add your Str modifier to any melee damage. Your Gear Slots are equal to your Str. Test Str to resist damage that can’t be dodged.
Constitution (Con)
Health and toughness. Add your Con modifier to your hp every time you level up. Test your Con to resist poison or disease.
Dexterity (Dex)
Grace and limberness. Add your Dex modifier to any ranged damage. Your modifier also affects your ac, with a positive modifier improving ac - careful not to get mixed up since ac is descending. Test Dex to avoid damage that could be dodged (not including attacks).
Intelligence (Int)
Cleverness and reasoning. You have a maximum number of skill slots equal to half of your Int, rounded down. Test Int to advance skills and to save against spells. Int may affect your ability to cast spells.
Wisdom (Wis)
Willpower and common sense. Add your Wis modifier to your Initiative rolls. Test your Wis to resist horror, illusion, and mental domination. If you ever need of mental or spiritual hit points, add your Wis modifier to the total.
Charisma (Cha)
Leadership and likeability. Add your Cha modifier to Reaction Rolls, hireling Morale rolls, and your maximum number of hirelings, with a minimum of 1.
Modifiers
Each attribute has an associated modifier, described in the table below.
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Ability
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Modifier
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3
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-3
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4-6
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-2
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|
7-8
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-1
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9-12
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0
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13-15
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+1
|
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16-17
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+2
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18
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+3
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Use as Saving Throws
If something does not involve a skill, roll equal to or lower than the relevant ability score on a d20.
Movement
All human sized characters have a Movement score of 12. Wearied characters move at half rate. For things requiring athleticism, roll a save against Movement as an ability.
Hit Points
Hit points (hp) are an abstract representation of skill, luck, and toughness that are reduced by successful attacks. All characters have a d6 Hit Die (hd), which they gain at every level. New hd are rolled at level up and the new maximum hp recorded. A character’s Con modifier is added to hp at level up, and some class Templates add additional hp. When a character reaches zero hp, any additional hits will cause wounds.
Death and Dying
Taking damage beyond 0 hp causes a Wound - something horrible in keeping with the attack. A second Wound kills the character.
Recovering HP
A full night’s rest with a fire and blanket recovers all hp. If you don’t have these or have to wake up in the night, recover 1d6+level hp. Once per day, a square meal (one ration per person) recovers 1d6+level hp. Recovered hp cannot go above a character’s maximum. Wounded characters recover 1d6 hp.
Healing
Most Wounds heal with one week of downtime and appropriate care. Magical healing may speed things up.
Weapon Skill
Players add their Weapon Skill (ws) to their attack roll in hand-to-hand. Characters start with a ws of 1 and add +1 at every even level. Some Templates also increase ws.
Shooting Skill
Players add Shooting skill (ss) to their attack roll when making ranged attacks. Characters start with an ss of 1. Some Templates increase ss, but it does not otherwise improve.
Skills
Characters have Skill Slots equal to half their Int (round down). Skills are ranked 0 to 6 and cannot rank higher than current level. To test a skill, roll 1d6 and add your rank - a total of 6 or more passes. Some, but not all skills can be rolled with a rank of 0. Every time you attempt a skill, mark a check next to it. When you have at least a week of downtime, you may choose to test to advance any skill that has 3 or more marks next to it. If so, erase all check marks and roll an Int save. If you pass this save, advance the skill to the next rank.
Gear Slots
A character can carry as many items as their Str score before becoming Overloaded. You can’t carry more than 1.5x your Str in items. Large items take up two Slots or more. Armor takes up one Slot for every point of ac better than 9.
Weariness
When the Exploration Die comes up “Tired”, each character marks a Tired pip. Overloaded characters mark two. When all three have been marked, a character becomes Wearied and receives Disadvantage on all rolls. Characters that are both Wearied and Overloaded suffer Double Disadvantage.
Resting
Characters recover one Tired pip by taking an exploration Turn and sharing around a ration. To recover from Weariness, a character must take a Turn and consume an entire ration alone. In both cases, characters must also drink water.
Hirelings
Characters may hire additional help. They will need to be compensated, usually with a share of treasure recovered. They begin play with a personality and goals determined by the dm, and have a Morale of 7. Each character can retain 1 hireling + Cha modifier, minimum 1.
