So Flail is pretty cool. I think there's something in the concept of eliminating the damage roll instead of the to-hit roll like your standard odd-like, and hope Flail is not the last game to use a system like that. As I read it, I kept thinking about the possibilities of dice pool systems being used to activate weapon combos like those found in Wolves Upon the Coast. And I tend to prefer class-less systems in a way that Flail is not, and I had a fairly boring plane ride the other day. Hope you enjoy.
BRIGAND
The Gold Road connects many of the great empires. Where there's roads, there's merchants. Where there's merchants, there's brigands; hard people, used to arms and armor and magic and their use. A shade over half the Brigands on the road are self-employed, and the other half work for the merchants. You make your story on one side or the other.
Four Attributes: str, dex, con, spirit. Roll 4d6 for each attribute, and record the value of the lowest dice rolled.
HP: 1d8 to start. Die if it goes to 0.
Inventory: spend 3 points on weapons, armor and spells. Each weapon, piece of armor or spell costs 1 point unless listed below. May also spend a point to increase an attribute by 1.
2: all two handed melee weapons. Longbow. Lamellar & chain armor. Spells with DC of 8
3: crossbow, plate armor, spells with DC 10.
Also start with a pack or bag with a sleeping roll, some food, and 3 other useful items of your choice. Decide what they are now, or reveal them during play.
Tests: roll d20 under appropriate attribute + 8.
Initiative: player closest to the action tests dex. On a success, party acts first. Else, opponents. Reroll at the start of each round.
Weapons: roll d6 indicated by attribute + weapon bonus. If one 1: deal damage. If two 1s: deal double damage. If three 1s: kill the target. Additionally, dice other than 1s can be allocated to specials. Each dice can only count towards one special, and 1s may not be used for specials.
If dual wielding, add the attack bonus for both weapons to the TH roll OR deal the damage of both weapons on a hit. May activate specials from either weapon, but each dice may still be used for only one special.
Knife dex or str + 1d6 = 2 dmg (pair: make a second attack which cannot activate specials, triple: make a second and third attack which cannot activate specials, run of 3: bleed an opponent, doing 2 damage per turn for the duration of the fight)
Sabre dex or str + 2d6 = 3 dmg (pair: second attack which cannot activate specials, triple: make a second and third attack which cannot activate specials, run of 3: treat as a shield on your next turn)
Sword str + 3d6 = 4 dmg (triples: make a second attack which cannot activate specials, run of 2: treat as a shield on your next turn, quad: decapitate your opponent)
Greatsword (2 handed) str + 3d6 = 6 dmg (triples: decapitate your opponent, run of 3: treat as a shield on your turn)
Hand Axe str + 3d6 = 4 dmg (triples: rip an item out of your opponents grasp, pair: the dice that rolled pairs explode, adding that many more dice to the TH roll.)
Greataxe (2 handed) str + 4d6 = 6 dmg (triples: rip an item out of your opponents grasp, pair: the dice that rolled pairs explode, adding that many more dice to the TH roll, run of 2: deal damage to all opponents in an arc)
Mace str + 4d6 = 5 dmg (pair: ignore the piece of armor with the lowest value, triples: break the piece of armor with the lowest value, run of 2: stun an opponent, meaning they can only act or move on their next turn)
Flail str+2d6 = 7 dmg (pair: ignore shields, triples: break the piece of armor with the lowest value, run of 2: rip an item from the opponents hand)
Quarterstaff dex or str+2d6 = 3 dmg (may always reserve an attack to attack when an opponent approaches you, pair: make a second attack which cannot activate specials, run of 3: hobble an opponent preventing them from moving on their next turn)
Javelin str+2d6 = 3 dmg (pair: stick the javelin in an opponents shield or armor, losing the javelin but forcing opponent to lose the armor or have movement halved, may throw the javelin using dex)
Spear str+ 3d6 = 4 dmg (pair: hobble an opponent preventing them from moving on their next turn), may always reserve an attack to attack when an opponent approaches you, may throw the spear using dex)
Polearm (2 handed) str+ 4d6 = 5 dmg (pair: hobble an opponent preventing them from moving on their next turn, triple: break a piece of armor, run of 3: treat as a shield for you and all allies adjacent to you)
All below require 2 hands.
Crossbow dex+5d6 = 8 dmg (requires a turn to reload, pair: ignore the piece of armor with the lowest armor value)
Shortbow dex+3d6 = 4 dmg (pair: second attack which cannot activate specials, triple: make a second and third attack which cannot activate specials)
Longbow dex+1d6 = 8 dmg (triples: make a second attack which cannot activate specials, run of 3: ignore all armor)
Hands str + dex + 0 = (number of d6s rolled). (Pair: Disarm an opponent, triple: break a limb, run of 2: shove away or to the ground, run of 3: Knock your opponent out)
Armor reduces damage taken. May break a shield to reduce damage taken to 0.
Shield (3)
Helmet (3)
Leather (2) (can be worn under chain, lamellar or plate)
Chain (4)
Lamellar (6)
Plate (8)
The Ten Spells
- when casting a spell, roll d6s equal to spirit. If the sum of the dice hits the target number listed by the spell, the spell casts; on a failure, lose the spell for the day. Additionally, dice rolled may be used to activate combos. Each dice may only be used for one special.
Sleep (6): in a 10ft square, creatures fall asleep. (Triples: targets lose memory of the 5 minutes before they fell sleep)
Firebolt (6): 5 damage, 1 target. (Run of 2: 5 foot explosion, dealing damage to all in radius, pair: target is set afire for 2 damage per turn, run of 3: 15 foot explosion dealing damage to all in radius)
Magic missile (6): 3 damage (pair: add a second bolt which may target the same or different target, triples: add two more bolts, run of 2: all targets start glowing)
Fog Cloud (6): 10 ft cube of thick fog (triples: it's tear gas; those in the fog can't see even when they get out, run of 3: the fog is acid, burning all inside for 5 points per turn)
Arcane Eye (8): flying eyeball you can see through appears and moves at your command through the air for minutes equal to your spirit. (pair: double the duration, triples: triple it, run of 3: the eye is invisible)
Flight (10): a creature can swim through air. (Triples: fly at the speed of a duck, run of 3: fly at the speed of a jet)
Hand of Helping (6): a spectral hand appears, which you control, and which can lift up to 15 pounds (pair: the hand is the size of a suitcase and made of dirt, triples: the hand is the size of a gorilla and made of stone, run of 2: the hand can lift up to 100 lbs, run of 3: the hand can lift up to 10000 lbs)
Switch (8): two items up to the size of a large book you can see switch places (pair: items up to the size of a suitcase, triples: items or people up to the size of a horse, run of 2: no need to see both items, run of 3: no need to see either item)
Break (8): an item you can see breaks in such a way that it cannot perform its primary function. (Triples: the item disappears entirely, run of 3: you can reshape the item to your will)
Quicksand (8): 5 ft square of ground becomes sinking quicksand. (Pair: 10 ft square, triples: 20 ft square, run of 3: the quicksand houses tendrils that draw all with 10 feet of it inwards)
Advancement:
Find new weapons or spells in the world.
If you solve a problem for someone, complete a quest, or take vengeance on an enemy who wronged you, choose 1: gain 3 attribute increase points, increase HP by 1d8.
