Curabel Campaign Main House Rule Document

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Curabel Campaign House Rules

A Short Introduction

This document is a collection of house rules intended to encourage a certain type of “old school” play. In particular, these clarifications and tweaks place emphasis on randomness (especially during PC creation), meaningful combat choices that don’t necessitate grids or miniatures, and resource management concerns based on equipment/encumbrance limitations.

Further additions (and possibly revisions) to this document are likely as I make rulings during the course of play.

Character Generation

0. Basic Information & Directions

  • All characters should be created using the Roll20 dice rollers in the presence of the DM. Each player should generate two characters, choosing one as a primary and leaving the other as a backup. Please use the character sheet provided by the DM (a PDF form) and save it to a Google Drive account, sharing it via link with the DM.

1. Attribute Generation

  • Roll 4d6 six times for each character arrange them as desired among the following attributes: Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma (i.e., Method I from the DMG).
  • Players may swap out their highest attribute role with a 14 if that score would be higher.

2. Race Selection

  • Choose a race from the following: Human (colonist or native), elf, half-elf, half-orc, or dwarf.
  • Gnomes and Halflings are very rare in the campaign setting; the player must provide the DM with a persuasive reason for their choice (beyond min-maxing) to select these races
  • Note: Elven life-spans are shorter in the Curabel campaign world than the standard described on page 13 of the DMG; please use the dwarf, mountain age categories for elves (half-elves are as described).

3. Class Selection

  • All classes from the AD&D 1e PHB are available (although racial restrictions on choice and level will be enforced)

4. Alignment Selection

  • All alignments are permissible. Regardless of choice, however, PCs will be expected to cooperate and antagonistic choices are discouraged unless the players can provide a persuasive reason.
  • If anyone qualifies as a Paladin, they will not be able to adventure with any evil PCs. This means it is impossible for the group to have both a Paladin and Assassin.

5. Hit Points, Starting Funds, Age, Height, and Weight

  • The player should roll for hit points, starting funds, age, height and weight using the Roll20 dice rollers in the presence of the DM.
  • Please refer below to the Inventory House Rules for information about encumbrance tracking before purchasing gear.

6. Magic-User & Illusionist Starting Spells

  • Magic-Users start with four spells: Read Magic, two randomly assigned spells, and one spell of the player’s choice. The player will be allowed to roll for their random spells when generating the character on Roll20.
  • Illusionists start with three spells, all randomly determined. The player will be allowed to roll for their spells when generating their character on Roll20.

7. Psionic Ability

  • Players may randomly roll to see if their human or dwarf characters have psionic powers on Roll20 using the AD&D 1e PHB rules. The player will roll a d100 and any score of 100 indicates the ability exists. For each 1 point of intelligence above 16 add 2½ to the dice roll, for each 1 point of wisdom above 16 add 1½ to the dice roll, and for each 1 point of charisma above 16 add ½ to the dice roll (drop all fractions).

Stat Checks

Performing tasks which are not related to your class abilities (i.e., anything other than combat, spell-casting, or dungeoneering activities) will frequently be resolved with a “Stat Check”. A Stat Check is resolved by rolling 2 or more d6 (sometimes adding +1 or +2 to the total) and comparing the result to the relevant Stat. If the roll is less than or equal to that Stat, the Stat Check is considered a success. A roll that is higher than that Stat is a failure. Any Stat Check which produces two or more 6 results on the d6 is a critical failure. (Sometimes results will indicate both success and critical failure. In that case, you get both.)When to Roll Stat Checks: Stat Checks are useful, but they aren’t universally useful. Don’t roll a Stat Check for something no one usually fails at, or when there’s no time pressure to get it right, or when role-playing is the better (more fun) way to resolve an issue. A Stat Check is best called for when you have described your course of action to the limit of what the English language allows for, some doubt remains as to success, and success or failure matters; at that point the Stat Check resolves how well the PC does what you want them to do.Failure vs. Critical Failure: Not all failures are created equal. A ‘failure’ at carpentry might still produce a functional chair; it might just creak badly or have an obvious aesthetic flaw. A ‘failure’ at pig-herding might mean the pigs get away from you for a day or two. Mere ‘failure’ is usually just a set-back or minor inconvenience. A ‘critical failure’ on the other hand indicates that something has gone horribly wrong (although not always in an immediately obvious way).


