The D6 System and the Duel

If you need alternate dueling rules for your adventures with The D6 System, read Peter Schweighofer's Dueling Blades (also found on his D6 Resources page at Griffon Publishing Studio).

RPGaDay 2023: Day 29

29. Most memorable ENCOUNTER

This question doesn't interest me, so I'll just focus on the featured word, "encounter," precede it with "random," and follow it with "table."

Random ENCOUNTER Table (RPGaDay 2023 Edition)

Roll 1D6

1. A fully clothed centaur (with briefcase).
2. An enigmatic macroplanarian.
3. A Floating Head of Lettuce (of Doom).
4. A gourdian angel (primarily protects gourds).
5. An octopus piloting a mecha.
6. The Aquabats!

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2023 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2023: Day 28

28. SCARIEST RPG you've played

I can't think of a single role-playing game I have played that was consistently scary, but I can think of plenty of instances in many different games—as a player or as a GM—that were startling and/or eerie. But too much of any one thing in a game becomes a bore. In any role-playing game there ought to be humor as well as drama, action as well as horror (or suspense). What the ratios are depends on the situation, but there's no reason a comedy RPG can't have dramatic stakes, or a dramatic RPG can't have moments of slapstick. Likewise, sometimes the greatest terror happens in fantasy adventure RPGs, and sometimes the horror RPGs inspire resourcefulness and heroism. It's all based on the circumstances. And the players. And the GM.

But the role-playing game that I hope is the scariest in the best way possible is Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game (although Og and Paranoia are contenders).

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2023 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2023: Day 22

22. Best SECONDHAND RPG purchase

The best secondhand role-playing game purchase I have ever made was a copy of the boxed set of Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game, complete, unpunched, and containing a Ghost Die in perfect condition. It was a miracle I found a copy, and it was reasonably priced. I had been kicking myself for not buying a copy when it was available in stores (I think because I was worried it was based more on the cartoon than the movie), and to find a complete, undamaged, affordable copy of the game after all these years was lucky indeed.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2023 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2023: Day 04

4. Most RECENT RPG bought

The most recent RPG I bought this year was Tim Snider's Fie, I Say!, "The D6 Comedy-Fantasy-Parody Roleplaying Game" inspired by Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game. I'll write more about it later here in Decidedly Six-Sided.

Fie, I Say! is available in two different formats (PDF and black & white softcover book) here from DriveThruRPG.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2023 specifically), read this.]

RPGaDay 2023: Day 03

3. First RPG BOUGHT (this year)

The first print role-playing game I bought this year was Richard Woolcock's Tricube Tales, a rules light system using one to three six-sided dice. I'll write more about it later here in Decidedly Six-Sided.

Tricube Tales is available in three different formats (phone PDF, standard color softcover book, and black & white softcover book) here from DriveThruRPG.

[For more information on #RPGaDay (or #RPGaDay2023 specifically), read this.]

News at 6-Sided: New Home for Monsters! Monsters!

Monsters! Monsters!, the role-playing game from the mind of Ken St. Andre (creator of Tunnels & Trolls), has a new home at MonstersMonsters.org (Also known as the Ruptured Troll Shoppe of Curiosities). For more information, read the site's inaugural post, "New Beginning" by Michael Eidson, and "Talk to the Trollgod" by Ken St. Andre.

An Insider's History of the D6 System

Fans of The D6 System may find it informative to read "An Unofficial History of the D6 System" by Peter Schweighofer.

Table: Why Another Random Generator?

This random generator asks the question,

Why another random generator?

Roll 1D6 and consult the table below.

1 = I don’t know.
2 = Because the stars are right.
3 = Because of Divine Right.
4 = Because of the will of the People.
5 = Because “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.”
6 = Because “I am not a number! I am a free man!”

[Originally posted in Fudgery.net/fudgerylog. I think. Re-posted here for some reason.]

[Re-posted here because it's decidedly six-sided.]

News at 6-Sided: Tunnels & Trolls Acquired by Rebellion

Rebellion has announced its acquisition of Tunnels & Trolls, the fantasy role-playing game authored by Ken St. Andre. Very little has been revealed, but the press release can be read here.

Table: Melodrama Die Results

The Melodrama Die may be introduced to any role-playing game to heighten the melodrama of any scene—or every scene—at the GM's discretion. If the GM wishes, there could be a standing rule that any player can voluntarily roll the Melodrama Die along with a standard roll whenever desired. Chances are the Melodrama Die will render any common success or failure a complete or even legendary victory or defeat. The Melodrama Die is independent of whatever resolution system is used, but it affects two out of three results when used. Roll for extreme melodrama!

Warning: May not be suitable for all role-playing situations.

Melodrama Die Results

Roll 1D6

1. Catastrophic Loss*
2. Shocking Failure**
3. So Close Yet So Far
4. Barely Sufficient
5. Startling Success**
6. Resounding Triumph*

* Has the power to double a complementary result or reverse a contrary result.
** Has the power to maximize a complementary result.

#CelebratingAprilFoolsMonth

Fumbled First Foray into Fighting Fantasy

I tried—honestly, I did—to finish The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (the first Fighting Fantasy book), but I'm tired of wandering the maze. It was fine until I got stuck there, but now it's a boring dungeon trudge—junction after junction, dead end after dead end, knockout gas, random monster, trudge, trudge, trudge. I finish the adventure not in victory or defeat, but in resignation. Defeat would have been preferable. I have neither the time nor the patience to continue.

