OGL Wild West

Mongoose Publishing

This is a game about the American West. Some of the book is about how it was, and some is about how it is remembered. It is up to the players and Games Master to find their own version of the West, finding their own trail between truth and legend. If the players want a historically accurate game where miles are miles, events occur as they truly did, and death comes more often from disease than a bullet, then they will find the tools they need in this book. Alternatively, if the players want a game inspired by movies and dime novels, where the history is just a painted backdrop and heroes ride high in the saddle, then they too will find their desires catered for within. The characters may be counted among those who build America, who drove the railroad across the continent and built the Western states. They may be soldiers who fight at the famous battles of the West, or adventurers who blaze the trails through the wilderness. They can be statesmen or scoundrels, outlaws or lawmen, the quick or the dead. They will either become part of the legend, or die in some godforsaken hot and dusty place and be forgotten.

He had been riding with Death with three days now, ever since leaving Dodge. At first, he’d put it down to pain from the bullet in his side. His shirt was matted with blood and tangled with the punctured skin of his flank, and every breath send spikes of pain shooting through him. Still, he’d been shot before. This was different. Though the heat haze rising from the hot ground, he could see that pale horse and skeletal rider. He had seen it dimly on the first day, but he had ignored it. On the second day, he had seen Death clearly, riding along beside him. Death’s horse left no prints in the dirt. And on the third day, he’d started to talk to Death.

US $34.95

www.mongoosepublishing.com

MGP 6605

Mongoose Publishing

Steve Hunting (order #3510822)

24.17.244

Gareth Hanrahan

Credits

D e v e l o pment and Layout Richard Neale Cover Art Randy Nunley I n t e r i or Illustrations Jesus Barony, Eric Bergeron, Anthea Dilly, Marcio Fiorito, Tony Parker, Danilo Moretti, Stacy Drum & Rich Longmore S t udio Manager Ian Barstow P r o d uction Manager Alexander Fennell P laytesting Mark Gedak, Kent Little, Murry Perry, Patrick A. Kossmann, Tammy Gedak, Mark Howe, Mark Sizer, Daniel Scothorne, Mark Billanie, Micheal Young, Alan Moore, Daniel Haslam, Jamie Godfrey, James Sparling, Shannon Sparling, Shannon Sparling, Jimi Braun, Jason Thornton, Bill 'Urklore' Schwartz P r oof Reading Mark Quennel

Contents

Introduction Character Creation Vocations Skills and Feats Outfitting Rules of the West Shooting, Knife-fighting and Brawling Luck Horses Wildlife The Western Town Just Plain Folk Native Americans Rogues Gallery Games Mastering Western Adventuring Tables Index Character Sheet Licence

2 9 30 43 81 98 118 147 151 156 161 168 172 183 194 210 221 232 237 240

OGL Wild West is ©2004 Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction of non-Open Game Content of this work by any means without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. OGL Wild West is presented under the Open Game License. See page 240 for the text of this licence. With the exception of boxed story text and character names, character creation rules detailing the mechanics of assigning dice roll results to attributes and the character advancement rules detailing the effects of applying experience, all text within OGL Wild West is declared as open content. Printed in Canada.

1 Steve Hunting (order #3510822)

2

introduction

INTRODUCTION

T

his is a game about the American West. Some of the book is about how it was, and some is about how it is remembered. It is up to the players and Games Master to find their own version of the West, finding their own trail between truth and legend. If the players want a historically accurate game where miles are miles, events occur as they truly did, and death comes more often from disease than a bullet, then they will find the tools they need in this book. Alternatively, if the players want a game inspired by movies and dime novels, where the history is just a painted backdrop and heroes ride high in the saddle, then they too will find their desires catered for within. The characters may be counted among those who build America, who drove the railroad across the continent and built the Western states. They may be soldiers who fight at the famous battles of the West, or adventurers who blaze the trails through the wilderness. They can be statesmen or scoundrels, outlaws or lawmen, the quick or the dead. They will either become part of the legend, or die in some godforsaken hot and dusty place and be forgotten.

A Timeline of the West

1803: President Thomas Jefferson completes the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the size of the country. The Lewis & Clark expedition is sent out to explore the new reaches of the United States. 1811: The first steamboat to travel the Mississippi, the New Orleans, takes to the river. 1813: The Creek wars pit settler against native in Alabama. 1819: The United States purchases the Spanish territories in Florida after General Jackson conquers them. 1822: First fur-trapping expeditions up the Missouri. 1825: The Creek nation cedes its remaining territory to the United States. 1827: The Winnebago nation is defeated. 1828: The Cherokee cedes its lands in Arkansas Territory, and migrate west of the Mississippi. 1832: All territory west of the Mississippi is declared by Congress as Indian Territory. 1836: The Republic of Texas secedes from Mexico. The

following war includes the infamous battle of the Alamo. 1837: Following the imprisonment of their leaders, the Seminole nation is defeated. 1838: 18,000 Cherokee are driven from Georgia to the lands west of the Mississippi. One in four die along the ‘Trail of Tears’. 1842: The Oregon trail, a route west from Independence, Missouri to Fort Vancouver, Washington is begun. 1844: The telegraph is introduced to the United States. 1845: The concept of Manifest Destiny is invented – it is God’s will that the United States should rule North America. 1846-1848: The United States clashes with Mexico over Texas, which wishes to join the Union. Meanwhile, in California, the Bear Flag Revolt takes control of the region from Mexico and gives it to the Americans. Mexico’s surrender includes concessions of land in California and Texas. 1849: Soon after the United States gains control of California, gold is found in the South Fork of the American river. The news sparks a gold rush, and thousands move west to seek their fortune. They are referred to as ‘49ers. 1852: Wells, Fargo & Company stagecoach and banking company formed. 1858: Silver strikes in Nevada; gold strikes in Colorado. 1860-1865: The Civil War. The Union battles the Confederates over state’s rights and abolition. Many troops are pulled from the western forts, leading to a general period of lawlessness and chaos on the frontier. 1865: President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated. 1866: The Sioux under Red Cloud ambush eighty soldiers commanded by Captain Fetterman. The battle is known as the Fetterman Massacre. 1867: Alaska is purchased for seven million dollars. 1867: Joseph McCoy runs the first great cattle drive. Instead of selling meat in the depressed southern markets, he drives his herds north to the town of Abilene, where they are loaded onto the railroads and shipped to the rich slaughterhouses of Chicago. 1868: Colonel Armstrong leads the Seventh Cavalry on an attack on the Cheyenne village of Washita. 1869: The railroads from west and east meet, forming a single railroad that crosses the continent. 1872: Dodge City founded. 1874: Gold is discovered in the sacred Black Hills in Montana, at the heart of Indian territory.


2

1875-1876: The Sioux fight a war to defend the Black Hills from encroaching miners. The Seventh Cavalry under Custer loses a battle to Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse at the Little Big Horn. Despite this victory, the Indians are outnumbered and outgunned. They are attacked at winter camps, starved out, and forced to surrender. 1877: Chief Joseph of the Nez Perces tribe surrenders after a thousand-mile fight against invaders, during which he outmanoeuvres a superior force several times. 1881: Sitting Bull emerges from hiding and surrenders. 1881: The gunfight at the OK Corral. 1881: Billy the Kid is shot by Pat Garrett. 1882: Jesse James is shot dead. 1886: Geronimo of the Apaches surrenders after a fifteenyear war with the Union. 1887: The Great Blizzard in Montana causes the Great Die-Up, wiping out vast number of cattle. 1889: The territory of what would become Oklahoma is given up, to be claimed as farmland. 1889-1890: The Ghost Dance religion, preached by the Paiute named Wovoka, claims that the land will soon be restored to the Indians. It causes widespread unrest in the reservations. 1890: Sitting Bull is killed while being arrested. Chief Big Foot of the Sioux attempts to move his followers to avoid military retribution. They are intercepted at Wounded Knee Creek by the Seventh Cavalry, and almost half the Sioux present are killed.

States Joining The Union Arkansas: 1836 Michigan: 1837 Florida: 1845 Texas: 1845 Utah: 1846 Iowa: 1846 Wisconsin: 1849 California: 1850 Minnesota: 1858 Oregon: 1859 Kansas: 1861 West Virginia: 1863 Nevada: 1864 Colorado: 1876 North Dakota: 1889 South Dakota: 1889 Washington: 1889 Montana: 1889 Idaho: 1890 Wyoming: 1890 Oklahoma: 1907

The classic period of the West made famous by movies, books and legends was from the 1850s to the 1870s. Before the California gold rush, the West was relatively thinly settled and unexplored. By the 1880s, railroads and barbed wire had tied down the frontier and ended the days of cattle drives and wild cattle towns.

The Wild West and OGL Games

The basic system used in OGL Wild West is fundamentally identical to that used in the other Core books from Mongoose Publishing. The skills and feats are similar, as is the combat and task resolution systems. If you are familiar with other games using the same system, the rest of this chapter can be safely skipped.

Characters and Dice

When a gang of bandits throw down on you, they may hit or they may miss wildly. In a movie, their success or failure would be part of the script. In a roleplaying game, this is determined by random chance based on the skill of the bandit in question. Since there is a variable involved, dice become a necessary part of the roleplaying medium. When a person goes to a shooting range, the variance of his shots is mostly based on their skills but can also be influenced by luck, timing, and a thousand other factors. These are summed up by rolling a d20 (that is, a 20 sided die) with a high number representing most of the factors aligning in a favourable way and a low number meaning the opposite. Dice are used to determine success when using your character’s skills, when deciding how enduring or intelligent he might be, and when you absolutely, positively need to put a bullet in someone and keep it there.

On The Naming of Dice

Dice in roleplaying games go by a series of shorthand codes that are very easily to learn but look confusing at first glance. A four-sided die (the singular form of dice) is also called a d4. (The ‘d’ stands for dice.) In this book, dice will be referred to by this code preceded by the number of them needed for any given roll required by the rules. For example, if a deranged miner Burke Talbot wants to throw a bundle of dynamite at an approaching band of lawmen, he would need to succeed at an attack roll and his soon to be piecemeal victims would need to roll Reflex saving throws on 1d20. (Do not despair; terminology like attack roll and Reflex saving throws will be explained soon.) If this d20 check is successful, the investigators would only take half damage when the dynamite detonated.


2

introduction

The exploding dynamite might deal 10d6 points of damage. The 10d6 means Talbot’s player would roll one six-sided die, note the number, then roll it again nine more times and add the results to the first roll. Out of 10d6, a player can get a range of numbers from 10 (all ten dice roll a 1) to 60 (every die rolls a 6). When multiple dice are indicated by this shorthand code, the values of the rolls are always added together. One last dice note concerned the idea of a d100, also called a d%. This is also called a percentile roll in roleplaying parlance. To do this, roll a d10 twice. The first roll is for the ‘tens’ digit; the second roll is for the ‘ones’ digit. If you were to roll a 4 and then a 2, that generates the number 42. When rolling a percentile, two 0s count as the number 100. Some dice sets have a special d10 with a two-digit number (10, 20, 30 and so on) stamped on each of its faces to make this easier, but such dice are certainly not necessary.

Multipliers

Certain modifications to dice rolls exist within the rules that, instead of adding a set number or an addition die or dice to a roll, multiply the result. These are listed as ‘x2’ or some other multiplication value. Multipliers apply to every numeric modifier and the basic dice involved in the roll but not to additional dice added as a modifier to the roll.

Everything a character wishes to do, from waking up and putting on his socks to filling a band of miscreants full of hot lead, is an action. Actions come in different types and have different rules attached to them. Simple actions are things that do not require rolls except in the most adverse of conditions. Under normal circumstances, a character is allowed to tie his shoes without needing to make a die roll for success. If that same character had just been run over by a stagecoach after staggering out of a saloon blind drunk, it might be a different story. Whenever a character needs to make a simple action, something they can normally do everyday with no special skill or talent required, the Games Master will generally simply declare success or, like in the example just given, require a roll (also called a ‘check’) or simply declare failure. Contested actions make up the largest part of the rule mechanics for combat and skills in this book. Everything that a character does what might have a chance of failing because of the actions of someone else, skills, or abilities, the result is a contested roll. Contested checks are never guaranteed and even the most masterful of sharpshooters can miss his mark once in a while. Saving throws, which are a special type of check made to see if a character can escape the effects of something adverse, are another kind of contested roll.

Multipliers can stack but regardless of their values, they stack in a specific way. When a check or value has two or more multipliers, the highest value multiplier is kept and every addition multiplier increases the first one’s value by 1.

Actions

Once you have a character and some dice, you have all the tools you need to begin playing. Rounds of play usually consist of the Games Master (the person guiding the story and the action of a game) asking questions and describing scenes and players suggesting actions their characters wish to take in response to these descriptions.


2

The Core Mechanic

When in doubt about how to resolve any given action, keep this simple piece of advice in mind. Any attempted action that has some chance of failure can be handled by rolling a twenty-sided die (d20). To determine if a character, be it a player character or one controlled by the Games Master, succeeds at a task, do this: •

Roll a d20

•

Add any relevant modifiers

•

Compare the result to a target number

If the result equals or exceeds the target number, the character succeeds. If the result is lower than the target number, the character fails.

A term used during contested rolls is DC, short for Difficulty Class. The DC of a contested check is the number a d20 check, plus or minus modifiers, that a character must roll or higher to succeed. A roll that is lower than the given DC for an action fails. The d20 is the most common type of die rolled during an average gaming session, making it crucial to the system and the single most important die for any player to own. Astute players may have realised at this point that if contested checks have to beat a listed DC and they are all made using a single d20 then actions with a DC of 21 are impossible. On the surface, this is correct, that is where characters come in. Characters and the skills and abilities they gain come with modifiers that are added to or subtracted from certain kinds of checks. These modifiers can theoretically make ay check possible, no matter how high the DC might be. Though it is often a convention with games running the d20 rules to allow all rolls of 20 on a d20 to be an automatic success, this is not always the case. By the same token, a roll of 1 (called a ‘natural’ 1 because it is the actual result on the die roll, just as with a ‘natural’ 20) is not an automatic failure. Instances in the rules where a natural 1 or 20 indicate automatic success or failure will be clearly marked in the text of the rules themselves.

Ability Scores

Every character in a d20 game has six basic abilities. Each one represents some aspect of that character’s mental or physical prowess. In most cases, a character will have a positive value of some kind in each of the six scores, indicating some development (or lack thereof ) in that area.

Ability Modifiers

Each ability, after changes made because of age or other campaign factors, generally has a modifier ranging from –5 to +5. The Ability Modifiers table shows the modifier for each score. Ability score modifiers can range higher than +5, but they cannot go lower than -5 because the status of a creature or object changes when its ability scores drop to 0. See below for further details. The modifier is the number you apply to the die roll when your character tries to do something related to that ability. You also use the modifier with some numbers that are not die rolls. A positive modifier is called a bonus, and a negative modifier is called a penalty.

Ability Modifiers Score 1 2–3 4–5 6–7 8–9 10–11 12–13 14–15 16–17 18–19 20–21 22–23 24–25 26–27 28–29 30–31 32–33 34–35 36–37 38–39 40–41 42–43 44–45 Etc…

Modifier –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +11 +12 +13 +14 +15 +16 +17


2

Introduction

The Abilities

Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of his actions. Abilities are not the sum total of a character’s personality or capabilities, but they do provide the framework around which skills and d20 checks are typically made, making them a very important part of the character’s description.

S t r e n g t h ( S T R)

Strength measures your character’s muscle and physical power. Strength also limits the amount of equipment your character can carry.

Constitution (CON)

Constitution represents your character’s health and stamina. A Constitution bonus increases a character’s hit points, so the ability is important for all classes. You apply your character’s Constitution modifier to: •

Each roll of a Hit Die (though a penalty can never drop a result below 1 - that is, a character always gains at least 1 hit point each time he advances in level).

•

Fortitude saving throws, for resisting poison and similar threats.

•

Concentration checks. Concentration is a skill that has Constitution as its key ability.

You apply your character’s Strength modifier to: •

Melee attack rolls.

•

Damage rolls when using a melee weapon or a thrown weapon (including a sling). (Exceptions: Off-hand attacks receive only one-half the character’s Strength bonus, while two-handed attacks receive one and a half times the Strength bonus. A Strength penalty, but not a bonus, applies to attacks made with a bow that is not a composite bow.)

• •

Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. These are the skills that have Strength as their key ability. Strength checks (for breaking down doors and the like).

D e x t e r i t y ( D EX)

Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance. You apply your character’s Dexterity modifier to: •

Ranged attack rolls; including those for attacks made with bows, pistols and rifles, and other ranged weapons.

•

Defence, provided that the character can react to the attack.

•

Reflex saving throws, for avoiding explosions and other attacks that you can escape by moving quickly.

•

Balance, Escape, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Ride, Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and Use Rope checks. These are the skills that have Dexterity as their key ability.

If a character’s Constitution score changes enough to alter his Constitution modifier, the character’s hit points also increase or decrease accordingly.

Intelligence (INT)

Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons. It is important for any character who wants to have a wide assortment of skills. You apply your character’s Intelligence modifier to: •

The number of skill points gained each level. (But your character always gets at least 1 skill point per level.)

•

Craft, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Forgery, Knowledge, Repair and Search checks. These are the skills that have Intelligence as their key ability.

An animal has an Intelligence score of 1 or 2. A creature of humanlike intelligence has a score of at least 3.

Wisdom (WIS)

Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition. While Intelligence represents one’s ability to analyse information, Wisdom represents being in tune with and aware of one’s surroundings. If you want your character to have acute senses, put a high score in Wisdom. Every creature has a Wisdom score. You apply your character’s Wisdom modifier to: •

Will saving throws (for negating the effect of mindaltering phenomena).


2

•

Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival and Treat Injury checks. These are the skills that have Wisdom as their key ability.

Charisma (CHA)

Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead and physical attractiveness. This ability represents actual strength of personality, not merely how one is perceived by others in a social setting. Every creature has a Charisma score.

While any loss is debilitating, losing all points in an ability score can be devastating. •

Strength 0 means that the character cannot move at all. He lies helpless on the ground.

•

Dexterity 0 means that the character cannot move at all. He stands motionless, rigid, and helpless.

•

Constitution 0 means that the character is dead.

•

Intelligence 0 means that the character cannot think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless.

•

Wisdom 0 means that the character is withdrawn into a deep sleep filled with nightmares, helpless.

•

Charisma 0 means that the character is withdrawn into a catatonic, coma-like stupor, helpless.

You apply your character’s Charisma modifier to: •

•

Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Intimidate, and Perform checks. These are the skills that have Charisma as their key ability. Checks that represent attempts to influence others.

When an ability score changes, all attributes associated with that score change accordingly. Most of these changes are also retroactive; a character receives or loses additional hit points for previous levels if an increase or decrease in Constitution occurs. One important exception to this retroactive rule regards Intelligence. A character does not retroactively get additional skill points for previous levels if he increases his intelligence, nor are skill points lost if Intelligence is lowered for any reason.

Ability Score Loss

Various attacks cause ability score loss, either ability damage or ability drain. Points lost to ability damage return at the rate of 1 point per day (or double that if the character gets complete bed rest) to each damaged ability, and certain chemical or mechanical effects offset ability damage as well. Ability drain, however, is permanent, though some effects can restore even those lost ability score points.


2

Introduction

Keeping track of negative ability score points is never necessary. A character’s ability score cannot drop below 0. Having a score of 0 in an ability is different from having no ability score whatsoever. Some effects and abilities impose an effective ability score reduction, which is different from ability score loss. Any such reduction disappears at the end of the effect or ability’s duration, and the ability score immediately returns to its former value.

If a character’s Constitution score drops, then he loses 1 hit point per Hit Die for every point by which his Constitution modifier drops. A hit point score cannot be reduced by Constitution damage or drain to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die.

He had been riding with Death with three days now, ever since leaving Dodge. At first, he’d put it down to pain from the bullet in his side. His shirt was matted with blood and tangled with the punctured skin of his flank, and every breath send spikes of pain shooting through him. Still, he’d been shot before. This was different. Though the heat haze rising from the hot ground, he could see that pale horse and skeletal rider. He had seen it dimly on the first day, but he had ignored it. On the second day, he had seen Death clearly, riding along beside him. Death’s horse left no prints in the dirt. And on the third day, he’d started to talk to Death. *** The posse left Dodge a day after Big Bob had been shot. Big Bob had not been a good man, or even a popular man, but he deserved better than what he got. Dodge was a wild city in those days, and putting down Bob’s killer like a rabid dog was their version of a memorial. Bob had given his own eulogy with his last bullet, wounding his killer in the side. They cut sign of the killer two miles outside Dodge, and tracked him for two days. *** ‘The way I figure it,’ he said to Death, ‘is that you’re a fast rider. I shot that fat man in Dodge in the face, and you must’ve been there to take him. But now you’re here with me, so you must have rode hard to catch up. You don’t need to stick with me, ‘cos you could come for me right quick when I die. ‘You’re waiting for something.’ They rode in silence for a while, then he glanced over his shoulder. A cloud of dust was rising a few miles behind him. He was being followed. ‘Me or them?’ he asked, but Death did not reply. He took out his sidearm. One bullet for Bob was gone, but there were still four shots left in the chambers. His other gun was fully loaded. The posse couldn’t have more than six or seven men in it, surely. He turned his horse’s head towards the dust cloud and spurred it forwards. And he could swear that Death rode forward with him.


2

Character Creation

C

reating a hero for OGL Wild West requires only a few minutes to assign ability scores, calculate skill ranks, pick abilities and so on. Before the player begins, though, he should take some time to consider his character’s concept and story and to consult with the Games Master and the other players to make sure the character works with those of everyone else.

Co n c e p t

Who is the character? A grizzled veteran, or a greenhorn just off the train from the east? A cowboy or a soldier? Is he looking to settle out here, or is he just looking to get rich on the frontier? Is he meaner than a rattlesnake, or an upright and God-fearing citizen of the Union? Young or old? White or Black or Red or Yellow? What is his name? Talk with the Games Master about how tough and experienced the character is supposed to be. If you are playing in a game with a 3rd level character, you are not going to be the fastest gun in the West. You can aspire to that title, of course, and maybe even live long enough and gain enough levels to claim it. On the other hand, if the game is using 10th level characters, then that fastest gun line does not seem quite so out of place. As a rule of thumb:

Character Generation Checklist Come up with a concept Determine ability scores Choose a character class Choose a vocation Select skills and feats

1st to 3rd level characters are weak and inexperienced – they are either fairly young, or have never been challenged or endangered before. 4th to 6th level characters are average, but competent – they have learned to cope with life on the frontier and have doubtless endured tragedy and hardship in their lives. 7th to 9th level characters have made a name for themselves. They are tough and skilled enough to deal with almost anything. 10th to 12th level characters are famous. Stories and rumours flock around them like buzzards over a wounded buffalo. At this level, the character is one of the best, if not the best in the West at whatever he does. Above 12th level, the character is legendary. Such heroes have inhuman degrees of speed and skill. Everyone has heard of them… or fears them. It is assumed that the characters will begin at 1st level, but the Games Master is free to change this. Give some thought to the character’s background, although there is no need to lavish vast amounts of time and research on this. Three or four lines is enough to for most characters – many people went West to leave their pasts behind, but a little unfinished business can give the Games Master some plot hooks to work with. Make sure that your character has something to distinguish himself from the other player characters. Having a gang of taciturn nameless gunfighters is fine, as long as each one has some little quirk or dark secret in his background to give him his own unique edge.

Ability Scores

Each character has six ability scores; Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. Beginning scores range from 3 to 18. There are three methods to determine a character’s ability scores – the Games Master can either let the players pick their favourite method or just specify which one is used in his game.

Finishing touches


2

Character Classes

Character Creation

U n f i n i s h e d B u s i ness

Most people have left problems behind them. When creating a player character that is above 3rd level, the player should roll 1d8 for every level after 3rd. If the roll is less than the character’s level, then the character has some piece of Unfinished Business. The player should consult with the Games Master as to the nature of this business – perhaps the character left the girl he loved behind, or shot a man whose brother has sworn revenge, or merely owes money to some gambler back in Dodge. Roll once for each level after third, as a character can have multiple pieces of Unfinished Business.

In the West, a man was expected to be able to turn his hand to anything – a man might start out trying to make his fortune by mining, then become an outlaw, then a castle rustler, then a rancher, then maybe even win the respect of his neighbours and become a sheriff. It was a time when determination and sheer grit counted for far more than training. Therefore, while a character does have one or more careers (see below), he is really defined by his character class. This is basically shorthand for what sort of hero the character is. There are six character classes –

R a n d o m G e n e r a tion

Roll 4d6 six times, dropping the lowest scoring dice from each roll. Total each roll, then allocate each result to a particular ability score. For example, if you get a 4d6 roll of 3, 3, 4 and 5, you drop one of the low threes, total the result (12) and assign it to one of your ability scores. If you wanted to have a character of average agility and speed, then assign the 12 to his Dexterity score.

P l a n n e d G e n e r ation

Instead of rolling dice, you may select the scores you want. You have 25 points to spend on ability scores. Each score starts at 8, and the costs to increase a score are given below. You may also drop scores below 8, gaining one point for every ability point deducted. For example, taking a Strength of 3 would give you another 5 points with which to buy other abilities. You may not drop a score below 3 without the approval of the Games Master.

Planned Generation Score 8 9 10 11 12 13

Cost 0 1 2 3 4 5

Score 14 15 16 17 18

Cost 6 8 10 13 16

S t a n d a r d S c o res

Finally, you may also just take a set package of ability scores and assign them as you see fit. This standard package is 15, 14, 13, 12, 10 and 8.

•

The Strong Hero

•

The Fast Hero

•

The Tough Hero

•

The Smart Hero

•

The Dedicated Hero

•

The Charismatic Hero

Each class has ten levels and beginning characters possess one level of one of them, usually determined by their best ability score (but not always, as some characters choose a low score to augment with the capabilities of their chosen class). Players are free to choose any class for their first level and may make any choice for levels beyond 1st. See the rules for Multiclassed Characters at the end of this chapter. Every class uses certain similar terminology. When reading about the capabilities of each class, keep the following terms in mind.

Hit Point Bonus

A character’s hit points measure how much damage he can sustain before dying. The character’s initial hit points are equal to his Constitution score, but at each level, he gets bonus hit points from his character class. His Constitution modifier is applied to these bonus hit points after first level. So, at first level, a character’s hit points are equal to his Constitution score plus the bonus hit point value for his class, while at every other level, he gains hit points equal to his Constitution modifier plus the bonus hit point value for his class.


2

Class Skills

This section of a class description provides a list of class skills and also gives the number of skill points the character starts with at 1st level and the number of skill points gained each level thereafter. A character’s Intelligence modifier is applied to determine the total skill points gained each level (but always at least 1 point per level, even for a character with an Intelligence penalty). A 1st level character starts with 4 times the number of skill points he receives upon attaining each level beyond 1st. The maximum ranks a character can have in a class skill is the character’s level +3. A character can also buy skills from other classes’ skill lists. Each skill point buys a half rank in these cross-class skills, and a character can only buy up to half the maximum ranks of a class skill.

Starting Feats

The feats gained at 1st level in the class. If a feat chosen at this time has a prerequisite, it must be met by the statistics, other feats, talents, and/or skills available to the character at 1st level.

Class Table

This table details how a character improves as he attains higher levels in the class. It includes the following information. •

Level: The character’s level in the class.

•

Base Attack Bonus: The character’s base attack bonus and number of attacks.

•

Fort Save: The base save bonus for Fortitude saving throws. The character’s Constitution modifier also applies.

•

Ref Save: The base save bonus for Reflex saving throws. The character’s Dexterity modifier also applies.

•

Will Save: The base save bonus for Will saving throws. The character’s Wisdom modifier also applies.

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Class Features: Level-dependent class features, each explained in the section that follows.

Class and Level Bonuses

An attack roll or a saving throw is a combination of three numbers, each representing a different factor: a random element (the number you roll on the d20), a number

representing the character’s innate abilities (the ability modifier), and a bonus representing the character’s experience and training. This third factor depends on the character’s class and level. Each class table summarises the figures for this third factor.

Base Attack Bonus

Check the table for your character’s class. On an attack roll, apply the number from the Base Attack Bonus column to the d20 die roll. Use the bonus that corresponds to the character’s level. Numbers after a slash indicate additional attacks at reduced bonuses: ‘+12/+7/+2’ means that a character of this level makes three attacks per round, with a base attack bonus of +12 for the first attack, +7 for the second, and +2 for the third. Ability modifiers apply to all these attacks. When a character’s base attack bonus reaches +6, he is entitled to make an extra attack at a +1 base attack bonus. However, if the character’s attack bonus reaches +6 or higher because of modifiers, the character does not get this extra attack. A character only gets these extra attacks when using a melee weapon or certain ranged weapons; the attack rate with a firearm is dictated by the type of firearm. For example, a 6th-level Fast Hero has a base attack bonus of +4. When using a pistol or other ranged weapon, he adds his Dexterity modifier. Even if this increases his attack bonus to +6 or higher, he does not gain an additional attack. For these purposes, only the base attack bonus counts. If a character has more than one class, add the base attack bonuses for each class together to determine the character’s base attack bonus. (See the Multiclass Characters section for an example.)

Base Save Bonuses

Check the table for your character’s class. It lists the base saving throw bonuses for the three types of saves: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will. Use the bonuses that correspond to the character’s level. If a character has more than one class, add the base save bonuses for each class to determine the character’s base save bonuses. (See the Multiclass Characters section for an example.)

Defence

Check the table for your character’s class. It lists the base defence bonus for your class. This number is added onto your Dexterity modifier and other values to calculate your Defence Value. (See Combat, page XX.) Use the bonus that corresponds to the character’s level. If a character has more than one class, add the base defence for each class to determine the character’s base defence. (See the Multiclass Characters section for an example.)


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Character Creation

Level Dependant Benefits Character Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10t 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th

Class Skill Max Ranks 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Cross-Class Skill Max Ranks 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5

Feats 1st, 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th -

In addition to attack bonuses and saving throw bonuses, all characters gain other benefits from advancing in level. The Level Dependant Benefits table summarises these additional benefits. Class Skill Max Ranks: The maximum number of ranks a character can have in a class skill is equal to his character level +3. A class skill is a skill associated with a particular class. Class skills are listed in each class description in this chapter. Cross-Class Skill Max Ranks: For cross-class skills (skills not associated with a character’s class), the maximum number of ranks is one-half the maximum for a class skill. Maxing out a cross-class skill costs the same amount of points as buying the maximum rank in a class skill. (For example, at 1st level, a character can pay 4 points for 4 ranks in a class skill, or spend the same 4 points for 2 ranks in a cross-class skill.) The half ranks (.5) indicated on the table do not improve skill checks; they simply represent partial purchase of the next skill rank and indicate that the character is training to improve that skill. Feats: This column indicates the levels at which a character gains feats (two at 1st level, one more at 3rd level, and one more at every 3rd level thereafter). See the Feats Chapter for feat descriptions.

Ability Increases 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Ability Increases: This column indicates the levels at which a character gains ability score increases. Upon attaining 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th level, a character increases one of his ability scores by 1 point. The player chooses which ability score to improve. The ability improvement is permanent. For multiclass characters, career talents, feats and ability score increases are gained according to character level, not class level. Thus, a 3rd level Charismatic Hero/1st level Strong Hero is a 4th level character and eligible for her first ability score boost. For example, a Charismatic Hero with a starting Charisma of 16 intending to trade with the Indians might improve to Charisma 17 at 4th level. At 8th level, the same character might improve Charisma again (from 17 to 18) as this would increase his ability modifier for Charisma to +4. This will occur even if the Charismatic Hero has been moonlighting between 4th and 8th level and is a 6th level Charismatic/2nd level Smart Hero.

Class Features

This entry details special characteristics of the class, including bonus feats and unique talents that are gained as a character attains higher levels in the class.

Talents

Every basic class offers a selection of talents to choose from. A character may also select talents from his vocation. A character gains a talent upon attaining each oddnumbered level in a class (including 1st level). Talents are considered to be extraordinary abilities. Some talents have prerequisites that must be met before a character can select them. Characters may use available feat selections to take talents they qualify for, but only in the same character class as the one they just advanced in to get the feat in the first place or in their current vocation. Level prerequisites listed for talents refer to the character’s total level as opposed to specific levels in the class associated with the talent unless otherwise specified. As with all skill prerequisites, any number listed with a skill is the number of true ranks before any statistic or other modifiers.

Bonus Feats

Every basic class offers a selection of bonus feats to choose from. A character gains a bonus feat upon attaining each third level, i.e. at 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th level. These bonus feats are not dependent on which class the character has progressed in; they are given whenever the character’s total level reached the specified value. Some feats have


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prerequisites that must be met before a character can select them. Bonus feats given from occupations, character classes, and the two chosen at first level count towards these prerequisites normally.

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Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus on the check.

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Improved Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonus provided by extreme effort (+4 total). o Prerequisite: Extreme effort.

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Advanced Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonuses provided by extreme effort and improved extreme effort (+6 total). o Prerequisites: Extreme effort, improved extreme effort.

The St r o n g H e r o

This is the brawler and the farmhand, the strongman who is as dangerous with his bare hands than he is with a gun. This is the man you want on your side in a fistfight or on a railroad work-gang - strong as an ox and almost as big. Ability: Strength Hit Point Bonus: +2 Class Skills: The Strong Hero’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Climb (Str), Craft (any except chemical and writing) (Int), Demolitions (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (streetwise, tactics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Repair (Int) and Use Rope (Dex). Skill Points at 1st Level: (3 + Int modifier) x4 Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 3 + Int modifier

Starting Feats

In addition to the two feats all characters get at 1st level, a Strong hero begins play with the Simple Weapons Proficiency feat.

Class Features

The following are class features of the Strong Hero.

Talents

At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level, the Strong Hero selects a talent from the following talent trees or from his vocation. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, he can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

Extreme Effort T a l en t T r e e

A Strong Hero can push himself to make an extreme effort. The effort must relate either to a Strength check or a Strength-based skill check. You must decide to use this ability before making the check.


2

Character Creation

The Strong Hero Class Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

Base Attack Bonus +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6/+1 +7/+2 +8/+3 +9/+4 +10/+5

Fort Save +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Ref Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Will Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

I g n o r e H a r d n ess Talent Tree

The Strong Hero has an innate talent for finding weaknesses in objects. This allows a Strong Hero to ignore some of an object’s hardness when making a melee attack to break it. •

Ignore Hardness: The Strong Hero ignores 2 point of an object’s hardness.

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Improved Ignore Hardness: The Strong Hero ignores 2 additional points of an object’s hardness (for a total of 4). o Prerequisite: Ignore hardness.

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Advanced Ignore Hardness: The Strong Hero ignores 2 additional points of an object’s hardness (for a total of 6). o Prerequisites: Ignore hardness, improved ignore hardness.

M e l e e S m a s h T a lent Tree

The Strong Hero has an innate talent that increases melee or brawling damage. •

Melee Smash: The Strong Hero receives a +1 bonus on melee or brawling damage.

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Improved Melee Smash: The Strong Hero receives an additional +1 bonus on melee or brawling damage (+2 total). o Prerequisite: Melee smash.

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Advanced Melee Smash: The Strong Hero receives an additional +1 bonus on melee or brawling damage (+3 total). o Prerequisites: Melee smash, improved melee smash.

Defence +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Class Features Talent Bonus Feat Talent Bonus Feat Talent Bonus Feat Talent Bonus Feat Talent Bonus Feat

Bonus Feats

At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level, the Strong Hero gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following list, and the Strong Hero must meet any prerequisites. Animal Affinity, Blind Fight, Builder, Brawler, Crafter, Cleaver, Endurance, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Greater Weapon Focus, Martial Weapons Proficiency, Martial Longarms Proficiency, Improved Bull Rush, Improvised Weapon Proficiency, Literacy, Martial Arts, Power Attack, Run, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Spirited Charge, Trample, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialisation, Whirlwind Attack.

T h e F a s t H e ro

The Fast Hero relies on his nerves and his speed – he has whip-fast reactions and is usually an excellent shot. He may not have the savvy to stay out of trouble, but he can usually dodge the consequences when they come. The Fast Hero is also a fine rider, and possibly something of a thief. Ability: Dexterity Hit Point Bonus: +1 Class Skills: The Fast Hero’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Balance (Dex), Craft (mechanical) (Int), Drive (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (current events, streetwise) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Tumble (Dex) and Use Rope (Dex). Also, the starting occupation the character selects can provide additional class skills to choose from. Skill Points at 1st Level: (5 + Int modifier) x4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 5 + Int modifier.


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The Fast Hero Class Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

Base Attack Bonus +0 +1 +2 +3 +3 +4 +5 +6/+1 +6/+1 +7/+2

Fort Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Ref Save +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Will Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Defence +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8

Class Features Talent Bonus feat Talent Bonus feat Talent Bonus feat Talent Bonus feat Talent Bonus feat

Starting Feats

In addition to the two feats all characters receive at 1st level, a Fast Hero begins play with the Simple Sidearms Proficiency feat.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Fast Hero.

Talents

At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level, the Fast Hero selects a talent from the following talent trees or from his vocation. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, he can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

Defensive Talent Tree

The Fast Hero gains the ability to improve his innate defensive talents as the hero attains new levels. •

Evasion: If the Fast hero is exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, the Fast Hero suffers no damage if he makes a successful saving throw. Evasion can only be used when wearing light armour or no armour.

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Uncanny Dodge: The Fast Hero retains his Dexterity bonus to Defence regardless


2

Character Creation

of being caught flat-footed or struck by a hidden attacker. (The hero still loses his Dexterity bonus to Defence if the hero is immobilised.) The character does not gain his Reflex bonus when caught flatfooted and attacked with a ranged weapon. o Prerequisite: Evasion. •

All-Around Awareness: The Fast Hero can no longer be flanked; the character can react to opponents on opposite sides of himself as easily as he can react to a single attacker. o Prerequisites: Evasion, Uncanny Dodge.

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Defensive Roll: The Fast Hero can roll with a potentially lethal attack to take less damage from it. When the Fast Hero would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage in combat (from a ranged or melee attack), the Fast Hero can attempt to roll with the damage. A Fast Hero spends 1 luck point to use this talent. Once the point is spent, the hero makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, he takes only half damage. The Fast Hero must be able to react to the attack to execute a defensive roll - if the hero is immobilised, he cannot use this talent. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the Fast Hero’s evasion talent does not apply to the defensive roll. o Prerequisites: Evasion, uncanny dodge.

I n c r e a s e d S p eed Talent Tree

Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting, Agile Riposte, Alertness, Blind Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Elusive Target, Fan, Improved Aim, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Lighting Reflexes, Literacy, Martial Arts, Martial Weapons Proficiency, Mobility, Mounted Fire, Moving Shot, Nimble, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Reload, Ride-by Attack, Run, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Shot on the Run, Skip Shot, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Vehicle Dodge, Weapon Finesse.

T h e T o u g h H e ro

The Tough Hero has grit – he keeps going no matter what, forcing his way through the blood haze of a wound, through sandstorm and desert, through whatever the world throws at him. He can take more punishment that a man should be able to bear, and still keep standing. Ability: Constitution Hit Point Bonus: +3 Class Skills: The Tough Hero’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (mechanical, structural) (Int), Drive (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (current events, streetwise) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis) and Survival (Wis). Also, the starting occupation the character selects can provide additional class skills to choose from.

The Fast Hero can increase his natural base speed. • •

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Skill Points at 1st Level: (3 + Int modifier) x4. Increased Speed: The Fast Hero’s base speed increases by 5 feet.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 3 + Int modifier.

Improved Increased Speed: The Fast Hero’s base speed increases by 5 feet. This talent stacks with increased speed (10 feet total). o Prerequisite: Increased speed.

In addition to the two feats all characters get at 1st level, a Tough Hero begins play with the Improvised Weapons Proficiency feat.

Advanced Increased Speed: The Fast Hero’s base speed increases by 5 feet. This talent stacks with increased speed and improved increased speed (15 feet total). o Prerequisites: Increased speed, improved increased speed.

Bonus Feats

At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level, the Fast Hero gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following list, and the Fast Hero must meet any prerequisites.

Starting Feats

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Tough Hero.

Talents

At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level, the Tough Hero selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, he can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.


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The Tough Hero Class Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

Base Attack Bonus +0 +1 +2 +3 +3 +4 +5 +6/+1 +6/+1 +7/+2

Fort Save +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Ref Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Will Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Defence +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5


Damage Reduction Talent Tree

The Tough Hero has an innate talent to ignore a set amount of damage from attacks. Before the hero can select a talent from this tree the hero must have previously selected at least one talent from the Incredible Health or Unbreakable Talent Tree. •

Damage Reduction 1/-: The Tough hero ignores 1 point of damage from melee and ranged weapons. o Prerequisite: One other talent from either the Incredible Health Talent Tree or the Unbreakable Talent Tree.

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Damage Reduction 2/-: The Tough hero ignores an additional 1 point of damage from melee and ranged weapons (DR 2/- total). o Prerequisites: Damage reduction 1/-, one other talent from either the Incredible Health Talent Tree or the Unbreakable Talent Tree.

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Damage Reduction 3/-: The Tough hero ignores an additional 1 point of damage from melee and ranged weapons (DR 3/- total). o Prerequisites: Damage reduction 1/-, damage reduction 2/-, one other talent from either the Incredible Health Talent Tree or the Unbreakable Talent Tree.


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Character Creation

I n c r e d i b l e H e a lth Talent Tree

The Tough Hero is particularly resistant to illness, infection and poison. The following talents can be selected in any order. •

Disease Resistance: The Tough Hero has a +4 innate bonus to Fortitude saves against contracting diseases, such as cholera.

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Infection Resistance: The Tough Hero has a +4 innate bonus to Fortitude saves against infection from wounds.

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Poison Resistance: The Tough Hero has a +4 innate bonus to Fortitude saves against poison.

U n b r e a k a b l e T alent Tree

The Tough Hero is particularly resilient thanks to the following talents. •

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Remain Conscious: The Tough Hero gains the ability to continue to perform actions when he would otherwise be considered unconscious and dying. When the Tough Hero’s hit points reach –1, the hero can perform as though he were disabled, making either an attack action or a move action every round until the hero reaches -10 hit points (and dies) or the hero’s hit points return to 1 or higher. The hero can choose to succumb to unconsciousness if he thinks that doing so might prevent him from taking more damage. Robust: The Tough Hero becomes especially robust, gaining a number of hit points equal to his Tough Hero level as soon as he selects this talent. Thereafter, the hero gains an additional +1 hit point with each level of Tough Hero he gains. o Prerequisite: Remain conscious. Stamina: The Tough Hero recovers twice as fast as normal. The hero recovers twice his Constitution bonus per evening of rest, 2 points of temporary ability damage per evening of rest, and awakens in half the normal time after being knocked unconscious. o Prerequisite: Remain conscious, robust.

Bonus Feats

At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level, the Tough Hero gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following list, and the Tough Hero must meet any prerequisites.

Animal Affinity, Blind Fight, Builder, Brawl, Cautious, Endurance, Fan, Far Shot, Focussed, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Improvised Weapon Proficiency, Iron Will, Meticulous, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Run, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Sunder, Track, Trample.

T h e S m a r t H e ro

The Smart Hero might be especially well educated, coming from some Yankee college back east or even from Europe. He could also just have more brains than most, and have learned all he knows from books. Most towns have a lawyer, newspaperman or preacher who is notably more learned than the rest of the folk there – such people are Smart Heroes. There are not many of them in West, but the railroads bring more engineers and scientists every day. Ability: Intelligence Hit Point Bonus: +2 Class Skills: The Smart Hero’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Craft (any) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Demolitions (Int), Disable Device (Int), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (any) (Int), Profession (Wis), Repair (Int), Ride (Dex), Search (Int) and Treat Injury (Wis). Skill Points at 1st Level: (9 + Int modifier) x4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 9 + Int modifier.

Starting Feats

Smart Heroes get the Literacy feat and two other feats.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Smart Hero.

Talents

At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level, the Smart Hero selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, he can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

Research Talent Tree

The Smart hero has a natural aptitude for study and factfinding. These talents can be selected in any order.


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The Smart Hero Class Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

Base Attack Bonus +0 +1 +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5

Fort Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Ref Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

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Savant: Select one of the siills listed in the following paragraph. The Smart Hero gets to add a bonus equal to his Smart Hero level when making checks with that skill. A Smart Hero can take this talent multiple times; each time it applies to a different skill. Craft (any single skill), Decipher Script, Demolitions, Disable Device, Forgery, Gamble, Handle Animal, Knowledge (any single skill), Repair, Search, Treat Injury.

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Linguist: With this talent, the Smart Hero becomes a master linguist. Whenever the hero encounters a new language, either spoken or written, he can make an Intelligence check to determine if he can understand it. The check is made with a bonus equal to the hero’s Smart Hero level + the hero’s Intelligence modifier. For a written language, the bonus applies to a Decipher Script check instead. The DC for the check is 20. With this special ability, a Smart Hero can glean enough meaning from a conversation or document to ascertain the basic message, but this ability in no way simulates actually being able to converse or fluently read and write in a given language. o Prerequisite: At least two language Feats.

Will Save +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Defence +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3



2

Character Creation

S t r a t e g y T a l ent Tree

The Smart Hero has the brainpower to see solutions in most situations. These talents can be selected in any order, but before the hero can select a talent from this tree he must have previously selected at least one talent from the Research Talent Tree. •

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Exploit Weakness: After 1 round of combat, the Smart Hero can designate one opponent and try to find ways to gain an advantage by using brains over brawn. The Smart Hero uses a move action and makes an Intelligence check (DC 15) with a bonus equal to his Smart Hero level. If the check succeeds, for the rest of the combat the Smart Hero uses his Intelligence bonus instead of either Strength or Dexterity bonus on attack rolls as the hero finds ways to outthink his opponent and notices weaknesses in his opponent’s fighting style. o Prerequisite: One talent from the Research Talent Tree. Plan: Prior to a dramatic situation, either combator skill-related, the Smart Hero can develop a plan of action to handle the situation. Using this talent requires preparation; a Smart Hero cannot use this talent when surprised or otherwise unprepared for a particular situation. The Smart Hero makes an Intelligence check (DC 10) with a bonus equal to his Smart Hero level. The result of the check provides the Smart Hero and allies with a circumstance bonus. A Smart Hero cannot take 10 or 20 when making this check. This bonus can be applied to all skill checks and attack rolls made by the Smart Hero and his allies, but the bonus only lasts for the first 3 rounds. After that time, reduce the bonus by 1 point (to a minimum of +0) for every additional round the situation continues, as the vagaries of circumstance begin to unravel even the best-laid plans.

Check Result 9 or lower 10–14 15–24 25 or higher

Bonus +0 (check failed) +1 +2 +3 o

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Prerequisite: One talent from the Research Talent Tree.

Trick: The Smart hero has the ability to temporarily confuse a target (a non player character) through the use of ploy and deception. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be

susceptible to a trick, must be within 30 feet of the hero and must be able to hear and understand the hero. To play a trick on a target, the hero must use a full-round action and make an Intelligence check (DC 15), adding his Smart Hero level as a bonus. If the Intelligence check succeeds, the target can try to think quickly and ignore the trick. The target resists the trick by making a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + Smart Hero’s class level + Smart Hero’s Int bonus). If the saving throw fails, the target becomes dazed (unable to act, but can defend normally) for 1 round. A trick can only be played on a particular target once per encounter. After the first trick in an encounter, whether the attempt succeeds or not, that target becomes wary and immune to such ploys. o Prerequisite: One talent from the Research Talent Tree.

Bonus Feats

At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level, the Smart Hero gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following list, and the Smart Hero must meet any prerequisites. Alertness, Creative, Educated, Elusive Target, Focussed, Improved Aim, Improved Feint, Iron Will, Martial Arts, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Martial Longarms Proficiency, Martial Sidearms Proficiency, Medical Expert, Meticulous, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Speak Language, Surgery, Track.

T h e D e d i c a t ed Hero

The Dedicated Hero believes in a higher power, or a cause, or simply in himself and his own destiny. His willpower is insurmountable – the sheer strength of his convictions enables him to endure almost any hardship and overcome any obstacle. While the Tough Hero has great reserves of physical might, the Dedicated Hero’s spirit burns so bright it overcomes the limits of the flesh. Ability: Wisdom Hit Point Bonus: +2 Class Skills: The Dedicated Hero’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Craft (any) (Int), Drive (Dex), Gamble (Wis), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Treat Injury (Wis). Skill Points at 1st Level: (5 + Int modifier) x4.


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The Dedicated Hero Class Level 1st 2nd

Base Attack Bonus +0 +1

Fort Save +1 +2

Ref Save +0 +0

Will Save +1 +2

Defence +1 +2

Class Features Talent Bonus feat

3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

+2 +3 +3 +4 +5 +6/+1 +6/+1 +7/+2

+2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

+1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

+2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

+2 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Talent Bonus feat Talent Bonus feat Talent Bonus feat Talent Bonus feat

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 5 + Int modifier.

Starting Feats

In addition to the two feats all characters get at 1st level, a Dedicated Hero begins play with the Simple Longarms Proficiency feat.

Class Features

The following are class features of the Dedicated Hero.

Talents

At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level, the Dedicated Hero selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, he can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

Empathic Talent Tree

The Dedicated Hero’s innate talents give him a great capacity for empathy. •

Empathy: The Dedicated Hero has a knack for being sensitive to the feelings and thoughts of others without having those feelings and thoughts communicated in any objectively explicit manner. This innate talent provides a bonus on checks involving interaction skills (Bluff, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Perform, and Sense Motive), provided the hero spends at least 1 minute observing


2

Character Creation

his target prior to making the skill check. The bonus is equal to the character’s Dedicated Hero level. •

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Improved Aid Another: The Dedicated Hero’s bonus on attempts to aid another increases by +1 on a successful aid another check. This talent can be selected multiple times, each time increasing the bonus by +1. o Prerequisite: Empathy. Intuition: The Dedicated Hero has an innate ability to sense trouble in the air. The Dedicated Hero can make a Will saving throw (DC 15). On a successful save, the hero gets a hunch that everything is all right, or the hero gets a bad feeling about a specific situation, based on the Games Master’s best guess relating to the circumstances. This talent is usable a number of times per day equal to the character’s Dedicated Hero level. o Prerequisite: Empathy.

H e a l i n g T a l e n t Tree

The Dedicated Hero has a talent for healing. •

Healing Knack: The hero has a knack for the healing arts. The hero receives a +2 bonus on all Treat Injury skill checks.

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Healing Touch 1: The Dedicated Hero’s ability to restore damage with a doctor’s bag or perform surgery with a surgery kit increases by +2 hit points. o Prerequisite: Healing knack.

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Healing Touch 2: The Dedicated Hero’s ability to restore damage with a doctor’s bag or perform surgery with a surgery kit increases by +2 hit points, which stacks with healing touch 1 for a total of +4 hit points. o Prerequisites: Healing knack, healing touch 1.

I n s i g h t f u l T a l ent Tree

The Dedicated Hero’s innate insightfulness serves him well. •

Skill Emphasis: The Dedicated Hero chooses a single skill and receives a +3 bonus on all checks with that skill. This bonus does not allow the hero to make checks for a trained-only skill if the hero has no ranks in the skill.

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Aware: The Dedicated Hero is intuitively aware of his surroundings. The hero adds his base Will saving throw bonus to Listen or Spot checks to avoid surprise. o Prerequisite: Skill emphasis.

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Cool Under Pressure: The Dedicated Hero selects a number of skills equal to 3 + the hero’s Wisdom modifier. When making a check with one of these skills, the Dedicated hero can take 10 even when distracted or under duress. o Prerequisite: Skill emphasis, aware.

Bonus Feats

At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level, the Dedicated Hero gains a bonus feat. This feat must be from this list, and the Dedicated Hero must meet any prerequisites. Alertness, Animal Affinity, Blind Fight, Cautious, Confidant, Endurance, Focussed, Improved Aim, Iron Will, Literacy, Lucky, Martial Longarms Proficiency, Medical Expert, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Run, Shot on the Run, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Speak Language, Surgery, Toughness, Track, Weapon Focus.

T h e C h a r i s m a tic Hero

The Charismatic Hero might be a general or a shyster, a shaman or a snake-oil salesman. He is adept at inspiring, guiding and tricking others; his personality is alternately bright, warm, inspiring or forceful, but never bland or forgettable. He is larger-than-life, a potential legend in his own lifetime. Many of the most famous heroes of the West were far better at self-promotion than shooting… Ability: Charisma Hit Point Bonus: +2 Class Skills: The Charismatic Hero’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Craft (writing) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (civics, current events, geography, streetwise, theology and philosophy) (Int), Perform (any) (Cha), Profession (Wis) and Ride (Dex). Skill Points at 1st Level: (7 + Int modifier) x4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 7 + Int modifier.


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The Charismatic Hero Class Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th


Fort Save +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Ref Save +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Will Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Defence +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3


Feats

In addition to the two feats all characters get at 1st level, a Charismatic Hero begins play with the Simple Sidearms Proficiency feat.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Charismatic Hero.

Talents

At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level, the Charismatic Hero selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, he can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

Charm Talent Tree

The Charismatic Hero has an innate talent for being charming and captivating. •

Charm: The Charismatic Hero gets a bonus on all Charismabased skill checks made to influence members of his chosen gender. (Some characters are charming to members of the opposite gender, others to members of the same gender.) The bonus is equal to the character’s Charismatic Hero level. A Charismatic Hero can only charm non player characters with attitudes of indifferent or better. The charm bonus cannot be used against characters who are unfriendly or hostile.


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Character Creation

•

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Favour: The Charismatic Hero has the ability to acquire minor aid from anyone he meets. By making a favour check, a Charismatic Hero can gain important information without going through the time and trouble of doing a lot of research. Favours can also be used to acquire the loan of equipment or documents, or to receive other minor assistance in the course of an adventure. A Charismatic Hero spends 1 luck point to activate this talent. To make a favour check, roll a d20 and add the character’s favour bonus, equal to the character’s Charismatic Hero level. The Games Master sets the DC based on the scope of the favour being requested. The DC ranges from 10 for a simple favour to as high as 30 for formidable and highly dangerous, expensive, or illegal favours. A Charismatic hero cannot take 10 or 20 on this check, nor can the hero retry the check for the same (or virtually the same) favour. Favours should help advance the plot of an adventure. A favour that would enable a character to avoid an adventure altogether should always be unavailable to the character, regardless of the result of a favour check. The Games Master should carefully monitor a Charismatic Hero’s use of favours to ensure that this ability is not abused. The success or failure of a mission should not hinge on the use of a favour, and getting a favour should not replace good roleplaying or the use of other skills. The Games Master may disallow any favour deemed to be disruptive to the game. o Prerequisite: Charm. Captivate: The Charismatic Hero has the ability to temporarily beguile a target (a non player character)

through the use of words and bearing. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a captivate attempt, must be within 30 feet of the hero, and must be able to see, hear, and understand the hero. To captivate a target, the hero must use an attack action and make a Charisma check (DC 15), adding his Charismatic Hero level as a bonus. If the Charisma check succeeds, the target can try to resist. The target resists the captivation attempt by making a Will saving throw (DC 10 + Charismatic Hero’s class level + Charismatic Hero’s Charisma bonus). If the saving throw fails, the hero becomes the target’s sole focus. The target pays no attention to anyone else for 1 round. This focusing of the target’s attention allows other characters to take actions of which the captivated target is unaware. The effect ends immediately if the target is attacked or threatened. A Charismatic Hero can concentrate to keep a target captivated for additional rounds. The Charismatic Hero concentrates all his effort on the task, and the target gets to make a new Will save each round. The effect ends when the hero stops concentrating, or when the target succeeds on the save. o Prerequisites: Charm, Favour.

Fast-Talk Talent Tree

The Charismatic Hero has an innate talent for bending the truth and dazzling others with a combination of words, mannerisms, and charm.


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Fast-Talk: The Charismatic Hero has a way with words when attempting to con and deceive. With this talent, he applies his Charismatic level as a bonus on any Bluff, Diplomacy or Gamble checks the hero makes while attempting to lie, cheat, or otherwise bend the truth.

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Dazzle: The Charismatic Hero has the ability to dazzle a target (a non player character) through sheer force of personality, a winning smile and fast-talking. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a dazzle attempt, must be within 30 feet of the hero and must be able to see, hear and understand the hero. To dazzle a target, the hero must use an attack action and make a Charisma check (DC 15), adding his Charismatic Hero level as a bonus. If the Charisma check succeeds, the target can try to resist. The target resists the dazzle attempt by making a Will saving throw (DC 10 + Charismatic Hero’s class level + Charismatic Hero’s Charisma bonus). If the save fails, the target receives a –1 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks and saving throws for a number of rounds equal to the character’s Charismatic level. This talent can be selected multiple times, each time worsening the dazzled penalty by –1. o Prerequisite: Fast-talk.

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Taunt: The Charismatic Hero has the ability to temporarily rattle a target (a non player character) through the use of insults and goading. The target must have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher to be susceptible to a taunt, must be within 30 feet of the hero and must be able to hear and understand the hero. To taunt a target, the hero must use an attack action and make a Charisma check (DC 15), adding his Charismatic level as a bonus. If the Charisma check succeeds, the target can try to resist. The target resists the taunt by making a Will saving throw (DC 10 + Charismatic Hero’s class level + Charismatic Hero’s Cha bonus). If the save fails, the target becomes dazed (unable to act, but can defend normally) for 1 round. A taunt can be played on an opponent any number of times. o Prerequisites: Fast-talk, dazzle.

Leadership Talent Tree

The Charismatic Hero has a talent for leadership and inspiration. •

Coordinate: The Charismatic Hero has a knack for getting people to work together. When the hero can spend a full round directing his allies

and makes a Charisma check (DC 10), the hero provides any of his allies within 30 feet a +1 bonus on their attack rolls and skill checks. The bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the hero’s Charisma modifier. The hero can coordinate a number of allies equal to one-half his Charismatic Hero level, rounded down (to a minimum of one ally). •

Inspiration: The Charismatic Hero can inspire his allies, bolstering them and improving their chances of success. An ally must listen to and observe the Charismatic Hero for a full round for the inspiration to take hold and the hero must make a Charisma check (DC 10). The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the hero’s Charisma modifier. An inspired ally gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls. A Charismatic Hero cannot inspire himself. The hero can inspire a number of allies equal to one-half his Charismatic level, rounded down (to a minimum of one ally). o Prerequisite: Coordinate.

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Greater Inspiration: The Charismatic Hero can inspire his allies to even greater heights, bolstering them and improving their chances of success. An ally must listen to and observe the Charismatic Hero for a full round for the greater inspiration to take hold, and the hero must make a Charisma check (DC 10). The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the hero’s Charisma modifier. An inspired ally gains an additional +1 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls, which stacks with the bonus from inspiration for a total of a +3 morale bonus. A Charismatic Hero cannot inspire himself. The hero can inspire a number of allies equal to one-half his Charismatic level, rounded down (to a minimum of one ally). o Prerequisites: Coordinate, inspiration.

Bonus Feats

At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level, the Charismatic hero gains a bonus feat. This feat must be selected from the following list, and the Charismatic Hero must meet any prerequisites. Agile Riposte, Animal Affinity, Confidant, Creative, Deceptive, Dodge, Fan, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Literacy, Lucky, Martial Sidearms Proficiency, Nimble, Run, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Speak Language, Stealthy, Trustworthy, Weapon Focus.


