Tuesday 3 December 2019

Kazamaták és Kompániák - Basic Classes

The second edition of the Hungarian retro-clone, Kamazaták és Kompániák (Dungeons & Companies) is imminent, and even though it won't be published in English (as there are already enough B/X-like games), I've decided to make certain key elements of it available for an international audience - partially because if I ever decide to run something B/X-like in English, I'll most certainly pick KéK over OSE (after years of extensive playtesting and fine-tuning, I just prefer it to B/X).

Below you will find the seven basic classes (abbreviated, for it is but a reference work) - next time we look at the "advanced" classes (described as "classes for wilderness and city campaigns" in KéK), and finally, spell lists for both "basic" and "advanced" classes (and as before, the devil's in the details).

A few notes:

  • Level limit is 6 by default (for player characters at least).
  • Attack rolls are 1d20 + attacker's to-hit bonuses + defenders's AC vs. 20.
  • Morale and hireling rules are roughly as in B/X (see either Echoes from Fomalhaut #01 or Castle Xyntillan for details).
  • On D6 rolls (such as class abilities or random encounter rolls) it is assumed that high rolls favour the party, while low rolls hinder them.
  • XP is awareded for defeating enemies (based on HD and special abilities), recovering teasure (1 XP per 1 gp), and carousing (1 XP per 1 gp).
  • Spellcasting requires memorisation.
  • The default mode of play is dungeon exploration, and hit points are rerolled at the beginning of each expedition.
  • Small weapons deal 1d4 damage, one-handed weapons 1d6, and two-handed weapons 1d8.
  • Helmets may be sacrificed to negate a mortal blow (a variant of shields shall be splintered).

FIGHTING-MAN

  • Primary Attribute: Strength
  • May use every type of weapon, shield, and armour.
  • They may attack multiple opponents, provided their combined HD doesn't exceed the fighting-man's own (e.g. a level 4 fighting-man may attack four 1 HD goblins, two 2 HD wolves, or a 3 HD crystal statue and a 1 HD cultist).
  • Level XP To-hit HD
    1 0 +1 1d8
    2 2000 +2 2d8
    3 4000 +3 3d8
    4 8000 +4 4d8
    5 16000 +5 5d8
    6 32000 +6 6d8
    Level Death Wand Stone Breath Spells/Rods
    1-3 12 13 14 15 16
    4-6 10 11 12 13 14

CLERIC

  • Primary Attribute: Wisdom
  • May only use blunt weapons. Proficient with shields and armour.
  • Lawful clerics may turn undead; chaotic clerics may control them (see table below). Attempts are rolled with 1d6. On a success 2d6 undead are affected (for 2d6 turns). During a single encounter no more attempts may be made after the first failed one (the undead sense the cleric's weakness). Special results include (N) no attempt is possible, (T) automatic success, and (D) destruction instead of turning (extended control for chaotic clerics).
  • Level 1 HD 1 HD 3 HD 4 HD 5 HD 6 HD 7 HD 8 HD
    1 4-6 5-6 6 N N N N N
    2 3-6 4-6 5-6 6 N N N N
    3 2-6 3-6 4-6 5-6 6 N N N
    4 T 2-6 3-6 4-6 5-6 6 N N
    5 D T 2-6 3-6 4-6 5-6 6 N
    6 D D T 2-6 3-6 4-6 5-6 6
    Level XP To-hit HD Spells
    1 0 +1 1d6 -
    2 1500 +1 2d6 1
    3 3000 +2 3d6 2
    4 6000 +2 4d6 3/1
    5 12000 +3 5d6 4/2
    6 25000 +3 6d6 4/3/1
    Level Death Wand Stone Breath Spells/Rods
    1-3 11 12 14 16 15
    4-6 9 10 12 14 13