Difficulty Dice Rolled Mean
Tricky 2d6 7
Adventurous 3d6 10.5
Heroic 4d6 14
Masterful 5d6 17.5
Legendary 6d6 21
God-like 8d6 28

(The mean results of the dice pools are noted in parentheses for transparency. What they imply is that an untrained person with an 18 in the relevant stat might occasionally do something Masterful, but 99% of the time they will fail.Modified Checks: If the DM feels the task is between two levels of difficulty, he might require +1 or +2 (max) to be added to the roll.Multiple Checks: Occasionally the DM may rule that multiple Stat Checks are necessary to achieve a given result. Perhaps the forging of the magic sword has three distinct phases (each with its own list of material components and star-phase requirement), each warranting its own roll. In this case, each step is rolled normally and the DM will provide feedback on what partial success may provide.

Level Checks: For some activities, your DM may rule that adding your class level to your relevant Stat is appropriate when resolving a Stat Check. This is most often relevant when checking something tangentially related to your class or something that all adventurers would improve at over time.


Training: The DM may also allow characters to train for certain activities with experienced NPCs; such training will require a substantive investment of time and funds. For instance, a player may choose to apprentice with a carpenter for one month – paying for room and board on top of a nominal fee – in exchange for a +1 bonus to their relevant stat for checks involving woodwork.

Extended Stat Checks

To see how long your burly fighter can hold the collapsing ceiling up, your swimmer can hold their breath, or your rogue can balance on the swaying tightrope, roll a d6 each round. When the total of the results surpasses the character's appropriate Stat, they finally reach their limit.

Followers and the Charisma Stat

Characters with a high Charisma Stat get their followers at lower levels of experience than other characters, while characters with low Charisma must wait longer:

  • CHA 3 = get followers 3 levels late
  • CHA 4 = get followers 2 levels late
  • CHA 5 - get followers 1 level late
  • CHA 16 = get followers 1 level early
  • CHA 17 = get followers 2 levels early
  • CHA 18 = get followers 3 levels early

Combat House Rules: Standard Resolution Summary

0. Standard Action Resolution for Simultaneous Actions in All Combat Rounds

  • Clerical Turning/Psionics
  • Magic Items with no activation time
  • Charges & Set Spears
  • Missile, Melee, Unarmed & Monster Special Attacks
  • Spells, Scrolls, & Magic Items with Activation Time
  • Movement (including closing to striking distance)

1. Surprise Roll

  • Base chance of surprise for all parties in combat is 2 in 6. Some characters (e.g., rangers) and monsters (e.g., piercers) will either surprise more often or be surprised less often according to the 1e rule books. There may also be environmental/conditional modifiers at the DM’s discretion.
  • Members of a surprised party can individually negate surprise via dexterity or magic bonuses if those bonuses exceed the difference in surprise rolls.
  • If both or neither party is surprised, skip to encounter initiative; if one party is surprised continue to Surprise Combat.

2. Surprise Combat

  • All members of a party that has surprised (AP for “active party”) another may act in the surprise combat rounds against any opposing party member whose dexterity and magic bonuses do not negate surprise.
  • Surprised combatants (IP for “inactive party) lose all dexterity bonuses to AC.
  • AP members can move 10’ per difference between surprise rolls (adding their individual dexterity bonuses/penalties).
  • AP members can make one attack routine (missile or melee) in each surprise combat round.
  • AP members can cast spells in surprise combat if the casting time is less than the surprise roll difference (factoring in bonuses/penalties). If a spell takes longer, AP members can begin it and complete the spell in the first round after the remaining segments pass (e.g., surprise difference is 4 and the spell takes 7 segments; the spell will fire on segment 3 of the first round).

