20 Generic Tips for Fantasy Roleplayers
Copyright 2000-4 by Steverooo
This article lists 20 general tips for use in any generic Fantasy Roleplaying
Game. While it is "aimed" at all you FRPGers out there, even SF-RPGers might
find a trick or two, especially when your ship crash-lands on some low-tech,
backwater world. Many D&D3e-specific references will be made, although you can apply the same pointers to other FRPGs, with a little modification.
The 20 Tips:
Slings: You gotta love'm!
Improvise, adapt, overcome!
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket.
What can you (learn to) do that I can't?
Always leave when you're half dead (if not before)!
Who needs a 10' pole?
Know your enemy 101.
I can't carry it all!
Ask for it!
If it doesn't exist, invent it!
Help each other.
"I aint never been lost, but I was once a might confused for three days!"
What good are you?
Who do you want yo be?
Know your system/GM.
Know your enemy 102.
Party order.
Plan B.
The 'face man.
Try being nice, first!
Slings: You Gotta Love'm! Probably everyone is familiar with Fritz Lieber's Grey Mouser, and how he sharpened two half-coins and sewed them into the lining of his cloak, so that he could free them and cut himself loose with them when he was tied up. He got out of a potentially sticky situation
because he was prepared, in advance.
You all know it; you all hate it: the situation where the Bandit Leader
and his horde of smelly troops (or some other, similar, group of vastly
outnumbering NPCs) have captured your poor beginning adventurers, stripped them of all their weapons, armor, and few remaining coppers, beaten them half silly, and sent them off into the wilderness to lick their wounds... One
cheap, common, and usually overlooked item that can aid a poor PC in such a situation is the sling.
For years, I have had my characters take a couple of these (and they are both free and weightless, in many game systems), and squirrel them away for hard times... Even though they are listed on my equipment sheet, I have never yet had a robber take them. Why? Because you can replace your bootlaces with them. You can braid long hair with them. You can use them to lace up or tie your tunic or pants, tie your blanket and bedroll, make a strap for your canteen or water gourd out of them... Unless the robbers strip you naked, you can probably get away with at least a couple, and have a missile weapon at hand. If your game includes a Leatherworking or Survival skill, you can probably make one of these with a sharpened rock and dead animal, without too much trouble, too. For ammunition, scrounge a few rocks, and you're ready to go back for your gear.
Now while slings are the obvious choice (due to their easy concealability), obviously clubs and staves are also readily available (these, too, are free in may systems, and can be easily improvised, although they are not weightless). Most tools can be used as one or the other (a few might even work as spears). Garottes are also easily made and concealed. In a tough situation, use whatever's at hand. A kind GM (Game Master) might even let you improvise such weapons as stone axes, bolas, knives, spears, and morningstars (generally, making effective bows and arrows takes too long, and GMs seem prejudiced against allowing you to make one when you need it... No one seems to think you incapable of making a simple sling or club, though)!
Improvise, Adapt, Overcome! As can be seen from the above, you can take items intended for one purpose, and use them for another. For an adventurer to survive, (s)he will need to become adept at this... Try to see more than one use for any item you encounter. A candle? Sure it sheds light, but it's also a source of wax. Wax can be used to waterproof things, seal small holes, stick things together, preserve foods sealed inside it, etc. It is also much easier to light a candle than to start a fire by many other methods, and even a single candle can provide heat. While it is not generally useful, it can also deplete oxygen in enclosed spaces. A crowbar? Useful for opening crates, sure, but also an effective club, good for sticking into those dark holes (as opposed to an unarmored hand), handy in setting off traps that you can't disarm, handy in stopping sliding walls from crushing you to death, useful in opening doors, chests... You get the idea. Using the old "What do we have, and what do we need?" method will get you out of a lot of difficulties, even without magic or high-tech.
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket: Ever have the Healer with all the Healing potions (not to mention the rope) disappear down a pit trap to the level two hundred feet down? Oops! No more healing... Want to jump down after them? The same applies to other important items. If the party has money, everyone should have a first aid kit, pack with food and water, some simple survival gear (rope and grapnel, knife, fire starter, bedroll and blankets, maybe even a handaxe/machete and tent, if weight is no problem, torches (if needed), oil for burning undead, etc.).
Ever have a Thief break or lose his tools? If so, I bet no one had a replacement, eh? Even if no one else can use them, a well-off party should invest a few coin in "backups" of essential equipment. In games such as RuneQuest, Hero Quest, and D&D3.5e, anyone who wants to can learn to pick locks and disarm traps. In such games, especially, there is no excuse for the less-skilled party member not to have a set.
This process can be extended even furhter: If the party finds a Ring for Storing Spells, for instance, which is full of healing spells, perhaps someone besides the Healer should carry it. While a +5/25% Scimitar will most likely go to an AD&D Druid and a Mace of Disruption to a Cleric, the Mage might like the latter, since it fits into the Simple Weapons Proficiency that (s)he has. When fighting a tougher undead opponent, the Fighter might make better use of it, as well!
The trick here is not to put all the ability in one area into a single package, where the loss of one character can injure the whole party. If you find five Healing potions, let everybody carry one, even if it means the Healers have to do without. They have their own means! This rule can also be applied to supplies, wealth, etc. Carry a few coins and a little food on you, some more in your pack, another cache in your saddlebags, etc. When one gets lost or stolen, the rest may still be available.
What Can You (Learn To) Do That I Can't? In any FRPG, a typical character can do something that no one else in the party can. Whencreating a character, look at their unique abilities. If possible, get the party together ahead of time and work together on choosing skills. As a D&D3e example, only a Rogue can learn to Read Lips, and only Druids and Rangers can develop Animal Empathy. Look at what your PC can (learn to) do that no one else can. Also, look at what your character's restrictions will be. Not much use in a D&D3.5e Fighter developing the Hide and Move Quietly skills, or Run feat, for instance, since their heavy armor will make these pretty useless. Barbarians, Rangers, and Rogues are another matter.
