UNIVERSAL: Epic Fantasy

SIMPLE REALITY RPG RULES SUPPLEMENT

For Miniature Wargames and Role Playing Games of the Epic Fantasy Genre

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Epic Fantasy: Lord of the Rings, Dragonlance, and Future’s End: Past’s Beginning. These are but a few of the classic titles that epitomize the Genre of Epic Fantasy. Epic Fantasy consists of the following commonalities: medieval technical development, antediluvian setting when the Earth was full of Elves, Dwarves, Goblins and Dragons, good and powerful Wizards wielding spells, evil Sorcerers embrace by darkness that are determined to rule the world, and epic battles. Epic Fantasy usually builds on a single plot line. Each adventure adds to the conclusion of a great goal: to stop the forces of darkness from controlling the world.   Heroes start off inexperienced and often young. As they continue to fight for the salvation of the world, often under the direction of an immensely powerful and good Wizard, they grow in character, in toughness and in morality. The final end of a campaign is the bloodiest of all of their battles with the entire planet as the prize. Fire balls, Elfish arrows, Dwarfish Axes and magical swords from both sides create an orchestra of destruction as pure good and pure evil meet to ultimately decide the fate of mankind, elfkind, dwarfkind and Magic itself!

 

At last there is a generic RPG System with precise and realistic combat and skill resolution rules (which still allow a GM and Player to advance their characters skills to add a cinematic touch) which are neither burdensome nor reliant on tables. And that RPG System is UNIVERSAL!

 

These rules are the accumulation of 18 years of research into:

Miniature Wargames

Role Playing Games

Amateur and Professional Marksmanship Statistics

Amateur and Professional Archery Statistics

Amateur and Professional Fencing Statistics

Dice Probability

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO USE THESE RULES

 

  • UNIVERSAL: Simple Reality RPG Basic Rules
  • As many six-sided dice as you can get your hands on
  • Miniatures for combat resolution.
  • Pencil and Paper to record your characters

 

 

EPIC FANTASY SKILLS    

 

Physical (Combat)

 

Swordsman (Includes other slashing/ piercing weapons)

Archer

Marksman (Crossbow)

Martial Artist

Wrestler

Brawler

Spearman

Pikeman

Knife Thrower (Includes all small thrown weapons)

Monster

 

Physical (Non-Combat)

 

Acrobat

Thief

Runner

Equestrian

Mariner (Sailor)

 

Mental (Combat)

 

Wizard

Sorcerer

*Elf (Innate ability to cast Magic Spells)

 

Mental (Non-Combat)

 

Alchemist

Philosopher

Physician

Artist

Leader

Theologian

*Hobbit (natural ability to resist evil)

*Dwarfs (detect secret passages and appraise treasure)

 

*Only one of these three skills can be chosen since they also indicate a non-human race.

 

 

Example Epic Fantasy Characters:

 

Chanowk the Artificer

Physical 1

Swordsman 1

Mental 5

Wizard 2

 

Paqad the Elder

Physical 4 (3 unused)

Archer 1

Mental 5

Elf 2

 

Mathuwshelach the Warrior

Physical 5

Swordsman 2

Mental 1

Leader 1

 

Niciya the Ranger

Physical 4 (2 unused)

Swordsman 1

Archer 1

Mental 3 (2 unused)

Leader 1

 

 

MONSTERS

 

While often the big bad guy is a powerful Sorcerer, his magical might is concentrated on summoning and creating monsters to serve as his minions. Monsters are often twisted versions of other species in Epic Fantasy. Following JRR Tolkien’s example:

  • Orcs (Goblins) are twisted versions of elves.
  • Trolls, Ents;
  • Flying Dragons, Giant Eagles.

 

Here is a list of Monsters that are common to the Epic Fantasy Genre. Only the Monster Level and any additional Mental Skills (Combat) are listed, as these are all that is pertinent to Epic Fantasy Battles:

 

Monster

Monster Level

Mental Skills (Combat)

Magic Treasure Chance

Goblin

1

 

Nil

Half-Goblin

2

 

Two 6’s on 3d6

Troll

6

 

Two 6’s on 3d6

Skeleton

1

 

Nil

Zombie

1

 

Nil

Wight

3

 

Two 6’s on 2d6

Wraith

4

 

Two 6’s on 3d6

Cold Dragon

(Non-Flying)

7

 

One 6’ on 1d6

Hot Dragon

(Flying)

12

Sorcerer 6

One 6 on 1d6

Demon of Fire

and Darkness

15

Sorcerer 15

One 6 on 1d6

Giant

12

Sorcerer 4

Two 6’s on 3d6

Vampire

9

Sorcerer 9

Two 6’s on 3d6

 

 

MAGICAL TREASURE

 