3. Encounter Initiative

  • The party rolls for initiative at the beginning of the round; individuals in each group should declare their actions beforehand and add appropriate modifiers to the initiative roll. If the modifier added to the base roll exceeds 10 segments, the action is completed in the next round.
  • The enemies/monsters roll for initiative at the beginning of the round; all monsters use a single initiative role unless they are antagonistic to each other as well (e.g., a three-way fight).
  • Highest roll wins initiative; the winners roll determines the segment on which the loser acts and vice versa (e.g., the party wins initiative 5 to 3; the party acts on segment 3 and the enemies on segment 5).
  • Common Initiative Modifiers:
    • Melee Weapons: Use WSF (only in case of tied initiative)
    • Missile Weapons: Reaction Modifier based on Dexterity
    • Spells: Casting Time
    • Magic Items: Activation Time
    • Potions/Oils: 1d4+1 segments
    • Psionics/Clerical Turning: +0 (ignore dexterity modifiers)
    • Unarmed/Movement/Charge: +0 (include dexterity modifiers)
  • The following sections detail the resolution of each type of combat action

4. Clerical Turning

  • Roll d20 + Modifiers (Wisdom & conditional) vs. Undead Type table (DMG 75).
  • Roll to determine # of undead/planar creatures/paladins effected (usually 2d6).
  • Turned creatures move as far as possible from cleric for 3d4 rounds

5. Magic Items

  • Check magic resistance / saving throws and apply effects

6. Charges/Setting Spears

  • Characters cannot charge more than 1 time every 10 rounds
  • Charges must be more than 1” in distance (otherwise it’s just an attack)
  • Charges must be in a straight path
  • Attacker/defender priority is determined by weapon length (longer weapon is 1st)
  • Charging characters get movement bonus, no DEX bonus (or -1 AC), +2 attack bonus
  • Combatants set against charge can get x2 damage
  • Movement bonus is x⅓ outside; x2 inside

7. Missile/Melee/Monster Special Attacks

  • If attacking crowd with missile weapons, roll for target. Die = # of all combatants. Large creatures count as 1½; small creatures as ½.
  • Roll d20 +/- modifiers, checking Class/LVL./HD vs. AC tables (DMG 74-75); also factor in Weapon modifier vs. armor type if applicable (PHB 38)
  • Roll weapon damage die +/- modifiers
  • Roll Saving throws as needed and apply effects

8. Spells, Scrolls, & Magic Items with Activation Time

  • Successful attacks on spell caster negate spell if they occur before casting time is complete; spell is lost from caster’s memory
  • Magic items work regardless of successful attacks against user
  • Check magic resistance/saving throws as necessary and apply effects

9. Unarmed Combat: Grappling/Overbearing/Pummeling

  • Grappling: Attack as normal, without weapons. The successful attackers and defender both roll a combined number of d6s equal to their Hit Dice.
  • Overbearing: Same as grappling, but takes place at the end of a charge and results in the defender being knocked prone (rather than restrained) if successful.
  • On a tie, both parties struggle, neither able to take action.
  • If the defender wins, he throws off all the successful attackers. The difference between the defenders winning roll and the attackers losing roll is the number of rounds of stunning that may be divided among the defenders. He may take his action as normal.
  • If the attackers win, the defender is pinned and helpless. The defender can be killed outright the next round by a third-party, although he may try to escape using half his hit dice versus the hit dice of the creatures restraining him if he is still alive. On a loss he takes the difference as subdual damage.
  • Pummeling/Punching: Attack as normal, without weapons. Damage is 1d2 (plus appropriate strength bonuses) and the attacker may choose whether this is real or subdual damage.

