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[Caellath]

Yes, that's quite true. I might make instruments entirely flavour items. I'll have a think.

The instruments should be their only weapons, and creative (not necessarily intelligent) use of them should be encouraged. And someone should play banjo.

[lawastooshort]

Well, I agree, but then thought that would punish players who don't want a character with an instrument.

But then, wikipedia seems to suggest a minstrel used an instrument. I think they will have instruments.

[EveryZig]

I am ok with that. The poetry thing was just a potential idea.

[lawastooshort]

Well, it won't be immediate anyway, I've got a deathmatch to finish and a dodgy hand to contend with (and a plot to develop). In any case, I might just keep it as simple as possible and only have name/wounds/minstrel points with anything else as purely flavour. We'll see. I'll try to remember to post here when I am approaching readiness.

[10ebbor10]

Maybe we should set up a How to Roll thread, with basic tips and tricks, and also a place to ask question to improve your writing/ rolling /gm'ing.

[Caellath]

The tutorials part in the Hall is supposed to hold things like that. Or that least links for that as soon as the space becomes too small, which I find unlikely to happen so early.

[Tiruin]

Maybe we should set up a How to Roll thread, with basic tips and tricks, and also a place to ask question to improve your writing/ rolling /gm'ing.

I really look forward to an RTD tutorial...

[10ebbor10]

The tutorials part in the Hall is supposed to hold things like that. Or that least links for that as soon as the space becomes too small, which I find unlikely to happen so early.

Which tutorials part and where?

The roll to dodge library certainly doesn't contain any tutorials.

[Caellath]

Yeah, the second post was supposed to contain the tutorials, but no one has submitted any.

[IronyOwl]

It's one of those things I intended and still intend to do but have been incredibly lazy about. I know at least one other person expressed interest in doing it as well.

[ExKirby]

I think I started writing an FAQ but never got around to finishing it. As always.

[10ebbor10]

*10ebbor10 has completed his greatest work: A shown below. (Draft One) Feel free to add or modify.

A rollers guide to the Universe: Part 1

[/size]

What is Roll to Dodge?

Roll to dodge, short RtD is a simple forum game systems, which probably originated and is most popular on The Bay 12 forums, found here. It's a very simple system, that lends itself best to RPG esque action games, and is also often used in deadmatch style games. An Rtd is often simple and easy to run, depending on just a single die, though many variations excist. In short, a single d6 is rolled for every players action, the effects being determined using the following table:

Code: (D6 roll system) [Select]

1: Epic Fail
2: Fail
3: Partial succes
4: Succes
5: Epic Succes
6: Overshoot
As the rules are quite simple, this means that there's a larger demand on the Gm's imagination and intuition. In general, Rtd's tend to go two ways: Silly or grimdark. This is because of the erratic nature of the dice, as for every roll there's a fairly large chance of something going Epically wrong/ Just too right.

The benefits of the RtD system

First of all, it's simple. However, the sheer simplicity of the rules allow you to easily change it, resulting in a near infinitive freedom for the Gm to do as he whiches. Therefore an Rtd may end up quite complex.

Second: ? (Someone help me with this.)

How do I start an Rtd?
First, find a good idea. If you can't immediatly come up with one, or are not sure about the implementation go and see the Roller's block thread, found here. This also works as an immediate interest check.

Second, if you are sure you're ready to run your game, you post the topic(Kinda obvious). While there are no strict rules about these things, the following tips will aid your game being noticed.
1. Informative title + (x/y players)*^{With x = the amount of players and y= the amount of spots}
2. The Op should give insight in the games mechanics, the setting and your skill as gm. It's always a good idea to make a descent first impression
3. The Bay12 forums can be both fast and slow, sometimes at the same time. If nobody responds to your game, don't panic. Just wait a bit and hopefully someone will notice. Feel free to bump if it falls of the first page.


