Crew Morale

Shadowdark (and most OSR systems to be fair) has a morale system but nothing about ongoing morale for hirelings or companions. This started as fun business I could add during a caravan to give the guards, merchants, and other help, something to do. This would be in addition to normal encounter rolls. Then I decided to make it a bit more generic so that it applies to a ships crew or mercenary group or whatever. 

Donning Armor

5E has a simple number for donning armor but I think it should be just a bit more than that. PCs should not be sleeping in their armor, at least not the metal armors, not if they want to get Long Rest credit. That means they need to be able to put it on quick whenever whomever is on watch calls the alarm. Should make things interesting for turn or two at least.

Camping

Camping is another thing I've always hand-waved but which should probably have at least a roll, a roll that might provide a few seeds. This one is kind of basic but in times I could see it being useful, like when the PCs need rest, and if they blow the roll they won't get the expected healing. So in my latest 1-Page rules I present Camping.

Shopping

Sometimes you just don't want to deal with the haggling, or role-play out the shopping trip at all. Generally that's my take, but just pick from the list of stuff in the book is a bit lame as well so heres a table to add a bit of variety to this common task.

Haggling

I never liked role playing out haggling, it seemed a good place to create a silly little one-page rules so that something happens without my having to play it out. 

 

Public Opinion

This idea comes from a scene in one of my favorite movies and the quote that has been bandied around my table for decades. "There's no food for you here..." Of course its from American Werewolf in London where the Americans stumble into a bar on a bad night and get a nasty response from the locals. 

If you think about it a bunch of blood covered adventurers are probably not gonna be welcomed right away and the normal reaction rolls take the charm of the party into account the way they should when used in a civilized area. Plus, any chance to make CHA useful... 

Dungeon Foraging

I was thinking about foraging from the previous post and thought Shadowdark is designed for a lot of gaming spent in the Shadowdark, so foraging rules for a dungeon environment might be nice. I really liked the last one, how different levels of success gave better results and figure I'll keep that format for any other rules that pop to mind. Perhaps I'll end up with enough 1-page rules someday that I'll bundle them for easy use. Anyway, since light is such a big factor I decided to add some desperate light options for success.

Living Off The Land

I ran across a news story about quick quartering, that's how hunters up in Wyoming quickly dice up their game to pack out the meat, being far from your truck and hunting solo, you've got to do it fast before bears catch the scent.  

That made me think about surviving off the land in RPGs and I've never really found a mechanic that handles thing that I was happy with. I particularly like the idea that a better roll means more rations and less offal to draw in hungry beasts. I included foraging rules as well because in my game Elves are herbivores and followers of the Goddess Gede are vegetarians. The rules are for Shadowdark but obviously adaptable to any system.

A Replacement for HP

Grognardia has been talking about Ability scores recently which got me thinking of the way I handled such in one of my Fantasy Heartbreakers. Anyway I thought I'd write it up here as the old Fantasy Heartbreaker is long gone. 

Damage types are already built into 5E more or less. Whatever damage the weapon does, roll and apply the damage to the corresponding Attribute.

‣ STR - Anyone reduced to 0 STR falls prone and is unable to move at all. 

‣ DEX - Anyone reduced to 0 DEX or less falls prone and is unable to move at all. 

‣ CON - Anyone reduced to 0 CON or less is Dead.

‣ INT - Anyone reduced to 0 INT or less is unconscious and will take 1 CON point a round until healed back to 1 INT. 

‣ WIS - Insanity. Anyone reduced to 0 WIS or less is catatonic. 

‣ CHA - Burn/Electrical Wound. Anyone reduced to 0 CHA or less is Dead.

All damage heals at 1 point per week.

This mechanic was created when I was in love with the Black Hack which used Ability Scores for every attribute test so dropping one caused an instant game effect. It should apply to 5e easily enough even if it works on modifiers and not upon the Ability Scores directly  (bludgeoning = blunt, Slashing = Edge, Piercing = point). I gave up the idea in the name of simplicity and compatibility but I still like the system in theory and might use it someday.