In any case, look at the abilities available, and consider the ones that can only be done with training, and the ones few other characters have access to, especially carefully. (Note here that the method recommended in the D&D3.xe Player's Handbooks - maxing out two to eight skills - generally doesn't allow for this... You'll have to decide for yourself whether or not having a mere four skills at maximum (and being unable to use 15 others) is better than having a slight chance with 2-8 skills... If you decide to max out 2-8, maybe you could spend a few "bonus points" for high INT on skills that can't be used without a single Rank?)
Even in "Classless" skill-based games like 2300AD or LA, where anyone can eventually learn (almost) any skill, the above holds true. If the party already has three Fighters and no Healers or Spell-slingers in it, another Woodsman or Knight probably isn't the way to go. Someone who can do other things besides fight is called for.
Always Leave When You're Half Dead (If Not Before): Once a party
(of any sort) starts getting low on health, supplies, ammo, etc., it is time
to start heading back. If you stay in the adventuring area until your
Healers and Mages have used their last spells, everyone is hurt, and you're
all low on ammo, that party of bandits waiting to rob you on the way out may never get the chance... The wandering monsters may finish you off before you ever get back to the horses! Once you're at (or approaching) half strength, it's (past?) time to head back. If getting out is as tough as getting in, you might just make it!
Who Needs a 10' Pole? Why anyone would carry a 10' pole (being
armed with a pole), when they could carry a polearm, has always escaped me... What can you do with a pole that you can't with a spear or pike, for example? If the GM rules that a polearm is too thin to be used as a pole, ask about putting a pike head on the end of the pole. The point (pardon the pun) is, if all you use a pole for is poking things, and opening chests at a distance, you might as well do all that with a pike that can also be used as a weapon, instead of carrying around a pole that has to be dropped so you can draw something else to fight with!
This opens up a whole new realm of posible "combination" items: A
Hammer-backed Handaxe with a crowbar sticking out the top of the handle, a combination staff-blowpipe, a staff with a folding blade that can be opened
and used as a scythe, etc. Many games now contain various Craft
skills, and most GMs will accomodate your desires, once your PCs have some
coins to be relieved of. Such goods can also help in surprising the smelly
bandit leader, the next time he tries to rob you! The trick here is to
integrate items, thereby decreasing weight (but beware of putting all your
eggs in one basket, as well)!
Know Your Enemy 101: Where are you going, and why? What are the obstacles, and who are the opponents? Do you have what you need? If you don't know what you're getting yourself into, you probably won't know how to get yourself out, either! The necessities of desert travel are very much different from (ant)arctic adventuring. Desert Camouflage is useful in the first case, Cold Weather Clothing much less so. The situation is reversed in the second case. A dungeon delving is not the same as cliff climbing (although climbing tools might be useful in both cases). Fighting giants and
vampires are two entirely different things. So how do you know what you're
up against? Many GMs love to misdirect you, as to what their
adventure is about!
First of all, as much as possible, prepare for the worst. Go loaded for bear (Hrm! In an FRPG, make that "Gargantuan, Ancient, Spellcasting Dragon")! While it isn't necessary that everyone have a mirror, or a rope, or lockpicks, the party, as a group, should have several, among them.
Next, gather information. Many games have a professional skill for this; Call of Cthuhlu, Traveller, and many other games have a similar one. The bookish sorts can find other kinds of info at the libraries, County Assessor's Offices, Newspaper Morgues, etc.
Thirdly, send the stealthy, perceptive sorts in to scout the place. Tracks can tell tales, too. Magical scrying or technological sensors can prove very useful, in such respects. Once you know what you're up against, you can go in better prepared, dump useless gear, or go back to town for still more research and/or equipment.
I Can't Carry It All! No, you can't, and you really don't need the
kitchen sink, either... It doesn't work without the water pipes, anyway, and
a waterskin will do the same job, is a lot lighter, and a lot easier to carry!
Also, once you have a few adventures under your belt, you can afford a mount or vehicle. Some things, like a tent, you may really need in certain
situations, but don't need to be lugging around everywhere you go. Many
explorers and far-travellers strung a pair of mounts and a pack horse behind
them. While it's not a bad idea to have some backup equipment handy, it is a bad idea to load yourself down. A pack saddle is a much better plan. Even
so, you will probably find carrying the gear that you need to be... encumbering. That's what packs are for. Put things like food, water,
torches, oil, and the bedroll and blankets in there, and when need be, the
whole pack can be dumped, lightening your load. If you survive the fight,
you can pick it back up, later. (Note here, though, that a dumped pack can
get separated from its owner, so be sure to keep essential gear on your belt: see Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket!)
Ask For It! I've already mentioned the combination Handaxe, Hammer, and Prybar. A friend of mine once asked a GM for this, and he was turned down. Another 1e AD&D GM and I used to have an agreement that, anytime I wanted a silvered iron weapon, all I had to do was pay the normal cost for a steel one. If there's a dingus you think you need (or maybe it would just come in handy), go ahead and ask the GM for it! What's the worst they can do, say no? Charge you double? Another item that falls into this category is the "Bonus Item". These are items of non-magical, but superior quality, such as the D&D3.xe "Mighty" Composite Bows, or "Masterwork" items, or the list of Bonus Items I did for the Lejendary Adventure game. These items can give a bonus to combat, defense, skill use, or simply subtract from penalties a PC would ordinarily suffer. While the GM will rarely let your PC make these, they will sometimes let you find or buy them. Now, wouldn't a set of +2/10% lockpicks be nice?
If It Doesn't Exist, Invent It! Okay, so your beginning Rogue has run afoul of the local constabulary, and been "drafted" for the "Great Rattlesnake Round-Up". What you want is a really long pole, with a noose on the end... something you can grab Mr. Snake with, from outside his striking range! Naturally, such a device doesn't exist. So, you ask the GM is you can get some equipment (high, hard boots, for example!), and pick up a pole (or a pike, if the Sheriff allows it!), some screw eyes (or nails, if screw eyes don't exist), and some leather thong (and maybe some string). You put one eye in the end of the pole (or bend a nail over), and tie one end of the thong to that. You put a few more along the side of the pole, passing the thong through them (and if you want to get fancy, can do both sides, using the other for the string). Now you have a pole with a loop on one end, which you can dangle over Mr. Snake's head, then pull the thong tight, capturing him from a safe(r) distance! Attaching a piece of string to the upper end of the thong and running it through the eyes (or bent nails) on the other side of the pike/pole will also allow you to pull on the string, releasing the angry snake, as well (hopefully into a tough, fang-proof leather sack held by someone else)!
