UnD&D Variant Rules

These variant rules apply to the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia and related products.

Experience Bonuses:

Experience bonuses for high stats are not used; they only further unbalance powerful characters by making them advance faster.

Wounds:

Wounds represent actual physical injury, while Hits represent only fatigue, wiles, and very minor scrapes and bruises. A character's Wounds are determined by taking a base value equal to the average 1st level hits for the character's class, rounded up, and applying the character's Constitution modifier. Monsters have Wounds equal to their Hit Dice +4 (if the monster's hit dice include a straight plus, divide it by 3 and round to the nearest for an additional plus). A first level character's Hits equal their Wounds; monster Hits are rolled randomly.

A Monster Character has Wounds equal to the average Hits for their *current level* (round up), until they reach Normal Monster level, at which point they no longer gain Wound points.

Combat:

Base chance to hit is 9+ for fighter types, demi-humans, and monster; 10+ for cleric and thief types, and 11+ for magicians. Add the defender's Level (or Hit Dice for monsters) to this, while subtracting the attacker's Level (or Hit Dice for monsters). AC modifiers for Dexterity, special class abilities, spells, etc. are added either here or to Armor (see below) as the GM sees fit. A natural roll to hit of 20 always hits and does double damage, while a natural roll of 1 always misses and results in a fumble. Fumble effects are determined by the GM on a case-by-case basis.

Armor:

Armor reduces the damage a character or monster suffers when hit, instead of affecting their chances of being hit in the first place. If a hit is scored, roll the target's Armor Protection (see below), and subtract the result from the number of damage points they suffer from the blow.

Armor Class: Armor Protection: 9 none 8 1 point 7 1d2 6 1d3 5 1d4 4 1d5 (roll 1d6, 6 = 3) 3 1d6 2 1d7 (roll 1d8, 8 = 4) 1 1d8 0 1d9 (roll 1d10, 10 = 5) -1 1d10 -2 1d11 (roll 1d12, 12 = 6) -3 1d12

Called Shots:

An attacker may attempt to avoid an opponent's armor protection by taking a -1 penalty to hit roll to hit per -1 point reduction in the target's armor protection roll. Note that some types of protection can't be circumvented; magical protection fields, the stone flesh of a golem (where even its eyes and other normally vulnerable spots are equally protected), etc. These minuses are applied to the target's Armor Protection roll, not added to the attacker's damage roll.

Hit Points, Wounds, and Damage:

Any damage that penetrates a target's Armor must be applied either to Hits or Wounds. A target's Hits will absorb up to (current Hits / 2, rounded up) in damage from each attack, with the remaining damage points applied to Wounds. If a character's Wounds reach 0 and damage still remains to be taken, all of the remaining points are applied to Hits.

A character who is attacked while asleep, unconscious, etc. can only absorb (current Hits / 10, rounded up) in damage from an attack. This also applies to poisons, falling damage, or anything else the GM rules to cause direct physical injury.

A character with 0 Hits is unconscious. A character with 0 Wounds is mortally wounded, and "bleeds" an additional 1 Hit Point per minute until medically treated. A character with 0 Hits and 0 Wounds is dead.

Magical healing applies to Wounds first, with any remainder spilling over into Hits. Medical skills heal Hits first, with any remainder spilling over into Wounds.

Knockback:

Damage - Armor Protection - Target's Original Wound Points = knockback (in 5' spaces)

Unarmed Damage:

The following table shows how much damage a character can inflict with their bare hands. No not att the character's STR bonus to this roll.

Strength: Unarmed Damage: 2-3 0 4-5 1 point 6-8 d2 9-12 d3 13-15 d4 16-17 d6 18 d8

Magic System:

Clerics learn all of the spells of a new level automatically upon attaining the minimum level required to invoke that spell level. Depending on the cleric's religion, some spells may be unavailable.

Mages & Elves are able to memorize any set of spells whose casting cost doesn't exceed their current Casting Point total. Spells cannot be "unmemorized". A spell above the maximum legal spell level at the caster's current level of experience cannot be memorized, even if the character has enough spell points. New spells can only be learned (i.e., memorized) from teachers or texts. Unmemorized spells can be cast from texts in fully equipped workshops, but only memorized spells can be cast in combat.

Casting Points:

Casting a spell costs Casting Points equal to the spells' level. Casting points are restored at a rate of 100% for a full night of sleep, or partial ammounts for naps.

Mages & Elves: (IQ/4) x Level, rounded up on 1/2 Clerics: (IQ/4) x (Level-1), rounded up on 1/2

Maxumum Spell Level:

Level: Cleric: Mage/Elf: 1 0 1 2 1 1 3 1 2 4 2 2 5 2 3 6 3 3 7-8 3 4 9-10 4 5 11+ 5 6

Random Weapon Mastery for NPC Encounters:

d100: Skill: 01 Grand Master 02-03 Master 04-06 Expert 07-10 Skilled 11-20 Basic 21-00 Unskilled

Magic Item Encumberance:

Item: Encumberance: Potion 2 cn Scroll 5 cn Wand 5 cn Staff 30 cn Rod 50 cn Ring 1 cn, or 0 if worn

Magic Armor, Shields, and Weapons weigh the same as non-magical versions.

Optionally, as a special power, a magic item may weight less than normal. Reduce expected encumberance by 20% x (magical bonus). For weapons, use *base* bonus, not special bonus, for this calculation.

