ENCOUNTER TABLES
(These are actually in a flux as I'm experimenting with information design; I'm trying to add more information, while still having all the info on two legible pages)
HOUSE RULES
Attributes are determined by 4d6 drop lowest, arranged to taste.
Rationale: It creates fairly competent characters with a good chance of being eligible for most sub-classes.Starting HP is the maximum possible (assuming 1st level characters). Upon attaining a new level, either a single die of the appropriate size is rolled, its result added to the previous total, or all hit dice are re-rolled and the new total is kept (unless it's lower than the previous total, in which case you simply increase your HP by 1).
Rationale: It doesn't let low hit point rolls linger for too long, potentially ruining otherwise great characters.New spells gained when attaining a new level are rolled randomly from a spell level available to the character (chosen by the player), with the exception that one of them may be chosen at will, instead.
Rationale: Similarly to the hit point rule above, this addendum grants casters a few choices at spell selection so that they are not entirely random, while preserving the kind of surprise random spells provide.Replacement characters start with as many XP as the the one with the least (of the currently living characters) or the amount the previous character accumulated, whichever is lower.
Rationale: Character death is never random and XP happens to be the score table. However, risky endeavours may result in character death because of a couple of missed rolls, so the penalty should not be too severe.The time of the day is divided into six roughly 4-hour periods (dawn, morning, noon, afternoon, evening, night). While in the wilderness exploring, there is a random encounter check for every such period (normally there is a 1-in-6 chance of a random encounter occurring).
Rationale: With possibly more than one random encounters per day it is beneficial for the party to be more tactically salient and resourceful at all times.When a sorcerer casts Augury, the 7-in-10 chance of the spell's succeeding is rolled in the open. Upon failure, the spell simply provides no answer.
Ratonale: If there is a chance that the spell misleads the caster, it effectively makes the spell useless. Note that spells with direct and noticeable effects don't present the same problem, e.g. a spell that randomly heals or damages the target is still fair game for its consequences are instantly realised, whereas one cannot similarly check whether this particular spell answered the question truthfully.Social encounters are resolved according to Courtney Campbell's On the Non-player Character (summary available here). Social combat works according to these rules (effects are still described here).
Rationale: There have been numerous cases when actions described in the Social Combat rules were attempted and ruled on a case by case basis - or rejected because of the lack of applicable mechanics. These rules are yet to be tested, so there may be changes. As for the Social Encounter rules, I have been using them "behind the screen" for some time with great success; however, I decided to make them player-facing in order to further incentivise their use, plus players may have more accurate expectations.Characters in a sufficiently large town or city (population > 1,000) may choose to carouse and spend their money in frivolous ways. They gain XP equal to their current amount of cash (gold pieces); the precise amount of money lost and some random occurrence (possibly beneficial, but usually humiliating, vexatious, or outright harmful) are determined in accordance with the Drunken Debauchery tables. Characters may divide the XP gained in the process between themselves and their henchmen any way they wish, but the random result applies to each beneficiary. To engage in carousing, a character must have at least 100 gold pieces worth of cash.
Rationale: Many campaigns have such rules, and I have used similar ones myself before. After running a number of differently calibrated simulations on the expected XP accumulation, I am fairly confident that this will not make characters significantly more powerful. Furthermore, the incentive to spend cash to earn extra XP is nice because I have a problem with treasure that cannot be spent.In combat when a natural 1 is rolled, a fumble occurs. The player may choose between (1) losing the weapon for the remainder of the encounter (e.g. sword disarmed, axe thrown away, bow string torn), (2) damaging herself, or (3) damaging a nearby ally (although said ally's player must agree to it).
Rationale: I like the additional calamities this rule brings to the table. Also, the codified results ensure that no such occurrence may pass without affecting the fight significantly.
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