Now while most GMs won't let you invent an item like the Bowkler or
Compound (pulley) Bow, many will let you invent the "snake pole", and even
give you a bonus in combat (and maybe even a few extra Experience Points) for having the idea! The point is, if you can think of a better solution to a
problem, ask the GM if you can make it, or find a craftsman who can. You can sometimes get a non-magical version of the climbing pole in the Rod of Lordly Might, for instance! Many games now have a Mechanics or
Engineering skill that your GM may insist you have before attempting such, too. Ask the GM about this, if you like to "McGyverize" your way out
of problems.
Help Each Other: While most of these tips have been ones you can do solo, don't go it alone! Most RPGs are designed for team play, so be a
team player! Be willing to sacrifice your beloved new snake-grabber pole if
it means saving the party's Druid. You may end up needing Reincarnating,
later on (and you wouldn't want bad karma)! Helping each other touches on a lot of the other hints, here, such as not putting all your eggs in one basket,
looking at what your character can do that no one else can, etc. It also has
to do with division of treasure, equipping poorer PCs, working as a team when gathering info, choosing spells, carrying gear, etc. Few teams work this well together!
"I Aint Never Been Lost, But I Was Once A Might Confused For Three
Days!" So if you hit the Teleport Circle and suddenly find yourself ELSEWHERE, it's time to set some new goals: Survival, and Getting Found! When going into a wilderness area, check the map (you did bring a map, didn't you?) and look for natural boundaries. If the River Gildorf bounds the Forest of Fear on the north, which ends at the Grey Hills on the east, and plainslands on the south and west, then you can wander through the forest, knowing about where you are. Dungeons are even easier, as they are generally smaller in extent. Caves are harder, because 3D mapping is rough. In any case, when you drop down to the third level of a cave or dungeon, start a new map, and forget looking for the Sword of Cwlim, for the moment. Find the way out, first, and then you can come back to explore further.
What Good Are You? Every character in a party of adventurers should know the answer to this question. The better you do, the better off you and your party are. "My job is to tote the gear, wear the heavy armor, and take out the tough opponents in hand-to-hand combat." "My job is to
scout ahead, bring back word, clear the path, and occasionally take out a bad guy by surprise." "My job is to serve and protect - especially by healing
you more violent types, but also by carrying the heavy armor and acting as
the second line of defense!" "My job is to move quick and light, ahead of the party, spotting trouble before we run into it, and warn the rest. Once combat starts, I'll hang back and pelt the enemy with missile fire, watching
for newly-arriving reinforcements." Even in a Sci-Fi game, your PC should
have a purpose. If you can't think of one, maybe you should stop and take a
few moments. What use is a character with no purpose in the party?
Who Do You Want To Be? Besides what you can do, what kind of character do you want to play? A Sword-swinging Mage? A Ranger who can set and disarm traps? A Scout who can pilot a starship, but is also adept at survival? Keep your character's image in mind, as you advance. This will help you stay focused on your original goals, instead of getting off track, and chasing butterflies. A stealthy, perceptive woodsman really doesn't have much need for that Alchemy skill, does he? Sure, it's interesting, but... Also look at the costs of development. How hard will it be for the Mage to learn Sword-swinging? How much will it cost the woodsman to learn Alchemy, and what will they have to give up, in order to do so? The type of character you want to play may or may not be possible as a beginning character, but could be developed over time, if you stick to it, and pay the price.
Know Your System/GM: Not the same as "Know Your Enemy", but more along the lines of "Know what's possible, and permitted". First and Second Edition AD&D didn't allow Dwarven Mages, for example, but Third Edition does. Does your GM? If you want a well armed, armored fighting man, which race and class is best suited to you? How does your GM feel about that combination? If you play an evil character with a GM who hates them, the life expectancy of your PC may be short. If you want to play a Military Psionic in the Universe SF-RPG, you will find it at least difficult, if not impossible, due to the rules. In the first case, the rules pose no problem, but the GM might disallow it. In one GM's game, asking for special equipment or abilities might get you classified as a "whiner", while in a different one, you might be rewarded for coming up with inventive ideas. Knowing both the game mechanics and your Game Master can make life a lot easier... for the characters, and their players!
Know Your Enemy 102: So you want to get back at the local Bandit
King and his smelly henchmen for the way they treated you, back when you were just starting out? Great! So what's the plan? (You DO have a plan, don't you?) How many smelly brigands are you going to have to deal with? Do they have allies, guardians, mounts, a lair... treasure? How tough is this job going to be, and do you have the manpower to handle it? Are they all low level, or will some of them be tougher? Assuming you have gathered the proper intelligence (through Information Gathering skills, scrying, infiltration and spying, or whatever), your job could be much easier. Missing the fact that the Bandit Leader and his Lieutenants are Vampires could be your final mistake! Knowing that you're going up against a creature of flame, on the other hand, allows you to prepare ahead of time with items
conferring Fire Resistance, a Wand of Cold/Frost, and other such helpful aids. Whatever your hero(in)es are up to, having a set goal allows them to better prepare to meet the challenges. Against a petty Bandit Lord, hired
men-at-arms may be useful. Against Vampires and Fire Elementals, however,
they may be merely a late snack, or charcoal. Knowing what you're up against gives you the info to discern between the two.
Party Order: When in the woods, a Woods(wo)man should probably
lead the way. When in a cave, a Caver is a good bet. Down in a dungeon, a
Rogue who can detect traps is the obvious choice. Generally speaking, the
heavily armored Fighter-types should lead the majority of the group, as the
front line. Archers, those with polearms, and heavily armored Non-Fighters
should form the second line of defense, and the lightly armored combatants or spellweavers should "guard the middle", with a second line of heavily armored types bringing up the rear.
