Kroll is my tribute to old-school D&D, before it got all mixed up. This game is dedicated to the memory of Dave Arneson.
Overview
One person is the GM. She prepares dungeons--underground labyrinths, caverns, or abandoned mines--complete with treasure, traps, and monsters. That's some dangerous shit most sane people wouldn't set foot in unless someone put a knife to their throat. Maybe not even then.
The other players each take on the role of a so-called "adventurer": someone who willingly goes into those places. An adventurer is a person who has decided that the best way for them to make a quick buck right now is to take a deep breath, get down into that dungeon, and hope to make it out alive with whatever wealth they can find below. They probably think the loot will help them achieve something in life, too. Frankly, that's even less likely.
The game is called Kroll because that's what you do: you "kroll" through those dungeons. It's spelled like that because most "adventurers" can't read or write too good.
Kroll is an old-school game, where the GM decides a lot of things. The rules are tools to make her job easier, not a straightjacket.
Adventurers
Creating a character for Kroll involves rolling some dice. It's quick and easy, which is good, because many adventurers die, and if that happens to you you'll need to roll up a new one on the spot. The character sheet lists everything you need to know to create an "adventurer"; just fill it out and you're ready to play. There are three slots for each entry so that, if your character dies, you can use the same sheet for two more.
Adventurers are not normal people. They are often desperate, deranged, or both. That doesn't mean they're necessarily bad people, though: they could be kind, naive, innocent, or merely misinformed. They could even turn out to be heroes in the end. But they're definitely not normal people. Normal, sane people don't climb into dungeons.
The Premise
At the beginning of the game, the adventurers set out on an expedition from a small settlement ("the Town") very near the dungeon. A "dungeon", as described here, is a rare thing: it is a place that's known to hold some treasure or other valuables but is dangerous enough that it hasn't been successfully looted yet. Therefore, the Town attracts small crowds of people calling themselves adventurers: if a given group ever needs to find a new member or replace a fallen comrade, there are many, many fresh recruits ready to join them at the drop of a hat.
Adventurers don't often trust one another. There is a good reason for this: if you and I go into a dungeon and only I make it out alive, I'll be going home with twice as much loot. You'd better hope you can convince the others you've got some useful skills to lend the group, and try win their trust over time.
One of the treasure hunters will be the expedition's "leader". He or she can decide which adventurers join the expedition and how best to put their skills to use. However, the "leader", being broke, just like any other so-called adventurer, can't realistically offer to pay the others. Instead, each will negotiate some share of the wealth recovered, hoping to make it out alive to claim it. This means, of course, that no one's really bound to the leader: you can feel free to follow them or disregard their orders, as you wish. That said, treasure hunters who don't stick together aren't likely to make it very far.
Playing the Game
You'll need a bunch of regular, six-sided dice to play this game. At least six per player, preferably a few more than that, especially for the GM. When the GM asks you to roll some dice, it's called a "test". Most of the time, you'll be rolling some dice, and so will the GM, and you'll compare the results to see what happens. That's called a "regular test". Sometimes, the GM can just ask for a "quick test" instead, however.
Regular Tests
Each side picks up their dice and rolls them. Each person calls out the highest number they can see on their dice.
- If you both call out the same number, then you both discard that die and call out the highest number showing on your remaining dice.
- If you call out a higher number than the other person, count up the number of dice you have remaining that beat the number they called out. You're successful, and each die you have that beats the number they just named counts as one "hit". Hits represent the strength of your success.
- If your opponent calls out a higher number than you can match, you've failed the test, and they score hits against you in exactly the same way.
An example:
Lucy and Jake are rolling against each other. Lucy rolls three dice, while Jake rolls four. Here are the results:
Lucy: : 5, 4, and 2
Jake: 3, 3, 2, and 1
They each call out their highest number: for Lucy, that's a 5, and for Jake that's a 3.
Lucy called out the higher number (her 5), so she counts up how many dice she has which beat Jake's number (a 3). Her 5 and her 4 both beat Jake's 3, so she wins the roll, scoring two hits against Jake.
A Special Case
If any player involved in a test discards their last remaining die because of a tie, everyone involved should pick up one more die and roll it, adding it to the dice they have remaining. Compare the results normally.
For example, if you roll a 4, a 3, and a 1, and I roll a single die which comes up as a 4, we have a tie. We both discard our 4's. Now you only have a 3 and a 1 remaining, and I have no dice left at all. So we each pick up another die and roll it. Let's say I roll a 2 and you roll a 5. My best result--and my only die--is now a 2. You, on the other hand, are now looking at a 5, a 3, and a 1. Since your best result is a 5, you win. You have two dice higher than my best result--the 5 and the 3--so you win with two hits.
Quick Tests
When it's not too important, you can use something called a "quick test", instead. It's like a regular test, but easier for the GM, because only the players need roll the dice. Instead, the GM just calls out a number, and then the players roll the dice. You get one hit for each die you have that beats the number the GM named. Ties are ignored in quick tests--if you could match the GM's number but didn't beat it, you still fail that test.
Followup Tests
If a test comes up that would be directly affected by a test previously made, whether by you or someone else, take one extra die for each hit won during the earlier test and roll it with the others. For example, if you successfully sneak up on a monster, scoring three hits, you will roll three extra dice when you go to attack that monster. If you rolled poorly, on the other hand, and the monster saw you coming from a mile away, then the GM will roll extra dice for the monster instead--one for each hit it scored. And so on.