Rtd tips and tricks
      -Forum language:

Code: [Select]

Abbrevations allow you to place text in popups, and are used like this [abbr=Text here]Word here[/abbr].
Named spoilers= [spoiler=Spoiler Name here][/spoiler]
Really small text: [sub][sub][sub]Text here[/sub][/sub][/sub]
Links behind words[*url=Link here]Words here[/url]
     -Others:
Put your game up in the library, found here
Read some old games in the Hall of fame, found here


Advanced Rtd-ing
The following systems are modifications to the basic template, and can be used by the Gm if you want:

1. The GWSWS

Spoiler: GWSWS 1.2 (click to show/hide)

This is the GWSWS, as lawastooshort calls it, a simple system for tracking player injuries in RTDs. It's evolved over time, and will probably continue to do so.
Injuries
Light Bleeding: Anything from a paper cut to a bad scrape. 10 healing points. [-1 HP per turn]
Heavy Bleeding: Caused by stab wounds, deep cuts, etc. Requires medical attention and 20 healing points. [-5 HP per turn]
Very Heavy Bleeding: Results from major bodily harm, such as impalement or severed limbs. Requires skilled medical attention and 30 healing points. [-20 HP per turn]
---------
Burn: Caused by tissue damage. Requires medical attention and 20 healing points.
Fracture: Caused by moderate blunt trauma. Requires medical attention and 20 healing points.
Broken Bone: Caused by heavy blunt trauma. Requires skilled medical attention and 40 healing points.
Missing Limb: Never heals, obviously.
Health
Players make a healing roll [1d6] for each wound they currently possess, starting on the turn after they receive it. The amount rolled is added to the wound's healing points, and the wound disappears when the points max out. Healing rolls cannot be made for a wound until it has received the proper medical attention. If a wound requires skilled medical attention, only players or NPCs with relevant medical knowledge can apply it properly. Everyone else gets a -2 penalty. Bleeding injuries drain health, of which each player starts with a maximum of 100. If a player has no bleeding injuries, they regain 4 hitpoints per turn naturally.

The first three injury types you see there are bleeding injuries, and they drain health directly. The last four are structural injuries; they don't drain health, but instead provide penalties. If you break a rib for instance, that's -2 to movement and dodge rolls. A missing/broken arm gives -2 to use of two-handed weapons, etc.

As for blunt damage and internal bleeding, I'm thinking that could work. Another possibility is just making huge differences in attack/dodge rolls (like seven or more, not normally possible on a d6) inflict an instant death blow. That way a blunt weapon gradually incapacitates the enemy with wounds and increases their dodge penalty, eventually to the point that a death blow is assured. Which also brings up the question of how to deal with unconsciousness and GAH

 2.And it's variation:

Spoiler: GMWS (click to show/hide)

aka "GM Wound System" aka "Gatleos/Monk Wound System"

HP, Unconsciousness, and Death

HP represents the ability of a character to be not-unconscious. HP commonly represents (but is not limited to) the blood, adrenaline, or sheer willpower of a character. By the same token, HP is commonly depleted by blood loss, morale failure, and severe pain. Many weapons/attacks deal direct HP damage.

When HP reaches 0 or less, the character has taken as much as they can stand. They must immediately make a Roll to Dodge Unconsciousness. If they succeed, they remain upright but must continue to roll if they take any HP damage at all, whether from further attacks, bleeding, etc. If they fail, they immediately pass out, with all that implies. This often means that they cannot defend themselves from attacks or have any meaningful impact on the waking world until they wake up. Players may regain consciousness by rolling to Wake Up, receiving medical attention, or having positive HP.

Negative HP means a character is dying. Characters take a -1 penalty to all actions (including dodges for death and dying) for every -10 HP they have. If a character is unconscious and at negative HP, then they must make a Roll to Dodge Death every time they take HP damage. On a 1, they die. On a 2-3, they lose 10 HP. On a 4-5, nothing happens. 6, regain consciousness.

Injuries

An Injury is a status effect suffered by a character in certain situations. Injuries often result in HP loss for a character, or may impose a penalty to certain actions. Injuries have two stats- how much damage is taken per turn until medical attention is received, and how long it takes until the wound is fully healed. Below is a list of common injuries.

Bleeding: Caused by stab wounds, deep cuts, etc. Requires medical attention and 20 healing points. [-5 HP per turn]
Heavy Bleeding: Caused by significant wounds, such as large gashes and deep punctures. Requires medical attention and 30 healing points. [-10 HP per turn]
Mangled: Results from major bodily harm, such as impalement or severed limbs. Requires extensive medical attention in the form of lotsa bandages, and 30 healing points. [-20 HP per turn]
---------
Burn: Caused by tissue damage. Requires medical attention and 20 healing points. -1 to afflicted area.
Fracture: Caused by moderate blunt trauma. Requires extensive medical attention in the form of a splint and 20 healing points. -2 to afflicted area.
Broken Bone: Caused by heavy blunt trauma. Requires extensive medical attention in the form of a cast and 40 healing points. -3 to afflicted area.
Missing Limb: Never heals, obviously.