If you have a large group, some like to have a stealthy, perceptive type
following the party, as well as a couple of "outriders" flanking each side.
Personally, I have found these to be more trouble than help, and prefer
keeping the party together. Scouts, rearguards, and outriders should all be
instructed that their job is merely to spot trouble, too, not get into it! Once they have noticed something, they should sneak back and warn the party, not initiate combat, or "investigate further" and get themselves picked off. A live scout with less information is better than a dead one who knows all about the situation.
Plan B: So you've gathered info on the local Bandit Lord and his smelly troops. You know that he and his two Lieutenants are Vampires, that
they have an Orc Fighter who never misses as a Sergeant, and a Mage with a pet Fire Elemental. The Party's Woodsman and Rogue have infiltrated their
citadel, and mapped the layout, know where all the mounts and treasures are, know that there are only 15 beginning level Fighters/Rogues to be dealt with, and you're all prepared to go in... The Priest lends his Mace of Disruption to a Fighter who can hit better with it (so he can take out the Vampires) and prepares his Undead Turning powers, the Mage stocks up on spells of Undead-smiting. Resist Elements spells and Potions and Rings of Fire Resistance are passed out, everyone knows the plan, has studied the map, and is all ready to go... The Fighter and Priest will wait in ambush while the Ranger and Rogue walk in, and draw out one of the Lieutenants, leading it into the ambush. The Priest and Fighter will then attack, aided by roguish
sneak attacks and the Ranger's flaming sword. The Mage will scry the citadel, and be ready to add spell support, if need be. The Druid, Monk, Bard, and Sorcerer will act as the party's reserve. If all goes well, the party will then try to draw out the second Lieutenant in the same manner, then the Woodsman and Rogue will go after the Orc Sergeant while the rest of the party goes after the Mage and Bandit Lord.
Sounds like a plan, but is the party all ready to go? Nope! What's missing, here? Well, besides the lack of a plan to handle the underlings, there is no fall-back contingency, no "Plan B" to be executed when bad goes to worse!
For instance: Suppose the Evil Mage has been scrying the new "bandits",
too, and knows that the Ranger and Rogue are "good guys". He has informed the Vampiric Bandit Lord, who has called in 10 extra men from the surrounding area, unbeknowst to the party. He and his Lieutenants have subjugated these men so that they are under their complete control. Using an Amulet of
Non-detection, the Mage has been scrying the party, and knows where the
ambush has been set. The Bandit Lord has his ten men there, waiting. When
the Woodsman and Rogue draw the first of the Vampiric Lietenants off, they
(and the Fighter and Priest) are the ones ambushed! With 12-to-4 odds, the
party is lucky (thanks to rabid defense from the Mace-of-Disruption-wielding
Fighter, Undead-Turning Priest, backstabbing Rogue, and Flaming-Sword-swinging Woodsman) to slay the Vampire, whose loss of control of the 10 men allows the heroes to escape, badly injured.
Seeing his Lietenant slain, the Bandit Lord sends out his 15 troops, led by the Sargeant and his second Lieutenant, to hunt the party down... Now, the injured Fighter, Cleric, Ranger, and Rogue must dodge through the woods, evading their pursuers, and seeking the rest of the party. If the party had
had a "Plan B", now would be the time to use it!
For instance: Suppose that the Mage, Druid, Monk, Bard, and Sorcerer were held up in a cave nearby that the Druid had found, and covered with an
illusion. When worse turned to worst, the remainder of the party could split
up (dividing the enemy's forces, as well), and "beat feet" back towards this
"safe haven". Maybe the Rogue has even had the time to prepare a few traps, and the Druid has some Entangle, Snare, Spike Growth, etc. spells in place! Maybe she and the Mage have a few Water Elementals waiting for the Evil Mage's Fire Elemental, too... and where is that Paladin at, anyway? Surely he isn't sitting out this adventure? Are he and his mighty mount waiting in some third location, perhaps with some local militia or hired men-at-arms with silver-tipped crossbow bolts, waiting for the Vampire Lord to show itself? And where is that sneaky, smelly Barbarian? Has he also infiltrated the citadel, unbeknownst to the occupants? Might he even now be creeping up on that Evil Mage? Hmmm! Did our heroes actually know that the Evil Mage was watching them, and allow the ambush to appear as a rout, so that they could draw all the Fighters and Rogues away from the citadel, opening the door for the Paladin and his merry men? Might the "fleeing" quartet even now be doubling back to give the evil Bandit Lord his final come-uppance? Did they really have a Plan B, all along? (Such duplicity! Circles within Circles! Oww, my head hurts!)
The Face Man: During an adventure, you're generally going to need
someone to talk to the locals, gather information, deal with the magistrates,
and do other forms of Interfacing. This is the "'face man". Note that the
face man isn't always a man, and isn't even necessarily the same character!
The Paladin's Warhorse is a better face "man", when dealing with horses, than the Paladin would be. The Ranger or Druid will be better with most other animals. The Thief is a natural, down at the Theives' Guild (where the
Paladin would be a liability), and the Paladin will be the natural with the local rulers, where the Rogue might be a liability! Obviously, who the face man is depends on who has a better Charisma or Negotiating skill, and where you are. If you need help at the Wizard's Guild, your party's Mage may be the only hope, even if she has the Charisma of an Orc! In general, pick the member of your party most acceptable to the group you're dealing with, with
the best personality.
Try Being Nice, First! Finally, whether you're adventuring, or just out wandering around town, when you meet an NPC who may seem to be an obstacle, try being nice, first. "A soft answer turneth away wrath." It's worth a try... you can always rip out swords and spill blood later, if all else fails. If this seems a bit harder for you to swallow, let the face man try, while you prepare to execute "Plan B". You'd be surprised how often combat can be avoided.
Well, there you have it: 20 Generic Tips for Fantasy Roleplayers, which
can be adapted to most other types of games, as well (Spies always need a "Plan B")! Look them over, and put them to work for your next party of adventurers. They may even live long enough to thank you for it!