Experience
Gaining Experience
Characters gain experience by obtaining treasure through adventurous means. One experience point per copper. Characters also gain a small amount of experience from killing foes (25 xp per hd).
Leveling Up
Every character gains certain things when leveling up, shown in the chart below. For the first four levels, characters gain a class Template per level. Note that hp and ws can be modified by other sources, such as class Templates and modifiers.
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Lvl
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HP
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Tmplt
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Skill
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WS
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XP
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1
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1d6
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1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
2
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+1d6
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2
|
2
|
1
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2000
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|
3
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+1d6
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3
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3
|
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4000
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|
4
|
+1d6
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4
|
4
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1
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7000
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|
5
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+1d6
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|
5
|
|
10000
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|
6
|
+1d6
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|
6
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1
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14000
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|
7
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+1d6
|
|
|
|
18000
|
|
8
|
+1d6
|
|
|
1
|
22000
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|
9
|
+1d6
|
|
|
|
26000
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|
10
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+1d6
|
|
|
1
|
30000
|
|
+1
|
+2
|
|
|
|
5000
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Exploration
Turns
When PCs explore somewhere dangerous, play is broken into Turns. A Turn is the time to do one significant task, like picking a lock or searching a room. When in doubt, assume it’s roughly ten minutes. Roll the Exploration Die every Turn.
Movement
PCs can move Movement x10 feet, assuming a careful pace and mapping. See the fighting section for Movement in a fight.
Chases
In a chase, each group rolls 1d20 and adds their Movement, and the higher roll wins. The chased group uses their lowest Movement, while chasers use their fastest. PCs may not map and should get minimal details. PCs will take random turns at intersections.
Dropping things the pursuers want (like treasure or food) or obstacles (like caltrops or flaming oil) makes the chasers take a Morale check. Failure indicates they stop.
Load
Gear Slots
PCs can carry Str items before becoming Overloaded. PCs cannot carry more than Str x1.5 things. Anything tiny, like coins or gems, counts as one item per 1,000. Bundles of small things count as one item. Large items, like two handed weapons, take two slots. Armor takes one slot per point of ac better than 9.
Effects of Overload
Overloaded PCs suffer Disadvantage on any physical roll - combat, chases, stealth, and so on. Also, when the Tired result comes up on the Exploration Die, Overloaded PCs mark two Tired pips.
Light
Dark
In the pitch blackness of the underground, civilized people do not do well. No skill rolls can be attempted, and players suffer Double Disadvantage on all other rolls, including combat, saves, and chase rolls. Hirelings must make a Morale roll at Disadvantage to do anything other than panic or collapse, unless the darkness was intentional (such as dousing all lights to hide).
PCs in the dark Surprise NPCs or monsters on a 2 in 6 (and vice versa), and no one can target characters in the dark for shooting. After a full Turn in the dark, PCs gain Advantage on any Wis saves to listen.
Dim
Faint light sources like candles or inadequate illumination provide Dim light. In dim conditions, most PCs suffer Disadvantage on all skill checks and attack rolls, except for stealth rolls, which gain Advantage. Some class and race Templates will allow PCs to ignore the Disadvantages of dim conditions.
PCs Surprise monsters or NPCs on a 2 in 6 in dim conditions (and vice versa), and individuals can only be targeted at close range by shooting. Hirelings take their Morale rolls at a Disadvantage in dim conditions.
Lit
With adequate light, the PCs and their allies receive no penalties, but it is impossible to Surprise NPCs or Monsters except through a newly opened door, on a roll of 1 in 6.
Light Sources
Candles: Provide dim light to one character in a radius of 10 feet. Can be stuck on to allow use of hands. Six take up one Slot.
Torches: Lights three characters, and three more receive Dim light, and shows clearly for 30 feet. As a crude weapon, does 1d3 damage with a 1 in 6 chance to set things on fire. Unless specified, characters are assumed to place torches on the ground in combat and to recover them after. May be used to light flammable things on fire as a free action. Three take up one Gear Slot.