10. Psionics

  • When psionic combat begins (based on surprise/initiative), all combat stops until it is resolved completely since it is near instantaneous
  • Combatants select attack/defense modes unless using a psionic discipline
  • Combatants choose to link attacks (increase range 200% then 50% each) or push (double/treble range and point cost); DM determines range (short/base, medium/base x2, or long/base x3)
  • Resolve attack using charts on DMG 76-77

11. Movement (General)

  • Characters can move their base speed (feet indoors, yards out) to close to strike; no attack is possible after move
  • Characters can break off melee, but give attackers a free attack routine (rear attack as if against a stunned opponent); characters can move full movement rate each round thereafter. Encounter then ends if fleeing character is faster or not pursued (i.e., special pursuit rules come into play DMG 67-8)
  • Fighting Retreats are possible; characters move their normal rate and can parry but not attack. Enemies can follow if not otherwise engaged. This move can also be used to swap out party members from the front lines.

12. Special Rules for Specific Situations

  • Missile weapons fired into certain conditions (ice storm, fireball, breath weapon) must save vs. effect or be destroyed before striking
  • No dexterity bonus to AC against boulders/siege missiles
  • Cover bonuses to AC and saves: 25% (to knees) = +2; 50% = +4; 75% (narrow window) = +7; 90% (arrow slit) = +10; 90% cover means no damage on successful saves
  • Concealment bonuses to AC: 25% = +1; 50% = +2; 75% = +3; 90% = +4
  • Grenade weapons: 3” range (+1” medium = -2 to hit; +2” long = -5 to hit); container must fail save vs. crushing blow to shatter; all characters within 3’ must save vs. poison to avoid splash damage. For misses, roll d6 for feet missed and d8 for direction missed (clockwise, 1 = long right to 8 = long over)
  • Jumping over flaming oil with cloth garments means save vs. fire (normal); standing in it does d6 damage per round
  • Striking to subdue: 75% of damage is temporary; 25% regular; ratio of subdual damage to max HP provides % chance of subdual per round.
  • Number of attackers per character/monster: If S, 4 M/2L/6S; if M, 8S/6M/4L; if L, 12S/8M/6L
  • Flank attacks negate shield bonus; rear flank attacks also negate dexterity bonus
  • Rear attacks gain +2 to hit bonus, negate shield, negate dexterity bonus
  • Attacks against Stunned/Prone/Motionless opponents are same as rear attacks, except with a +4 bonus
  • Attacks on Sleeping/Held Opponents do maximum damages and double attack routines are given; also, one such opponent per round can be slain/bound outright
  • Attacks on invisible opponents are at -4 and flank/rear attacks are impossible
  • Parrying allows a character to subtract his to-hit bonuses (if any) from opponents’ attack rolls; no attacks can be made while parrying unless the character has two weapons and only uses the to-hit bonus from the secondary weapon.

At 0hp, character is unconscious and loses 1 HP per round until death at -10hp. Aiding the character stops this loss of life. Revived characters are in a coma for d6 turns and must then remain fatigued (-2 to all attributes; -2 attack/save) until they rest a minimum of 1 full night in a safe location. If a character is ever -6 HP, they will have some lasting scar/injury.

Permanent Injury Random Table

  1. Injury to the face/head. Suffer -1 to WIS/INT/CHA (equal chance of any of them).
  2. Torso/Abdomen. Suffer -1 to CON, max HP reduced by 1d20%.
  3. Fore/Upper Limb (includes arms (all if multiple), wings, and any other appendage other than a head above body midline). Determine which randomly. Limb is useless unless successful save vs. death. To-Hit and Damage are -1 with that limb. If quadruped or limb otherwise used for mobility, see Lower/Hind Limb entry below.
  4. Lower/Hind Limb (includes legs and other mobility appendages, tails, etc.). Save vs. death else limb is useless. Suffer -1d4x10% loss in movement rate. Limb is -1 to-hit and DAM if appropriate. May require crutch, cane, or other assistive device at DM's discretion.

All effects persist for 1d3 weeks at the end of which the character must make a System Shock check or the effects become permanent unless powerful healing or regenerative magic is applied successfully. At DM's option, surgical arts may be attempted to repair such damage, though they obviously carry significant risks of their own.