2

Character Creation

Choose a Vocation

After picking your character’s starting class, the next step is to pick a vocation. The list of vocations is in Chapter Three, Vocations. Choose any one of the listed vocations, but choose wisely – some vocations can only be picked at this step at character generation, while others can be moved into later in the game. A vocation gives more talent options, as well as more skills to pick from. It may also affect a character’s Reputation (see below).

Sk i l l s , F e a t s and Talents

The character’s class and ability scores determine how many skill points and feats he has. Select skills from Chapter Four. Feats are listed in Chapter Four. Talents are listed in the class and vocation descriptions. A beginning first level character has at least two feats (plus any bonus feats from his class), one talent (which can be chosen from his class or vocation lists) and the amount of skill points listed for his class. Remember that a character can spend a feat slot to take a talent instead.

Literacy

A character with an Intelligence of 9 or more may gain the Literacy feat for free if he comes from an educated background.

Finishing Touches

Select equipment from Chapter Five according to the initial finances from your vocation. Fill out the character sheet, remembering to take ability score modifiers when working out skills.

Age

You can choose or randomly generate your character’s age. Most characters are adults (16+). With age, a character’s physical ability scores decrease and his mental ability scores increase (see Aging Effects). The effects of each aging step are cumulative. However, none of a character’s ability scores can be reduced below 1 in this way.

When a character reaches venerable age, the Games Master should secretly roll their maximum age, which is the number from the Venerable column on Aging Effects plus the result of the dice roll indicated on the Maximum Age column on that table, and records the result, which the player does not know. A character that reaches his maximum age dies of old age at some time during the following year. The maximum ages are for player characters but exist only as a maximum possibility. Most people in the West die from pestilence, accidents, infections, or violence long before they reach venerable age.

Aging Effects Maximum Middle Age1 Old2 Venerable3 Age 35 years 53 years 70 years +2d20 years 1 At middle age, –1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. 2 At old age, –2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. 3 At venerable age, –3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Height and Weight

The dice roll given in the Height Modifier column determines the character’s extra height beyond the base height. That same number multiplied by the dice roll or quantity given in the Weight Modifier column determines the character’s extra weight beyond the base weight.

Random Height and Weight Gender Male Female

Base Height 4´ 10½ 4´ 5½

Height Modifier +2d10 +2d10

Base Weight 120 lb. 85 lb.

Weight Modifier × (2d4) lb. × (2d4) lb.

Reputation

A character’s Reputation measures how well he is known in the West. Reputation is partially based on deeds, but personality and exaggerated rumours also play their part. A character’s Reputation begins at a value equal to his Charisma bonus plus his level. See Reputation, page XX.

Luck

Luck is a character’s edge in a fight, a measure of good or bad fate and fortune. A character’s Luck begins at 6+1d4. See Luck, page XX. Note that characters who begin play at a higher level do not have any extra Luck.


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Advancement

A western character improves gradually over the course of his career, gaining new levels. He may also switch vocation with each new level. The rate of advancement is up to the Games Master, but the following rates are suggested: •

In an episodic game, characters should advance one level between adventures.

•

In a continuing game with no gaps between scenarios, characters should advance once every four sessions.

Mul t i c l a s s Cha r a c t e r s

A character may add new classes as he progresses in levels, thereby becoming a multiclass character. The class abilities from all of a character’s classes combine to determine a multiclass character’s overall abilities.

Adding a Second Class

When a character with one class gains a level, he may choose to increase the level of his current class or pick up a new class at 1st level. The character gains the 1st level base attack bonus, base save bonuses, class skills, other class features of the new class, hit points rolled using the appropriate die type, and the new class’s number of skill points gained at each additional level (not that number x4, as is the case for a 1st level character). Picking up a new class is not exactly the same as starting a character in that class. Some of the benefits for a 1st level hero represent the advantage of training while the character was young and fresh, with lots of time to practice. The character gains new hit points equal to his new classes’ hit point bonus plus his Constitution modifier.

Class and Level Features

As a general rule, the abilities of a multiclass character are the sum of the abilities provided by each of the character’s classes.

Level

‘Character level’ is a character’s total number of levels. It is used to determine when feats and ability score increases are gained, as per the Level Dependant Benefits table (see above).

‘Class level’ is the character’s level in a particular class. For a hero whose levels are all in the same class, character level and class level are the same.

Hit Points

A hero gains hit points from each class as his level increases, adding the new hit point bonus to the previous total. Adding a second class, however, only gives access to the new class’s hit point bonus. As such, your first level in the second class does not receive maximum hit points as they would at character creation.

Base Attack Bonus

Add the base attack bonuses for each class to get the hero’s base attack bonus. A resulting value of +6 or higher provides the hero with multiple attacks. For instance, a 6th level Fast Hero/2nd level Strong Hero has a base attack bonus of +6 (+4 for the Fast Hero levels and +2 for the Strong Hero levels). A base attack bonus of +6 allows a second attack with a bonus of +1, even though neither the +4 from the Fast levels nor the +2 from the Strong levels normally allows an additional attack.

Additional Attacks Base Attack Bonus +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +11 +12 +13 +14 +15 +16 +17 +18 +19 +20

Additional Attacks at +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6/+1 +7/+2 +8/+3 +9/+4 +10/+5 +11/+6/+1 +12/+7/+2 +13/+8/+3 +14/+9/+4 +15/+10/+5

To use multiple attacks in the same round, you must use a full attack, which is a full-round action. Attacking and full-round actions are explained fully in Chapter Seven: Combat.

Saving Throws

Add the base save bonuses for each class together. A 3rd level Tough Hero/3rd level Fast Hero gets +3 on Fortitude saving throws (+2 for the Tough levels and +1 for the Fast levels), +3 on Reflex saving throws (+1 and +2), and +2 on Will saving throws (+1 and +1).


2

Character Creation

D e f e n c e B o n us

Ability Increases

Add the Defence bonuses for each class together. A 4th level Strong Hero/ 2nd level Smart Hero has a Defence bonus of +3 plus +1, for a total of +4. If the same hero then picked up a level of Dedicated Hero, he would add +1 to increase his Defence bonus to +5.

A multiclass character increases one ability score by +1 every four character levels, regardless of individual class level (see the Level-Dependent Benefits table).

Skills

Each time a multiclass character attains a new level, he either increases one of his current class levels by one or picks up a new class at 1st level. When a multiclass character increases one of his class levels by one, he gets all the standard benefits that characters receive for attaining the new level in that class: more hit points, possible bonuses on attack rolls, Defence, Reputation, and saving throws (depending on the class and the new level), a new class feature (as defined by the class) and new skill points.

A multiclass hero uses his character level to determine the maximum ranks he can have in a skill. If a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass hero’s classes, then use character level to determine a skill’s maximum rank. (The maximum rank of a class skill is 3 + character level.)

C l a s s F e a t u r es

The character gets all class features (talents, bonus feats, or other special abilities) of all classes for the levels he possesses.

Feats

A multiclass character receives a new feat every three character levels, regardless of individual class level (see the Level-Dependent Benefits table). Taking one level in a new class does not entitle a character to receive the two feats that a beginning 1st level character gets.

Advancing a Level

Skill points are spent according to the class that the multiclass character just advanced in (see the individual class descriptions for skill points per level). Skills purchased are purchased at the cost appropriate for the class level that gives them to the character.


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Vocations

A

character’s Vocation is his current career. A man was expected to be able to turn his hand to anything in the West, and many went through all sorts of jobs during their lives. Some turned from farmers to outlaws to cattle rustlers to cowboys to sheriffs and back again, all in the space of a few years.

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Shoot from the Hip: The gunslinger may gain a +3 bonus to Initiative for every –2 penalty to his attack roll in a duel. For example, a gunslinger who accepts a –6 penalty to his attack roll would gain a +9 bonus to Initiative. This is 50% better than the normal ‘+1 Initiative for –1 to hit’ exchange rate used in a duel.

Each vocation provides a number of class skills for the character, in addition to the class skills gained from his class. A vocation also has a list of talents; a character can take a talent from a vocation whenever he could normally acquire a new talent.

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Twitch: If the gunslinger is outdrawn, he may make a Reflex save (DC equals the Initiative total of the highest Initiative opponent). If the saving throw is successful, then the gunslinger acts at the exact same time as his opponent – their attacks are resolved simultaneously. o Prerequisites: Improved Quick Draw, Shoot from the Hip

A character can change vocation whenever he gains a new level, so long as he fulfils any prerequisites listed.

Gun s l i n g e r

The gunslinger is the quintessential hired gun – he lives by the gun and dies by the gun. Most gunslingers drift from one side of the law to the other. Sometimes, he rides with bandits and thieves; the next year or the next county, and he is working to defend some homestead against his former compatriots. His only loyalty is to the gun.

Trick Shooting Talent Tree

The gunslinger knows all sorts of trick shots and fancy moves. •

Improved Skip Shot: The gunslinger suffers no attack penalties for making a skip shot, and the damage from the attack is not halved. o Prerequisite: Skip Shot Feat

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Exact Shot: The gunslinger gains a +4 insight bonus to his attack roll shooting at a Tiny or smaller target. He cannot use this bonus when firing at an enemy, but can use it when trying to shoot a rope, hare, lantern, nickel, gun out of an enemy’s hand and so on.

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Between the Eyes: The gunslinger can now apply his +4 insight bonus to attack rolls from the Precise Shot feat to called shots against enemies. He only gains this bonus when making an attack against a particular location (see page XX, Called Shots Against Locations). o Prerequisite: Precise Shot feat

Prerequisites: Quick Draw, Simple Sidearms Proficiency. Vocation Skills: Intimidate, Spot, Repair and Ride. Wealth: Poor. Reputation Bonus: The gunslinger gains a Reputation bonus whenever he beats another gunslinger in a duel, if the other gunslinger had a higher Reputation. The bonus gained is equal to half the Reputation of the other character.

Quick Draw Talent Tree

The gunslinger is a master of drawing before the other guy. •

Improved Quick Draw: The gunslinger gains a +2 insight bonus to his Initiative score.


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Vocations

Dude

Dudes are relative newcomers or even tourists from more civilised places – or, at least, they affect the fashions and manners of more civilised people. A dude might be seen in the silk top hat and dinner jacket of an English nobleman, or be wearing the latest suits from Boston or Washington. Few are adept at gunfighting, but some have trained in boxing – Queensbury rules of course – or even knife fighting. A dude might survive by his wits alone, or else be merrily wasting an inheritance or investment from backers at home.

Genuine Dude Talent Tree

These talents relate to the dude’s standing back east. •

Connections: The dude has contacts back home, which he can call upon when he needs to. Each time the dude takes this talent, he must write or telegraph back home to call upon one of these contacts. The contact’s influence can give the dude a permanent +6 circumstance bonus to any Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate roll that targets a member of an organisation with ties back to the Federal government, eastern institutions or businesses and so on. Examples would include the US Army, the Wells Fargo stagecoach company, most banks, the Pinkertons and so on. A different contact (and hence, another use of this talent) must be used to impress each different local organisation. This talent can therefore be taken multiple times.

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Backing: The dude can call for money from back home. Whenever he takes this talent, his current Wealth is reset to Wealthy. This is a onceoff change – the dude can spend or squander this money again, and his wealth will not reset unless he takes this talent again. This talent can be taken multiple times.

A dude must choose if he is genuine (he really is rich and backed by money from the east) or a phoney (he merely pretends to be wealthy and is really a con artist). Prerequisites: Charisma 13. A character must begin play as a genuine dude and cannot take this Vocation later in life under normal circumstances (although there are exceptions – a penniless cowboy might turn out to be the heir to a vast fortune. Such revelations are up to the Games Master.) A character can become a phoney dude whenever he can normally change career. Vocation Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge (art, civics, current affairs, history, theology & philosophy) Wealth: Varies (Poor to Very Rich). Reputation Bonus: The genuine dude gains no Reputation bonus, but may make a Diplomacy check at a DC of 10+his current Reputation to gain a +1d6 Reputation bonus by playing on his connections back home. A phoney dude may use Bluff instead of Diplomacy.

Fancy Pants Talent Tree

The dude brings a measure of civility and style to the West that can impress others.


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The latest style: By dressing in a fancy and stylish fashion, the dude gains a +2 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Profession checks.

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A Confidante of Dame Rumour: The dude can spread news of events back east, tales of wars, scandals and market crashes that can cause alarm in the West. He may substitute his 10 + his current Reputation for the d20 roll when making a Bluff check.

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Stylish Attack: The dude may substitute his Charisma modifier for his Dexterity modifier when making a melee attack with Weapon Finesse. o Prerequisite: Weapon Finesse feat.

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Moun t a i n M a n

Fur trappers and early settlers have been living on the edges of the West for decades. Such grizzled pioneers usually live alone in log cabins or other isolated settlements. Solitary and taciturn folk, they prefer to be left alone with the earth and sky, and fight like cornered grizzlies when their solitude is threatened. Prerequisites: Constitution 13.

Animal Companion Talent Tree

With nothing around except land and sky, some mountain men become quite attached to a wolf, hawk, bear or other animal. •

Animal Companion: To take this talent, the mountain man must win the friendship of an animal and begin taming it with the Handle Animal skill. He gains a +4 insight bonus to all Handle Animal checks made with the animal. He may also handle the animal as a free action or push it as a move action. The animal companion has an Intelligence score of at least 2, as the mountain man has a knack of selecting only the smartest critter to be his companion.

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Enhance Companion: The animal companion gains an animal level. This talent may be taken multiple times. o Prerequisite: Animal Companion.

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Faithful Friend: The animal companion has an eerie affinity with the character. It is always able to find him, and tends to turn up in the nick of time. The character may spend a luck point to have his companion appear nearby. o Prerequisites: Animal Companion.

Vocation Skills: Climb, Craft (traps, woodworking), Handle Animal, Hide, Survival. Wealth: Poor. Reputation Bonus: The mountain man’s Reputation increases by +1 per two years spent out in the wilderness.

Mo u n t a i n M a n T a l e nt Tree

The mountain man has survived in the wild for years, and has picked up a few tricks that even the Indians do not know... •

Self-sufficiency: The mountain man has learned to make his own tools and maintain his own weapons. He has a +4 insight bonus to any Craft, Repair or Treat Injury checks he makes, but only when making such checks for his own possessions, his animal companion or on himself. For example, the mountain man gains a +4 insight bonus when treating his own wounds, not those of another.

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Trapper: The mountain man is a skilled trapper. He has a +2 insight bonus to Craft (traps) rolls, and the base DC to find his traps is increased to 15.

Trust nobody 'cept yourself: As long as the mountain man has time to prepare the ground, he can set up all sorts of traps, weapon caches, hides, foxholes and other useful tricks. For every twenty minutes spent preparing a site, the mountain man may set up some trick that acts like an Aid Another action – in this case, the other that the mountain man aids is actually himself when he is in the prepared location. The character does not have to specify what these tricks are in advance – the player may choose in any round to take an Aid Another action, as long as he can justify it with some trick the mountain man could have set up in advance. Only the mountain man can use these tricks. A character can have a maximum number of these tricks set up equal to the number of ranks he has in Craft (traps). o Prerequisites: Trapper


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Miner

The lure of gold and other precious metals drew many men out West. From California to the Black Hills, prospecting and mining is the fastest way to get rich quick – or lose it all on an empty riverbed or worked-out vein. Miners tend to be interested solely in making their fortune and then heading home – few intended to come out West forever.

Vocations

Prerequisites: None. Vocation Skills: Balance, Craft (structural), Demolitions, Repair, Search.

Prerequisites: Proficiency.

Vocation Skills: Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (law), Sense Motive. Wealth: Poor to Average for most towns; Well Off to Rich in more dangerous places. Reputation Bonus: The lawman gains a Reputation bonus whenever he brings in a criminal, if the criminal had a higher Reputation. The bonus gained is equal to half the Reputation of the criminal.

Law Enforcement Talent Tree

Reputation Bonus: A miner’s Reputation increases by +1d6 whenever he makes a strike.

M i n i n g T a l e n t Tree

The desire for wealth drives such men, and this is reflected in their talents.

Good Reputation +3, Simple Sidearms

Bringing the law to the West requires specific talents. •

Demand Aid: The lawman may attempt to round up a posse or obtain other help from upstanding people. Anyone he demands aid from must make a Will save equal to the total of the lawman’s Reputation plus their Reputation. (Count bad Reputations as negative for the purposes of calculating the Will save DC). If the save fails then the target must give some help to the lawman. This can be no more than token help, but the target must do something that will aid the lawman. This ability cannot be used on those actively opposed to the lawman, but can be used on prisoners, to try to convince them to talk.

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Obsessive Work: The miner may push himself to an astonishing degree. When making any Craft, Demolitions or ability score check that requires at least eight hours of work, the miner may take 20 in the time it would normally require to take 10 for the purposes of volume of work done. A miner might not be able to build a better wall in less time, but his obsessive focus does let him build a bigger or longer one quickly.

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Familiar Tools: The miner is adept at using mining tools to defend himself. He gains a +2 insight bonus to his attacks when using a pick or shovel.

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Sixth Sense: The miner is quick to notice cave-ins and foul air, and this has trained him to keep his eyes, ears and especially his nose open. The miner may spend a luck point to avoid being flat-footed in the face of an ambush or unexpected danger.

Silver Star: The lawman’s status makes him more intimidating. While pursing his duties, he gains a +4 bonus to Intimidation checks made against criminals.

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Gets His Man: The lawman’s devotion to duty keeps him going against the odds. He may spend a luck point to regain a number of hit points equal to the Reputation of the criminal he is current chasing. He may use this talent once per day. o Prerequisite: Silver Star.

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Strike!: The miner has found gold or some other precious metal. He may either increase his current wealth category permanently by one, or else by three for 1d6 months.

Lawman

Communities in the West were often lawless save for a sheriff and a handful of deputies. There are was no formal qualification for becoming a peace officer – the townsfolk generally choose someone from among their number who seemed trustworthy and tough enough to enforce justice.

Storekeeper

Civilisation grew up in the West around trading posts and general stores. While few famous heroes of the West made their reputation through trading alone, a season or two as a storekeeper can be a welcome break for an exhausted or injured gunslinger. Prerequisites: None.


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Vocation Skills: Bluff or Diplomacy, Knowledge (civics, streetwise), Profession. Wealth: Poor to Average. Reputation Bonus: Storekeepers gain no permanent bonus to Reputation, but gain a temporary bonus depending on the influence of their store. Having the only store in town might be worth a +3 bonus; being just another trader in a large cowtown might be worth only +1 (or +2 if your stock is especially good).

Trader Talent Tree

In an age where gold strikes, wars and changing fortunes made the value of a dollar a wild card, the canny trader learned to read both the market and his customers. •

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Sociable: The general store owner gets to know everyone. Each time this talent is taken, the storekeeper either gains a +1 Reputation bonus or a +2 insight bonus to Knowledge (streetwise) and Gather Information checks. Careful Trading: The storekeeper knows the value of an item. He gains a +4 insight bonus when trading (see page XX). Ambitions: Many storekeepers had high hopes for the success of their business and dreamed of founding their own mercantile empires to rival the Hudson Bay Company. The storekeeper gains a +4 insight bonus to running a business (see page XX). o Prerequisite: Careful Trading.

Stableman

A stableman is skilled at taking care of horses, stagecoaches and other vehicles. Some are stagecoach drivers, whipping a team of horses across the plains. Others work at way stations or in stables. Wherever they find themselves, stablemen are more comfortable with animals than people and generally reckon that a good horse is more honest than most men. Prerequisites: Exotic Weapons Proficiency (whip), Handle Animal 3 ranks. Vocation Skills: Drive, Handle Animal, Repair, Ride. Wealth: Poor. Reputation Bonus: bonuses.

Stablemen gain no Reputation

Stable Talent Tree

The stableman is talented at taking care and guiding horses, but can turn his whip into a weapon should the need arise. •

Insightful Care: The stableman gains a +4 insight bonus to Handle Animal and Treat Injury checks when aiding a horse. He may also spend a luck point to push a horse or team of horses as a free action.

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Whip-hand: The stableman gains a +2 insight bonus to attack rolls with whip or lasso. o Prerequisite: Exotic Weapon Proficiency with the appropriate weapon.


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Masterful Driver: Under the stableman’s steady hand, he can keep a stagecoach moving and intact no matter what the conditions. The stableman may choose to transfer damage from a vehicle he is driving to himself as a free action. This damage takes the form of bruises and fatigue, not wounds.

Riding the Range Talent Tree

Much of the cowboy’s time is spent out on the range, hunting strays or guarding against rustlers. •

The Long Ride: Cowboys must ride for long days, trekking across countryside on the range. A cowboy may regain hit points over a day’s ride as if he were resting in bed.

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Far Range: The cowboy is adept at pushing his mount and finding the best route along a trail. He may travel 10% more miles per day instead of the usual amount.

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Life in the Saddle: The cowboy may always take 10 on Ride checks, even in dangerous or stressful situations such as combat.

Vocations

Cowboy

Vast herds of longhorns and white face cattle now graze where the buffalo once roamed. The huge ranches employ cowboys to keep watch over their stocks, to bring them in for branding and to drive them north to the cowtowns and the slaughterhouses. At the end of a drive, gangs of cowboys, flush with pay, ride into town and raise hell. Prerequisites: Handle Animal 3 ranks. Vocation Skills: Handle Animal, Ride. Wealth: Varies – Well Off at the end of a trail drive, dropping down to Struggling or Penniless later in the year. Reputation Bonus: increases.

Cowboys gain no Reputation

C o w p u n c h i n g T alent Tree

The art of the cattle drive requires its own specialised techniques. •

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Cowpuncher: A cowboy can bring a steer down by wrestling it to its knees. When grappling, the character may ignore size modifiers to grapple checks when dealing with creatures that are within one size category of himself (he may grapple Large creatures without penalty). Animal Dodge: Dealing with thousands of fearful stampeding cattle has given the cowboy a sixth sense when it comes to avoiding getting trampled. He gains a +4 dodge bonus to Melee Defence when facing a Large animal. Lariat Master: The cowboy has a +2 insight bonus to attack rolls with a lasso. o Prerequisite: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Lasso)

Scout

The trails were blazed by scouts; they move through the wilderness like ghosts, appearing when needed or when they find their quarry. Their paths criss-cross the country, from sea to shining sea. Many of the best scouts are Indian or mixed-blood, travelling paths now lost to their people. The army employs many scouts, while others can be found on what frontier is left. Prerequisites: Survival 3 ranks, Track feat. Vocation Skills: Handle Animal, Ride, Spot, Survival. Wealth: Poor. Reputation Bonus: A scout’s Reputation increases by +1 every year he spends travelling.

Scouting Talent Tree

The scout is astonishingly stealthy and cunning. •

Whisper of the Land: The scout has learned to put his ear to the ground and hear the rumours of the land. He may retry a failed tracking check and use his Listen skill instead of Survival. o Prerequisite: Track feat.

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Trailblazer: The scout may identify the best path through any terrain. Anyone following a scout gains a +2 morale bonus to any Fortitude saves, Drive or Ride checks used to navigate or endure hardships on the trail.

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Stealth: The scout is a master of stealth in the wilderness. He gains a +2 insight modifier to Hide


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and Move Silently checks in the wild. o Prerequisite: Trailblazer.

Favoured Horse Talent Tree

Most scouts have a single trustworthy steed that has carried them across the land. •

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Animal Companion: To take this talent, the scout must have a suitable horse. He gains a +4 insight bonus to all Handle Animal or Ride checks made with the horse. He may also handle the horse as a free action or push it as a move action. However, if the animal companion is slain, the scout loses all his luck and suffers a –2 morale penalty to all rolls until he obtains a replacement companion by retaking this talent. Enhance Companion: The horse gains an animal level. This feat may be taken multiple times. o Prerequisite: Animal Companion. Faithful Friend: The horse has an eerie affinity with the character. It is always able to find him, and tends to turn up in the nick of time. The character may spend a luck point to have his companion appear nearby. o Prerequisites: Animal Companion. Improved Mount: The scout’s companion gains an extra horse feat. This talent may be taken multiple times.

Rustler

Thur’s wealth in them thar cows. With free-range grazing being the most common type of ranching in the West, and good money being paid for beef up north, the practise of stealing cattle has become common. Almost every cowboy has mavericked a calf from a neighbouring ranch and some have become full-time rustlers, raiding cattle from the herds and illegally selling them to other ranchers – even, on some occasions, back to their original owners. Prerequisites: Exotic Weapons Proficiency (lasso). Vocation Skills: Handle Animal, Hide, Ride, Survival. Wealth: Penniless. Reputation Bonus: Rustlers gain no Reputation.

Rustling Talent Tree

Stealing cows out from under the nose of watchful ranches requires a certain daring. •

Cause Stampede: The rustler is skilled at scattering and alarming herds of animals. He has a +4 insight bonus to all attempts to cause panic among animals.

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Swift Rope: The rustler can throw a lasso extremely quickly and accurately. He has a +2 insight bonus to all attack rolls with lassos. o Prerequisite: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (lasso)


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Vanish into the Wild: The DC to track a rustler’s trail is increased by +1 for every two ranks the rustler has in Survival.

Vocations

Robber

The explosion of wealth in the West from mines, land claims and so on, coupled with the general lawlessness and lack of law enforcement means that many try their hands as bank or train robbers, stagecoach hijackers or payroll thieves. It is a lot easier to make a fortune by donning a mask and pointing a pistol in some poor clerks face – but it is also a quick route to the hangman’s noose.

Safecracking Talent Tree

Blowing open a vault with dynamite is the easiest approach, but is noisy and draws unwelcome attention. •

Improved Demolitions: The robber can guess just how much explosive to use to blow open a container. He has a +4 insight bonus to Demolitions checks when blowing items open (but not when blowing items apart, or up…)

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Keen Ear: The character can hear the fall of tumblers inside a mechanical lock. He may take 10 on an Open Lock check even when stressed or under fire.

Prerequisites: None. Vocation Skills: Bluff, Intimidate, Hide, Move Silently. Wealth: Struggling. Reputation Bonus: Robbers automatically have a Bad Reputation. They gain a +1d4 Reputation increase with every successful robbery.

R a i d i n g T a l e n t Tree

A good robber learns to commit his crimes quickly, then make for the hills before the law shows up. •

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Improved Intimidate: The robber may substitute his 10 + Reputation for the d20 roll when making an Intimidation check against any character who is of lower level than the robber. Planning the Job: If the robber spends one hour casing a building, he may plot the best method to attack it. Any cover bonuses are reduced by one category – a clerk hiding behind a desk has only one-quarter cover, not one-half should the robber shoot at him. Overwatch: The robber may ready an action to shoot anyone within 30 feet. He may act normally while holding this readied action, but may not attack (mechanically, he has two move actions each round). When the robber’s readied action is triggered, the robber must make a Reflex save (DC equals the initiative score of the character who triggered the readied action). If the save is successful, the robber’s shot happens first; if the save is failed, then the robber shoots after the other character has acted. o Prerequisite: Improved Intimidate

Boatman

The great Missouri-Mississippi is the border between East and West, travelled by paddleboats, steamers, floating casinos and cargo ships of all descriptions. Further West, water becomes much less common until the Pacific, but there are still rivers and lakes to be navigated. The boatman is a crewman or croupier on the larger vessels, or master of his own smaller ship. Prerequisites: None. Vocation Skills: Gamble, Repair, Swim. Wealth: Average. Reputation Bonus: Boatmen do not gain in Reputation.

Boatman’s Talent Tree

The boatman has a few unique talents to call his own. •

Confined Spaces: The boatman is adept at fighting inside very confined spaces such as belowdecks on a ship. He gains a +1 Dodge bonus to his Defence when there are two walls within ten feet of him, or in conditions where there are lots of obstacles and barriers scattered around.

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Knock Overboard: One good solid punch can knock a man overboard. The boatman may choose to knock an opponent back with a brawl attack instead of dealing damage. The target is knocked back one foot for every point of damage that would normally be inflicted. This attack only works on creatures the same size or smaller than the boatman. A boatman may only make one Knock Overboard attack per round.


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Bar t e n d e r

Drinking and gambling are the two most common pastimes in the West, and both can be found in the saloon. The bartender is often the centre of a community – all life passes through his saloon, so he is the first to hear gossip and rumours. The bartender is often something of an authority in town, on a par with the mayor or preacher in terms of influence.

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Know Everything That Goes On In Town: The bartender is a clearing house for rumours. While running his own bar, he automatically hears any rumours that come through town without having to make a Gather Information check. This talent can only be used while the bartender is running his own drinking establishment for at least two weeks.

Settler

Prerequisites: None. Vocation Skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (streetwise), Sense Motive. Wealth: Average. Reputation Bonus: Bartenders gain a +1 Reputation increase every two years.

Tending Bar Talent Tree

The bartender has a knack for uncovering secrets. •

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Duck Behind The Bar: If the bartender is within five feet of a bar or similar cover (water trough, bed), he may take cover behind it as a free action. He may take this action outside of the normal initiative cycle.

The vast plains of the Midwest have attracted thousands of settlers. Some have their own small farms, others work on ranches or dwell in small towns practicing some craft. The simple life of a settler is peaceful and perhaps dull compared to riding the range or working as a hired gun, but it is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and offers the chance to raise a family in comparative security. Prerequisites: None. Vocation Skills: Craft (any), Handle Animal. Wealth: Poor. Reputation Bonus: Reputation.

Settlers do not increase in

Talkin’ About It: The bartender may wheedle secrets out of drinkers at his bar. He gains a +3 insight bonus to Gather Information or Sense Motive checks made against drunk people. He also gains a +3 bonus to Fortitude saves against impairment from drunkenness.


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S e t t l e r T a l e n t Tree

Settlers gain few unique talents from their choice of vocation.

Vocations

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Leisure Time: Because the settler has time to practise and relax in the long evenings, he may spent two talent choices to gain any other talent from any vocation. This talent may be taken multiple times.

Soiled Dove Talent Tree

Soiled Doves can use their position and talents to gather information or inspire others. •

Pillow Talk: If the soiled dove spends a few minutes talking with a man, she gains a +4 insight bonus to Sense Motive and Gather Information checks made against him.

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Unrecognised Talent: The settler may take this talent, but gains no immediate benefit from it. However, when he changes vocation, he may spend a luck point at any time to change this talent into a talent granted by the new vocation. This talent may be taken multiple times.

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Inspire: The soiled dove can transfer luck points to another character. She may transfer up to half her current luck points to another character as a free action. This talent may be used once per day. The soiled dove regains these transferred luck points normally.

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Recover from Injury: Over time, a wounded settler can adapt to a changed situation. If the character has lost a limb through infection or injury, he can learn to cope with his reduced abilities and overcome the penalties caused by amputation. See Amputees, page XX.

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Retire: The final settler talent allows a character to put his gun aside, settle down and raise a family. The player may transfer half his remaining luck points to his next player character. This talent may only be taken by a character who is level 5 or higher.

Rose of the Prairie: Even the cruellest bandit might pause at the thought of hurting a woman. The soiled dove may spend a luck point to activate this talent for ten rounds– anyone trying to attack her must make a Will save at a DC of 10 + her Charisma bonus or be unable to attack her this round.

Soiled Dove

The West needs women. The ratio of men to women is heavily tilted away from the fairer sex – in some regions, there are forty men or more to one woman. Such a tense imbalance has led to the rise of all sorts of immoral activities – dance halls, bordellos and so on. The soiled dove is a woman who came West due to involvement in such things (or perhaps was forced into this life when tragedy and penury befell her). Sometimes an object, sometimes a performer, sometimes a confidant or even a true love, the soiled dove may be trying to escape her immoral fate or consider it just another way to survive in this harsh world. Prerequisites: Character must be female. Vocation Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Perform. Wealth: Average to Well Off. Reputation Bonus: Reputation.

Soiled Doves do not increase in

Tenderfoot

While the dude has come West for only a short time, the tenderfoot is here to stay – assuming he survives. The tenderfoot has almost no clue about how to survive in the West, but he is a product of the culture and breeding of the civilised East coast and therefore is surely better than any unwashed cow-herder or Indian. Prerequisites: A character must start play as a tenderfoot to take this vocation. Vocation Skills: None. Wealth: Well Off. Reputation Bonus: Reputation.

Tenderfoots do no increase in

Tenderfoot Talent Tree

Tenderfoots have few applicable talents, other than learning quickly. •

Unrecognised Talent: The tenderfoot may take this talent, but gains no immediate benefit from it. However, when he changes vocation, he may spend a luck point at any time to change this talent


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into a talent granted by the new vocation. This talent may be taken multiple times. •

Beginner's Luck: The tenderfoot gains 1d6 luck points whenever he does anything amazingly stupid due to his ignorance of Western culture and conditions. He only gains these luck points the first time he risks life and limb.

Tr o o p e r

The United States army has forts throughout the West, to keep watch on Indian reservations or to guard the borderlands against Mexican adventurers. Actively serving troopers can be found in saloons and whorehouses near these forts. Other ex-soldiers went West after the Civil War; some wanted to forget their pasts, while others hoped to put their military training to use as hired guns. Prerequisites: None. Vocation Skills: Ride, Search, Spot. Wealth: Average. Reputation Bonus: A trooper gains +2 Reputation whenever he is promoted, and a +1d6 increase in Reputation if in command during a major battle.

Cavalry Talent Tree

The famed U.S. Cavalry was formed to fight on the wideopen plains and prairies. Improved Mounted Combat: The penalties for firing weapons from horseback is halved. Sound the Charge: The familiar bugle of the cavalry has sounded on many battlefields and killing grounds. The character gains a +2 morale bonus to attacks and his Defence score when charging. In The Nick Of Time: The cavalry tend to show up just when they are needed. A cavalry officer gains a +2 bonus to Survival, Spot, Search and Ride checks when searching for someone in need of rescue.

Infantry Talent Tree

The Civil War was primarily fought with infantry, marching through the smoke and carnage of the battlefield. The famous ‘Buffalo Soldier’ units were formed during this era, made up of black soldiers who were later assigned to western forts. •

Veteran: The soldier has killed before, and is capable of doing so again. He has a +1 bonus to ranged attacks.

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Through the Smoke: The soldier is used to fighting in difficult conditions. He may reduce the miss chance due to concealment by up to 25%.


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Vocations

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Indomitable Endurance: An infantry soldier often carries old wounds, but is tougher and has learned to cope with the pain. He may reduce his permanent hit point total by up to four points, and reduce the impairment penalties from wounds by an equal amount. This talent may only be taken at character generation, or after the character takes a serious (or worse) wound.

S o l d i e r i n g T a l ent Tree

This tree of talents relates to a character’s rank within the army. High-ranking characters have more experience in command. •

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Corporal: The officer is or was in charge of a squad or handful of men. He may use the Smart Hero’s Plan talent. If he already possesses that talent, he gains a +5 insight bonus to any attempt to use the Smart Hero Plan talent. This talent also counts as being part of the Research tree for the purposes of taking that feat. Captain: The officer once commanded a company, and has a certain level of respect and fame. He may substitute his current 10 + Reputation instead of rolling a d20 when making an Intimidation, Diplomacy or Charisma check. o Prerequisite: Corporal General or Major: The officer was once in charge of a whole regiment. He may request aid from the army, requisitioning equipment or even borrowing soldiers for private enterprises. o Prerequisite: Captain

J o u r n a l i st

Small-town newspapers were founded in many towns; the ‘journalist’ was also the editor, printer and publisher. As the appeal of the West grew, many famous gunslingers and lawmen (and bandits) attracted their own biographers and chroniclers. Exaggerated tales of heroism and danger became wildly popular, and the myth of the West became firmly embedded in the public consciousness. The scouts and cowboys may have built the West, but it was the journalists and writers that created it. Prerequisites: None. Vocation Skills: Bluff, Craft (writing), Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (any), Search, Sense Motive. Wealth: Well Off.

Reputation Bonus: A journalist or writer gets a +1d6 bonus in Reputation whenever he has a major newspaper scoop or popular new novel.

Power of the Press Talent Tree

This talent tree emphasises manipulating public opinion and fame. Reputation Boost: By writing an article praising or damning an individual, the journalist may increase or decrease the target’s Reputation. The journalist may make a Craft (creative writing) check at a DC of the target’s Reputation; if the check fails, then the Reputation is increased or decreased by one. Moral Outrage: The journalist can write an article that attracts a great deal of attention from his readership, provoking strong emotions and even action from them. The journalist must make a Craft (writing) check; the DC is at least 10, and varies depending on the issue at hand. For every point by which the journalist’s result beats the DC, 1d6 people take action. Note that only a fraction of these people will take effective action.

Investigative Talent Tree

This talent tree centres on ferreting out the truth. •

Hard-hitting Questions: By bombarding a target with a series of questions, the journalist may force a target to say something they did not mean to. The journalist may make a Bluff check opposed by the target’s Will save; if successful, the target automatically fails his next Bluff check made against the journalist.

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Pursuit of the Story: The journalist receives a +2 morale bonus to Hide, Listen, Move Silently and Spot checks while trying to investigate a potential story. The journalist must spend a luck point to activate this talent.

Preacher

From well-meaning missionaries trying to bring Christianity to the heathens (both white and red) to fire-and-brimstone preachers, the man of God is a common sight in many towns. Out in the wilderness of mining camps and isolated communities, the only religion might come from the occasional visit of a wandering cleric. Even in larger towns with multiple religious leaders, the townsfolk often could not afford a church for each denomination, so the various faiths were often forced to share a single building until the town’s wealth and population grew.


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Prerequisites: None.

morale bonus to Will saves and Concentration checks for the rest of the day.

Vocation Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Perform. Wealth: Well Off. Reputation Bonus: A preacher may add his Charisma modifier to his reputation every year.

Preacher Talent Tree

Gambler

A man with sufficient nerve and luck could make a good living as a gambler or card sharp. Games like poker were very popular diversions in the West, so fleecing flush miners and cowboys of their hard-won money. Unsuccessful gamblers had to be quick with their guns, too; cheating could lead to shooting in quick order.

This talent tree covers the power of faith and belief.

Prerequisites: None.

Blessing: By firing up his faithful with the power of the Lord, the preacher may transfer up to a quarter his luck points to another character or group of characters. The preacher regains these luck points normally.

Vocation Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Gamble, Gather Information, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand.

Moral Outrage: The preacher sways hearts and minds, provoking strong emotions and even action from his flock. The preacher must make a Perform check; the DC is at least 10, and varies depending on the issue at hand. For every point by which the preacher’s result beats the DC, 1d6 people take action. Note that only a fraction of these people will take effective action.

Reputation Bonus: A Gambler gains a +1 Reputation bonus for every $1,000 he wins or loses.

Righteous Anger: The preacher may make a Knowledge (theology and philosophy) check to justify his actions according to his faith; the DC for this check ranges from 5 (genuinely good acts) to 20 (tortuous logic and blind faith are needed). If the check succeeds, the preacher gains a +2

Wealth: Varies, usually Average.

Gambling Talent Tree

While the gambler normally relies on his Gambling and Sleight of Hand skills, these talents give him an extra edge. •

Poker Face: The gambler is careful to hide any signs that might give away his current state of mind. He may add half his ranks in Concentration to any Bluff checks that are being opposed by another’s


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Sense Motive. This does not make a lie any more believable, but does ensure that the gambler’s face is virtually unreadable. •

Vocations

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Devil's Luck: The gambler gains 2d6 luck points, but can only use these luck points for gambling. The gambler may take this talent multiple times. Detect Mark: The gambler has a knack for finding those with more money than sense. He may make a Gather Information check (DC 10) to locate any games of chance in town, or to locate people open to gambling.

Doctor

In the violent and dangerous West, a doctor was a necessity for any community. Anyone with a basic knowledge of anatomy and medicine could practise as a surgeon.

Sawbones Talent Tree

A specialised doctor learns several extra talents beyond simple medicine. •

Improved Surgery: The doctor gains a +4 insight bonus to Treat Injury checks for surgery. o Prerequisite: Surgery feat.

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Improved Care: Patients under the doctor’s care regain 6 + their Constitution bonus in hit points per day instead of 4 + their Constitution bonus.

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Get Back On Your Feet: The doctor may cure ability score damage. He may make a Treat Injury roll at a DC of 5 + (amount of ability score damage x 5). If the check is successful, he cures one point of ability score damage. This talent may only be used once per day on a particular patient.

Prerequisites: Treat Injury +1. Vocation Skills: Craft (chemical), Knowledge (physical sciences), Treat Injury. Reputation Bonus: A doctor gains a +1 bonus to his Reputation for every year of practising.


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A

Skills And Feats

character has a number of skill points (see Chapter Two, Character Creation) that are used to buy skills. The character’s class and Intelligence modifier determine the number of points received. If the character buys a class skill, he gets 1 rank in the skill for each skill point spent. If the character buys a cross-class skill, he gets ½ rank per skill point spent. Half a rank does not add anything to the modifier for using that skill, but it does allow a check when the skill can only be used trained.

Using Skills

To make a skill check, you roll 1d20 and add the appropriate skill modifier. Skill modifiers follow a simple equation: Skill modifier = skill ranks + ability modifier + miscellaneous modifiers. Miscellaneous modifiers can be anything from synergy bonuses (we will get to those later on) to circumstantial bonuses and penalties based on where you are doing the skill and how many desperadoes are blazing away at you. To be a little more specific: •

Skill Ranks: A character’s ranks in a skill is based on the number of skill points the character has invested in the skill. Some skills can be used even if the character has no ranks in the skill; doing this is also called making an untrained skill check.

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Ability Modifier: The ability modifier used in the skill check is the modifier for the skill’s key ability (the ability associated with the skill’s use). The key ability of a skill is noted in its description.

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modifiers can be much higher than 23 once ability bonuses and other factors are added in, but skill ranks themselves can never be higher than 23. When making a skill check, a character adds his skill ranks to the roll as part of the skill modifier.

Skill Checks and Automatic Rolls

Unlike with attack rolls and saving throws, a natural roll of 20 on the d20 is not an automatic success when making a skill check, and a natural roll of 1 is not an automatic failure. This reflects the fact that bonuses and penalties with skill checks can often be wider than the twenty point margin of the die roll itself, and that some tasks become so simple and some people become so adept that skills failing one time in twenty just is not reasonable.

Difficulty Class

Some checks are made against a Difficulty Class (DC). The DC is a number set by the Games Master (using the skill rules as a guideline) that a character must attain to succeed. This number is the sum total of every condition inherent in the check itself and does not include environmental factors or aspects outside the scope of the basic skill. Those are circumstantial or synergy modifiers and they augment the check, not the Difficulty Class.

Difficulty Class Examples Difficulty (DC) Very easy (0)

Miscellaneous Modifiers: Miscellaneous modifiers include bonuses provided by feats and class features, and penalties such as the ones associated with injuries, among others.

Easy (5) Average (10) Tough (15)

Acquiring Skill Ranks

Challenging (20) Heroic (30) Nearly impossible (40)

Ranks indicate how much training, experience, or innate talent a character has with a given skill. Each skill has a number of ranks, from 0 (for a skill in which a character has no training at all) to 23 (for a 20th-level character who has increased a class skill to its maximum rank). Skill

Example (Skill Used) Notice something very large in plain sight (Spot) Climb a knotted rope (Climb) Palm a coin (Sleight of Hand) Rig a wagon wheel to fall off (Disable Device) Safely ride a horse at full speed over rocky terrain (Ride) Leap across a 30 foot chasm (Jump) Track a warparty of Indians across hard ground after 24-hours of heavy rainfall (Survival)


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Skills and Feats

O p p o s e d ( C o n t e sted) Checks

Some skill checks are opposed checks. They are made against a randomised number, usually another character’s skill check result. For ties on opposed checks, the character with the higher base skill bonus wins. If those scores are the same, the highest key ability score wins the tie. If these are also the same, every character involved rerolls the check.

Example Opposed Checks Attempted Action Trying to sneak past a guard dog Convincing a sheriff that you did not see which way they went Hiding from a war party Chasing after a stolen stagecoach on horseback Disguising yourself as a preacher Grabbing the bag of gold dust off the counter without being seen Recognising that a $10 bill is counterfeit

Skill Move Silently Bluff

Opposing Skill Listen

Hide

Spot

Ride

Drive

Disguise

Spot

Sleight of Hand

Spot

Forgery

Forgery

Sense Motive

Trying Again

If a character fails a skill check, he can sometimes try again. Check the applicable skill description to find out if, and under what circumstances, a character can try again. Many skills have natural consequences for failing that must be accounted for. Even if these offer another try, the consequence must be suffered first. Some skills cannot be tried again once a check has failed for a particular task. If the use of a skill carries no penalty for failure, a character can ‘take 20’, as per the rules given below, and assume that he keeps trying until he eventually succeeds (assuming he has enough of a modifier to succeed.)

U n t r a i n e d S k ill Checks

Generally, if a character attempts to use a skill he does not have any ranks in, the character makes a skill check as described. The character’s skill modifier does not include skill ranks because the character does not have any. The character does get other modifiers, though, such as the ability modifier for the skill’s key ability. Some skills can

be used only if the character is trained in the skill; there are very few circumstances that will allow untrained use of such a skill.

Favourable and Unfavourable Conditions

Some situations may make a skill easier or harder to use, resulting in a bonus or penalty to the skill modifier or a change to the skill check’s DC. The Games Master can alter the odds of success in various ways to take into account exceptional circumstances. •

Give the skill user a +2 circumstance bonus to represent conditions that improve performance, such as having the perfect tool for the job, getting help from another character, or working under conditions that are significantly better than normal.

•

Give the skill user a –2 circumstance penalty to represent conditions that hamper performance, such as being forced to use improvised tools or possessing misleading information.

•

Give the skill user a +2 synergy bonus for having another skill that directly aids with the current task.

•

Give the skill user a –4 circumstance penalty for not having appropriate tools for the job, if the task requires tools. (Improvised tools reduce the penalty to –2).

•

Reduce the DC by 2 to represent circumstances that make the task easier, such as having a friendly audience when making a Perform check.

•

Increase the DC by 2 to represent circumstances that make the task harder, such as making a Perform check in front of a hostile audience.

Conditions that affect a character’s ability to perform the skill change the character’s skill modifier. Conditions that modify how well the character must perform the skill to succeed change the Difficulty Class. A bonus on a character’s skill modifier or a reduction in the DC of the check has the same result - they create a better chance for success. But they represent different circumstances, and sometimes that distinction is important.


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Time and Skill Checks

Using a skill might take a round, several rounds, or even longer. It might take no time at all. Types of actions define how long activities take to perform within the framework of a combat round (6 seconds) and how movement is treated with respect to the activity. See the skill description for specifics on how long a skill takes to use. In general, using a skill that requires concentration while in close combat is dangerous. Nearby opponents get to make attacks of opportunity against a character when he lets his guard down. When people make attacks of opportunity with firearms, bleeding happens.

making a single check (2 minutes for a skill that can normally be checked in 1 round).

Aiding Another

In some situations, characters can cooperate to accomplish a given task. One character is designated as the leader in the effort, while the others try to aid the character in his efforts. A character aids another by making a skill check (DC 10). This is an attack action, and the character cannot take 10 on this check. If the check succeeds, the character’s ally gains a +2 circumstance bonus to apply to his skill check to complete the task.

Checks without Rolls

A skill check represents an attempt to accomplish some goal, usually in the face of time pressure or distraction. Sometimes, though, a character can use a skill under more favourable conditions and eliminate the luck factor. Two kinds of ‘diceless’ skill checks exist. •

Taking 10: When a character is not being threatened or distracted, he may choose to take 10. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, calculate the result as if the character had rolled a 10 (an average roll on a d20). For many relatively routine tasks, taking 10 results in a success. Distractions and threats make it impossible for a character to take 10. A character also cannot take 10 when using a skill untrained, though the Games Master may allow exceptions for truly routine activities.

•

Taking 20: When a character has plenty of time, is faced with no threats or distractions and the skill being attempted carries no penalty for failure, a character can take 20. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, calculate the result as if the character had rolled a 20. Taking 20 is the equivalent of attempting the check over and over again until the character gets it right. Taking 20 takes twenty times as long as


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Skills and Feats

In many cases, a character’s help will not be beneficial or only a limited number of characters can help at the same time. The Games Master may always limit aid another attempts as he sees fit for the conditions.

M o d i f i e r T y p e s and Stacking

A modifier provides a bonus (a positive modifier) or a penalty (a negative modifier) to a die roll. Every applicable modifier, positive and negative, is added to the check result, but special attention must be given to named modifiers. Bonuses with specific descriptors, such as ‘equipment bonus,’ generally do not stack (combine for cumulative effect) with others of the same type. In those cases, only the best bonus of that type applies. The only specific bonuses that stack are dodge bonuses, synergy bonuses, and sometimes circumstance bonuses. Circumstance bonuses stack only if they are provided by differing circumstances; if two circumstance bonuses caused by similar circumstances apply, they do not stack. Specific bonuses that do not stack include competence, cover, equipment, morale, natural armour, and size. Any bonus without a descriptor (such as simply a +1 bonus) stacks with other bonuses. All penalties stack, regardless of their descriptors.

S k i l l D e s c r i p t ions

In OGL Wild West, skills are presented in alphabetical order in the following format. The first line of every skill listing includes the following: •

Skill Description Format

•

Skill Name (Key Ability)

•

Trained Only; Check Penalty (if applicable)

•

Key Ability: The abbreviation for the ability whose modifier applies to the skill check.

Below the primary skill line, the following information is given: •

•

Check: What a character can do with a successful skill check, and the check’s DC. The majority of the skill’s entry occurs in this section. Try Again?: Any conditions that apply to repeated attempts to use the skill for a particular purpose. If this entry is omitted, the skill check can be tried again without any inherent penalty other than taking additional time.

•

Special: Any particular notes that apply, such as whether a character can take 10 or take 20 when using the skill.

•

Untrained: Any details about using a skill untrained. If this entry does not appear, it means the skill works the same even when used untrained, or that an untrained character cannot make checks with this skill (true for skills that are designated ‘Trained Only’).

•

Time: How much time it takes to make a check with this skill.

When reading a skill description, keep the following details in mind: •

Trained Only: If ‘Trained Only’ appears on the line beneath the skill name, a character must have at least 1 rank in the skill to use it. If ‘Trained Only’ is omitted, the skill can be used untrained. If any particular notes apply to trained or untrained use, they are covered in the Special section (see below).

•

Check Penalty: If ‘Check Penalty’ appears on the line beneath the skill name, apply the check penalty for any encumbrance caused by the character’s equipment load to checks involving this skill.

Balance (Dex; Check Penalty)

Balance is used when trying to run along a roof-beam in a barn, inch your way along a rocky ledge high above a canyon, walk along the top of a moving train, or in any other situation where standing tall is a lot harder than normal. Check: The character can walk on a precarious surface. A successful check allows the character to move at half his speed along the surface as a move action. A failure indicates that the character spends his move action keeping his balance and does not move. A failure by 5 or more indicates that the character falls. The difficulty varies with the conditions of the surface. A damaging surface is any walking area that causes the character to take damage while he is contiguous with it, such as a burning window ledge.

Balance Check DCs Narrow Surface DC* Difficult Surface DC 7–12 in. wide 10 Uneven or angled 10 2–6 in. wide 15 Slippery surface 10 Less than 2 in. 20 Damaging surface +5 wide *Add +5 to the DC if the narrow surface is slippery or angled; add +10 if it is both slippery and angled.


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Balance Surfaces Surface Moving train roof Crumbling ledge Tightrope walk

DC 15 15 20

Being Attacked While Balancing: While balancing, the character is flat-footed (the character loses his Dexterity bonus to Defence, if the character has one), unless the character has 5 or more ranks in Balance. If the character takes damage, he must make a Balance check again to remain standing. Accelerated Movement: The character can try to cross a precarious surface more quickly than normal. The character can move his full speed, but the character takes a –5 penalty on his Balance check. (Moving twice the character’s speed in a round requires two checks, one for each move action.) The character can attempt to charge across a precarious surface. Charging requires one Balance check at a –5 penalty for each multiple of the character’s speed (or fraction thereof ) that the character charges. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Balance check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Focused feat gets a +2 bonus on all Balance checks. Time: Balancing while moving one-half the character’s speed is a move action. Accelerated movement, allowing the character to balance while moving his full speed, is also a move action.

Bluff (Cha)

This skill is used by liars and cheats to, well, lie and cheat. A good Bluff can convince a mark that this horse is not lame (it just walks funny), or that this gold dust is real, or that you did not see which way they went, or that there is a rattlesnake coiled around their left boot and they really, really should not move a muscle… Check: A Bluff check is opposed by the target’s Sense Motive check when trying to con or mislead. Favourable and unfavourable circumstances weigh heavily on the outcome of a bluff. Two circumstances can work against the character; the bluff is hard to believe or the action that the bluff requires the target to take goes against the target’s self-interest, nature, personality, or orders. If it is important, the Games Master can distinguish between a bluff that fails because the target does not believe it and one that fails because it asks too much of the target. For instance, if the target gets a +10 bonus because the bluff demands something risky of the target, and the target’s Sense Motive check succeeds by 10 or less, then

the target did not so much see through the bluff as prove reluctant to go along with it. If the target’s Sense Motive check succeeds by 11 or more, he has seen through the bluff, and would have succeeded in doing so even if it had not placed any demand on him (that is, even without the +10 bonus). A successful Bluff check indicates that the target reacts as the character wishes, at least for a short time (usually 1 round or less), or the target believes something that the character wants him or her to believe. A bluff requires interaction between the character and the target. Targets unaware of the character cannot be bluffed.

Bluff Checks Sense Motive Example Circumstances The target wants to believe the character (I knew there was gold in those hills). The bluff is believable and does not affect the target much one way or the other (so, there’s a war party of Cheyenne down the trail? I’ll take the left fork instead). The bluff is a little hard to believe or puts the target at some kind of risk. (I’ll let you take my horse so you can warn the fort, but only if you swear to come back with it right after.) The bluff is hard to believe or entails a large risk for the target (They hung someone else for the robbery, so now I can go back to town?) The bluff is way out there; it is almost too incredible to consider. (Whadya mean, mechanical men?)

Modifier –5 +0

+5

+10

+20

Feinting in Combat: A character can also use Bluff to mislead an opponent in combat so that the opponent cannot dodge the character’s attack effectively. If the character succeeds, the next attack the character makes against the target ignores his Dexterity bonus to Defence (if the opponent has one), thus lowering his Defence score. Using Bluff in this way against a creature of animal intelligence (Int 1 or 2) requires a –8 penalty on the check. Against a non-intelligent creature, feinting is impossible. Creating a Diversion to Hide: A character can use Bluff to help him or her hide. A successful Bluff check gives the character the momentary diversion needed to attempt a Hide check while people are aware of the character. (See the Hide skill). Sending a Secret Message: A character can use Bluff to send and understand secret messages while appearing to be speaking about other things. The DC for a basic message is


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Skills and Feats

10. Complex messages or messages trying to communicate new information have DCs of 15 or 20. Both the sender and the receiver must make the check for the secret message to be successfully relayed and understood. Anyone listening in on a secret message can attempt a Sense Motive check (DC equal to the sender’s Bluff check result). If successful, the eavesdropper realises that a secret message is contained in the communication. If the eavesdropper beats the DC by 5 or more, he understands the secret message. Whether trying to send or intercept a message, a failure by 5 or more points means that one side or the other misinterprets the message in some fashion. Try Again?: Generally, a failed Bluff check makes the target too suspicious for the character to try another bluff in the same circumstances. For feinting in combat, the character may try again freely. Special: A character can take 10 when making a bluff (except for feinting in combat), but cannot take 20. A character with the Deceptive feat gets a +2 bonus on all Bluff checks. Time: A bluff takes at least 1 round (and is at least a fullround action) but can take much longer if the character tries something elaborate. Using Bluff as a feint in combat is an attack action.

C l i m b ( S t r ; C h eck Penalty)

This skill is used to climb a rope (easy), a wall with plenty of handholds (not too bad), a tree, a rocky slope (doable), or even a sheer cliff (tricky). Check: With each successful Climb check, the character can advance up, down, or across a slope or a wall or other steep incline (or even a ceiling with handholds). A slope is considered to be any incline of less than 60 degrees; a wall is any incline of 60 degrees or steeper. A failed Climb check indicates that the character makes no progress, and a check that fails by 5 or more means that the character falls from whatever height he had already attained (unless the character is secured with a rope or other equipment). The DC of the check depends on the conditions of the climb. If the climb is less than 10 feet, reduce the DC by 5. Since the character cannot move to avoid an attack, he is flat-footed while climbing (the character loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence). Any time the character takes damage while climbing, make a Climb check against the DC of the slope or wall. Failure means the character falls from his current height and sustains the appropriate falling damage.

Accelerated Climbing: A character can try to climb more quickly than normal. The character can move his full speed, but the character takes a –5 penalty on his Climb check. (Moving twice the character’s speed in a round requires two checks, one for each move action.) Catching Yourself When Falling: It is practically impossible for a character to catch himself on a wall while falling. Make a Climb check (DC equal to wall’s DC + 20) to do so. A slope or tree is relatively easier to catch on (DC equal to slope’s DC + 10). Special: Someone using a rope can haul a character upward (or lower the character) by means of sheer strength. Use two times a character’s maximum load to determine how much weight he can haul in this way. A character can take 10 while climbing, but cannot take 20. A character with the Athletic feat gets a +2 bonus on all Climb checks.

Climb Checks DC 0 5 10 10 15

20

25 25 — Modifiers –10*

Example Wall or Surface or Task A slope too steep to walk up. A knotted rope with a wall to brace against. A rope with a wall to brace against. A knotted rope. A surface with sizable ledges to hold on to and stand on, such as a rugged cliff face. Any surface with adequate handholds and footholds (natural or artificial), such as a rough natural rock surface or a tree, or a chain-link fence. An un-knotted rope. Pulling yourself up when dangling by your hands. An uneven surface with just a few narrow handholds and footholds, such as a coarse masonry wall or a sheer cliff face with a few crevices and small toeholds. A rough surface with no real handholds or footholds, such as a brick wall. Overhang or ceiling with handholds but no footholds. A perfectly smooth, flat, vertical surface cannot be climbed. Condition Climbing inside a chimney or other location where one can brace against two opposite walls (reduces normal DC by 10).


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–5*

Climbing a corner where a character can brace against perpendicular walls (reduces normal DC by 5). +5* Surface is slippery (increases normal DC by 5). *These modifiers are cumulative; use any that apply. Time: Climbing at one-half your speed is a full-round action. Moving half that far (one-fourth the character’s speed) is a move action. Accelerated climbing, allowing the character to climb at his full speed, is a full-round action. A character can move half that far (one-half his speed) as a move action.

C o n c e n t r a t i o n ( C o n; Some Trained Only)

Concentration is used to overcome impairment penalties from wounds. The Games Master may also call for Concentration checks when a character must focus on a task in difficult circumstances. Check: To ignore the impairment penalties from wounds, a character must make a Concentration check (DC 15). The total impairment penalty is always applied to this roll, but if the Concentration check succeeds, then all impairment penalties are ignored for the rest of the round. This use of Concentration cannot be performed untrained. A character makes a Concentration check whenever he may potentially be distracted (by taking damage, by harsh weather, and so on) while engaged in some action that requires the character’s full attention. Such actions include using skills that provoke attacks of opportunity while in a threatened square. In general, if an action would not normally incur an attack of opportunity, a character does not need to make a Concentration check to avoid being distracted. If the check succeeds, the character may continue with the action. If the Concentration check fails, the action automatically fails. The check DC depends on the nature of the distraction.