THIEF

  • Primary Attribute: Dexterity
  • Cannot use shields or armour heavier than leather, but proficient with all weapons.
  • Surprise attacks gain +4 to-hit and deal ×2/×3/×4 damage (levels 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6).
  • Thieves have a number of special skills (tested with 1d6):
    • Hide in Shadows (no need for cover)
    • Disarm Traps (noticing them requires player skill)
    • Move Silently (grants surprise)
    • Listen
    • Climb (without equipment)
    • Read Languages (decipher messages, codes, scripts)
    • Open Locks
    • Pick Pockets
    Level Hide Disarm Sneak Listen Climb Read Locks Pockets
    1 6 5-6 5-6 4-6 3-6 5-6 6 5-6
    2 6 5-6 5-6 4-6 3-6 5-6 6 5-6
    3 5-6 5-6 4-6 3-6 3-6 4-6 5-6 5-6
    4 5-6 4-6 4-6 3-6 2-6 4-6 5-6 4-6
    5 4-6 4-6 3-6 2-6 2-6 3-6 4-6 4-6
    6 4-6 4-6 3-6 2-6 2-6 3-6 4-6 4-6
    Level XP To-hit HD
    1 0 +1 1d4
    2 1200 +1 2d4
    3 2400 +2 3d4
    4 4800 +2 4d4
    5 9600 +3 5d4
    6 20000 +3 6d4
    Level Death Wand Stone Breath Spells/Rods
    1-3 13 14 13 16 15
    4-6 11 12 11 14 13

MAGIC-USER

  • Primary Attribute: Intelligence
  • May only use daggers, staves, and slings.
  • Start with Read Magic and 1 + INT modifier spells. Learn 1 + INT modifier further spells each level. Spells are stored in a spellbook.
  • Level XP To-hit HD Spells
    1 0 +1 1d4 1
    2 2500 +1 2d4 2
    3 5000 +1 3d4 3/1
    4 10000 +2 4d4 4/2
    5 20000 +2 5d4 4/3/1
    6 40000 +2 6d4 4/4/2
    Level Death Wand Stone Breath Spells/Rods
    1-3 13 14 13 16 14
    4-6 11 12 11 14 12

ELF

  • Requirement 9+ Intelligence
  • Primary Attribute: Strength and Intelligence
  • May use every type of weapon, shield, and armour.
  • No more than one elf may join the company at any given time.
  • Find secret doors 3-6/d6
  • Listen 4-6/d6
  • They are immune to ghoul paralysis.
  • Start with Read Magic and 1 + INT modifier spells. Learn 1 + INT modifier further spells each level. Spells are stored in a spellbook.
  • Level XP To-hit HD Spells
    1 0 +1 1d6 1
    2 4000 +2 2d6 2
    3 8000 +2 3d6 3/1
    4 16000 +3 4d6 4/2
    5 32000 +4 5d6 4/3/1
    6 64000 +4 6d6 4/4/2
    Level Death Wand Stone Breath Spells/Rods
    1-3 13 14 13 16 14
    4-6 11 12 11 14 12

HALFLING

  • Requirement 9+ Dexterity and Constitution
  • Primary Attribute: Strength and Dexterity
  • May use every type of weapon, shield, and armour, except two-handed melee weapons and longbows.
  • Multiple halflings may join the company, assuming they are friends. If any one of them dies, no further halflings may join the company until their friends leave or die, too.
  • +1 to-hit with ranged weapons, and −2 AC against large opponents
  • Listen 4-6/d6
  • Hide among trees and shrubs 2-6/d6
  • Hide in dungeons 5-6/d6
  • Level XP To-hit HD
    1 0 +1 1d6
    2 2000 +2 2d6
    3 4000 +2 3d6
    4 8000 +3 4d6
    5 16000 +4 5d6
    6 32000 +4 6d6
    Level Death Wand Stone Breath Spells/Rods
    1-3 10 11 12 13 14
    4-6 8 9 10 11 12

