Showing posts with label Found in a Box. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Found in a Box. Show all posts

Found in a Box Part 11: Finish Him! Critical Hits in Grappling

Again, not actually in a Box, but more of a computer folder.

I don't think the D&D rules make grappling very interesting. That's where this idea began. My players never really got into fist fights. They prefer to slice and dice, so this isn't really tested stuff but it's been on my mind a lot so I thought I'd post it.

I'm not sure if these tables could be used as the finishing move in unarmed combat, or they could be used anytime a Critical Hit occurs, in addition to extra damage or whatever. Anyway here are tables for Chops/Punches and Kicks, and Unique... Depending upon how these tables are used the blow could stun the target for a round or drop them to the ground.

1d6
Chops/Punches 
1
Backhand - the attacker strikes with a powerful backhand blow to the head.
2
Cross-chop - The attacker uses two hands to hit the defender on both sides of their neck.
3
Headbutt - The attacker strikes the defenders in the head using it's own forehead.
4
Overhead Strike - The attacker chops their hand down on the top of the defenders head.
5
Spinning Blow - Attacker spins and strikes the defender with a roundhouse punch.
6
Throat thrust - The attacker stabs with their fingres into the defenders throat.

1d6
Kicks
1
Bicycle Kick - The attacker jumps and kicks with one foot to the defenders body, and then the second into the defenders face.
2
Dropkick - Attacker jumps up and kicks the defender with the soles of both feet.
3
Legsweep - The attacker goes low and sweeps the legs of the defender, knocking them to the ground.
4
Roundhouse Kick - The attacker spins and kicks the defender with a lot of power.
5
Spin Kick - The attacker spins and kicks the defender.
6
Superkick - Attacker delivers a kick to the defender's face or chest.

1d6
Unique
1
Battering Ram - The attacker uses their head to spear the defender in the chest or stomach.
2
Body avalanche - The attacker just runs up and runs into a defender standing near a wall, slamming them against the wall. 
3
Bodyslam - The attacker lifts the defender above their head and slams them to the ground.
4
Lariat Takedown - Attacker runs forward, wraps their arm around defender's kneck and pulls the defender backwards to the ground.
5
Living Shield - Attacker grabs the defender and uses them as a shield to defend against others
6
Piledriver - Attacker grabs the defender, turns them upside-down, and drops into a sitting or kneeling position, driving the defender head-first into the ground.

Of course if you use them for a Critical Hit that causes problems for similar tables for weapons as the results would be so different. Oh, and I don't particularly like wrestling, I just imagined it would be fun to have an Ogre pull a pile-driver on a character.

Found in a Box Part 10: Some Maps

I don't have much context for these maps. I don't think I ever used them for RPG although I've outlined novels and short stories and all sorts of that type of thing taking place in the area. The first map I recognize from some earlier Found in a Box posts, this was clearly going to be the main campaign area. The next two Match up to the East of the first to form a set of three. The last, the only one I'd properly inked, was a prototype of the first I think, but I'm not sure.

I like the look of them and may do another version at some point.




Found in a Box Part 9: Dwarves

Again, not actually in a Box, but still old stuff.

Dwarves
There are two basic types of Dwarves. They are the same physiologically, the differences are cultural. Grooming, clothes, & accent make it easy to tell one from the other.
  • Mountain Dwarves - They could best be described as unsophisticated. They live higher in the mountains and they 've learned to dislike Elves. Most stories of Elf Dwarf conflicts involve Mountain Dwarves. They braid and die their beards in ways that are both humorous and amazing. 
  • Hill Dwarves - Hill Dwarves that are more social which is a good thing now that Mountain Dwarf and the occasional Elf refugee have started filling up their cities. Still, the increased pace of war against the horde, and increased contact with the Elves, has increased Dwarven vs Elf resentment.
Roughly 75% of all Dwarves are born male but the constant wars have evened the numbers to 60%/40% male to female ratio. This imbalance colors the Dwarves view of the world driving most of them towards a life of hard work hoping to prove themselves enough to attract a mate. Dwarves are embarrassingly chivalrous as well regrading the ladies, of all races/species.

Female Dwarves are put on a pedestal and protected to a level that most consider stifling.

Dwarves marry only once. This cultural trait is strong and inflexible, which has caused havoc in their society as Vaults have fallen and widows are everywhere. Many widows have joined military bands seeking revenge and purpose in their lives.