Concentration DCs Distraction Damaged during the action * Taking continuous damage during the action **

Vigorous motion (bouncy vehicle ride, small boat in rough water, below decks in a storm-tossed ship, riding a horse)

DC 10 + damage dealt 10 + half of continuous damage last dealt 10

Violent motion (very rough 15 vehicle ride, small boat in rapids, on deck of storm-tossed ship, galloping horse) Extraordinarily violent motion 20 (earthquake) Entangled in net or snare 15 Grappling or pinned 20 Weather is a high wind carrying 5 blinding rain or sleet Weather is wind-driven hail, dust, 10 or debris * Such as an activity that requires more than a single full-round action. Also from an attack of opportunity or readied attack made in response to the action being taken (for activities requiring no more than a full-round action). ** Such as from catching on fire. Try Again?: Yes, though a success does not cancel the effects of a previous failure, such as the disruption of an action that was being concentrated on. Special: By making a check against DC 15, a character can use Concentration to attempt an action defensively, so as to avoid attacks of opportunity altogether. This does not apply to other actions that might incur attacks of opportunity (such as moving). If the Concentration check succeeds, the character may attempt the action normally without incurring any attacks of opportunity. A successful Concentration check still does not allow a character to take 10 on a check when he of she is in a stressful situation; the character must roll the check as normal. If the Concentration check fails, the related action automatically fails (with any appropriate ramifications) and the action is wasted, just as if the character’s concentration had been disrupted by a distraction. Special: Since Concentration checks are called for in stressful situations, a character cannot take 10 or take 20 on such checks.

Craft (Int; Some Trained Only)

This skill encompasses several categories, each of them treated as a separate skill: Craft (blacksmithing), Craft (bowmaking), Craft (chemical), Craft (gunsmithing), Craft (fletching), Craft (leatherworking), Craft (mechanical), Craft (structural), Craft (woodworking), Craft (writing) and so on. Craft skills are specifically focused on creating objects. To use a Craft skill effectively, a character must have a kit or some other set of basic tools. To use Craft, first decide what the character is trying to make and consult the category descriptions below. The


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Skills and Feats

character must acquire appropriate raw materials before beginning. If the character succeeds at that check, make the Craft check against the given DC for the object in question. If the character fails the check, he does not make the object, and the raw materials are wasted (unless otherwise noted). Generally, a character can take 10 when using a Craft skill to construct an object, but cannot take 20 (since doing so represents multiple attempts, and the character uses up the raw materials after the first attempt). The exception is Craft (writing); a character can take 20 because the character does not use up any raw materials.

Craft ( b l a c k s m i t h i n g ) (Int; T r a i n e d O n l y)

This skill allows a character to forge items from iron and steel. Blacksmithing is also used to make metal melee weapons, such as knives and sabres. Type of Blacksmithing (Examples) Simple (batch of nails) Moderate (horseshoes, hunting knife) Complex (steam engine parts, rapier, sabre)

Craft DC 10 20

Time 1 hr. 12 hr

25

24 hr

Special: A character cannot use blacksmithing without a forge and metalworking tools. A character with the Builder feat gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (blacksmithing) checks.

C r a f t ( b o w m a k ing) ( I n t ; T r a i n e d O nly)

This skill is used to make bows and arrows. It is primarily used by Indians, but a few outsiders have learned the craft. Type of Bowmaking (Examples) Simple (arrow) Moderate (normal bow) Complex (masterwork bow)

Craft DC 15 20 25

Time 1 hr. 12 hr. 24 hr.

Special: A character with a knife and suitable raw materials can make a bow – no special tools are required.

Craft (chemical) ( Int; Trained Only)

This skill covers both the production of explosives and other industrial chemicals, as well as drugs and other pharmaceuticals. Type of Chemistry (Examples) Simple (acid, gunpowder, disinfectant) Moderate (chloroform) Complex (dynamite)

Craft DC 15

Time 1 hr.

20 25

12 hr. 24 hr.

Special: A character requires the raw materials for the item he desires, along with specialised equipment.

Craft (gunsmithi ng) (Int)

This skill is used to make firearms and other gunpowderbased weapons such as cannon. It is also used to make bullets. Type of Gunsmithing (Examples) Simple (Cast bullets) Moderate (pistol, rifle) Complex (machine gun)

Craft DC 10 20 30


Special: A character with the Crafter feat gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (gunsmithing) checks.

Craft (mechanical) (Int; Trained Only)

This skill allows a character to build mechanical devices and engines, such as steam engines, oil derricks, mills, pumps and so on. Type of Scratch-Built Mechanical Device (Examples) Simple (tripwire) Moderate (mechanical clock) Complex (steam engine)

Craft DC 15 20 25

Time 1 hr 12 hr. 24 hr.

Special: A character without a mechanical tool kit takes a –4 penalty on Craft (mechanical) checks. A character with the Builder feat gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (mechanical) checks.


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Craft (structural) (Int)

This skill allows a character to build wooden or stone structures from scratch, including bookcases, desks, walls, houses, and so forth, and includes such handyman skills as house painting, roofing, and building cabinets. Type of Scratch-Built Structure (Examples) Simple (bookcase, false wall) Moderate (shed, stable) Complex (house)

Craft DC 10 15 25

Time 12 hr. 24 hr. 120 hr.

When building a structure from scratch, the character describes the kind of structure he wants to construct; then the Games Master decides if the structure is simple, moderate, or complex (or more!) in scope and difficulty. Special: A character without basic tools such as a hammer and nails takes a –4 penalty on Craft (structural) checks. A character with the Builder feat gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (structural) checks.

Craft (traps) (Int; Trained Only)

This skill allows a character to build and hide traps for catching animals – or people. Type of Trap (Examples) Simple (tripwire, snare) Moderate (concealed pit, bear trap) Complex (lethal boobytrap)

Craft DC 10

Time 1 hr

Damage Entangle

15

3 hr.

1d6

20

6 hr.

By weapon used

The base Search DC to find a trap is DC 10 – the character building the trap may take a penalty to his roll to increase the Search DC by an equal amount.

Craft (woodworking) (Int)

Woodworking it used to whittle items from scraps of wood, or to carve fine works of art or masks or useful tools. It is also used to prepare lumber for construction work.


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Skills and Feats

Type of Woodworking (Examples) Just whittlin’ away, biding my time Simple (planks of lumber) Moderate (rifle stock, coffin) Complex (artistic carving)

Craft DC 5 10

Time Until Judgement Day 4 hr.

15

8 hr.

25

24 hr.

Special: A character with the Crafter feat gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (woodworking) checks.

C r a f t ( w r i t i n g ) (Int)

This skill allows a character to create short stories, novels, eloquent diary entries, stage players, newspaper articles, and similar works of writing. When creating a work of writing, the player simply makes a Craft (writing) check, the result of which determines the quality of the work. Skill Check Result 9 or lower 10–19 20–24 25–30 31 or higher

Effort Achieved Untalented amateur Talented amateur Professional Expert Master

Creating a work of writing requires at least 1 hour, but usually takes a day, a week, or more, depending on the scope of the project. Special: A character with the Creative feat gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (writing) checks.

D e c i p h e r S c r i p t (Int; T r a i n e d O n l y)

This skill is used for code-breaking, reading cryptic or foreign documents and other forms of text analysis. Check: A character can decipher writing in an ancient language or, more often, in code. This can also be used to interpret the meaning of an incomplete text. The base DC is 20 for the simplest messages, 25 for standard codes, and 30 or higher for intricate or complex codes or exotic messages. If the check succeeds, the character understands the general content of a piece of writing, reading about one page of text or its equivalent in 1 minute. If the check fails, the Games Master makes a Wisdom check (DC 10) for the character to see if he avoids drawing a false conclusion about the text. (Success means that the character does not draw a false conclusion; failure means that the character

does.) The Games Master secretly makes both the skill check and the Wisdom check so the character cannot tell whether the conclusion drawn is accurate or not. Try Again?: No, unless conditions change or new information is uncovered. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Decipher Script check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Studious feat gets a +2 bonus on all Decipher Script checks. A character cannot take ranks in this skill without having the Literacy feat.

Demolitions (Int; Trained Only)

A character does not need this skill to use dynamite and other explosives – lighting the fuse and running away is simple enough. However, correct placement and using explosives safely falls within the purview of this skill. Check: Setting a simple explosive to blow up at a certain spot does not require a check, but connecting and setting a detonator does. Also, placing an explosive for maximum effect against a structure calls for a check, as does disarming an explosive device. Place Explosive Device: Carefully placing an explosive against a fixed structure (a stationary, unattended inanimate object) can maximise the damage dealt by exploiting vulnerabilities in the structure’s construction. The Games Master makes the check (so that the character does not know exactly how well he has done). On a result of 15 or higher, the explosive deals double damage to the structure against which it is placed. On a result of 25 or higher, it deals triple damage to the structure. In all cases, it deals normal damage to all other targets within its burst radius. Disarm Explosive Device: Disarming an explosive that has been set to go off requires a Demolitions check. The DC is usually 10, unless the person who set the detonator chose a higher disarm DC. If the character fails the check, he does not disarm the explosive. If the character fails by more than 5, the explosive goes off. Special: A character can take 10 when using the Demolitions skill, but cannot take 20. A character with the Cautious feat and at least 1 rank in this skill gets a +2 bonus on all Demolitions checks. Time: Setting a detonator is usually a full-round action. Placing an explosive device takes 1 minute or more, depending on the scope of the task.


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The Games Master chooses the character’s initial attitude based on circumstances. Most of the time, the people the characters meet are indifferent toward them, but a specific situation may call for a different initial attitude. The DCs given in the accompanying table show what it takes to change someone’s attitude with the use of the Diplomacy skill. The character does not declare a specific outcome he is trying for; instead, make the check and compare the result to the table on the next page. Try Again?: Generally, trying again does not work. Even if the initial check succeeds, the other character can only be persuaded so far. If the initial check fails, the other character has probably become more firmly committed to his position, and trying again is futile. The Games Master is the final authority on retries of this skill, but second chances should be expensive in time, gifts, or both. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Diplomacy check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Trustworthy feat gets a +2 bonus on all Diplomacy checks. Time: Diplomacy is at least a full-round action. The Games Master may determine that some negotiations require a longer period of time.

Diplomacy (Cha)

The Diplomacy skill is used for smooth-talking and persuasion. Styles of diplomacy vary, from a barrage of fast talk or legal mumbo-jumbo to reasoned and respectful debate. Check: A character can change others’ attitudes with a successful check (see the table below). In negotiations, participants roll opposed Diplomacy checks to see who gains the advantage. Opposed checks also resolve cases where two advocates or diplomats plead opposing cases before a third party. Diplomacy can be used to influence a non player character’s attitude.

Attitude Hostile

Unfriendly

Indifferent Friendly Helpful

Means Will take risks to hurt or avoid you Wishes you ill

Does not care much Wishes you well Will take risks to help you

Possible Actions Attack, interfere, berate, flee Mislead, gossip, avoid, watch suspiciously, insult Act as socially expected Chat, advise, offer limited help, advocate Protect, back up, heal, aid


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Skills and Feats

Difficulty Table for Diplomacy Checks New Attitude Hostile Unf. 19 or 20 less Unfriendly 4 or 5 less Indifferent — 0 or less Friendly — —

Initial Attitude Hostile

disable a trap, unless the character is trying to prevent his tampering from being noticed.

Indif. Friendly Helpful 25 35 45 15

25

35

1

15

25

0 or less

1

15

D i sa b l e D e v i c e (Int; T r a i n e d O n l y)

Disable Device is used to pick locks and safes, sabotage equipment or to disarm traps. It is essentially the opposite of the Repair skill (see below). Check: The Games Master makes the Disable Device check so that the character does not necessarily know whether he has succeeded. This skill can accomplish several different things, all of which a given character can attempt assuming he has the proper equipment on hand to do so. Open Lock: A character can pick conventional locks or finesse combination locks (such as those on safes). The character must have a lockpick set. The DC depends on the quality of the lock. Lock Type (Example) Cheap (house) Average (sheriff ’s office) High quality (bank)

DC 20 25 30

Traps and Sabotage: Disabling (or rigging, or jamming) a simple mechanical device has a DC of 10. More intricate and complex devices have higher DCs. The Games Master rolls the check. If the check succeeds, the character disables the device. If the check fails by 4 or less, the character has failed but can try again. If the character fails by 5 or more, something goes wrong. If it is a trap, the character springs it. If it is some sort of sabotage, the character thinks the device is disabled, but it still works normally. With this skill, a character can rig simple devices to work normally for a while and then fail some time later (usually after 1d4 rounds or minutes of use). Building anything more permanent also requires use of the Craft (structural) skill and additional time. Try Again?: Yes, though the character must be aware that he has failed in order to try again. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Disable Device check. A character can take 20 to open a lock or to

A character with the Cautious feat and at least 1 rank in this skill gets a +2 bonus on all Disable Device checks. Time: Disabling a simple mechanical device is a full-round action. Intricate or complex devices require 2d4 rounds.

Disguise (Cha)

This skill is used to walk into a town plastered with Wanted posters of your ugly mug, or to pretend to be someone else in a high-stakes poker game. It is a skill for spies and conmen. Check: A character’s Disguise check result determines how good the disguise is. It is opposed by others’ Spot check results. Make one Disguise check even if several people make Spot checks. The Games Master makes the character’s Disguise check secretly so that the character is not sure how well his disguise holds up to scrutiny. If the character does not draw any attention to him or herself, however, others do not get to make Spot checks. If the character comes to the attention of people who are suspicious, the suspicious person gets to make a Spot check. (The Games Master can assume that such observers take 10 on their Spot checks.) The effectiveness of the character’s disguise depends in part on how much the character is attempting to change his appearance. Disguise Modifier Minor details only +5 Appropriate uniform or costume +2 Disguised as different sex –2 Disguised as different age category –2 * * Per step of difference between the character’s age category and the disguised age category (child, young adult, adult, middle age, old, or venerable). If the character is impersonating a particular individual, those who know what that person looks like automatically get to make Spot checks. Furthermore, they get a bonus on their Spot checks. Familiarity Recognises on sight Friend or associate Close friend Intimate

Bonus +4 +6 +8 +10

Usually, an individual makes a Spot check to detect a disguise immediately upon meeting the character and each hour thereafter. If the character casually meets many different people, each for a short time, the Games Master


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checks once per day or hour, using an average Spot modifier for the group (assuming they take 10). Try Again?: No, though the character can assume the same disguise again at a later time. If others saw through the previous disguise, they are automatically treated as suspicious if the character assumes the same disguise again. Special: A character can take 10 or take 20 when establishing a disguise. A character without a disguise kit takes a –4 penalty on Disguise checks.

Check: Routine tasks, such as ordinary driving, do not require a skill check. Make a check only when some unusual circumstance exists (such as inclement weather or an icy surface), or when the character is driving during a dramatic situation (the character is being chased or attacked, for example, or is trying to reach a destination in a limited amount of time). Try Again?: Most driving checks have consequences for failure that make trying again impossible. Special: A character can take 10 when driving, but cannot take 20. Time: A Drive check is a move action.

A character with the Deceptive feat gets a +2 bonus on all Disguise checks. A character can help someone else create a disguise for him or her, treating it as an aid another attempt. Time: A Disguise check requires 1d4 x10 minutes of preparation. The Games Master makes Spot checks for those who encounter the character immediately upon meeting the character and again each hour or day thereafter, depending on circumstances.

Drive (Dex)

This skill is used for controlling a horse, ox or team of such animals as they pull a stagecoach or other vehicle. It is also used to control automobiles, if the campaign is set late enough to include such innovations.

Escape Artist (Dex; Check Penalty)

A character can use this skill to squirm out of ropes, handcuffs or other restraints – even the hangman’s noose. Check: Make a check to escape from restraints or to squeeze through a tight space. Restraint Ropes Net Leg Irons Handcuffs Tight space Grappler

DC of Escape Check Opponent’s Dex check +20 20 25 35 30 Opponent’s grapple check

For ropes and chains, a character’s Escape Artist check is opposed by the Dexterity check result of the opponent who tied the bonds. Since it is easier to tie someone up


2

Skills and Feats

than to escape from being tied up, the opponent gets a +20 bonus on his Dexterity check. For a tight space, a check is only called for if the character’s head fits but his shoulders do not. If the space is long, such as in an airshaft, the Games Master may call for multiple checks. A character cannot fit through a space that his head does not fit through. A character can make an Escape Artist check opposed by his opponent’s grapple check to get out of a grapple or out of a pinned condition (so that the character is just being grappled). Doing so is an attack action, so if the character escapes the grapple he can move in the same round.

Check Modifier +0

Examination Time 10 min.

Moderate (claim, business form) Complex (stock certificate, legal document) Difficult (passport)

-2

20 min.

-4

1 hr.

-8

4 hr.

Extreme (Banknote)

-16

4 hr.

Document Type Simple (letter)

Try Again?: A character can make another check after a failed check if the character is squeezing through a tight space, making multiple checks. If the situation permits, the character can make additional checks as long as he is not being actively opposed.

Familiarity* Unfamiliar (seen once for less than a minute) Fairly familiar (seen for several minutes)

Modifier -4

Special: A character can take 10 on an Escape Artist check. A character can take 20 if he is not being actively opposed (a character can take 20 if he is tied up, even though it is an opposed check, because the opponent is not actively opposing the character).

Quite familiar (on hand, or studied at leisure) Forger has produced other documents of same type Document includes specific signature

+4

A character with the Nimble feat gets a +2 bonus on all Escape checks.

*: Use all modifiers that apply from this list.

Time: Making a check to escape from being bound by ropes, handcuffs, or other restraints (except a grappler) requires 1 minute. Escaping a net is a full-round action. Squeezing through a tight space takes at least 1 minute, maybe longer, depending on the distance that must be crossed.

The Games Master makes the character’s check secretly so the character is not sure how good his forgery is. A forger is allowed to know the check result and gains a retry if the document’s final check is 10 or less. Quality is hard to judge, but a lousy piece of work is recognisable to all. Only moderate level forgeries can be attempted without at least one rank in this skill.

F o r g e r y ( I n t ; S ome T r a i n e d O n l y)

The skill of Forgery is used to fake official-looking documents, copy handwriting, print false banknotes and so on. Check: Forgery requires materials appropriate to the document being forged, and some time. To forge a document the character needs to have seen a similar document before. The complexity of the document, the character’s degree of familiarity with it, and whether the character needs to reproduce the signature or handwriting of a specific individual, provide modifiers to the Forgery check, as shown below. Forgery of legal documents (including coins and banknotes) is known as counterfeiting.

+0

+4 -4

The Forgery skill is also used to detect someone else’s forgery. The result of the original Forgery check that created the document is opposed by a Forgery check by the person who examines the document to check its authenticity. If the examiner’s check result is equal to or higher than the original Forgery check, the document is determined to be fraudulent. The examiner gains bonuses or penalties on his check as given in the table below. Examiner’s Condition Type of document unknown to examiner Type of document somewhat known to examiner Type of document well known to examiner Document is put through additional tests * Examiner only casually reviews the document *

Modifier –4 –2 +0 +4 –2


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* Cumulative with any of the first three conditions on the table. Apply this modifier along with one of the other three whenever appropriate. A document that contradicts procedure, orders, or previous knowledge, or one that requires the examiner to relinquish a possession or a piece of information, can increase the examiner’s suspicion (and thus create favourable circumstances for the examiner’s opposed Forgery check) as determined by the Games Master. Try Again?: No, since the forger is not sure of the quality of the original forgery. Special: To forge documents and detect forgeries, one must be able to read and write the language in question. A character can take 10 when making a Forgery check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Meticulous feat gets a +2 bonus on all Forgery checks. A character without a forgery kit takes a –4 penalty on Forgery checks. Time: Forging a short, simple document takes about 1 minute. Longer or more complex documents take 1d4 minutes per page or longer.

Gamble (Wis)

A character with the Gamble skill is familiar with games of chance, and has either a streak of luck a mile wide or is adept at counting cards and calculating odds, or both. Check: In simple situations, opposed Gamble checks are used to see who won a particular game of chance. For more complex gambling rules, see page XX (Rules of the West). Try Again?: No, unless the character wants to play another game.

Gather Information (Cha)

A character can use this skill to find out what is going on in a town or region; it covers listening to rumours, reading between the lines in local newspapers and so on. Check: By succeeding at a skill check (DC 10) and spending 1d4+1 hours passing out money and buying drinks, a character can get a feel for the major news items in a neighbourhood. This result assumes that no obvious reasons exist why information would be withheld. The higher the check result, the better the information. Information ranges from general to protected and the cost and DC increases accordingly for the type of information the character seeks to gather, as given in the table below. Type of Information General Specific Restricted Protected

DC 10 15 20 25

Purchase DC 5 10 15 20

General information concerns local happenings, rumours, gossip and the like. Specific information usually relates to a particular question. Restricted information includes facts that are not generally known and requires that the character locate someone who has access to such information. Protected information is even harder to come by and might involve some danger, either for the one asking the questions or the one providing the answer. There is a chance that someone will take note of anyone asking about restricted or protected information. A character can use bribery to loosen tongues – an appropriate bribe gives a +2 circumstance bonus to the check, but the cost of the bribe varies depending on the information desired. Buying a drink counts as a bribe for general information, but trying to convince someone to tell you where the Hole-in-the-Wall gang hide out would cost far more.

Special: A character cannot take 10 or take 20 when making a Gamble check.

Try Again?: Yes, but it takes 1d4+1 hours for each check, and characters may draw attention to themselves if they repeatedly pursue a certain type of information.

A character with the Confident feat gets a +2 bonus on all Gamble checks.

Special: A character can take 10 when making a Gather Information check, but cannot take 20.

Time: A Gamble check requires 1 hour.

A character with the Trustworthy feat gets a +2 bonus on all Gather Information checks. Time: A Gather Information check takes 1d4+1 hours.


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Skills and Feats

H a n d l e A n i m a l (Cha; T r a i n e d O n l y)

The Handle Animal skill is used to tame and train animals. It is of paramount importance on cattle drives, hunts, or just to keep a horse under control in dangerous situations.

•

Come (DC 15): The animal comes to the character, even if it normally would not do so.

•

Defend (DC 20): The animal defends the character (or is ready to defend him if no threat is present), even without any command being given. Alternatively, the character can command the animal to defend a specific other character.

•

Down (DC 15): The animal breaks off from combat or otherwise backs down. An animal that does not know this trick continues to fight until it must flee (due to injury, a fear effect, or the like) or its opponent is defeated.

•

Fetch (DC 15): The animal goes and gets something. If the character does not point out a specific item, the animal fetches some random object.

•

Guard (DC 20): The animal stays in place and prevents others from approaching.

•

Heel (DC 15): The animal follows the character closely, even to places where it normally would not go.

•

Perform (DC 15): The animal performs a variety of simple tricks, such as sitting up, rolling over, roaring or barking, and so on.

•

Seek (DC 15): The animal moves into an area and looks around for anything that is obviously alive or animate.

•

Stay (DC 15): The animal stays in place, waiting for the character to return. It does not challenge other creatures that come by, though it still defends itself if it needs to.

•

Track (DC 20): The animal tracks the scent presented to it. (This requires the animal to have the scent ability)

•

Work (DC 15): The animal pulls or pushes a medium or heavy load.

Check: The DC depends on what the character is trying to do. Task Handle Animal DC Handle an animal 10 ‘Push’ an animal 25 Teach an animal a trick 15 or 201 Train an animal for a general 15 or 201 purpose Rear a wild animal 15 + HD of animal 1 See the specific trick or purpose below. General Purpose Combat riding Fighting Guarding

DC 20 20 20

Heavy labour

15

General Purpose Hunting Performance Riding

DC 20 15 15

Handle an Animal: This task involves commanding an animal to perform a task or trick that it knows. If the animal is wounded or has taken any damage, the DC increases by 2. If the character’s check succeeds, the animal performs the task or trick on its next action. ‘Push’ an Animal: To push an animal means to get it to perform a task or trick that it does not know but is physically capable of performing. This category also covers making an animal perform a forced march or forcing it to hustle for more than 1 hour between sleep cycles. If the animal is wounded or has taken any damage, the DC increases by 2. If the character’s check succeeds, the animal performs the task or trick on its next action. Teach an Animal a Trick: A character can teach an animal a specific trick with one week of work and a successful Handle Animal check against the indicated DC. An animal with an Intelligence score of 1 can learn a maximum of three tricks, while an animal with an Intelligence score of 2 can learn a maximum of six tricks. Possible tricks (and their associated DCs) include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: •

Attack (DC 20): The animal attacks apparent enemies. The character may point to a particular creature that he wishes the animal to attack, and it will comply if able.

Train an Animal for a Purpose: Rather than teaching an animal individual tricks, the character can simply train it for a general purpose. Essentially, an animal’s purpose represents a pre-selected set of known tricks that fit into a common scheme, such as guarding or heavy labour. The animal must meet all the normal prerequisites for all tricks included in the training package. If the package includes more than three tricks, the animal must have an Intelligence score of 2.


2

An animal can be trained for only one general purpose, though if the creature is capable of learning additional tricks (above and beyond those included in its general purpose), it may do so. Training an animal for a purpose requires fewer checks than teaching individual tricks does, but no less time. •

•

Combat Riding (DC 20): An animal trained to carry a rider into combat knows the tricks attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel. Training an animal for combat riding takes six weeks. The trainer may also ‘upgrade’ an animal trained for riding to one trained for combat riding by spending three weeks and making a successful Handle Animal check (DC 20). The new general purpose and tricks completely replace the animal’s previous purpose and any tricks it once knew.

stay. Training an animal for fighting takes three weeks. •

Guarding (DC 20): An animal trained to guard knows the tricks attack, defend, down, and guard. Training an animal for guarding takes four weeks.

•

Heavy Labour (DC 15): An animal trained for heavy labour knows the tricks come and work. Training an animal for heavy labour takes two weeks.

•

Hunting (DC 20): An animal trained for hunting knows the tricks attack, down, fetch, heel, seek, and track. Training an animal for hunting takes six weeks.

•

Performance (DC 15): An animal trained for performance knows the tricks come, fetch, heel, perform, and stay. Training an animal for performance takes five weeks.

•

Riding (DC 15): An animal trained to bear a rider knows the tricks come, heel, and stay. Training an animal for riding takes three weeks.

Fighting (DC 20): An animal trained to engage in combat knows the tricks attack, down, and

Rear a Wild Animal: To rear an animal means to raise a wild creature from infancy so that it becomes domesticated. A handler can rear as many as three creatures of the same kind at once. A successfully domesticated animal can be taught tricks at the same time it is being raised, or it can be taught as a domesticated animal later.


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Skills and Feats

Action: Varies. Handling an animal is a move action, while pushing an animal is a full-round action. For tasks with specific time frames noted above, the character must spend half this time (at the rate of 3 hours per day per animal being handled) working toward completion of the task before he can attempt the Handle Animal check. If the check fails, the character’s attempt to teach, rear, or train the animal fails and he need not complete the teaching, rearing, or training time. If the check succeeds, the character must invest the remainder of the time to complete the teaching, rearing, or training. If the time is interrupted or the task is not followed through to completion, the attempt to teach, rear, or train the animal automatically fails. Try Again: Yes, except for rearing an animal. Special: If you have the Animal Affinity feat, you get a +2 bonus on Handle Animal checks. Untrained: A character with no ranks in Handle Animal, uses a Charisma check to handle and push domestic animals, but he cannot teach, rear, or train animals.

H i d e ( D e x ; C h e ck Penalty)

The Hide skill is used to skulk in shadows and to conceal yourself. It can also be used to spot places to hide or take cover. Check: A character’s Hide check is opposed by the Spot check of anyone who might see the character. The character can move up to half his normal speed and hide at no penalty. At more than half and up to the character’s full speed, the character takes a –5 penalty. It is practically impossible (–20 penalty) to hide while attacking, running, or charging. The Hide check is also modified by the character’s size: Size Small Medium Large

Modifier +4 +0 -4

If people are observing the character, even casually, he cannot hide (though talents or feats might alter this). The character can run around a corner so that he is out of sight and then hide, but the others then know at least where the character went. Cover and concealment grant circumstance bonuses to Hide checks, as shown below. Note that a character cannot hide if he has less than onehalf cover or concealment.

Cover or Concealment Three-quarters Nine-tenths

Circumstance Bonus +5 +10

Creating a Diversion to Hide: A character can use the Bluff skill to help him hide. A successful Bluff check can give the character the momentary diversion needed to attempt a Hide check while people are aware of the character. While the others turn their attention from the character, he can make a Hide check if the character can get to a hiding place of some kind. (As a general guideline, the hiding place has to be within 1 foot for every rank the character has in Hide.) This check, however, is at a –10 penalty because the character has to move fast. Tailing: Also called shadowing, a character can use Hide to tail a person in public. Using the skill in this manner assumes that there are other random people about, among whom the character can mingle to remain unnoticed. If the subject is worried about being followed, he can make a Spot check (opposed by the character’s Hide check) every time he changes course (goes around a street corner, exits a building and so on). If he is unsuspecting, he generally gets only a Spot check after an hour of tailing. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Hide check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Stealthy feat gets a +2 bonus on all Hide checks. Time: A Hide check is an attack action.

Intimidate (Cha or Str, Character’s Choice)

There are men you simply do not cross; desperados so tough and mean that your hand shakes and your will fails before the force of their mere presence. Intimidation can force others to obey you or just terrify them and make them realise who is in charge here. Check: With a successful check, a character can forcibly persuade another character to perform some task or behave in a certain way. A character’s Intimidate check is opposed by the target’s level check (1d20 + the target’s character level or Hit Dice). Any modifiers that a target may have on Will saving throws against fear effects apply to this level check. If the character succeeds, he may treat the target as friendly for 10 minutes, but only for purposes of actions taken while in the character’s presence. (That is, the target retains his normal attitude, but will answer questions, offer limited help, or take simple actions on the character’s behalf while intimidated.) Circumstances can dramatically affect the effectiveness of an Intimidate check.


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There are limits to what a successful Intimidate check can do. The character cannot force someone to obey his every command or do something that endangers that person’s life. If the character fails by more than 5, the target may actually do the opposite of what the character wishes. Staredown: A staredown (where two characters face off against each other) can temporarily shatter an opponent’s will. Both characters must choose to enter the staredown (but Intimidation can be used to force another character into the staredown.) Both characters then make opposed Intimidation checks; the loser must make a Will save (DC equal to the winner’s Intimidation check result). If the loser fails this Will save, his will is temporarily broken. He suffers a –4 morale penalty to any Will saves or skill checks made in opposition to the winner, as well as a –2 penalty to any attack rolls made against the winner. This effect is permanent until the loser beats the winner in another staredown or counts some significant coup over the winner. Try Again?: No. Even if the initial check succeeds, the other character can only be intimidated so much, and trying again does not help. If the initial check fails, the other character has become more firmly resolved to resist the intimidator, and trying again is futile. Special: A character can take 10 when making an Intimidate check, but cannot take 20. A character may add a +2 bonus to his Intimidate check for every size category the character is larger than his target. Conversely, the character takes a –2 penalty to his check for every size category the character is smaller than his target. A character with the Confident feat gets a +2 bonus on all Intimidate checks and on level checks to resist intimidation. Time: An Intimidate check is a full-round action. A Staredown can take several minutes, depending on how tough the participants are.

Jump (Str; Check Penalty)

Used for impressive and possibly live-saving jumps. Check: The DC and the distance the character can cover vary according to the type of jump the character is attempting. The character’s Jump check is modified by his speed. The DCs specified below assume a speed of 30 feet (the speed of a typical human). If the character’s speed is less than 30 feet, he takes a penalty of –6 for every 10 feet of speed less than 30. If the character’s speed is greater

than 30 feet, he gains a bonus of +4 for every 10 feet over 30. If the character has ranks in the Jump skill and succeeds on a check, the character lands on his feet (when appropriate) and can move as far as the character’s remaining movement allows. If the character attempts a Jump check untrained, the character lands prone unless he beats the DC by 5 or more. Standing from a prone position is a move action. Distance moved by jumping is counted against maximum movement in a round. A character can start a jump at the end of one turn and complete the jump at the beginning of your next turn. Long Jump: This is a horizontal jump, made across a gap such as a chasm or stream. At the midpoint of the jump, the character attains a vertical height equal to one-quarter the horizontal distance. The DC for the jump is equal to the distance jumped (in feet) + 5. The DCs for long jumps of 5 to 30 feet are given in the table below. A character cannot jump a distance greater than his normal speed. All Jump DCs covered for a Long Jump assume that the character can move at least 20 feet in a straight line before attempting the jump. If this is not the case, the DC for the jump is doubled. Long Jump Long Jump Distance DC * Distance 5 feet 10 20 feet 10 feet 15 25 feet 15 feet 20 30 feet * Requires a 20-foot move. Without a 20-foot double the DC.

DC * 25 30 35 move,

If the character fails the check by less than 5, he does not clear the distance, but can make a Reflex save (DC 15) to grab the far edge of the gap. The character ends his movement grasping the far edge. If that leaves the character dangling over a chasm or gap, getting up requires a move action and a Climb check (DC 15). High Jump: This is a vertical leap, made to jump up to grasp something overhead, such as a tree limb or ledge. The DC for the jump is 2 + the height x4 (in feet). The DCs for high jumps of 1 to 8 feet are given in the table below. All Jump DCs covered here for the High Jump assume that the character can move at least 20 feet in a straight line before attempting the jump. If this is not the case, the DC for the jump is doubled.


2

Skills and Feats

High Jump Distance DC * 1 foot 6 2 feet 10 3 feet 14 4 feet 18 * Requires a 20-foot move. double the DC.

High Jump Distance DC * 5 feet 22 6 feet 26 7 feet 30 8 feet 34 Without a running start,

If the character succeeds on the check, he can reach the height. The character grasps the object he was trying to reach. If the character wishes to pull himself up, the character can do so with a move action and a Climb check (DC 15). If the character fails the Jump check, he does not reach the height, and lands on his feet in the same square from which the character jumped. The difficulty of reaching a given height varies according to the size of the character or creature. Generally, the maximum height a creature can reach without jumping is given in the table below. (As a Medium-size creature, a typical human can reach 8 feet without jumping.) If the creature is long instead of tall (such as a horse), treat it as one size category smaller. Creature Size Colossal Gargantuan Huge Large Medium-size Small Tiny Diminutive Fine

Maximum Height 128 ft. 64 ft. 32 ft. 16 ft. 8 ft. 4 ft. 2 ft. 1 ft. 0.5 ft.

Hop Up: The character can jump up onto an object as tall as his waist with a Jump check (DC 10). Doing so does counts as 10 feet of movement. The character does not need to get a running start to hop up (the DC is not doubled if the character does not get a running start). Jumping Down: If the character intentionally jumps from a height, he can take less damage than if he just falls. The DC to jump down from a height is 15. The character does not have to get a running start to jump down (the DC is not doubled if the character does not get a running start). If the character succeeds on the check, he takes falling damage as if the character had dropped 10 fewer feet than he actually did. Special: Effects that increase a character’s speed also increase the character’s jumping distance, since the check is modified by the character’s speed.

A character can take 10 when making a Jump check. If there is no danger associated with failing, the character can take 20. A character with the Acrobatic feat gets a +2 bonus on all Jump checks. A character with the Run feat gains a +2 competence bonus on Jump checks preceded by a 20-foot move. Synergies: Tumble can provide a +2 synergy bonus on Jump checks. Time: Using the Jump skill is either a move action or a full-round action, depending on whether the character starts and completes the jump during a single move action or a full-round action.

Knowledge (Int; Some Trained Only)

This skill encompasses several categories, each of them treated as a separate skill. These categories are identified and defined below. The number of Knowledge categories is kept purposely finite. When trying to determine what Knowledge skill a particular question or field of expertise falls under, use a broad interpretation of the existing categories. Check: A character makes a Knowledge check to see if the character knows something. The DC for answering a question within the character’s field of study is 10 for easy questions, 15 for basic questions, and 20 to 30 for tough questions. The Knowledge categories, and the topics each one encompasses, are as follows. •

Appraisal: The fine art of studying goods and determining their worth.

•

Art: Fine arts and graphic arts, including art history and artistic techniques. Antiques, modern art, photography, and performance art forms such as music and dance, among others.

•

Business: Business procedures, investment strategies, and corporate structures. Bureaucratic procedures and how to navigate them.

•

Civics: Political and governmental institutions and processes. Civil law and legislation.

•

Current Events: Recent happenings in the news, sports, politics, entertainment, and foreign affairs.

•

Geography: Lands, terrain, climate, people.


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•

History: Events, personalities, and cultures of the past. Archaeology and antiquities.

•

Indian Lore: Customs, traditions and current dispositions of the various native tribes of the West.

•

Law: Criminal law, law enforcement techniques as well as officers and notorious criminals.

•

Local: Local events and personalities, rumours.

•

Nature: Animals, plants, seasons and cycles, weather, vermin.

•

Physical Sciences: Astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and engineering.

•

Streetwise: Street and urban culture, local underworld personalities and events.

•

Theology and Philosophy: Religion and related matters.

Try Again?: No. The check represents what a character knows, and thinking about a topic a second time does not let the character know something he never knew in the first place. Special: An untrained Knowledge check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, a character only knows common knowledge about a given subject. A character can take 10 when making a Knowledge check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Educated feat gets a +2 bonus on any two types of Knowledge checks.

to hear something. A character can also make a Listen check voluntarily if he wants to try to hear something in the character’s vicinity. The Games Master may make the Listen check in secret so that the character does not know whether not hearing anything means that nothing is there or that the character failed the check. A successful Listen check when there is not anything to hear results in the character hearing nothing. DC –10 0 10

Sound A battle People talking An unarmoured person walking at a slow pace, trying not to make any noise 15 A 1st-level Fast hero sneaking up on someone * 20 A mountain lion stalking prey * 30 A bird flying through the air +5 Listening through a door +15 Listening through a solid wall * This is actually an opposed check; the DC given is a typical Move Silently check result for such a character or creature. Condition Per 10 feet of distance Listener distracted

Check Penalty –1 –5

Try Again?: A character can make a Listen check every time he has the opportunity to hear something in a reactive manner. As a move action, the character may attempt to hear something that he failed (or believes he failed) to hear previously. Special: When several characters are listening to the same thing, the Games Master can make a single 1d20 roll and use it for all the listeners’ skill checks.

The Games Master may decide that having 5 or more ranks in a specific Knowledge skill provides a character with a +2 synergy bonus when making a related skill check.

A character can take 10 or take 20 when making a Listen check. Taking 20 means the character spends 1 minute attempting to hear something that may or may not be there to hear.

Time: A Knowledge check can be a reaction, but otherwise requires a full-round action.

A character with the Alertness feat gets a +2 bonus on all Listen checks.

Listen (Wis)

The Listen skill is used to hear noises, detect enemies trying to move silently, notice a rifle being cocked, or hear the whistle of an incoming train. Check: Make a Listen check against a DC that reflects how quiet the noise is that a character might hear or against an opposed Move Silently check. The Games Master may call for a Listen check by a character who is in a position

A sleeping character can make Listen checks, but takes a –10 penalty on the checks. Time: A Listen check is either a reaction (if called for by the Games Master) or a move action (if a character actively takes the time to try to hear something).


2

Skills and Feats

M o v e S i l e n t l y ( Dex; C h e c k P e n a l ty)

•

Preach: The character is an orator, capable of holding the attention of a crowd while he speaks on some topic. If he actually wants to persuade the crowd of something, he should use a Diplomacy check while preaching to them.

•

Sing: The character is a musician gifted with a talent for producing musical tones with your voice.

Move Silently is, obviously enough, the skill used to sneak around quietly, for ambushes and other low-down dirty tricks. Check: A character’s Move Silently check is opposed by the Listen check of anyone who might hear the character. A character can move up to half his normal speed at no penalty. At more than half speed and up to the character’s full speed, he takes a –5 penalty. It is practically impossible (–20 penalty) to move silently while attacking, running, or charging. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Move Silently check, but cannot take 20.

Result 10

15 20

A character with the Stealthy feat gets a +2 bonus on all Move Silently checks.

25

Time: Move Silently is a move action.

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P e r f o r m ( C h a)

This skill encompasses several categories, each of them treated as a separate skill. These categories are identified and defined below. The number of Perform categories is kept purposely finite. When trying to determine what Perform skill a particular type of performance falls under, use a broad interpretation of the existing categories. Also, keep in mind that the ability to perform does not make a character a trained performer in a stage sense; take ranks in Profession (performer) if the character should be able to make money and hold known performances with his skill. Check: The character is accomplished in some type of artistic expression and knows how to put on a performance. The character can impress audiences with his talent and skill. The quality of the character’s performance depends on his check result. The Perform categories, and the qualities each one encompasses, are as follows: •

Act: The character is a gifted actor, capable of performing drama, comedy, or action-oriented roles with some level of skill.

•

Dance: The character is a gifted dancer, capable of performing rhythmic and patterned bodily movements to music.

•

Instrument: The character is skilled at playing a particular instrument – piano, drum, harmonica, flute, violin and so on. He can also play related instruments (a banjo player could play a guitar) with slightly less ease (-2 circumstance penalty to the Perform check).

Performance Amateur performance. Audience may appreciate your performance, but is not impressed. Routine performance. Audience enjoys your performance, but it is not exceptional. Great performance. Audience highly impressed. Memorable performance. Audience enthusiastic. Masterful performance. Audience awed.

Try Again?: Not for the same performance and audience. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Perform check, but cannot take 20. Every time a character takes the Creative feat, he gets a +2 bonus on checks involving two Perform skills the player designates. See the feat description for more information. Time: A Perform check usually requires at least several minutes to an hour or more.

Profession (Wis)

The Profession skill covers the basic knowledge and training needed to hold down a particular skilled job. It is a mix of rules-of-thumb, experience and specialised knowledge. A Profession can earn the character a living. Check: The basic use for a Profession check is to make enough money to keep the character fed and sheltered. Some professions provide more resources, but also require a greater amount of training and investment. See Running a Business, page XX.

Repair (Int)

The Repair skill is used to jury-trig quick fixes to broken items. It can be applied to any structure, item, device or weapon, but any repairs made using the skill will probably only last a short time – it is a stop-gap skill. More permanent repairs are normally performed using the appropriate Craft skill.


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Check: Most Repair checks are made to fix complex electronic or mechanical devices. The DC is set by the Games Master. In general, simple repairs have a DC of 10 to 15 and require no more than a few minutes to accomplish. Try Again?: Yes, though in some specific cases, the Games Master may decide that a failed Repair check has negative ramifications that prevent repeated checks. Special: A character can take 10 or take 20 on a Repair check. Repair requires tools; if the character does not have the appropriate tools, he takes a –4 penalty on the check (or may be unable to do the repair at all at the Games Master’s option). Synergies: Having the appropriate Craft skill gives a +2 synergy bonus to the Repair check. Time: Varies, but repairing an item using Repair is much faster than rebuilding it properly.

Ride (Dex)

One of the most important skills for the traveller in the West, Ride is used to guide and control a horse or other mount. Check: Typical riding actions do not require checks. A character can saddle, mount, ride, and dismount without a problem. Mounting or dismounting an animal is a move action. Some tasks, such as those undertaken in combat or other extreme circumstances, require checks. In addition, attempting trick riding or asking the animal to perform an unusual technique also requires a check. Guide with Knees (DC 10): The character can react instantly to guide his mount with his knees so that the character can use both hands in combat or to perform some other action. Make the check at the start of the character’s round. If the character fails, he can only use one hand this round because the character needs to use the other to control his mount. Stay in Saddle (DC 10): The character can react instantly to try to avoid falling when his mount rears or bolts unexpectedly or when the character takes damage. Fight while Mounted (DC 20): While in combat, the character can attempt to control a mount that is not trained in combat riding (see the Handle Animal skill). If the character succeeds, he uses only a move action, and the character can use his attack action to do something else. If the character fails, he can do nothing else that round. If

the character fails by more than 5, he loses control of the animal. For animals trained in combat riding, the character does not need to make this check. Instead, the character can use his move action to have the animal perform a trick (commonly, to attack). The character can use his attack action normally. Cover (DC 15): The character can react instantly to drop down and hang alongside his mount, using it as one-half cover. The character cannot attack while using his mount as cover. If the character fails, he does not get the cover benefit. Soft Fall (DC 15): The character reacts instantly when he falls off a mount, such as when it is killed or when it falls, to try to avoid taking damage. If the character fails, he takes 1d6 points of falling damage. Leap (DC 15): The character can get his mount to leap obstacles as part of its movement. Use the character’s Ride modifier or the mount’s Jump modifier (whichever is lower) when the mount makes its Jump check (see the Jump skill). The character makes a Ride check (DC 15) to stay on the mount when it leaps. Fast Mount or Dismount (DC 20; Check Penalty applies): The character can mount or dismount as a free action. If the character fails the check, mounting or dismounting is a move action. (A character cannot attempt a fast mount or dismount unless he can perform the mount or dismount as a move action this round, should the check fail.) Special: If the character is riding bareback, he takes a –5 penalty on Ride checks. A character can take 10 when making a Ride check, but cannot take 20. Animals ill suited as mounts provide a –2 penalty on their rider’s Ride check. Time: Ride is a move action, except when otherwise noted for the special tasks listed above.

Search (Int)

The Search skill is used to closely and methodically investigate an area; searching for tracks, clues, signs of a shootout or break-in and so on. Check: The character generally must be within 10 feet of the object or surface to be examined. A character can examine up to a 5-foot by 5-foot area or a volume of goods 5 feet on a side with a single check. A Search check can turn


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Skills and Feats

up individual footprints, but does not allow a character to follow tracks or tell the character which direction the creature or creatures went or came from. DC 10 20 25+

Task Ransack an area to find a certain object. Notice a typical secret compartment, a simple trap, or an obscure clue. Find a complex or well-hidden secret compartment or trap; notice an extremely obscure clue.

Special: A character can take 10 or take 20 when making a Search check. A character with the Meticulous feat gets a +2 bonus on all Search checks. Time: A Search check is a full-round action.

S e n s e M o t i v e ( Wis)

The Sense Motive skill is used to assess a man’s honesty, to read his poker face and see if he is telling the truth or speaks with forked tongue. Check: A successful check allows the character to avoid being bluffed (see the Bluff skill). The character can also use the skill to tell when someone is behaving oddly or to assess someone’s trustworthiness. In addition, a character can use this skill to make an assessment of a social situation. With a successful check (DC 20), the character can get the feeling from another’s behaviour that something is wrong. Also, the character can get the feeling that someone is trustworthy and honourable. Try Again?: No, though the character may make a Sense Motive check for each bluff made on the character. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Sense Motive check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Attentive feat gets a +2 bonus on all Sense Motive checks. A character can use Sense Motive to detect that a hidden message is being transmitted via the Bluff skill (DC equal to the bluff check result of the sender). If the character’s check result beats the DC by 5 or more, the character understands the secret message as well. If the character’s check fails by 5 or more, the character misinterprets the message in some fashion.

someone is trying to bluff him.) Using Sense Motive to get a sense of someone’s trustworthiness takes at least one minute.

Sleight of Hand (Dex; Trained Only; Check Penalty)

This skill is used to do small conjuring tricks, pick pockets, palm cards and so on. Check: A check against DC 10 allows a character to palm a coin-sized, unattended object. Minor feats of sleight of hand, such as making a coin disappear, also have a DC of 10 unless an observer is concentrating on noticing what the character is doing. When a character performs this skill under close observation, the character’s skill check is opposed by the observer’s Spot check. The observer’s check does not prevent the character from performing the action, just from doing it unnoticed. When a character tries to take something from another person, the character’s opponent makes a Spot check to detect the attempt. To obtain the object, the character must get a result of 20 or higher, regardless of the opponent’s check result. The opponent detects the attempt if his check result beats the character’s check result, whether the character takes the object or not. A character can use Sleight of Hand to conceal a small weapon or object on his body. It can also be used to manipulate a small object in each hand, so long as one is coin sized and the other is no larger than a foot in any dimension. Used this way, it can conceal the manipulation from others, though it can be opposed by Spot as noted above. Try Again?: A second Sleight of Hand attempt against the same target, or when being watched by the same observer, has a DC 10 higher than the first check if the first check failed or if the attempt was noticed. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Sleight of Hand check, but cannot take 20. A character can make an untrained Sleight of Hand check to conceal a weapon or object, but must always take 10. A character with the Nimble feat and at least 1 rank in this skill gets a +2 bonus on all Sleight of Hand checks. Time: A Sleight of Hand check is an attack action.

Time: A Sense Motive check may be made as a reaction to another character’s Bluff check. (When that is the case, the Games Master may roll the character’s Sense Motive check in secret, so the character does not necessarily know


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Spot (Wis)

Use this skill to spot bandits sneaking up, to notice that the gunman’s right hand is bandaged and crippled, or to see the cavalry on the horizon. Check: The Spot skill is used to notice items that are not immediately obvious and people who are attempting to hide. The Games Master may call for a Spot check by a character who is in a position to notice something. A character can also make a Spot check voluntarily if he wants to try to notice something in his vicinity. The Games Master may make the Spot check in secret so that the character does not know whether not noticing anything means that nothing is there or that the character failed the check. A successful Spot check when there is not anything to notice results in the character noticing nothing. Spot is often used to notice a person or creature hiding from view. In such cases, the character’s Spot check is opposed by the Hide check of the character trying not to be seen. Spot is also used to detect someone in disguise (see the Disguise skill), or to notice a concealed weapon on another person. A character’s Spot check is modified by a –1 penalty for every 10 feet of distance between the character and the

character or object he is trying to discern. The check carries a further –5 penalty if the character is in the midst of activity. Try Again?: A character can make a Spot check every time he has the opportunity to notice something in a reactive manner. As a full-round action, a character may attempt to notice something that he failed (or believe he failed) to notice previously. Special: A character can take 10 or take 20 when making a Spot check. A character with the Alertness feat gets a +2 bonus on all Spot checks. Time: A Spot check is either a reaction (if called for by the Games Master) or a full-round action (if a character actively takes the time to try to notice something).

Survival (Wis)

The Survival skill is used to navigate the wilderness, identify and avoid dangers, track an enemy across the desert and follow trails. Check: A character can keep himself and others safe and fed in the wild frontier.


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DC 10

Task Get along in the wild. Move up to half the character’s overland speed while hunting and foraging (no food or water supplies needed). The character can provide food and water for one other person for every 2 points by which the character’s check result exceeds 10. Gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saves against severe weather while moving up to half the character’s overland speed, or gain a +4 circumstance bonus if stationary. The character may grant the same bonus to one other character for every 1 point by which the character’s check result exceeds 15. Avoid getting lost and avoid natural hazards such as alkali flats, prairie fires and so on.

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With the Track feat, a character can use Survival checks to track a character or animal across various terrain types. Special: A character can take 10 when making a Survival check. A character can take 20 when tracking, or if there is no danger or penalty for failure, but not on periodic checks to get along in the wild. Time: Basic Survival checks occur each day in the wilderness or whenever a hazard presents itself. When using Survival with the Track feat to track a character or animal, checks are made according to distance, as described in the Track feat.

S w i m ( S t r ; C h eck Penalty)

Obviously enough, the Swim skill covers a character’s ability to swim and dive. Check: A successful Swim check allows a character to swim one-quarter his speed as a move action or half the character’s speed as a full-round action. Make a Swim check once per round. If the character fails, he makes no progress through the water. If the character fails by 5 or more, he goes underwater. If the character is underwater (from failing a swim check or because the character is swimming underwater intentionally), the character must hold his breath. A character can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to the character’s Constitution score, but only if the character does nothing but take move actions or free actions. If the character takes an attack action or a full-round action, the amount of breath the character has remaining is reduced by 1 round. (Effectively, a character in combat can hold his breath only half as long as normal.) After that period of time, the character must make a Constitution check (DC 10) every round to continue holding his breath.

Each round, the DC of the check increases by 1. If the character fails the check, the character begins to drown. The DC for the Swim check depends on the water: Water Calm water Rough water Stormy water

DC 10 15 20

Each hour that the character swims, make a Swim check against DC 20. If the character fails, he becomes fatigued. If the character fails a check while fatigued, the character becomes exhausted. If the character fails a check while exhausted, the character becomes unconscious. Unconscious characters go underwater and immediately begin to drown. Try Again?: A new check is allowed the round after a check is failed. Special: A character takes a penalty of –1 for every 5 pounds of gear he carries, including armour and weapons. A character can take 10 when making a Swim check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Athletic feat gets a +2 bonus on all Swim checks. Time: A Swim check is either a move action or a fullround action, as described above.

Treat Injury (Wis)

This is the skill of sawing bones and pulling teeth, not to mention sewing up wounds and digging bullets out of flesh. Check: The DC and effect depend on the task attempted. A specific intent is needed for a Treat injury check, chosen from the listed options below. Long-Term Care (DC 15): With the aid of a doctor’s bag, the successful application of this skill allows a patient to recover hit points and ability points lost to temporary damage at an advanced rate: 5 plus the patient’s Constitution modifier. A new check is made each day; on a failed check, recovery occurs at the normal rate for that day of rest and care. A character can tend up to as many patients as he has ranks in the skill. The patients need to spend all their time resting. The character needs to devote at least ½ hour of the day to each patient the character is caring for.


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Revive Dazed, Stunned, or Unconscious Character (DC 15): With a doctor’s bag, the character can remove the dazed, stunned, or unconscious condition from a character. This check is an attack action.

A character can take 10 when making a Treat injury check. A character can take 20 only when restoring hit points or attempting to revive dazed, stunned, or unconscious characters.

A successful check removes the dazed, stunned, or unconscious condition from an affected character. The character cannot revive an unconscious character who is at –1 hit points or lower without first stopping any bleeding.

Most uses of Treat Injury require bandages, hot water, medicinal alcohol, tourniquets and so on. Surgery requires a surgery kit. If the character does not have the appropriate kit, he takes a –4 penalty on the check.

Stem Bleeding (DC10): With a doctor’s bag, the character can reduce the bleed caused by a wound. (If the character does not have a doctor’s bag, any cloth can be used in desperation, but this causes a –4 penalty to the Treat Injury check). The rate of bleeding changes as follows Bleed Before Stem Bleeding None 1/round 2/round 4/round

Bleed After None 1/day 1/hour 1/minute

A character can also apply a hot iron to a wound. This deals an extra 1d4 points of damage, but automatically stems any bleeding. Treat Disease (DC 15): A character can tend to a character infected with a treatable disease. Every time the diseased character makes a saving throw against disease effects (after the initial contamination), the treating character first makes a Treat injury check to help the diseased character fend off secondary damage. This activity takes 10 minutes. If the treating character’s check succeeds, the treating character provides a bonus on the diseased character’s saving throw equal to his ranks in this skill. Treat Poison (DC 15): A character can tend to a poisoned character. When a poisoned character makes a saving throw against a poison’s secondary effect, the treating character first makes a Treat injury check as an attack action. If the treating character’s check succeeds, the character provides a bonus on the poisoned character’s saving throw equal to his ranks in this skill. Reduce Impairment (DC 15): A character can tend to an injured character, reducing their impairment penalty to a specific location by 1. Each location can only be treated once in this manner. Try Again?: Yes. Special: The Surgery feat gives a character the extra training he needs to use Treat injury to help a wounded character by means of an operation.

A character can use the Treat injury skill on himself only to administer first aid, treat disease, or treat poison. The character takes a –5 penalty on your check any time he treats himself. Time: Treat injury checks take different amounts of time based on the task at hand, as described above.

Tumble (Dex; Trained Only; Check Penalty)

This skill allows the character to make acrobatic dodges and rolls. Check: A character can land softly when he falls, tumble past opponents in combat, or tumble through opponents. Land Softly: The character can make a Tumble check (DC 15) when falling. If the check succeeds, treat the fall as if it were 10 feet shorter when determining damage. Tumble past Opponents: With a successful Tumble check (DC 20), the character can weave, dodge, and roll up to 20 feet through squares adjacent to opponents, risking no attacks of opportunity. Failure means the character moves as planned, but provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. Tumble through Opponents: With a successful Tumble check (DC 20), the character can roll, jump, or dive through squares occupied by opponents, moving over, under, or around them as if they were not there. Failure means the character moves as planned, but provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. Try Again?: No. Special: A character with 5 or more ranks in Tumble gains a +3 dodge bonus to Defence (instead of the normal +2) when fighting defensively, and a +6 dodge bonus (instead of the normal +4) when engaging in total defence. A character can take 10 when making a Tumble check, but cannot take 20. A character with the Acrobatic feat and at least 1 rank in this skill gets a +2 bonus on all Tumble checks.


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Skills and Feats

Time: A character can try to reduce damage from a fall as a reaction once per fall. A character can attempt to tumble as a free action that must be performed as part of a move action.

Feats

Feats are gained in four different ways in OGL Wild West. They can be gained as free feats from a character’s class or vocation occupation, they can be purchased when the character obtains a bonus feat, they can be granted by certain levels of the talent trees or class features, or they can be bought with the extra feat slot afforded to all characters at 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15, and 18th level. Once gained, the method of procurement is irrelevant. A character either has a feat or he does not.

F e a t D e s c r i p t i ons

Here is the format for every feat description found in this sourcebook. Feats are purposefully left a vague as possible while still providing all of the rules support needed to run them in a campaign. This way, the same feat taken by two different characters can simulate different approaches to the same basic talent.

Feats

Advanced TwoWeapon Fighting

You can fight with two weapons at once, and can combine ranged and melee weapons. Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +11. Benefit: The character gets a third attack with his offhand weapon, albeit at a –10 penalty. This feat also allows the character to use a melee weapon in one hand and a ranged weapon in the other.

Agile Riposte

You can strike when your opponent attacks. Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Dodge.

Feat Name: The name of the feat.

Benefit: Once per round, if the opponent the character has designated as his dodge target (see the Dodge feat) makes a melee attack or melee touch attack against the character and misses, the character may make an attack of opportunity with a melee weapon against that opponent. Resolve and apply the effects from both attacks simultaneously.

Prerequisite: A minimum ability score, another feat or feats, a minimum base attack bonus, and/or the minimum ranks in a skill that a character must have to acquire this feat. This entry is absent if a feat has no prerequisite.

Even a character with the Combat Reflexes feat cannot use the Agile Riposte feat more than once per round. This feat does not grant more attacks of opportunity than the character is normally allowed in a round.

A character can gain a feat at the same level at which he gains all the prerequisites.

You have finely tuned senses.

A character cannot use a feat if the character has lost a prerequisite.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Listen checks and Spot checks.

Benefit: What the feat enables a character to do. Normal: What a character who does not have this feat is limited to or restricted from doing. If there is no particular drawback to not possessing the feat, this entry is absent. Special: Additional facts about the feat. If there are no special features about a feat aside from what it does and its prerequisites, this entry is also absent.

Alertness

Animal Affinity

You are good with animals.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Handle Animal checks and Ride checks. Special: Remember that the Handle Animal skill cannot be used untrained.

Athletic

You are especially fit and quick.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Climb checks and Swim checks.


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Blind-Fight

Brawler

You can fight in darkness.

You are especially good at brawling.

Benefit: In melee combat, every time the character misses because of concealment, the character can reroll the miss chance roll one time to see if the character actually hits.

Prerequisite: Strength 13.

The character takes only half the usual penalty to speed for being unable to see. Darkness and poor visibility in general reduces the character’s speed to three-quarters of normal, instead of one-half.