Copyright 2000-4 by Steverooo
This article lists 20 general tips for use in any generic Fantasy Roleplaying
Game. While it is "aimed" at all you FRPGers out there, even SF-RPGers might
find a trick or two, especially when your ship crash-lands on some low-tech,
backwater world. Many D&D3e-specific references will be made, although you can apply the same pointers to other FRPGs, with a little modification.
The 20 Tips:
Slings: You gotta love'm!
Improvise, adapt, overcome!
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket.
What can you (learn to) do that I can't?
Always leave when you're half dead (if not before)!
Who needs a 10' pole?
Know your enemy 101.
I can't carry it all!
Ask for it!
If it doesn't exist, invent it!
Help each other.
"I aint never been lost, but I was once a might confused for three days!"
What good are you?
Who do you want yo be?
Know your system/GM.
Know your enemy 102.
Party order.
Plan B.
The 'face man.
Try being nice, first!
Slings: You Gotta Love'm! Probably everyone is familiar with Fritz Lieber's Grey Mouser, and how he sharpened two half-coins and sewed them into the lining of his cloak, so that he could free them and cut himself loose with them when he was tied up. He got out of a potentially sticky situation
because he was prepared, in advance.
You all know it; you all hate it: the situation where the Bandit Leader
and his horde of smelly troops (or some other, similar, group of vastly
outnumbering NPCs) have captured your poor beginning adventurers, stripped them of all their weapons, armor, and few remaining coppers, beaten them half silly, and sent them off into the wilderness to lick their wounds... One
cheap, common, and usually overlooked item that can aid a poor PC in such a situation is the sling.
For years, I have had my characters take a couple of these (and they are both free and weightless, in many game systems), and squirrel them away for hard times... Even though they are listed on my equipment sheet, I have never yet had a robber take them. Why? Because you can replace your bootlaces with them. You can braid long hair with them. You can use them to lace up or tie your tunic or pants, tie your blanket and bedroll, make a strap for your canteen or water gourd out of them... Unless the robbers strip you naked, you can probably get away with at least a couple, and have a missile weapon at hand. If your game includes a Leatherworking or Survival skill, you can probably make one of these with a sharpened rock and dead animal, without too much trouble, too. For ammunition, scrounge a few rocks, and you're ready to go back for your gear.
Now while slings are the obvious choice (due to their easy concealability), obviously clubs and staves are also readily available (these, too, are free in may systems, and can be easily improvised, although they are not weightless). Most tools can be used as one or the other (a few might even work as spears). Garottes are also easily made and concealed. In a tough situation, use whatever's at hand. A kind GM (Game Master) might even let you improvise such weapons as stone axes, bolas, knives, spears, and morningstars (generally, making effective bows and arrows takes too long, and GMs seem prejudiced against allowing you to make one when you need it... No one seems to think you incapable of making a simple sling or club, though)!
Improvise, Adapt, Overcome! As can be seen from the above, you can take items intended for one purpose, and use them for another. For an adventurer to survive, (s)he will need to become adept at this... Try to see more than one use for any item you encounter. A candle? Sure it sheds light, but it's also a source of wax. Wax can be used to waterproof things, seal small holes, stick things together, preserve foods sealed inside it, etc. It is also much easier to light a candle than to start a fire by many other methods, and even a single candle can provide heat. While it is not generally useful, it can also deplete oxygen in enclosed spaces. A crowbar? Useful for opening crates, sure, but also an effective club, good for sticking into those dark holes (as opposed to an unarmored hand), handy in setting off traps that you can't disarm, handy in stopping sliding walls from crushing you to death, useful in opening doors, chests... You get the idea. Using the old "What do we have, and what do we need?" method will get you out of a lot of difficulties, even without magic or high-tech.
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket: Ever have the Healer with all the Healing potions (not to mention the rope) disappear down a pit trap to the level two hundred feet down? Oops! No more healing... Want to jump down after them? The same applies to other important items. If the party has money, everyone should have a first aid kit, pack with food and water, some simple survival gear (rope and grapnel, knife, fire starter, bedroll and blankets, maybe even a handaxe/machete and tent, if weight is no problem, torches (if needed), oil for burning undead, etc.).
Ever have a Thief break or lose his tools? If so, I bet no one had a replacement, eh? Even if no one else can use them, a well-off party should invest a few coin in "backups" of essential equipment. In games such as RuneQuest, Hero Quest, and D&D3.5e, anyone who wants to can learn to pick locks and disarm traps. In such games, especially, there is no excuse for the less-skilled party member not to have a set.
This process can be extended even furhter: If the party finds a Ring for Storing Spells, for instance, which is full of healing spells, perhaps someone besides the Healer should carry it. While a +5/25% Scimitar will most likely go to an AD&D Druid and a Mace of Disruption to a Cleric, the Mage might like the latter, since it fits into the Simple Weapons Proficiency that (s)he has. When fighting a tougher undead opponent, the Fighter might make better use of it, as well!
The trick here is not to put all the ability in one area into a single package, where the loss of one character can injure the whole party. If you find five Healing potions, let everybody carry one, even if it means the Healers have to do without. They have their own means! This rule can also be applied to supplies, wealth, etc. Carry a few coins and a little food on you, some more in your pack, another cache in your saddlebags, etc. When one gets lost or stolen, the rest may still be available.
What Can You (Learn To) Do That I Can't? In any FRPG, a typical character can do something that no one else in the party can. Whencreating a character, look at their unique abilities. If possible, get the party together ahead of time and work together on choosing skills. As a D&D3e example, only a Rogue can learn to Read Lips, and only Druids and Rangers can develop Animal Empathy. Look at what your PC can (learn to) do that no one else can. Also, look at what your character's restrictions will be. Not much use in a D&D3.5e Fighter developing the Hide and Move Quietly skills, or Run feat, for instance, since their heavy armor will make these pretty useless. Barbarians, Rangers, and Rogues are another matter.