Combat House Rules: Alternative Weapon System

Your Offhand

  1. An Empty Hand can be useful. It lets you catch thrown things and use items from your Fast Inventory, among other things.
  2. Torches need no explaining.
  3. Two-Handed Weapon Grip does +1 damage when applied to 1-handed weapons (plus applicable strength bonuses). 2-handed weapons require this grip, and do not receive any additional bonus.
  4. A Paired Weapon gives +1 to hit with your primary weapon rather than a separate attack. The paired weapon must be dagger, hand-axe., or a matching 1-handed weapon. This bonus can be used for parrying even if the player attacks (although double-dipping is not allowed; see above).
  5. Shields give you +1 to AC.

Weapon Breakage and Decay

  1. Whenever you roll a under the quality level of your weapon, it receives a -1 to hit/damage (these penalties are cumulative).
  2. Weapons can be repaired. The baseline cost is ½ the cost of the weapon for each level of quality lost.
  3. Inferior Weapons start as quality level 5.
  4. Normal Weapons start as quality level 3.
  5. Masterwork Weapons start as quality level 1.
  6. Magic Weapons are masterwork weapons that only get damaged when fighting demons, dragons, and other epic foes.  However, they can only be repaired by equally epic blacksmiths.
  7. Any time you take damage, you can opt instead to say your shield absorbed the force of the blow. The shield is shattered and must be discarded, but you don't take any damage from that hit. For this option to be available, the defender must be able to see and anticipate the attack (i.e., it is not available against flanking, sneak, invisible attackers and the like).
    1. Magical shields can also be sacrificed to absorb the damage from magical attacks that take the form of missiles, bolts, rays, or similar forces.
    2. Magical shields used to absorb regular physical blows may survive the attack. They receive a saving throw vs. crushing blow with a starting bonus equal to their magical bonus to avoid instant destruction. Each use of the shield to absorb a blow also has a 50% chance of increasing its quality by 1 step (starting from 0). If the shield reaches quality level 6, it is destroyed. Repairs are possible as described above.

Weapon Mastery

This is a thing that only Fighters can do. With one specific weapon (not weapon type) you must begin keeping track of your kills. Once you achieve a certain number of killing blows against challenging opponents you get a degree of mastery with the weapon. If you change your weapon of choice, you do not retain bonuses from your old weapon mastery – the new weapon (even if it’s the same type) replaces the old.


10 kills give you +1 damage with the weapon.

30 kills let you use a weapon's fight-master ability (see below).

100 kills give you an additional +1 damage with the weapon.

Fight-master Abilities

The following applies to fighters only, and only once they've gotten 30 kills with that unique weapon.

  • Swords get +1 to hit humanoids.
  • Axes do x2 damage rolled on a critical (instead of just doing max damage)
  • Bludgeons do x2 damage to prone creatures, and little flat creatures, like snakes and small turtles.
  • Flails ignore shields and automatically give armor a Break when they do 6 or more damage.
  • Staffs give you +1 to AC when wielded defensively (see below for styles)
  • Pointed Pole-arms (spears, lances) let you deal x3 damage on a charge or when readied against a charge.  (Other pole-arms function as swords or axes with reach.  Glaives are like swords and halberds are like axes, for example.)
  • Thrown Weapons and Ranged Weapons let you reduce all range penalties by 2 points (effectively eliminating the medium range penalty and almost halving the long range penalty).

Attack Options

These are available to anyone with a melee weapon:

  • Attack Aggressively: +1 to hit, -2 to AC
  • Attack Defensively: +1 to AC, -2 to hit
  • Total Defense: +2 to AC, make no attacks.

New Weapons

Nets

  • A net can only affect creatures made of solid material.
  • A net inflicts no damage on the victim, but may entangle, slow, or delay the victim.
  • The wielder makes a normal roll to hit his target; if he does, the target must make a saving throw vs. death, possibly with a bonus (see the Weapon Special Effects Table).
  • If the saving throw succeeds, the net does not affect the target. If the victim fails his saving
  • throw, the result varies by the victim's experience level or size.
  • Once a target is trapped in a net, he may make a new saving throw each round until one is successful. . If he has a dagger (but not a longer weapon or a non-bladed weapon) in his hand, he has a +4 to his saving throw; success means the net is destroyed.