Gold means little to intrepid heroes and wizards. However magical treasure aids them in their quest to defeat evil. When a successful Magical Treasure Roll is made after defeating the monster(s) then roll on the table below to determine what the treasure is:

 

  1. Magical Sword- Roll 1d6. This is the number of bonus Swordsman Levels that it gives the Hero when he is using it. (For Role Playing Purposes you can make it an Axe is a Dwarf is to use it);
  2. Magical Staff- Roll 1d6. This is the number of bonus Wizard Levels it gives the Wizard when he is using it.
  3. Magical Bow- Roll 1d6. This is the number of bonus Archer Levels it gives the Hero when he is using it.
  4. Healing Draught- Roll 1d6. This is the number of doses it provides. For each time a character partakes in a dose he heals 1 hit.
  5. Magical Armor- Roll 1d6. This is the number of bonus hits that a Hero or Wizard receives when he is in Physical Combat. For instance, if he has a combined Physical Skills (Combat) of 3 levels and he is wearing Magical Armor 2, then it takes five hits instead of 3 to defeat him. This is figured into the entire battle, not just one turn, of course. But each battle, regardless of how many hits he had received during the previous one, that armor always provides the predetermine amount of bonus hits he can take before being defeated.
  6. Magical Ring- When this ring is donned the character is immune to all Physical Attacks except by Wraiths and Demons and may still participate in Physical and/or Mental Combat while he is ethereal. However for each turn that the character has the ring on he receives 1 Evil Point (See Allegiances below).

 

 

EXPERIENCE POINTS

 

While realistic combat and task resolutions are great for a starting Hero or Wizard, Epic Fantasy by its nature is very cinematic. So Experience Point awards should take a more accelerated for. When playing in an Epic Fantasy Campaign, characters should receive 1 Experience Point for each:

  • Monster Level and Sorcerer Level of a Monster or Sorcerer defeated
  • Bonus Level a magical Treasure Item bestows (With a Magical Ring counting a 6 Experience Points)

 

 

MAGICAL NON-COMBAT

 

A Time will arrive when a Wizard, Elf or Sorcerer will wish to cast a spell to obtain a particular event, instead of simply shooting magical bolts in combat, hoping for a fire ball (Spell Complexity 3) or meteor swarm (Spell Complexity 9). In order to do this the Game Master must determine what Spell Complexity Level the conceived spell result is. Here are some basic examples:

 

Spell Complexity

Example

1

Magically lock a door

2

Become invisible until attacking

3

Dispel a spell

4

Create a wall of fire

5

Teleport

6

Dispel a magical item

7

Become Ethereal

8

Project Astral Body into the Astral Plane (Watch your Silver Cord though; Demons can sever it with on two 6’s on one attack roll)

9

Create a Gate to another Plane of Existence (like Heaven, Purgatory, Limbo or Hell)

10

Level an entire city

 

In order to successfully cast that specified spell the Wizard, Elf or Sorcerer must roll a number of sixes equal to the spell’s complexity level.

 

Keep an eye out for more products for UNIVERSAL: Simple Reality RPG Rules:

 

 

ALLEGIENCES

 

Epic Fantasy is quite simply Good against Evil with the protagonists universally being those of Good Allegiance. Each character has two Allegiance Scores: Good and Evil. Each time a character does something good (according to the list below) he receives a Good Point (or Points). Likewise happens if he does something Evil, but then that Point is and Evil Point. Characters must keep themselves as pure as possible when questing to save the earth, especially when the world does not need anymore evil in it. Thus, any character whose Evil Points exceed their Good Points they become embraced by darkness and are retired from the game.

Gaining Law Points

Points

Action

3

For each Evil human converted to Good

1

For each Evil human slain

=CR

Kills an demon

1D10

For participating in a military attack on an Evil nation

1D6

For each new shrine of Good founded

2D6

For each new temple of Good founded

5

For each Evil Agent slain

1

For each Magical Item owned (Save for the magical ring)

1

Invocation restores someone’s life (Spell Complexity 7)

1

charity

1

Rescues someone from danger

-1

Tells a significant lie

-5

For each demon summoned

 

Gaining Chaos Points

Points

Action

3

For each Good human converted to Evil

1

For each human soul slain and dedicated to a Demon

1

For Destroying an Magic Item (except for the Magical Ring)

1D10

For participating in a military attack on a Good nation

1D6

For each new shrine of Evil founded

2D6

For each new temple of Evil founded

4

For each Good Agent slain

1

For each bound demon (Spell Complexity 9)

1

Learns Sorcery (per Sorcerer Level)

1

Murders

1

For each demon summoned (Spell Complexity 7)

1

Takes advantage

1

Takes revenge

1

Tells a significant lie

1

Speaks with the dead

1

Steals something important

1

Wounds someone

 

 

COMING SOON TO:

http://www.angelfire.com/games4/doctorwhoeyespy/contents.html

 

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