In any case, look at the abilities available, and consider the ones that can only be done with training, and the ones few other characters have access to, especially carefully. (Note here that the method recommended in the D&D3.xe Player's Handbooks - maxing out two to eight skills - generally doesn't allow for this... You'll have to decide for yourself whether or not having a mere four skills at maximum (and being unable to use 15 others) is better than having a slight chance with 2-8 skills... If you decide to max out 2-8, maybe you could spend a few "bonus points" for high INT on skills that can't be used without a single Rank?)
Even in "Classless" skill-based games like 2300AD or LA, where anyone can eventually learn (almost) any skill, the above holds true. If the party already has three Fighters and no Healers or Spell-slingers in it, another Woodsman or Knight probably isn't the way to go. Someone who can do other things besides fight is called for.
Always Leave When You're Half Dead (If Not Before): Once a party
(of any sort) starts getting low on health, supplies, ammo, etc., it is time
to start heading back. If you stay in the adventuring area until your
Healers and Mages have used their last spells, everyone is hurt, and you're
all low on ammo, that party of bandits waiting to rob you on the way out may never get the chance... The wandering monsters may finish you off before you ever get back to the horses! Once you're at (or approaching) half strength, it's (past?) time to head back. If getting out is as tough as getting in, you might just make it!
Who Needs a 10' Pole? Why anyone would carry a 10' pole (being
armed with a pole), when they could carry a polearm, has always escaped me... What can you do with a pole that you can't with a spear or pike, for example? If the GM rules that a polearm is too thin to be used as a pole, ask about putting a pike head on the end of the pole. The point (pardon the pun) is, if all you use a pole for is poking things, and opening chests at a distance, you might as well do all that with a pike that can also be used as a weapon, instead of carrying around a pole that has to be dropped so you can draw something else to fight with!
This opens up a whole new realm of posible "combination" items: A
Hammer-backed Handaxe with a crowbar sticking out the top of the handle, a combination staff-blowpipe, a staff with a folding blade that can be opened
and used as a scythe, etc. Many games now contain various Craft
skills, and most GMs will accomodate your desires, once your PCs have some
coins to be relieved of. Such goods can also help in surprising the smelly
bandit leader, the next time he tries to rob you! The trick here is to
integrate items, thereby decreasing weight (but beware of putting all your
eggs in one basket, as well)!
Know Your Enemy 101: Where are you going, and why? What are the obstacles, and who are the opponents? Do you have what you need? If you don't know what you're getting yourself into, you probably won't know how to get yourself out, either! The necessities of desert travel are very much different from (ant)arctic adventuring. Desert Camouflage is useful in the first case, Cold Weather Clothing much less so. The situation is reversed in the second case. A dungeon delving is not the same as cliff climbing (although climbing tools might be useful in both cases). Fighting giants and
vampires are two entirely different things. So how do you know what you're
up against? Many GMs love to misdirect you, as to what their
adventure is about!
First of all, as much as possible, prepare for the worst. Go loaded for bear (Hrm! In an FRPG, make that "Gargantuan, Ancient, Spellcasting Dragon")! While it isn't necessary that everyone have a mirror, or a rope, or lockpicks, the party, as a group, should have several, among them.
Next, gather information. Many games have a professional skill for this; Call of Cthuhlu, Traveller, and many other games have a similar one. The bookish sorts can find other kinds of info at the libraries, County Assessor's Offices, Newspaper Morgues, etc.
Thirdly, send the stealthy, perceptive sorts in to scout the place. Tracks can tell tales, too. Magical scrying or technological sensors can prove very useful, in such respects. Once you know what you're up against, you can go in better prepared, dump useless gear, or go back to town for still more research and/or equipment.
I Can't Carry It All! No, you can't, and you really don't need the
kitchen sink, either... It doesn't work without the water pipes, anyway, and
a waterskin will do the same job, is a lot lighter, and a lot easier to carry!
Also, once you have a few adventures under your belt, you can afford a mount or vehicle. Some things, like a tent, you may really need in certain
situations, but don't need to be lugging around everywhere you go. Many
explorers and far-travellers strung a pair of mounts and a pack horse behind
them. While it's not a bad idea to have some backup equipment handy, it is a bad idea to load yourself down. A pack saddle is a much better plan. Even
so, you will probably find carrying the gear that you need to be... encumbering. That's what packs are for. Put things like food, water,
torches, oil, and the bedroll and blankets in there, and when need be, the
whole pack can be dumped, lightening your load. If you survive the fight,
you can pick it back up, later. (Note here, though, that a dumped pack can
get separated from its owner, so be sure to keep essential gear on your belt: see Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket!)
Ask For It! I've already mentioned the combination Handaxe, Hammer, and Prybar. A friend of mine once asked a GM for this, and he was turned down. Another 1e AD&D GM and I used to have an agreement that, anytime I wanted a silvered iron weapon, all I had to do was pay the normal cost for a steel one. If there's a dingus you think you need (or maybe it would just come in handy), go ahead and ask the GM for it! What's the worst they can do, say no? Charge you double? Another item that falls into this category is the "Bonus Item". These are items of non-magical, but superior quality, such as the D&D3.xe "Mighty" Composite Bows, or "Masterwork" items, or the list of Bonus Items I did for the Lejendary Adventure game. These items can give a bonus to combat, defense, skill use, or simply subtract from penalties a PC would ordinarily suffer. While the GM will rarely let your PC make these, they will sometimes let you find or buy them. Now, wouldn't a set of +2/10% lockpicks be nice?
If It Doesn't Exist, Invent It! Okay, so your beginning Rogue has run afoul of the local constabulary, and been "drafted" for the "Great Rattlesnake Round-Up". What you want is a really long pole, with a noose on the end... something you can grab Mr. Snake with, from outside his striking range! Naturally, such a device doesn't exist. So, you ask the GM is you can get some equipment (high, hard boots, for example!), and pick up a pole (or a pike, if the Sheriff allows it!), some screw eyes (or nails, if screw eyes don't exist), and some leather thong (and maybe some string). You put one eye in the end of the pole (or bend a nail over), and tie one end of the thong to that. You put a few more along the side of the pole, passing the thong through them (and if you want to get fancy, can do both sides, using the other for the string). Now you have a pole with a loop on one end, which you can dangle over Mr. Snake's head, then pull the thong tight, capturing him from a safe(r) distance! Attaching a piece of string to the upper end of the thong and running it through the eyes (or bent nails) on the other side of the pike/pole will also allow you to pull on the string, releasing the angry snake, as well (hopefully into a tough, fang-proof leather sack held by someone else)!