Builder

Benefit: Enemies suffer a –1 penalty to their Fortitude saves to avoid being Winded, Dazed or Knocked Out.

Cautious

You look before you leap.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Demolitions checks and Disable Device checks.

You have a knack for constructing items. Benefit: Pick two Craft skills that involve physical construction. The character gets a +2 bonus on all checks with those skills. Special: The character can select this feat twice. The second time, the character applies it to the two skills he did not pick originally.

Special: Remember that the Demolitions skill and the Disable Device skill cannot be used untrained.

Cleave

You can keep on chopping.

Prerequisites: Strength 13, Power Attack. Benefit: If the character deals an opponent enough damage to make the opponent drop (either by knocking the opponent out due to massive damage or by reducing the opponent’s hit points to less than 0), the character gets an immediate extra melee attack against another opponent


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Skills and Feats

adjacent to the character. The character cannot take a 5foot step before making this extra attack. The extra attack is with the same weapon and at the same bonus as the attack that dropped the previous opponent. The character can use this ability once per round.

C o m b a t E x p e r tise

You are trained in defensive combat.

Special: A character can select this feat twice, selecting different skills the second time.

Creative

You have a creative streak.

Benefit: Pick two of either a Perform skill speciality, or a form of Craft that involves creativity and inspiration. You have a +2 insight bonus to all such skill checks.

Prerequisite: Intelligence 13. Benefit: When the character uses the attack action or the full attack action in melee, the character can take a penalty of up to –5 on his attack roll and add the same number (up to +5) to the character’s Defence. This number may not exceed the character’s base attack bonus. The changes to attack rolls and Defence last until the character’s next action. The bonus to the character’s Defence is a dodge bonus (and as such it stacks with other dodge bonuses the character may have). Normal: A character without the Combat Expertise feat can fight defensively while using the attack or full attack action to take a –4 penalty on attacks and gain a +2 dodge bonus to Defence.

C o m b a t R e f l e xes

You can respond quickly to opponents who let their guard down.

Special: A character can select this feat twice, selecting different skills the second time.

Trust me…

Deceptive

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Bluff checks and Disguise checks.

Dodge

You are adept at dodging attacks. Prerequisite: Dexterity 13.

Benefit: During the character’s action, the character designates an opponent and receives a +1 dodge bonus to Defence against any subsequent attacks from that opponent. The character can select a new opponent on any action.

Benefit: The maximum number of attacks of opportunity the character may make each round is equal to the character’s Dexterity modifier + 1. The character can still only make one attack of opportunity on a single opponent. With this feat, the character may also make attacks of opportunity when flat-footed.

Special: A condition that makes the character lose his Dexterity bonus to Defence also makes the character lose dodge bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonuses.

Normal: A character without the Combat Reflexes feat can make only one attack of opportunity per round and cannot make attacks of opportunity when flat-footed.

The benefits of university…

Confident

You are naturally self-confident.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Gamble checks and Intimidate checks, and on level checks to resist intimidation.

Crafter

You are skilled with your hands.

Benefit: Pick two of either Repair, or a form of Craft that involves making things. You have a +2 insight bonus to all such skill checks.

Educated

Benefit: Pick two Knowledge skills. The character gets a +2 bonus on all checks with those skills. Special: A character can select this feat as many as five times. Each time, the character selects two new Knowledge skills.

Elusive Target

You can use opponents as cover in combat. Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Martial Arts.

Benefit: When fighting an opponent or multiple opponents in melee, other opponents attempting to target the character with ranged attacks take a –4 penalty. This penalty is in addition to the normal –4 penalty for firing into melee, making the penalty to target to character –8.


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Special: An opponent with the Precise Shot feat has the penalty lessened to –4 when targeting the character.

Endurance

Benefit: As Cleave, except that the character has no limit to the number of times he can use it per round.

Great Fortitude

You have great reserves of stamina.

You are tougher than normal.

Benefit: The character gains a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: hourly Swim checks to avoid becoming fatigued, Constitution checks to continue running, Constitution checks to hold the character’s breath, Constitution checks to avoid damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves to avoid damage from hot or cold environments and Fortitude saves to resist suffocation or drowning.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saving throws.

Fan

You can fire a single-action sidearm multiple times a round by manually fanning the hammer. Benefit: When using a single-action pistol, you can fire it multiple times each round by making a Dexterity check (DC 15) for each shot. If the check is failed, then the character may make no more attacks this round. The maximum number of shots you can fan is your Dex modifier + 1. A penalty is applied to each shot – if the result of the Dexterity check is less than 20, apply a –2 penalty to the next attack for every point of different. For example, if the result of the Dexterity check was 16, then the gunman could make another attack, but would suffer a –8 (2016=4, x2) penalty to the attack. A character must have both hands free to use the Fan feat.

Far Shot

You are good at attacking from long range. Benefit: When the character uses a firearm or bow, its range increment increases by one-half (multiply by 1.5). When the character throws a weapon, its range increment is doubled.

Focused

You keep your cool.

Benefit: The character gets get a +2 bonus on all Balance checks and Concentration checks.

Greater Weapon Focus

Choose one type of weapon for which you have already selected Weapon Focus. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple as your weapon for purposes of this feat. Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Base Attack Bonus +8. Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon. This bonus stacks with other bonuses on attack rolls, including the one from Weapon Focus (see below). Special: You can gain Greater Weapon Focus multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.

Greater Weapon Specialisation

Choose one type of weapon for which you have already selected Weapon Specialisation. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple as your weapon for purposes of this feat. Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Greater Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Weapon Specialisation with selected weapon, Base Attack Bonus +12. Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls you make using the selected weapon. This bonus stacks with other bonuses on damage rolls, including the one from Weapon Specialisation (see below). Special: You can gain Greater Weapon Specialisation multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.

G r ea t C l e a v e

You can cut through hosts of enemies.

Prerequisites: Strength 13, Power Attack, Cleave, base attack bonus +4.


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Improved Aim

You are a practised sniper.

Skills and Feats

Prerequisites: Wis 13, Any Longarms Proficiency. Benefit: When making an aim action with a longarm, you gain an additional +1 bonus to your attack roll for every round spent aiming, up to a maximum of your Base Attack Bonus. This bonus stacks with the +2 or +4 bonus for aiming.

I m p r o v e d B u l l Rush

You know how to push opponents back.

Prerequisites: Strength 13, Power Attack. Benefit: When the character performs a bull rush, the character does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender.

I m p r o v e d D i s arm

You are skilled at disarming opponents.

If the character trips an opponent in melee combat, the character immediately gets to make a melee attack against that opponent as if the character had not used his attack action for the trip attempt.

Improved TwoWeapon Fighting

You are an expert at fighting with two weapons.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +6. Benefit: The character gets a second attack with his offhand weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty. Also, this feat allows the character to use a melee weapon in one hand and a ranged weapon in the other. Normal: Without this feat, a character can only get a single extra attack with an off-hand weapon, and both weapons must be of the same type (either both ranged weapons or both melee weapons).

Iron Will

Prerequisites: Intelligence 13, Combat Expertise.

You have a stronger will than normal.

Benefit: The character does not provoke an attack of opportunity when the character attempts to disarm an opponent, nor does the opponent get a chance to disarm the character.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws.

I m p r o v e d F e i nt

You excel at misdirecting.

Prerequisites: Intelligence 13, Dodge. Benefit: The character can make a Bluff check in combat as a move action. The character receives a +2 bonus on Bluff checks made to feint in melee combat. Normal: Feinting in combat requires an attack action.

I m pr o v e d I n i t i ative

You react quickly in a fight.

Benefit: The character gets a +4 circumstance bonus on initiative checks.

I m p r o v e d T r ip

You can follow through on trip attacks.

Prerequisites: Intelligence 13, Combat Expertise. Benefit: The character does not provoke an attack of opportunity when the character tries to trip an opponent while the character is unarmed.

Lightning Reflexes

You have excellent reflexes.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Reflex saving throws.

Literacy

You can read and write.

Benefit: The character can read and write fully. Literacy was far from universal in the West. Without this feat, a character can only make out a few common words (‘Saloon’, ‘Sheriff ’, ‘Wanted’ and so on) and cannot write. Special: A character cannot take the Decipher Script skill without this feat.

Lucky

You are unnaturally lucky.

Benefit: The character’s Luck Point total increases by 2d6. Special: A character can take this feat multiple times. Each time, it increases the character’s Luck by 2d6 points.


2

Martial Arts

You are trained in scientific boxing or one of the Oriental martial arts. Benefit: You can inflict lethal damage with your bare hands. Your unarmed attacks deal 2 + your Strength bonus in damage, and you may choose to inflict wounds instead of brawling.

Medical Expert

Benefit: The penalty to attack rolls caused by the character’s movement is reduced by 2.

Nimble

You have exceptional flexibility and manual dexterity. Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Escape Artist checks and Sleight of Hand checks.

You are skilled at aiding the sick.

Special: Remember that the Sleight of Hand skill cannot be used untrained.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Craft (chemical) checks and Treat Injury checks.

You are skilled at making accurate shots at close range.

Special: Remember that the Craft (chemical) skill cannot be used untrained.

Meticulous

You are painstakingly accurate and complete. Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Forgery checks and Search checks.

Mobility

You are skilled at dodging past opponents. Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Dodge. Benefit: The character gets a +4 dodge bonus to Defence against attacks of opportunity provoked when the character moves out of a threatened square. Special: A condition that makes a character lose his Dexterity bonus to Defence also makes the character lose dodge bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonuses.

Mounted Fire

You are skilled at shooting while mounted. Prerequisites: Ride 1 rank.

Benefit: The penalty you take when using a ranged weapon while mounted is halved: –2 instead of –4 if your mount is taking a double move, and –4 instead of –8 if your mount is running.

Moving Shot

You keep your hand steady.

Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot.

Point Blank Shot

Benefit: The character gets a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons against opponents within 30 feet.

Power Attack

You can make exceptional powerful attacks. Prerequisite: Strength 13.

Benefit: On the character’s action, before making attack rolls for a round, the character may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed the character’s base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage applies until the character’s next action.

Precise Shot

You are an excellent shot.

Prerequisite: Point Blank Shot. Benefit: The character can shoot or throw ranged weapons at an opponent engaged in melee without penalty. Normal: A character takes a –4 penalty when using a ranged weapon to attack an opponent who is engaged in melee combat.

Quick Reload

You can reload a gun much more quickly. Prerequisite: Quick Draw.

Benefit: The time needed to reload a firearm is reduced. Fully reloading a weapon is now a move action. The time required to reload a weapon that takes multiple rounds to reload is reduced by one round, the act of reloading can never, however, be a free action.


2

R e s i s t I m p a i r m ent

You are too mean to die.

Snap Shot

You are adept at taking shots when the opportunity presents itself.

Skills and Feats

Prerequisite: Toughness. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot. Benefit: Reduce all impairment penalties by one. Special: A character may take this feat multiple times; its effects stack.

R i d e - b y A t t a ck

Benefit: When armed with a sidearm, you threaten the area within two range increments of your weapon. Normal: A character cannot threaten with a ranged weapon, and only threatens the area within his reach.

You are adept at making hit and run attacks when mounted.

Skip Shot

You can bounce attacks around cover. Prerequisites: Ride 1 rank.

Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot. Benefit: When you are mounted and use the charge action, you may move and attack as if with a standard charge and then move again (continuing the straight line of the charge). Your total movement for the round cannot exceed double your mounted speed. You and your mount do not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent that you attack.

You are unusually fast.

Run

Benefit: When running, the character moves a maximum of five times his normal speed instead of four times. If the character is in heavy armour, the character can move four times his speed rather than three times. If the character makes a long jump, the character gains a +2 competence bonus on his Jump check.

S h o t o n t h e R un

You are a good skirmisher.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Point Blank Shot, Moving Shot, Dodge, Mobility. Benefit: When using an attack action with a ranged weapon, the character can move both before and after the attack, provided that the character’s total distance moved is not greater than his speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender the character is attacking (though it can provoke attacks of opportunity from others, as normal).

Skill Focus

You are especially skilled in one narrow field. Benefit: Select a skill. You have a +3 insight bonus to all skill checks with that skill.

Benefit: If the character has a solid, relatively smooth surface on which to skip a bullet (such as a street or a concrete wall), and a target within 10 feet of that surface, the character may ignore cover between the character and the target. However, the character receives a –2 penalty on his attack roll and the damage from the attack is halved. Special: The surface does not have to be perfectly smooth and level; a brick wall or an asphalt road can be used. The target can have no more than nine-tenths cover for a character to attempt a skip shot.

Speak Language

You can speak a particular language.

Benefit: The character can speak a language that is not commonly known. The most common use for this feat is to speak an Indian dialect (or for Indian translators to speak English). Versions of this feat include: •

Speak English

•

Speak French

•

Speak German

•

Speak Spanish

•

Speak Latin

•

Speak Chinese

•

Speak Sioux

•

Speak Indian Sign Language

Normal: A character can automatically speak his native language (English for most characters), but can speak no other languages.


2

Special: A character can use Decipher Script to decode a particular piece of writing even if he does not speak the language. A character with the Literacy feat can also write any language he speaks.

S p i r it e d C h a r g e

You are highly adept at using a mount to charge into melee combat. Prerequisites: Ride 1 rank, Ride-By Attack. Benefit: When mounted and using the charge action, you deal double damage with a melee weapon (or triple damage with a lance).

Spring Attack

Normal: A character without this feat incurs an attack of opportunity when he strikes at an object held or carried by another character.

Surgery

You are trained in surgical procedures. Prerequisite: Treat Injury 4 ranks.

Benefit: The character can use the Treat Injury skill to perform surgery without penalty. Normal: Characters without this feat take a –4 penalty on Treat Injury checks made to perform surgery.

Toughness

You are good at hit-and-run attacks.

You are tougher than normal.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.

Benefit: The character gains +3 hit points.

Benefit: When using an attack action with a melee weapon, the character can move both before and after the attack, provided that the total distance moved is not greater than the character’s speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender the character is attacking (though it can provoke attacks of opportunity from others, as normal). A character cannot use this feat if he is carrying a heavy load or wearing heavy armour.

Stealthy

Special: A character may gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.

Track

You can find and follow a trail.

Benefit: To find tracks or follow them for one mile requires a Survival check. The character must make another Survival check every time the tracks become difficult to follow. The character moves at half his normal speed (or at the character’s normal speed with a –5 penalty on the check, or at up to twice the character’s speed with a –20 penalty on the check). The DC depends on the surface and the prevailing conditions.

You go unseen and unheard.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Hide checks and Move Silently checks.

Sunder

You smash items with élan.

Prerequisites: Strength 13, Power Attack. Benefit: When the character strikes an object held or carried by an opponent, such as a weapon, the character does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The character gains a +4 bonus on any attack roll made to attack an object held or carried by another character. The character deals double normal damage to objects, whether they are held or carried or not.

Surface Very soft Soft Firm Hard

Track DC 5 10 15 20

•

Very Soft: Any surface (fresh snow, thick dust, wet mud) that holds deep, clear impressions of footprints.

•

Soft: Any surface soft enough to yield to pressure, but firmer than wet mud or fresh snow, in which the quarry leaves frequent but shallow footprints.

•

Firm: Most normal outdoor or exceptionally soft or dirty indoor surfaces. The quarry might leave some traces of its passage, but only occasional or partial footprints can be found.


2

Skills and Feats

•

Hard: Any surface that does not hold footprints at all, such as bare rock, concrete, metal decking, or indoor floors. The quarry leaves only traces, such as scuff marks.

If the character fails a Survival check, he can retry after 1 hour (outdoors) or 10 minutes (indoors) of searching. Normal: A character without this feat can use the Survival skill to find tracks, but can only follow tracks if the DC is 10 or less. A character can use the Search skill to find individual footprints, but cannot follow tracks using Search. Condition Every three targets in the group being tracked Size of targets being tracked: 1 Fine Diminutive Tiny

DC Modifier –1

+8 +4 +2

Small

+1

Medium Large

+0 –1

Huge

–2

Gargantuan Colossal

–4 –8

Every 24 hours since the trail was made Every hour of rain since the trail was made Fresh snow cover since the trail was made Poor visibility: 2 Overcast or moonless night Moonlight Fog or precipitation

+1 +1

Trustworthy

You seem trustworthy.

Benefit: The character gets a +2 bonus on all Diplomacy checks and Gather Information checks.

Two-Weapon Fighting

You can fight with a weapon in each hand. Prerequisite: Dexterity 13+. Benefit: The character’s penalties for fighting with two weapons are reduced; see Chapter 7, Combat. The weapons used must both be melee weapons or both be ranged weapons (the character cannot mix the types). He may also draw two light or one-handed weapons in one move action (or free action if he also has the Quick Draw feat).

Vehicle Dodge

You can swerve out of the way of trouble.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Drive 6 ranks. Benefit: When driving a vehicle, during the character’s action the character designates an opposing vehicle or a single opponent. The character’s vehicle and everyone aboard it receive a +1 dodge bonus to Defence against attacks from that vehicle or opponent. The character can select a new vehicle or opponent on any action.

Weapon Finesse

+10

Choose one light melee weapon – the character is skilled at wielding it swiftly and adroitly.

+6 +3

Prerequisites: Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +1.

+3

Benefit: With the selected melee weapon, the character may use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier on attack rolls.

Tracked target hides trail (and moves +5 at half speed) 1 For a group of mixed sizes, apply only the modifier for the largest size category represented. 2 Apply only the largest modifier from this category.

Trample

Benefit: When you attempt to overrun an opponent while mounted, your target may not choose to avoid you. Your mount may make one hoof attack against any target you knock down, gaining the standard +4 bonus on attack rolls against prone targets.

You are skilled at making your mount crush foes underfoot.

Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time the character takes the feat, the character selects a different weapon.

Weapon Focus

Choose a specific weapon. A character can choose unarmed strike or grapple for your weapon for purposes of this feat.

Prerequisites: Ride 1 rank.


2

Prerequisites: Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +1. Benefit: The character adds +1 to all attack rolls he makes using the selected weapon. Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time the character takes the feat, the character must select a different weapon.

Weapon Specialisation

Choose one type of weapon for which you have already selected the Weapon Focus feat. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple as your weapon for purposes of this feat. You deal extra damage when using this weapon. Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, base attack bonus +4. Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls you make using the selected weapon. Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.

Benefit: When the character performs a full-round action, the character can give up his regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at the character’s highest base attack bonus against each adjacent opponent.

Weapon Proficiencies

The various weapons listed in Chapter XX: Outfitting require weapon proficiencies to use. A character who wishes to use a weapon properly needs to have the appropriate feat. Most people in the West have at least Simple Weapons Proficiency and Simple Longarms Proficiency, while a soldier will have Martial Weapons Proficiency and Martial Longarms and Sidearms Proficiencies.

Improvised Weapons Proficiency

You can turn anything into a weapon.

Benefit: You may use an Improvised Weapon without penalty. Normal: A character suffers a –2 penalty when attacking with an improvised weapon.

Whirlwind Attack

You can hit everyone nearby in one attack.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Intelligence 13, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat Expertise, base attack bonus +4.


2

S i m p l e W e a p o ns Proficiency

Skills and Feats

You are used to fighting using basic weapons.

Martial Sidearms Proficiency

You are trained in using the choice sidearms of the military and gunslingers.

Benefit: You may use a Simple Melee or Ranged Weapon without penalty.

Benefit: You may use a Martial Sidearm without penalty.

Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with a Simple Weapon without this feat.

Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with a Martial Sidearm without this feat.

M a r t i a l W e a p ons Proficiency

Exotic Sidearms Proficiency

You are trained in using martial weapons such as sabres. Benefit: You may use a Martial Melee or Ranged Weapon without penalty. Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with a Martial Weapon without this feat.

I n d i a n W e a p o ns Proficiency

You are trained in using the weapons of the Indians, such as bows and tomahawks. Benefit: You may use an Indian Melee or Ranged Weapon without penalty. Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with an Indian Weapon without this feat.

E x o t i c W e a p o ns Proficiency

You are trained in using an exotic weapon such as a lasso. Benefit: Choose an exotic weapon. You may use that particular Exotic Melee or Ranged Weapon without penalty. Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with the chosen Exotic Weapon without this feat.

S i m p l e S i d e a r ms Proficiency

You are trained in using commonly available pistols. Benefit: You may use a Simple Sidearm without penalty. Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with a Simple Sidearm without this feat.

You are trained in using rarely encountered handguns such as the Colt ‘Buntline Special’ pistol. Benefit: Choose an exotic sidearm. You may use that Exotic Sidearm without penalty. Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with that particular Exotic Sidearm without this feat.

Simple Longarms Proficiency

You are trained in using commonly available rifles and shotguns. Benefit: penalty.

You may use a Simple Longarm without

Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with a Simple Longarm without this feat.

Martial Longarms Proficiency

You are trained in using the choice longarms of the military and gunslingers. Benefit: penalty.

You may use a Martial Longarm without

Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with a Martial Longarm without this feat.

Exotic Longarm Proficiency

You are trained in using rarely encountered guns, such as the Colt Revolving rifle. Benefit: Choose an exotic Longarm. You may use that Exotic Longarm without penalty. Normal: A character suffers a –4 penalty when attacking with that particular Exotic Longarm without this feat.


2

Outfitting Purchasing Equipment

Equipment is rated as common, uncommon or rare. Common equipment can be obtained almost anywhere, and is produced in most settlements and towns. Uncommon items can only be found in larger towns and cities. Rare items must be shipped from the east, and therefore are found only in the largest cities or are specially ordered.

Trading

Barter and haggling are accepted parts of trade in the West. A canny trader can barter a bundle of buffalo hides for a shiny new rifle, even when the storekeeper has a big heap of hides out back. There are several different styles of bartering – a character may use Bluff (claiming that whatever he is offering is better than it is), Diplomacy (trying to persuade the other to give a good deal), Intimidation (veiled or obvious threats) or Perform (a practised line of patter). After choosing their approach, both characters make an opposed skill check. However, each approach is especially effective against one other approach (giving a +4 circumstance bonus to the roll) and especially vulnerable to another. •

Bluff beats Intimidate and loses to Diplomacy

•

Diplomacy beats Bluff and loses to Perform

•

Perform beats Intimidate

•

Intimidate beats Perform and loses to Bluff

Diplomacy

and

loses

to

For every point by which one character beats the other’s roll, he may adjust the worth of his goods up or the worth of the opponent’s goods down by 10%. The characters can haggle again after the first bout of haggling, but the price change halves to 5%. A third and final round of haggling has the price change by 2.5% per point of difference.

Equipment Tables

Equipment items are described by a number of statistics, as shown on the following tables. Size: The size category of a piece of equipment helps to determine how easy that object is to conceal, and it also indicates whether using the object requires one hand or two. In general, a character needs only one hand to use any object that is of his size category or smaller. Weight: This column gives the item’s weight. Cost: The value, in dollars. Availability: Common, Uncommon or Rare.

Bags and Boxes

Sack: A standard burlap sack, once used to hold flour, vegetables or some other goods. Saddlebag: Retrieving an item from a saddlebag while riding requires a Ride check (DC 5). Chest: This is a travel chest, one that a family of settlers might store their treasured possessions in. Such trunks are often quite well made and ornate. A chest is fitted with a lock that requires a Disable Device check (DC 25) to open (Break DC 25) and has a Hardness of 8 with 20 hit points. Strongbox: This strongbox is bound in iron. It is the sort of container that might be carried on a stagecoach, holding important mail, monies, gold and other valuable items. The strongbox has a lock that requires a Disable Device check (DC 35) to open, a Break DC of 30, a Hardness of 10 and 40 hit points. Barrel: Barrels are still one of the most common ways to store items. Anything that must keep for a long time tends to be stored in barrels.


2

Outfitting

General Equipment Object Bags and Boxes Sack Saddlebag Chest Strongbox Barrel Clothing Business suit Casual wear Formal dress Uniform Outerwear Coat Hat Leather chaps Boots Spurs Bandana Professional Equipment Doctor’s Bag Forgery kit Handcuffs Lockpick set Mechanical tool kit Trail Gear Telescope Rope (50 ft.) Compass Oil lamp Tent Canteen Bedroll Blanket Trap Branding Iron Saddle Saddle, Masterwork Shovel Saw Pick Weapon Accessories Holster Pistol belt Ammo bandolier Ammunition, black powder Ammunition, .22 Ammunition, .32 Ammunition. 38 Ammunition, .45 Ammunition, .52

Size

Weight

Price

Availability

Small Medium Medium Medium Large

½ lb. 8 lb. 25 lb. 35 lb. 30 lb.

5c $8 $3 $25 $1

Common Common Common Uncommon Common

Medium Medium Medium Medium

3 lb. 2 lb. 4 lb. 2 lb.

$12 $5 $15 $10

Uncommon Common Rare Uncommon

Medium Tiny Small Small Tiny Tiny

4 lb. 2 lb. 2 lb. -

$10 $3 $4.50 $5 50c 10c

Common Common Common Common Common Common

Medium Small Tiny Tiny Medium

15 lb. 6 lb. 1 lb. 1 lb. 30 lb.

$25 $15 $3 $2 $10

Uncommon Uncommon Common Common Uncommon

Tiny Large Diminutive Medium Large Tiny Large Medium Medium Small Large Large Medium Small Small

3 lb. 12 lb. 4 lb. 30 lb. 1 lb. 10 lb. 3 lb. 6 lb. 3 lb. 20 lb. 20 lb. 6 lb. 2 lb. 4 lb.

$15 50c $2 $1.50 $6 50c $4 50c $1.50 $2 $25 $50 $2.50 $1 $4

Uncommon Common Uncommon Common Common Common Common Common Common Uncommon Uncommon Rare Common Common Common

Small Small Small Medium Small Small Medium Medium Medium

1 lb. 1 ½ lb. 3 lb. 2 lb. 4 lb. 4 lb. 6.5 lb. 6.5 lb.

$1.50 $1 $1 $1.50 $1.40 $2.50 $3 $3.25 $3.50

Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Uncommon Common


2

Ammunition, 10 gauge Ammunition, 12 gauge Gun cleaning kit Telescopic Sight Consumables Trail rations (one week) Lamp oil Tobacco Luxuries Banjo Deck of Cards Harmonica Newspaper Piano Violin

Medium Medium Tiny Diminutive

7 lb. 7 lb. 1 lb. ½ lb.

$1 $1.50 $1.50 $15

Common Common Common Uncommon

Medium Medium Diminutive

10 lb. 8 lb. -

$1 10c 10c

Common Common Common

Small Diminutive Diminutive Tiny Huge Small

12 lb. 800 lb. 4 lb.

$12 15c 50c 1c $100 $10

Uncommon Common Uncommon Common Rare Uncommon

Clothing

The various outfits listed here have average prices for their various components – a character can splash out on a more expensive shirt, or buy a second-hand pair of boots to adjust the price up or down. Business suit: A dark suit, suitable for an undertaker, clerk, banker or lawyer. Your average Dude might wear a robust version of this. Casual wear: Most men in the West wear sensible clothing consisting of a cotton shirt, breeches or trousers, an overcoat in wet weather, boots and a hat. Women wear heavier dresses and shawls. Formal dress: This outfit is suitable for a formal dinner, dance or funeral. Uniform: An army uniform. Coat: This heavy leather or buffalo-hide duster protects the wearer from cold, precipitation and dust. It is also heavy enough to provide one point of armour. Hat: This can be the classic ten-gallon hat of the cowboy, or a more reasonable derby or sombrero. A hat keeps the sun and the flies off, holds water, works as a fan, and is also usable as a flag or signalling device. Leather chaps: These coverings protect the cowboy’s legs during long rides, as well as from thorny underbrush and harsh weather. Boots: A finely made pair of good boots can cost up to thirty dollars, but such fancy footwear is normally the mark of the dude or dandy.

Spurs: A pair of spurs that attaches to any boot heels. Spurs give a +1 bonus to Ride checks, or a +2 if the rider is willing to inflict one point of damage on his mount. Bandanna: This little square of cloth is one of the most useful items to have on the range. It can be used to shade the back of the neck from the sun, as a dust mask, a towel, a strainer for muddy water, a hat tie in windy weather, a sling or bandage, a face shroud for the dead or a noose for the guilty. Bandannas are also notoriously used to conceal one’s identity when embarking on hold-ups and robberies, simply by tying the scarf around the lower part of the face and pulling a hat down low over the eyes. When used in this way, a bandanna will provide a +2 circumstance bonus to a Disguise check to conceal a character’s identity.

Professional Equipment

Doctor’s Bag: The bag contains bandages, scalpels, tourniquets and other tools, as well as a selection of balms, anaesthetics and other drugs. It allows the full use of the Treat Injury skill, including surgery. Forgery kit: This is a set of papers, pens and inks, as well as a magnifying glass, knives and glue. It can be used to forge documents and letters. Handcuffs: These sturdy steel manacles have a lock that requires a Disable Device check (DC 20) to open, a Break DC of 30, a Hardness of 10 and 10 hit points. These handcuffs can be for the hands or feet (known as leg irons) – the latter costs an extra dollar. Lockpick set: This set of probes, skeleton keys and picks allows a character to use the Disable Device skill without penalty.


2

Mechanical tool kit: A box of wrenches, hammers, saws and other tools for use with various Craft skills.

Outfitting

Trail Gear

Telescope: A small, collapsible telescope that has a range of 15 miles or so on a clear day. It provides a +2 circumstance bonus to any Spot check to notice a distant object, providing the user takes a full round action in order to use it. Rope: Good sturdy honest rope that can be used as a lariat, to tie up a steer, or to corral a horse, not to mention climb down a cliff or hang a rustler. Compass: It points north. A compass on its own will not get a traveller anywhere – a man needs to know the trails and routes through the wilderness to avoid dangers. Oil lamp: At night, the lamp casts bright illumination within 30 feet and shadowy illumination within 60 feet. The lamp has a hardness of 3 and 5 hit points, and spills burning oil if broken. Tent: This little tent provides little protection from the elements, but does shelter the character from light wind and rain. Canteen: A canteen holds three days worth of water. Bedroll: Travellers sleeping under the stars need a bedroll for a comfortable night.

Blanket: A blanket gives a +1 bonus to Fortitude saves against exposure in cold weather. Trap: Traps come in various sizes, for catching anything from squirrels to bears (and, occasionally, people). Some traps are damaging; others merely entangle the victim. A trap for Tiny creatures inflicts 1 point of damage when triggered; a Small trap deals 1d4 damage, a Medium 1d6, and a Large trap 1d8. Branding Iron: Heated in a bonfire, this tool is used to mark cattle with the signature brand of a particular ranch or trail herd. Can be used as an improvised weapon, causing damage as a club, plus 1d4 fire damage if heated for ten minutes beforehand. Saddle: A cowboy’s saddle was among his most prized (and expensive) possessions. Saddle, Masterwork: Gives a +1 equipment bonus to Ride checks. Shovel: A useful tool designed for digging holes and shifting earth. Can also act as an improvised club in an emergency. Saw: Usually used for cutting branches or working wood, although it is not unheard of for a humble saw to act as an improvised amputation tool when there is nothing more suitable available.

A m munition Types

The art of killing advanced greatly during the 19th century. Wars such as the Civil War provided the impetus for new types of weapons. One of the major advancements came in the field of ammunition. At the start of the century, black powder weapons were used. Gunpowder was poured into the weapon, packed down with a ramrod, and then the actual projectile (a lead ball) was added on top. These evolved into paper cartridge weapons. Each paper cartridge contained a pre-measured amount of gunpowder and a lead ball. The gunner would tear open the cartridge, pour the gunpowder in, use the paper as wadding, and then add the ball. Percussion cap ammunition followed, requiring each chamber to be loaded individually, ramming home the charge and capping the chamber. Experienced shootists tended to preload spare cylinders to save time. Finally came metal cartridge ammunition, which contain primer, powder and shot in a single capsule. When the hammer falls, it detonates the primer, which detonates the powder and expels the shot. Hot on its heels came the full-blown metal cartridge round. In most games, the majority of weapons will be metal cartridge, which were in widespread use in the latter half of the 19th century. Each box of ammunition holds 100 bullets and the appropriate amount of powder. Ammunition in OGL Wild West is deliberately abstracted, to simplify bookkeeping and allowing players characters to trade ammunition. To allow this, the calibres of several weapons have been changed from their actual values. Similarly loading times have been simplified to provide that authentic Hollywood feel.


2

Pick: A combination of axe and hammer, used for anything from breaking rocks to digging tunnels. A vital component of any mining exhibition, a pick can also be used as an improvised axe if necessary.

Weapon Accessories

Holster: This holster can be attached to a belt and holds a single pistol. A masterwork holster (costing $15) gives a +1 equipment bonus when quick drawing a weapon. It also protects the weapon from exposure to the elements. Pistol belt: This belt holds twenty bullets, which are easily accessible in a fire-fight. Having one allows a gun to be reloaded quickly in a firefight. Rifle cover: This oilcloth or leather cover protects a longarm from exposure. See Weapon Maintenance, page XX. Ammo bandolier: An ammo bandolier is usually worn over one shoulder and holds another twenty bullets and gives the same benefits as a pistol belt, although it can also carry rifle bullets and shotgun cartridges. Telescopic Sight: Effectively a small telescope that allows a character to aim any rifle with pinpoint accuracy. A character using a rifle fitted with telescopic sights gains a +4 bonus when aiming, instead of the usual +2. (See Aiming, page XX). Gun cleaning kit: A gun can quickly become jammed with dirt and other foreign particles. This kit contains cloths, oils and tools to keep a weapon clean. Failing to maintain a weapon increases the chance of a misfire – see Weapon Maintenance, page XX.

Consumables

Trail rations (one week): Trail rations consist of dried meat, pemmican, beans and other preserved food. Most supplement this measly diet with hunting, fresh food traded for along the way, or the contents of a chuckwagon. Still, those heading into uninhabited territory should take along a few weeks worth of food. Lamp oil: This is a large jug of oil, containing one pint of lamp oil. Tobacco: Smoking or chewing. See The Outlaw Josey Wales for how to handle chewing tobacco appropriately.

Luxuries

Banjo: A relatively easy instrument to play, banjos are used with the Perform skill. Deck of Cards: Used for gambling. See page XX. Harmonica: A mouth organ, playable with one hand. The Perform skill is used to play it well. Newspaper: Newspapers were common in the West – many small towns had their own newspaper, printed locally. The printer was often the writer, editor and publisher as well; vendettas and petty feuds often raged across the columns of newsprint. They also regularly provide alternate means of employment for feisty female characters. Piano: This is an upright piano. It could be a status symbol to a settler, or play jaunty music in a drinking hall of debauchery and gambling. Remember, never shoot the piano player. Violin: Perhaps the most popular instrument in the West, many found themselves making more money playing the fiddle than they did through mining or ranching.

Horses

The West ran on horses. The Cavalry was the premier military unit; communications were carried by pony express and horse-drawn stagecoach – some states considered horse theft a greater crime than murder. Almost every character will have at least one horse. Detailed horse rules are in Chapter XX, Horses. The cost of a horse varies depending on its quality, size and age. Each horse has a number of Horse Feats, which are special abilities possessed by the mount.

Horses Horse Type Mule Mule, Ornery Pony Pony, Loyal Horse, Light Horse, Excellent Light Horse, Heavy Horse, Excellent Heavy

Cost $80 $100 $50 $70 $50 $80

Feats 1 1d4 1 1d4 2 1+1d4

Availability Common Uncommon Common Uncommon Common Uncommon

$60 $100

2 1+1d4

Common Uncommon

Horse feed: There is not always enough grass to feed a horse, especially out in the desert. A bag of grain can keep a horse on its feet after a hard ride. This bag contains enough for one week.


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Vehicles

Wagons & Cove r

Vehicles are described by a number of statistics, as shown on the Vehicles table below.

Outfitting

•

A character inside a wagon has nine-tenths cover when inside a wagon, or half cover when firing out the front or the back. As the bed of the wagon slopes upwards, a character lying in the wagon has total cover.

C (Crew): The standard number of crew. In most cases, only one person is needed to drive the vehicle; other crew members ride shotgun, serve as porters or engineers and so on.

Circled Wagons

The most common defence of a wagon train is to arrange the wagons into a circle, forming a corral in the middle to hold the horses or oxen and providing a defensive line to hold out against attackers. Characters can use the wagons for cover and anyone trying to run between the wagons or crawl under them will have nowhere to dodge to and therefore will not gain their Reflex bonus to Defence.

•

P (Passengers): The number of passengers (in addition to the crew) the vehicle is designed to carry. Vehicles that carry passengers can use that space to carry additional cargo when passengers are not present. Each unused passenger slot allows the vehicle to carry an additional 100 pounds of cargo.

•

Team: The number of horses needed to pull the vehicle. The number in brackets is the total Strength needed to pull the vehicle, should the driver need to use mules or ponies instead of horses.

•

Def (Defence): The vehicle’s Defence.

•

Hard (Hardness): The vehicle’s hardness. Subtract this number from any damage dealt to the vehicle.

Cargo Capacity: The amount of cargo the vehicle is designed to carry. Many vehicles can carry extra passengers instead of cargo, but doing so is usually a cramped, uncomfortable, and often unsafe experience for those passengers. As a rule of thumb, one additional passenger can be carried for each 250 pounds of unused cargo capacity.

•

HP (Hit Points): The vehicle’s full normal hit points.

•

Size: Vehicle size categories are defined differently from the size categories for weapons and other objects (they use the creature size categories, not item sizes).

•

Cost: The price of the vehicle.

•

Availability: purchased.

•

•

Init (Initiative): The modifier added to the driver’s initiative check when operating the vehicle.

•

Man (Manoeuvre): The modifier added to any Drive checks attempted with the vehicle.

•

Top Speed: The vehicle’s maximum speed.

Where the vehicle can be

Light Wagon (Buckboard): This is a small cart with springy suspension under the front seat. It is pulled by two horses. Another four or five people can be crammed

Vehicles Vehicle Light Wagon (Buckboard) Chuckwagon

C 1

P 1

1

1

Conestoga Wagon Schooner

1

1

1

1

Stagecoach

2

15

Buggy

1

1

Team 2 (30) 4 (60) 6 (90) 4 (60) 8 (120) 1 (12)

Cargo 650 lb.

Init -2

Man -2

Top Speed 90 ft.

Def 9

Hard 5

HP 12

Size L

Cost $75

Availability Common

800 lb.

-4

-4

60 ft.

8

7

20

H

$250

Uncommon

1,600 lb. 1,000 lb.

-4

-4

60 ft.

8

7

30

H

$500

Uncommon

-4

-4

60 ft.

8

7

20

H

$750

Uncommon

+0

+0

120 ft.

8

6

30

H

$750

Uncommon

-1

+0

120 ft.

9

5

10

L

$55

Common

380 lb.


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into the back, although it will be an uncomfortable ride for them. The wagon has only a light rail to keep the cargo in, which provides one-quarter cover. Chuckwagon: The chuckwagon accompanies a cattle drive, and contains the cook’s equipment and food stores, along with other supplies such as bedrolls, blankets and rain slickers. A water barrel sits at the front of the wagon and a folding table is at the rear. Underneath is a cowhide sling that holds fuel for the campfires and the wagon’s oven. Early in a drive, the fuel might be dry wood; later, buffalo chips are used. Tools such as hammers and axes are stored in a box underneath the driver’s seat. Conestoga Wagon: This is the classic covered wagon of the settler, carrying a whole family’s possessions as they make for a new life out West. Tools such as the wagon jack for lifting the wagon and changing the wheel are tied to the sides of the wagon or stored in the back. Schooner Wagon: Smaller and lighter than the older Conestoga, schooners appear during the 1840s. Like the Conestoga, they are covered in canvas. Schooners required fewer animals to pull them, and their lighter frames were more suited for crossing rivers and other difficult terrain. Stagecoach: Stagecoach services started in the 1850s, carrying passengers, mail and goods across the wide plains at great speed. Most of the passengers sat inside on cushioned seats, although a removable leather bench could be added between the two rows of seats. Another three passengers could sit atop the roof seat, behind the driver’s box seat. Beneath the driver’s seat is a compartment containing the strongbox, tools, clothes and water. Most of the cargo was held in the back; excess packages were strapped to the roof. A character inside a stagecoach has nine-tenths cover; a character atop the stage has only one-quarter cover. A team of four or eight horses pulls a stagecoach, depending on its load and the speed desired. Buggy: This is a small horse-drawn vehicle, the sort that an honest settler might drive to church in of a Sunday. A buggy provides no cover.

L if e s t y l e

Lifestyle items include travel expenses, entertainment and meals beyond the ordinary, and housing. Lifestyle items are shown on the table below.

Lifestyle Items Housing Poor Hotel Average Good Excellent Week’s Rent Entertainment Bordello Dance Hall Musical Stage Play Whiskey Shot ‘Long bit’ (Shot & Beer chaser) Transportation Stagecoach Stagecoach, St. Louis to San Francisco Train, cross-country Ship, New York to San Francisco

Cost 25c 75c $2 $6 $1+ Cost $30+ 50c 50c $1 10c 15c Cost 15 c/mile $200 $75 $80

Weapons

The weapons covered here are grouped into three categories based on their general utility: ranged weapons, explosives and splash weapons, and melee weapons.

Ranged Weapons

Ranged weapons fall into four general groups: pistols, longarms, shotguns and other ranged weapons such as bows or spears. When using a ranged weapon, the wielder applies his Dexterity modifier to the attack roll.

Ranged Weapon Traits

Ranged weapons are described by a number of statistics, as shown on the Ranged Weapons table below. Range Increment: Any attack at less than this distance is not penalised for range. However, each full range increment causes a cumulative –2 penalty on the attack roll. Ranged weapons have a maximum range of ten range increments, except for thrown weapons, which have a maximum range of five range increments. Damage: The damage the weapon deals on a successful hit. Critical: The threat range for a critical hit. If the threat is confirmed, a weapon deals double damage on a critical hit (roll damage twice, as if hitting the target two times). Action: How the weapon is used, which determines its rate of fire. See the sidebar.


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F i r i n g A c t i o ns

Outfitting

SA – Single Action A single action weapon must be manually cocked before firing. It can be fired once per round, although a character with the Fan feat can fire a single-action gun more often. SC - Self-Cocking A self-cocking gun automatically re-cocks itself after each shot. A character can fire a self-cocking gun twice in a round, but the first attack is at a –1 penalty and the second is at –3. DA – Double Action A double action gun can be used as a single action or a

self-cocking weapon. Switching between modes is a move action. LA – Lever Action These have a firing chamber filled by a lever mechanism that also ejects the old round and cocks the hammer. A lever action weapon can be fired once per round. BA – Bolt Action Bolt action weapons are similar to lever action guns, but are easier to reload. They can be fired once per round. BL – Breech Loading A breech loading weapon holds a single cartridge and needs to be reloaded each time it is fired.

Pistols Weapon Paterson Colt Colt ‘Navy’ Remington ‘Army’ Sharps Derringer Smith & Wesson no.2 S&W ‘American’ Remington-Elliot Colt ‘Lightning’ Colt ‘Peacemaker’ Walker-Colt ‘Dragoon’ Deane-Adams Deane-Adams ‘Pocket’ Tranter ‘Army’ Webley ‘Army’ Tranter Le Faucheux Adams ‘Improved’ Walch ‘Navy’ Starr ‘Army’ Savage ‘Navy’ Slocum ‘Pocket Arm’ Adams ‘Service’ Colt ‘Cavalry’ Adams ‘Single Action’ Colt ‘Thunderer’ Colt ‘Shopkeeper’ Colt ‘Buntline Special’ Colt ‘Army’ Webley ‘Bulldog’ Schofield S&W ‘Frontier’

Range Inc 10 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 5 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 5 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 20 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 20 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft. 15 ft.

Damage 1d6 1d6 1d8 1d6 1d6 1d8 1d6 1d6 1d8 2d6 1d8 1d6 2d6 1d10 2d6 1d8 1d8 1d6 1d8 1d6 1d6 2d6 1d8 1d10 1d8 1d6 1d10 1d8 2d6 1d8

Crit 19-20/x2 19-20/x2 19-20/x3 19-20/x2 19-20/x2 19-20/x3 19-20/x2 19-20/x2 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x2 18-20/x3 18-20/x3 18-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x2 19-20/x3 19-20/x2 19-20/x2 18-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x2 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 18-20/x3 19-20/x3

Action SA SA SA SA SA SA DA DA SA SA SC SC DA SA SC SC DA SA DA DA SA DA SA SA DA SA SA DA DA DA

Misfire 10 15 15 12 14 14 12 14 16 12 14 14 13 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 14 16 16 17 15 16 15 16 16 16


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Misfire: The threat range for a misfire. If a misfire is threatened, roll again – if the roll is below the listed DC, the weapon misfires. See page XX. Shots: The weapon’s magazine capacity and type are given in this column. The amount of ammunition a weapon carries, and hence how many shots it can fire before needing to be reloaded, is determined by its magazine capacity. Reload: The time required to reload the gun. Feats and talents can reduce the reload time. Fully reloading most guns is a full-round action. A character can load 1d6 rounds into a pistol, 1d4 rounds into a rifle or one shot into a shotgun as a move action, but a gun cannot be reloaded and fired in the same round. Weapons that take more than one round to reload cannot be partially reloaded as a move action.

Shots 5 6 6 4 6 6 4 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 7 5 12 6 6 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

Ammo .22 .32 .45 .22 .32 .45 .22 .32 .45 .45 .45 .32 .45 .45 .45 .45 .45 .32 .45 .32 .32 .45 .45 .45 .32 .22 .32 .45 .45 .32

Reload 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 2 rounds 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round 1 round

Date 1837 1851 1857 1859 1860 1870 1870 1877 1878 1847 1851 1851 1853 1856 1857 1857 1857 1858 1860 1860 1863 1867 1873 1875 1877 1878 1878 1878 1880 1880

Size: Size categories for weapons and other objects are defined differently from the size categories for creatures. The relationship between a weapon’s size and that of its wielder defines whether it can be used one-handed, if it requires two hands, and if it is a light weapon. A Medium-size or smaller weapon can be used one-handed or two-handed. A Large weapon requires two hands. A Huge weapon requires two hands and a bipod or other mount. A Small or smaller weapon is considered a light weapon. It can be used one-handed and, as a light weapon, is easier to use in your off hand.

Cost $9 $12 $15 $5 $13 $19 $5 $17 $20 $30 $18 $15 $32 $20 $30 $22 $22 $12 $20 $17 $12 $40 $22 $26 $20 $12 $35 $26 $42 $27

Category Simple Simple Simple Simple Martial Martial Martial Martial Simple Martial Martial Martial Exotic Martial Exotic Martial Martial Exotic Simple Simple Simple Exotic Simple Exotic Simple Simple Exotic Simple Exotic Martial

Size Tiny Tiny Tiny Diminutive Tiny Tiny Diminutive Tiny Tiny Small Tiny Tiny Small Small Small Tiny Tiny Small Tiny Small Tiny Small Tiny Tiny Tiny Tiny Small Tiny Tiny Tiny


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Sidearms

These weapons use the Sidearms proficiencies.

Outfitting

Paterson Colt: One of the earliest revolvers, the Paterson Colt was rather delicate and finicky, but was very popular with the early Texas Rangers.

Webley ‘Army’: While later Webleys were famously efficient, this earlier model is not especially noteworthy. Tranter: This is the regular, single-trigger form of the Tranter.

Colt ‘Navy’: This design was popular among Confederate officers, as well as gunslingers like Wild Bill Hickok.

Le Faucheux: French-designed pistol, most notable for possessing one extra chamber, which can be quite a surprise to an opponent who has counted to six…

Remington ‘Army’: Reliable and efficient, the Remington Army was used by ‘Buffalo’ Bill Cody.

Adams ‘Improved’: Changes to the locking bolt makes this weapon more resistant to wear and tear.

Sharps Derringer: This vicious little four-barrelled pepperbox is especially lethal at close range – if it hits an enemy within 10 feet and the firer rolls a natural 6 on the damage dice, then he may deal an extra 1d6 damage.

Walch ‘Navy’: This gun has double-sized chambers, allowing it to carry twice as many bullets.

Smith & Wesson no.2: Despite its nickname of ‘Old Army’, this gun was never issued to soldiers, but was purchased in large quantities by officers and enlisted men alike. It was also popular on the frontier. S&W ‘American’: Used by both the American and Russian armies, this was a popular and powerful revolver. Remington-Elliot: This little derringer can be used like a knuckleduster, adding +1 damage to punch attacks. Colt ‘Lightning’: A fast and light gun, popular with couriers, believed to have been favoured by Billy the Kid. Colt ‘Peacemaker’: One of the most famous and popular guns of the west, the Peacemaker or Frontier as it was officially known has become the archetypal western sidearm. Peacemakers killed Jesse James, Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett. Walker-Colt ‘Dragoon’: While not as unreliable as the earlier Walker model, the sheer power packed into the barrel of the Dragoon means that the gun tends to backfire badly. Anybody standing in front though is going to know about it. This is the first genuine hand cannon. Deane-Adams: Originally English-made, this reliable pistol was also constructed in Boston. Deane-Adams ‘Pocket’: A smaller version of the regular Deane-Adams. Tranter ‘Army’: This English-made gun had a double trigger mechanism, letting it be fired in single or doubleaction mode. Many aficionados look upon the Tranter as the epitome of revolver design during the period.

Starr ‘Army’: Third behind Colt and Remington-made weapons in popularity during the Civil War. Savage ‘Navy’: This curiously designed gun had its cocking lever positioned inside the trigger guard. A character unfamiliar with the gun might accidentally recock the gun instead of firing it. Slocum ‘Pocket Arm’: Notable for its elegant design and front-loading chambers. Adams ‘Service’: This gun became popular during the Crimean war, and was adopted as the British service revolver. Colt ‘Cavalry’: The standard sidearm of the cavalry. Adams ‘Single Action’: Improved model.

A simplified version of the

Colt ‘Thunderer’: Colts.

One of the earlier double-action

Colt ‘Shopkeeper’: standard Colt.

A short-barrelled version of the

Colt ‘Buntline Special’: This has a 12-inch long barrel, giving it a –1 penalty to Initiative in quick draw duels. Colt ‘Army’: The standard army revolver in the latter part of the 19th century. Webley ‘Bulldog’: A large-calibre British-made pistol. Schofield S&W ‘Frontier’: A well made and comfortable weapon, especially good for those not used to firearms.


2

Rifles and Muskets

These weapons use the Longarm proficiencies.

Volcanic ‘Rocket-Ball’ Carbine: Notoriously finicky and underpowered. A character using a carbine may reduce the penalties for firing from horseback by –2.

Indian Trade Musket: This simple weapon was manufactured by the various fur companies for trading to the Indian tribes. The musket was a rough-and-ready gun, lacking the fine lines or decorations of more expensive weapons, but it was long lasting.

Dreyse ‘Needle Gun’: One of the earliest breech-loaders, the earlier needle-guns were underpowered and unreliable. This more modern design is more powerful but equally troublesome.

‘Mississippi’ Rifle: The M1841 was the first percussion rifle commonly used in the United States, and was widely imitated by other manufacturers.

Burnside Carbine: The third most popular cavalry rifle of the era. A character using a carbine may reduce the penalties for firing from horseback by –2.

Sharps Rifle: Praised for the high quality of its construction, this was the first mass-produced weapon from the Sharps factory.

Starr Carbine: This carbine was plagued with problems and was very vulnerable to jamming if mistreated. A character using a carbine may reduce the penalties for firing from horseback by –2.

Sharps Carbine: A lighter and smaller variant of the reliable Sharps Rifle, suitable for use on horseback. A character using a carbine may reduce the penalties for firing from horseback by –2. Winchester ‘Yellow Boy’: One of the earliest repeater rifles, it earned its nickname thanks to its bright brass stock. ‘Trapdoor’ Springfield Carbine: The ‘trapdoor’ design was originally a compromise conversion of older muzzleloading muskets into something like a more modern breech-loading rifle. The Springfield carbine, however, was a production model that incorporated the trapdoor. A character using a carbine may reduce the penalties for firing from horseback by –2. Winchester Rifle: The famous Winchester rifle was the single most popular rifle of the Wild West. Endorsed by many famous hunters including ‘Buffalo’ Bill himself, the weapon’s combination of reliability, range and firepower made it a favourite. ‘Squirrel’ Rifle: A cheap hunting rifle, suitable for shooting small game. Hawken ‘Plains Rifle’: Popular with settlers and homesteaders on the Great Plains. US Musket, mod.1842: A mass-produced military weapon, many of which found their way out West. Colt ‘Revolving’ Rifle: Essentially a revolver with a riflelength barrel and stock. What may seem like a great idea in principle turned out to be a nightmare in practice, as this weapon had a propensity for misfiring and discharging all remaining cylinders in one go, generally into the left hand of the holder. You have been warned!

Springfield Carbine: This was one of the primary weapons of the U.S. Army during the western era, and was praised for its range and reliability. A character using a carbine may reduce the penalties for firing from horseback by –2. Henry Rifle: Technically ahead of its time, but not especially popular or common. Spencer Carbine: Marginally more powerful than the Springfield carbine, the Spenser’s rimfire cartridges had a tendency to misfire. A character using a carbine may reduce the penalties for firing from horseback by –2. Sharps ‘Big 50’: Built to satisfy the demand of buffalo hunters for a more powerful weapon, the Sharps ‘Big 50’ actually came on the market after most of the great herds were gone. Remington ‘Rolling Block’: The Remington was extremely well balanced, giving a +1 equipment bonus to hit. However, it lacked penetrating power. Sharps ‘Buffalo Gun’: Another heavy longarm, designed to bring down a buffalo with a single shot. A hit from one of these can cause massive damage. Winchester ‘1-in-1000’: A prestige version of the popular Winchester rifle, this rifle is a masterwork weapon, giving a +1 equipment bonus to attack rolls. Winchester ‘76’: This is the commonly available version of the 1-in-1000, lacking the precision-made barrel that gives the other gun its superlative accuracy.


2

Outfitting

Rifles and Muskets Weapon Indian Trade Musket ‘Mississippi’ Rifle Sharps Rifle Sharps Carbine Winchester ‘Yellow Boy’ ‘Trapdoor’ Springfield Carbine Winchester Rifle ‘Squirrel’ Rifle Hawken ‘Plains Rifle’ US Musket, mod.1842 Colt ‘Revolving’ Rifle Volcanic ‘Rocket-Ball’ Carbine Dreyse ‘Needle Gun’ Burnside Carbine Starr Carbine Springfield Carbine Henry Rifle Spencer Carbine Sharps ‘Big 50’ Remington ‘Rolling Block’ Sharps ‘Buffalo Gun’ Winchester ‘1-in-1000’ Winchester ‘76’

Range Inc 80 ft. 100 ft. 120 ft. 100 ft. 100 ft. 100 ft. 120 ft. 80 ft. 120 ft. 100 ft. 100 ft. 80 ft. 100 ft. 100 ft. 100 ft. 100 ft. 120 ft. 100 ft. 120 ft. 120 ft. 120 ft. 150 ft. 120 ft.

Shotguns

A shotgun or scattergun creates a spray of pellets when fired. This spray means that it is relatively easy to hit with a shotgun (+2 to hit), but the damage is spread all over the target. In game terms, a shotgun does a variable number of d6 of damage; it does full damage in its first range increment, and then drops 1d6 per range increment after that. Each d6 of damage is a separate hit, and the attacker does not add his margin of success when calculating the wounds inflicted. (However, do add up all the damage affecting a single location. 15 points of damage to the target’s chest from three d6s is not three 5-point wounds, it is one 15-point mortal wound). Furthermore, a shotgun can hit multiple targets at once, if they are standing within ten feet of each other. The number

Damage 1d10 1d10 1d10 1d8 1d6 1d10 1d8 1d8 2d6 2d6 1d6 1d4 1d10 1d10 1d8 1d10 1d6 1d10 2d6 1d8 2d8 1d10 1d10

Crit 18-20/x3 18-20/x3 18-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 18-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 18-20/x3 18-20/x4 19-20/x3 19-20/x2 19-20/x3 18-20/x3 18-20/x3 18-20/x3 19-20/x3 18-20/x3 18-20/x3 x2 19-20/x3 19-20/x3 19-20/x3

Action SA SA SA SA LA SA LA SA SA SA SA LA BA SA SA SA LA LA SA SA SA LA LA

Misfire 12 13 14 14 13 16 15 12 14 14 10 12 13 14 11 14 13 12 14 13 14 16 16

of targets is equal to the range increment (one at the first increment, two at the second and so on), to a maximum of four. A separate attack roll is made for each target, and the damage dice are split between the targets evenly. Some shotguns have a pair of barrels, usually mounted side by side. A double-barrelled weapon is capable of firing either one-barrel at a time or both barrels at once. Firing both barrels simultaneously causes double damage to any target hit. Shotguns require the Longarm proficiency. Colt ‘Revolving’ Shotgun: An attempt to combine the power of a shotgun with the speed of a revolver, the Colt Revolving shotgun was a single barrelled, 75-calibre weapon, valued for its speed but with an unfortunate tendency to jam.

Shotguns Weapon Colt ‘Revolving’ Shotgun Colt ‘Stagecoach’ Shotgun Hartford Cowboy Shotgun Winchester Lever Action Shotgun Springfield Trapdoor Shotgun Meteor double-barrelled ‘Street Howitzer’ Spencer Slide Action Shotgun

Range Inc 20 ft. 30 ft. 40 ft. 30 ft. 30 ft. 15 ft. 20 ft.

Damage 3d6 4d6 4d6 3d6 3d6 6d6 3d6

Crit x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 19-20/x2 x2

Action SC BL BL LA BL BL BA


2

Shots 1* 1* 1 1 12 1 15 1* 1* 1* 6 15 1 1 1 1* 15 7 1 1 1 15 15

Ammo Powder & shot .52 .52 .52 .38 .45 .45 .38 .52 Powder & shot .52 .38 .54 .54 .54 .45 .45 .54 .50 .45 .45 .45 .45

Reload 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds 3 rounds

Date 1835 1841 1856 1856 1866 1867 1873 1835 1840 1842 1851 1851 1854 1856 1858 1861 1862 1863 1866 1873 1874 1876 1876

Colt ‘Stagecoach’ Shotgun: The weapon of choice for stagecoach drivers and guards, the Colt Stagecoach was a very large, 12-gauge double-barrelled shotgun much prized for its reliability and intimidation value. Hartford Cowboy Shotgun: Bulky and intimidating, this 12-gauge double-barrelled shotgun has double cocking hammers and twin triggers, allowing both barrels to discharge simultaneously. Despite its name, the Hartford Cowboy was more likely to be seen in the hands of a stagecoach driver or guard. Winchester Lever Action Shotgun: Essentially, the Winchester lever action shotgun is a shotgun that has been designed to resemble a standard Winchester rifle. Although only possessing a single barrel, this 12-gauge shotgun is capable of loading six cartridges, forced into the Misfire 10 16 16 14 16 15 12

Shots 4 1 1 6 4 1 8

Ammo 10-gauge 12-gauge 12-gauge 10-gauge 10-gauge 10-gauge 10-gauge

Date 1855 1848 1860 1887 1881 1878 1880

Cost $9 $10 $13 $10 $28 $15 $32 $9 $12 $15 $17 $10 $15 $13 $11 $10 $26 $27 $35 $17 $55 $75 $40

Category Simple Simple Simple Simple Simple Martial Martial Simple Martial Martial Exotic Martial Martial Simple Simple Simple Martial Simple Martial Simple Martial Exotic Exotic

Size Large Large Large Medium Medium Medium Large Large Large Large Large Medium Large Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Large Large Large Medium Medium

firing chamber by operating the lever mechanism, cutting down on re-loading times dramatically. Springfield Trapdoor Shotgun: A single barrelled shotgun with a ‘trapdoor’ reloading method, rather than the more usual breech loading system. Meteor double-barrelled ‘Street Howitzer’: A stocky, hammerless double barrelled shotgun, the Street Howitzer is short in range but packs a powerful punch and therefore became the weapon of choice for fighting at close quarters. It is notorious as the weapon used by ‘Doc’ Holliday at the gunfight at the OK Corral. A character stepping off the sidewalk toting one of these means business. Spencer Slide-Action Shotgun: A short, single barrel shotgun, the Spencer Slide-Action had a revolutionary Cost $75 $40 $45 $35 $38 $125 $55

Category Exotic Simple Simple Simple Martial Simple Martial

Size Large Large Large Large Large Large Large


2

Machine Guns and Artillery Weapon Gatling Gun Cannon

Range Inc 80 ft. 200 ft.