Lanterns: Fully Lights two characters, provides Dim light to two more. Can be attached by clips, but if done, they will be hit on a successful attack roll of 15+. Can be thrown as an improvised firebomb, destroying the lantern and doing 1d3 damage on the first Round, and 1d6 every Round thereafter, extinguishing on a damage roll of 1 or if the target or its allies take action to put out the fire. A full oil flask provides two pips of Lantern depletion. Takes up a Slot.
Weariness
Getting Wearied
When the Tired result is rolled, every character marks a Tired pip (two if Overloaded). When all three Tired pips are filled, the character becomes Wearied.
Effects of Weariness
Wearied characters suffer Disadvantage on all rolls and halve Movement. This stacks with other Disadvantage (such as Overload along with Weariness).
Removing Tiredness and Weariness
Characters may erase one Tired pip by spending a Turn sharing around a ration and drinking water. Wearied characters may erase all Tired pips and remove Weariness by spending a Turn eating a full ration and drinking water. Waterskins have a usage die of d6 when full. Sleeping, even with a guard shift, will remove all Tired pips, but not Weariness.
The Exploration Die
Roll the Exploration Die every Turn in a dangerous environment.
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1D6
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Exploration Die Result
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|
1
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Random Meeting
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|
2
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Environmental Meeting or Sign of Random Meeting
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3
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Torches/Candles Depleted
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|
4
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Lanterns Mark 1 Pip (2 Pips to Depletion)
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|
5
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Magic Dissipates
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|
6
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Tired - All Characters Mark One Tired Point, Two if Overloaded
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Random Meeting
The dm rolls an meeting.
Environmental Meeting
Something about the area is revealed to the characters, potentially a sign of a possible random meeting.
Torches/Candles Depleted
Torches or candles being used go out and are used up. New ones can be retrieved and re-lit on the next exploration Turn without preventing an action.
Lanterns Mark 1 Pip
Lanterns take two pips to go out. Mark one pip each time this is rolled. Refilling a lantern takes a Turn.
Magic Dissipates
Ongoing magical effects step down one level. This may also be used to keep track of “ticking clocks”.
Tired
Characters mark one Tired pip, while Overloaded characters mark two, including hirelings. Once a character has three Tired marks, they become Wearied and suffer Disadvantage on all rolls and halve their Movement.
Meeting & Fighting
Surprise
When groups meet, each may Surprise the other on a 2 in 6. If both Surprise, everyone stands around shocked. Some creatures Surprise more easily, and players may increase their odds through concealment.
A Surprising group gets a free Round to act. Monsters and NPCs make a Reaction Roll, but will be tempted to ambush.
Reaction Rolls
Roll 2d6, add any modifiers, and consult the table below. Roll when NPCs become aware of the PCs. Modify by the Cha of the spokesman if the PCs get to interact. May be re-tested for significant decisions. If so, modify the Reaction Roll by relevant circumstances, such as quality of arguments or bribes offered.
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Roll
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Reaction
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|
2 or Less
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Violent
|
|
3 - 4
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Angry
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|
5 - 6
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Guarded
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|
7 - 8
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Neutral
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|
9 - 10
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Helpful
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|
11 or More
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Friendly
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Rounds
Enough time for one thing, like an attack. All the rounds in a meeting add up to a Turn.
Initiative
Roll 1d6+Wis modifier. Characters act in descending order, re-rolled every Round.
Fighting
Movement
Characters can move within current Range for free, and may spend an action to move to the next. If using a map, characters move Movement x2 feet. A foe can block movement within weapon reach. For athletic moves, roll a Save against Movement.
Rolling to Hit: Target 20
Roll 1d20 + ws or ss + foe’s ac. Hit on 20 or higher. Monsters assume 1 ws per hd.
Critical Hits and Fumbles
A roll of ‘20’ is a Critical Hit, hits automatically, and gives a choice of double damage or a normal attack with a “bonus” like tripping or disarming. A roll of ‘1’ is a Fumble, automatically misses, and results in a free attack by the target, or something terrible of the dm’s choice.
Ranged Combat
Resolve the same as melee, except with ss in the attack roll instead of ws. If firing into melee, a missing roll of 1-5 will hit a random ally in the melee.
Unarmed Fighting
Do 1d3 damage. Beyond 0 hp, target Helpless, and no Wounds unless attacker wants.
