DM themed play-by-post D&D game : Explanation & rules

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beowuuf
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DM themed play-by-post D&D game : Explanation & rules

Post by beowuuf »

This is a thread to explain what a play by post game is, what this one entails, and also any house rules I am using to run it.


The main thread of the game itself is here. Any comments, questions, and chit-chat should be posted here.

The actual rules of D&D d20 I have adapted are at http://www.d20srd.org/.
If provided a quick summary of the rules, including variants for the DM world, here.

What is a play by post
  • A roleplaying game is played purely by everyone posting their character actions and dice rolls in a single forum thread.
  • The DM (me) will make a post setting a scene, resolving actions, and basically driving the story forward. This will usually be either early/late evening UK time.
  • All players will then have at least 24 hours to post a meaningful response that moves the story forward for their character. Players should roll dice up front, even if not asked yet. Usually roll a d20 for any risky action.
  • Players can respond more than once to a post, but they are strongly encouraged to post only once, and certainly to respect an approximate six second time frame in game unless otherwise stated.
  • Players should respect the posting schedule of slower players. Do not dominate the game. Do not fill a thread and make it hard for time-limited players to follow.
  • It is better to run a set of broken in-character (IC) replies in one post than await replies. It is better to mention possible replies in the out-of-character (OOC) thread to allow responses to be rolled into the next day's DM post.
  • Small OOC comments (such as the results of dice rolls) that help the story flow can be written in the main story thread, written separately in bold or tagged as OOC. Larger OOC comments and questions should be placed in the OOC thread.
  • Players are trusted to make their dice rolls, using any method. There are various online dice rollers available (including one in ajaxchat) for those without physical dice.
    http://www.penpaperpixel.org/tools/d20dicebag.htm (graphical dice!)
    http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/ (traceable)
  • If a player will be absent, and the absense noted ahead of time, their character can be auto-piloted to the player's guidelines for a few days. In severe situations (like combat) the game may be put on a temporary hold.