Damage 1d10 4d6/5 ft.

Crit 19-20/x3 –

Action Special BL

Misfire 12 16

Shots Special 1

Outfitting

Other Ranged Weapons Weapon Bow

Range Inc 40 ft.

Damage 1d6

Crit 20

Type Piercing

Cost -

Spear

20 ft.

1d8

19-20/x2

Piercing

-

Throwing Hatchet Lasso Whip Throwing Knife

10 ft. 10 ft. 15 ft. 10 ft.

1d8 1d3 1d4

19-20/x2 20 20

Piercing Entangling Slashing Piercing

50c 5 1

design that allowed it to carry far more ammunition than a standard shotgun. Cartridges were carried in a tube beneath the barrel, forced into the firing breech by a manually operated slider, allowing a much faster rate of fire than a standard breech-loading shotgun.

M a c h i n e G u n s and Artillery

Gatling Gun: One of the earliest incarnations of the machine gun, the Gatling gun is capable of firing up to 350 rounds per minute. A character firing a Gatling gun may make up to four attack rolls each round, as long as the targets are within 20 feet of each other and are all on the same side of the gun. Each successful attack results in 1d4 hits, and each hit does 1d10 damage. Do not add the margin of success when determining the sort of wound inflicted by the Gatling gun. If any attack rolls a one, the Gatling gun jams. Cannon: A cannon does explosive damage due to the force of the impact – any characters standing within five feet of where the cannon strikes take 4d6 damage. The cannon targets a square rather than a particular character, and scatters like a grenade. However, the cannon is a direct-fire weapon, so any characters standing between the cannon and its target risk being hit – if the cannon ball passes through their square, they must make a Reflex save (DC15) or be hit. Characters caught in the explosion may make a Reflex save (DC15) to take half damage.

Feat Exotic or Native Exotic or Native Native Exotic Exotic Exotic

Size Medium Large Medium Medium Medium Tiny

Other Ranged Weapons

These weapons use the Simple, Martial or Indian weapons proficiencies. Bow: The wooden bow is the favoured weapon of the native tribes. More advanced compound bows made of animal horn count as Masterwork weapons and give a +1 bonus to attack rolls with the bow. A Knowledge (Indian Lore) check (DC 15) allows a character to identify which tribes’ arrows were used in an attack. Spear: Indians use their spears as lances, charging into combat on horseback or foot. They can also be thrown with a range increment of 20 feet. Throwing Hatchet: This is a smaller hatchet or tomahawk, which can be thrown in combat. Lasso: The target of a successful lasso attack is Entangled (see page XX), and may be Grappled by the lasso wielder using his lasso attack instead of his normal Grapple score. If mounted on a horse, then the lasso wielder can use the horse’s Strength bonus instead of his own. A lasso cannot inflict wounds. A lasso cannot extend beyond its 10-foot base range. Whip: A whip can be used to make a Trip attack if the user hits with a ranged touch attack. A whip cannot inflict wounds. A whip cannot extend beyond its 15-foot base range. Throwing Knife: A small knife balanced for throwing. It can be used as a melee weapon, but only deals 1d3 damage due to its small size in melee.


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Ammo .54 Shell

Date 1863 1835

Cost $2,000 $850

Category Exotic Exotic

Size Huge Gargantuan

Explosives and Splash Weapons

These weapons explode or burst, dealing damage to creatures or objects within an area. Explosives can be thrown or set off in place, depending on the type of explosive device. Dynamite and or explosive charges are examples of these weapons. All explosives must be detonated. A splash weapon is a projectile that bursts on impact, spewing its contents over an area and damaging any creature or object within that area. Generally, creatures directly hit by splash weapons take the most damage, while those nearby take less damage. Splash weapons usually must be thrown to have effect. Damage/Direct Hit Damage: The primary damage dealt by the weapon. For explosives, the Damage column shows the damage dealt to all creatures within the explosive’s burst radius. For splash weapons, the Direct Hit Damage column is used for a target directly struck by the weapon. Burst Radius/Splash Damage: For explosives, the burst radius is the area affected by the explosive. All creatures or objects within the burst radius take damage from the explosive. For splash weapons, all creatures within 5 feet of the impact point of the weapon take splash damage equal to the amount shown in this column. Damage Type: Damage from explosives and splash weapons is classified according to type: energy (of a specific type) or slashing. Some creatures or characters may be resistant or immune to some forms of damage. Critical: The threat range for a critical hit. If the threat is confirmed, a weapon deals double damage on a critical hit (roll damage twice, as if hitting the target two times).

Reflex DC: Any creature caught within the burst radius of an explosive may make a Reflex save against the DC given in this column for half damage. Range Increment: If the weapon can be thrown, its range increment is shown in this column. Explosives with no range increment must be set in place before being detonated. (See the Demolitions skill). Size: Size categories for weapons and other objects are defined differently from the size categories for creatures. The relationship between a weapon’s size and that of its wielder defines whether it can be used one-handed, if it requires two hands, and if it is a light weapon. A Medium-size or smaller weapon can be used one-handed or two-handed. A Small or smaller weapon is considered a light weapon. It can be used one-handed and, as a light weapon, is easier to use in a character’s off hand. Weight: This column gives the weapon’s weight. Dynamite: One of the most common and straightforward explosives, dynamite is very stable under normal conditions. A stick of dynamite requires a fuse or detonator to set it off. Additional sticks can be set off at the same time if they are within the burst radius of the first stick, increasing the damage and burst radius of the explosion. Each additional stick increases the damage by +1d6 (maximum 10d6) and the burst radius by 5 feet (maximum 20 feet). It is possible to wire together several sticks of dynamite for even greater explosive effect. Doing so requires a Demolitions check (DC 10 + 1 per stick). If the character succeeds on the check, the damage or the burst radius of the explosion increases by 50% (the character’s choice).

Explosives Weapon Dynamite Gunpowder Keg Burning bottle of booze

Damage 4d6 6d6

Critical — —

Type Concussion Concussion

Radius/Splash Damage 5 ft./ — 10 ft./ —

DC 15 15

Increment 10 ft. —

Size Tiny Medium

Weight 1 lb. 5 lb.

2d6

—

Fire

—/1d6

—

10 ft.

Tiny

½ lb.


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Outfitting

To set off dynamite using a fuse, the fuse must first be lit, requiring a move action (and a lighter or other source of flame). The amount of time until the dynamite explodes depends on the length of the fuse - a fuse can be cut short enough for the dynamite to detonate in the same round (allowing it to be used much like a grenade), or long enough to take several minutes to detonate. Cutting the fuse to the appropriate length requires a move action. Dynamite is sold in boxes of 12 sticks. It is considered to be a simple explosive for the purpose of using a Craft (chemical) check to manufacture it. Gunpowder Keg: A keg of black power can be detonated in the same way as dynamite, and can be combined with other kegs or with dynamite. Each additional keg increases damage by +2d6 (maximum 10d6) and the burst radius by 5 feet (maximum 30 feet). Gunpowder must be placed in position; it cannot be thrown. Bottle of Burning Booze: This is a simple incendiary grenade, make up of a burning rag and particularly strong whiskey. Being hit by it may be less damaging than drinking it. One day some Russian chap might give it a proper name. It’s worth pointing out that some alcohol out west is so strong that you may not need to bother with the rag.

M e l e e W e a p o ns

A character’s Strength modifier is always added to a melee weapon’s attack roll and damage roll. Melee Weapons Table Melee weapons are described by a number of statistics, as shown on the Melee Weapons table below. Damage: The damage the weapon deals on a successful hit. Critical: The threat range for a critical hit. If the threat is confirmed, a weapon deals double damage on a critical hit (roll damage twice, as if hitting the target two times).

Cost: The price of the weapon, in dollars. If no price is listed, then the item is either free as it can easily be found, or not generally available for sale. Damage Type: Melee weapon damage is classified according to type: bludgeoning (weapons with a blunt striking surface), piercing (weapons with a sharp point) and slashing (weapons with an edged blade). Some creatures or characters may be resistant or immune to some forms of damage. Feat: The feat needed to have proficiency with the weapon. A character not proficient with the weapon suffers a –4 penalty to attack rolls with the weapon. Size: Size categories for weapons and other objects are defined differently from the size categories for creatures. The relationship between a weapon’s size and that of its wielder defines whether it can be used one-handed, if it requires two hands, and if it’s a light weapon. •

A Medium-size or smaller weapon can be used onehanded or two-handed. A Large weapon requires two hands.

•

A Small or smaller weapon is considered a light weapon. It can be used one-handed and, as a light weapon, is easier to use in a character’s off hand.

Weight: This column gives the weapon’s weight. Brass Knuckles: These increase damage from a punch attack by +1. A strike from brass knuckles is considered an unarmed attack. Small Knife: This is a standard kitchen or wood-whittling knife. Bowie Knife: The famous razor-sharp trail knife, found in the outfit of most travellers. Tradition has it that it should be made from the broken blade of a sword, although most are actually made specially. Club: A cosh or other simple club. Axe: A wood-chopping axe.

Melee Weapons Weapon Brass knuckles Small Knife Bowie Knife Club Axe Sabre Hatchet

Damage +1 1d3 1d6 1d4 1d6 1d8 2d4

Crit 20 19-20/x2 19-20/x2 19-20/x2 19-20/x2 19-20/x2 19-20/x2

Cost 2 1 2 2 5 1

Type Bludgeoning Piercing Slashing Bludgeoning Piercing Slashing Slashing

Feat Simple Simple Simple Simple Martial Native

Size Tiny Tiny Tiny Small Medium Medium Small

Weight 1 lb. 1 lb. 1 lb. 3 lb. 4 lb. 4 lb. 4 lb.


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Sabre: A slashing sword, suitable for using from horseback or as a fencing weapon. Most likely found in the hands of US cavalrymen or captured by Indians. Hatchet: A heavy metal or stone-bladed Indian hatchet. See also Improvised Weapons, page XX.

Ar m o u r

Armour reduces the damage dealt by attacks. However, the weight of the armour causes penalty to certain skills – these skills have the note armour penalty listed next to them. Armour was rarely worn in the West, but it can be a useful edge for a character with a low Defence. Each item of armour lists its Damage Reduction, the locations it covers, and its armour penalty.

Heavy Coat: A leather duster or buffalo-hide robe is tough enough to marginally reduce the damage from attacks. Wooden Breastplate: Several Plains Indians tribes wear wooden breastplates into battle. Metal Breastplate: Worn by some cavalry officers underneath their jackets, along with Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars… Armour

Cost

Protects

Heavy Coat

$10

Wooden Breastplate Metal Breastplate

$10

All, save legs and head Torso, Abdomen Torso, Abdomen

$50

Damage Reduction 1/-

Armour Penalty -1

2/-

-2

4/-

-4


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Rules of the West

T

his chapter covers all sorts of conditions and situations that may arise during a game. There is no need for the players or Games Master to memorise all these – this chapter should be consulted whenever it is needed.

load counts as medium or heavy armour for the purpose of abilities or skills that are restricted by armour. Carrying a light load does not encumber a character.

Carrying Capacity

A character can lift as much as his maximum load over his head. A character can lift as much as double his maximum load off the ground, but he can only stagger around with it. While overloaded in this way, the character loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence and can move only 5 feet per round (as a full-round action). A character can generally push or drag along the ground as much as five times his maximum load. Favourable conditions can double these numbers, and bad circumstances can reduce them to onehalf or less.

If you want to determine whether your character’s gear is heavy enough to slow him down, total the weight of all the character’s items, including armour, weapons, and gear. Compare this total to the character’s Strength on the Carrying Capacity table. Depending on how the weight compares to the character’s carrying capacity, he may be carrying a light, medium, or heavy load. Like armour, a character’s load affects his maximum Dexterity bonus to Defence, carries a check penalty, reduces the character’s speed, and affects how fast the character can run, as shown on the Carrying Loads table. A medium or heavy

Lifting and Dragging

Bigger and Smaller Creatures

The figures on Carrying Capacity are for Medium bipedal creatures. A larger bipedal creature can carry more weight depending on its size category, as follows: Large x2, Huge x4, Gargantuan x8, Colossal x16. A smaller creature can carry less weight depending on its size category, as follows: Small x3/4, Tiny x1/2, Diminutive x1/4, Fine x1/8. Quadrupeds can carry heavier loads than characters can. Instead of the multipliers given above, multiply the value corresponding to the creature’s Strength score from Carrying Capacity by the appropriate modifier, as follows: Fine x1/4, Diminutive


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x1/2, Tiny x3/4, Small x1, Medium x1-1/2, Large x3, Huge x6, Gargantuan x12, Colossal x24.

28

Tremendous Strength

29 +10

For Strength scores not shown on the Carrying Capacity table, find the Strength score between 20 and 29 that has the same number in the ‘ones’ digit as the creature’s Strength score does and multiply the numbers in that by 4 for every ten points the creature’s strength is above the score for that row.

Carrying Capacity Strength Score 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Light Load 3 lb. or less 6 lb. or less 10 lb. or less 13 lb. or less 16 lb. or less 20 lb. or less 23 lb. or less 26 lb. or less 30 lb. or less 33 lb. or less 38 lb. or less 43 lb. or less 50 lb. or less 58 lb. or less 66 lb. or less 76 lb. or less 86 lb. or less 100 lb. or less 116 lb. or less 133 lb. or less 153 lb. or less 173 lb. or less 200 lb. or less 233 lb. or less 266 lb. or less 306 lb. or less 346 lb. or less

400 lb. or less 466 lb. or less x4

Medium Load 4–6 lb. 7–13 lb. 11–20 lb. 14–26 lb. 17–33 lb. 21–40 lb. 24–46 lb. 27–53 lb. 31–60 lb. 34–66 lb. 39–76 lb. 44–86 lb. 51–100 lb. 59–116 lb. 67–133 lb. 77–153 lb. 87–173 lb. 101–200 lb.

Heavy Load 7–10 lb. 14–20 lb. 21–30 lb. 27–40 lb. 34–50 lb. 41–60 lb. 47–70 lb. 54–80 lb. 61–90 lb. 67–100 lb. 77–115 lb. 87–130 lb. 101–150 lb. 117–175 lb. 134–200 lb. 154–230 lb. 174–260 lb. 201–300 lb.

117–233 lb.

234–350 lb.

134–266 lb.

267–400 lb.

154–306 lb.

307–460 lb.

174–346 lb.

347–520 lb.

201–400 lb.

401–600 lb.

234–466 lb.

467–700 lb.

267–533 lb.

534–800 lb.

307–613 lb.

614–920 lb.

347–693 lb.

694 – 1,040 lb.

401–800 lb. 467–933 lb. x4

801 – 1,200 lb. 934 – 1,400 lb. x4

Carrying Loads –—— Speed —–— Load Medium Heavy

Max Dex +3 +1

Check Penalty –3 –6

(30 ft.) 20 ft. 20 ft.

(20 ft.) 15 ft. 15 ft.

Run x4 x3

Armour and Encumbrance for Other Base Speeds

The table below provides reduced speed figures for all base speeds from 20 feet to 100 feet (in 10-foot increments). Base Speed 20 ft. 30 ft. 40 ft. 50 ft. 60 ft.

Reduced Speed 15 ft. 20 ft. 30 ft. 35 ft. 40 ft.

Base Speed 70 ft. 80 ft. 90 ft. 100 ft.

Reduced Speed 50 ft. 55 ft. 60 ft. 70 ft.

Movement

There are three movement scales, as follows. •

Tactical, for combat, measured in feet (or squares) per round.

•

Local, for exploring an area, measured in feet per minute.

•

Overland, for getting from place to place, measured in miles per hour or miles per day.

Modes of Movement: While moving at the different movement scales, creatures generally walk, hustle, or run. Each type of movement affects the speed of the character and the types of action that can be performed at the same time. The Combat chapter will explain simultaneous actions in greater detail. Walk: A walk represents unhurried but purposeful movement at 3 miles per hour for an unencumbered person.


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Rules of the West

Hustle: A hustle is a jog at about 6 miles per hour for an unencumbered person. A character moving his speed twice in a single round, or moving that speed in the same round that he performs a standard action or another move action is hustling when he moves. Run (x4): Moving four times speed is a running pace for a character. It represents about 12 miles per hour for an unencumbered human, or 8 miles per hour for a character carrying a load.

T a c t i c a l M o v e ment

Use tactical movement for combat. Characters generally do not walk during combat—they hustle or run. A character who moves his speed and takes some action is hustling for about half the round and doing something else the other half. Hampered Movement: Difficult terrain, obstacles, or poor visibility can hamper movement. When movement is hampered, each square moved into usually counts as two squares, effectively reducing the distance that a character can cover in a move. If more than one condition applies, multiply together all additional costs that apply. (This is a specific exception to the normal rule for doubling)

In some situations, your movement may be so hampered that you do not have sufficient speed even to move 5 feet (1 square). In such a case, you may use a fullround action to move 5 feet (1 square) in any direction, even diagonally. Even though this looks like a 5-foot step, it is not, and thus it provokes attacks of opportunity normally. (You cannot take advantage of this rule to move through impassable terrain or to move when all movement is prohibited to you.) You cannot run or charge through any square that would hamper your movement.

Basic Movement

Characters exploring an area use basic movement, measured in feet per minute. Walk: A character can walk without a problem on the local scale. Hustle: A character can hustle without a problem on the local scale. See Overland Movement, below, for movement measured in miles per hour. Run: A character with a Constitution score of 9 or higher can run for a minute without a problem. Generally, a character can run for a minute or two before having to rest for a minute.


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Overland Movement

Characters covering long distances cross-country use overland movement. Overland movement is measured in miles per hour or miles per day. A day represents 8 hours of actual travel time. Walk: A character can walk 8 hours in a day of travel without a problem. Walking for longer than that can wear him out (see Forced March, below). Hustle: A character can hustle for 1 hour without a problem. Hustling for a second hour in between sleep cycles causes the character to become fatigued. A fatigued character cannot run or charge and takes a penalty of –2 to Strength and Dexterity until he has rested for at least one hour. Run: A character cannot run for an extended period of time. Attempting to run and rest in cycles- the preferred method for long distance overland travel when time is not an important factor or in short supply- effectively works out to a hustle. Terrain: The terrain through which a character travels affects how much distance he can cover in an hour or a day (see Terrain and Overland Movement). A road is typically a dirt track. A trail is like a road, except that it allows only single-file travel and does not benefit a party travelling with vehicles. Trackless terrain is a wild area with no paths. Forced March: In a day of normal walking, a character walks for 8 hours. The rest of the daylight time is spent making and breaking camp, resting, and eating. A character can walk for more than 8 hours in a day by making a forced march. For each hour of marching beyond 8 hours, a Constitution check (DC 10 +2 per extra hour) is required. If the check fails, the character becomes fatigued. It is very possible for a character to march into unconsciousness by pushing himself too hard on a forced march. Mounted Movement: A mount bearing a rider can move at a hustle. The creature can also be ridden in a forced march, but it takes 1d6 points of damage per hour of riding after it is fatigued instead of falling into unconsciousness. The damage is increased to 1d8 if the animal has a Medium or Heavy load.

Movement and Distance ——————— Speed ——–———— 15 feet 20 feet 30 feet 40 feet One Round (Tactical)* Walk 15 ft. 20 ft. 30 ft. 40 ft. Hustle 30 ft. 40 ft. 60 ft. 80 ft. Run (x4) 60 ft. 80 ft. 120 ft. 160 ft. One Minute (Local) Walk 150 ft. 200 ft. 300 ft. 400 ft. Hustle 300 ft. 400 ft. 600 ft. 800 ft. Run (x4) 600 ft. 800 ft. 1,200 ft. 1,600 ft. One Hour (Overland) Walk 1-1/2 2 miles 3 miles 4 miles miles Hustle 3 miles 4 miles 6 miles 8 miles Run — — — — One Day (Overland) Walk 12 miles 16 24 miles 32 miles miles Hustle — — — — Run — — — — * Tactical movement is often measured in squares on the battle grid (1 square = 5 feet) rather than feet.

Hampered Movement Condition Additional Movement Cost Difficult terrain x2 Obstacle* x2 Poor visibility x2 Impassable — * May require a skill check

Terrain and Overland Movement Terrain Desert, sandy Forest Hills Mountains Plains Swamp

Road or Trail x1/2 x1 x3/4 x3/4 x1 x3/4

Trackless x1/2 x1/2 x1/2 x1/2 x3/4 x1/2

Mounts and Vehicles Mount/Vehicle Mount (carrying load) Light horse Light horse (231–690 lb.) 1 Heavy horse Heavy horse (301–900 lb.) 1 Pony

Per Hour

Per Day

6 miles 4 miles 5 miles 3-1/2 miles 4 miles

48 miles 32 miles 40 miles 28 miles 32 miles


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Rules of the West

Pony (76–225 lb.) 1 Donkey or mule Donkey (51–150 lb.) 1 Mule (231–690 lb.) 1 Cart or wagon Stagecoach Ship Raft or barge (poled or towed) 2 Canoe Keelboat (rowed) 2 Rowboat (rowed) 2 Paddleboat Train

3 miles 3 miles 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles 8 miles

24 miles 24 miles 16 miles 16 miles 16 miles 64 miles

1/2 mile

5 miles

1- ½ miles 1 mile 1-1/2 miles 3 miles 25 miles

15 miles 10 miles 15 miles 24 miles 150 miles 1 Quadrupeds, such as horses, can carry heavier loads than characters can. See Carrying Capacity, above, for more information. 2 Rafts, barges, keelboats, canoes, rowboats and paddleboats are used on lakes and rivers. If going downstream, add the speed of the current (typically 3 miles per hour) to the speed of the vehicle. In addition to 10 hours of being rowed, the vehicle can also float an additional 14 hours, if someone can guide it, so add an additional 42 miles to the daily distance travelled. These vehicles cannot be rowed against any significant current, but they can be pulled upstream by draft animals on the shores.

E v as i o n a n d P u rsuit

In round-by-round movement, simply counting off squares, it is impossible for a slow character to get away from a determined fast character without mitigating circumstances. Likewise, it is no problem for a fast character to get away from a slower one. When the speeds of the two concerned characters are equal, there is a simple way to resolve a chase: If one creature is pursuing another, both are moving at the same speed, and the chase continues for at least a few rounds, have them make opposed Dexterity skill checks to see who is the faster over those rounds. If the creature being chased wins, it escapes. If the pursuer wins, it catches the fleeing creature. Sometimes a chase occurs overland and could last all day, with the two sides only occasionally getting glimpses of each other at a distance. In the case of a long chase, an opposed Constitution check made by all parties determines which can keep pace the longest. If the creature being chased rolls the highest, it gets away. If not, the chaser runs down its prey, outlasting it with stamina.

Moving Within a Single Square

In general, when the characters are not engaged in roundby-round combat, they should be able to move anywhere and in any manner that you can imagine real people could. A 5-foot square, for instance, can hold several characters; they just cannot all fight effectively in that small space. The rules for movement are important for combat, but outside combat they can impose unnecessary hindrances on character activities.

Vision and Lighting Conditions

See the table below for the radius that a light source illuminates and how long it lasts. In an area of bright light, all characters can see clearly. A creature cannot hide in an area of bright light unless it is invisible or has cover. In an area of shadowy illumination, a character can see dimly. Creatures within this area have concealment relative to that character. A creature in an area of shadowy illumination can make a Hide check to conceal itself. In addition to the obvious effects, a blinded creature has a 50% miss chance in combat (all opponents have total concealment), loses any Dexterity or Reflex bonus to Defence, takes a –2 penalty to Defence, moves at half speed, and takes a –4 penalty on Search checks and most Strength and Dexterity-based skill checks.

Light Sources and Illumination Object Bright Shadowy Duration Candle n/a1 5 ft. 1 hr. Lantern, oil 30 ft. 60 ft. 6 hr./pint Torch 20 ft. 40 ft. 1 hr. Campfire 25 ft. 50 ft. 2 hr. 1 A candle does not provide bright illumination, only shadowy illumination.

Character Conditions

The following conditions can affect a character as a result of peculiar injuries.

Ability Damaged

The character has lost 1 or more ability score points. The loss is temporary and these points return at a rate of 1 per evening of rest. This differs from ‘effective’ ability loss,


2

which is an effect that goes away when the condition causing it goes away.

Ability Drained

The character has lost 1 or more ability score points. The loss is permanent.

Blinded

The character cannot see at all, and thus everything has total concealment to him. The character has a 50% chance to miss in combat. Furthermore, the blinded character has an effective Dexterity of 3, along with a –4 penalty on the use of Strength-based and Dexterity-based skills. This –4 penalty also applies to Search checks and any other skill checks for which the Games Master deems sight to be important. The character cannot make Spot checks or perform any other activity (such as reading) that requires vision. Characters who are blind long-term (from birth or early in life) grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them (at the Games Master’s discretion).

Cowering

The character is frozen in fear, loses his Dexterity bonus, and can take no actions. In addition, the character takes a –2 penalty to his Defence. The condition typically lasts 10 rounds.

Dazed

Unable to act, a dazed character can take no actions, but still gets the benefit of his normal Defence. This condition typically lasts 1 round.

Dead

A character dies when his hit points drop to –10 or lower, or when his Constitution drops to 0.

Deafened

The character cannot hear and takes a –4 penalty on initiative checks. The character cannot make Listen checks. Characters who are deafened long-term (from birth or early in life) grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them (at the Games Master’s discretion).

Disabled

The character has 0 hit points. The character can take only a single move action or attack action, and takes 1 point of damage after any action.

Dying

The character is near death and unconscious, with –1 to –9 wound points. The character can take no actions.

Entangled

An entangled character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls in addition to a –4 penalty to Dexterity. If the entangling bonds are anchored to an immobile object, the entangled character cannot move. Otherwise, the character can move at half speed, but cannot run or charge. If another person is holding the entangling bonds, then the two must make opposed Strength checks whenever either moves – the winner determines which direction the pair move in.

Exhausted

Characters who are exhausted move at half speed and cannot run or charge. Furthermore, they take a –6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete, uninterrupted rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued.


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Rules of the West

Fatigued

Shaken

Characters who are fatigued cannot run or charge and take a penalty of –2 to Strength and Dexterity. After 8 hours of complete, uninterrupted rest, a fatigued character is no longer fatigued.

A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.

Flat-Footed

A stable character is no longer dying, but is still unconscious.

Grappled

A character who becomes stunned loses his Dexterity bonus, drops what he is holding and can take no attack or move actions. In addition, the character takes a –2 penalty to Defence. The condition typically lasts 1 round.

A character who has not yet acted during a combat is flat-footed, not reacting normally to the situation. A flatfooted character loses his Dexterity bonus to Defence.

When grappled, a character cannot undertake any action other than attacking with his bare hands, attacking with a light weapon, or attempting to break free from his opponent. The character loses his Dexterity bonus to Defence, except on attacks from characters with whom he is grappling.

Helpless

Paralysed, sleeping, or unconscious characters are helpless. A helpless character has an effective Defence of 5 + size modifier. An attacker can attempt a coup de grace against a helpless character.

Nauseated

Characters who are nauseated are unable to attack or do anything else requiring attention or concentration. The only action such a character can take is a single move action per turn.

Panicked

A panicked character flees as fast as possible and cowers (see Cowering, above) if unable to get away. The character defends normally but cannot attack.

Paralysed

Characters who are paralysed fall to the ground, unable to move (they have an effective, but not actual, Dexterity and Strength of 0). They are helpless.

Pinned

A pinned character is held immobile (but not helpless) in a grapple. The character takes a –4 penalty to Defence against melee attacks and loses his Dexterity bonus to Defence.

Prone

An attacker who is prone (lying on the ground) takes a –4 penalty on melee attack rolls and cannot use bows or thrown ranged weapons. The character gains a +4 bonus to Defence against ranged attacks, but takes a –4 penalty to Defence against melee attacks.

Stable

Stunned

Unconscious

An unconscious character is unable to defend himself. The character is helpless and typically falls prone.

E n v i r o n m e nt and Hazards Heat and Cold

Heat is a major danger in the deserts, while cold is a threat in the winters of the northern Great Plains or in the mountains. Heat and cold deal damage that cannot be recovered until the character counteracts or escapes the inclement temperature. As soon as the character suffers any damage from heat or cold, he is considered fatigued. A character not properly equipped to counteract the heat or cold must attempt a Fortitude saving throw each hour (DC 15, +1 for each previous check). Failure means that the character loses 1d4 hit points. Heavy clothing or armour provides a –4 penalty on saves against heat but grants a +4 equipment bonus on saves against cold. A character who succeeds at a Survival check (DC 15) gains a +4 competence bonus on the save (see the Survival skill). Searing heat or bitter cold (desert or arctic conditions) forces a character to make a Fortitude save every 10 minutes. Failure means that the character loses 1d6 hit points. Appropriate clothing and successful use of the Survival skill can modify the save, as noted above.

Catching on Fire

Characters exposed to open flames might find their clothes, hair, or equipment on fire. Characters at risk of catching fire are allowed a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) to avoid this fate. If a character’s clothes or hair catch fire, he takes 1d6 points of damage immediately. In each subsequent


2

round, the burning character must make another Reflex saving throw. Failure means he takes another 1d6 points of damage that round. Success means that the fire has gone out. (That is, once the character succeeds at the saving throw, he is no longer on fire.) A character on fire may automatically extinguish the flames by jumping into enough water to douse himself. If no body of water is at hand, rolling on the ground or smothering the fire with blankets or the like permits the character another save with a +4 bonus, although this is a full-round action.

Starvation and Thirst

Sometimes characters might find themselves without food and water. In normal climates, characters need at least 1/2 gallon of fluids and about 1/4 pound of decent food per day to avoid the threat of starvation. In very hot climates such as the deserts or the plains in summer, characters need two or three times as much water to avoid dehydration. A character can go without water for one day plus a number of hours equal to his Constitution score. After this, the character must make a Constitution check each hour (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d4 points of damage. A character can go without food for three days, in growing discomfort. After this, the character must make a Constitution check each day (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or sustain 1d4 points of damage. Damage from thirst or starvation cannot be recovered until the character gets water or food, as needed.

Drowning

A character trapped underwater can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution score. After this period of time, the character must make a Constitution check (DC 10) every round to continue holding his breath. Each round, the DC of the Constitution check increases by 1. When the character fails one of these Constitution checks, he begins to suffocate or drown. In the next round, the character falls unconscious. In the following round, the character is dying. In the third round after failing the check, the character dies of suffocation or drowning.

Smoke

Characters breathing heavy smoke or similar toxic gases must make a Constitution check (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) each round or spend that round choking and coughing. Characters who choke for 2 consecutive

rounds take 1d6 points of damage. Smoke also obscures vision, giving one-half concealment (20% miss chance) to characters within it.

Falling

A character takes 1d6 points of damage for every 10 feet of a fall, to a maximum of 20d6 points. If the character succeeds on a Reflex saving throw (DC 10, +1 for each 10 feet fallen), this damage is halved. If the saving throw fails, full damage is applied. A character can make a Tumble check (DC 15) to treat a fall as if it were 10 feet shorter when determining the damage and Reflex saving throw DC required by the fall.

Falling Objects

Objects that fall upon characters (or creatures or vehicles) deal damage based on their size and the distance fallen, as noted on the Damage from Falling Objects table. Objects deal the initial damage given in the table below if they fall 10 feet or less. An object deals an additional 1d6 points of damage for every 10-foot increment it falls beyond the first (to a maximum of 20d6 points of damage). Objects of Fine size are too small to deal damage, regardless of the distance fallen. A successful Reflex save indicates that the target takes half damage. The size of the falling object determines the save DC. If the save fails by 10 or more, and the object is at least three size categories larger than the character, the character is pinned under the fallen object. A pinned character cannot move but is not helpless. The character can make a Strength check to lift the object off him or an Escape Artist check (DC 20) to get out from underneath. The Games Master can modify the DCs for these checks based on the circumstances.

Damage from Falling Objects Object Size Fine Diminutive Tiny Small Medium Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal

Initial Damage 0 1 1d3 1d4 1d6 2d6 4d6 8d6 10d6

Reflex Save DC n/a 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Strength Check DC n/a n/a n/a 5 10 20 30 40 50


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Natural Healing

A character naturally heals a number of hit points equal to his Constitution bonus after a night of rest, assuming he has no infected wounds. Complete bed-rest allows a character to heal a number of points equal to 2 + his Constitution bonus. If the character has medical care from a trained doctor (any character with 4 or more ranks in the Treat Injury skill), he can heal a number of points equal to 4 + his Constitution bonus.

R e c o v e r i n g f rom Impairment

The higher an impairment penalty, the longer it takes a character to recover from it. Current Impairment -1 -2 -3 -4 -5

Dropping To… 0 -1 -2 -3 -4

Recovery Period Day Day Week Two Weeks Two Weeks

Time to full recovery Day Two Days Nine Days Sixteen Days Thirty Days

-6

-5

Two Weeks

-7

-6

Week

-8

-7

Day

-9 or more

-8

Day

Forty-five Days Fifty-two Days Fifty-three Days Fifty-four Days

Note that there is a peak from –4 to –6; a character can quickly recover from even a mortal wound, enough to hobble round and perform basic tasks at any rate, but full recovery is a slow and arduous process. A character with multiple impairment penalties in different locations reduces the impairment penalties simultaneously – an injury in an arm may heal while a leg languishes in pain.

Surgery, I n f e c t i o n a nd Disease

Medicine was rather underdeveloped in the West. Almost anyone could set themselves up as a doctor – any qualification, even a degree in Arts, provided justification for the title of doctor. Some saved more than they killed,


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but others were more dangerous to their patients than the illness.

In j u r i e s , W o u n d s a nd Infection

A character who is badly shot generally needs surgery to fully recover from the wound. The surgery check varies depending on how much damage the surgeon wants to heal and how survivable he wants the operation to be. The more work the surgeon does, the more damage he can repair, but the greater the chance that the patient will die on the operating table. Operating on a wound also removes any bleed or impairment caused by the wound.

Restore Hit Points Wound Type Scratch Deep Plugged Mortal

Treat Injury DC 10 15 20 25

Hit Points Restored 1 1d4 1d6 2d6

Survive Surgery 5 10 15

The surgeon can reduce the DC of the Survive Surgery check by increasing the DC of his Treat Injury check on a one-for-one basis. After the surgery, the patient must make a Survive Surgery roll or suffer 2d6 points of damage. This is a Fortitude save, but the character suffers a penalty as follows: Current Hit Points Less than 0 0-5 5+

Fortitude Penalty -4 -2 -

If the Treat Injury check for surgery fails, then the character must make a Survive Surgery check anyway, without gaining any other benefits. If a character fails a Survive Surgery check, he loses 2d6 hit points immediately.

Infection

If a wound has become infected, then it does not heal naturally without surgery. The doctor must reopen the wound and disinfect it. This variant of surgery does not restore hit points, but does allow the character to heal through bed-rest or further surgery and medical care. Infected Wound Type Scratch Deep Plugged Mortal

Treat Injury DC 10 15 20 30

Survive Surgery 10 15 20

A character can also recover from infection by making a Fortitude save at the listed Treat Injury DC. One save may be made each week, and each failure costs the character 1d4 hit points. If the infected wound is on a limb, then the surgeon can choose to amputate the limb instead of attempting to disinfect the wound. Amputating a limb without causing further damage requires a Treat Injury check (DC 12), and has a Survive Surgery DC of 10. If the Treat Injury check is failed, then the patient suffers 2d6 damage, and must make the Survive Surgery save to avoid losing 2d6 more.

A mputees

A character who has lost one leg has his movement reduced to 20 feet per round using crutches, and cannot run. He can still ride. He loses his Dexterity modifier to Defence (but not his Reflex bonus to Defence). He suffers a –4 penalty to the skills affected by damage to a leg (see Wounds, page XX). A character who has lost both legs can crawl at five feet per round. He can still ride. He is considered prone in combat, and loses his Dexterity modifier to Defence. He suffers a –8 penalty to the skills affected by damage to a leg. Losing one arm means that the character can obviously not use two-handed melee weapons. He can still rest a shotgun or rifle on the stump, but suffers a –4 penalty to attacks and any other skills affected by damage to an arm (see Wounds, page XX) if performing a task that relies on using both hands. Losing both arms means that the character cannot attack except with kicks (brawl attacks). He cannot use any skills affected by the use of arms. A character who takes the Recover from Injury talent (Settler Talent Tree, page XX) can overcome the skill or attack penalties listed above caused by an injury, but is still limited in movement, available weapons and so on.


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Diseases

Cholera was common in the West, especially as its mode of infection (a bacterium carried in brackish water, infected drinking or water and waste). It causes terrible dehydration, diarrhoea, vomiting, and leg cramps. A character who risks contracting cholera must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) to avoid infection. If infected, the disease takes 1d4 days to manifest. The character suffers a –4 penalty to all ability score checks, skill checks, attack rolls and saving throws, and takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage each day. The character may make another Fortitude save each day (again at DC 15) to overcome the disease. While there are plenty of alleged cures and heal-alls for cholera, few have any effect. A doctor may make a Treat Injury check (DC 15) to give the patient a +4 circumstance bonus to his Fortitude save. The scourge of smallpox has partially been dealt with due to the invention of inoculation, but it is still a very dangerous plague. Smallpox was responsible for wreaking havoc on the native population – whole tribes were wiped out by epidemics of the disease. A character who has not been inoculated and is exposed to smallpox must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or become infected. The character shows no signs of the disease for 6 + 1d10 days, but is contagious during this time. After this, the character begins to break out in rash and becomes feverish. He takes 1d3 points of Constitution and Charisma damage each day for the next 6 + 1d6 days. If the character’s Charisma is reduced to 0 by this damage, the disease permanently blinds him.

A character suffering from tuberculosis suffers 1d4 points of damage when he becomes fatigued, and another 1d4 if he becomes exhausted.

Reputation

A character’s Reputation is a vague measure of how well he is known in the West. Many small towns had newspapers, while trail-driving cowboys and stagecoaches brought news and rumour across the country. Bad news travelled faster than wildfire, and stories were retold over and over again in saloons and general stores, magnified each time in the telling. In short, reputation is about as reliable as a patented cureall for cholera, syphilis and baldness. Mechanically, a character’s Reputation is a bonus that starts off equal to his Charisma bonus. Reputation can be increased as follows:

Tuberculosis, a disease of the lungs, is also known as consumption. It is transmitted by coughing or sneezing, but is not especially infectious – a character in the presence of a victim of consumption must make a Fortitude save (DC 5) to avoid infection, and holding a handkerchief or taking other precautions gives a +5 equipment bonus to the Fortitude save. (The DC for the Fortitude save increases by +1 for every other infectious person within the same room, to a maximum of DC 20). A victim of tuberculosis must make a Fortitude save every month (DC 10), or take one point of Constitution damage. This damage is only healed if the character recovers from tuberculosis, by getting a result of 20 or higher on the Fortitude save. Medical treatments and a change of air can also give a bonus of up to +6 to the Fortitude save.


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•

•

•

When a character gains a level, he may make a Reputation check (roll 1d20 and add his current Reputation against a DC of 5 + his current character level). If this check succeeds, his Reputation increases by +1.

of his Reputation does not change, it just switches to Bad instantly.

Whenever a character rolls a natural 20 when performing a very public act (high noon shootout in a town, Perform check in a bar, Diplomacy check in a courthouse), he may make a Charisma check (DC 10 + his current Reputation). Success means that the character’s Reputation increases by +1.

The primary use of Reputation is to see if a character is recognised. Roll a Reputation check against the following DC:

A character can deliberately try to increase his Reputation by telling stories and self-promotion. This requires a Bluff or Perform check (DC 15 + his current Reputation). A successful check increases the character’s Reputation by +1. This check can only be made once per ‘audience’ – the character can retell his stories in each new town, or if a stagecoach-load of new visitors come by, but boring his neighbours with the same tales over and over again gives no mechanical benefit.

•

Whenever the character suffers is Plugged or suffers a Mortal Wound and survives, the scar gives a +1 Reputation bonus when seen. Deep head wounds also give a Reputation increase.

•

A character may gain Reputation as a reward for performing particularly impressive deeds. This is a reward for completing an adventure – the Games Master should set the base DC for a Charisma check based on the character’s Reputation. The higher the character’s Reputation, the harder it is to improve it.

Finally, most Vocations list a way for the character to increase his Reputation.

Good and Bad Reputation

A character’s Reputation can be Good, Bad or Neutral – this largely depends on who the character is interacting with. A Good Reputation implies that the character is seen as being on the side of law and order and is fair and generous, while a Bad Reputation carries connotations being a murderous, dangerous good-for-nothing. An Indian warlord like Cochise might have a Good Reputation when dealing with Indians who resist the incursions of white men, and a Bad Reputation to the authorities.

Effects of Reputation

Situation Character being recognised… Is from the local area Lives within a few days ride Has passed this way before Is a complete stranger to these parts The observer Has five or more ranks in Gather Information Has five or more ranks in Spot The character Is deliberately trying to hide his identity Introduces himself by deed (‘I’m the man who…’) Other Factors Wanted posters Current newspaper article Current gossip and rumour about character

Reputation DC 10 15 25 30

+2 +2

-5 +2

+2 to +5, depending on quality of the poster +2 to +5 +2 to +5

If a character has been recognised, he can use his Reputation to his advantage, by gaining bonuses to specific skill checks. The size of these Reputation bonuses depend on the character’s Reputation level.

Reputation Bonus Size Reputation 5 or less 6-10 11-15 16-20 21+

Bonus +0 +2 +3 +4 +5

The bonus is applied to the following skill checks, depending on whether the character’s Reputation is Neutral (people have just heard of him), Good (people have heard mostly good things about him) or Bad (people have heard mostly bad things about him).

Importantly, a Reputation can change from Good to Bad relatively easily. A character with a Good reputation who is disgraced does not lose Reputation points – the magnitude


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Reputation Affects Character’s Reputation is… Neutral Good

Skill Checks Affected Bluff, Perform Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Perform Bluff, Intimidate, Perform

Bad

A character’s Reputation also affects how much it costs to hire him for a job. A character can make a Reputation check (DC 15) – if the check is successful, the employer offers the next highest reward category (see page XX) (or 50% more money, if reward categories are not being used), assuming that the employer can afford this largesse. A Bad Reputation can also increase the amount of money offered as a reward for the character – increase the reward by 20% for every point of Reputation about 10. Therefore, a character with a Reputation of 20 would be worth three times as much as another criminal who committed the same offences.

Wealth and Purchasing

There are two ways to handle wealth in OGL Wild West. Some Games Masters may prefer to have the players keep track of every dollar and every grain of gold dust – this style of play is best suited to games where the ability of the characters to survive and prosper in the West is the main focus of play, and the Games Master wants to immerse the players in the conditions and decisions of the era. The alternative approach is to use semi-abstract wealth categories, which show roughly how much spending cash the characters currently have. Each spending category has a value for how much spending money the characters have, and also an amount for how much the characters have if they are prepared to drop into the next lowest wealth category. This latter amount represents the character selling off personal possessions and assets, taking out loans and so on. The wealth categories are:

$6d20 3d20 x $10 6d20 x $10 3d20 x $100

$10,000 $25,000 $100,000 -

Roll a character’s spending money at the start of a scenario in an episodic game, or every 1d4 weeks in a continuing game. A character is assumed to be have covered basic expenses like food, drink and basic maintenance before rolling for spending money.

Running a Business

While hired guns may drift from town to town, and starryeyed miners dream of striking it rich without ever lifting a shovel, most folk in the West intend to make their fortune through honest hard work. For characters who want to try their hand at running a business, the following rules provide a method for determining how successful their endeavours are. Each type of business is associated with one or more skills. Each season (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter), the character must make a skill check (or checks). The more successful the check, the more profitable the business. Different types of business provide different amounts of wealth, as shown on the Businesses table below. Note that in general, the more skills required, the more wealth gained. The Games Master may choose to reduce or increase the time between skill checks – if a character is retiring for five years to run a quiet saloon, then a check might only be made each year instead of each season. By contrast, a saloon in a wild boomtown might require a check every week.

Complications

Before making the seasonal skill check to see how the business does in the current season, the business owner must first check for complications. To see if a complication threatens the character’s livelihood, roll 1d20 on the following table:

Complications

Wealth Category Wealth Category Penniless Struggling Poor Average

Well-off Rich Very Rich Vast Fortune

Spending Money 1d4 x10 cents $1d6 $2d6 $3d20

Maximum Money $20 $200 $2,000

1d20 <10 11-15 16-19 20+

Complications 0 1 2 1d4+1

Add +5 to the roll for the first year of a business – most endeavours meet their challenges early in their lifetimes.


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Businesses Business Banker Blacksmith ‘Boarding House’* Candy Store Casino* Craftsman Doctor or Dentist Farmer, Large Farmer, Small General Store Fur Trapper Lawyer Livery Stable Mining Company Newspaper Publisher Rancher Saloon* Undertaker

Skills Knowledge (business), Profession (banker) Craft (Blacksmithing) Diplomacy Profession (shopkeeper) Gamble, Knowledge (business) Craft skill Treat Injury, Knowledge (physical sciences) Craft (farming), Knowledge (nature) Craft (Farming) Diplomacy, Profession (shopkeeper) Craft (Traps) Diplomacy, Knowledge (law), Sense Motive Diplomacy, Handle Animal Craft (mining), Knowledge (physical sciences) Craft (writing), Gather Information Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature) Diplomacy Craft (woodcarving), Knowledge (theology and philosophy) *: Turbulent business – add +1d6 to the roll for Complications.

Default Wealth Category Well-off Average Well-off Average Rich Poor Well-off Well-off Poor Average Poor Well-off Average Average Average Average Average Average

Businesses Business Banker Blacksmith ‘Boarding House’ Candy Store Casino Craftsman Doctor or Dentist Farmer, Large Farmer, Small General Store Fur Trapper Lawyer Livery Stable Mining Company Newspaper Publisher Rancher Saloon Undertaker

Sample Complications Bank raids, dishonest clerks, devalued currencies Accidental fires, customers who do not pay, escaped criminals trying to use tools to break their manacles Puritanical preachers in town, girls running off with current beaus, shootouts and violence on the premises Over-sugared gunslingers with toothache on the premises, difficulties importing goods from the east Card sharps, cheaters, accusations of being a crooked house, shootouts and violence on the premises Accidents, disease, competition from factories in the east Accusations of malpractice; criminals and gunslingers coming in for treatment; outbreaks of plague Locust swarms, bad weather, blights, malicious or foolish farmhands Locust swarms, bad weather, blights Lack of supplies, fires, theft Unfriendly Indians, over-hunting Rivalry with a judge, vengeful former clients, hanging sheriff in town Bolted horses, stampedes, thefts Claim jumping, cave-ins Fires, rivalry with another newspaper Rustlers, stampedes, malicious or foolish cowboys, eventful cattle drives Brawls, violence or shootouts on the premises, exploding whiskey distilleries Not enough violence and shootouts on other premises


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Also add +5 if the business is located in a boomtown, and +1d6 if the business is a turbulent one.

Bonus to the check. A character may also be able to obtain other bonuses through in-game events.

The nature of complications vary depending on the business. In general, a complication is a problem that must be resolved by the owner, caused by unusual situations or events. A complication often requires either outside aid or the use of skills not normally associated with the business in question. (In short, a complication is often an adventure seed). If the complication is dealt with successfully, then the business may thrive – the business owner gains a +2 bonus to the seasonal skill check for every complication successfully dealt with. However, if the complication is not dealt with properly, then the business will suffer – the business owner suffers a –4 penalty to the seasonal skill check for every complication failed.

For example, our banker with a margin of success of +2 has an average season; his wealth is Well Off.

S e a s o n a l S k i l l Check

The DC for the check is normally DC 15, and a character may take 10 on the check if no complications arise. If the business involves multiple skills, a separate check is made for each of them, and the total margin of success or failure for all the checks is calculated. (For example, running a bank requires Knowledge (business) and Profession (banker); both checks are at DC 15. The character running the bank gets a 20 for his Knowledge (business) check, but only a 12 for his Profession (banker) check. The first check is passed by 5, the second failed by 3. 5-3=2; the overall result is a margin of success of +2. The result of the seasonal skill check determines how much money the business made this season, based on the default wealth category for the business.

Seasonal Skill Result Margin of Success/ Failure -10 or more

Result Disastrous

-9 to –5

Bad

-4 to –1

Poor

0 to +5 +6 to +10

Average Good

+11 to +20

Excellent

+21+

Outstanding

Wealth Drops by three categories Drops by two categories Drops by one categories No change Increases by one category Increases by two categories Increases by three categories

Add +2 if the business is the only one of its kind in town. A character may also add his Good or Neutral Reputation

Any negative changes to wealth category are permanent, so the default wealth category for the business drops; any positive changes last only for the current season, and the business resets to the default wealth category next season. A character who gets a result of Good or better can choose to reinvest his profits in the business – if he chooses this option, then his personal wealth does not increase this season. However, if profits are successfully reinvested four times in a row, then the default wealth category for the business increases by the average amount of profits reinvested. (For example, assume the banker got results of +6, +6, +6 and +22. He could choose to be Rich, Rich, Rich and have a Vast Fortune respectively for four seasons – or he could invest the money in his business and increase the bank’s default wealth category to Very Rich for next year).

Cashing Out

A character can choose to reduce himself to the next lowest wealth category to gain a lump sum of money (see above). However, when running a business, the character’s finances are tied up in his trade. Should the character sell off his possessions to earn money, then the current default wealth category for the business is used. A character cannot automatically start up an easy business, get a sky-high result for the first season’s skill check that boosts his wealth to a high wealth category, and then cash out to gain the lump sum for his current wealth category.

Running an Outfit

An outfit is a term for a company of travellers, adventurers or profit-seekers – a mining company, cattle drive team or even a gang of outlaws could be referred to as an outfit. Many western adventures will centre on the characters having to guide and protect an outfit as it travels or works in dangerous territory, so the Games Master may wish to use the rules below to keep track of the status of the outfit. For smaller outfits, numbering only a half-dozen or so people, then there is no need for this level of abstraction – the players can keep track of every hit point and every meal. The intent of these rules is to give the players an idea of the current state of their outfit, and give the Games Master ideas for problems and scenarios along the way. The three important qualities of an outfit are:


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•

Morale: The general good spirits of the group. A low morale means that challenges to the group’s leadership and lack of discipline are common. A high morale means that everyone in the group is positive and hopeful. Morale checks are called for whenever the outfit faces dissension or danger.

+5. Having wagons or pack animals to carry extra gear brings the Supplies score up to +10. Every character with five or more ranks in a useful Craft or Repair skill increases Supplies by +1, to a maximum of +5. Spending money on masterwork gear or extra supplies can further increase the outfit’s Supplies.

•

Supplies: Supplies covers a group’s food, ammunition and other gear. It is an abstract value of the outfit’s ability to cope with problems and construct solutions. Supplies checks are called for whenever the group needs equipment beyond the norm.

Health: Health begins at the average of the Constitution scores of the members of the outfit. Having a character with five or more ranks of Treat Injury increases the outfit’s health by +4.

•

Health: Finally, health covers the outfit’s general readiness to work or fight. Loss of members, hunger or disease can reduce an outfit’s Health.

Each of these qualities has a rating. An outfit may be called upon to make a Morale, Supply or Health check, which is resolved like other checks (1d20 plus the appropriate rating, and try to beat a Difficulty Class set by the Games Master).

Making Checks

A quality is tested by rolling 1d20, adding the quality, and trying to beat a set DC. An easy check is DC 5, an average check is DC 10, and checks become progressively harder at DC 15 or more. If the check is failed, then the outfit lacks the resources to deal with a problem automatically, and the players must take action to deal with it.

The precise meaning of a rating varies depending on the outfit in question. While Morale is universal, a team of cowboys needs less Supplies than a prospecting outfit, which in turn needs less than a railroad crew.

D e t e r mi n i n g the Initial Ratings

Generally, these ratings are only meaningful when comparing outfits of the same size and purpose. Morale: An outfit’s Morale begins a level equal to the Reputation plus the Charisma modifier of the leader. Excellent pay increases the Morale by up to +4; poor pay decreases it by up to –4. Having a good cook increases Morale by +2 if he has five or more ranks in Craft (cooking). Supplies: If everyone in the outfit has the standard equipment for a job of that sort, and has food and water to last a reasonable time, then the outfit has a starting Supplies score of


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Example Checks Situation Morale A native tribe faces an unusually hard winter. A wagon train is lost in the mountains for a week. An outlaw gang lose one of the members in a botched bank raid. A trail herd is stampeded, scattering the herd, destroying the chuckwagon and killing two cowboys. The trail boss orders the rest to continue. Supplies Does the tribe have sufficient blankets and food to survive? The outlaw gang try to build a fake signal to stop a train. The wagon train must rig a ferry to get wagons across a swollen river. Health The outlaw gang must heal up and recover from the botched train robbery – will they be all healed up in a few months? The tribe is forced to settle in a swamp, far from the clear mountain air of their ancestral grounds – how badly do they suffer from disease?

DC 5 10 15 20

5 10 15

10

15

F a i l i n g a C h e ck

Morale: If a Morale check is failed, then there is either despair or discontent in the outfit. Despair causes everyone in the outfit to suffer a –2 morale penalty to all skill checks made outside of combat. The period of despair lasts for a number of days equal to the DC of the Morale check. Despair can be lifted by good events, celebrations and so on. Discontent implies that one or more members of the outfit challenge the leader. Depending on the nature of the outfit, this challenge might be a legal one (many wagon trains held elections and drew up complicated constitutions to abide by) or a physical one (a brawl or even a shootout). It is up to the Games Master to determine which route an outfit takes.

then a Supply check can determine how long the outfit’s remaining supplies last. The DC to last a week is 5 in the prairies or forests, 10 in the mountains, and 15 in the deserts or badlands; after the first week, the DC rises by 5 each week. Health: A Health check is the most dangerous check to fail; a failed result means that the outfit has fallen victim to sickness or disease. Either one member of the outfit is sickened to the point or death, or all are suffering equally from the affliction. If one member is sick, then use the rules for Cholera, above. If everyone is sick, then reduce both the Health of the company and the Constitution scores of everyone by 1 + 1d4. After a week, make another Health check at the same DC; if the check fails, then the disease continues and the temporary penalties remain. If the check succeeds, then the outfit overcomes the illness. A Health check can also be used to determine the overall vigour and strength of a company, to see if they can endure hardship and fatigue.

Changing Scores

Events and circumstances can cause a quality to rise or fall – usually fall. Morale: If there is disease or starvation in an outfit, then the company’s Morale drops by –1 each week until it is cured or over. Morale then begins to rise back at a rate of +1 every two weeks. A celebration raises morale by +1d6, but it then begins to drop back down at the rate of –1 each week. If the leader’s Reputation or Charisma modifier changes, then the outfit’s morale also changes by a like amount.

Sample Outfit s

The Jones gang are a band of seven outlaws, holed up in an isolated cabin in the middle of nowhere. The leader of the Jones gang is Smoky Jones, a fifth level Fast Hero. He has a Reputation of +6 and a Charisma of 15, so the gang’s beginning Morale is +8.

Supplies: Failing a Supply check means that the outfit needs to get extra equipment or food from somewhere, or else take another course. The characters must act to obtain these fresh supplies; they might forage and hunt for what they need, or trade, or ride into town to buy. Outlaws might also steal the requisite items.

The outlaws have guns, bandanas, ammo and horses – what more does a bandit gang need, really? Big Sam even worked as on the railroad for a while, and has five ranks in Repair. The gang has an overall Supplies of +6.

If an outfit’s food supplies are in question, due to an accident, spoilage or a trip that takes longer than normal,

Finally, the average Constitution of the group is 11, giving them a Health of +11.


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Supplies: An outfit’s Supplies bonus drops by –1 whenever it has to make a Supplies check, as items are used up along the way. Supplies also rise or fall when an outfit loses resources; for example, if a wagon goes over a cliff, or a fire ruins the outfit’s camp, then the outfit’s Supplies drops by 1d6 or even 1d10. Health: An outfit’s Health scores changes due to disease. Each member of the outfit who dies also lowers Health by –1.

Chasing Trains

Obviously, a train is not going to be swerving from side or side or moving through difficult terrain. An engineer on a train can try to wring more power out of the locomotive by making Drive checks, but the effectiveness of these checks are halved – i.e., the result of the train’s Drive check is (1d20 + the engineer’s Drive skill) x ½ + the modifier for the train’s speed.

give a –2 penalty to horses and a –4 penalty to vehicles.

Chases

A chase can take place between two characters on foot, or between riders, or even between riders and vehicles. Sometimes, a chase is easy to resolve; a man on foot cannot catch a train that is travelling at full steam. However, two horses that are nominally the same speed can be ridden quite differently. If one rider brings his horse along the level path, but the other rides through sagebrush and into potholes, then the first horse will catch the second, even if the second is a racer. A chase is resolved using opposed Ride, Drive or Dexterity checks. These checks are modified as follows: •

For every 10-foot difference in speed between the two racers, the faster one gets a +1 bonus to his check.

•

Mildly rough ground, such as a rocky plain, overgrown prairie, hillsides, riverbeds and so on

•

Rough ground such as mud, broken ground or forest give a –4 penalty to horses and a –8 penalty to vehicles.

•

The character being chased may choose to make the route more difficult by deliberately taking a harder route; zig-zagging, riding through barricades or over narrow paths and so on. For every –4 penalty that the quarry accepts to his check, then any pursuers suffer a –1d6 penalty to their checks.

If the result of a roll is a 1 or less, then the racer suffers a disaster; a character on foot falls, a horse falls and may take damage from the fall and a vehicle may overturn unless the driver makes a successful Drive check (DC 15, modified by the speed of the vehicle).


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Rules of the West

For every five points of difference between the results of the two racers, the winner increases or decreases the distance between the two by 10%.

Drinking

Whiskey and beer kept the west lubricated. A huge variety of drinks were available in different saloons and beer halls across the land. Refusing a drink, or refusing to buy a drink were both rather dire insults and could quickly lead to a brawl. A character can drink a number of shots of liquor, or a number of pints of beer equal to his 2 + his Constitution modifier before being affected by alcohol. (Those unused to strong alcohol, such as those in certain Indian tribes, begin to be affected after a number of drinks equal to their Constitution modifier). Every drink after that causes a –2 penalty to most skill checks and Will saves. However, the character instead gains a +2 bonus to the following checks: •

Will saves to resist fear

•

Will saves to resist intimidation

•

Concentration checks to overcome impairment penalties from wounds

Once the penalty from drink exceeds –10, the character must begin making Fortitude saves (DC 10) after every drink, to avoid falling unconscious.

