Some time ago, the Necropraxis blog came up with a post entitled
"20 Quick Questions: Rules," which was a follow-up to Jeff Rients'
"Twenty Quick Questions For Your Campaign Setting." Here are my answers for the Necropraxis questions (I'll do Rients' at a later date, maybe):
- Ability scores generation method?
3d6 in order, then roll 3d6 a seventh time and replace any ability desired.
- How are death and dying handled?
A character can survive negative hit points equal to their level, modified by their Constitution bonus. They lose one hit point per turn until they either make a save vs. death (-1 per negative hit point) or someone intervenes. Below that, make a save vs. death to survive, and even succeeding means rolling for a permanent injury (table to come).
- What about raising the dead?
If you can find a high enough cleric of like alignment and meet their (always steep, both in terms of offering and service) price.
- How are replacement PCs handled?
Promote a henchman (which is a good motivation to have one), bring in an heir who can inherit the former PC's treasures (after a 50% "death tax"), or create an all-new PC at 1st level.
- Initiative: individual, group, or something else?
Group, but having a pole weapon automatically grants initiative in the first round.
- Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work?
Double damage on a natural 20, fumbles handled by DM fiat (whatever is the most amusing at the time).
- Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet?
No, but in any armor heavier than leather, you lose a point of Armor Class for not wearing one.
- Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly?
Yep. If you miss, you have to roll against the PC engaged with your target, rolling as if a zero-level human.
- Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything?
There will be a lot of running--at least among those who wish to survive.
- Level-draining monsters: yes or no?
Yes, but those so effected may make a saving throw vs. death to recover those lost levels after a week of rest (one roll per level).
- Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death?"
Yep.
- How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked?
Very strictly, using the Lamantations of the Flame Princess encumbrance rules.
- What’s required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down time?
Leveling happens immediately, though new spells are acquired only after a reasonable period of down time.
- What do I get experience for?
Depends on the adventure. For your standard dungeon-crawl, you get xp for both monsters and loot as per the rules. You get another 2 xp for each silver piece (I use the silver standard) spent. If the adventure involves hunting one or more creatures, you may get up to quintuple the normal xp for kills. For exploration, xp awards for reaching new locations. For epic quests, xp awards for achieving specific goals.
- How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination?
Some combination. It depends on what the PCs do and the nature of the trap.
- Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work?
Retainers are definitely encouraged, and morale is per the B/X rules.
- How do I identify magic items?
Experimentation, or hiring a magician-sage (very expensive).
- Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions?
Minor magic items can be bought and sold, including potions, +1 weapons, and minor protective charms. Some of these will be counterfeit, of course.
- Can I create magic items? When and how?
In accordance with the BX rules (name level characters) with the following exceptions: Magic-users and elves may create scrolls at any time and potions at 5th level. Dwarves may also create appropriate items (weapons, armor, metal and stone-based miscellaneous items) at name level.
- What about splitting the party?
Sure, go for it. But the encounter tables won't change to save you.
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