Healing

Injuries can be cured once a player receives medical attention. When treated, bleeding injuries no longer inflict HP loss, and structural injuries impose half the penalty (rounded down.) However, treated injuries are still a weak spot- any attack that would hit the injured area may reopen the wound, causing immediate HP damage from the pain, restarting the HP loss and possibly worsening the severity of the injury. If a wound requires extensive medical attention, then that wound requires additional resources to cure- splints, painkillers, or something else more involved than a ragged cloth bandage. Treatment cannot begin until such resources are found- improvised materials impose a -2 penalty to the treatment roll.

Players make a healing roll [1d6] for each treated injury they currently possess, starting on the turn after they receive treatment. This roll is made at the end of the player's turn. The amount rolled is added to the wound's healing points, and the wound disappears when the points max out. Whenever a player goes one full turn without taking damage, they regain 5 HP.

So! Of note, nonlethal attacks deal damage by attacking HP directly without inflicting injuries. Weapons/attacks are intended to deal either HP damage or Injury damage, not both. I threw out the idea of "skilled medical attention," replacing it with the need for legit medical supplies for some injuries. I specified some penalties for the structural injuries (probably needs balancing.) Overall, it is a bit harder to die since you get a specific Roll to Dodge Death that only comes up in specific instances, but it is easier end up unconscious due to rebalancing of Bleeding and direct HP damage.

3. A simple draft for the wound system for GWSWS

Spoiler: Wound table(based on a draft by Iawa) (click to show/hide)

Explosive damage: (We're talking about semi magical devices here. For science fiction and other things with high yield explosives you need to change the numbers)
-Damage levels at ground zero:-[ Att-dodge] (Blunt damage)
                                            - [Att-dodge] (Fire damage)
-Further: n*(5 meter): [Att-Dodge-n]

If an object is shattered by the blast, add another damage roll with a -2 penalty to the explosion roll, this time with sharp damage.
 
Poison damage: (Rolled on top of the existing wound). Precise effects might depend on the potion. S
1. Nauseous (-2 to next turns rolls)
2. Light poisoning (-1 on all rolls till cured. 1hp damage/turn. Requires 10 healing points)
3. Extremely Nauseous (-2 for the next d3 turns)
4. Medium poisoning (-1 on all rolls till cured. 5hp damage/turn. Requires 15 healing points Needs some medical attention.(Mostly someone making you puke, which can be accomplished by another poison effect))
5. Severe poisoning (-1 on all rolls till cured. 10 hp damage/turn. Requires 30 healing points. Antidote required )

Fire damage:
1. Scorched (-1 to afflicted area. 10 healing points)
2. Burnt
3. First degree burn (Immediate -5 hp. -2 to afflicted area. 30 healing points)
4. Second degree burn (Immediate -10 hp -2 to afflicted area 40 healing points)
5. On fire (-5 hp/turn. Requires dousing. After dousing, roll a dn +1 where n is the amount of turns the fire lasted (This last roll can't kill, but can let players go unconscious.))
6. Third degree burn (Immediate -15 hp. -3 to afflicted area. 50 healing points)
7. Charred (Immediate -20 hp. Afflicted area is painless but will need to be amputated.)

Sharp damage:
1. Bruise
2. Light bleeding
3. Medium bleeding
4. Organ pierced [Exactly the same as medium bleeding, though it can only be cured by skilled doctors and gives a penalty on top]
5. Severed

Blunt damage:
1.Bruise
2. Fracture
3. Broken
4. Internal bleeding [Exactly the same as medium bleeding, though it can only be cured by skilled doctors and gives a penalty on top]
5. Pulped (=Severed)

Wounds: (then you have to randomize between left/right etc. You still have to come up with the penalty of course)
1 Face
2 Legs
3 Arms
4 Lower Body
5 Upper Body
6 Head

4. There's also the overshoot rules, adjusting the core principle of an RtD

[Insert overshoot rules here]

[Tiruin]

First thought upon reading that: Oh great, another RTD!

And then it was a guide.

Joy!

Suggestion: Perhaps list what to expect in an RTD and what are it's defining characteristics to the players i.e. what makes it so interesting other than a 'bunch of math'.

[Dermonster]

I'll have something of the sort done up in a bit.

Maybe.

[ExKirby]

I'm calling the thread making now, though. Why? Because I can. But I can will write in as much as people want me to write in. I'm also going to have a hearty rant about spelling and grammar.