Stunts
To pull a stunt, first attack without adding the Target’s ac. If you fail, your foe gets a free attack. If you succeed, roll 1d6 and add an appropriate modifier. A total of 7 or higher means your stunt is a success. The dm may grant Advantage or Disadvantage and tell you the risks before you attempt your stunt.
Morale Rolls
Check NPC Morale when they might persist or quit. Rates from 3 to 12, tested by rolling 2d6. Results equal to or below Morale pass. The dm chooses when to check.
Armor and Armor Class
Defines defensive ability. An unarmored character has ac 9, one in full plate with shield ac 2.
Armor Types and Values
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Light (Leather)
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7
|
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Medium (Chain)
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5
|
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Heavy (Plate)
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3
|
|
Shield
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1 Better (one lower)
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Death and Dying
Wounds
PCs damaged beyond 0 hp take a Wound and suffer conditions fitting the attack. A second Wound kills the PC.
Dms may describe or use this chart.
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Roll
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Wound
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|
1
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Head Wound - Helpless, Bleeding
|
|
2
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Gut Wound - Helpless, Bleeding
|
|
3
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Deep Cut - Stunned, Bleeding
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|
4
|
Maimed/Broken Limb - Stunned
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|
5
|
Cracked Rips - Stunned
|
|
6
|
Light Head Wound - Prone
|
Combat Reference
Combat Options
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Charge
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Move into combat with an open foe. Gain Advantage to hit. Requires space to get moving.
|
|
Brace
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Gain Reactive attack against a foe that comes within reach.
|
|
Press
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Gain Advantage on your attack roll but ac is 4 worse.
|
|
Defend
|
Improve ac by 2, but lose attack.
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Combat Conditions
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Floored
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Prone, defend only. Foes get Advantage. Round to stand.
|
|
Stunned
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Prone, dazed. No actions. Foes get Double Advantage.
|
|
Helpless
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Unconscious. Foes hit automatically and deal Wounds.
|
|
Bleeding
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Con save every Round. PC dies after three failures. A friend may stabilize by rolling 6 or higher on 1d6 + Int mod.
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Doing Stuff
Skills
Skill Slots
PCs have a number of skill slots equal to half Int, rounded down. You may never have more skills than skill slots.
Skill Rank
Every skill ranks from 0 to 6. Skills may not rank higher than your Level.
Using Skills
Roll 1d6 and add your Rank - if the result is six or higher, you succed. A roll of 1 always fails. Every time you use a skill, put a check mark next to it on your character sheet.
Improving Skills
When you have a week of downtime not taken up by a full time action, you may attempt to raise a Skill’s Rank. Remember that Rank cannot rise above your current Level. To raise a skill, erase all marks and make an Int Save - if successful, increase Rank by 1. Some things may improve your chances, such as a knowledgeable mentor. If so, make the Save with Advantage.
Untrained Skills
You can attempt some skills at Rank 0. They will be limited to things anyone can try without special know-how, like sneaking around or searching a room. In the case of knowledge skills, like history, it is up to the dm whether the field is “common knowledge” - if so, allow an untrained attempt.
What Skills are Available?
Skills are open ended, to be defined as needed in play. Players and the dm can hash out how specific/general skills are, and what advantages they confer. Some campaigns will include fixed skill lists, no skills at all, or alternate skill rules.
What NOT to Use Skills For
Skills should not usually have a direct use in combat, and should not be used for persuasion or social skills.
Advantage & Disadvantage
Advantage means that you roll two dice and keep the better result. Disadvantage means you roll two and keep the worse. If you ever have Double Advantage, roll two, keep the better, and improve the roll by 4. If you have Double Disadvantage, roll two, keep the worse, and make worse by 4.
Usage Dice
For anything that gets used up not otherwise covered, represent their availability with Usage Dice. Any time you use the item, roll its Usage Die. On a roll of 1 or 2, step down one die size in the following chain. Rolling a 1 or 2 on a D4 means that you are out of the item. Items will have a relevant Usage Die listed next to them. Buying extras takes up an additional slot but increases the Usage Die by one step.