Rolling Dice
Attributes
Each character is described by a set of eight Attributes, each rated from 1 to 6 (and sometimes even higher). When you use an Attribute in the game, you roll that number of dice.
Tough: Strong, untiring, hardy.
Used to: Beat people up, resist wounds or fatigue, intimidate others, carry or lift heavy things.
Cunning: Clever, crafty, good with his or her hands.
Used to: Tie a complicated knot, figure out how to open a secret door, disarm a trap, see if a trick worked on an opponent, play dead.
Sneaky: Stealthy, careful, street smart.
Used to: Do something without attracting attention, hide, steal something, hide something, sneak up on someone.
Quick: Agile, fast, coordinated.
Used to: Outrun someone, climb things, catch things in midair, get somewhere in time.
Wary: Sharp, alert, perceptive, keen-sighted.
Used to: Spot danger, throw, shoot, or launch something at a target, see through deception.
Smooth: Charming, eloquent, persuasive, sexy.
Used to: Convince someone to listen to you, attempt diplomacy, get a better deal on a sale or purchase, lie convincingly, seduce someone.
Deadly: Well-trained, experienced with weapons.
Used to: Wield a weapon in a fight, try to kill someone in an unusual way.
Lucky: You're a survivor; fortune smiles on you.
Used to: Survive a deadly poison, escape from a death trap, be in the right place at the right time, find the magical item, avoid a curse.
What the scores mean:
Score
|
Description |
| 6 |
Extraordinarily |
| 5 |
Exceptionally |
| 4 |
Very |
| 3 |
Fairly so |
| 2 |
Not very |
| 1 |
Not at all |
What's "Lucky" For, Again?
The Lucky Attribute is the GM's best friend. Use it whenever something important is happening and the group has some uncertainty about who's going to have to deal with it. This happens a lot in a roleplaying game.
Roll Lucky to answer questions like those listed below. Sometimes players roll Lucky against each other; at other times they'll roll against the GM--do whatever makes more sense in each case. If only one or two adventurers need to be chosen, the players roll against each other. If all--or none--of the adventurers could imaginably suffer or enjoy a certain fate or circumstance, then the players will roll against the GM.
- The old, rotten bridge finally gives way. Who is the one unlucky enough to be crossing it at that moment? (Players roll against each other.)
- The sorceress casts her curse. Which adventurer is her target? (Players roll against each other.)
- In the pile of old weapons, there is one axe that bears an enchanment. Which adventurer picked that one? (Players roll against each other.)
- When the trolls set off their trap and the ceiling caves in, which adventurers are still in the room? (Players roll against the GM.)
- The Archbishop has taken a liking to one of the characters. Who is it? (Players roll against each other.)
- The group's preserved food has been attacked by weevils. Whose food is miraculously untouched? (Players roll against the GM.)
- The tunnel reeks of a noxious, highly flammable gas. Does anyone recognize that smell? (Players roll against the GM.)
- etc.
When to Roll
Most of the time, you'll already know what's happening, as it was established previously. For instance, when that ceiling caves in: if Gina said her character was waiting outside the door five minutes ago, she's safe. But when no one's sure, this is how you decide: you roll the dice.
Same goes for any other kind of roll: only go to the dice when an outcome is uncertain. Most of the time, follow the logic of the game world, and go with whatever outcome makes most sense, or whatever was established previously. It's when you're not sure that you should look to the dice to decide for you.
Difficulty
During the game, the GM decides how difficult a particular test will be, based on what makes the most sense to the group. If it's a regular test, the GM throws some dice of her own; if it's a quick test, she calls out a number. Choose a difficulty from the table below:
Difficulty
|
Regular Test |
Quick Test |
| Easy |
1 die |
3 |
| Moderate |
2 dice |
4 |
| Hard |
4 dice |
5 |
| Very Hard |
6 dice |
* |
| Extraordinarily Hard |
8 dice |
* |
| Unbelievably Hard** |
10 dice |
* |
* : Any test that's Very Hard or worse is probably pretty important. Always use a regular test in such cases.
** : Only use "Unbelievably Hard" if someone tries to do something and someone else says, "No! That's impossible!"
When the adventurers face opposition, like a monster--or each other--the opposing side rolls dice according to its own Attributes. There is no need for the GM to decide on a "difficulty" level. Sometimes things aren't that fair, though! In those cases, one side might receive a "circumstance bonus" over the other:
Circumstance Bonuses
When two or more people are rolling and one of them is enjoying an unusual advantage over the other(s), the GM may grant the advantaged side one or more extra dice to roll.
For a moderate advantage: 1 die
For an unusual advantage: 2 dice
For a totally overwhelming advantage: 3 dice
The Last Ditch Die
Sometimes you'll be trying to do something you don't qualify to roll any dice for. When that happens, you can roll what's called a "Last Ditch die". It's just like a regular die, except that if you roll a six, it counts as a zero.
Penalty Dice
Sometimes you'll be asked to make a roll with one or more penalty dice. You can face a penalty when you are wounded, carrying a heavy load, or from other hazards, like curses or poisons. Penalty dice subtract from the number of dice you'd normally roll. For instance, if you normally roll 4 dice, but are suffering a two-die penalty, you'd now only roll 2.
If you ever suffer a number of penalty dice equal to the number of dice you're supposed to roll, you can still attempt to act, but all you will be rolling is a single Last Ditch die. If the number of penalty dice exceeds the number of dice you'd normally be rolling, you're overcome by pain, strain, or fatigue, and that action automatically fails. This means that sometimes all you can do is fall back on your strengths.
Chapters
In development:
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