Roleplaying & gaming guidelines
  • The character is not the player. Keep actions reasonable to what your character would know/do, not what you do. Knowledge, will or perception checks can be requested to nudge your character in a direction in line with the player. Never take to heart anything another character says to your character - that does not necessarily represent the player's thoughts! Vice versa, ensure a character's comments don't disguise your own commentary!
  • The DM is your friend. (And that DM is me :) ) This is a collaborative story. The DM enforces the rules where appropriate, however this is still a game we are all playing to have fun. Never hide tactics, and always feel free to make comments if any aspect isn't clear. might be incorrect, or isn't enjoyable.
  • The DM has the final word. Fighting your corner can slow the game down for everyone. If you disagree with a ruling or rule variant, wait until the end of an encounter / a few encounters to see if something really is an issue. If it still seems the case, question it and make requests. Hopefully your DM (me) and the other players can reassure you or adjust play based on the comments. However, to make the game fair to all, at some point a decision has to be final.
  • Roleplay don't roll play. It's usually a good idea to roll a dice when you do an action (even if you don't know what it will get used for), but never forget to roleplay the action. Describing how you kneel down on the ground and listen for footsteps is always better than simply saying you make a perception check. Well, better story wise and hook wise :)
  • Have fun. That's really number one (or number zero). Any other rules can be adjusted so that this rule is enforced. :)
House rules
  • I've adjusted how skills work, combining some together as later revisions have done. If your class or race gets a bonus to a specific skill that is now amalgamated, you are going to get that bonus only when you use the skill in that situation. Eg. A bonus to spot checks only affects perception when you are looking for something.
  • DM spells and effects will be implemented, with the effects analogous to certain D&D spells. You do not have to 'learn' spells. You will have to discover or intuit runes and rune combinations, but once you do you can cast the spells. The only limits that exist are limits to the amount of times you can invoke spells of the six powers, limited per encounter. Spell level '7-9' represent your spells becoming more powerful.
  • Critical hits will be dealt with more like 4th ed D&D. A natural 20 (or an actual hit scored on a 19 or even 18 for applicable weapons) does the maximum amount of damage for the die roll. You do not get to maximise bonus dice (such as sneak attack damage). Weapons dealing x3 damage or above get to roll an additional damage die. All modifiers (like strength bonus/penalties) will apply multiple times (so usually x 2) .
  • Characters with low ability scores will be seen to be under a flaw as per this game variant. This means bonus feat(s) might be awarded.
  • Players are free to use the following systems to generate ability scores: 1) Hardcore oldskool rolling: 3d6, 2) Better than average rolling: 4d6, lowest roll ignored.
  • Players gain the maximum hit points at first level as normal. At each level thereafter, fighters then are allowed to round up to a minimum of 8 hit point, clerics at least 6, rogues 4 hit points, and wizards 3 hit points.
  • There will be no XP tracked (that you know of), and no multiclassing penalties. A player, during an encounter, who uses the skillset of a particular class more than another will go up in that particular class after the encounter. A player is free to nominate to stay in a certain class, or might be given the choice if providing strong representation in two classes.
  • This fast levelling might tail off later on in the dungeon and be replaced by roleplaying and task-based XP reward (not gain by monster death nor gold)
  • Languages now use a four rank system. Any racial languages are automatically class skills. 2 ranks in a language allows normal communication. The the skills section for further information.
  • New 27/9/09 Clerics do not require a holy symbol to turn undead. Instead, it acts as an aid and provides a +2 bonus to fear checks on undead if it is the primary implement used.
  • In general, 'turning' undead is a simple intimidate check against undead. Clerics gain a +2 bonus as standard, and an additional bonus of half their level (rounded down). Feats such as extra turning will add additional +4 instead.
  • 0-level 'spells' are invoked by a knowledge (religeon) or knowledge (arcana) check by clerics and wizards respectively. The effects sought by the prayer or concentration of will are up to the player, though should not exceed the boundaries of the 0-level spells in D&D. Manifestation of solid objects or effects lasting more than a moment are almost impossible without runes. Certainly the DC check will be set high enough to be beyond low level characters. Damaging wizard spells are unlikely, certainly the damage limited to 1 hp. Hence prestidigitation of an object, telekenisis longer than a second, light spells greater than flare and creating water will not work.
  • Priest and wizards do not get extra spells for higher wisdom/intelligence nor their domains/schools. Their schools and domains will grant quirks to how well they can cast spells instead.
  • Over extended encounters (chases, etc), wizard and priest spells will 'recharge' a number of spells and spell-effects equal to their respective intelligence / wisdom modifier at each level to simulate ability score effect on fast mana regeneration.
  • New 12/10/09If you multi-class into a new class, you do not get the 4 x skill points of first levle, just the normal 'additional levels' skill point allocation. You do not get maximum hit points, tough you will be allowed to round up to the minimum for that class as normal. Additionally, you will not receive the following benefit:
    Fighter: You do not get the 1st level bonus fighter feat. 2nd level onwards gives you bonus feats as normal, and the starting fighter bonuses are still good!
    Rogue: No restriction - the lack of 3 x 8 skill points is enough!
    Mage: You do not get the extra 0-level spell-like effects (so need to give up normal spell slots to invoke them).
    Cleric: As mage for the 0-level priest-like effects.
  • New 28/11/09 Paladins do get priest spells according to their wisdom. Paladin priest spells are a 'per day' not a 'per encounter' power. Paladins always get their 0-level effects, but cannot use cleric 0-levle prayer effects. Instead, paladin use 0-level priest-like effects to regulate their paladin powers (not spells) per encounter.
Players signed up:
1. Ameena - Ameena the Murafu ('Rat') 7th level Rogue
2. Ian Scho - Haynuus the Half-Orc 7th level Fighter
3. 0h_brother - Westian the Half-Elf 7th level Cleric
4. Money - Falkor the Halfling 7th level Wizard
5. Lord_Bones - Aurek the Human 5th level Paladin (currently NPC)
6. Raixel - Petal the Pixie 7th Level Sorceress
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beowuuf
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Re: DM themed play-by-post D&D game : Explanation & rules

Post by beowuuf »

DM spell list

This is the amended list of spells and spell-like effects available to players. They are a mix of DM and D&D spell effects.