Out < d4 < d6 < d8 < d10 < d12 < d20
Character Growth
Experience Points
When enough xp are earned, PCs advance in Level and gain several perks. All PCs advance at the same rate detailed below.
Standard Level Up Chart
|
Lvl
|
HP
|
Tmplt
|
Max Skill
|
WS
|
XP
|
|
1
|
1d6
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
2
|
+1d6
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
2000
|
|
3
|
+1d6
|
3
|
3
|
|
4000
|
|
4
|
+1d6
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
7000
|
|
5
|
+1d6
|
|
5
|
|
10000
|
|
6
|
+1d6
|
|
6
|
1
|
14000
|
|
7
|
+1d6
|
|
|
|
18000
|
|
8
|
+1d6
|
|
|
1
|
22000
|
|
9
|
+1d6
|
|
|
|
26000
|
|
10
|
+1d6
|
|
|
1
|
30000
|
|
+1
|
+2
|
|
|
|
5000
|
Earning Experience
PCs earn experience in a number of ways. The default ways are listed below, but some campaigns may introduce alternate methods of earning experience, such as fulfilling quests, meeting objectives, or others.
Treasure Looted
The primary way to earn experience is obtaining objects of material worth through adventurous means. This might mean piles of coins from a dragon’s hoard or fine art stolen from a rich widow’s house. In any case, such treasure is worth 1 xp per silver of value. If it is ever unclear if treasure has been “recovered”, consider whether it was physically returned to a relatively safe place. Getting ripped off by unscrupulous fences won’t deny PCs xp, but being waylaid by bandits between the dungeon and town will.
Killing Foes
By default, PCs will receive 25 xp per hd of a dangerous foe killed. This does not distinguish between “monsters” or “people”, but some campaigns may wish to do so, if they have a greater or lesser focus on conflict between “civilized” people. Note that this is intentionally rather small compared to the potential rewards for treasure, because xp for treasure tends to encourage more interesting gameplay than xp for killing.
Leveling Up
When a PC has achieved enough xp for the next level and has at least a week of downtime, they Level Up to the next Level. Follow the procedure below at each Level Up.
Add New HP
Through level 10, roll a new d6 hd and add the result to your PC’s hp. Add your Con modifier to the roll. After level 10, add 2 hp per level.
Add Weapon Skill if Relevant
At every even level, add +1 to your PC’s ws.
Select and Apply Class Templates
For their first four levels, PCs select a class Template from those the dm has made available. Each class has Templates labeled A, B, C, D. You have to take the Templates in order - you can’t pick ‘B’ without ‘A’.
After level 4, PCs receive no more class Templates - additional power will have to come from elsewhere.
Primary Class and Multi-classing
Each class has a Primary Class Ability. A PC’s Primary Class is whichever one they have chosen the most Templates from. In the case of a tie, pick whichever you prefer. PC’s gain the Primary Ability associated with that class. Multi-classing is simply having Templates from more than one class.
Up Max Skill Rank
Until level six, note your PCs new max Skill Rank to match your new Level. Six is the highest Max Skill Rank for all characters.
Monsters & NPCs
One of the many things monsters and NPCs can do is fight the PCs. The below monster profile provides the barebones necessary for combat. NPCs are assumed to be average in every way (attributes = 10) unless otherwise specified.
Monster Profile
The following stat line summarizes combat statistics for monsters and NPCs. Obviously, good monsters and NPCs will have interests, motivations, special attacks, weaknesses, and so on - but this is what you need at a moment’s notice.
Mv - Movement
The standard humanoid movement rate is 12, which means 120 feet per exploration Turn and 24 feet per combat Round. Roll as a save if the monster attempts any athletics.
WS - Weapon Skill
The monster’s weapon skill is added to its d20 rolls to hit foes. Usually equal to the Monster’s hd.
SS - Shooting Skill
The monster’s shooting skill is added to its d20 attack rolls for ranged attacks.
Att - Attack
The number of attacks the monster can make in a Turn.
HD - Hit Dice
The number of d6s rolled for the monster’s hp. If you have to worry about the monster’s Level, such as for some spell effects, use hd.
AC - Armor Class
This may reflect armor worn, naturally thick hide, great reflexes, or any other number of reasons for being hard to wound.