A B o t t l e O f Y our B e s t W h i s k ey

‘Taos Lightning’: San Fernandez de Taos ‘Skullbender’: Custer City ‘Apache Tears’: Tombstone ‘Red Dog’: Tucson ‘Pass Whiskey’: El Paso

Other brands included Red Dynamite, Joy Juice, Forty Rods, Tongue Oil, Corpse Reviver and Coffin Varnish. Rye whiskey was popular in the east; bourbon in the south and West. Corn whiskey was also popular, but was generally seen as a cheaper, inferior brew.

Gambling

There are no less than four ways to resolve a game of chance. The two simple options are: •

Simply make opposed Gamble checks

•

Play out the game of poker (or dice, or whatever) in real life, with a real deck of cards

One option puts all the weight on the dice and the rules system; the second puts all the weight on the players, and ignores any mechanical ability on the part of the characters (so a character with a high Gamble skill will not have any advantage over one with no Gamble skill). The other two options are more complicated, but should be used when a game of chance is especially important.

Resolution using the Gambling Skill

Complex Gamble check is resolved as follows; firstly, the Games Master declares how many rounds the game will go on for (usually three). At each round, each character involved in the game puts forward a stake and then makes a Gamble check. The results of each character’s check are revealed. Each character can then choose to fold (losing their stake) or keep going to the next round and raise by putting in another stake which must be at least equal to the highest stake in the last round. In each round, the character gets a bonus to his Gamble check based on his previous result. Previous Round Modifier Character got the lowest Gamble result –4 Character got a below-average result –2 Character got the average result* +0 Character got an above-average result +2 Character got the highest Gamble result +4 *: Calculate the average by adding up all the results for that round and divide by the number of participants. The winner is the character who gets the highest Gamble result in the last round. Bluffing: A character can Bluff, adding up to +4 for his Gamble check for the round. Each participant in the game may target a number of other people in the game up to his Wisdom modifier with a Sense Motive check. If the Sense Motive check beats the character’s Bluff check, then the bonus added to the Gamble check using Bluff becomes a penalty instead. Cheating: A character may cheat, by making a Sleight of Hand check opposed by a Spot check from everyone else present. All the characters present should make a Spot


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check, even if no-one elected to make a Sleight of Hand check. Multiple characters may try to cheat, but the same set of Spot checks are used for all of them. Any character who makes a successful Sleight of Hand check may add +8 to their Gamble check.

Resolution using Live Action

In this variant, the players deal, draw cards and play poker as normal. However, a character’s skills have the following effects on the game: Gamble: If a character has a Gamble bonus (from a high Intelligence, ranks in the Gamble skill, feats and so on), then he may draw extra cards at the start of the game. He may replace a card in his hand with one of these extra cards at any time; the replaced card is put randomly back in the deck. Gamble Bonus Less than +5 +5 to +10 +11 to +15 +16 to +20 +21 or more

Extra Cards 0 1 2 3 4

Cheating: A player may choose to palm cards, deal from the bottom of the deck and so on. He must make a Sleight of Hand check, and it is opposed by the Spot checks of other characters.

rolls a 1,2,3 or 4 on his attack roll, the gun may not fire or might jam or misfire. A character with a weapon maintenance kit may make a Repair check (DC 10 + twice the result of the d6 roll) to repair the damage done to the gun.

Concealing a Weapon

A character may attempt to conceal a weapon in a pocket or under a coat. Other characters can notice the weapon by making Spot checks, at a base DC of 10, modified as follows: Circumstance Weapon is Diminutive Weapon is Tiny Weapon is Small Weapon is Medium Weapon is Large Character is wearing a long coat or other concealing garment Character has five or more ranks in Sleight of Hand Character has five or more ranks in Disguise Clothes are specifically tailored to hide weapon

Modifier +8 +4 -0 -4 -8 +4 +2 +2 +2

A character who uses a concealed weapon may catch his opponents by surprise.

Bluffing: Once during each hand, each player may target one other player with a Sense Motive check. The targeted player must make a Bluff check; if the Sense Motive result is higher, then the character making the Sense Motive check may ask the targeted player one question, which must be answered truthfully. This question must relate to the cards in the player’s hand, but cannot be one that can only be answered with a specific card. Thus, ‘how many aces do you have?’ or ‘do you have any spades’ are acceptable, but ‘what’s in your hand?’ or ‘do you hold the five of diamonds?’ are not.

Guns

A character is assumed to be taking good care of his guns under normal circumstances. If a weapon is badly stored, falls into the water, is buried in a landslide or otherwise mistreated, then it is much more likely to malfunction when fired – roll 1d6. The gun now misfires if the d20 roll was below the result of the d6 roll. For example, a character drops his gun into a horse trough. The Games Master rolls a 4 on the d6; now, if the character


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Combat

Shooting, Knifefighting & Brawling

C

ombat in a game is played out in rounds, and in each round everybody acts in turn in a regular cycle. Skills, feats and equipment can modify combat rolls in numerous ways, but it does not change the basic tenets of how combat operates. Combat usually runs in the following way. •

Each combatant starts the battle flat-footed. Once a combatant acts, he is no longer flat-footed. If everyone involved in a combat knows that a battle

is about to begin and spend more than one minute in full view of each other, no one is flat-footed during the first round (except to an attack that comes in from outside the visible opponents). •

The Games Master determines which characters are aware of their opponents at the start of the battle. If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. The combatants who are aware of their opponents can act in the surprise


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round, so they roll for initiative. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take one move or attack action. Combatants who were unaware do not get to act in the surprise round. If no one or everyone starts the battle aware, there is no surprise round. •

Combatants who have not yet rolled initiative do so. All combatants are now ready to begin their first regular round.

•

Combatants act in initiative order. Initiative is calculated using a Dexterity check as detailed below.

•

When everyone has had a turn, whether they take advantage of it or not, the combatant with the highest initiative acts again, and the previous two steps repeat until combat ends.

Atta c k R o l l

An attack roll represents a character’s attempts to strike an opponent on the character’s turn in a round. When a character makes an attack roll, he rolls 1d20 and adds his attack bonus. If the result equals or beats the target’s Defence, the character hits and deals damage. Many modifiers can affect the attack roll. A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on the attack roll is always a miss. When using a firearm, a natural 1 is also a potential misfire. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a hit. A natural 20 is also always a threat—a possible critical hit. If the character is not proficient in the weapon he is attacking with (the character does not have the appropriate Weapon Proficiency feat), that character takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll.

Attack Bonus

A character’s attack bonus with a melee weapon is: •

Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + size modifier

With a ranged weapon, a character’s attack bonus is: •

Base attack bonus + Dexterity modifier + range penalty + size modifier

Strength Modifier

Strength helps a character swing a weapon harder and faster, so a character’s Strength modifier applies to melee attack rolls.

Size Modifier

Creature size categories are defined differently from the size categories for weapons and other objects. Since this size modifier applies to Defence against a melee weapon attack or a ranged weapon attack, two creatures of the same size strike each other normally, regardless of what size they actually are. Creature sizes are compatible with vehicle sizes.

Size Modifiers Size (Example) Colossal (blue whale [90 ft. long]) Gargantuan (grey whale [40 ft. long]) Huge (elephant) Large (buffalo) Medium (human) Small (dog) Tiny (housecat) Diminutive (rat) Fine (horsefly)

Size Modifier –8 –4 –2 –1 +0 +1 +2 +4 +8

Dexterity Modifier

Dexterity measures coordination and steadiness, so a character’s Dexterity modifier applies when the character attacks with a ranged weapon.

Range Penalty

The range penalty for a ranged weapon depends on what weapon the character is using and how far away the target is. All ranged weapons and thrown weapons have a range increment (see the Outfitting chapter). Any attack from a distance of less than one range increment is not penalised for range. However, each full range increment causes a cumulative –2 penalty on the attack roll. A thrown weapon has a maximum range of five range increments. Ranged weapons that fire projectiles can shoot up to ten increments.

Damage

When a character hits with a weapon, he deals damage according to the type of attack. Firearms and most other weapons inflict both wounds and damage, which bleed and take a long time to heal. Other attacks (such as unarmed attacks) just deal damage. A character who is wounded takes damage both from the wound and from the subsequent bleeding.


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Damage is deducted from the target’s current hit points. Attacks against objects are dealt with in a separate section detailed below.

M i n i m u m W e a pon Damage

Combat

If penalties to damage bring the damage result below 1, a hit still deals 1 point of damage. This can be negated by Hardness or Damage Reduction to 0; the minimum damage of 1 rule only applies to internal penalties on the damage roll itself.

S t r e n g t h B o nus

When a character hits with a melee weapon or thrown weapon, add his Strength modifier to the damage. The Weapon Finesse feat applies only to attack rolls, not damage. •

Off-Hand Weapon: When a character deals damage with a weapon in his off hand, add only half of the character’s Strength bonus.

•

Wielding a Weapon Two-Handed: When a character deals damage with a weapon that he is wielding two-handed, add 1.5 times the character’s Strength bonus. However, the character does not get this higher Strength bonus when using a light weapon two-handed; in such a case, only the character’s normal Strength bonus applies to the damage roll.

M u l t i p l y i n g D a mage

Sometimes damage is multiplied by some factor, generally a x2 or more due to a critical hit. Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results. Bonus damage represented as extra dice is an exception. Do not multiply bonus damage dice when a character scores a critical hit.

Critical Hits

When a character makes an attack roll and gets a natural 20 (the d20 shows 20), the character hits regardless of the target’s Defence and the character has scored a threat of a critical hit. To find out if it is actually a critical hit, the character immediately makes another attack roll with all the same modifiers as the attack roll that scored the threat. If the second roll also results in a hit against the target’s Defence, the attack is a critical hit. (The second roll just needs to hit to confirm a critical hit; the character does not need to roll a second 20.) If the second roll is a miss, then the attack just deals the damage of a regular hit. A critical hit multiplies the character’s damage. Unless otherwise specified, the multiplier is x2. (It is possible for some weapons to have higher multipliers, doing more damage on a critical hit.) Some weapons have expanded

threat ranges, making a critical hit more likely. However, even with these weapons, only a 20 is an automatic hit. The Critical columns on the weapon tables in the Outfitting chapter indicates the threat range for each weapon on the tables.

Misfires

Firearms have a small risk of misfiring due to damage or flaws in the ammunition or firing chamber. Each firearm lists a Misfire range, which works just like a critical threat range. For most firearms, the misfire range is 1, meaning the weapon only risks misfiring on a natural roll of a 1. If a misfire is threatened, then the attacker must make a misfire check. Each weapon also lists a Misfire DC. To see if a potential misfire is a dangerous explosion or merely a jam, the attacker should roll 1d20 and compare the roll to the Misfire DC. If the result is equal to or above the DC, then the gun has jammed and cannot be fired until it is repaired. It is a full-round action to un-jam a gun and requires a Repair check (DC 10). If the result is below the DC, then the round was a dud and the gun can fire normally next round. If the result is a natural 20, then the gun explodes in the user’s hand, dealing the weapon’s normal damage to the hand.

D e f e n c e V a l ue

A character’s Defence Value (DV) represents how hard it is for opponents to land a solid, damaging blow on the character. It is the attack roll result that an opponent needs to achieve to hit the character. The average person has a Defence of 10. A character’s Defence Value is equal to: •

10 + Dexterity modifier + equipment bonus + size modifier

Dexterity Modifier

If a character’s Dexterity is high, he is particularly adept at dodging blows or gunfire. If a character’s Dexterity is low, he is particularly inept at it. Sometimes a character cannot use his Dexterity bonus, whether because of an entanglement, being caught flatfooted, or for some other reason. If a character cannot react to a blow, that character cannot use his Dexterity modifier to Defence.

Size Modifier

The bigger an opponent is, the easier it is to hit in combat. The smaller it is, the harder it is to hit. Since this same modifier applies to attack rolls a creature does not have a hard time attacking another creature of the same size. Size modifiers are shown on the Size Modifiers table, below.


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Size Modifiers Size Modifier -8 -4 -2 -1 +0

Size Colossal Gargantuan Huge Large Medium

Size Small Tiny Diminutive Fine

Size Modifier +1 +2 +4 +8

Other Modifiers

Other factors can add to a character’s Defence Value. Feats: Some feats give a bonus to a character’s Defence Value. Dodge Bonuses: Some other Defence bonuses represent actively avoiding blows. These bonuses are called dodge bonuses. Any situation that denies a character his Dexterity bonus also denies his dodge bonuses. Unlike most sorts of bonuses, dodge bonuses stack with each other.

Saving Throws

Generally, when a character is subject to an unusual or magical attack, he gets a saving throw to avoid or reduce the effect. A saving throw is a 1d20 roll plus a bonus based on the character’s class and level (the character’s base save bonus) and an ability modifier. A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on a saving throw is always a failure. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a success. A character’s saving throw bonus is: •

The Difficulty Class for a save is determined by the attack or effect itself.

Saving Throw Types

The three different kinds of saving throws are: •

Fortitude: These saves measure a character’s ability to stand up to massive physical punishment or attacks against his vitality and health such as poison and paralysis. Apply a character’s Constitution modifier to his Fortitude saving throws.

•

Reflex: These saves test a character’s ability to dodge massive attacks such as explosions or landslides. (Often, when damage is inevitable, a character gets to make a Reflex save to take only half damage.) Apply the character’s Dexterity modifier to his Reflex saving throws.

•

Will: These saves reflect a character’s resistance to mental influence, domination and psychological effects. Apply the character’s Wisdom modifier to his Will saving throws.

Touch Attacks

Some attacks disregard armour. In these cases, the attacker makes a touch attack roll (either a ranged touch attack roll or a melee touch attack roll). The attacker makes his attack roll as normal, but a character’s Defence does not include any equipment bonus or armour bonus. All other modifiers, such as Dexterity modifier or size modifier, apply normally.

Hit Points

A character’s hit points tell how much punishment he can take before dropping. Hit points are based on the character’s class and level, and the character’s Constitution modifier applies. When a character’s hit point total drops to 0, he is disabled. When it drops to –1, he is dying. When it drops to –10, the character is dead. Wounds may hasten a character’s demise – see Wounds, below.

Speed

A character’s speed tells how far he can move in a move action. Humans normally move 30 feet, but some creatures move faster or slower. Wearing armour can slow a character down. A character normally moves as a move action, leaving an attack action to attack. The character can, however, use his attack action as a second move action. This could let the character move again, for a total movement of up to double his normal speed. Another option is to run all out (a full-round action). This lets the character move up to four times his normal speed, but a character can only run all out in a straight line, and doing so affects the character’s Defence (see Run).

Base save bonus + ability modifier

Initiative

Every round, each combatant gets to take their allotment of actions. The combatants’ initiative checks, from highest to lowest, determine the order in which they act, from first to last. At the start of a fight, each combatant makes a single initiative check. An initiative check is a Dexterity check. Each character applies his Dexterity modifier to the roll, and anyone with the Improved Initiative feat gets an additional +4 bonus on the check. The Games Master finds out what order characters are acting in, counting down from highest result to lowest, and each character acts in turn. On all following rounds, the characters act in the same order (unless a character takes an action that results in his initiative changing; see Special Initiative Actions).


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If two or more combatants have the same initiative check result, the combatants who are tied go in order of total initiative modifier (including Dexterity modifier and Improved Initiative bonus, if applicable). If there is still a tie, roll a die.

Combat

Flat-Footed: At the start of a fight, before the character has had a chance to act (specifically, before the character’s first turn in the initiative order), the character is flat-footed. A character cannot use his Dexterity bonus to Defence while flat-footed. Joining a Battle: If characters enter a battle after it has begun, they roll initiative at that time and act whenever their turn comes up in the existing order.

Surprise

When a combat starts, if a character was not aware of his enemies and they were aware of the character, that character is surprised. Likewise, a character can surprise his enemies if the character knows about them before they are aware of the character.

Quickdraw Duels

Pistol duels operate according to slightly different rules. Each participant may gain a bonus to their Initiative by accepting an equal penalty to any attack rolls made this round. For example, two characters face each other in a pistol duel at high noon. One character takes a +10 bonus to Initiative, which means that his attack will be at a –10 penalty. The other character takes a +3 bonus, giving him a –3 penalty. The first character may shoot first, but is unlikely to make his mark.

The Surprise Round

If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. The combatants who are aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take an attack action or move action during the surprise round (see Action Types, below). If no one or everyone is surprised, a surprise round does not occur.

Unawa re Combatants

Combatants who are unaware at the start of battle do not get to act in the surprise round. Unaware combatants are still flat-footed because they have not acted yet. Because of this, they lose any Dexterity bonus to Defence.


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Actions in Combat

The fundamental actions of moving and attacking cover most of what a character wants to do in a battle. They are described here. Other, more specialised options are touched on in the Actions in Combat table, and covered in Special Initiative Actions and Special Attacks.

The C o m b a t Round

Each round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. A round is an opportunity for each character involved in a combat to take an action. Anything a person could reasonably do in 6 seconds, a character can do in 1 round. Each round’s activity begins with the character with the highest initiative result and then proceeds, in order, from there. Each round of a combat uses the same initiative order. When a character’s turn comes up in the initiative sequence, that character performs his entire round’s worth of actions. (For exceptions, see Attacks of Opportunity and Special Initiative Actions.) For almost all purposes, there is no relevance to the end of a round or the beginning of a round. A round can be a set amount of game time starting with the first character to act and ending with the last, but it usually means a span of time from a certain round to the same initiative number in the next round. Effects that last a certain number of rounds end just before the same initiative count that they began on.

Actions in Combat Action Attack Actions Attack (melee) Attack (ranged) Attack (unarmed) Attack (aid another) Bull rush (attack) Escape a grapple Feint (see the Bluff skill) Ready (triggers an attack action) Make a dying character stable Attack a weapon Attack an object Total defence Use a skill that takes an attack action Move Actions Move your speed

Attack of Opportunity1 No Yes Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Maybe2 No Usually

Yes

Use a piece of equipment No Climb (one-quarter speed) No Crawl No Draw a weapon3 Yes Holster a weapon Yes Move a heavy object Yes Open a door No Pick up an object Yes Retrieve a stored object Yes Stand up from prone, sitting of kneeling No Start/complete full-round action Varies Swim No Use a skill that takes a move action Usually Full-Round Actions Bull rush (charge) No Charge No Coup de grace Yes Full attack No Overrun (charge) No Run Yes Withdraw No Extinguish flames No Use a skill that takes a full round Usually Reload a firearm Yes Un-jam a firearm Yes Free actions Drop an Object No Drop to prone, sitting or kneeling No Speak No Action Type Varies Disarm4 Yes Grapple4 Yes Trip an opponent4 No 5 Use a feat Varies No Action Delay No 5-foot step No 1 Regardless of the action, if a character moves out of a threatened square, the character usually provokes an attack of opportunity. This column indicates whether the action itself, not moving, provokes an attack of opportunity. 2 If the object is being held, carried, or worn by a creature, yes. If not, no. 3 If the character has a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, he can combine this action with a regular move. If the character has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, he can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take to draw one. 4 These attack forms substitute for a melee attack, not an action. As melee attacks, they can be used once in an attack or charge action, one or more times in a full attack


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action, or even as an attack of opportunity. 5 The description of a feat defines its effect.

Combat

Action Types

The four types of actions are attack actions, move actions, full-round actions and free actions. In a normal round, a character can perform an attack action and a move action (or two move actions; a character can always take a move action in place of an attack action), or a character can perform a full-round action. A character can also perform as many free actions as the Games Master allows. In some situations (such as in the surprise round) a character may be limited to taking only a single attack or move action.

Attack Action

A character can take a move action in the place of an attack action. If a character moves no actual distance in a round, that character can take one 5-foot step before, during, or after the action.

Full-Round Action

A full-round action consumes all a character’s effort during a round. The only movement the character can take during a full-round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. Some full-round actions do not allow a character to take a 5-foot step. A character can also perform free actions (see below) as the Games Master allows.

Free Action

Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort, and over the span of the round their impact is so minor that they are considered free. A character can perform one

An attack action allows a character to do something. A character can make an attack, use a skill or a feat (unless the skill or feat requires a fullround action to perform; see below), or perform other similar actions. During a combat round, a character can take an attack action and a move action. A character can take a move action before or after performing an attack action.

Move Action

A move action allows a character to move his speed or perform an action that takes a similar amount of time. A character can move his speed, climb one-quarter of his speed, draw or stow a weapon or other object, stand up, pick up an object, or perform some equivalent action (see Table: Actions in Combat).


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or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, the Games Master puts reasonable limits on what a character can really do for free. For instance, dropping an object, dropping to a prone position and speaking a sentence or two are all free actions.

Note that groups do not apply their Reflex or other Defence bonuses to their Ranged Defence, so it is very easy to shoot into a group. Creatures smaller than Small or larger than Gargantuan cannot be part of a group. To work out which member of a group is hit, use the Size values to construct a table. For example, a group of two riders is composed of two Large creatures (the horses) and two Medium creatures (the men riding them). Each horse has a two-in-six chance of being hit, and each rider has a one-in-six chance.

Attac k A c t i o n s

Most common attack actions are described below. More specialised attack actions are mentioned in the Actions in Combat table and covered in Special Attacks.

All the members of a group must be within five feet of each other to count as being part of a group.

Ranged Attacks

With a ranged weapon, a character can shoot or throw at any target that is within the ranged weapon’s maximum range and in line of sight. A target is in line of sight if there are no solid obstructions between the character and the target. The maximum range for a thrown weapon is five range increments. For weapons that fire projectiles, it is ten range increments. •

•

Shooting or Throwing into a Melee: If a character shoots or throws a ranged weapon at a target that is engaged in melee with an ally, the character takes a –4 penalty on his attack roll because the character has to aim carefully to avoid hitting the ally. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies and they are adjacent to one another. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilised character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked.) If the target is so big that part of it is 10 feet or farther from the nearest ally, the character can avoid the –4 penalty, even if it is engaged in melee with an ally. Because of the weapon’s unwieldy shape and size, an attacker using a rifle takes a –4 penalty on attacks against adjacent opponents.

As a special exception, a character can apply his own Defence bonus to his mount when riding. The pair will still count as a Large target. •

Movement: If a character moves more than five feet, he suffers a –2 penalty to his ranged attack roll. (A character moving or a horse or vehicle uses different modifier – see below). For every twenty feet that a character moves in a round, he has a +1 dodge bonus to his Ranged Defence value.

•

Shooting into Confined Spaces: A character who does not have at least three five-foot squares to dodge into cannot apply his Dexterity bonus to his Ranged Defence. For example, if a character has to pass through a narrow gap in some rocks, he cannot dodge and therefore cannot use his Dexterity bonus. This rule only applies to ranged attacks.

•

Aiming: A character can take the time to properly aim a gun. In each round spend aiming, the character makes an attack roll against his target. If this ‘attack’ hits, then the character has successfully aimed, and gets a +2 circumstance bonus to his next attack roll against that target. A character must either aim again or fire next round – if the character goes a round without aiming, the bonus is lost. A character using a longarm with sights or one resting on a tripod or other support gets a +4 bonus from aiming instead of a +2 bonus.

•

Switching targets with a longarm: A character using a longarm or shotgun must declare who he is firing at. When he switches to another target, he suffers a –4 penalty to his attack that round. This penalty is ignored if the new target is within 20 feet of the old target.

Shooting at a Group: A character can fire a ranged weapon into a group of targets and aim for the group as a whole instead of individual targets within it. The group is treated as a single creature. To calculate the effective Defence of the group, add up the sizes as follows:

Shooting into a Group Creature Size Small Medium Large Huge Gargantuan

Size Value 1 1 2 4 6

Total Size Values <3 3-4 5-6 7-10 10+

Effective Size (Defence) Medium (-0) Large (-1) Huge (-2) Gargantuan (-4) Colossal (-8)


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M e l e e A t t a c ks

With a normal melee weapon, a character can strike any enemy within 5 feet. (Enemies within 5 feet are considered adjacent to the character.) A character capable of making more than one melee attack per round must use the full attack action (see Full-Round Actions, below) in order to make more than one attack.

Combat

F i g h t i n g D e f e n s ively

A character can choose to fight defensively while making a melee attack. If the character does so, he takes a –4 penalty on his attack in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to Defence in the same round.

T o t a l D e f e n ce

Instead of attacking, a character can use his attack action simply to defend. This is called a total defence action. The character does not get to attack or perform any other activity, but does get a +4 dodge bonus to his Defence for 1 round. The character’s Defence improves at the start of this action, so it helps against any attacks of opportunity the character is subject to while performing his move action.

Wounds

Firearms and most other weapons cause wounds. The severity of the wound is determined by how much the attack roll beat the target’s Defence, and by the amount of

damage inflicted by the hit. An accurate shooter can deal a mortal wound with even a tiny pistol, but a large-calibre rifle in the hands of a kid can still blow some damn fool’s head off. Add the margin of success in the attack roll to the damage to determine the wound value. Wound Value 0-4 5-8

Wound Type Scratch Deep

9-12

Serious

12+

Mortal

Effects None Bleed 1/round, Impairment 2, Infection, Extra Damage +2 Bleed 2/round, Impairment 4, Infection, Surgery, Extra Damage +4 Bleed 4/round, Impairment 8, Infection, Surgery, Extra Damage +8

A Scratch is just a cut or gash – it bleeds a little, but not enough to cause continuing damage. Normal wounds will heal without any further intervention, and do not risk becoming infected.

E x a m p l e – B i l l and Aaron shoot the hell o u t of each other

Bill has a Defence Value of 15, while Aaron has a Defence Value of 12. Bill has an attack bonus with his Colt Peacemaker of +4, while Aaron has an attack bonus of +2. Aaron has won initiative and so is going first. Aaron rolls and gets a 14. Adding his attack bonus of +2 gives him a 16 – a hit. He rolls damage, and gets a 5. Bill loses 5 hit points. The margin of success for the hit was only 1 (DV16 - attack of 15); adding that to the 5 hit points results in a total of 6, a Deep Wound. The wound is on Bill’s right arm, so Bill suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls and skill checks using that arm. Bill’s turn. Firstly, he loses another hit point from the Bleed. Bill has the Two Weapon Fighting feat (which allows any character to use either hand with equal ability), so he flips his gun over to his left hand and shoots with that. He rolls a natural 20 – a potential critical. He rolls again, and gets a 6. 6 + 4 (his attack bonus) is only a 10, less than Aaron’s DV of 10, so the critical is not confirmed. However, it is still a very accurate shot. The margin of success was a huge 24, a full 12 higher than Aaron’s DV. Adding the damage (4) gives a total of 16, a mortal wound. Aaron’s going to lose 4 hit points a round and has an Impairment of 8. He also takes another 8 damage, killing him stone dead. On his next round, Bill loses yet another hit point from the Bleed, and starts tying his injured arm up with his bandana (Treat Injury). If he were not able to shoot with his off-hand so accurately (and did not have the Two Weapon Fighting feat), he would have suffered a –2 to his attack rolls from Impairment, and so would only have dealt Aaron a serious wound. It would probably have been enough to kill Aaron, but Bill still counts his lucky stars…


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A Deep Wound is a much nastier hit – perhaps bones have been broken or an organ grazed. The character now has a Bleed of 1/round, an Impairment of 2, and risks Infection. Bleed 1/round means that the character continues to lose one hit point each round due to blood loss. A successful Treat Injury check (see page XX) can stem bleeding, preventing further loss. Impairment 2 means that the character suffers a –2 penalty to certain skill or ability checks. The exact skills or checks affected by impairment vary depending on where the character was hit – see Hit Locations, below. A character must keep track of the impairment for each location separately. See Recovering from Impairment, page XX. Extra Damage is added onto the damage inflicted by the attack, but does not increase the type of wound. It represents systemic shock caused by the attack. Finally, Infection means that there is a chance the wound will be infected unless properly treated. The character must make a Fortitude save (DC 10) or be infected. See Infection, page XX (Rules of the West). When a character has a Serious Wound, the wound has gone right into an organ or other vital bit of meat, and the character is in real danger of dying. He now has a Bleed of 2/round and an Impairment of 4, and must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) to avoid infection. Furthermore, the character will never recover fully until the wound is operated on (to remove the bullet, set the bone and so on). See Surgery, below. A Mortal Wound works the same as a Serious Wound, but the amount of Bleed, Impairment and extra damage are all increased.

Hit Locations

It makes a big difference where a bullet hits – a hit to the leg means the poor target will be limping or crawling, not running. A hit to the arm throws your shooting off, while a wound to the gut… there are easier and quicker ways to die. The location of a hit depends on the type of wound. Normal wounds are just scratches and cuts, so their location actually is fairly irrelevant. Do not bother rolling, or just assume that the target was just winged in the shoulder or side. Deep wounds are normally on the limbs or shoulders, which tend to be more exposed in a firefight. Serious or mortal wounds are almost always in the centre of mass – the chest, abdomen or head. The closer a shot is to the vital organs, the more damaging it is. To determine hit location, first work out the type of wound, then roll 2d6 on the appropriate table.

Hit Location Roll 2 3 4 5

Scratch or Deep Left Hand Left Shoulder Left Arm Left Leg

6 7 8 9

Left Leg Chest Right Leg Right Leg

10 11 12

Right Arm Right Shoulder Right Hand

Serious Stomach Left Leg Left Arm Left Shoulder Chest Chest Chest Right Shoulder Right Arm Right Leg Head

Mortal Stomach Stomach Stomach Chest Chest Chest Chest Chest Head Head Head

Location Impairment Effects Location Hand Arm Shoulder Leg

Skills Impaired Climb, Craft, Demolitions, Disable Device, Drive, Repair, Sleight of Hand Climb, Craft, Drive, Sleight of Hand, Swim Climb, Craft, Drive, Swim Balance, Jump, Move Silently, Swim, Tumble

Ability Score Impaired Dexterity when manipulating Strength Dexterity when moving

Stomach Chest Head

Climb, Drive, Jump, Ride, Swim Climb, Swim Listen, Spot

Con -

Actions Impaired Ranged Attacks Melee Attacks All Attacks Movement, Defence Value All


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Dexterity when manipulating: Apply the impairment penalty to any Dexterity checks that involve the use of the hands for fine manipulation of items – tying a knot, playing a piano, loading a gun and so on. Dexterity when moving: Apply the impairment penalty to any Dexterity checks that involve fancy footwork or agility, such as dancing, dodging, moving over a narrow or uneven surface and so on.

Combat

Ranged Attacks: Apply the impairment penalty to any ranged attack rolls made by the character. Melee Attacks: Apply the impairment penalty to any melee attack rolls made by the character. Movement: Multiply the impairment penalty by five, and subtract that many feet from the character’s movement. For example, if the character has an impairment of –2, then subtract 10 feet (5 x 2) from the character’s movement. If the impairment penalty is –2 or greater, then the character cannot run. Defence Value: The character cannot dodge attacks as effective; subtract the impairment penalty from the character’s Defence Value.

D a m a g e a n d D y ing

A character who is reduced below 0 hit points is considered to be unconscious. A character does not actually die until he reaches –10 or lower hit points.

Move Actions

With the exception of specific movement-related skills, most move actions do not require a check. In some cases, ability checks might be required.

Movement

The simplest move action is moving the character’s speed. If a character takes this kind of move action during his turn, the character cannot also take a 5-foot step. Many non-standard modes of movement are also covered under this category, including climbing and swimming (up to one-quarter the character’s speed), crawling (up to 5 feet), and entering a vehicle.

M a n i p u l a t i ng Objects

In most cases, moving or manipulating an object is a move action. This includes drawing or holstering a weapon, retrieving or putting away a stored object, picking up an object, moving a heavy object, and opening a door. If the

character has a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, he can draw a weapon as part of his normal movement.

Standing Up

Standing up from a prone position requires a move action. It provokes an attack of opportunity from opponents who threaten the character. A character can make a Tumble check (DC 20) to stand without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the Tumble check result is 30 or better, standing is a free action instead of a move action.

Start/Complete FullRound Action

The ‘start/complete full-round action’ move action lets a character start undertaking a full-round action (such as those listed on the Actions in Combat table, above) at the end of his turn, or complete a full-round action by using a move action at the beginning of his turn in the round following the round when the character started the fullround action. If the character starts a full-round action at the end of his turn, the next action that character takes must be to complete the full-round action.

Full-Round Actions

A full-round action requires an entire round to complete. If it does not involve moving any distance, a character can combine it with a 5-foot step.

Charge

Charging is a special full-round action that allows a character to move more than his speed and attack during the action. However, there are tight restrictions on how and when a character can charge. Movement during a Charge: The character must move before his attack, not after. The character must move at least 10 feet and may move up to twice his speed. All movement must be in a straight line, with no backing up allowed. The character must stop as soon as he is within striking range of his target (the character cannot run past the target and attack from another direction). A character cannot take a 5-foot step during the same round as a full charge. During the surprise round (or any other time a character is limited to taking no more than a single attack action on his turn) the character can still use the charge action, but he is only allowed to move up to his speed (instead of up to twice his speed).


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Attacking after a Charge: After moving, the character may make a single melee attack. The character gets a +2 bonus on the attack roll. The character also takes a –2 penalty to his Defence for 1 round (until the beginning of the character’s turn in the following round).

Even if the character has extra attacks, such as from having a high enough base attack bonus or from using multiple weapons, a character only gets to make one attack after a charge. Instead of attacking the target, a character can attempt to push the target back. See Bull Rush.

Full Attack

If a character gets more than one attack per action because his base attack bonus is high enough, because he fights with two weapons, or for some special reason, the character must use the full attack action to get his additional attacks. The character does not need to specify the targets of his attacks ahead of time. The character can see how the earlier attacks turn out before assigning the later ones. Full attack is a full-round action. Because of this, the only movement a character can take during a full attack is a 5-foot step. The character may take the step before, after, or between the attacks. If a character gets multiple attacks based on his base attack bonus, the character must make the attacks in order from highest bonus to lowest. If the character is using two weapons, the character can strike with either weapon first. •

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Committing to a Full Attack Action: A character does not have to commit to a full attack until after the first attack. The character can then decide whether to make his remaining attacks or to take a move action. Of course, if the character has already taken a 5-foot step, he cannot use his move action to move any distance, but the character could still draw or put away a weapon, for instance (see Move Actions, above). Fighting Defensively: A character can choose to fight defensively when taking a full attack action. If the character does so, he takes a –4 penalty on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to Defence in the same round.

Firearms and the Full Attack Action

The number of attacks made with a firearm are restricted by the weapon’s Rate of Fire – most weapons can only fire once per round. A character armed with a gun that only fires once per round can only make one attack in a round with the gun (although he could combine shooting the gun with an unarmed attack or even a melee attack). Melee weapons, thrown weapons and bows do not suffer from this restriction.

Attacking with Two Weapons

If the character wields a second weapon in his off hand, the character can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. Fighting in this way is very difficult, however— the character takes a –6 penalty on the regular attack or attacks with his primary hand and a –10 penalty on the attack with his off hand. Characters fighting with two weapons can use any weapon that he can comfortably hold in one hand (typically, Medium or smaller in size) but both must be melee or both ranged in nature unless the character possess the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. A character can reduce the penalties inherent in this kind of combat in two ways. If the off-hand weapon is light, the penalties are reduced by 2 each. An unarmed strike and pistols of Small size or smaller are always considered light. Also, the Two-Weapon Fighting feat lessens the primary hand penalty by 2, and the off-hand penalty by 6. The Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties table below summarises the interaction of all these factors. •

Double Weapons: A character can use a double weapon to make an extra attack as if he were fighting with two weapons. The penalties apply as if the off-hand weapon were light.

Run

A character can run all out as a full-round action. When a character runs, he can move up to four times his speed in a straight line. (The character does not get a 5-foot step.) The character loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence since

Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties Circumstances Normal penalties Off-hand weapon is light Two-Weapon Fighting feat Off-hand weapon is light and Two-Weapon Fighting feat

Primary Hand –6 –4 –4 –2

Off Hand –10 –8 –4 -2


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Combat

he cannot avoid attacks. However, the character gets a +2 bonus to Defence against ranged attacks while running.

M i s c e l l a n e o us Actions

A character can run for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution score, but after that the character must succeed at a Constitution check (DC 10) to continue running. The character must check again each round in which he continues to run, and the DC of this check increases by 1 for each check the character makes. When the character fails this check, he must stop running. A character who has run to his limit must rest for 1 minute (10 rounds) before running again. During a rest period, a character can move normally, but cannot run.

Some actions do not fit neatly into the above categories. Some of the options described below are actions that take the place of, or are variations, on the actions described earlier. For actions not covered in any of this material, the Games Master determines how long such an action takes to perform and whether doing so provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening enemies.

A run represents a speed of about 14 miles per hour for an unencumbered human.

Certain feats let a character take special actions in combat. Other feats are not actions in themselves, but they give a character a bonus when attempting something he can already do. Some feats are not intended to be used within the framework of combat. The individual feat descriptions tell a character what he needs to know about them. Most uses of skills or abilities in a combat situation are attack actions, but some might be move actions or full-round actions. When appropriate, the description of a talent or a skill provides the time required to use it.

Withdraw

Withdrawing from melee combat is a full-round action. When a character withdraws, he can move up to twice his speed. (The character does not also get a 5-foot step.) The square the character starts from is not considered threatened for purposes of withdrawing, and therefore enemies do not get attacks of opportunity against the character when he move from that square.

Use Feat, Skill or Special Ability

If while withdrawing, the character moves through another threatened square (other than the one started in) without stopping, enemies get attacks of opportunity as normal. Some forms of movement (such as climbing and swimming) require skill checks from most creatures. A character may not withdraw using a form of movement for which that character must make a skill check.


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A tt a c k s o f Opportunity

The combat rules assume that combatants are actively avoiding attacks. A player does not have to declare anything special for his character to be on the defensive. Sometimes, however, a combatant in a melee lets his guard down, and does not maintain a defensive posture as usual. In this case, combatants near him can take advantage of this lapse in defence to attack for free. These attacks are called attacks of opportunity.

Weapon Type

A character can use a melee weapon to make attacks of opportunity whenever the conditions for such an attack are met (see Provoking an Attack of Opportunity, below). In addition, a character can make attacks of opportunity with unarmed attacks if the character’s unarmed attacks count as armed (see ‘Armed’ Unarmed Attacks).

T h r e a te n e d S q u a r e s

A character threatens the squares into which he can make a melee attack, even when it is not the character’s action. Generally, that is all squares adjacent to the character’s position. An enemy that takes certain actions while in a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from the character. A character can only make attacks of opportunity with melee weapons, never with ranged weapons.

Pr o v o k i n g a n A t t a ck of Opportunity

Two actions can provoke attacks of opportunity: moving out of a threatened square, and performing an action within a threatened square that distracts from defending and lets the character’s guard down. •

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Moving out of a Threatened Square: When a character moves out of a threatened square, that character will generally provoke an attack of opportunity. There are two important exceptions, however. A character does not provoke an attack of opportunity if all he moves is a 5-foot step, or if the character withdraws. If the character does not start in a threatened square, but moves into one, the character has to stop there, or else he provokes an attack of opportunity as he leaves that square. Performing an Action that Distracts the Character: Some actions, when performed in a threatened square, provoke attacks of opportunity because they make a character divert his attention from the fight at hand. Using a ranged weapon, in particular, provokes attacks of opportunity. The Actions

Exception: Snap Shot

A character with the Snap Shot feat can threaten an attack of opportunity with a ranged weapon.

in Combat table (above) notes many additional actions that provoke attacks of opportunity.

Making an Attack of Opportunity

An attack of opportunity is a single attack, and a character can only make one per round. A character does not have to make an attack of opportunity if he does not want to. An experienced character gets additional regular attacks (by using the full attack action), but at a lower attack bonus. A character makes his attack of opportunity, however, at his normal attack bonus - even if the character has already attacked in this round.

Movement and Position

When using a grid to represent character’s movement, the standard scale equates 1 inch (or a 1 inch square) to 5 feet in the game world. When rifles come into play, it is often worth switching to a larger scale (1 inch to 10 feet) to represent the full range of the rifle on the battlefield. The smaller scale should be used for situations where pistols and fists are the more common weapons.

Standard Scale •

One inch (or one square) = 5 feet

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‘Next to’ or ‘adjacent’ = 1 inch (5 feet) away (or in adjacent square)

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30mm figure = A human-size creature

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A human-size creature occupies an area 1 inch (5 feet) across (or one square)

•

One round = 6 seconds

How Far Can a Character Move?

Characters normally move 30 feet, although armour can slow a character down. A character’s normal speed is sometimes called base speed.


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Combat

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Encumbrance: A character encumbered by carrying a large amount of gear or a fallen comrade may move slower than normal.

•

Movement in Combat: Generally, a character can move his speed as a move action. If a character uses his attack action as a move action, the character can move again (for a total movement of up to twice the character’s normal speed). If the character spends the entire round to run all out, he can move up to four times his normal speed. If a character does something that requires a full round, he can only take a 5-foot step.

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Movement in Darkness: If a character moves when he cannot see, such as in total darkness, his speed is limited to one-half normal. The Blind-Fight feat reduces this penalty.

P a s s i n g T h r o ugh

Sometimes a character can pass through an area occupied by another character, creature, or object. •

Friendly Character: A character can move through a square occupied by a friendly character.

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Unfriendly Character: There are two ways to move through a square occupied by a resisting enemy. The character can attempt an overrun. A character can move through a square occupied by an unfriendly character who does not resist as if the character was friendly.

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Square Occupied by Creature or Object Three Sizes Larger or Smaller: Any creature can move through a square occupied by a creature or object three size categories larger or three categories smaller than it is.

Flanking

If a character is making a melee attack against an opponent, and an ally directly opposite the character is threatening the opponent, the character and his ally flank the opponent. The character gains a +2 bonus on his attack roll. The ally must be on the other side of the opponent so that the opponent is directly between the character and the ally. A character does not gain a bonus for flanking when making a ranged attack.

Combat Modifiers

This section covers offensive and defensive modifiers provided by position.

Favourable and Unfavourable Conditions

Generally speaking, any situational modifier created by the attacker’s position or tactics applies to the attack roll, while any situational modifier created by the defender’s position, state, or tactics applies to the defender’s Defence. The Games Master judges what bonuses and penalties apply, using the Defence Modifiers table and the Attack Roll Modifiers table as guides.

Defence Modifiers Circumstance Defender sitting or kneeling1 Defender prone1 Defender stunned or cowering2 Defender climbing Defender flat-footed Defender running Defender grappling (attacker not) 3 Defender pinned4 Defender helpless (such as paralysed, sleeping, or bound) 4 Defender has cover Defender concealed

Melee –2 –4 –2 –2 +2 +2 +2

Ranged +2 +4 –2 –2 +2 +2 +2

–4 –4

+4 –6

— See Cover — — See Concealment — 1 May instead improve bonus to Defence granted by cover. See Cover, below. 2 The defender loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence. 3 Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant the character strikes. That defender loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence. 4 Treat the defender’s Dexterity as 0 (–5 modifier).

Attack Roll Modifiers Circumstance Melee Ranged Attacker flanking defender1 +2 — Attacker on higher ground +1 —2 Attacker prone –4 — 1 A character flanks a defender when he has an ally on the opposite side of the defender threatening the defender. 2 Some ranged weapons cannot be used while the attacker is prone.


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Cover

The more cover a character has, the bigger the bonus. In a melee, if a character has cover against an opponent, that opponent probably has cover against the character, too. With ranged weapons, however, it is easy to have better cover than the opponent. The Games Master may impose other penalties or restrictions on attacks depending on the details of the cover.

he has side cover when attacking around a corner or other obstacle. A character can hide behind cover, or fire over it. Obviously, hiding gives a bigger bonus to cover, but a character cannot shoot while hiding. A character must choose on his action whether he is firing or hiding, and the appropriate cover applies until the character’s next action.

Maximising and Moving Cover

Degree of Cover

Cover is assessed in subjective measurements of how much protection it offers. The Games Master determines the value of cover. If the bottom half of a character’s body is covered, that only gives one-quarter cover, because most vital areas are still fully exposed. If one side or the other of a character’s body is covered, the character gets one-half cover.

Cover Reflex Save Bonus

The Cover table also gives the Reflex save bonuses for different degrees of cover. Add this bonus to Reflex saves against attacks that affect an area. This bonus only applies to attacks that originate or burst out from a point on the other side of the cover.

Hit Locations Protected

Some locations will not be hit when the character is behind cover – reroll if the result of a wound location is one of the protected locations. If the second result is the same as the first, then it is caused by a ricochet or other unlikely confluence of events. A character has low cover when his legs and lower body are primarily protected by the obstacle;

A character who kneels behind low cover can increase the level of cover by one category, to a maximum of ninetenths. Lying down can increase the level of low cover by two categories, again to a maximum of nine-tenths (just because a character is cowering behind a rock does not mean he can obtain total protection from an attack). A character can scuttle along, keeping his head low. This increases cover as if the character were kneeling, but the character only moves at half his normal rate and suffers a –2 penalty to all attack rolls made while moving. A character can crawl, increasing cover as if he were lying down, but moves at only five feet per round and suffers a –4 penalty to all attack rolls made while moving. A character can make a double move, but not a run while scuttling or crawling.

Striking the Cover Instead of a Missed Target

If it ever becomes important to know whether the cover was actually struck by an incoming attack that misses the intended target, the Games Master should determine if the attack roll would have hit the protected target without the

Cover Degree of Cover (Examples) Hiding Firing One-quarter +2 +2 (standing behind a 3-ft. high wall, standing beside a rock) One-half +4 +3

Reflex Saves +1

Hit Locations Protected (Low cover or side cover) Legs or L/R Shoulder & Arm

+2

Legs & Stomach or L/R Shoulder, Arm & Leg (standing at an open window; behind a creature of same size, fighting from around a corner or a tree) Three-quarters +7 +4 +3 Legs, Stomach, L/R Shoulder, Arm & Leg (hiding behind a big rock, peering around a corner or a big tree) Nine-tenths +10 +5 +4* Legs, Stomach, Head, Off-hand Shoulder, Arm and Leg (firing out a narrow window; behind a door that is slightly ajar) Total — — — — (on the other side of a solid wall) *: Half damage if save is failed; no damage if successful.


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cover. If the attack roll falls within a range low enough to miss the target with cover but high enough to strike the target if there had been no cover, the object used for cover was struck.

Combat

This can be particularly important to know in cases when a character uses another character as cover. In such a case, if the cover is struck and the attack roll exceeds the Defence of the covering character, the covering character takes the damage intended for the target. If the covering character has a Dexterity bonus to Defence or a dodge bonus, and this bonus keeps the covering character from being hit, then the original target is hit instead. The covering character has dodged out of the way and did not provide cover after all. A covering character can choose not to apply his Dexterity bonus to Defence and/or his dodge bonus, if the character so desires.

Co n c e a l m e n t

Concealment includes all circumstances in which nothing physically blocks a blow or shot, but something interferes with an attacker’s accuracy.

Degree of Concealment

Concealment is subjectively measured as to how well concealed the defender is. Examples of what might qualify as concealment of various degrees are given in the Concealment table below. Concealment always depends on the point of view of the attacker.

C o n c e a l m e n t Miss Chance

Concealment gives the subject of a successful attack a chance that the attacker missed because of the concealment. If the attacker hits, the defender must make a miss chance percentile roll to avoid being struck. (Actually, it does not matter who makes the roll or whether it is rolled before or after the attack roll. When multiple concealment conditions apply to a defender, use the one that would produce the highest miss chance. Do not add the miss chances together.)

Concealment Concealment (Example) One-quarter (light fog; light foliage) One-half (shadows; dense fog at 5 ft.) Three-quarters (dense foliage) Nine-tenths (near total darkness) Total (attacker blind; total darkness; thick smoke; dense fog at 10 ft.)

Miss Chance 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% and must guess target’s location

Helpless Defenders

A helpless foe - one who is bound, sleeping, unconscious, or otherwise at the attacker’s mercy - is an easy target. A character can sometimes approach a target who is unaware of his presence, get adjacent to the target, and treat him as helpless. If the target is in combat or some other tense situation, and therefore in a state of acute awareness and readiness, or if the target can use his Dexterity bonus to Defence, then that target cannot be considered unaware. Further, any reasonable precaution taken by a target, including stationing bodyguards, placing his back to a wall, or being able to make Spot checks, also precludes catching that target unaware and helpless.

Regular Attack

A helpless defender has an effective Defence of 5 + his size modifier. If a character is attacking with a ranged weapon and is not adjacent to the target, the character can use a full-round action to make the attack, and gain a +5 bonus on the attack roll. If the character is attacking with a melee weapon, or with a ranged weapon from an adjacent square, the character can use a full-round action to deliver a coup de grace.

Coup de Grace

As a full-round action, a character can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless foe. A character can also use a ranged weapon, provided the character is adjacent to the target. The character automatically hits and scores a critical hit. Delivering a coup de grace provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening foes because it involves focused concentration and methodical action. A character cannot deliver a coup de grace against a creature that is immune to critical hits.


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Sp e c i a l Ini t i a t i v e Ac t i o n s

Usually a character acts as soon as he can in combat, but sometimes a character wants to act later, at a better time, or in response to the actions of someone else.

Delay

By choosing to delay, the character takes no action and then acts normally at whatever point in the initiative count the character decides to act. When a character delays, he voluntarily reduces his initiative result for the rest of the combat. When the character’s new, lower initiative count comes up later in the same round, the character can act normally. The character can specify this new initiative result or just wait until some time later in the round and act then, thus fixing the character’s new initiative count at that point. A character cannot interrupt anyone’s action with a delayed action (as a character can with a readied action; see below).

action, taking the move action on the character’s initiative count and the attack action at a later point. On the character’s turn, he prepares to take an action later, if a specific trigger is met. Then, later in the round, if the readied action is triggered, the character takes it, acting before the triggering action. Readying does not provoke an attack of opportunity. (The character’s move action, and the attack action he readies, may both provoke attacks of opportunity normally.)

Readying an Action

A character can ready an attack action or a move action. To do so, the character specifies the action he will take

Delaying Limits

The longest a character can delay before taking an action is until after everyone else has acted in the round. At that point, the delaying character must act or else forfeit any action in that round. If multiple characters are delaying, the one with the highest initiative modifier (or highest Dexterity, in case of a tie) has the advantage. If two or more delaying characters both want to act on the same initiative count, the one with the highest initiative modifier gets to go first. If two or more delaying characters are trying to go after one another, the one with the highest initiative modifier gets to go last; the others must go first or lose their action for the round.

Ready

The ready action lets a character prepare to take an action later, to interrupt another character. Essentially, the character splits his


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Combat

and the conditions under which the character will take it. Then, any time before the character’s next action, the character may take the readied attack action in response to those conditions. The readied action occurs just before the event that triggers it. If the trigger is part of another character’s actions, the readied action interrupts the other character. The other character continues his actions once the readied action is completed. The character’s initiative count changes. For the rest of the encounter, it is the count on which the character took the readied action, and the character acts immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered the readied action. A character can take a 5-foot step as part of his readied action, but only if the character did not otherwise move any distance during the round. If the character comes to his next action and has not yet performed the readied action, the character does not get to take the readied action (though the character can ready the same action again). If the character takes his readied action in the next round, before his regular turn comes up, the character’s initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and he does not get your regular action that round.

Spe c i a l A t t a c k s

This section covers firearms, grappling, explosives, attacking objects and an assortment of other special attacks.

Aid Another

In combat, a character can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If the character is in position to attack an opponent with which a friend of the character is engaged in melee combat, the character can attempt to aid the friend as an attack action. The character makes an attack roll against a Defence of 10. If the character qucceeds, he does not actually damage the opponent - but the character’s friend gains either a +2 circumstance bonus against that opponent or a +2 circumstance bonus to Defence against that opponent (aiding character’s choice) on the friend’s next turn.

Explosives

The most common explosive used in the West is dynamite or TNT, although stocks of gunpowder and other explosive compounds can also present a danger.

T h r o w n E x p l o s ives

An attack with a thrown explosive such as a stick of dynamite is a ranged attack made against a specific 5-foot

square. (A character can target a square occupied by a creature.) Throwing the explosive is an attack action. If the square is within one range increment, you do not need to make an attack roll. Roll 1d4 and consult the table to see which corner of the square the explosive bounces to:

d4 result 1 2 3 4

Corner of Targeted Square Upper Left Upper Right Lower Right Lower Left

If the target square is more than one range increment away, make an attack roll. The square has an effective Defence of 10. Thrown explosives require no weapon proficiency, so a character does not take the –4 non-proficiency penalty. If the attack succeeds, the explosive lands in the targeted square. Roll 1d4 and consult the table above to see which corner of the square the explosive bounces to. If the character misses the target, the explosive lands at a corner of a square nearby in a random direction. Consult the tables below to determine where the explosive lands. If the weapon was thrown two to three range increments (11 to 30 feet), roll 1d8.

Roll on d8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Location Struck Upper left corner, one square beyond target Upper right corner, one square beyond target Upper right corner, one square right of target Lower right corner, one square right of target Lower right corner, one square short of target Lower left corner, one square short of target Lower left corner, one square left of target Upper left corner, one square left of target

For ranges of up to five range increments (31 to 50 feet), roll 1d12. Roll on d12 Location Struck 1 Upper left corner, two squares beyond target 2 Upper right corner, two squares beyond target 3 Upper right corner, one square beyond and right of target 4 Upper right corner, two squares right of target 5 Lower right corner, two squares right of target 6 Lower right corner, one square short and right of target


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7 8 9 10 11 12

Lower right corner, two squares short of target Lower left corner, two squares short of target Lower left corner, one square short and left of target Lower left corner, two squares left of target Upper left corner, two squares left of target Upper left corner, one square beyond and left of target

After determining where the explosive landed, it deals its damage to all targets within the burst radius of the weapon. The targets may make Reflex saves (DC varies according to the explosive type) for half damage.

Planted Explosives

A planted explosive is set in place through the use of the Demolitions skill, with a detonator or fuse determining when it goes off. No attack roll is necessary to plant an explosive; the explosive sits where it is placed until it is moved or explodes. When a planted explosive detonates, it deals its damage to all targets within the burst radius of the weapon. The targets may make Reflex saves (DC varies according to the explosive type) for half damage.

Splash Weapons

A splash weapon is a ranged weapon that breaks apart on impact, splashing or scattering its contents over its target and nearby creatures or objects. Most splash weapons consist of liquids in breakable containers. To attack with a splash weapon, make a ranged touch attack against the target. Thrown splash weapons require no weapon proficiency, so characters do not take the –4 non-proficiency penalty. A hit deals direct hit damage to the target and splash damage to all other creatures within 5 feet of the target. A character can instead target a specific 5-foot square, including a square occupied by a creature. Use the rules for thrown explosives. However, if a character targets a square, creatures within 5 feet are dealt the splash damage and the direct hit damage is not dealt to any creature. If the character misses the target (whether aiming at a creature or a square), check to see where the weapon lands, using the rules for thrown explosives. After determining where the object landed, it deals splash damage to all creatures within 5 feet.

Attacking Objects

Strike an Object

Objects are easier to hit than characters because they usually do not move, but many are tough enough to shrug off some damage from each blow. Object Defence and Bonuses to Attack: Objects are harder or easier to hit depending on their size and whether they are immobile or being held, carried, or worn by opponents. The base Defence of objects is shown on the Size and Defence of Objects table.

Size and Defence of Objects Size (Example) Colossal (whole train) Gargantuan (train car) Huge (typical cart) Large (big door) Medium (bicycle) Small (chair) Tiny (lantern) Diminutive (paperback book) Fine (pencil)

Defence –3 1 3 4 5 6 7 9 13

If a character uses a full-round action to make an attack against an inanimate, immobile object, the character gets an automatic hit with a melee weapon, or a +5 bonus on his attack roll with a ranged weapon. An object being held, carried, or worn has a Defence equal to the above figure, plus 5 plus the opponent’s Dexterity modifier plus the opponent’s class bonus to Defence. Striking a held, carried, or worn object provokes an attack of opportunity from the character who holds it. (If a character has the Sunder feat, he does not incur an attack of opportunity for making the attempt.) Hardness: Each object has hardness—a number that represents how well it resists damage. Whenever an object takes damage, subtract its hardness from the damage. Only damage in excess of its hardness is deducted from the object’s hit points (see Table: Substance Hardness and Hit Points and Table: Object Hardness and Hit Points). Hit Points: An object’s hit point total depends on what it is made of or how big it is (see the Substance Hardness and Hit Points and the Object Hardness and Hit Points tables below).


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Substance Hardness and Hit Points

Combat

Substance Paper Rope Glass Ceramic Ice Wood Concrete Steel

Hardness 0 0 1 1 0 5 8 10

Hit Points 2/inch of thickness 2/inch of thickness 1/inch of thickness 2/inch of thickness 3/inch of thickness 10/inch of thickness 15/inch of thickness 30/inch of thickness

Common Armour, Weapon, and Shield Hardness and Hit Points Weapon or Defensive Item Knife Sabre, tomahawk Average small-calibre sidearm Average large-calibre sidearm Axe or other hafted weapon Two-handed hafted weapon (shotgun) Projectile weapon (bow) Armour

Hardness 10 10 10 10 5 5

HP1 2 5 10 20 5 10

5 Special2

5 Armour bonus x�5 1 The hp value given is for Medium armour and weapons. Divide by 2 for each size category of the item smaller than Medium, or multiply it by 2 for each size category larger than Medium. 2 Varies by material; see Substance Hardness and Hit Points.

Object Hardness and Hit Points Object Hardness Lock Cheap 0 Average 3 High quality 5 Manufactured objects* Fine 0 Diminutive 0 Tiny 1 Small 3 Medium 5 Large 5 Huge 8 Gargantuan 8 Colossal 10 Firearm, 5 Medium Rope 0

Hit Points

Break DC

1 5 10

10 15 20

1 1 2 3 5 10 10 20 30 7

10 10 10 12 15 15 20 30 50 17

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23

Simple 5 10 13 wooden door Strong 5 20 23 wooden door Steel door 10 120 35 Cinderblock 8 90 35 wall Chain 10 5 26 Handcuffs 10 10 30 Metal bars 10 15 30 Saloon 1 2 5 window * Figures for manufactured objects are minimum values. The Games Master may adjust these upward to account for objects with more strength and durability. Immunities: Objects are immune to critical hits. Saving Throws: Unattended objects never make saving throws. They are considered to have failed their saving throws. An object attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) receives a saving throw just as if the character herself were making the saving throw.

Breaking Objects

When a character tries to break something with sudden force rather than by dealing damage, use a Strength check to see whether he succeeds. The DC depends more on the construction of the object than on the material. If an object has lost half or more of its hit points, the DC to break it decreases by 2. Larger and smaller creatures get size bonuses and size penalties on Strength checks to break open doors as follows: Fine –16, Diminutive –12, Tiny –8, Small –4, Large +4, Huge +8, Gargantuan +12, Colossal +16. A crowbar or ram improves a character’s chance of breaking open a door.

DCs to Break or Burst Items Strength Check to: Break down simple door Break down good door Break down strong door Burst rope bonds Bend iron bars Break down barred door Burst chain bonds Break down iron door

DC 13 18 23 23 24 25 26 28


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Repairing Objects

Repairing damage to an object takes a full hour of work and appropriate tools. (Without the tools, a character takes a –4 penalty on his Craft or Repair check.) At the end of the hour, make a Craft check using the appropriate Craft skill or a Repair check (DC 20). Success restores 2d6 hit points. If damage remains, the character may continue to make repairs for as many hours as it takes to restore all the object’s hit points. There are certain situations where repairing a specific item works in other ways; these exceptions are part of the item’s description when applicable.