Dwarven House
Mountain
Dwarf
Hill
Dwarf
House Size
01-04
01
Great House
--
02
Minor House
--
03-04
Common House
01-05
05-07
Fallen Great House
06-10
08-10
Fallen Lesser House
11-20
11-20
Fallen Common

Why Fallen?
Mountain
Dwarf
Hill
Dwarf
House Size
01-02
01-02
Over time House fortunes faded
--
03-10
Slaughtered in the fall of Aald Osst Ar
--
11
House Leaders were dishonored in the fall of Aald Osst Ar
03-10
12-18
Slaughtered in the fall of Aald Veztr Ar
11
19
Slaughtered in the fall of Morni Torak
12-20
20
House Leaders were dishonored in the fall of Morni Torak


House Unity
Mountain
Dwarf
Hill
Dwarf
Unity
01
01-02
Very close. Character lives at home
02
03-04
Reasonably close. Everyone gets together occasionally
03-04
05-07
House is more like a dozen different houses really
05-15
08-10
House has been decimated in numbers
16-20
11-20
Character is an orphan (possibly kicked out)

Rational for Adventure
Mountain
Dwarf
Hill
Dwarf
Rational
01-09
--
Suicidal Rage
10-17
01-02
Cold burning revenge
18
03-04
Restore House Glory
19
05-10
Recover House Artifacts
--
11-12
Earn enough to raise house/Start vault
--
13-18
Earn enough to attract love and settle down
20
19-20
Other

Scars & Wounds
Mountain
Dwarf
Hill
Dwarf
Scar
01-02
01
Limb hurts when its cold out
03-04
02
Missing 1d6 fingers or toes
05-06
03
1d6 scars on the face and neck
07-08
04
Burns along the b
09
05
Missing an eye or ear
10
06
Part of the scalp is a mass of scar tissue
11-13
07
Numerous teeth were knocked out, wooden teeth are adequate
14
--
Developed a drink now for tomorrow we may die personality
15
--
Agoraphobic, can't go outdoors for more than a few minutes without strong booze
16
--
Darkphobia, freaks out of the lights go out
17
--
Mumbler, tends to have unintelligible conversations with self
18
13
Psycho, only good Orc is a Dead Orc!
19
14
Multiple wounds, roll again
20
15-20
No wounds

Gained the Scars where?
Mountain
Dwarf
Hill
Dwarf
Scar
--
01-05
Fall of Vault Aald Veztr Ar (Old West Gold, a Hill Dwarf Vault)
01-02
06-10
Battle of Khaz Morni Rukh (Dead orc)
03-04
11
Battle of Khaz Valaz Dueger (Cowardly Duegar)
05-14
12
Fall of Vault Morni Torak (Dead Soul a Mountain Dwarf Vault)
15-15
13
Battle of Khaz of Burk Torak (Axe Soul)
17-19
14
Battle of Khaz Khazdul Heus (Dwarven Hammer)
20
15-20
Fall of Vault Aald Osst Ar (Old East Gold a Hill Dwarf Vault)
* Note the name Aald (Old) is a recent addition to the names of vaults that have fellen to Orcs.

Character Traits
1d6
Character Trait
1
Agoraphobic - Hate the outdoors. Must make a WIS save any time you go outside during the day and every day afterwards. Any fail means you'll try to return to the underground (cave, cavern, dungeon, basement, etc) the quickest way possible.
2
Besotten - Must make a WIS save or fall in love with an individual of the opposite sex. Save lasts 1d6 weeks per individual. When the save fails you will agree to whatever the individual says or does.
3
Drunkard - Love the drink, and must make a WIS save to decline a drink and tend to stop drinking only when blackout drunk.
4
Greedy - Accumulation of wealth is your goal, not for yourself mind you but to improve the lot of your clan and Vault.
5
One-upper - Dwarven pride causes you to provide examples of how Dwarves do something better, even if that something is a bit of a lie.
6
Rage-a-holic - Life is unfair and it makes you angry. You tend to go berserk when threatened.

Found in a Box Part 8: Elves

Actually not in a Box but on my hard drive from back in the day when I was planning to set up a campaign about recapturing Dwarven Vaults that had been overwhelmed by the Horde of Chaos Worshiping Orcs and Goblins.

Elves

Elves are one of the ancient races. They are great and they know it. They opened up dimensional gates and colonized thousands of worlds and brought Halflings, Dwarves, and Humans along for the ride. They developed the Common tongue to allow everyone to communicate. Then the Orcs came and started attacking through the gates. The Elves decided they had to close the gates, and isolated all of the worlds, without consulting with anyone.

Elves tend to be elitist, emotionally cold, vegetarian, androgynous, loners with a fine fashion sense.  Elves have a female dominated society with a male/female/other ratio of 15%/50%/35%. The other are asexual and/or gender-fluid. They don't define the terms to non-elves and feel they are above labels.

There are three main types of Elves. They are all physiologically the same, the differences are cultural.