Target HD Save Bonus Effect
Up to 1 None Entangle
1 +1 to 3 +1 Entangle
3 + 1 to 6 +2 Slow
6 +1 to 9 +3 Slow
9 + 1 to 12 +4 Delay
12 + or more +5 Delay
Victim’s Size Net Size
Very small (Up to 1’) 2’ x 2’
Small (1+’ -3’) 4’ x 4’
Medium (3+’ -6’) 6’ x 6’
Large (6+’ -10’) 9’ x 9’
Very large (10+’ – 15’) 12’ x 12’
Huge (15+’ – 20’) 16’ x 16’
Mammoth (20+’ – 30’) 25’ x 25’

* A small net is right for a target the size of a Halfling; a medium net is right for human, dwarf, and elf targets.


  • The effects listed on the Weapon Special Effects Table are as follows:
    • Entangle: The victim cannot attack, cast spells, or move until a saving throw is successful.
    • Slow: The victim is slowed, moving and attacking at half his normal rate. He cannot cast
    • spells.
    • Delay: The victim automatically loses initiative for the next round.
  • Other Issues:
    • A net can easily be damaged by any edged weapon (or claw or bite), but it can be repaired if
    • rope or cord is available, which requires 1d3 turns of undisturbed repair work. A damaged
    • net is useless.
    • If the target is too large for the net, he will gain bonuses to his saving throw to avoid the effects. For each size greater, the victim gains a +4 bonus. A roll of 1 is always a failure unless the bonus is + 20 or greater.
    • Nets 6' x 6' or smaller may be used one-handed. Larger nets require two hands
    • Halflings and small nonhumans (such as goblins) cannot use nets larger than 6' x 6'.

Combat House Rules: Armor Quality

  • Inferior armor loses a point of AC whenever you take a critical hit.
  • Average armor has a 50% chance to lose a point of AC when you take a critical hit.
  • Masterwork armor has a 1-in-6 chance to lose a point of AC when you take a critical hit.
  • Most breaks and tears can be mended by a blacksmith.

Inventory House Rules: Armor and Temperature

The Curabel campaign takes place on an archipelago in a tropical region. Given this particular setting, weather and temperature are very important considerations and we will be using the relevant rules from the Wilderness Survival Guide (pages 18-19) modified as follows:

Armor Effects

Armor Type Personal Temp. Adjustment
Full Plate +35 Degrees
Field Plate +35 Degrees
Plate Mail +25 Degrees
Splint Mail +15 Degrees
Banded Mail +15 Degrees
Chain Mail +15 Degrees
Scale Mail +15 Degrees
Ring Mail +10 Degrees
Studded Leather +25 Degrees
Padded Leather +45 Degrees
Leather Armor +15 Degrees

Effects of Extreme Heat

Personal Temp. Strength Modifier Constitution Modifier Dexterity Modifier Movement Adjustment Attack Penalty
100 – 109 0 -1 0 3/4 -1
110 – 119 -1 -2 0 2/3 -2
> 120 -2 -3 -1 1/2 -3

Damage from Extreme Heat

Personal Temp. Check Dam*
100 – 109 3d6 vs. Con. 1
110 – 119 3d6 + 1 vs. Con. 2
> 120 4d6 vs. Con. 3

* Heat Damage Modifiers (Random):