Bra w l i n g & Unarm e d C o m b a t

A character who is tough enough can shrug off the effects of a punch or kick (brawling attacks are collectively called strikes) through sheer grit. A brawling attack is resolved like a melee attack to determine whether or not the character is hit. The damage dealt by an unarmed attack is 1 + the Strength bonus of the attacker. However, if a character is struck by a blow, the target must make a Fortitude save at a DC of the damage dealt + the margin of success. If this Fortitude save is successful, then no damage is inflicted by the attack – the victim is tough enough to just ignore the effects of the blow. However, if the Fortitude save is failed, then the character may be staggered or even knocked out by the blow, depending on how powerful the strike was.

Strike Value 0-5 5-10 11-15 16+

Strike Type Normal Solid Devastating Knockout

Effects None Winded Dazed, Winded Knocked Out

A Normal strike has no further effects if the Fortitude saving throw is failed, apart from the damage from the attack actually being subtracted from the hit points of the target. If the Fortitude save against a Solid blow is failed, then the target is Winded – he suffers a –4 penalty to his next Fortitude save against the effects of a strike. A character who fails his saving throw against a Devastating attack is both winded and Dazed (cannot act this round).

Finally, a character who fails his Fortitude save against a Knockout strike is, unsurprisingly, Knocked Out. He remains unconscious for 1d6 - his Constitution modifier hours (minimum 10 minutes) or until another character makes a Treat Injury roll to awaken him.

Martial Arts

A character with the Martial Arts feats (see chapter XX) can inflict damage with an unarmed attack even if the target makes a successful Fortitude save.

Extra Attacks

A character who makes a Full Attack while brawling can gain extra attacks, even if his base attack bonus does not normally give him extra attacks. He may apply a –2 penalty to all his attacks this round to gain one extra attack at his highest base attack bonus, or apply a –4 penalty to all his attacks this round to gain two extra attacks at his highest base attack bonus.

Improvised Weapons

Grabbing bottles, chairs and tables to smash over the head of an opponent is a standard tactic in a bar fight. These weapons inflict slightly more damage than an unarmed strike, and can make certain effects easier to obtain. However, a character without the Improvised Weapons Proficiency feat suffers a –2 penalty to attacks with these weapons.

Common Improvised Weapons Item Bottle

Damage 1d2

Bar Stool

1d3

Critical 19-20/ x2 20/x2

Table

1d4

20/x2

Wooden Two by Four/ Branch Pistol Butt

1d4

20/x2

1d4

19-20/ x2

Rifle Butt

1d4+1

19-20/ x2

Special Automatically Threatens Daze -2 penalty to saves against Daze or Knockout Requires Strength 16 or higher, automatically threatens Knockout -2 penalty to saves against Daze or Knockout -2 penalty to saves against Daze or Knockout -2 penalty to saves against Daze or Knockout


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If a weapon automatically threatens a condition such as Dazed or Winded, then the victim of the attack must make a Fortitude save at a DC of the damage dealt plus the margin of success or suffer that condition. If the attack was powerful enough to threaten the condition anyway, then the victim must still only make one Fortitude save.

Combat

A free grapple attempt means that the weapon can be used to set up a grapple attack – the attacker may make a grapple check without first needing to make a touch attack or risking an attack of opportunity. See under grappling, below, for rules on slamming enemies into obstacles or throwing them through windows.

U s i n g M e l e e W e apons in a Brawl

A melee weapon such as a pistol butt can be used in a brawl as an improvised weapon – it inflicts the same damage as it does in a normal melee, but does not deal wounds (meaning that a character is much less likely to kill someone in a brawl). However, the character suffers the usual –2 penalty to attacks for using an improvised weapon. An improvised weapon can be used to deal wounds – a character can, say, bash someone’s skull in with a bar stool – but using an improvised weapon in this fashion incurs a –4 penalty to attacks.

Bull Rush

A character can attempt a bull rush as an attack action made during his move action, or as part of a charge. (In general, a character cannot make an attack action during a move action; this is an exception.) In either case, the character does not get a 5-foot step before, during, or after the bull rush attempt. When the character bull rushes, he attempts to push an opponent straight back instead of attacking the opponent. A character can only bull rush an opponent who is one size category larger than the character, the same size, or smaller.

I n i t i a t i n g a B ull Rush

First, the character moves into the target’s square. Moving in this way provokes an attack of opportunity from each foe that threatens the character, probably including the target. Second, the character and the target make opposed Strength checks. If the character and the target are different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the Strength check of +4 per difference in size category. The character gets a +2 bonus if he was charging. The target gets a +4

stability bonus if he has more than two legs or is otherwise exceptionally stable.

Bull Rush Results

If the character beats the target’s Strength check, the character pushes the opponent back 5 feet. The character can push the target back an additional 5 feet for every 5 points by which the character exceeded the target’s check result, provided the character moves with the target. A character cannot, however, exceed his normal movement for that action. (The target provokes attacks of opportunity if moved. So does the character, if he moves with the target. The target and the character do not provoke attacks of opportunity from each other as a result of this movement.) If the character fails to beat the target’s Strength check, the character moves 5 feet straight back to where the character was before the character moved into the opponents square. If that square is occupied, the character falls prone in the square.

Overrun

A character can attempt an overrun as an attack action made during his move action, or as part of a charge. (In general, a character cannot make an attack action during a move action; this is an exception.) In either case, the character does not get a 5-foot step before, during, or after the overrun attempt. With an overrun, the character attempts to move through an opponent’s area, going past or over the opponent. A character can only overrun an opponent who is one size category larger than the character, the same size, or smaller. A character can make only one overrun attempt per action. First, the character must move at least 10 feet in a straight line into the target’s square (provoking attacks of opportunity normally). Then the target chooses either to avoid the character or to block the character. If the opponent avoids the character, the character keeps moving. (A character can always move through a square occupied by someone who lets the character by.) If the opponent blocks the character, make a trip attack against the opponent (see Trip). If the character succeeds in tripping his opponent, the character can continue his movement as normal. If the character fails and are tripped in turn, the character falls prone in the target’s square. If the character fails but is not tripped, the character has to move 5 feet back the way he came, ending his movement there. If that square is occupied, the character falls prone in the square.


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Call e d S h o t s

A character can attempt to make a called shot against a particular location. This requires accepting a penalty to the attack roll, but if the attack hits, then the attack automatically hits the specified location. The penalty for making a called shot does not apply when determining what sort of wound was inflicted by the shot.

Called Shot Penalties Location Hand Arm Shoulder Leg Stomach Chest Head

Penalty -6 -3 -3 -4 -4 -2 -6

trip attempt, the character can drop the weapon to avoid being tripped.

Disarm

As a melee attack, a character may attempt to disarm his opponent. If the character does so with a weapon, he knocks the opponent’s weapon out of his hands and to the ground. If the character attempts a disarm while unarmed, the character ends up with the weapon in his hand. If a character is attempting to disarm the wielder of a melee weapon, follow the steps outlined here. Disarming the wielder of a ranged weapon is slightly different; see below. •

Step One: The character provokes an attack of opportunity from the target he is trying to disarm.

•

Step Two: The character and the target make opposed attack rolls with their respective weapons. If the weapons are different sizes, the combatant with the larger weapon gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category. If the target is using a weapon in two hands, he gets an additional +4 bonus. Also, if the combatants are different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category.

•

Step Three: If the character beats the target’s attack roll, the target is disarmed. If the character attempted the disarm action unarmed, he now has the weapon. If the character was armed, the target’s weapon is on the ground at the target’s feet.

Trip

A character can try to trip an opponent, or otherwise knock him down, as an unarmed melee attack. A character can only trip an opponent who is one size category larger than the character, the same size, or smaller.

M a k i n g a T r i p A t t a ck

Make an unarmed melee touch attack against the target. Doing this incurs an attack of opportunity from the target as normal for unarmed attacks. If the attack succeeds, make a Strength check opposed by the target’s Dexterity check or Strength check (using whichever ability score has the higher modifier). If the character and the target are different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the Strength check of +4 per difference in size category. The target gets a +4 stability bonus on his check if he has more than two legs or is otherwise exceptionally stable. If the character wins, he trips the target. If the character loses, the target may immediately react and make a Strength check opposed by the character’s Dexterity check or Strength check to try to trip the character.

Be i n g T r i p p e d ( P r o n e)

A tripped character is prone (see the Defence Modifiers table). Standing up from a prone position is a move action, as listed above.

Tripping with a Weapon

Some weapons, such as the whip, can be used to make trip attacks. A character does not incur an attack of opportunity when doing so. If the character is tripped during his own

If the character fails the disarm attempt, the target may immediately react and attempt to disarm the character with the same sort of opposed melee attack roll. The opponent’s attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the character. If the opponent fails to disarm, the character does not get a free disarm attempt against the opponent.

Ranged Weapons

To disarm an opponent wielding a ranged weapon, the character makes a melee attack or unarmed attack to strike the weapon in the opponent’s hand (see Attack an Object). If the weapon is held in two hands, he gets a +2 bonus to its Defence. If the character’s attack succeeds, the ranged weapon falls to the ground or winds up in the character’s hands (if the character made the attack unarmed). This kind of disarm attempt provokes an attack of opportunity, but if the character fails, the target does not get to make a disarm attempt against him.


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Disarming an opponent by using a ranged weapon (the famous ‘shooting the gun out of the bad guy’s hand’ manoeuvre beloved of certain Western heroes) is only possible if the character doing so possesses the Improved Disarm feat.

G r a b b i n g O b j e cts

Grapple Checks

When a character is involved in a grapple, he will need to make opposed grapple checks against an opponent—often repeatedly. A grapple check is something like a melee attack roll. A character’s attack bonus on a grapple check is: •

Combat

A character can also use disarm to snatch away an object worn by a target. Doing this works the same as a disarm attempt (see above), except for the following. •

Attack of Opportunity: If the target’s attack of opportunity inflicts any damage, the attempt to grab the object automatically fails.

•

Modifiers: If the object is well secured or otherwise difficult to grab from the target, the target gets a +4 bonus. On the other hand, if the object is poorly secured or otherwise easy to snatch or cut away, the attacker gets a +4 bonus.

•

Failed Attempts: Failing an attempt to grab an object does not allow the target to attempt to disarm the character.

Grapple

Grappling means wrestling and struggling hand-to-hand. Grappling can be a dangerous proposition, but it can be a useful combat option in certain cases where normal methods of assault may not advisable or possible. There are three stages to grappling: grabbing, holding, and pinning. •

•

•

Grabbing: Normally, a grab is just the first step to starting a grapple. If the character grabs an opponent, but fails to go on to hold him, the character does not actually start a grapple. However, sometimes all a character wants to do is grab the target. Holding: Once a character has established a hold, he is involved in a grapple. From a hold, a character can attempt a number of actions, including damaging the opponent or pinning the opponent. A character cannot get a hold on any creature more than two size categories larger than the character. (However, such a creature can get a hold on the character - so while a character cannot initiate a grapple with a creature more than two size categories larger than him, a character can still end up in one.) Pinning: Getting the opponent in a pin is often the goal of a grapple. A pinned character is held immobile.

Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + grapple modifier

Grapple Modifier

A creature’s size works in its favour when grappling, if that creature is Large or larger in size. Conversely, a creature of Small or smaller size is at a disadvantage because of its size when grappling. Instead of using a creature’s size modifier on a grapple check (as would be done for a melee or ranged attack roll), use the appropriate grapple modifier from the Grapple Modifiers table below.

Grapple Modifiers Size (Example) Colossal (blue whale [90 ft. long]) Gargantuan (grey whale [40 ft. long]) Huge (elephant) Large (lion) Medium (human) Small (German shepherd) Tiny (housecat) Diminutive (rat) Fine (horsefly)

Grapple Modifier +16 +12 +8 +4 +0 –4 –8 –12 –16

Starting a Grapple

To start a grapple, a character first needs to grab and hold his target. Attempting to start a grapple is the equivalent of making a melee attack. If the character gets multiple attacks in a round, he can attempt to start a grapple multiple times (at successively lower base attack bonuses). Follow these steps. •

Step One: Attack of Opportunity: A character provokes an attack of opportunity from the target he is trying to grapple. If the attack of opportunity deals the character damage, the character fails to start the grapple. If the attack of opportunity misses or otherwise fails to deal damage, proceed to step two.

•

Step Two: Grab: The character makes a melee touch attack to grab the target. If the character fails to hit the target, the character fails to start the grapple. If the character succeeds, proceed to step 3.


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•

•

Step Three: Hold: Make an opposed grapple check. (This is a free action.) If the character succeeds, the character has started the grapple, and deals damage to the target as if with an unarmed strike. If the character loses, he fails to start the grapple. The character automatically loses an attempt to hold if the target is two or more size categories larger than the character is (but the character can still make an attempt to grab such a target, if that’s all he wants to do). Step Four: Maintain the Grapple: To maintain the grapple for later rounds, the character must move into the target’s square. (This movement is free and does not count as part of the character’s movement for the round movement.) Moving, as normal, provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening enemies, but not from the target. The character and the target are now grappling.

If the character cannot move into the target’s square, the character cannot maintain the grapple and must immediately let go of the target. To grapple again, the character must begin at step one.

•

Damage the Opponent: Make an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, he deals damage as with an unarmed strike.

•

Bash off Object: Make an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, he slams his opponent into a wall or other hard surface, inflicting damage equal to the ½ (hardness of the surface + character’s Strength bonus). This damage is also dealt to the object, and may result in the opponent being slammed through the surface.

•

Throw: Make an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, the opponent is moved one foot for every point by which the winner’s grapple check beat the losers (round up to the nearest five feet). If the loser runs into an obstacle, treat it as if he had been bashed off the object. This manoeuvre can also be used to hurl opponents off of cliffs, off the top of buildings and so on. In this case, the character being thrown also takes falling damage equal to the distance fallen.

•

Pin: Make an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, he holds the opponent immobile for 1 round. The opponent takes a –4 penalty to Defence against all attacks from other people (but not from the character); however, the opponent is not considered helpless. A character cannot use a weapon on a pinned character or attempt to damage or pin a second opponent while holding a pin on the first. A pinned character cannot take any action except to attempt to escape from the pin.

•

Escape from Grapple: Make an opposed grapple check. If the character succeeds, he can escape the grapple. If more than one opponent is grappling

Grappling Consequences

While a character is grappling, his ability to attack others and defend himself is limited. •

No Threatened Squares: A character does not threaten any squares while grappling.

•

No Dexterity Bonus: A character loses his Dexterity bonus to Defence (if the character has one) against opponents the character is not grappling. (The character can still use it against opponents he is grappling.)

•

No Movement: A character cannot move while held in a grapple.

If the Character is Grappling

When a character is grappling (regardless of who started the grapple), he can attempt any of several actions on his turn. Unless otherwise noted, each of these options is equivalent to an attack. (If the character normally gets more than one attack per attack action, he can attempt as many of these options as he has attacks available, using his successively lower attack bonus for each roll.) The character is limited to these options only; he cannot take any other actions.

Thrown Through A Window

A character thrown through a window takes damage equal to ½ (1 + attacker’s Strength modifier), and must make a Fortitude save to avoid being dazed. The DC for this Fortitude save is equal to the damage dealt plus the difference in grapple checks. This is a brawl attack, and does not deal wounds.

Sliding Down The Bar

If a character is adjacent to a saloon bar or other slick surface, then he can be thrown down it after a grapple. The character slides twice as far as normal (i.e., twice the difference between the grapple checks), but takes no damage.


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the character, the grapple check result has to beat all their check results to escape. (Opponents do not have to try to hold a character if they do not want to.)

Combat

•

Drag: The winner of the grapple check may move up to one-quarter of his movement, bringing his opponent with him.

Alternatively, the character can make an Escape Artist check opposed by the opponent’s grapple check to escape from the grapple. This is an attack action that the character may only attempt once per round, even if the character gets multiple attacks. If the character has not used his move action for the round, the character may do so after escaping the grapple. •

Escape from Pin: Make an opposed grapple check. If the character succeeds, he can escape from being pinned. (Opponents do not have to try to keep the character pinned if they do not want to.) The character is still being grappled, however.

Alternatively, a character can make an Escape Artist check opposed by the opponent’s grapple check to escape from the pin. This is an attack action that the character may only attempt once per round, even if the character gets multiple attacks. •

Break Another’s Pin: Make an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, he can break the hold that an opponent has over an ally.

•

Draw a Light Weapon: A character can draw a light weapon as a move action.

•

Attack with a Light Weapon: A character can attack with a light weapon while grappling (but not while pinned or pinning). A character cannot attack with two weapons while grappling.

I f t h e C h a r a c t er is Pinned

When an opponent has pinned the character, he is held immobile (but not helpless) for 1 round. (The character cannot attempt any other action.) On the character’s turn, he can attempt to escape from the pin. If the character succeeds, he is still grappling.

J o i n i n g a G r a p ple

If the target is already grappling someone else, a character can use an attack to start a grapple, as above, except that the target does not get an attack of opportunity against the character and the character’s grab automatically

succeeds. The character still has to make a successful opposed grapple check and move in to be part of the grapple. If multiple enemies are already involved in the grapple, the character picks one against whom to make the opposed grapple check.

Multiple Grapplers

Several combatants can be in a single grapple. Up to four combatants can grapple a single opponent in a given round. Creatures that are one size category smaller than the character count as one-half creature each; creatures that are one size category larger than the cjaracter count as two creatures; and creatures two or more size categories larger than the character count as four creatures. When involved in a grapple with multiple opponents, the character chooses one opponent to make an opposed check against. The exception is an attempt to escape from the grapple; to escape, a character’s grapple check must beat the check results of all opponents.

S t r a n g u l a t i on

When a character is strangled attacker, use the rules below. or choke a target of the same category larger or smaller. The an attack of opportunity.

by an instrument or an A character can strangle size category or one size strangling attempt incurs

To begin the choke, the attacker must succeed at an opposed grapple check. If the grapple succeeds, the attacker can choose to deal normal unarmed damage as well as choke the target. The target can hold his of her breath for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution score. After this period of time, the target must make a Constitution check (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) every round to continue holding his breath. The target begins to suffocate on a failed check (see the rules for Drowning in the Rules of the West chapter). If at any time the target breaks free or slips free of the grapple, the stranglehold is broken (although any damage that was dealt remains). Note that a grappled target who is not pinned can use his attack action to strangle his attacker.

Reload

A character can reload a weapon as a full-round action. This draws an attack of opportunity if done in a threatened area. Most guns take one round to reload fully. A gun can be partially reloaded using a move action; the character can slot 1d4 bullets into a pistol or one shot into a


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shotgun. A character must have ammunition immediately to hand, in a pistol belt, bandolier or scattered on the ground in front of him. Ammunition stored in a box cannot be used to reload on a move action.

A mount acts on the rider’s initiative count as he directs it. The rider moves at the mount’s speed, but the mount uses its action to move.

Longarms take multiple rounds to reload, and cannot be partially reloaded using a move action.

A horse is a Large creature and thus takes up a space 10 feet (2 squares) across. For simplicity, assume that the rider shares his mount’s space during combat.

Mount e d C o m b a t

Combat while Mounted

The horse is everywhere in the West. While there may be steam engines and trains on the coast or back east, it is the horse that pulls the wagon and the stagecoach, or carries the mail or the cavalry trooper through Indian country. The horse is as ubiquitous and as popular as the combustion engine is in the modern day.

Horses in Combat

Most horses are easily spooked by combat. If the rider does not dismount, he must make a Ride check (DC 20) each round as a move action to control such a horse. If he succeeds, he can perform a standard action after the move action. If he fails, the move action becomes a full round action and the rider cannot do anything else until his next turn.

With a Ride check (DC 5), a character can guide his mount with his knees so as to use both hands to attack or defend. This is a free action. When a character attacks a creature smaller than his mount that is on foot, he gets the +1 bonus on melee attacks for being on higher ground. If a mount moves more than 5 feet, the rider can only make a single melee attack. Essentially, the rider has to wait until the mount gets to his enemy before attacking, so he cannot make a full attack. Even at a mount’s full speed, the rider does not take any penalty on melee attacks while mounted. If a mount charges, the rider also takes the Defence penalty associated with a charge. If he makes an attack at the end of the charge, he receives the bonus gained from the charge.


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Combat

A character can use ranged weapons while a mount is taking a double move, but at a –4 penalty on the attack roll. A rider can use ranged weapons while his mount is running (quadruple speed), at a –8 penalty. (This does not stack with the –2 penalty to ranged attack rolls for moving more than 10 feet.) In either case, the rider makes the attack roll when his mount has completed half its movement. A character can make a full attack with a ranged weapon while a mount is moving. Likewise, he can take move actions normally.

I f A M o u n t F a l ls in Battle

If a mount falls, the rider has to succeed on a Ride check (DC 15) to make a soft fall and take no damage. There is a 25% chance that the mount falls on top of the character, trapping him. (By raising the DC for the Ride check to 20, the character can automatically avoid the risk of being trapped). If the check fails, the ex-rider takes 1d6 points of damage from the fall, or 2d6 damage if the horse falls on top of him. A trapped character must make a Strength check (DC 20) to pull himself out from beneath the horse.

I f T h e R i d e r Is Dropped

If the rider is knocked unconscious, he has a 50% chance to stay in the saddle. Otherwise, he falls and takes 1d6 points of damage. Without a rider to guide it, a mount avoids combat.

Deliberately S p o o k i n g A H o rse

A character can make an Intimidation check to scare a horse. The horse must make a Will save (DC equals the result of the Intimidation check). The character gains a +4 circumstance bonus to his Intimidation check if he can make a loud noise (say, with a gun) or hits the horse. If the horse currently has a rider, then the rider may make a Handle Animal check each round to regain control of his

horse – the DC is equal to the result of the Intimidation check. The rider may make one Handle Animal check immediately as a free action to prevent the horse being spooked at all; if this first check is failed, then another check may be made each round as an Attack action. A spooked horse runs away from any perceived danger. If a rider tries to regain control of the horse and fails the Handle Animal check by five or more, then the horse may buck in the next round. A bucking horse only makes a normal move, but the rider must make a Ride check opposed by a Strength check from the horse or fall.

V e h i c l e C o m b at

The vehicles used in the West are all relatively simple horse-drawn carriages and stagecoaches, or the occasional train or barge; as such, none of them are especially agile or fast modes of transport. A character driving a wagon or stagecoach may have the horses or other animals pulling the vehicle speed up, slow down or turn 45 degrees as a free action. A horse-drawn vehicle speeds up or slows down by one speed category per round, as follows: By making a Drive check (DC 15), the driver can make a 60-degree turn or accelerate or slow by up to two categories on one round. However, a penalty is applied to this Drive check depending on how fast the vehicle is travelling. If the check is failed, then the manoeuvre fails and the driver must immediately make a second Drive check (again, DC 15) to avoid overturning the vehicle (if turning) or spooking the horses (if changing speed). An overturning vehicle inflicts the listed falling damage for the current speed. The spooked horses will move at full speed away from any danger. A successful Handle Animal check at DC (15 + 2 per horse) will calm the horses. If a character falls from a moving vehicle, he takes the listed falling damage. A successful Acrobatics check at DC15 halves the damage if the character is deliberately jumping off the wagon.

Vehicle Speeds (Wagon or Stagecoach) Category Stationary Slow Medium Fast Very Fast Galloping Full Tilt

Speed 0 feet 15 feet 30 feet 45 feet 60 feet 75 feet 120 feet

Drive Penalty -1 -2 -4 -8

Horse’s Action Move Move Move Double Move Double Move Run

Falling Damage 0 0 1d3 1d6 1d6 2d6 3d6


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Luck

A

more poetic individual might describe it as Manifest Destiny. The faithful might call it Providence, or even divine intervention. Chinese railroad workers might call it joss or even karma. If the Indians have a word for it, no one has learned it. Most people just call it luck. Luck is measured in luck points.

Usi n g L u c k

A character can spend luck at any time, but only once per round. Luck can be spent to achieve the following effects: •

Activate a feat or talent

•

Gain a bonus to a dice roll

•

Reroll a dice roll

•

Reduce a wound type

•

Halve damage from an attack

•

Make an attack miss

•

Establish or change an item or event

•

Counter another's use of luck

Activate a feat or talent

Some feats or talents require the expenditure of a luck point to activate. The cost for a talent or feat is listed in its description.

Reroll a dice roll

A player can spend a luck point to reroll a skill check, ability check, attack roll, saving throw or any other roll. This can only be done once per round, and the player must accept the result of the second roll even if it is less than the first.

Beginners’ Luck

A character starts with 6+1d4 luck points. The Lucky feat can increase this initial total still further. This is the maximum luck that a character can possess at any one time. The maximum can only increase if the character takes the Lucky feat, or increases in level. An excess Luck points are lost.

Gain a bonus to a dice roll

A player can spend a luck point to gain a +4 luck bonus to a skill check, ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. Only one luck point can be spent per roll.

Ignore Impairment

By spending a luck point, a character can cancel all Impairment penalties to rolls that are currently affecting him. This allows a character who has been severely shot to act normally for one round.

Reduce a wound type

A character can spend two luck points to reduce a wound by one category. A Mortal wound can be reduced to merely Serious, Serious to Deep, or Deep to a Scratch. The character still takes the normal hit point damage, but does not risk bleeding, impairment, infection and so on. Note that a player can reduce the wound type after the wound has been inflicted. A character could get shot during a fight, keep conserving his luck until the fight is over, and then spend his remaining luck to reduce the wound type to prevent himself bleeding to death.

Make an attack miss

Five luck points can make an attack miss altogether. The luck points must be spent immediately after the damage for the attack is rolled.


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E s t a b l i s h o r c h ange a n i t e m o r e v ent

The most flexible use of luck points is for ‘dramatic editing’ – changing aspects of the world or having convenient coincidences happen. The Games Master is free to overrule a player’s use of luck in this fashion, but should normally give the player a bonus luck point as compensation for overruling him. Uses of luck include:

window just as a character is thrown out is not entirely unexpected. The less immediate the effect, the cheaper it is.

Two Points •

Lesser Item: The character finds a slightly rarer useful item – a weapon, ammunition, the tool he needs – in a place where it could conceivable be.

•

Lesser Background: A slightly less common item or person is established – the town sheriff is nearby, a non player character from a previous game happens to be in town, there is a stagecoach due in the next hour.

•

Lesser Event: A change in weather, a useful coincidence such as a lamp blowing over or a door being left unlocked. A spooked horse breaks free at just the right time.

Luck

One Point •

•

•

Minor Item: The character happens to have a common useful item in his pocket (can opener, nail, piece of string, pocket knife). Minor Background: A common item or person is established (a wagon full of hay, there is a barrel of water in the corner, an old drunk is wandering the streets). Minor Event: A common event occurs (the wagon passes under a window, the drunk begins shouting abuse or begging change off another person).

Note that the common events build on things that have already been established. The players have already ‘seen’ the wagon in the game, so it turning up underneath the

Three Points •

A one point change happens immediately, without the need to establish anything. Instead of the wagon being seen rolling down the road earlier, then moving underneath the window, there just happens to be a wagon there at the right time.

•

Major Item: The character finds exactly the item he is looking for, or finds a useful item in an unlikely place. Examples might include a character lost in the desert finding an abandoned rifle, or happening to find a dropped key to a door. • Major Background: Establish that a major character is in town, establish that there is an unlikely building or facility nearby (fort, railroad outpost), incredibly fast horse in the livery stables and so on. • Major Event: A bomb fuse begins to splutter and will give out in a few rounds, a dam begins to break, the cavalry’s bugle is heard on the wind.


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Four-point and five-point uses include two- or threepoint uses happening immediately, or even more unlikely things being established. The Games Master has the final decision on how much luck a particular change costs. The players should not use this form of luck to solve problems directly – it should be used to set up more dramatic scenes and make the game more interesting. The emphasis should be on the dramatic.

Counter another’s use of luck

Finally, a player can spend luck to counter another player’s or the Games Master’s use of luck. This costs the same amount of luck again, plus one. Only one person can counter another use of luck – if two people wish to attempt to counter another’s use of luck at the same time, they must make an opposed Luck check. The highest roll may make the counter attempt. The person whose Luck is being countered may spend luck equal to that spent by the countering character, plus one. This is an exception to the normal rule about spending luck only once per round. Both characters may continue to spend luck to counter each other, spending one extra point each time, until one gives up and the original use of luck is either countered or is effective.

rolls 1d20, adds his current luck, and tries to beat a Difficulty Class. The DC for a Luck check varies depending on the whim of the Games Master. An easy luck check is DC 10 – even without Luck, most people have a 50% chance of passing such a DC. DC 15 Luck checks will only be passed by the genuinely lucky, while anything above DC 20 will only be possibly for fortunate player characters.

Gaining Luck

A character that has spent luck does not regain it automatically (however, in an episodic game, the Games Master may choose to declare that all characters regain luck between stories). A character must act to regain luck, as follows.

Luck Rewards

The simplest method is for the Games Master to hand out luck points in a similar manner to how he distributes experience points. One or two luck points can be given for an especially funny line, good roleplaying, cool scene or other event that impresses the Games Master. The higher the luck point flow, the more ‘cinematic’ the game will be.

Quirks

Use +4 bonus to skill check, ability check, attack roll or saving throw Reroll a die Ignore impairment Reduce wound type Make an attack miss Dramatic editing Counter a use of luck

Cost 1 1 1 2 5 1 to 5 +1

Non player ch a r a c t e r s a n d L u c k

Major non player characters may also have luck scores. In general, a non player character should have Luck equal to their character level, minus a certain amount depending on how important they are to the plot. Minor characters need not have any luck, but a major antagonist should have his full complement of luck.

Luck Checks

If the Games Master wishes to randomly decide if fortune favours a character, he can call for a luck check. A luck check works just like any other sort of check – the player

As part of character generation, a player can choose a quirk for their character. Indulging this quirk as part of the game allows the player to regain luck. Same quirks include: •

Chewing tobacco

•

Playing the harmonica

•

Drinking

•

Praying

•

Superstitions like a lucky rabbit's foot

•

Long ranting speeches about the evils of the Union and how the wrong side won the war

If the character's quirk comes up in a game session, he may regain one previously spent luck point. A quirk can be used a maximum of twice per game session. (For quirks that would get tiresome if mentioned too often, such as the long ranting speech, then the Games Master should only allow the quirk to be used once per session, but have it restore two luck points instead of one).


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Bonus luck points should be given if the use of the quirk ties into the story that is unfolding.

G a i n i n g a L e v el

When a character gains a level, he gains one luck point.

Luck

G a m b l i n g L u ck

A player can also choose to gamble the character’s luck. This can be done once per storyline – as a rule of thumb, once per three game sessions, although groups with especially short or long sessions may allow gambling luck more often. Luck can only be gambled at times when the characters are not in combat or engaged in any important or hazardous tasks. Sitting in a saloon or riding out in the wilderness are perfect times to gamble luck. To gamble luck, the player chooses some as yet unresolved situation. The situation must be one whose outcome is in

doubt, but that will be affected by player character’s actions. The player writes down the situation, the outcome he is betting on, and the amount of Luck he is gambling. The Luck in question comes from the character’s permanent Luck total, not his current Luck. Any Luck gambled by players is added to a pot tied to that situation. Furthermore, any Luck points spent by non player characters are divided among the pots; the division is proportional to the size of the pot. When the situation is finally resolved, then any players whose bets match the outcome share in the pot of Luck. Anyone who made the wrong bet lose whatever Luck they had allocated. A character may bet multiple times, but only takes the winnings from the last pot he bet on. Remember that betting can only happen before hazardous and dramatic scenes; scenes where a character would need Luck to survive unscathed.

A n E x a m ple of Gambling Luck

Four gunmen – Buck, Jed, Caleb and William – have been hired to defend an isolated ranch from rustlers and bandits. Jed ends up falling in love with the rancher’s eldest daughter. The characters shoot one of the rustlers, then discover that the bandit gang is coming that night to burn down the farmhouse. While sitting and waiting for the bandits to attack, the four players secretly pass their bets to the Games Master. Both Buck’s player and Caleb’s player bet three points of Luck that they will successfully defend the farmhouse. Jed’s player riskily bets all his Luck (never a good thing) that his character will end up with the girl. Cruelly, William’s player secretly bets that Jed will not get the girl. So, the final bets are: •

Buck: The ranch will survive – 3

•

Caleb: The ranch will survive – 3

•

Ranch Pot: 6

•

Jed: I will marry Mary-Sue – 8

•

William: Jed will not end up with Mary-Sue – 2

•

Mary-Sue Pot: 10

During the raid, the Games Master’s bandits spend another six luck points. These six points are divided amongst both pots – two points to the ranch pot, and four to the Mary-Sue pot. Sadly, Mary-Sue dies when she is taken hostage, and William fails to shoot her captor before he pulls the trigger. Still, the ranch survives. The final pots, and the final Luck awards are: •

Ranch Pot: 8.

•

Buck gains 4 Luck. Caleb gains 4 Luck.

•

Mary-Sue pot: 14.

•

William gains 14 Luck!


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Horses Hor s e F e a t s

These are special feats only available to horses and other mounts. Horses all have at least one feat, plus another one feat for every 15 Hit Points. Furthermore, a mount may have one or more bonus feats – some horses are just better than others. However, unlike normal feats, not all horse feats are beneficial; qualities like Lame or Sickly are also represented by feats. Think of horse feats as traits that distinguish one mount from another, not necessarily advantages. Horses may select from the following normal feats in addition to these special horse feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Dodge, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Run, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Toughness, Track.

Biter (Negative)

Benefit: If the DC for a Ride check is 15 or higher, then the rider gets a +4 insight bonus to his Ride check from the mount.

Distinctive

This animal has a special marking or brand.

Benefit: Anyone who sees the animal automatically recognises it if they have seen it before, and the rider has a +1 bonus to his Reputation while riding the animal.

Easy Ride

This mount is noticeable more gentle and easy-going than most animals, making it a good mount for ladies and tenderfoots. Benefit: This horse gives a +4 insight bonus to Ride checks, but only on checks with a DC of 10 or less.

Fast

The animal has the habit of biting people.

The horse runs like the wind.

Benefit: The animal has a Bite attack at its base attack bonus + Strength modifier +2 (add +2 to its Bite attack bonus if the horse already has a Bite attack). The bite deals 1d4 + Strength modifier in damage, and can be used as part of the animal’s normal attack. If anyone moves in front of the mount without making a successful Handle Animal check (DC 10), then the mount makes a bite attack on them if possible.

Benefit: Increase the mount’s base speed by five feet.

Charger

This horse is capable of surprising bursts of speed. Benefit: When the horse charges, the distance covered is increased by twenty feet. For example, a horse that would normally charge 120 feet can charge for 140 feet with this feat.

Cutting Out

Headstrong (Negative)

The mount often chooses its own path.

Benefit: If the rider fails any Ride check, then in the next round, the animal moves as it wishes. The rider may regain control by making a Ride check (DC 10).

Heavy-Footed (Negative)

The mount is noticeably slow to react.

Benefit: The animal suffers a –2 penalty to all Reflex saves.

This mount is swift and agile, eminently suitable for herding work.


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High Jumper

The mount is capable of impressive jumps.

Benefit: The mount has a +2 bonus to Jump checks, and the distance covered is not limited by the mount’s size or base movement.

Loyal

Luck

This mount is especially loyal to its current owner. Benefit: If anyone other than the mount’s owner attempts to use the Ride or Handle Animal skill on this mount, they suffer a –4 penalty to their Ride or Handle Animal checks.

K i c k e r ( N e g a t ive)

This mount is liable to kick people who move behind it. Benefit: The animal has a Kick attack at its base attack bonus + Strength modifier +1 (add +2 to the horse’s Kick attack bonus if it already has a Kick attack). The bite deals 1d6 + Strength modifier in damage, and can be used as part of the animal’s normal attack. If anyone moves behind of the mount without making a successful Handle Animal check (DC 10), then the mount makes a kick attack on them if possible.

N e r v o u s ( N e g a tive)

This horse tends to rear up when startled.

Benefit: Whenever the rider rolls a 1 on a Ride check, the horse bucks. The rider must immediately make a Ride or Strength check (rider’s choice), opposed by the horse’s Grapple check. If the horse wins, then the rider is thrown and suffers 1d6 damage from the fall.

O r n e r y ( N e g a t ive)

This animal is mean and stubborn.

Benefit: Increase the animal’s Will save and the DC of any Handle Animal or Ride checks by 4.

S k i t t i s h ( N e g a tive)

This mount is fearful and nervous.

Benefit: The animal suffers a –2 penalty to all Will saves.

Smart

This animal is smarter than the average. Benefit: If separated from his horse, the animal’s owner may spend a Luck point to have the horse go to a particular place, such as a ranch or hiding place known to the horse.

Normal: An uncontrolled animal will either stay where it was left, wander off in search of good grass and water or flee strangers and predators depending on the situation.

Stable

This horse has a notable even and steady gait. Benefit: The penalty for shooting from a moving animal is reduced by two.

Steady

This mount is used to loud noises and shocks, and is unlikely to bolt or panic. Benefit: This mount has a +4 morale bonus to its Will save to avoid being deliberately spooked. The rider does not need to make a Ride check to control the mount when it enters combat.

Slow (Negative)

This horse is especially slow and soon falls behind. Benefit: Reduce the animal’s base speed by five.

Sickly (Negative)

This horse is ill.

Benefit: The horse suffers a –2 penalty to all Fortitude saves.

Unbroken (Negative)

This animal is not used to saddles and reins.

Benefit: Increase the DC of any Ride checks by +8.

Wild

The animal mistrusts many people, and is unnerved by the approach of strangers on foot. Benefit: The animal takes 10 on all Listen and Spot checks, and will react (neigh, attempt to flee, shuffle nervously) when it notices other creatures approaching.

Animal Statistics Donkey

Medium Animal Hit Points: 11 Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Defence: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11,


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R a n dom Traits

When determining the traits present in a group of horses, roll on the following table. The DC of the Handle Animal check to recognise that a horse has a particular trait is also listed. Roll (1d4 x 1d10) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Feat Alertness Biter Blind-Fight Bucker (Negative) Charger Combat Trained Cutting Out Distinctive Dodge Easy Ride Endurance Fast Great Fortitude Guide Headstrong (Negative) Heavy-Footed (Negative) High Jumper Improved Bull Rush Improved Initiative Improved Trip Iron Will Lame (Negative) Lightning Reflexes Loyal Kicker (Negative) Mobility Power Attack Run Sickly (Negative) Skittish (Negative) Slow (Negative) Smart Spring Attack Stable Stealthy Toughness Track Unbroken (Negative) Wild Roll Again Twice

Handle Animal DC 30 25 35 20 20 15 25 10 15 20 20 20 25 25 20 15 20 25 25 25 20 15 25 30 20 30 30 20 15 15 15 30 30 25 30 25 30 20 15 -


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Luck

flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+1 Attack: Bite +1 melee (1d2) Full Attack: Bite +1 melee (1d2) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4 Skills: Balance +3, Listen +3, Spot +2 Feats: One feat (usually Endurance) Carrying Capacity: A light load for a donkey is up to 50 pounds; a medium load, 51–100 pounds; and a heavy load, 101–150 pounds. A donkey can drag 750 pounds. Skills: Donkeys have a +2 racial bonus on Balance checks.

Horse, Heavy Large Animal Hit Points: 19 Initiative: +1 Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares) Defence: 13 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9 Attack: Hoof +4 melee (1d6+4) Full Attack: 2 hooves +4 melee (1d6+4) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4 Feats: Two feats (Endurance, Run) Carrying Capacity: A light load for a heavy horse is up to 200 pounds; a medium load, 201–400 pounds; and a heavy load, 401– 600 pounds. A heavy horse can drag 3,000 pounds.

Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4 Feats: Two Feats (Usually Endurance and Run) Carrying Capacity: A light load for a light horse is up to 150 pounds; a medium load, 151–300 pounds; and a heavy load, 301–450 pounds. A light horse can drag 2,250 pounds.

Mule Large Animal Hit Points: 22 hp Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Defence: 13 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flatfooted 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9 Attack: Hoof +4 melee (1d4+3)

Horse, Light Large Animal Hit Points: 19 hp Initiative: +1 Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares) Defence: 13 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+8 Attack: Hoof +3 melee (1d4+3) Full Attack: 2 hooves +3 melee (1d4+3) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: —


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Full Attack: 2 hooves +4 melee (1d4+3) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +6, Spot +6 Feats: Two feats (Usually Alertness, Endurance)

pounds; a medium load, 76–150 pounds; and a heavy load, 151–225 pounds. A pony can drag 1,125 pounds.

Advancement

Mules are sterile crossbreeds of donkeys and horses. A mule is similar to a light horse, but slightly stronger and more agile. Carrying Capacity: A light load for a mule is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231–460 pounds; and a heavy load, 461–690 pounds. A mule can drag 3,450 pounds. Skills: Mules have a +2 racial bonus on Dexterity checks to avoid slipping or falling.

Pony Medium Animal Hit Dice: 11 hp Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Defence: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2 Attack: Hoof +2 melee (1d3+2) Full Attack: 2 hooves +2 melee (1d3+2) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4 Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5 Feats: One Feat (Usually Endurance) Carrying Capacity: A light load for a pony is up to 75

A character’s horse can improve over time, just like a character can. Whenever a character gains a level, one of his horses can also be improved. Even if the character rides several horses, or drove a team pulling a stagecoach, each level advancement can improve only one horse. Animal levels work in a similar fashion to normal class levels. At each level, the animal also gains 3 hit points and 2 skill points. Every third level, the animal gains a bonus feat, which can be taken from the list of horse feats. The Scout and Mountain Man talent trees also allow the character to improve his companion more quickly.

Fatigue and Mounts

A horse can move for eight hours at a moderate pace without much trouble, as long as it takes time to rest and graze at intervals. A heavy load slows the animal, as does bearing a rider. Often, a character will bring several horses, switching between them to prevent any one from becoming exhausted. A horse can maintain a run (gallop) for a number of minutes equal to its half its Constitution score. After that, it must begin making Fortitude checks every minute. The DC for this check begins at DC 5, and increases by +1 every round. If the check fails, then the horse either takes 1d6 points of damage or becomes fatigued (rider’s choice).

The Animal Hero Class Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th


Fort Save +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Ref Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Will Save +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3

Defence +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5

Class Features Bonus Feat

Bonus Feat

Bonus Feat

Bonus Feat


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Wildlife

Wildlife

W

hile the deserts and mountains of the West support all sorts of animals, only the more dangerous creatures are described below.

Buffalo Large Animal Hit Points: 37 hp Initiative: +0 Speed: 40 ft. Defence: 15 (–1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+13 Attack: Gore +8 melee (1d8+9) Full Attack: Gore +8 melee (1d8+9) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Stampede Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +1 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4 Skills: Listen +7, Spot +5 Feats: Alertness, Endurance Stampede: A frightened herd of buffalo flees as a group in a random direction (but always away from the perceived source of danger). Anything caught in the stampede takes 1d10 damage per round per buffalo, to a maximum of 5d10 per round. The character may make a Reflex save (DC 18) to halve the damage and may subtract his Defence score from the damage dealt. A character caught in a stampede must also make a Balance check (DC 15) each round or will fall prone.

C o y o t e o r D og Small Animal Hit Dice: 6 hp Initiative: +3 Speed: 40 ft. Defence: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flatfooted 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–3 Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1) Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: —

Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Jump +7, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1* Feats: Alertness, Track The statistics presented here describe a fairly small dog of about 20 to 50 pounds in weight. They also can be used for small wild canines such as coyotes. Skills: Dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks. *Dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Grizzly Bear Large Animal Hit Points: 51 hp Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft. Defence: 15 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, flatfooted 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+16 Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d8+8) Full Attack: 2 claws +11 melee (1d8+8) and bite +6 melee (2d6+4) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +3 Abilities: Str 27, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +4, Spot +7, Swim +12 Feats: Endurance, Run, Track These massive carnivores weigh more than 1,800 pounds and stand nearly 9 feet tall when they rear up on their hind legs. They are bad-tempered and territorial. Improved Grab: To use this ability, a grizzly bear must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Skills: A grizzly bear has a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.


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Improved Grab: To use this ability, a puma must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake. Pounce: If a puma charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks. Rake: Attack bonus +6 melee, damage 1d3+1. Skills: Pumas have a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks and a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. Pumas have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A puma can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

Rattlesnake Tiny Animal

Puma Medium Animal Hit Dice: 19 hp Initiative: +4 Speed: 40 ft (8 squares), climb 20 ft. Defence: 15 (+4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 11 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5 Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) and 2 claws +2 melee (1d3+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, pounce, rake 1d3+1 Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Balance +12, Climb +11, Hide +8*, Jump +11, Listen +6, Move Silently +8, Spot +6 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse (Claws)

Hit Points: 1 hp Initiative: +3 Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft. Defence: 17 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–11 Attack: Bite +5 melee (1 plus poison) Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1 plus poison) Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Poison Special Qualities: Scent Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1 Abilities: Str 4, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +15, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +5 Feats: Weapon Finesse Poison: A snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con. To resist, the victim must make a Fortitude save (DC equals 8 + the margin of success of the snake’s attack).

Scorpion Tiny Vermin Hit Points: 4 hp Initiative: +0 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) Defence: 14 (+2 size, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–8 Attack: Sting +2 melee (Poison) Full Attack: Sting +2 melee (Poison) Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.

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A nimal Abilities

While most special abilities possessed by animals are described in the individual entry for each species, a few abilities are common:

Wildlife

Low-light vision: A creature with low-light vision can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions. Poison: Poison attacks deal initial damage, such as ability damage (see page 305) or some other effect, to the opponent on a failed Fortitude save. Unless otherwise noted, another saving throw is required 1 minute later (regardless of the result of the first save) to avoid secondary damage. A creature’s descriptive text provides the details. A creature with a poison attack is immune to its own poison and the poison of others of its kind. A successful save avoids (negates) the damage. Scent: This special quality allows a creature to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odours just as humans do familiar sights. The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk, can be detected at triple normal range. When a creature detects a scent, the exact location of the source is not revealed - only its presence somewhere within range. The creature can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. Whenever the creature comes within 5 feet of the source, the creature pinpoints the source’s location. A creature with the Track feat and the scent ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom (or Survival) check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (no matter what kind of surface holds the scent). This DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odour is, the number of creatures and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track feat. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility. Special Attacks: Poison Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft. Saves: Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +0 Abilities: Str 3, Dex 10, Con 14, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2 Skills: Climb +0, Hide +12, Spot +4 Feats: Weapon Finesse Poison: A scorpion has a poisonous sting that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d4 Con. To resist, the victim must make a Fortitude save (DC equals 8 + the margin of success of the scorpion’s attack). Darkvision: Scorpions can see in the dark out to 60 feet. Tremorsense: A scorpion can sense vibrations in the ground, and can locate hidden creatures using these tremors. A character must use Move Silently, opposed by the scorpion’s Spot to move within 60 feet of the creature without being detected, even if there is no line of sight between the two.

Skills: A scorpion has a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Spot checks.

Scorpion Swarm Diminutive Vermin (Swarm) Hit Points: 31 hp Initiative: +4 Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft. Defence: 18 (+4 size, +4 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/— Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus poison) Full Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus poison) Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Distraction, poison Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, tremorsense 30 ft. Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3 Abilities: Str 1, Dex 19, Con 8, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2 Skills: Climb +12, Spot +4 Feats: Weapon Finesse


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Swarm

Swarms are dense masses of Fine, Diminutive or Tiny creatures that would not be particularly dangerous individually or in small groups, but can be terrible foes when gathered in sufficient numbers. For game purposes, a swarm is defined as a single creature with a space of 10 feet - gigantic hordes are actually composed of dozens of swarms in close proximity. A swarm has a single pool of hit points, a single initiative modifier, a single speed, and a single Defence score. It makes saving throws as a single creature. In order to attack, a single swarm moves into opponents’ spaces, which provokes an attack of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey, but remains a creature with a 10-foot space. Swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. Unlike other creatures with a 10-foot space, a swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous squares, and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

V u l n e r a b i lities of Swarms

Swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. However, they have a few special vulnerabilities, as follows: •

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

•

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Distraction: Any living creature that begins its turn with a scorpion swarm in its space must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 13) or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based. Poison: Injury, Fortitude DC 13, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rat Swarm Tiny Animal (Swarm) Hit Points: 13 hp Initiative: +2 Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft. Defence: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/— Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease) Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease) Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Disease, distraction Special Qualities: Half damage from slashing and piercing, low-light vision, scent, swarm traits Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2 Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2 Skills: Balance +10, Climb +10, Hide +14, Listen +6, Spot +7, Swim +10 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse A rat swarm seeks to surround and attack any warmblooded prey it encounters. A swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

Disease: Rats carry all sorts of diseases - Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. Distraction: Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its square must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 12) or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based. Skills: A rat swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Swim checks. A rat swarm can always choose to take 10 on all Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. A rat swarm uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks. A rat swarm has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Small Furry Animal Tiny Animal Hit Dice: 3 hp Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. Defence: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 size), touch 14, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12 Attack: Bite +4 melee (1) Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1) Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.


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Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +0 Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +4, Hide +4, Spot +4 Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite)

Wildlife

This category covers creatures such as hares, prairie dogs and other small, harmless animals that do not pose a combat threat to a character, but might still be shot at for food or fur.

Steer

Survival +1* Feats: Track, Weapon Focus (bite) Trip: A wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+1 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the wolf. Skills: *Wolves have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Wolverine

Large Animal

Medium Animal

Hit Points: 20 hp Initiative: +0 Speed: 40 ft. Defence: 15 (–1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+10 Attack: Kick or trample +5 melee (1d8+6) Full Attack: Kick or trample +5 melee (1d8+6) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Stampede Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4 Skills: Listen +7, Spot +5 Feats: Alertness, Endurance

Hit Points: 28 hp Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft. Defence: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4 Attack: Claw +4 melee (1d4+2) Full Attack: 2 claws +4 melee (1d4+2) and bite –1 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Rage Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10 Skills: Climb +10, Listen +6, Spot +6 Feats: Alertness, Toughness, Track

Stampede: A frightened herd of cattle flees as a group in a random direction (but always away from the perceived source of danger). Anything caught in the stampede takes 1d8 damage per round per steer, to a maximum of 5d8 per round. The character may make a Reflex save (DC 18) to halve the damage, and may subtract his Defence score from the damage dealt. A character caught in a stampede must also make a Balance check (DC 15) each round or fall prone.

Wolf

Rage: A wolverine that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Defence. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily. Skills: Wolverines have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Medium Animal Hit Points: 13 hp Initiative: +2 Speed: 50 ft. Defence: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2 Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Trip Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Hide +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3,


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T

The Western Town

he town is one of the greatest symbols of civilisation in the West, and therefore must be defended by the guns of the player characters. Western towns varied depending on their location and origin, but do fall into a few simple categories. This can be used as templates to design a town. Settlements are small communities established by a handful of settlers, looking for a new life in the West. Some of these towns would slowly grow into larger cities; others would turn into mining or trail towns if a boom hit. Mining Towns sprang up near the mines, at whatever half-suitable locations they could find. These towns were built to service the needs of the miners, so they were full of drinking establishments and other entertainments, as well as tool shops and assayers. Mining towns appeared, flourished and vanished at breathtaking speed – when the claims were producing gold, then the towns were bustling, raucous places; but when the claims were worked out, the towns were soon abandoned. Similar towns grew up around other industries, such as trapping or buffalo hunting. Trail Towns were settlements near a railroad. Cattle drives were brought to such towns, so the beeves could be shipped north to the slaughterhouses and the markets. Of course, the cattle drives also brought cowboys and drovers, hurrahing as they rode into town in search of drink and women. Few trail towns lasted more than a few years, as the railroad moved onto a more convenient settlement or the town leaders ordered that the cowboys move on.

more in larger towns), while the rest will be some sort of commercial enterprise. Settlements and towns that grew up from settlements are built around a grid pattern, centring on one main street. The earliest buildings in the town will line along this main street; as the town grows, other buildings will be located in side streets. Assume that there are roughly twenty buildings per block. Special buildings, such as a cemetery, were always built on the outskirts of town. Mining towns and other scratch-built boomtowns were far less regular, with buildings and tents being thrown up wherever they would fit. Such places generally had a main street of sorts, but it could extend indefinitely along a rail line, twist back on itself, or just degenerate into a mess of lean-tos and randomly placed buildings. The tables below list common and uncommon buildings for each sort of town.

Settlement Common Business Blacksmith General Store Saloon Schoolhouse Uncommon Business Stage Station Trading Post

Railroad Towns were equally wild places, built alongside the growing railroads to support the needs of the workers. Finally, the ultimate fate of a community was to either become an Established Town, big and rich and civilised, or an abandoned Ghost Town.

Town Layout

As a rule of thumb, a town has one building for every four or five people living there, so the Games Master can just divide the population of the town by five to give the number of buildings. Many of these will be private homes (half in a smaller community, up to four-fifths or

Mining Town Common Business Bank Gambling Den General Store Hardware Restaurant Saloon Uncommon Business Armourer


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The Western Town

Barber Blacksmith Bordello Cemetery Church Dentist Dry Goods Surgery

Buffalo/Trapping Business Armourer Bank Corral Dry Goods Gambling Den General Store Restaurant Saddlemaker Saloon Stable Trading Post Uncommon Business Barber Blacksmith Bordello Church Cemetery Clothier Dentist Hardware Hotel Newspaper Post Office Sheriff ’s Office Stage Station Surgery Train Station Undertaker

Cow Town Common Business Blacksmith Bordello Corral Dry Goods Gambling Den General Store Hotel Restaurant

Saddlemaker Saloon Stable Uncommon Business Armourer Bank Barber Church Cemetery Clothier Dentist Hardware Newspaper Post Office Sheriff ’s Office Stage Station Surgery Train Station Undertaker

Rail Common Business Bordello Gambling Den Saloon Surgery Restaurant Train Station Uncommon Business Armourer Barber Blacksmith Dentist Drugstore Dry Goods General Store Hardware

Established Common Business Armourer Bank Barber Blacksmith Clothier Corral Dry Goods Gambling Den General Store Hardware


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Restaurant Saloon Saddlemaker Schoolhouse Uncommon Business Bordello Cemetery Church Courthouse Dentist Distillery Drugstore Hotel Newspaper Post Office Sheriff ’s Office Stable Stage Station Surgery Theatre Train Station Town Hall Trading Post Undertaker

False-Front Buildings

These are fake structures that make a one-story board or log building look like an elaborate two-storey edifice. Most saloons and many other businesses had false fronts, to make them appear much more impressive and sophisticated. Bizarrely, this gave historical Western towns the appearance of a movie set… behind a counter that gives them half cover, although banks in more dangerous places have grills and windows that give three-quarters cover. A bank has either a safe (DC 30, 30 hit points) or a large bank vault (DC 40, 60 hit points).

Barber

Marked by their signature striped red-and-white poles, the barber was usually the first stop for a cowboy just off the trail, to have his hair cut and his moustache waxed and shaped to the height of fashion. A barber’s razor deals 1d4 slashing damage, threatens a critical on a 17-20, but is an Improvised Weapon. In some towns, the local barber also doubled up as a surgeon.

Blacksmith

Armourer

Blacksmiths tended to be located on the edge of town, because of the risk of fire. Most tools and metal goods were made back east – the West could not compete with established industries, although there were numerous attempts to start factories and foundries. Most blacksmiths were therefore employed in repairing items and shoeing horses.

Bank

Call it a whorehouse, cathouse or brothel; the bordello was a fixture in the wilder Western towns. As a town became more civilised, the bordello might become less obvious, or just move to the edge of town (the ‘Devil’s Addition’ in Abilene, for example). The prostitutes, euphemised as ‘fancy women’, ‘soiled doves’ or ‘fallen angels’, were comparatively respected in society – the scarcity of women brought out chivalry in the miners and cowboys, and once such a woman was married, her past was politely ignored.

Ghost towns have the same spread of businesses as they did before the bust, but only the common businesses might still be operating. The saloon was normally the last to go.

An armourer sells pistols, rifles and other firearms, along with ammunition and other accessories. Firearms were commonly available in the West at trading posts and general stores, so a gunman only needed to visit an armourer when looking for a Martial or Exotic firearm. Gunstore owners were usually adept at using their goods, and took further precautions to dissuade theft, such as good quality locks (DC 25 to Disable), heavy doors (Break DC 25) and barred windows.

Local banks were common in new towns, but the volatile, boom-and-bust nature of the Western economy meant that few financial institutions had any significant cash reserves. It took backing from an established eastern bank or financier for a Western bank to have any sort of stability. Western banks also issued their own currency and bonds, but these were of uncertain value. Gold dust or silver were preferred in the early days of the West. A bank has good quality locks (DC 25), heavy doors (Break DC 25) and barred windows. The clerks are generally

Bordello

The term ‘red light district’ originated in rail-town whorehouses, where customers would hang the red warning lanterns from the trains on the door, to show that the place was occupied.

Cemetery

The graveyard in Dodge City was on Boot Hill, because it was for those who ‘died with their boots on’ – i.e., were shot dead. The term was later applied to any cemetery in a wild town. Funerals tended to be elaborate affairs in the


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The Western Town

West, with the whole town turning out to mourn a respected or famed citizen. Grave markers were often less impressive – while some did pay for an impressively carved headstone, many were buried beneath a simple wooden marker or cross.

Church

Churches were built by donations from the public, and the theft of church funds was common. The denomination of the church varied depending on the local population – in some towns, several faiths shared the same building. Church pastors were expected to give entertaining sermons from the pulpit.

Clothier

High fashion was important. Men dressed up in suits, or sometimes more ornate version of the usual cowpoke outfit. Women preferred the latest fashions from the east, or even Paris and London.

Courthouse

Any county with more than a hundred and fifty people was supposed to have a courthouse, and simple courts were convened in log buildings or even prayer halls or saloons. The courthouse was a surprisingly violent place – not only were there criminals and lawmen shooting the place up, but rival communities might raid a courthouse, as the town that possessed the county courthouse was significantly more politically influential and prosperous.

Corral

A corral is a pen for horses or other animals on the edge of town.

Dance Hall

The dance hall was a curious western institution. The men bought tickets to enter; the women were in the employ of the owner. The real money, though, was made with the drinks. The men were expected to buy the women expensive cocktails and champagnes (up to five dollars a glass), which were actually non-alcoholic drinks like weak tea. The dancing girls got a commission on each drink purchased. The owner kept a careful eye on his girls, to

ensure that he did not lose any of the popular ones to marriage. Still, dance halls were wildly popular.

Dentist

Dentistry was a rough-and-ready affair in the 19th century, but the agonies of toothache drove people to any lengths to relieve the pain. Pliers and laudanum were the common tools of the trade. Like a barber, it was not unheard of for a dentist to double up as a surgeon.

Distillery

Distilling spirits locally made great economic sense in the West – leaving aside any jokes about a ready market for booze, barrels of whiskey or other liquids were far more portable than big sacks of grain. A distillery was a sign of a growing and confidant town. (With player characters around, though, the distillery may be a sign of an explosive and burning town. For any missed shot in a distillery, roll 1d20. On a 20, then the bullet has hit something flammable and caused a fire. Every round after that, there is a cumulative 5% chance of an explosion.)