Priest

VI - healing potion
Creates a potion if a glass container is in the caster's hand. Potion will restore hit points up to 1d6 per spell level. Can also restore spell level-3 ability points.

YA - stamina potion
Creates potion if a glass contain is in the caster's hand. Potion will grant temporary hit points equal to 1d6 per spell level for the length of one encounter. Temporary hit points do not stack. An UM level or greater spell can delay need for food by three hours once per day. An EE level or greater spell can delay need for water by one hour, once per day. A MON level potion can turn either exhausted into fatigued or fatigued into normal once/day.

YA IR - magic shield
Creates a protective shield around caster that can be extended up to 5ft in all directions. All allies (and their possessions) adjacent from and diagnonal to the caster can assume protection. All enemies (and possession) adjacent (but not diagonal) to the caster will also gain the protection. Protection is +1 enhancement bonus to AC per spell level. Magical enhancement bonuses from armour or other spells do not stack - highest is used. All items also gain this bonus to any toughness checks and also gain temporary hit points equal to the value. Protective shield fades at the rate of one level of spell effect per round (until bonus is +0). The caster can use a 0-level prayer before or after casting the shield to nominate an enemy. That enemy will not receive the protection bonus if adjacent to the caster.

Wizard
FUL - Magic Torch:
Caster gains 2.5 foot radius of illumination per level of the spell, focused on themselves, with a 9th level of the spell adding 5 feet instead. Dull illumination stretches out to this distance again. Multiple FUL spells stack up with each other, but not with the normal Light spell. Each spell adds to the equivalent spell level to a total equivalent spell level of 9. Light reduces by one spell level every five minutes.

NB: Originally the reduction was one spell level per minute, which balanced it for later but made it useless now. The five minute degradation should make it less annoying as a utility.

FUL IR - fireball:
The spell throws a fireball out from the caster in a straight line, exploding upon impact with the area/creature targeted. The fireball does spell level impact damage plus 1d6 fire damage per level of the spell to all in the explosion, which has a radius of spell level feet. The spell automatically hits, but a reflexes save is allowed for half damage with a DC of 12+3xspell level. Range is 10ft for full effect, effect reduces in one spell power increment per 10ft.
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Re: DM themed play-by-post D&D game : Explanation & rules

Post by beowuuf »

List of non-standard non-binding rule calls:

List of mis-called rules (sorry!):
- taking a diagonal step around a corner. Can't do it, sorry! You can take a diagnonal step through/around people.
- multiple AoO against an opponent moving away. Can't do it, sorry! Moving multiple steps through a threat range only draws one AoO.

Up in the air:
- do you need multiple acrobatics checks to get away from a threatened set of squares? Possibly not...

List of house ruled instances:
- for speed/rule of cool the rule of combining a move action with unsheathing at +1 BAB usable for certain other actions involving manipulating items simply. Cuirrently picking up items on floor when moving. Other item manipulations still require a move action on its own. Should be only readying an shield and drawing a weapon can be combined iwth a move action at +1BAB.
- passive intimidation checks triggered for party actions. Usually, intimidation only an active skill use, taking a standard action.

List of house ruled situations:
- throwing an item to another. Thrower makes a ranged touch attack, -4 penalty for combined non-lethal and/or firing into melee. Failing by 5 means will be falling to floor, failing by 10 means over/underthrown (random scatter). Catcher makes a dexterity check. Basic DC10, successess and failures by 5, 10 etc by thrower reduce/increase the DC of the catch. If catcher needs to catch on another square, draws an AoO for it. If in another square, someone in that square can catch it instead with a DC10 check. Catcher can use inverse fighting defensively / total defense to reduce their AC (makes them easier to hit for both thrower but also enemies)
- stopping / raising a falling door. Strength check, DC5 = fail and hit for 1d3+7, DC10 = fail no penalty, DC15 = temporaily halted after one step, take 1hp non-lethal damage, DC20 = halt for the round, DC25 = push the door up one step. Multiple people can try, two DC15 checks count as a DC20, etc. Doors have four steps. getting door back to full opening resets mechanism.
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