uod

Campaign Rules and Rulings

Changelog

• 2019/12/15 document start
• 2020/04/17 lots of updates that should have been in previous changelogs
• 2020/08/29 minor edits, links
• 2020/10/03 links to discussion docs, risky casting, coins & initiative clarification

Defaults and Assumptions

In between character creation at campaign start and the first 3 or 4 sessions, we effectively switched from B/X Dungeons & Dragons (Moldvay edition) to Lamentations of the Flame Princess. When in doubt refer to the 2013 “Player Core Book: Rules & Magic” version. For items not covered there or in this document, refer back to BX (Moldvay). For items still not covered, we’ll fall back on the Gospels of Saint Gygax.

Modifications

Character Creation

Ancestry

Choose from the following, either individually or in combination (mixed ancestry other than Eskla, “ancestrally Heteri, but raised among the Mindat”, etc). Details can be found on the Uod site.

• Chlendi
• Eskla
• Heteri
• Maetah
• Mindat

Choose a Character Class

• Only Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, and Specialist are available.
• Dwarf - Elf, Halfling - No actual dwarves, elves or halflings, but with negotiation you could potentially use their rules in some other fashion (halfling rules for scout, etc).

Determine Hit Points

• Maximum hit points at first level

Choose a Name

• Choose name based off character’s culture - examples in Uod wiki, but make your own that sounds “right” to you compared to other examples.

Equipment

• Note, Aug 2020: Based on discussion, we’re moving towards LotFP standard coin values (and encumbrance): Campaign Rules Discussion
• Coins - per above:
  1 sp = 10 cp
  1 gp = 50 sp
  1 pp = 10 gp = 500 sp
• Tuloi is considered “rural” for cost and availability purposes. As the village grows, availability of some items will increase into die roll chance.
• Healing Resources

Adventuring: The Rules of the Game

Experience Points

• Defeating Enemies - XP values from BX (Moldvay/Cook) will generally be used
• Recovering Treasure
  • Magic items kept (but not sold or exchanged) by a player character provide XP in amount determined by the Dungeon Master (roughly based on AD&D Dungeon Master’s Guide values).
  • Magic items must be used (typical for weapons and armor), tested (often for potions, charged items), or otherwise identified (by reading scroll, use of Identify spell, sage, etc) to gain experience.
• Gaining a Level
  • When gaining a level, re-roll all hit dice and choose if higher (“Empire of Petal Throne method”).

Foraging and Hunting

• Travel rules from Forbidden Lands are generally used instead

Getting Lost

• Travel rules from Forbidden Lands are generally used instead

Hazards

• Damage - We have not been using, but probably should: “When his Hit Points reach 0, the character becomes unable to take any action, and in most cases falls completely unconscious. The character becomes mortally wounded at –3 Hit Points and will die in 1d10 minutes. No healing, magical or otherwise, can prevent death at this point. Death is instantaneous at –4 Hit Points.” - will try to remember for player characters, unimportant for others.

Healing

• By convention, we’ve been granting d3 hit points recovered for a normal night’s rest.

Movement and Encumbrance

• Note, Aug 2020: Based on discussion, we’re moving towards LotFP standard coin encumbrance (and coin values): Campaign Rules Discussion
• Shields do not count as encumbering unless they are tower shields (or similarly large). Buckler, Small, and Normal Shields still count as one item.
• 5 days (or maybe we’ll revert to 7) of rations count as one item.
• Daggers count as one item.

Retainers

• Hirelings and other non-classed retainers can gain XP as “0 level” NPCs and become a 1st level characer class after gaining 1000 xp. Special exception for retainers taken over permanently by a player as their primary PC.