Now while most GMs won't let you invent an item like the Bowkler or
Compound (pulley) Bow, many will let you invent the "snake pole", and even
give you a bonus in combat (and maybe even a few extra Experience Points) for having the idea! The point is, if you can think of a better solution to a
problem, ask the GM if you can make it, or find a craftsman who can. You can sometimes get a non-magical version of the climbing pole in the Rod of Lordly Might, for instance! Many games now have a Mechanics or
Engineering skill that your GM may insist you have before attempting such, too. Ask the GM about this, if you like to "McGyverize" your way out
of problems.
Help Each Other: While most of these tips have been ones you can do solo, don't go it alone! Most RPGs are designed for team play, so be a
team player! Be willing to sacrifice your beloved new snake-grabber pole if
it means saving the party's Druid. You may end up needing Reincarnating,
later on (and you wouldn't want bad karma)! Helping each other touches on a lot of the other hints, here, such as not putting all your eggs in one basket,
looking at what your character can do that no one else can, etc. It also has
to do with division of treasure, equipping poorer PCs, working as a team when gathering info, choosing spells, carrying gear, etc. Few teams work this well together!
"I Aint Never Been Lost, But I Was Once A Might Confused For Three
Days!" So if you hit the Teleport Circle and suddenly find yourself ELSEWHERE, it's time to set some new goals: Survival, and Getting Found! When going into a wilderness area, check the map (you did bring a map, didn't you?) and look for natural boundaries. If the River Gildorf bounds the Forest of Fear on the north, which ends at the Grey Hills on the east, and plainslands on the south and west, then you can wander through the forest, knowing about where you are. Dungeons are even easier, as they are generally smaller in extent. Caves are harder, because 3D mapping is rough. In any case, when you drop down to the third level of a cave or dungeon, start a new map, and forget looking for the Sword of Cwlim, for the moment. Find the way out, first, and then you can come back to explore further.
What Good Are You? Every character in a party of adventurers should know the answer to this question. The better you do, the better off you and your party are. "My job is to tote the gear, wear the heavy armor, and take out the tough opponents in hand-to-hand combat." "My job is to
scout ahead, bring back word, clear the path, and occasionally take out a bad guy by surprise." "My job is to serve and protect - especially by healing
you more violent types, but also by carrying the heavy armor and acting as
the second line of defense!" "My job is to move quick and light, ahead of the party, spotting trouble before we run into it, and warn the rest. Once combat starts, I'll hang back and pelt the enemy with missile fire, watching
for newly-arriving reinforcements." Even in a Sci-Fi game, your PC should
have a purpose. If you can't think of one, maybe you should stop and take a
few moments. What use is a character with no purpose in the party?
Who Do You Want To Be? Besides what you can do, what kind of character do you want to play? A Sword-swinging Mage? A Ranger who can set and disarm traps? A Scout who can pilot a starship, but is also adept at survival? Keep your character's image in mind, as you advance. This will help you stay focused on your original goals, instead of getting off track, and chasing butterflies. A stealthy, perceptive woodsman really doesn't have much need for that Alchemy skill, does he? Sure, it's interesting, but... Also look at the costs of development. How hard will it be for the Mage to learn Sword-swinging? How much will it cost the woodsman to learn Alchemy, and what will they have to give up, in order to do so? The type of character you want to play may or may not be possible as a beginning character, but could be developed over time, if you stick to it, and pay the price.
Know Your System/GM: Not the same as "Know Your Enemy", but more along the lines of "Know what's possible, and permitted". First and Second Edition AD&D didn't allow Dwarven Mages, for example, but Third Edition does. Does your GM? If you want a well armed, armored fighting man, which race and class is best suited to you? How does your GM feel about that combination? If you play an evil character with a GM who hates them, the life expectancy of your PC may be short. If you want to play a Military Psionic in the Universe SF-RPG, you will find it at least difficult, if not impossible, due to the rules. In the first case, the rules pose no problem, but the GM might disallow it. In one GM's game, asking for special equipment or abilities might get you classified as a "whiner", while in a different one, you might be rewarded for coming up with inventive ideas. Knowing both the game mechanics and your Game Master can make life a lot easier... for the characters, and their players!
Know Your Enemy 102: So you want to get back at the local Bandit
King and his smelly henchmen for the way they treated you, back when you were just starting out? Great! So what's the plan? (You DO have a plan, don't you?) How many smelly brigands are you going to have to deal with? Do they have allies, guardians, mounts, a lair... treasure? How tough is this job going to be, and do you have the manpower to handle it? Are they all low level, or will some of them be tougher? Assuming you have gathered the proper intelligence (through Information Gathering skills, scrying, infiltration and spying, or whatever), your job could be much easier. Missing the fact that the Bandit Leader and his Lieutenants are Vampires could be your final mistake! Knowing that you're going up against a creature of flame, on the other hand, allows you to prepare ahead of time with items
conferring Fire Resistance, a Wand of Cold/Frost, and other such helpful aids. Whatever your hero(in)es are up to, having a set goal allows them to better prepare to meet the challenges. Against a petty Bandit Lord, hired
men-at-arms may be useful. Against Vampires and Fire Elementals, however,
they may be merely a late snack, or charcoal. Knowing what you're up against gives you the info to discern between the two.
Party Order: When in the woods, a Woods(wo)man should probably
lead the way. When in a cave, a Caver is a good bet. Down in a dungeon, a
Rogue who can detect traps is the obvious choice. Generally speaking, the
heavily armored Fighter-types should lead the majority of the group, as the
front line. Archers, those with polearms, and heavily armored Non-Fighters
should form the second line of defense, and the lightly armored combatants or spellweavers should "guard the middle", with a second line of heavily armored types bringing up the rear.
