Abilities and Skills

Ability Bonus

Ability Score	Modifier	Bonus Spells per Day
		1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1-2	-4	Can't cast spells tied to this ability
3-4	-3	Can't cast spells tied to this ability
5-6	-2	Can't cast spells tied to this ability
7-8	-1	Can't cast spells tied to this ability
9-10	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
11-12	+1	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
13-14	+2	1	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
15-16	+3	1	1	1	–	–	–	–	–	–
17-18	+4	1	1	1	1	–	–	–	–	–
19-20	+5	1	1	1	1	1	–	–	–	–

List of Skills

• Acrobatics [DEX]
• Appraise [INT]
• Climb [STR]
• Disable Device [DEX]
• Disguise [CHA]
• Handle Animal [CHA]
• Heal [WIS]
• Knowledge [INT]
• Linguistics [INT]
• Perception [WIS]
• Perform [CHA]
• Ride [DEX]
• Sense Motive [WIS]
• Sleight of Hand [DEX]
• Stealth [DEX]
• Survival [WIS]
• Swim [STR]

Knowledge: Arcana, Astronomy, Dungeoneering, Engineering, Geography, Nature, Planes, Religion, Technology.

Dying in Darkhorn

Last night I drew the surface and first level of a hypothetical megadungeon, which I temporarily named Darkhorn. The place is supposed to be the lair of a very powerful necromancer (perhaps a lich?), who expanded the underground of his tower (precisely, Darkhorn Tower) for hundreds of years. The Necromancer now dwells in the deepest levels, regardless of what happens in the higher ones. To spice up things a bit, I decided to introduce a special rule for the adventurers who may die in Darkhorn.

Dying in Darkhorn
Down in the underworld of the dungeon of Darkhorn proliferates an awful fungus, created by The Necromancer himself Orcus only knows how long ago. The fungus is invisible, odorless and tasteless, and fills each room and corridor of the entire complex. Each time a humanoid dies in Darkhorn, the fungus immediately attacks his dead body, taking control of its vital functions. Thus, the dead body rises again as a fungus-controlled avatar for a certain period, according to the type of undead it rose as. Check the table below to find out:

d20 Undead Type Period
1-10 Control Fails –
11-14 Skeleton* 1-6 months
15-17 Zombie 1-6 years
18-19 Ghoul 1-6 decades
20 Ghast** 1-6 centuries

You find this idea stupid and unrealistic? Well, check out this:

Click on the image to learn more about fungus controlled zombie ants

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*Flesh gets consumed during the process
**In levels below 5th change Skeleton to Zombie, Zombie to Ghoul, Ghoul to Ghast and Ghast to Minor Vampire (lasts eternally)

Demi-humans in Yaqqothl

A typical Yaqqothl Elf

As I've said, I'm going to use OD&D for the upcoming Birthday Party session. Since in Men & Magic there are no real rules about demi-humans, only guidelines and references to Chainmail, I'm going to redefine them this way:

Dwarves: Can be Fighters or Rogues, as in Men & Magic and Greyhawk, get +1 Con and -1 Cha, have +1 to hit using hammers and axes.

Elves/Vulcanians: Can be Fighters, Magic-users or Rogues, as in Men & Magic and Greyhawk, get +1 Dex and -1 Con, have +1 to hit when using long bows and long swords.

Hobbits: Can be Fighters or Rogues, as in Men & Magic and Greyhawk, get +1 Dex and -1 Str, have +1 to hit when using slings or small missiles (small rocks and such.)

Half-orcs/Klingons/Wookies: Can be Fighters (7th) or Rogues (Unlimited), get +1 Str and -1 Cha, have +1 to hit when using two-handed weapons.

Half-demons/Tieflings/Deep Ones: Can be Fighters, Magic-users or Rogues as elves, get +1 Int and -1 Wis, have +1 to hit when using natural weapons (such as claws, fangs, horns, tail et al – every half-demon/tiefling/deep one has one of these.)

See how it works? You can access one to three classes (Clerics are for men only – as previously stated, demi-humans have no soul), get some bonuses and penalties on abilities and a bonus when using some particular weapon. That way, it's pretty easy to come up with new races on the spur of the moment. Some of you may turn your nose up at seeing that this way some very basic special abilities are missing, but honestly, who cares. If you have something interesting to say (y'know, like "this corridor looks brand new", then just say it for Demogorgon's sake!) Next time, classes.

Birthday Party House Rules, Final Draft

Ruleset: 3LBBs + Greyhawk.
Other Books on the Table: Player's Handbook*, Monster Manual**, DMG*** & Carcosa****.
Dice: 20-sided, 6-sided.
Abilities & Saving Throws: 4d6 drop the lowest, assign in order; no minimum for classes; easy peasy modifiers (i.e. >15 +1, <6 -1.) Single Saving Throws as per S&W (Thieves save like Magic-users.)
Classes: Fighter, Magic-user, Cleric or Thief. Sub-classes like Barbarian, Ranger, Paladin, Druid, Illusionist, Monk, Assassin et al are available on request.
Hit Points: 6 + Con mod. at first level, then 1d6 + Con mod. each new level; Fighters get 6 + 1d6 + Con mod. at first level, another d6 + Con mod. at second level and so on.
Races: Standard; those required by players (i.e. wookie) get one or two special abilities by DM's fiat.
Psionics? Maybe Carcosa ones.
Spell Casting: Magic-users memorize spells, then cast, then they can memorize again (even if just one turn has passed since they last memorized a spell.) Point is that to be able to do this, they have to carry their books around, and you know this may be very dangerous. Clerics do the same, but the divinity may not answer their call (i.e. you cure someone, than ask again for another cure and no one is listening to you, fucking jerk.) Point is divinities are just like Dungeon Masters: unpredictable. Clerics need no spellbook.
Equipment: basic class equipment is provided by the DM (i.e. armor and weapon for Fighters, weapon and spellbook for Magic-users, holy symbol, armor and weapon for Clerics, rope, armor and weapon for Rogues), then you get 1d6x10gp to buy whatever you want.
If you want do to something that is not in the rules and I really need to roll some dice rather than just issue a decree: You roll a d20, modified by one relevant ability, and I consult the following table – if you score higher, you succeed.

Difficult 9
Hard 12
Very Hard 15
Nearly Impossible 18
R'u Serious?! 21+

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*Only for equipment.
**I'll use monster stats from Monster Manual. It's way easier to read.
***I'll use To Hit and Item Saving Throws from DMG.
****It's always cool to have Carcosa on the table, and I can also have spawns and droids and cool technological stuff on the spur of the moment. Yeah maybe also Cthulhu if I'm a bastard.