Monster Encounters:

I made a single encounter table, listing all of the monsters I wanted to use in my campaign. When an encounter occurs, roll on the table. If the characters are not in or very near a terrain type appropriate for the rolled creature, re-roll. Then roll on the table below:

Frequency: Roll reqd. on 1d8 to appear: Common 1-8 Uncommon 5-8 Rare 7-8 Very Rare 8

If the roll fails, re-roll on the encounter table.

Number of Creatures Encountered:

Figure the total party strength. Square each character's level, and multiply by 20. Double the character's encounter strength if they're extra powerful, halve it if they're extra weak. Add up the encounter strengths of each character to find the party's total encounter strength.

Party Encounter Strength / Encountered Creatures' XP Value x Random Multiplier (found by rolling on the table below) = the number of creatures encountered. Round to the nearest; if 0 creatures are encountered, treat this as a sighting only.

d10: Encounter Modifier: 1 feeble encounter: x1/8 2-3 weak encounter: x1/4 4-7 normal encounter: x1/2 8-9 challenging encounter: x1 10 major encounter: x2

Option Rules In Use:

Druid p. 28

Mystic p. 29

Nonstandard Weapon Use p. 66. Modification: Initiative is unaffected.

Weapon Mastery p. 75. Modification: an unskilled character is penalized -4 to hit, but still does full damage.

General Skills p. 81. Modification: add Ambidexterity as a Dex-based skill.

Optional Rule for Languages p. 85. Modification: only one free language, no alignment languages. Languages listed under class abilities can be bought at full fluency for 1 slot; other languages can be learned at partial fluency for 1 slot, or full fluency for 2 slots. Languages acquired through high Intelligence must be purchased in the same manner.

Individual Initiative p. 102. Modification: saving actions, movement/action split, etc. are all handled as per Living Legends.

Two Weapons Combat p. 110. Modification: for a character to use any weapon not commonly used in the off hand the wielder must take the Dex-based Ambidexterity skill or else suffer a further -4 to hit with off-hand attacks.

Striking and Wrestling p. 111. Use the optional sub-rules as well.

Mass Combat Optional Rules p. 120.

Ability Scores and Saving Throws p. 120.

Demihumans and Mystic Experience Levels p. 266.

Nonlethal Combat p. 267. Modification: all Hit Points count as Nonlethal damage; a declared Nonlethal strike never causes more than 1/4 of its own damage to the target;s Wounds. Example: a Storm Giant swings its fist at Runyon the Elf, declaring a Nonlethal strike. 12 points are inflicted. Armor and Hits absorb damage normally, but only a maximum of 3 Wound points will be taken by Runyon; any points after that are taken off Runyon's Hits.

New Class: Tradesman (Tinker, Minstrel, Peddler, Blacksmith, etc.):

Prime Requisite: Dexterity must be 9+.

Hit Dice: 1d6 per level up to 9th level. Starting with 10th level, +2 hit points per level, and Constitution adjustments no longer apply.

Maximum Level: 36.

Armor: Maximum Leather Armor, Shields are allowed.

Weapons: 3 weapon proficencies. Marginally limited choices: no d10 weapons, and weapons must be appropriate for the character's trade.

Base to Hit = 10+.

Gains 8 skill slots at 1st level, and +1 slot for each additional 2 levels (i.e. 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc.) instead of as shown on p. 86.

Can use any magic items usable by fighters or thieves.

Save as Fighter.

Levels as Fighter.

New Class: Scholar (Wise Man, Scribe, Physician, Sage, Alchemist, Merchant, etc.):

Prime Requisite: Intelligence must be 9+.

Hit Dice: 1d4 per level up to 9th level. Starting with 10th level, +1 hit point per level, and Constitution adjustments no longer apply.

Maximum Level: 36.

Armor: Maximum Leather, Shields not allowed.

Weapons: 2 weapon proficiencies. No d8+ weapons, and the chosen weapons must be appropriiate to the character's field.

Base to Hit: 11+.

Gains 16 skill slots at 1st level, and +1 slot each level thereafter, instead of as shown on p. 86.

Can use any magic items usable by mages, clerics, or druids.

Save as Cleric.

Level as Cleric.

New Class: Berserker:

Prime Requisite: Strength must be 9+.

Hit Dice: d10 per level up to 9th, 3 hits per level (and Con bonuses no longer apply) therefter

Maximum Level: 36.

Armor: Up to Studded Leather. Shields not allowed.

Weapons: Any meleee weapon, no ranged weapons.

Save as Fighter of 1 level less; 1st level Berserkers save as normal men.

Berserkers can use any magic items usable by Fighters.

Once a battle starts, Berserkers can enter a state of berserk frenzy - sometimes attacking their own comrades in a blind rage. While enraged, a Berserker gains +2 to hit human and humanoid targets. On the first round, a Berserker may choose his target freely. They must continue to attack the same target until a) the target is incapacitated, or b) there is a closer target, or c) the Berserker suffer Wound damage. If one of these conditions is met, they must attack the closest target, even if that target is friendly, unless they make a Wisdom save on 1d20. If the save is made, they may either freely choose their next target, or recover from their berserk rage (losing all benefits and limitations therefrom). The Berserker may freely choose among equally close targets.

Each Berserker character must select his Totem; an animal archetype that they revere. Berserkers can communicate with animals of their Totem on a low, instinctual level.

A Berserker can attract members of his Totem's species as followers. Each animal companion counts against his maximum number of retainers, and no animal companion may have more than half as many Hit Points as the character has.

A Berserker can transform into a member of his Totem species upon attaining 100 x the Totem animal's XP value in expereince points. The Berserker retains his own Hits and Berserk ability, but takes on the animal's Wound points while transformed.