  • Grey Elves - Sophisticated city dwellers. They all live in "Foreign" compounds adjacent to Hill Dwarf Vaults. Most Grey Elves specialize in magic and moodiness. 
  • Sea Elves - Merchants and traders. Their large colorful ships are recognizable by the hydroponic gardens hanging along the sides of the main deck. Unlike other Elves the Sea Elves get along with everyone. 
  • Wood Elves - Semi-nomadic, insular, wild folk Their wardrobes are dominated by green and brown robes. Each large group of Wood Elves has a dozen 'cities' they travel between depending upon the seasons (leaving small communities of Halflings behind to keep the places up). These cities are built beneath large mounds in the forest, protected by thick hedges and ha-ha walls.


Size of Elven House
Grey Elf
Sea Elf
Wood Elf
House
01-02
--
01
Great House
03-07
01-02
02
Minor House
08-20
03-20
03-20
Common

Unity of Elven House
Grey Elf
Sea Elf
Wood Elf
Unity
01-02
01-14
01-10
Reasonably close. Everyone gets together occasionally
03-14
15-19
11-20
House is more like a dozen different houses really
15-20
20
--
House in name only

Rational For Adventure
Grey Elf
Sea Elf
Wood Elf
Rational
--
01-04
01-19
Fight Chaos
01-10
--
--
Recover lost artifacts
11-19
--
--
Recover lost knowledge
--
15-19
--
Accumulate wealth
20
20
20
Other

Pieces of Flair
Grey Elf
Sea Elf
Wood Elf
Pieces of Flair
01-03
01-02
--
Stylish boots made of the finest material
04-05
03-04
--
A hat that others would kill for
--
05
--
Stylish costume jewelry
06
--
01-05
Face paint (could be War Paint or Marilyn Manson)
07-10
07-10
--
Excessive piercings. Mostly on ears and/or nose
11
11-14
--
Tattoos on the left side of the body
12-15
--
--
Fancy and expensive hair style
16-18
--
--
Colorful and useful scarf/towel
19-20
--
--
Multiple Pieces of Flair, roll again
--
15-20
06-20
No Pieces of Flair

Character Traits
1d6
Character Trait
1
Asexual - Lost interest in sex long ago, there are far more important things in life to think about. It's amusing and a bit disgusting to see how obsessed others are with all that.
2
Claustrophobic - Buildings are fine but being inside of caves and dungeons and such with metric tons of rock overhead waiting to crush you, and unable to even see the stars freaks you out. Must make a WIS save any time you attempt to go underground and every day below ground afterwards. Any fail means you'll try to return to the surface the quickest way possible.
3
Elitist - Other races just aren't as good as Elves, and a lot of other Elves aren't so hot either. They are uneducated, boorish, and violent. They are worthy only as fodder to stop worse creatures it seems.
4
Helpless - Having lived a spoiled magical life many simple tasks (such as cleaning) are beyond you.
5
Moody - Long life has given you deep perspective on mortality. Thinking about it can put you into a funk or into a whimsical joyous mood depending upon the situation.
6
Patronizing - You tend to treat other races as you would a puppy. This comes off as aloof but there is no malice, it is just that other races don't live all that long so there is no point being super-attached.

Found in a Box in Storage: Part 7 - T-Rex

I think they've backtracked on the feathered T-rex a bit but for a time they imagined them covered so I thought I'd try my hand at drawing one.


Found in a Box in Storage: Part 6 - Rock Lizard

I always loved drawing dragon-like faces but for some reason I don't know if I ever drew an actual dragon.


Found in a Box in Storage: Part 5 - Manticore

I called this one a Manticore. Manticores in D&D and RuneQuest were a bit different but this one clearly has the D&D tail. Looking at it I'm not sure if its a Manticore or not but I find the piercings interesting (after all Manticore has no hands).


Found in a Box in Storage: Part 4 - Gnoll

I used to draw a lot, then I found photoshop and my skills decayed. I hope to rebuild them again but photoshop is so much easier. Anyway finding some of my old drawings is helping motivate my re-learning plans.


Found in a Box in Storage: Part 3 - Cities

And some cities. First Konyanople which was to be the hub of the action (thus the detail). Apparently judging by the Heraldry I was a fan of Becks Beer at the time.


Then we have Kralor and Geldorn which look like they are basically the same city re-drawn. I don't know which came first.






Found in a Box in Storage: Part 1 - Kingdoms, History, and Economics

Back in the day I GM'd on Harn a lot. I used AD&D, modified RuneQuest, Harnmaster, and Modified RuneQuest again. I loved the setting, but at some point I seem to have created my own setting. I don't think I ever actually used the setting but I found my notes in a box and figured I'd post them.

Note the art is copied from Sergio Aragones Groo the Wanderer, and some I'm not sure where I copied it from but it's not mine.  I found it interesting, maybe someone else will. Anyway it's all Public Domain if anyone wants it. Good luck reading my horrible scrawl.







Morale plus Bloodied and 3 Round Combat

Still Wanna Fight? I've been working on a setting. It's for 5E but I wanted encounters to have morale rolls like Old School Games. T...