DWARF

  • Requirement 9+ Constitution
  • Primary Attribute: Strength
  • May use every type of weapon, shield, and armour, except two-handed swords and longbows.
  • No more than one dwarf may join the company at any given time.
  • Listen 4-6/d6
  • Detect slopes, new constructions, sliding walls etc. 5-6/d6
  • Level XP To-hit HD
    1 0 +1 1d8
    2 2200 +2 2d8
    3 4400 +2 3d8
    4 8800 +3 4d8
    5 17000 +4 5d8
    6 35000 +4 6d8
    Level Death Wand Stone Breath Spells/Rods
    1-3 10 11 12 13 14
    4-6 8 9 10 11 12

12 comments:

  1. Very cool! I really liked the skill system and being up to level 6. The advanced classes are also amazing. Do you allow other classes to try to open locks or hide in the trees? If so, what would the scroll be like? Only 6 on the d6? Congratulations from Brazil.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the kind words!

      I treat picking locks as a fairly specialised ability, so I'd probably not allow it unless you have the necessary skill (but hacking the door to pieces or damaging the lock is still something they can try). However, if a player of mine wanted to hire a locksmith in town (as a non-combatant hireling), I'd certainly consider it.

      As for hiding, the following options are available:
      1) if the player has a viable idea, it's an automatic success (but sufficiently suspicious enemies might still find them on 1/d6)
      2) if the character has an applicable skill, they can use that (but only _before_ they have been noticed; you can't vanish in the shadows once all eyes are on you)
      3) if the character has no skill and/or the player's idea sounds risky, they can attempt an attribute test (5-6/d6 for average values)

      Note that the thief's "hide in shadows" ability makes them only better at hiding in situations where others would automatically fail (other characters can't just hide in a dark corner and hope the monsters go past them; the thief might get lucky, though).

      Delete
  2. Question: you gain XP by retrieving gold from the dungeons, and additional XP by carousing that same gold?

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    Replies
    1. Yes. I think we introduced that rule during our Barrowmaze campaign. Granted, published megadungeons are somewhat low on treasure compared to by-the-book OD&D or B/X expectations, so we felt like this was a fair way to increase the rate of advancement (instead of awarding 100 XP/HD for combat, for example).

      For this to work, I think it's best if there are other rewarding money sinks in place (masterwork equipment, potions and scrolls for sale, ships or other expensive items, etc.), so there is a choice of spending money to gain XP or something else.

      Either way, characters cannot gain more than one level per session, plus the game's as lethal as any other retroclone ;)

      Delete
    2. When you were playing Xyntillan, did you award xp for monsters? Do you think the module would work when doing xp for gold exclusively?

      Delete
    3. I wasn't actually a player in the original Xyntillan campaign, but I believe Melan did award XP for defeating monsters.

      When I ran Barrowmaze and Rappan Athuk, I meticulously kept track of XP sources and found that treasure comprised 60% and 70% (respectively) of the awarded XP (actually 81.5% for Barrowmaze, because magic items were worth XP as per AD&D, too) - but we didn't use carousing XP in those campaigns.

      So: you can totally ignore monster XP and just double down on treasure XP: once when acquiring it and once when spending it (or you can do fractions, like half for looting and full value again for carousing, or something).

      Delete
  3. I really like these classes. Quick question: Does the prime attribute provide an XP bonus, and if so is that as per S&W, B/X, or something else?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, although we went with reduced XP requirements instead of an XP bonus (because that way you only need to make the calculation once per level - in fact, the automated spreadsheet I made does it automatically).

      XP requirement is 100% for 9-12 scores, 110% for 6-8 and 120% for 3-5, 95% for 13-15 and 90% for 16-18.

      If your class has two prime stats, you can use the better one - but 90% XP requirement is only attainable if the lower prime stat is also at least 13.

      Delete
  4. Hey,
    I am glad that someone picked up this game :)
    My name is Bence Tusa, I was testing the game with one of the creators a long time ago :D
    If you have any questions feel free to ask! :)

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  5. Hey! It's me again. Another nit-picky question I was just wondering about. Does KéK allow for memorization of duplicate spells? Just curious…

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The rulebook doesn't explicitly say. FWIW, duplicates were definitely allowed during playtesting.

      Delete