Combat

• Initiative
  • Group initiative is used
  • Declare intended actions before round
  • Initiative ties generally go to the PCs on even results, to the foes on odd results. This means players always win on “6” and always lose on “1”.
  • Actions are taken in order of Moldvay Basic (SHAWN NEEDS TO ADD HERE)
• Other Combat Issues
  • “Shields be Splintered” is used - a shield can be sacrificed (effectively destroyed) to negate the effect of an attack.
  • See Damage above

Magic

Magic-Users

• Magic-Users start knowing Read Magic and three other first level spells (from the standardard LotFP list) of their choice.
• A Magic-User can be a student of a cultural magical tradition, normally chosen at character creation. See the Mechanics section for currently detailed traditions. If this option is chosen:
  • The character must pick spells at creation of the “Tutelary” list available to all Magic-Users and from their cultural tradition list.
  • Upon gaining a level the newly gained spell must also be chosen from the “Tutelary” list or from their cultural tradition list.
  • Spells from the standard LotFP Magic-User list can be found (in scrolls or spellbooks) or independently researched and then memorized as normal.
  • Spells from other cultural traditions can not be learned under normal circumstances (a beneficient practioner of that tradition or initiation into a knowledgable lodge). Standard Magic-Users can not learn or choose spells from cultural traditions. Eventually Shawn hopes to reformulate the standard Magic-User spell list into Traditional Sorcery.
• Using risky casting rules, with a few less restrictions.

Otherwise Unchanged Rules

Character Creation

• Roll Ability Scores
  • Explanation of Ability Scores
  • Is the Character Suitable
• Record Attack Bonus and Saving Throws
• Select Alignment
  • Lawful
  • Chaotic
  • Neutral
• Cleric
• Fighter
• Magic-User
• Specialist
• Determine Starting Possessions
• Starting Money
• Buy Equipment
• Equipment Lists

  Adventuring: The Rules of the Game

• Architecture
• Climbing
• Doors
• Excavations
• Experience Points
  • Defeating Enemies
  • Recovering Treasure
  • Gaining a Level
• Foraging and Hunting
• Getting Lost
• Hazards
  • Ability Score Loss
  • Aging
  • Damage
  • Disease
  • Drugs & Alcohol
  • Falling
  • Poison
  • Starvation
  • Sleep Deprivation
• Healing
• Languages
• Light and Vision
• Mapping
• Movement and Encumbrance
  • Mounts
• Searching
• Sleight of Hand
• Stealth
• Swimming
• Time
• Tinkering
• Traps

  Maritime Adventures

• No changes

  Retainers

• Accountant
• Alchemist
• Animal Handler
• Armorer
• Butler
• Coachman
• Craftsman
• Guard
• Guide
• Henchman
• Laborer
• Linkboy
• Mercenary
• Physician
• Sailor
• Sailor, Captain
• Sailor, Navigator
• Sailor, Oarsman
• Scholar
• Servant
• Slave
• Slave Master
• Spy
• Teamster

  Hiring Retainers

• When Loyalty Should Be Checked

  Property and Finance

• Property
• Upkeep
• Taxes
• Investment
• Yearly Return
• Bankrupt!

  Encounters

• Surprise
• Encounter Distance
• Reactions
• Combat
• Initiative
• Things to Do in One Round
• Other Combat Issues
• Unarmed Combat

  Magic

  Clerics

• Beginning Spells
• Preparing Spells Each Day
• Spell Scrolls
• Writing a Scroll
• Protection Scrolls
• Creating Holy Water
• Researching a Spell
• Time of Magical Activities
• Casting Spells

  Magic-Users

• Beginning Spells
• Preparing Spells Each Day
• Spell Scrolls
• Writing a Scroll
• Transcribing Spells
• From a Scroll to a Spellbook
• From Spellbook to Spellbook
• Researching a Spell
• Creating a Potion
• Creating a Staff or Wand
  • Determine What Spells the Item Will Contain
  • Enter the Original Charges
  • Recharging a Staff or Wand
  • Time of Magical Activities
• Casting Spells
• Libraries and Laboratories

  Cleric Spells

  Magic-User Spells

  Spell Descriptions

  Appendix

• Glossary
• Firearms