  • Inactive: -1 to -3
  • Active: +1 to +4
  • Fatigued: +1 to +6

Inventory House Rules: Encumbrance Slots

Inventory

  • You have a number of inventory slots equal to your Strength score.  So, if you have STR 13, you can carry 13 things.
  • If your inventory slots are exceeded by 1-5 items, you are halfway encumbered and move a little slower.  If this number is exceeded by 6-10 items, you are fully encumbered and at half speed.  If you want to carry more than that, you're just staggering around, like you're carrying a couch or something.
  • You have a fast inventory equal to half of your Dexterity score, rounded down.  These are items that you can reach instantly--hanging from your belt, in a scabbard, whatever.   So, if you have DEX 11, you have 5 items that you can draw/use at a moment’s notice.  Everything else is in your backpack, and takes 1d6 rounds to dig out, or 2d6 rounds if you want to avoid scattering items all over the floor.
  • You can buy a fancy backpack that gives you +2 inventory slots, and you can buy a fancy bandoleer, set of belt pouches, or be-pocketed vest that gives you +1 fast inventory, but you can't wear both at the same time.
  • Armor takes up slots equal to its contribution, so full plate (+6 AC) takes up a whopping six slots.
  • Huge items (i.e. pole-arms) take up two slots.
  • Bundled items (i.e. daggers) can be carried in bundles of three, and must be small enough that you could pick up a trio of them from the ground.
  • Packs of items (i.e. potions or scrolls) can be carried in packs of ten, and must be small enough that you can pick ten of them up from the ground.

Damaging Items

  • Acid, fire, and other hazards can all wreck your inventory if you insist on rolling around in them.  Longer-term exposures can ruin multiple items.
  • When you fall in acid (or the like), roll 2d6.  If they show two different numbers, take the lower number and count upwards from the bottom of the fast inventory.  The item that the count falls on is the one that is affected.  If the item is immune to the damage (like fire hitting a metal sword) nothing happens.
  • If the 2d6 show the same number, it affects the inventory, not the backpack (everything that isn't in the fast inventory is in the backpack).  Roll 2d10 and count upwards from the bottom to find out what item is potentially affected. If your character isn't carrying much and the count goes up into the fast inventory, well, it goes back up into the fast inventory.

Coins and Ammunition

  • 12 pieces of arrows can form a pack, since you can pick them up with one hand.  12 sling stones (in a pouch) form a bundle for the same reason. 5 darts also equal one inventory slot. Quivers provide 2 bonus inventory slots for arrows.
  • 150 coins are equal to one inventory slot

Encumbrance Clarifications

  • Halfway Encumbered = Move at 75% speed and make Strength checks to swim.
  • Fully Encumbered = Move at 50% speed and sink like a stone.
  • Over Encumbered = Stagger around like a drunken fool.  25% speed and no actions.

Superior/Magical Storage Gear

  • Fancy Backpack = +2 inventory slots but doesn't stack with the Fancy Pockets.
  • Fancy Pockets (belt/bandoleer/bra) = +1 fast inventory but doesn't stack with Fancy Backpack.
  • Bag of Holding = Takes up a slot and has 5 slots inside.

Carrying Capacities and Speeds of Beasts/Vehicles

  • The general rule is that beasts and vehicles have a number of inventory slots equal to their carrying capacity in pounds divided by 125. Exceptions are possible, though, and will be determined by the DM.
  • Below is a table with beasts and vehicles that have come up in play.


Name Normal Load Max. Load Speeds Speed Increment
Mule 40 slots 60 slots 12/6 -1 / 3.33 slots above 40
Draft Horse 32 slots 62 slots 12/6 -1 / 5 slots over 32
Small Cart w. Mule -- 48 slots 12 No increments
Med. Cart w. Mule -- 60 slots 10 No increments
Large Wagon w. 2 Light Horses -- 96 slots 10 No increments

Spell Component Cost & Availability

  • See “Living in a Material World” by Dobson in issue #81 of Dragon Magazine (copy available on G+ site)
  • Each spell pouch can hold components for 20 castings (any spell except those with unusually large components)

Price List for Components in Campaign

Component Spell Price per Casting
Coal Darkness 15’ 2sp
Dirt/Water Read Magic Free
Down Feather Fall 1sp
Fleece Phantasmal Force 1sp (20 castings / lb.)
Mica Detect Illusion 1gp
Peas Wall of Fog 0.1 cp (30 castings / lb.)
Phosphorus Dancing Lights 5gp
Powdered Brass Push 4sp
Powdered Iron Enlarge 3gp 10sp
Powdered Iron & Silver Protection from Evil 7gp 10sp
Spider Web Web 1gp