I - Initiative
The equivalent of a player’s Wis modifier for initiative rolls. The default is ‘0’, but especially quick or dangerous monsters may have more. Usually it is most convenient to roll for all monsters with the same stats as one group.
Sv - Save
Used when the monster makes any sort of saving throw. The default is 10. Some monsters may have a different save for certain types of danger.
Mrl - Morale
Measures willingness to continue a fight. Rated from 3 to 12. To test it, the dm rolls 2d6 - equal to or below Morale indicates a success.
Monster HD
hd is the monster equivalent of character Level. Their hd are all d6s. Some monsters may have hp adjustments to their hd. hd may be rolled individually per monster or assumed to be an average of 3.5, rounded down (if you are soft) or rounded up (if you are hard). With large groups of monsters, it is usually preferable to assume constant hp for all monsters of identical stats.
Monster WS
Unless otherwise specified, monsters have +1 ws per hd. Some monsters will adjust this up or down depending on their inclination to kill things. This is somewhat more dangerous than most adventurers, but they need all the help they can get.
Monster Damage
As with PCs, all monster damage is d6 per attack by default. Some special attacks may gain Advantage, and some very special attacks may roll multiple dice or larger dice. The dm is encouraged to design such monsters sparingly, and to be careful when converting monsters from other versions of the game, as d6-hd PCs are much more fragile than those of later editions. It is preferable to make monsters more dangerous through multiple attacks, inflicting special penalties, or affecting an area, rather than upping the hp output per attack.
Morale Rolls
Monsters generally test their Morale in a few standard situations, but also whenever the dm deems it situationally appropriate. Some standard reasons to roll Morale: ambushed from surprise, take first casualty, reduced to half strength, lose leader or champion, subject to infighting. Morale is something of a catch-all for determining monster behavior outside of interactions with PCs, which use Reaction Rolls. When failed, the dm should have the monsters react according to their base nature, rather than what is best: cowardly ratmen might flee despite overwhelming odds, whereas Ogres might try to stay and eat their foes despite being desperately outclassed.
Experience
Monsters give 25 xp per hd when killed by the PCs. Some campaigns may allow that xp for “circumventing” or “solving” those monsters, but by default, such indirect means are intended to be captured by the system of gaining xp for treasure. Some especially dangerous or important monsters may offer more experience.
Treasure
Pocket Change
Intelligent monsters may carry a small amount of money about on their persons. Such monsters and characters carry 1d10 x hd^2 in copper - on a roll of ’10’, roll again for silver, and if that comes up a ’10’, give this random schmoe some minor treasure or special item.
Especially wealthy characters or creatures may have more on them than this, but they should be correspondingly more carefully guarded and/or careful with where they keep their wealth.
Lairs
Monsters of the treasure-hoarding kind will have more treasure in their lair than on their person. In such cases, use the following tables:
|
Owner HD
|
Gold (1d12 - 6x)
|
Silver (1d6x)
|
Copper
|
|
1
|
50
|
100
|
1d100 x100xhd
|
|
2-3
|
100
|
200
|
1d100 x100xhd
|
|
4-5
|
200
|
500
|
1d100 x100xhd
|
|
6-7
|
500
|
1,000
|
1d100 x100xhd
|
|
8-9
|
1,000
|
2,000
|
1d100 x100xhd
|
|
10-11
|
2,000
|
5,000
|
1d100 x100xhd
|
|
12+
|
3,000
|
10,000
|
1d100 x100xhd
|
Along with the following for non-cash treasure:
|
Type
|
Die Type
|
Example
|
Value Per Item
|
|
Clothes
|
1d6 vs hd
|
Fine apparel and hangings
|
1d10x5 Gold
|
|
Goods
|
1d8 vs hd
|
Well-made useful things
|
2d10x10 Gold
|
|
Artwork
|
1d10 vs hd
|
Paintings, statues, etc
|
1d10x20 2 Gold*
|
|
Gem/Jewel
|
1d12 vs hd
|
Gems
|
1d10x50 2 Gold*
|
|
Magic
|
1d20 vs hd
|
Magic Items
|
Generate as B/X
|
*Rolling maximum results adds an additional re-roll of same potential value
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