If you have a large group, some like to have a stealthy, perceptive type
following the party, as well as a couple of "outriders" flanking each side.
Personally, I have found these to be more trouble than help, and prefer
keeping the party together. Scouts, rearguards, and outriders should all be
instructed that their job is merely to spot trouble, too, not get into it! Once they have noticed something, they should sneak back and warn the party, not initiate combat, or "investigate further" and get themselves picked off. A live scout with less information is better than a dead one who knows all about the situation.
Plan B: So you've gathered info on the local Bandit Lord and his smelly troops. You know that he and his two Lieutenants are Vampires, that
they have an Orc Fighter who never misses as a Sergeant, and a Mage with a pet Fire Elemental. The Party's Woodsman and Rogue have infiltrated their
citadel, and mapped the layout, know where all the mounts and treasures are, know that there are only 15 beginning level Fighters/Rogues to be dealt with, and you're all prepared to go in... The Priest lends his Mace of Disruption to a Fighter who can hit better with it (so he can take out the Vampires) and prepares his Undead Turning powers, the Mage stocks up on spells of Undead-smiting. Resist Elements spells and Potions and Rings of Fire Resistance are passed out, everyone knows the plan, has studied the map, and is all ready to go... The Fighter and Priest will wait in ambush while the Ranger and Rogue walk in, and draw out one of the Lieutenants, leading it into the ambush. The Priest and Fighter will then attack, aided by roguish
sneak attacks and the Ranger's flaming sword. The Mage will scry the citadel, and be ready to add spell support, if need be. The Druid, Monk, Bard, and Sorcerer will act as the party's reserve. If all goes well, the party will then try to draw out the second Lieutenant in the same manner, then the Woodsman and Rogue will go after the Orc Sergeant while the rest of the party goes after the Mage and Bandit Lord.
Sounds like a plan, but is the party all ready to go? Nope! What's missing, here? Well, besides the lack of a plan to handle the underlings, there is no fall-back contingency, no "Plan B" to be executed when bad goes to worse!
For instance: Suppose the Evil Mage has been scrying the new "bandits",
too, and knows that the Ranger and Rogue are "good guys". He has informed the Vampiric Bandit Lord, who has called in 10 extra men from the surrounding area, unbeknowst to the party. He and his Lieutenants have subjugated these men so that they are under their complete control. Using an Amulet of
Non-detection, the Mage has been scrying the party, and knows where the
ambush has been set. The Bandit Lord has his ten men there, waiting. When
the Woodsman and Rogue draw the first of the Vampiric Lietenants off, they
(and the Fighter and Priest) are the ones ambushed! With 12-to-4 odds, the
party is lucky (thanks to rabid defense from the Mace-of-Disruption-wielding
Fighter, Undead-Turning Priest, backstabbing Rogue, and Flaming-Sword-swinging Woodsman) to slay the Vampire, whose loss of control of the 10 men allows the heroes to escape, badly injured.
Seeing his Lietenant slain, the Bandit Lord sends out his 15 troops, led by the Sargeant and his second Lieutenant, to hunt the party down... Now, the injured Fighter, Cleric, Ranger, and Rogue must dodge through the woods, evading their pursuers, and seeking the rest of the party. If the party had
had a "Plan B", now would be the time to use it!
For instance: Suppose that the Mage, Druid, Monk, Bard, and Sorcerer were held up in a cave nearby that the Druid had found, and covered with an
illusion. When worse turned to worst, the remainder of the party could split
up (dividing the enemy's forces, as well), and "beat feet" back towards this
"safe haven". Maybe the Rogue has even had the time to prepare a few traps, and the Druid has some Entangle, Snare, Spike Growth, etc. spells in place! Maybe she and the Mage have a few Water Elementals waiting for the Evil Mage's Fire Elemental, too... and where is that Paladin at, anyway? Surely he isn't sitting out this adventure? Are he and his mighty mount waiting in some third location, perhaps with some local militia or hired men-at-arms with silver-tipped crossbow bolts, waiting for the Vampire Lord to show itself? And where is that sneaky, smelly Barbarian? Has he also infiltrated the citadel, unbeknownst to the occupants? Might he even now be creeping up on that Evil Mage? Hmmm! Did our heroes actually know that the Evil Mage was watching them, and allow the ambush to appear as a rout, so that they could draw all the Fighters and Rogues away from the citadel, opening the door for the Paladin and his merry men? Might the "fleeing" quartet even now be doubling back to give the evil Bandit Lord his final come-uppance? Did they really have a Plan B, all along? (Such duplicity! Circles within Circles! Oww, my head hurts!)
The Face Man: During an adventure, you're generally going to need
someone to talk to the locals, gather information, deal with the magistrates,
and do other forms of Interfacing. This is the "'face man". Note that the
face man isn't always a man, and isn't even necessarily the same character!
The Paladin's Warhorse is a better face "man", when dealing with horses, than the Paladin would be. The Ranger or Druid will be better with most other animals. The Thief is a natural, down at the Theives' Guild (where the
Paladin would be a liability), and the Paladin will be the natural with the local rulers, where the Rogue might be a liability! Obviously, who the face man is depends on who has a better Charisma or Negotiating skill, and where you are. If you need help at the Wizard's Guild, your party's Mage may be the only hope, even if she has the Charisma of an Orc! In general, pick the member of your party most acceptable to the group you're dealing with, with
the best personality.
Try Being Nice, First! Finally, whether you're adventuring, or just out wandering around town, when you meet an NPC who may seem to be an obstacle, try being nice, first. "A soft answer turneth away wrath." It's worth a try... you can always rip out swords and spill blood later, if all else fails. If this seems a bit harder for you to swallow, let the face man try, while you prepare to execute "Plan B". You'd be surprised how often combat can be avoided.
Well, there you have it: 20 Generic Tips for Fantasy Roleplayers, which
can be adapted to most other types of games, as well (Spies always need a "Plan B")! Look them over, and put them to work for your next party of adventurers. They may even live long enough to thank you for it!
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