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A complete ruleset of 2400-style fantasy gaming after a 1974 original.

RULES

PLAY:

Players state what their characters do. The referee states if their action is impossible, requires extra steps, or demands a cost. Players only roll to resolve costs.

ROLLING:

Roll a D6 skill die — higher with a relevant skill, or D4 if hindered by injury or circumstances. If helped by circumstances, roll an extra D6; if helped by an ally, they roll their skill die and share the risk. Take the highest die.

• 1 Catastrophe. Pay more than the cost. What’s more, the action fails.
• 2–3 Oversight. You missed something key; the referee introduces it. Choose one: halt the action; or succeed at a steep cost.
• 4–5 Complication. You pay the cost and the action succeeds. The action causes a complicating development.
• 6+ Success. Pay the cost and succeed. The higher the roll, the better.

ENCUMBRANCE:

Actions may be hindered if you are wearing heavy armour or carrying treasure.

ADVANCEMENT:

After a session, increase a skill (none⮕D8⮕D10⮕D12), gain d6 gold (gp) or a new spell.

DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT:

When killed, make a new character to join in ASAP.

RUNNING THE GAME:

Lead the group in setting lines not to cross in play. Fast-forward, pause, or redo scenes for pacing and safety, and invite players to do likewise. Present dilemmas and problems you don’t know how to solve. Move the spotlight to give everyone time to shine. Test periodically for bad luck (e.g., run out of ammo, or into guards) — roll D6 to check for (1–2) trouble now or (3–4) signs of trouble. Offer rulings to cover gaps in rules; double back during a break to revise rulings as a group.

CHARACTERS

Choose your character’s speciality.

• FIGHTER: Skilled in fighter D8 and resist dragon breath D8. Choose one: dwarf D8, elf D8, or increase one skill. Take two: big or small sword, light or heavy armour, or mystical potion.
• SORCERER: Skilled in sorcerer D8 and resist paralysis D8. Choose one: elf D8 or increase one skill. Take as many spells as ½ sorcerer skill. Take one: wizard robes, ancestral weapon.
• VICAR: Skilled in vicar D8, resist magic D8, and turn undead D8. Take two: bayeux-mace, heavy armour, or devotional relics.

Choose alignment or determine (2D6).

• 2–5 Forceful
• 6–8 Avoidant
• 9–12 Cooperative

Choose or invent spells.
Clear Barrier, Cloak of Iron, Crystal Shrinking, Deflect Sound, Dreamer’s Sadness, Living Arrow, Mana Lance, Mystic Tunnelling, Ooze Shield, Ring of Stone, Serpent Kiss, Sigil of Brilliance, The Lantern of Fish, Torch Breaking

GEAR

Take a rucksack and 2gp. Items and upgrades cost 1gp each. Disregard minor purchases like a knife or a meal.

• DEFENCE: light armour (leathers ect.), helm, shield, heavy armour (chain / plate).
• OFFENCE: light weapons (dagger / staff), bow, heavy weapons (greatsword / battleaxe).
• TOOLS: Bag of flour, ten-foot pole, iron spikes, salted rations, bamboo rope, tinderbox.
• MYSTICAL GOODS: blue candle, greek fire, unguent of swelling, mage sundial, lizard teeth.

Text & layout by Sean F. Smith after Jason Tocci, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence (CC BY 4.0). Cover art by H. Pyle from public domain. Nazi slags get in the bin.

If you’d prefer this to exist in a single postcard, you can pick it up here! Check out some of my other games while you’re at it.