Thursday, August 5, 2021

What if an RPG but only 2d6?



Edit: The version written (not embedded via Google docs) won't change, but after some actual playtesting, I now invoke my duty to update the G-doc rules...


Recently, I've been going through my massive games Claytonian made folder, polishing turds and gilding lilies. Today I found 2d6 RPG and I was digging it. This looks fun and simple! And check out the BUT ACTUALLY SYSTEM. The monster wagers system is also something I want to see in play. In case you are wondering, I think this game is a riff off of Barony, rather than any Powered by the 2dpocalypse game. Barony came first!

I've made so many games I forget what was up with them. I'll embed the google doc at the bottom of the post (it will be the most up to date version), and input the text of the game above that for ease of reading.
 

2d6 Everything

by Claytonian



To dice your way thru life, roll high as you can on 2d6.


Difficulty Number needed (roll this or higher)


Simple Nae rolls, mate (you succeed)

Tasking Seven

Daunting Nine

Yikes This one goes to eleven


Combat is a bit special. The number you roll is the number of damage you or the foe takes. You have to roll at least seven damage to hit them (if you roll six or lower, you take the damage), unless you are fighting more than one foe, in which case the minimum number to roll goes up by one per additional opponent. Low roll spells hurt you too.


The But Actually System

For each level you gain, you get a Freebie checkbox. When you would take damage, you can instead check off one of these boxes and describe how you evade the hit, at some credible narrative cost. For instance, by saying "Actually it sunders my shield" or "Actually I duck down and get a bit of a haircut."


You can also check off Freebie boxes to add mighty deeds to your successful rolls. For instance, “Actually, I shove my hammer down the dragon’s throat, and it lodges in there, choking her!”


Freebie boxes, once checked off, are gone until you level up.


Char Gen

Each PC gets 2d6 HP. Each time you level up, you reroll this and take the new roll as your new HP if it's higher (this is not accumulative; the max HP any PC will ever have is 12).


Swords and Sorcery

After you roll starting HP, choose if you will be able to use magic or not. If not, you may gain one level straight away.


Shticks

PCs have 2d6 shticks (talents/backgrounds/traits/&c). Make them up as part of character gen. When a shtick applies, a check's difficulty is one step easier.


Dying 

0 HP characters are unconscious and will bleed to death within 2d6 rounds (rolled secretly). It is a daunting task to staunch the wounds.


Healing

You get all HP back at dawn each day. This does not heal narrative wounds though, so if you have a broken leg, it’s going to affect you for six weeks.


Leveling

After a jolly good outing, the Two Dee Master (2DM) will announce a Leveling check. You can roll 2d6 and try to roll over your current level. If you succeed, you level up. 


Remember, when you level up, you gain a Freebie checkbox, uncheck all Freebie boxes you have, and get a chance to have more HP than before.


Inventory

You start with 2d6 items. This is also your Load score. If you would pick up more items than Load, you will have all checks be one step harder. Put something down, maybe?


Rounds

During a round, you can perform one action or move 2d6 hexes (not both unless you use a freebie). Initiative is not really a thing. If you don’t take care of monsters, the DM will have them dispatch you. 


Monsters

Monsters get to do horrible things to you if you roll snake eyes to hit them. For instance, snake eyes against a giant may mean that it pounds you into the ground like a nail. Monsters have 2d6×Awesome HP. An underworld rage corpse probably has Awesome 1. A god may have Awesome 10. 


Quick, while it’s winded!

Monsters can wager 2d6 HP to do special moves at the top of a round, like breathe fire. This never kills them. If they are not damaged before the next round, they gain these HP back!


Character Sheet

Name:

Level: HP:

Shticks:



Freebie boxes: ❑❑❑❑❑ ❑❑❑❑❑ ❑❑

Load # ______ Inventory:          Encumbered?



Wounds: 



Read on google docs here
 
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8 comments:

Reason said...

Agree, very tidy system.

I'd be able to get my new to rpg'ers at it in an instant.

Interested to see if the more experienced with rpg's players baulk at it or not.

Claytonian said...

Gotta trick'em with a one-shot that never ends

Picador said...

Very cool! A couple of comments though:

1. Combat damage seems off. If the minimum damage I ever do to a foe with one hit is 7, why bother having enemies with fewer than 7 HP?

2. The character sheet has a lot (16) of Freebie boxes, but the RAW would seem to place an upper limit of 11 on a PC’s freebie boxes.

Claytonian said...

What's wrong with easily dispatched foes? I love games with 1HP minor foes. The minions rule from 4e, that.

You did make me think about adding a rule for multiple enemies tho.

Thanks for the head's up on boxes!

Gordon Cooper said...

I read the rules aloud to my wife and she said she wants to play it.

Claytonian said...

@Gordon
Well, shucks, if you guys ever want to play with the genius that wrote it, I can add you to my Discord...

emarsk said...

> This one goes to eleven

Could you please repeat that

Claytonian said...

Blimey, I must incorporate that!