Perhaps other books in the series offer a more rewarding experience, but I am closing this one in disappointment. I think I'd rather give the traditional role-playing game it evolved into, Advanced Fighting Fantasy, a go.

[This article is Part 3 of three. To read the first part, turn to Part 1. To read the second part, turn to Part 2.]

Accessible Gaming Quarterly Year 4 Crowdfunding Project

I shall be posting this to each of my five gaming blogs because the cause is worthy and time is of the essence. Jacob Wood of Accessible Games has launched Accessible Gaming Quarterly Year 4, a crowdfunding project on Kickstarter to produce four more issues of Accessible Gaming Quarterly, "a zine about accessibility and inclusion in tabletop RPGs." As it states on the project page, "This project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by Thu, March 9 2023 11:59 PM EST." AGQ provides a much-needed service in this hobby, and I hope you will join me in lending support.

Jacob Wood is also the designer of several role-playing games based on Fudge including Monster Kart Mayhem, Psi-punk, and Survival of the Able.

Purchase Accessible Games products here.

Further First Foray into Fighting Fantasy

"This is taking longer than I thought," I wrote previously, followed by "TO BE CONTINUED."

It pays to map accurately when playing Fighting Fantasy, but even so, one can get hopelessly lost in mazes if one refuses to search for secret doors because searching for secret doors often carries an unreasonable and monotonous penalty.

I'm still lost in that maze.

Fighting Fantasy (as many, but not all, will know) is a series of fantasy adventure books published in the UK that is something like a hybrid of Choose Your Own Adventure novels and Tunnels & Trolls solitaire adventures. It requires two six-sided dice, a writing utensil, and some paper on which to record your character and make a map of the location to be explored. You can even dispense with the dice by randomly flipping to any page and reading the dice result at the bottom.

A brief section at the back of the book provides rudimentary rules for creating a character and interacting with the fiction in a limited way. First, you determine your Initial scores of SKILL (1D6+6), STAMINA (2D6+12), and LUCK (1D6+6), all of which are likely to fluctuate throughout the adventure. [Italics not mine.] You are given Provisions for ten meals, a sword, a shield, leather armor, a backpack, and one of the following: a Potion of Skill, a Potion of Strength, or a Potion of Fortune. (I don't know if starting equipment varies from book to book, but this is from The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.) There are very simple rules for fighting battles, escaping from battles, testing your LUCK in and out of battles (the correct term is Test your Luck [italics not mine]), and restoring lost SKILL, STAMINA, and LUCK.

Once you have your character recorded, you are ready to begin by reading the first entry during which you will usually be presented with two or more options. The option you choose will direct you to another entry elsewhere in the book, which will in turn present two or more options. You map your journey as you go, sometimes engaging in battles, sometimes fleeing them, using resources, gaining resources, finding clues, interacting with characters, and generally striving to make it through the adventure alive and preferably richer.

Overall, I was impressed by the flow of the adventure and how the rules and fiction interacted, at least until an iron gate slammed shut behind me and I was forced to wander a maze with no apparent escape. I still think the solution is to find a secret door (as annoying as the process is), and I'll try again, but before I do, let me mention my frustration with combat in solitaire gaming.

I am frustrated with combat in solitaire gaming.

Choose Your Own Adventure novels had no rules for combat. You simply hoped you made the right decision. Tunnels & Trolls solitaire adventures were revolutionary in that they used the same combat rules as T&T proper, which was good because you were rolling dice and recording damage, but it was bad because you were rolling dice for both combatants over the course of multiple rounds and you were constantly recalculating the Monster Rating of your foe, which altered not only its capacity to withstand damage but its capacity to inflict damage. Fighting Fantasy avoided the death spiral mechanic, but you're still left with rolling dice for both sides over and over until one or the other dies. You can choose to escape from a battle, but only if the text gives you that option and only if you can survive the loss of 2 points of STAMINA as your enemy gives you a parting blow. In any event, the excitement of battle quickly turns to boredom as you roll dice, record damage, roll dice, record damage until your mind wanders or you nod off. I honestly think the solution is to resolve every battle (in both FF and T&T) with a single contested roll or, at most, a best-two-out-of-three series of rolls.

Meanwhile, I shall try again to escape this damnable maze.

TO BE CONTINUED

First Foray into Fighting Fantasy

January the 22nd, 2023

After years of curiosity, I ordered a copy of my first Fighting Fantasy book, which is also the first Fighting Fantasy book ever published: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain by Steve Jackson (UK version) and Ian Livingstone.

It arrived today.

In a moment, I shall play it.

[Time passes.]

This is taking longer than I thought.

TO BE CONTINUED

Table: Decision Maker/Indecision Breaker

When you know for certain that you don't know what to do, avail yourself of the Decision Maker/Indecision Breaker table...

Decision Maker/Indecision Breaker

Roll 1D6

1. Tarry quietly.
2. Dawdle noisily.
3. Wander cluelessly.
4. Stumble clumsily.
5. Dance obliviously.
6. Slumber soundly.

#CelebratingAprilFoolsDayEarly