Campaign Rules (OWTD)

Setting

• Reference TL: 5
• Reference Culture: Western
• Reference Language: English
• Magic System: NA

Economy

Will be using GURPS standard before campaign start, and afterward, will refer to GURPS Old West (3e) for prices, jobs, etc.

Starting Characters

Recommended GURPS Swashbucklers (3e), "Character Types" for reference

• 175/-75/-5
• No unused Quirks ("placeholder" Quirks are allowed, so long as they are playable)
• "Mundane" (no "supernatural") w/ exceptions allowed on a case-by-case basis
• Basic Realism: "Cinematic" traits disallowed; "maybes" allowed
• Check "realistic limits" for Derived Stats (usually limited to ±2)
• 100% Starting Wealth allowed (but means PC has no home/property)

Causa Vitæ

PCs will each have a specified "reason to live": family, love, dreams/goal, a promise to keep

Advancement

• 1 point per session
• Blocks of 5+ points at extended downtimes or post-adventure, at GM's discretion
• Improvement Through Study may be used; points earned are bonus points
• Maximum of 1 point per session, between sessions, awarded for "helping to tell the story" via the blog (or similar means)

Official Options in Effect

• Dungeon Fantasy 16: Wilderness Adventures
  • "Old Elven Tree Tricks" for simplified Attack from Above, p. 39
• Low-Tech Companion 2 - Weapons and Warriors
  • "Armor-Piercing Weapons," p. 12
• Martial Arts
  • "Parrying with Two-Handed Weapons," p.123 (both dual-Weapon and Multiple Parries)
• Power-Ups 5: Impulse Buys (Plot Points): see Olympus Wiki
  • General Purpose: Communal pool of points available based on a multiple of the number of players plus 2d6, the amount of which will remain a GM secret.
  • Special Purpose as needed: Planning Points, Tactics Points. A skill success scores 1 SP Plot Point plus one additional for every full multiple of 3 by which the roll succeeds.
  • A "use" of Luck may be traded for a single Plot Point at GM's discretion
• DFRPG (Probationary)
  • "Slams, Tramples, and Overruns" (Exploits p.40)
  • "Falling" (Exploits p.67)
  • "Fright Checks" (Ref?)
• Pyramid 3/54 Social Engineering p.26 "Speaking in Tongues" for language learning defaults
• Pyramid 3/44 Alternate GURPS II p.18 "Colorless Green Ideas Sleep Furiously" for language comprehension defaults
• Fantastic Dungeon Grappling (Probationary)
  • Replaces/supports Basic Set grappling rules as appropriate
• 3e GURPS High-Tech
  • Additional "black-powder weapons" considerations from "Guns, Sails and Empires," p.31-53
    • Use 3e loading times
    • Hurried Loading on p.34 under "Loading Matchlocks"

House Rules in Effect

• Rule of Three: Can be considered "familiar" with something after three "real/serious" encounters, at GM's discretion
• Take the Clock: When conditions allow for subsequent attempts at a failed check, rather than re-rolling, one may use the Time Spent mechanics, as written, to boost the already-rolled result until available time is spent or the result becomes a success.
  Example: Check missed by 1 becomes a success after taking 2x time. Obviously, a failure by more than 5 can't benefit fully from this rule.
• Animals: I will be using the animal stats from this site, rather than the Basic Set—a little more well-thought-out, IMO.

Bennies

For good play or good idea, at GM's discretion or by player agreement, a PC may be immediately awarded a Benny. This may be used on any die roll, for any reason, before or after the roll is made, granting a +1 per Benny to said roll's result.

• No limit on accumulation
• No expiration
• No limit on number allowed to be used on a given die roll
• No other use but die roll bonus
• Obeys normal rules; no exemptions
• Won't enable an "impossible" action
• Bonus may be applied to another PC's or NPC's roll as desired
• In case of Luck usage, applies to "chosen" reroll

Miscellaneous Rulings

See Daniverse

• Deceptive Attacks and Feints are more effective when the attacker is “off-handed” (FREX, left-handed, when you’re right-handed; “natural” or via Ambidexterity or Off-Hand Training), and the defender is unfamiliar or inexperienced; if either succeeds, add an extra -1 to the target’s defense penalty. See "Rule of Three." Precedent: “Reverse Grip,” MA112
• Use visibility modifiers from Vehicles 3e when appropriate
• Deceptive Attacks and Feints are more effective when originating from a “non-standard” attack type (FREX, kicking or pummeling when using a broadsword), and the defender is unfamiliar or inexperienced; if either succeeds, add an extra -1 to the target’s defense penalty. Treat as “Familiarity,” B169. This bonus does not stack with the above “off-hand” effect (essentially, the same thing). An appropriate Style Familiarity Perk grants familiarity with all such ruses normally associated with that style, in addition to providing its listed bonus, as described. Precedent: “Reverse Grip,” MA112
• Attacks to limbs or extremities that do not successfully Cripple that location may still cause the listed effects for Crippling (B421; for example, dropping held items or falling down) on a failed DX check (@GMD)
• On the first Turn of an Aim Maneuver with a ranged weapon of Acc 0 (or less, if that’s possible), it benefits from its +1 “Round 2” bonus, to the normal maximum of +2 (essentially, it starts its progression one Round earlier)
• Will checks for Extra Effort (B354) may use a Will-based related-Skill instead
• Knockdown: a failure by 1 means you are stunned but stay standing; a failure by 2 means you drop to your knees; 3 you drop to crawling or sitting; and 4+ you fall all the way to lying down, either face-up or down; Reference. In all cases, if you were holding anything, you drop it, as normal (per B420).
• Defending in Darkness: Darkness penalties applied to attacks are applied by half to defenses as well; Reference
• Luck usage spent on a secret roll may be "refunded" by the GM if he decides it wasn't really necessary

New/Changed Maneuvers

• New Maneuver: Move & Ready; DX-2 to avoid tossing the readied item; subject to other conditions; Reference
• New Maneuver: All-Out Ready; Standard AoA rules, no DX check req.; Reference
• An individual Change Position "maneuver" may be executed during any maneuver allowing movement of more than a Step at the cost of three Movement Points (or all remaining Movement Points if fewer than three are allowed) (probationary)