Drugstore

Selling both genuine medicines and a selection of cure-alls and snake oils; the 19th century was a time of enthusiastic medical experimentation.

Dry Goods

The dry goods store sold clothing, blankets and other nonperishable goods.

Gambling Den

Some gambling halls were part of saloons; others were dedicated solely to gaming. Faro was the miner’s game; poker was preferred in cow country (see Gambling, page XX). Gambling halls varied from simple tents to ornate gaming palaces. Many had secret passages, concealed mirrors or spy-holes so that cheats and thieves could be spotted easily. Gambling dens were popular, raucous places, the centre of many communities. The oddest people could be found within – as well as gamblers, dealers, pretty waitresses and thieves, preachers and professors used to lecture in gambling halls, and the buildings were also used as courthouses or even chapels.

General Store

The general store provided everything a small community might need, from basic food supplies to clothes and ammunition. They also served as a meeting place, post office, stage station and de facto town hall. As the town


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grew, the general store’s role might be usurped by multiple specialised shops. In most towns, though, the general store was the most important building in town.

Hardware

Selling tools, nails, building material and so on. One controversial development in the West was the cheap production of barbed wire, which signalled the end of the open range.

Hotel

While many towns had a hotel, the quality and purpose of the hotel varied greatly. Cow-towns had a hotel to provide accommodation for the drovers who brought the herds of animals in; such places provided a bed, a bath and little more at a high price. Other hotels were far more upmarket, to cater for eastern tourists or investors.

Newspaper

Many towns would print their own newspaper, detailing all local events as well as whatever world events the editor had been able to discover (although they were often wildly inaccurate). The newspaper office usually held the only printing press in the town, so would also be responsible for

Telegrams and Communications costs

A telegram cost 50 cents a word. Letters cost two or three cents when the mail service was established; during the earlier part of the century, messages home could cost anything up to five dollars. whatever printed material was available to the town. It was often used to produce wanted posters.

Post Office

The post was carried by pony express in the early days, then stagecoach, then by rail. With the coming of the railway came the telegraph wires, linking the town to the rest of the country.

Restaurant

A meal cost two bits (25c) on average. Food was generally composed of whatever could be shot nearby, but this gave many eateries a surprisingly wide menu, from loin of buffalo to antelope steak in mushroom sauce. Others relied on the classic ‘four Bs’ - sourdough biscuits, beef, beans and bacon, with wild onions on the side to protect against scurvy. Coffee was the only commonly available drink.


2

The Western Town

Saloon

The saloon is the most instantly recognisable part of the western town; immortalised in a thousand movies. The historical saloon was largely identical to its cinematic counterpart, from the swing doors to the upright ‘pianner’ in the corner (although it is unlikely that every town included an elderly piano player whose sole task was to stop playing suddenly whenever a stranger moseyed into the saloon). Early saloons were little more than beer tents, but impressive mirrors and long walnut counters were brought in by train and steamer as soon as possible. Saloons were incredibly common – Deadwood had more saloons than it had other types of business, combined, while Leadville, Arizona had ‘4 banks, 4 churches, 10 dry goods stores, 31 restaurants, 19 beer halls, 120 saloons, and 118 gambling houses and private clubs selling liquor’. In boomtowns, most of these places were open 24-hours a day. The bar was always located on the left-hand side of the saloon. Towels and spittoons were lined up along the bar, one per four customers. (In a brawl, spittoons were used as impromptu gauntlets). A brass rail ran along the bar at foot-height, for patrons to rest their boot-heels on. A large mirror, called the altar, stood behind the bar. Light was provided by hanging oil or kerosene lamps, or from a chandelier. Most saloons were decorated with paintings and murals (often semi-tasteful classical nudes), or stuffed animal heads. In the 1880s, Budweiser distributed thousands of copies of a heroic rendition of Custer’s Last Stand, which caused innumerable brawls because of disagreements over what actually happened at the battle. • •

A spittoon acts like a knuckleduster, increasing the damage from a punch by +1. Swinging from the chandelier requires a Jump check (DC 15) to get up there, and gives the character a +4 bonus to his next Jump check. A falling chandelier inflicts 2d6 damage, although a successful Reflex save (DC 15) allows a character to dodge out of the way in time to avoid any damage.

•

A thrown bottle deals 1d3 damage.

•

To keep playing a piano during a bar fight, the player must make a Perform check (DC 10 at least), and cannot take 10 on the check, unless he has the Cool Under Pressure talent.

Saddlemaker

The saddle was one of the cowboy’s most prized possessions, and the saddlemaker was a respected craftsman.

Schoolhouse

A schoolhouse appears only in towns with enough children to warrant the employment of a schoolmaster or schoolmarm. Early schoolhouses were just one-room cabins, with a second-rate teacher (an educated man could make more money as a clerk). Later, as the towns grew, a standardised curriculum and better teachers greatly improved the schools. Higher education was limited, although some religious groups such as the Methodists ran academies.

Sheriff’s Office/Jail

The building of a jail and the hiring of a sheriff or city marshal was another step on a town’s growth towards maturity. The office was normally quite fortified, to protect against drunks with guns. The jail contained several barred cells. Some were used as drying-out tanks; others held criminals awaiting trial. The jail walls are foot-thick cinderblock walls (hardness 8, 90 hit points, break DC 35). The doors are hardened (hardness 5, 20 hit points, Break DC 28) and locked (Disable Device, DC 25), while the individual cells also have their own locks on the doors. The bars have hardness 10, 15 hit points, and a break DC of 30. The sheriff and his deputies have copies of the keys to the cells.

Stable

The livery stable provides horses for sale or hire, as well as providing stabling and grooming for a small fee. A horse could be hired for a dollar a day.

Stage Station

A stagecoach station had a ticket office, a room for overnight passengers to rest, and a team of fresh horses waiting for the next couch.

Surgery

A doctor’s surgery, containing an examining table or chair (complete with straps to tie down patients awaiting amputation), medicines, surgical tools, towels and hot water, and (presumably) a doctor. A visit to a doctor would cost five dollars or more, depending on the nature of the complaint.

Theatre

Theatres or opera houses were built in larger towns. Eastern theatre companies and singers toured the lucrative Western circuit, although many Western audiences were considerably rowdier than they expected. Lectures on


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various topics were also given in theatres. A ticket cost 50 cents.

Train Station

At its simplest, a Western train station was a raised platform on the side of the track, next to a water tower. It might also have a bunker containing fuel (coal or wood) for the train, or a metal hook on which a mailbag was hung. Using a special hook, the train could collect the mail as it sped past without stopping. Larger stations had ticket offices and signal huts. The presence of the railroad is another sign that a town is making it big.

Town Hall

Trading Post

The network of trading posts was established by the fur companies in the early days of the West. Trappers would bring their furs to the post and exchange them for goods and money. Later, the posts began trading with Indian hunters or buffalo hunters - the discovery that buffalo hide made excellent belting for industrial machinery revitalised the fur trade. Some trading posts became the seeds from which larger towns grew.

Undertaker

A growth industry in many Western towns. In case any character tries hiding in a coffin, the wood has hardness 5 and 10 hit points.

Another major sign of an established town. Generally somewhere to head when you urgently want to shoot the mayor.


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Just Plain Folk

Just Plain Folk

T

he following cast of minor non-player characters covers most of the random encounters and trivial meetings in most games. To give them a bit more character, roll on the Physical Quirk or Personality Quirk tables. A selection of names is also provided.

Cowboy

Fast Hero 1; HP 16; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13; BAB +0; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (2, punch) or +2 ranged (1d6/19-20, S&W No. 2); Full Atk +1 melee (2, punch) or +2 ranged (1d6/19-20, S&W No. 2); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will -1; Rep +2; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12. Skills: Gamble +1, Handle Animal +7, Ride +8, Survival +1, Use Rope +6. Feats: Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Animal Affinity.

Vocation: Cowboy. Talents: Cowpunching: Animal Dodge.

Experienced Cowboy

Fast Hero 2/Tough Hero 2; HP 29; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 18, touch 18, flat-footed 16; BAB +2; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (3, punch) or +4 ranged (1d6/19-20, S&W No. 2); Full Atk +4 melee (3, punch) or +4 ranged (1d6/19-20, S&W No. 2); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will -1; Rep +5; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12. Skills: Craft (woodworking) +2, Gamble +2, Handle Animal +6, Ride +6, Survival +5, Use Rope +6. Feats: Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Animal Affinity, Literacy. Vocation: Cowboy. Talents: Cowpunching: Animal Dodge, Cowpuncher; Unbreakable: Remain Conscious; Riding the Range: Long Ride.

Random Quirks Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Physical Very tall Very short Unusual hair colour/bald Squints/wears glasses Limps Terrible cough Sunburnt Dresses ostentatiously Unusual scar or birthmark Allergic to common item Very thin Very fat Unkempt Fastidious Alcoholic Teetotaller No sense of balance/can’t ride Amputee/missing fingers Handsome/beautiful Bearded

Personality Charming Irritating Very religious Very political Longwinded Curt or quiet Suspicious Very open-minded Generous Jealous Easily angered Cowardly Well-informed Deceitful Naïve Calm Volatile Dour Happy Insane


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Random Names Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Male Robert Jack William Samuel Clint Charles Edward Frank George Jim Tom John James Peter Henry Benjamin Abraham Lewis Michael Ezekiel

Female Anne Sarah Mary Jessie Elizabeth Cynthia Rebecca Mae Rose Sallie Kate Caroline Lillie Amanda Dora Jane Virginia Eliza Chastity Prudence

Ranch Boss

Fast Hero 3/Tough Hero 3/Smart Hero 1; HP 41; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 18, touch 18, flat-footed 16; BAB +4; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (3, punch) or +6 ranged (1d6/1920, S&W No. 2); Full Atk +6 melee (3, punch) or +6 ranged (1d6/19-20, S&W No. 2); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +2; Rep +8; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 12. Skills: Craft (woodworking) +4, Gamble +2, Handle Animal +10, Knowledge (business) +4, Ride +8, Search +5, Survival +7, Use Rope +8. Feats: Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Animal Affinity, Literacy, Iron Will, Guide. Vocation: Cowboy. Talents: Cowpunching: Animal Dodge, Cowpuncher, Unbreakable: Remain Conscious, Damage Reduction 1/-; Riding the Range: Long Ride, Life in the Saddle; Strategy: Plan.

Settler

Dedicated Hero 1; HP 17; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 12, touch 12, flat-footed 11; BAB +0; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (2, punch) or +1 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Sharps Carbine); Full Atk +1 melee (2, punch) or +1 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Sharps Carbine); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +5; Rep +0; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8. Skills: Craft (structural) +4, Handle Animal +5, Drive +5, Knowledge (civics) +4, Profession (farmer) +4.

Family Williams Tucker Smith Roberts Phillips Murphy Moody McCarthy Johnson Jennings Hill Jones Casey Kilkenny Clay Brown Dixon Fortune Harris Summers Feats: Simple Longarms Proficiency, Iron Will, Great Fortitude. Vocation: Settler. Talents: Empathic: Empathy.

Established Settler

Dedicated Hero 3; HP 25; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 13, touch 13, flat-footed 12; BAB +2; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (2, punch) or +3 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Sharps Carbine); Full Atk +3 melee (2, punch) or +3 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Sharps Carbine); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +6; Rep +2; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8. Skills: Craft (structural) +6, Handle Animal +6, Drive +6, Knowledge (civics) +4, Perform +1, Profession (farmer) +6. Feats: Simple Longarms Proficiency, Iron Will, Great Fortitude. Vocation: Settler. Talents: Empathic: Empathy, Improved Aid Another; Settler: Unrecognised Talent.

General Store Owner

Dedicated Hero 1/Charismatic Hero 1; HP 14; Init -1; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; BAB +0; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (2, punch) or –1 ranged (Winchester Shotgun 3d6/x3); Full Atk +1 melee (2, punch) or -1


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Just Plain Folk

ranged (Winchester Shotgun 3d6/x3); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +3; Rep +3; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 13. Skills: Bluff +5, Diplomacy +7, Gather Information +8, Knowledge (Appraisal) +5, Knowledge (Business) +6, Knowledge (Civics) +5, Knowledge (Current Events) +8, Knowledge (local) +4, Profession (Shopkeeper) +6, Sense Motive +6. Feats: Simple Longarms Proficiency, Simple Shotgun Proficiency, Skill Focus (Knowledge (Current Events)), Trustworthy. Vocation: Storekeeper. Talents: Trader: Careful Trading, Sociable.

S a l o o n O w n er

Tough Hero 2/Charismatic Hero 2; HP 20; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 14, touch 14, flat-footed 13; BAB +2; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (3, punch) or +3 ranged (Winchester Shotgun 3d6/x3); Full Atk +4 melee (3, punch) or +3 ranged (Winchester Shotgun 3d6/x3); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +2; Rep +6; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 14. Skills: Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Gather Information +6, Knowledge (local) +2, Profession (bartender) +5, Sense Motive +6, Treat Injury +5. Feats: Simple Shotgun Proficiency, Trustworthy, Skill Focus (profession). Vocation: Bartender. Talents: Tending Bar: Duck Behind the Bar, Talkin’ About It; Unbreakable: Remain Conscious.

Talents: Healing: Healing Knack; Sawbones: Get Back On Your Feet.

‘ 49er

Strong Hero 1/Tough Hero 1; HP 22; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 13, touch 13, flat-footed 12; BAB +1; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (3, punch) or +2 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Winchester); Full Atk +3 melee (3, punch) or +2 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Winchester); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +3; Rep +2; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 10. Skills: Craft (structural) +3, Gamble +2, Profession (miner) +5. Feats: Endurance, Iron Will, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Simple Weapons Proficiency. Vocation: Miner. Talents: Miner: Obsessive Work; Extreme Effort: Extreme Effort.

Doctor

Smart Hero 2/Dedicated Hero 2; HP 18; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13; BAB +2; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (0, punch); Full Atk +1 melee (0, punch); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +6; Rep +5; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 12. Skills: Craft (chemical) +9, Decipher Script +9, Diplomacy +4, Gather Information +6, Knowledge (natural history) +9, Knowledge (Physical Science) +9, Knowledge (Civics) +9, Knowledge (theology and philosophy) +7, Profession (Doctor) +9, Ride +7, Treat Injury +16. Feats: Endurance, Literacy, Medical Expert, Run, Surgery, Skill Focus (treat injury). Vocation: Doctor.


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Outlaw

Fast Hero 1/Tough Hero 1; HP 18; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 16, touch 16, flat-footed 14; BAB +0; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (3, punch) or +3 ranged (1d6/19-20, Colt Lightning); Full Atk +2 melee (3, punch) or +3 ranged (1d6/19-20, Colt Lightning); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will -1; Rep +3; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12. Skills: Hide +6, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (streetwise) +4, Move Silently +6, Ride +6, Survival +3. Feats: Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Weapon Focus (Colt). Vocation: Robber. Talents: Raiding: Improved Intimidate, Overwatch.

Tougher Outlaw

Fast Hero 2/Tough Hero 2; HP 24; Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 19, touch 19, flat-footed 16; BAB +2; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (3, punch) or +6 ranged (1d6/19-20, Colt Lightning); Full Atk +4 melee (3, punch) or +6 ranged (1d6/19-20, Colt Lightning); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will -1; Rep +5; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12. Skills: Hide +7, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (streetwise) +7, Move Silently +7, Ride +8, Survival +5. Feats: Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Weapon Focus (Colt), Improved Initiative. Vocation: Robber. Talents: Raiding: Improved Intimidate, Overwatch, Planning the Job.

Toughest Outlaw

Fast Hero 4/Tough Hero 4; HP 36; Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 21, touch 21, flat-footed 18; BAB +6; Grap +8; Atk +8 melee (3, punch) or +10 ranged (1d6/19-20, Colt Lightning); Full Atk +8 melee (3, punch) or +3 ranged (1d6/19-20, Colt Lightning); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +1; Rep +9; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 13. Skills: Balance +4, Climb +3, Drive +6, Escape Artist +5, Handle Animal +5, Hide +5, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (current events) +4, Knowledge (streetwise) +4, Move Silently +5, Ride +7, Sleight of Hand +5, Spot +1, Tumble +5, Use Rope +5. Feats: Dodge, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Weapon Focus (Colt), Improved Initiative, Quick Reload. Vocation: Robber. Talents: Raiding: Improved Intimidate, Overwatch, Planning the Job; Defensive: Evasion, Uncanny Dodge 1; Unbreakable: Remain Conscious, Stamina.

Deputy

Tough Hero 3; HP 25; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12; BAB +2; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (2, punch) or +5 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Colt Peacemaker); Full Atk +3 melee (2, punch) or +5 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Colt Peacemaker); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3; Rep +4; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 10. Skills: Sense Motive +6, Spot +5, Ride +7. Feats: Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Weapon Focus (Colt), Improvised Weapon Proficiency. Vocation: Lawman. Talents: Unbreakable: Remain Conscious; Damage Reduction: Damage Reduction 1/-.

Sheriff

Tough Hero 3/Charismatic Hero 3; HP 33; Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 16, touch 16, flat-footed 13; BAB +3; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (2, punch) or +7 ranged (1d8/19-20/ x3, Colt Peacemaker); Full Atk +4 melee (2, punch) or +7 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Colt Peacemaker); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +4; Rep +6; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 10. Skills: Knowledge (law) +4, Gather Information +5, Ride +8, Sense Motive +7, Spot +7, Survival +7. Feats: Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Weapon Focus (Colt), Improvised Weapon Proficiency, Track, Improved Initiative. Vocation: Lawman. Talents: Unbreakable: Remain Conscious; Damage Reduction: Damage Reduction 1/-, 2/-, Law Enforcement: Demand Aid, Silver Star.

Cavalry Officer

Fast Hero 4/Charismatic Hero 4; HP 31; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 19, touch 19, flat-footed 16; BAB +5; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (1d8+1/19-20, sabre) or +8 ranged (1d8/1920/x3, Colt Army); Full Atk +6 melee (1d8+1/19-20, sabre) or +8 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Colt Army); Space/ Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +2; Rep +10; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14. Skills: Diplomacy +9, Knowledge (civics) +4, Knowledge (history) +4, Handle Animal +4, Hide +7, Intimidate +8, Move Silently +7, Ride +12, Search +6, Survival +5. Feats: Dodge, Mounted Fire, Moving Shot, Martial Weapons Proficiency, Ride-by Attack, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Spirited Charge, Trample. Vocation: Trooper. Talents: Officer: Corporal, Captain; Cavalry: Improved Mounted Combat, Sound the Charge.


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Native Americans

Native Americans

B

efore the arrival of Europeans, the North American continent and the land that was to be the West was the home of dozens of native tribes and nations. A few common bonds of culture and religion connected the tribes, a shared respect for nature and the land. Wars between nations were common, although mass bloodshed was rare compared to slave taking, scalping and counting coup. The tribes were divided into groups numbering less than three hundred, called bands. Among the nomadic northern tribes, these bands lived in villages of tipis or huts and followed the buffalo during the summer months. In the south, the tribes practised agriculture and dwelt in more permanent structures. The 19th century and the great push West broke the nations. Hopelessly outnumbered by technologically superior settlers and soldiers, the various tribes were pushed and herded onto reservations. A series of Acts of Congress and other laws alternately granted and took land from the Indian tribes.

The Tribes

Apache

The nomadic Apaches lived in the mountains. They were skilled raiders, preying on the neighbouring Pueblo bands as well as on other Apache and Navahos, not to mention whatever settlers claimed the land. The Apaches were a problem for successive Spanish, Mexican and American governments. One chief, Cochise, fought a war with invading white settlers for almost a decade. His chief opponents were General George Cook and the famous scout, Kit Carson. In 1871, an Apache village was attacked by settlers and other Indians, and over a hundred Apaches were killed. Following a series of battles and negotiations, Cochise accepted a treaty with the United States and the Apaches were moved to reservations. However, this did not spell the end of the Apache Wars – resistance movements fought against invaders from 1877-1880, under Victorio, and from 1881-1886 under the great Geronimo. The Apaches were loosely organised into small bands – only a great chief possessed of extraordinary force of personality could unite the nation.

This is only a fraction of the various tribes and nations that exist, but these are the ones that are likely to play a part in a Western game.

N a t i v e v s . I n d ian

‘Indian’ was, of course, erroneously used by Columbus and the other early explorers as a term for the native peoples of the American continent – the explorers were looking for a route to the Far East, but instead they found the West. Throughout most of this book, the term ‘Indian’ is used; from ‘cowboys and Indians’ to the ‘look out! Injuns!’ of dozens of movies, it is much too much a part of the genre to be ignored. Most of the rest of this book presents Indians from the perspective of the white settlers, as savages (noble or fearsome) or enemies. This chapter, on the other hand, is intended to briefly describe the native tribes as they see themselves and the West. Hence, the term ‘native’ is mostly used.

1787: The Northwest Ordinance promises that ‘the utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians’. 1830: The Indian Removal Act moves all Indians west of the Mississippi. 1834: The Trade and Intercourse Act creates an Indian Territory between the Red and Missouri rivers. This territory is for Indians alone; no white settlements would be permitted, and only licensed traders would be allowed do business with the Indians. 1871: ‘No Indian nation or tribe is considered an independent power with whom the United States may contract by treaty’. 1887: The reservations are divided into parcels of land and divided among the natives; the ‘surplus’ of more than half the reservation land is allocated to homesteaders.


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Cheyenne

The Cheyenne were one of the group known as the Plains Indians, horse-riding buffalo hunters and nomads. They were organised into the Council of Forty-Four, made up of the chiefs of the various bands who made decisions about alliances and treaties. Their warriors were also part of military societies, such as the Bowstring Wolves and Dog Soldiers. During the middle part of the 19th century, the Cheyenne were divided into the Northern Cheyenne, who lived at the headwaters of the Platte River, and the Southern Cheyenne of Kansas and Colorado. The Northerners were allied with the mighty Sioux; the Southern Cheyenne were alternately enemies and allies of the Arapaho, Comanche and Comanche. In 1858, gold was discovered in the territory of the Southern Cheyenne, and attempts were made to force the tribe off their hunting grounds. In 1864, Colonel John Chivington launched a brutal attack on the Cheyenne. Black Kettle, the chief of the Cheyenee, brought six hundred of his people to Sand Creek near Fort Lyon to surrender. Chivington attacked instead – this became known as the Sand Creek massacre. The few survivors spread word of the massacre to the other tribes, sparking off a long series of intermittent wars across the Plains, lasting until Wounded Knee in 1890.

continued after the Comanche were placed in a reservation, the Texas Rangers and the army launched campaigns against the Comanche. The Civil War drew off many of the troops facing the Comanche (indeed, the Confederates even supplied the Comanche with guns in the hopes of winning their loyalty). Kit Carson’s troops continued the attacks, and found that attacking during the winter was far more effective. The natives were used to fighting during the summer and living peacefully off stockpiled supplies during the winter, so the whites’ willingness to attack in the cold months proved surprising. This practise continued after the war. More damaging, though, was the virtual extinction of the buffalo. Like the other Plains Indians, it was a vital part of the Comanche’s lifestyle. Food supplies began to dwindle. Under their leader, the well-educated half-breed Quanah Parker, the Comanche allied with the Arapaho,

The Northern Cheyenne under Dull Knife allied with the Sioux, and their warriors were among those who defeated Custer at Little Big Horn. The Cheyenne were known for their elaborate rituals, both religious and social.

Comanche

Known as raiders and horsethieves, the Comanche lands were in the Southern Plains, primarily Texas and New Mexico. They had no tribal councils or any authorities other than peace and war chiefs for each band. They raided wagon trains during the 1850s; when these raids


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Native Americans

Cheyenne and Kiowa and began to raid settlements and attack buffalo hunters. General Sheridan drew troops from Texas, Kansas and New Mexico to quell the resistance, and eventually defeated the alliance at Palo Duro Canyon. Quanah surrendered in 1875, later becoming a significant statesman and religious leader.

F i v e C i v i l i s e d T ribes

These tribes were among the first to contact white settlers, as their traditional grounds were along the east coast. The tribes adopted white customs and beliefs, becoming Christians, owning farms, livestock and slaves, and intermarrying with the settlers. Despite this, the 1830 Indian Removal Act moved them West. This forced move, which killed nearly a third of the Civilised Tribes, was known as the Trail of Tears. Cherokee: The Cherokee were staunch allies of the Americans; one of their chiefs even saved Andrew Jackson’s life during the Creek Wars. They established a republican government for themselves, developed their own written language and had their own tribal constitution and newspaper by 1828. Still, the discovery of gold on Cherokee land forced their removal along the terrible Trail of Tears to the Indian Territory. Chickasaw: The Chickasaw were famed for their ‘law of hospitality’, which dictated that they provide generously for guests. Many of the tribe voluntarily moved west in the 1820s, and the nation as a whole did not suffer as much as others did on the Trail of Tears. Disease haunted them in the Indian Territories, diminishing their power. Choctaw: This tribe also adopted many white customs and fought in the American armies. Creek: The Creek were skilled farmers, and built strong permanent villages. During the early part of the 19th century, they became divided into the White Stick and Red Stick factions; the Red Sticks supported Tecumseh’s revolt in 1809-11, and launched their own rebellion, the Creek Wars, in 1813-14. Seminole: The Seminole dwelled in the Florida Everglades. Many were opposed to slavery, and provided shelter to runaways. This policy sparked the punitive First Seminole War in 1817-18. Like the other Civilised Tribes, many of the Seminole were forced West along the Trail of Tears. However, a large portion of the tribe hid in the Everglades, resisting even the attempts made to force them out (the Second and Third Seminole Wars).

Kiowa

Allies of the Comanche, the Kiowa are notable for their strong tradition of warrior societies. The greatest of these was the Koitsenko, the Principal Dogs, made up of the ten best warriors of the tribe. The leader of this society bore a long sash, which he fastened to the ground with a spear in battle. He could not retreat from this spot unless another Principal Dog removed the spear. Other elements of Kiowa culture, such as their tradition of inscribing tribal records in pictograms on buffalo hide, suggest a connection to the ancient cultures of the far South. The Kiowa also produced some of the greatest leaders of the era, such as the warriors Sitting Bear and Big Tree, as well as the diplomat Kicking Bird and the shaman Sky Walker.

Navaho

The shepherding Navaho were one of the largest tribes. Allies of the Apache, the Navaho fought in many of their wars. They also clashed with the white settlers over grazing and water rights. In the 1860s, Kit Carson led a campaign against them, targeting the Navajo farms and livestock. Many thousands of Navaho surrendered. They were relocated to a reservation in the barren Pecos River valley, where many sickened and died. In 1868, the survivors were permitted to return to a new reservation on traditional Navaho land. The Navaho are known for their sandpainting and other fine arts.

Nez Perce

This North-Eastern plateau tribe was untroubled for most of the century. It was a proud claim of their tribe that they had never killed a white man. Then, in 1871, the tribe was ordered to relocate to a reservation and leave their ancestral valley behind. The Nez Perce under their young chief Joseph refused, and violence erupted. Joseph proved to be a skilled general. The Nez Perce war began when army soldiers fired at six Nez Perce, who were approaching under a flag of truce. In the ensuing battle, 34 soldiers were killed, but not a single Nez Perce fell. Still, the Nez Perce retreated… for 1,7000 miles. Joseph had decided to lead his people to Canada, and brought his band of refugees through the wilderness for months. No less than three armies were dispatched to stop the Nez Perce, and Joseph managed to evade or defeat them all for months. He was finally stopped only thirty miles short of the border by the sympathetic General Oliver Howard. Joseph’s surrender speech is one of the most famous and most quoted statements from the entire century.


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I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohulhulsote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead. It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are - perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever. Before the Flight of the Nez Perces, the tribe was known for farming, fishing and horse-breeding.

Paiute

The Paiute of the Great Basin were known contemptuously by settlers of California and Oregon as ‘digger’ Indians, as a major part of their diet came from foraged roots, nuts and grubs. The Northern Paiute were known for raiding mining camps, stagecoaches, ranches and other outposts. Punitive campaigns were launched against them during the 1860s. The Paiute also produced the famed shaman Wovoka, who founded the Ghost Dance religion. According to this belief, if all the tribes performed the Ghost Dance and ritually purified themselves, then the world would be destroyed and reborn in a renewed form, to be inhabited by the tribes alone. The Ghost Dance unsettled many reservations, and lead to the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890.

all the nations by arguing that no single Indian or tribe had the right to give up their lands, as the land belonged to all. He tried to form a united military and indeed, he had a genuine gift for both oratory and strategy. He was also highly educated and informed, having studied world history and politics to prepare for the construction of an Indian nation. Tecumseh travelled to many different tribes, trying to forge this alliance. An attack on the Shawnee lands disrupted his efforts, especially after his brother drew the Shawnee into a fruitless battle. Tecumseh later allied with the British during the War of 1812, and was made a brigadier general. He proved himself to be a masterful commander, but was shot dead in 1813. If Tecumseh had lived, history might have taken a very different course. The Shawnee were pushed southeast, beyond the Mississippi.

Sioux Nation

The Sioux Nation dominated the Great Planes. They are perhaps closest to the stereotypical image of an Indian, with their bright warbonnets and painted tipis. They were skilled horseriders and hunters. The Sioux are divided into the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota tribes. They were among the most resistant to the expansion of the Union. The Sioux Wars lasted for most of the latter half of the 19th century, and recounting them all in detail is beyond the scope of this section. They include: •

The Grattan Affair, 1854-1855: A Mormon family travelling West lost a cow, which wandered into a Sioux camp. The Sioux were accused of stealing the cow by an over-ambitious military officer. The argument escalated into a military confrontation.

•

The Minnesota Uprising, 1862: Militant Sioux attacked settlers in Minnesota. Their chief, Little Crow, initially argued for peace, but when the war began, he fought as well as he could. The Sioux were eventually routed; many warriors including Little Crow fled into the wilderness, and the ringleaders who remained were hung.

•

The War for the Bozeman Trail, 1865-66: The Sioux begin raiding miners and caravans travelling to Montana, in concert with the Cheyenne and Arapaho. The natives used guerrilla tactics, striking at a wagon train then fading back into the wilderness. Red Cloud, the leader of the Sioux fighters, offers a compromise – if no more forts are built, the war will stop. The army refuse. Soon after, 80 soldiers are killed in an ambush by a 1,500-strong Sioux force under Crazy Horse. The subsequent slaughter is known as the Fetterman

Pueblo

The pueblo tribes of the Southeast were farmers. The Hopi and Zuni were the largest of the tribes, and lived on the Colorado plateau. The Pueblo Indians were known for their large, multi-level apartment buildings, built from stone and adobe bricks. The Pueblo clashed with the Mexicans before their territories were handed over to the United States, but lived (mostly) in peace during the 19th century.

Shawnee

The glory days of the Shawnee during the 19th century came during its early years. Two great twins rose to rule the tribe. One was the shaman Tenskwatawa (Shawnee Prophet to the whites), who preaches that the Indians must give up Christian religion and alcohol and return to their traditional ways. His brother, Tecumseh, tried to unite


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Native Americans

massacre. New weapons are sent to the army, but to no avail – in 1868, they accede to Red Cloud’s demands. •

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The War for the Black Hills, 1876-1877: Gold was discovered in the sacred Black Hills, and when the Sioux hunting parties nearby were forced onto the reservations, war broke out. The Sioux and their allies under Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse fought against the army sent to keep their hunting parties on the reservation. Initially, the war went very well for the Sioux – a cavalry attack was repulsed, an army routed, and at Little Big Horn, Custer’s Seventh Cavalry was destroyed. This was the last great Indian victory – Dull Knife’s Cheyenne were soon routed, and almost all the Sioux generals had all surrendered or been captured by 1877. The Ghost Dance and Wounded Knee: By 1890, the Ghost Dance religion had spread to the Sioux reservations. The army became worried about the unrest, and ordered the arrest of the great surviving Sioux chief, Sitting Bull. A fight broke out, and Sitting Bull was killed. The Ghost Dance fever continued, culminating in the massacre at Wounded Knee. Ghost Dancers, convinced their magic shirts would protect them, attempted to retain their firearms when the army tried to take them. A gun went off when a soldier tried to confiscate it; more fighting broke out. The artillery fired. And it was over.

Ute

Relatives of the Paiute and sharing much of their culture, the Ute were known for their skills at archery. They also had more mounted warriors than the Paiute. The warlike Ute clashed with other tribes, and fought white settlers in 1853 and in the 1860s. They exchanged much of the lands for a reservation in 1859, after gold was discovered in their hunting grounds. Under the leadership of the skilled diplomat and lawyer Chief Ouray, they lived in relative peace until1879, when the Ute clashed with the Indian Agent Nathan Meeker, who was trying to bring Christianity and agriculture to the tribe. This sparked an armed conflict with the military. An initial expedition to support Meeker was surrounded and besieged; by the time a relief force broke through, they found that Meeker had been killed and the agency raided. This could have lead to all-out war with the Ute, but Chief Ouray negotiated a peace and the release of hostages taken by his warriors.

C o m m o n C u s t oms

While each tribe and band has its own unique culture and traditions, there are some customs that extend across many native tribes. The most significant cultural group encountered during the 19th century was the Plains Indians, made up of the Sioux, Cheyenne, Comanche, Apache and several other tribes, and the customs described below are drawn from their beliefs.

Counting Coup

‘Counting coup’ involved striking another warrior in battle without injuring him. A special coup stick was normally used, although a bare hand or even a lance or other weapon could be used. A warrior’s prowess was measured not in kills, but in how often he had counted coup upon enemies. Capturing enemy possessions and scalps was also worthy of praise.

A native character may attempt to count coup by making a successful touch attack on an enemy. This draws an attack of opportunity from the target. If the attack hits, then the warrior has counted coup, and gains a +1 morale bonus to all attacks for the rest of the day (maximum of +3 morale bonus from counting coup). He may also make a Reputation check (DC of 10 + his current Reputation) – if successful, he may increase his Reputation by +1. If the victim of a coup attack follows native beliefs, then he suffers a –2 morale penalty to all attacks for the rest of the battle.

Sacred Pipe

Tobacco was considered a sacred source of magic, and the ornate ceremonial pipes used to smoke it were important relics. The pipe was also referred to as the peace pipe, as most outsiders only saw it as part of negotiations for the cessation of hostilities. A character who smokes the sacred pipe gains a +4 circumstance bonus to Charisma for the purposes of diplomacy and negotiation. (Those unused to the pungent tobacco must make a Fortitude save (DC 10) to avoid choking.)

Scalping

Both sides in the Indian Wars practised scalping – it was a convenient way to bring back proof of an enemy’s demise, as well as an item of ritual significance. Bounties of tens or even hundreds of dollars were paid for Indian scalps. Scalping involved cutting a circle with a knife through the skin of the crown of the head, then pulling. A character might survive a scalping, but the attack deals 10 damage and causes a Serious Wound.


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Sun Dance

During the summer, the various bands of a tribe gather together for communal buffalo hunt. Their tipis are arranged in a great circle, and various celebrations such as horse races and hunts were held. The sacred Sun Dance was held near the end of the summer, and involved the raising of a ceremonial tree trunk, dancing and meditation. One notable aspect of the ceremony involved self-mutilation – the dancers were impaled with wooden or bone skewers. These skewers were driven into the dancers’ chest or limbs. Some skewers were tied to the ceremonial pole; others dragged buffalo skulls. This mutilation brought visions for the dancers, and good luck to the tribe. The Sun Dance is the Sioux form for the ritual; other tribes call it by different names.

Vision Quests

Contact with the spirit world was an important part of native beliefs. The vision quest was the usual method for establishing contact with the spirits; an individual would purify himself in a sweat lodge, then strip naked and paint himself with white clay. He would then fast in an isolated place, until exposure, hunger, thirst and pain brought on a vision. The vision often involved an aspect of the natural world, such as a tree or animal. A shaman would then advise and help interpret the vision, and help prepare a medicine bundle that encapsulated the vision. Vision quests were usually undertaken before a major event, such as a war.

Undergoing a Vision Quest

To undergo a vision quest, the character must travel into the wilderness and wait. Every six hours, he may make a Concentration check (DC 25) to receive a vision. He gets a +1 insight bonus to the check for every point of damage he has suffered from thirst and hunger. For example, a character who gone without drinking for four days and taken 8 points of damage would gain a +8 bonus to his Concentration check.

Life on the Plains

Life for the Plains Tribes had changed greatly in the centuries before the 19th – the horse had replaced the dog as their main beast of burden, and they had become expert horsemen. The horse could drag a larger travois (a sled, which used tipi poles for its framework) and carry more possessions and even transport those who would otherwise be too sick or elderly to travel. They could now travel further and easier, and so became more nomadic, following the buffalo. The buffalo was vital to the Plains Indians. Before the horse, their hunting had been limited to sneaking up on


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the buffalo or stampeding them off cliffs or into traps. A horseman, however, could keep up with the running buffalo and bring them down with well-placed arrows (or, later, a more efficient rifle). Meat from the prized buffalo hump as well as the rest of the body and the tongue, liver and other organs was eaten or made into pemmican or jerky. Practically every scrap of the animal was used – the skin was made into leather or rawhide clothing or tipis; thread, rope and other tools were made from the sinew, and hoof and horns were also made into tools or ceremonial items. Campfires were fuelled with dried buffalo chips. Antelope, deer, elk, bear and other animals were also hunted. The mobile villages of the tribes mostly consisted of tipis; buffalo-hide tents erected on wooden poles. The entrance faced east, away from the prevailing westerly winds. A smoke-hole at the top allowed fumes from the fire to escape, and the main entrance could be sealed tightly, allowing the tipi to stay warm in winter. In addition to being homes and shelters, they were sacred places containing altars and symbolising the world.

L i f e o n t he Re s e r v a t i o n s

The various Indian Territories and reservations were sometimes on marginal land unwanted by the settlers, although others were simply placed in isolated regions. The Indians were expected to keep to their reservations, while most outsiders were similarly expected to keep out. The army forts enforced this law. As the buffalo herds paid no heed to the borders of reservations, the natives desired to follow the buffalo on their migrations to continue their hunts, leading to clashes with the army.

I n d i a n A g e n ts

The Department of Indian Affairs assigned Indian Agents to each reservation. Part ombudsman, part social worker, the agent was responsible for helping the tribes and keeping them in check. Some agents tried to convert their tribes to agriculture, others tried to spread Christianity. The agent was responsible for issuing passes and licenses to leave the reservation or operate trading posts there. The agent was also responsible for distributing the rations of food and ammunition to those on the reservation. Many succumbed to despair, living off the meagre rations provided by the agency and trading for whiskey and firewater.

T r a d i n g P o s ts

Trading posts run by licensed traders exchanged goods such as blankets and rifles for furs and other products of those living on the reservation. Many of these traders were

crooked, taking advantage of their virtual monopoly on the reservation.

Character Generation

Native characters follow the same rules as other characters, with the following differences: •

Instead of gaining the Simple Longarms, Simple Sidearms, or Improvised Weapons Proficiency feats from their starting class, native characters gain the Indian Weapons Proficiency feat.

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Native characters speak the language of their tribe automatically, and must take the Speak Language feat to converse with outsiders.

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Native characters have access to the vocations below.

Vocations

Depending on circumstances, a native character can follow any of the vocations listed in Chapter XX (especially the Scout). Similarly, a white character adopted or honoured by a tribe can follow one of these vocations.

Brave

This is the path of the warrior, fighting against other braves or against the cavalry of the white man. Braves are often inducted into secret societies within their tribe as they advance in rank and Reputation. A brave can win great honour in battle, but also faces the thundering guns of the enemy. Prerequisites: Indian Weapons Proficiency. Vocation Skills: Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft (bowmaking or woodworking only), Handle Animal, Jump, Listen, Ride, Survival, Swim. Reputation Bonus: A warrior gains a +1d6 Reputation bonus after each battle. He may also gain Reputation by counting coup on others.

Brave Warrior Talent Tree

This tree covers skills used on the battlefield. •

Dedication: The brave is used to enduring pain, from experience in vision quests and the Sun


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•

•

Dance. He may reduce the impairment penalty from wounds by –2. This talent may be taken multiple times; its effects stack. Rage: The brave may enter a rage as a free action. While raging, the brave gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution, but suffers a –2 to Defence and cannot use any skills that require careful thought or concentration. This rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the brave’s newly improved Constitution modifier. The increase in Constitution also increases the brave’s hit points by +2 per level; these are temporary hit points that vanish when the rage ends. After a rage, the character is fatigued (2 to Strength and Constitution) for a number of rounds equal to the original duration of the rage. A rage can be ended prematurely. This talent can only be used once per day. This talent may be taken multiple times; each extra talent gives another use of Rage per day. o Prerequisite: Dedication

Expert Rider Talent Tree

The natives quickly adapted to fighting and living on horseback. They can take talents from the Riding the Range talent tree or Favoured Horse talent tree, in addition to the following talents: •

Improved Mounted Archery: When using a bow, the character suffers no penalties to attack rolls when fighting from a moving horse. o Prerequisite: Mounted Fire

Strike from Ambush: The brave is skilled at attacking from ambush. He may use the Rideby Attack or Spring Attack feats if attacking a flat-footed opponent, even if he does not possess these feats or their prerequisites.


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Moving Cover: The character is adept at using his horse for cover. He may make a Ride check (DC 15). If this check is successful, then he may count his horse as one-half cover against attacks by swinging down behind the horse’s flanks.

Vocation Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (Indian lore), Ride, Survival. Reputation Bonus: A chief ’s Reputation increases by +1d4 every year.

Hunter

Few native tribes practised agriculture, so a successful hunt was vital to ensure the survival of the band. Hunters were adept at tracking and trapping smaller animals, and bringing down the mighty buffalo. Hunters are trained in stealth and survival, allowing them to vanish into the wilderness.

Chieftain Talent Tree

Most chiefs will have levels as Smart or Charismatic Hero, giving them access to the Strategy and Leadership Talent trees. •

Smoke the Sacred Pipe: The chief may use 10 + his Reputation instead of rolling a die when making Diplomacy or Intimidation checks against other chieftains or members of his band.

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Send Them On The War Path: The chief may transfer up to half his luck to other members of the tribe. The chief regains these luck points normally.

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Wise Leadership: The chief gains a +4 insight bonus to any rolls relating to day-to-day leadership of the tribe in non-stressful situations.

Prerequisites: Indian Weapons Proficiency. Vocation Skills: Concentration, Craft (traps), Handle Animal, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Ride, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim. Reputation Bonus: A hunter’s Reputation increases by +1 every year.

H u n t e r T a l e n t Tree

The hunter may take Talents from the Scouting Talent Tree in addition to the talents listed below. •

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Vanish into the Wild: The DC to track a hunter’s trail is increased by +1 for every two ranks the hunter has in Survival. Read the Land: The hunter is attuned to the movements of animals and birds, and notices signs that betray the presence of other humans. The hunter may spend a luck point to avoid being flatfooted when surprised. Furthermore, he may make a Survival check (DC 15) to notice when there are other humans within three miles.

Chief

The chief of a band bears the awesome responsibility of leadership. He must guide his followers, ensuring that the hunts go well and that the Sun Dance is properly performed, so that the tribe can survive the year. He decides when the young braves shall go to war, and when they shall hunt. The coming of the white man has made the duties of the chiefs even more difficult – the bitterest of choices now lies before the nations of the people. Prerequisites: Indian Weapons Proficiency, Good Reputation +10 or more among the tribe.

Shaman

Tribal shamans are responsible for interpreting omens and vision quests, and for ensuring that the spirits continue to favour the tribe. Prerequisites: Wisdom 13. Vocation Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (Indian lore, nature, theology and philosophy), Listen, Perform (preach), Ride, Sense Motive. Reputation Bonus: A shaman does not gain in Reputation under most circumstances. Successful interpretation of major omens can give the shaman a +1d6 or higher bonus, but this is a rare event.

Shaman Talent Tree •

Vision Interpretation: After a vision quest, the shaman may make a Knowledge (theology and philosophy) check (DC 12). If the check is successful, then the character who went on the vision quest gains a +2 morale bonus to two skills, or a +1 bonus to base attack bonus or Defence, depending on what animal the character saw. A totem animal of a wolf might give a bonus to attacks, while an owl might give a bonus to Spot


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and Move Silently. These vision bonuses last for 2d6 days. •

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Medicine Pouch: The shaman may spend a luck point to give another character +1d6 luck points. This talent may only be used once per character per year. Furious Spirits: This works just like the Moral Outrage talent from the Preaching Talent Tree.

Sample Characters

Low-level brave

Strong Hero 2/Fast Hero 1; HP 26; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 17, touch 17, flat-footed 15; BAB +2; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (2d4+1/19-20, hatchet) or +5 ranged (1d6, bow); Full Atk +3 melee (2d4+1/19-20, hatchet) or +5 ranged (1d6, bow); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1; Rep +2; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. Skills: Hide +7, Move Silently +6, Ride +8, Survival +7 Feats: Indian Weapons Proficiency, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (bow), Point Blank Shot, Toughness. Vocation: Brave Talents: Brave: Dedication, Rage


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M e d i u m - l e v e l b rave

Strong Hero 2/Fast Hero 2/Tough Hero 1; HP 31; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 19, touch 19, flat-footed 17; BAB +3; Grap +5; Atk +5 melee (2d4+2/19-20, hatchet) or +6 ranged (1d6, bow); Full Atk +5 melee (2d4+2/19-20, hatchet) or +6 ranged (1d6, bow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1; Rep +4; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. Skills: Handle Animal +3, Hide +7, Move Silently +7, Ride +9, Survival +9 Feats: Indian Weapons Proficiency, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (bow), Point Blank Shot, Improved Initiative Vocation: Brave Talents: Brave: Dedication, Rage; Unbreakable: Remain Conscious; Damage Reduction: DR1/-.

S k i l l e d b r a ve

Strong Hero 3/Fast Hero 2/Tough Hero 2; HP 40; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 21, touch 21, flat-footed 19; BAB +5; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee (2d4+2/19-20, hatchet) or +8 ranged (1d6+2, bow); Full Atk +7 melee (2d4+2/19-20, hatchet) or +8 ranged (1d6+2, bow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5ft, SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2; Rep +6; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8. Skills: Handle Animal +3, Hide +7, Listen +3, Move Silently +7, Ride +10, Spot +4, Survival +10 Feats: Indian Weapons Proficiency, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (bow), Point Blank Shot, Improved Initiative, Weapon Specialisation (bow), Endurance. Vocation: Brave Talents: Brave: Dedication, Rage, Strike from Ambush; Unbreakable: Remain Conscious; Damage Reduction: DR1/-.

Chief

Strong Hero 2/Fast Hero 2/Tough Hero 1/Charismatic Hero 2; HP 39; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 20, touch 20, flat-footed 18; BAB +4; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (2d41/19-20, hatchet) or +7 ranged (1d6, bow); Full Atk +2 melee (2d4-1/19-20, hatchet) or +7 ranged (1d6, bow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5ft.; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1; Rep +10; Str 8, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14. Skills: Bluff +4, Diplomacy +8, Gather Information +4, Handle Animal +3, Hide +7, Move Silently +6, Ride +8, Sense Motive +5, Survival +8 Feats: Indian Weapons Proficiency, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (bow), Point Blank Shot, Improved Initiative, Trustworthy. Vocation: Brave, Chief Talents: Brave: Dedication, Rage; Unbreakable: Remain Conscious; Damage Reduction: DR1/-; Chief: Wise Leadership, Smoke the Sacred Pipe.

Shaman

Dedicated Hero 2/Smart Hero 2; HP 24; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 13, touch 13, flat-footed 13; BAB +2; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (0, punch); Full Atk +1 melee (0, punch); Space/Reach 5 ft./5ft.;SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +9; Rep +2; Str 8, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 13. Skills: Bluff +3, Craft (woodcarving) +9, Handle Animal +8, Knowledge (Indian Lore) +11, Knowledge (theology & philosophy) +11, Perform +11, Ride +7, Sense Motive +9, Survival +9, Treat Injury +9 Feats: Literacy, Speak Language (English), Iron Will, Educated Vocation: Shaman Talents: Shaman: Vision Interpretation, Medicine Pouch; Healing Talent: Healing Knack; Insightful Talent: Skill Emphasis (Perform)


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O

Rogues’ Gallery

ne of the great appeals of historical gaming is interacting with historical figures, serving under Andrew Jackson or getting arrested by Wyatt Earp. Games Masters with a concern for historical accuracy may wish to ensure that the player characters cannot send reality off the rails by killing President Lincoln early, and have the characters only encounter historical personages in quick cameos or carefully planned scenes. Those willing to deviate from history, however, can include historical characters in their games as major non player characters – or even player characters. Putting the players into a famous situation, like the Battle at Little Big Horn or the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral can be an interesting mini-campaign. (For extra amusement for the Games Master at least, put the players on the losing side, and let them try to avoid their fate.)

Billy t h e K i d

Aka Henry McCarthy, William Bonney. Born 1859, Indiana, Died July 14, 1881, Fort Sumner, New Mexico The young Henry McCarthy’s family moved to Kansas, then New Mexico during the Civil War. There, his mother died in 1874, and ‘Billy’ became involved in petty crime. He escaped jail, then headed to Arizona where he worked as a cowboy and labourer in Graham County. In August of 1877, in a saloon he quarrelled with an Irish blacksmith named Cahill. Cahill threw Billy to the ground; Billy pulled a revolved and shot the blacksmith. He fled to New Mexico, and got a job on a ranch operated by John Tunstall. Tunstall was involved with a lawyer named Alexander McSween and a cattle baron named John Chisum in a partnership to break the power of a rival syndicate, the Murphy-Dolan-Riley faction, who operated almost everything from the saloon to the law in Lincoln County. The rivalry between the two factions escalated, and the local magistrate attempted to interdict McSween’s ranch, which was run by Tunstall. John Tunstall went into town to discuss the matter, and was shot by a posse of some thirty men in the service of the syndicate. Tunstall’s employees, including Billy the Kid, vowed revenge, and began what became known as the Lincoln County War.

Billy and the other ranch-hands (known as the Regulators), led by Dick Brewer, killed two of the posse, and managed to obtain warrants for the rest. However, the Kid and four others took the war to the streets of Lincoln. They lay in wait for Sheriff Brady, who was one of the syndicate’s men. When he passed by, they rose up and shot him before escaping on horseback. More skirmishes ensued, during which Dick Brewer was killed, and Billy killed Dick’s killer, one Buckshot Roberts. The high point of the war came soon after. Billy and Alexander McSween were besieged in Chisum’s ranch house by a small army of Murphy loyalists. Chisum’s cowboys rode back from a roundup to relieve the siege, but also brought word of other Regulators in trouble in Lincoln. Billy led the posse into town, but they were too late, and ended up barricading themselves into McSween’s big townhouse. By dawn, the townhouse was surrounded by Murphy’s men. An exchange of fire between the trapped Regulators and those outside turned into a bitter three-day siege. On the evening of the third day, a company of infantry from Fort Stanton arrived under the command of Colonel Nathan Dudley. The colonel was sympathetic towards McSween, but Murphy’s new sheriff, George Peppin, was legally the sheriff of Lincoln and hence the siege was justifiable in the eyes of the law. During the colonel’s parlay with the Regulators, Peppin’s men set fire to the house. McSween tried to surrender to buy the lives of his friends, but was shot dead. The rest of the broken Regulators fled, and last to leave was the Kid. After the siege, Chisum’s faction was gone and the cattle magnate no longer had any interest in Lincoln. The war was over – except for Billy. He continued his campaign against the killers of Tunstall and McSween. He fled into the countryside, and from there he ambushed ranchers who he suspected of participating in the siege. To end the Kid’s crusade, the ranchers called on the President for aid, who appointed a new governor, General Lew Wallace. Wallace offered the Kid amnesty if he gave up his arms or left, but Billy refused. A new posse under Pat Garrett was formed to hunt down the Kid. They caught him in 1881, and arranged for him


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Rogues Gallery

to be hanged. The night before, though, he tricked one of the guards into playing cards with him. Billy pretended to drop a card, bent down to pick it up – and came back up holding the guard’s own gun instead. (Another variation of the story has the Kid stop to use an outhouse, where he managed to free his hands and steal or find a gun). He shot two guards and escaped on horseback. Two months later, Pat Garrett finally got his man, shooting Billy the Kid by tracking him to a sweetheart’s house and ambushing him.

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A d v e n t u r e I d eas

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Characters could easily be involved in one side or another during the Lincoln Country War. If the characters are part of the Regulators, they will have to choose between the wildness of the Kid and the more reasonable leadership of Dick Brewer. If part of the other faction, then they face being hunted down and killed by vengeful Regulators. The government responded to the rancher's pleas by sending a new governor – but that was not the only action they could have taken. The characters could be sent in to undercover the root cause of the Lincoln Country War and bring all those responsible for unlawful acts to justice.

Billy the Kid

Fast Hero 5/Dedicated Hero 2; HP 28; Init +10; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 21, touch 21, flat-footed 17; BAB +4; Grap +5; Atk +1 melee (1d6+1,bowie knife) or +9 ranged (1d8/1920/x2, Colt Thunderer); Full Atk +1 melee (1d6+1, bowie knife) or +9 ranged (1d8/19-20/x2, Colt Thunderer); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4; Rep

+14; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 14. Skills: Escape Artist +10, Handle Animal +5, Gamble +1, Hide +11, Intimidate +5, Listen +4, Move Silently +12, Ride +14, Spot +4, Sleight of Hand +7, Use Rope +10. Feats: Literacy, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Weapon Focus (Colt), Dodge, Improved Initiative, Quick Reload, Quick Draw, Iron Will. Luck: 10. Vocations: Cowboy, Gunslinger. Talents: Defensive: Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, All-Around Awareness; Gunslinger: Improved Quick Draw.

Buffalo Bill Cody

Aka William F. Cody Born Iowa, 1846. Died January 10th, 1917.

The legend of Buffalo Bill is as much a testament to the power of showmanship as it is to Cody’s own skills. He grew up on the plains, working from an early age as a horse wrangler and messenger. He joined the Pony Express at age 14. He served as a Union scout in campaigns against the Kiowa and Comanche, then with the Seventh Kansas Cavalry back east. He then worked as a scout and messenger again in Kansas. In 1867, he won the title of ‘Buffalo’ Bill when he took a job with the Kansas Pacific Railroad. The rail-workers needed food, and tons of its was on the hoof across the plains - in the form of buffalo. Cody killed thousands of the animals with his rifle. During this time, he had an eight-hour shooting match with William Comstock, who also called himself ‘Buffalo Bill’. Cody won, and over a


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seventeen-month period, he killed 4,280 buffalo by his own count. 1868 found him back with the army, serving with the Fifth Cavalry under Custer as a scout. He participated in some sixteen battles with the Indians and won the Congressional Medal of Honour. Around this time, he met the writer E.Z.C. Judson, better known as Ned Buntline, who used Cody’s exploits as source material for a series of books, beginning with Buffalo Bill, the King of the Border Men. ‘Buffalo Bill’ became famous. Three years later, in 1872, Bill was in New York, starring in a stage play called Scouts of the Prairie. Following a dispute with Buntline, Cody’s myth was upheld by Prentiss Ingraham, who wrote many of the hundreds of frontier tales published in the 1880s. Between theatre seasons, Cody went back west, escorting rich tourists or even serving as an army scout in 1876, following the death of Custer. (During this time, he either shot, stabbed, or just found the corpse of a chief named Yellow Hair (or Hand), and scalped him. The event was being recreated on stage as Buffalo Bill’s First Scalp for General Custer within a few weeks.) Buffalo Bill’s famous Wild West show started in 1883, and was a tremendous success. It toured the country and abroad for three decades. It was so impressive that many visitors to the 1893 Columbia Exposition (World’s Fair) in Chicago went home after seeing the Wild West show outside the fair, believing that they had seen all that there was to see there. (The Wild West Show was not an official part of the show, due to a dispute between Cody and the fair’s management). The show included a buffalo hunt, an attack on a stagecoach, a Pony Express Ride, trick shooting and riding, marksmanship, and climaxed in a recreation of Custer’s Last Stand. The show’s cast even included Sitting Bull of the Sioux, whose forces had fought at Little Big Horn. In 1890, Cody was called back to the West to aid in quelling the Ghost Dance uprisings. He proposed arresting Sitting Bull at one point, on the grounds that the chief would listen to his old friend (especially if Cody brought ‘a wagon load of candy’ with him). The army staff at Fort Yates worried about the effect this might have, so they decided to get Buffalo Bill drunk and wire Washington to call Bill home. It took the entire command of the fort, drinking in shifts, to keep Bill in place, and even then they only barely managed to stop Cody from riding off. The Wild West show continued, growing in popularity for a time, but it declined in the late 1890s as Cody’s health and finances deteriorated and his best acts split off to form their own shows. He finally retired to his ranch in Wyoming.

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Adventure Ideas

The buffalo hunting in 1867 is fertile ground for adventures. The characters could be rival hunters vying for the title of the best shot, employees of another railroad trying to disrupt the hunt, or even vengeful Indians trying to stem the slaughter. The Wild West Show offers the chance to take the West around the world. If the characters are performers in the show, then they could get involved in all sorts of escapades in exotic locations like London or Paris. They could tangle with Jack the Ripper (who was suspected of being an escaped Indian from the show), or be hired to assassinate an archduke in the audience.

Buffalo Bill Cody

Strong Hero 3/Tough Hero 3/Charismatic Hero 4; HP 56; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 17, touch 17, flat-footed 15; BAB +7; Grap +9; Atk +11 melee (1d3, whip) or +9 ranged (1d8, Winchester); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d3, whip) or +9 ranged (1d8, Winchester); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/;SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +4; Rep +20; Str 15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 16. Skills: Bluff +6, Diplomacy +8, Drive +10, Gamble +6, Handle Animal +8, Knowledge (Indian Lore) +6, Ride +11, Perform +8 (ringmaster), Survival +9, Use Rope +6. Feats: Literacy, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Martial Longarms Proficiency, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Far Shot, Improved Aim, Moving Fire, Track, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip). Luck: 15. Vocations: Stableman, Scout. Talents: Stable Talent: Whip Hand, Masterful Driver; Scouting: Trailblazer, Stealth; Charm Talent: Charm; Leadership: Co-ordinate.

Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid

Butch Cassidy, aka Robert LeRoy Parker Born Utah, 1866. Died Washington, 1937.

The Sundance Kid, aka Harry Longabaugh. Born Pennsylvania, 1861. Died Bolivia, 1908. The Sundance Kid was arrested for horse stealing in Wyoming when he was sixteen. He continued his criminal career after serving an eighteen-month sentence, moving to the fabled Robber’s Roost hideout. He held up a train in 1892 with two other thieves – the trio were soon caught, but Longabaugh escaped.


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Rogues Gallery

Meanwhile, Robert Parker had befriended an older thief called Mike Cassidy, who gave the youngster a gun and a saddle. Parker ran with Cassidy for a while, which brought him to the Robber’s Roost in Hole-in-the-Wall country. There, he met many other outlaws, including some who he would later bring into his Wild Bunch gang, such as Longabaugh. In 1887, Parker tried to hold up a train, and robbed banks in 1889. He then hid in Wyoming for a while, calling himself George Cassidy and working as a cowboy or butcher (acquiring his nickname of ‘Butch’). He was arrested for rustling in 1892, and after a delayed trial served two years. In 1896 Butch Cassidy was released, and formed the Wild Bunch gang with several other notorious criminals, including the Sundance Kid. Cassidy masterminded the Bunch’s operations, which included numerous bank raids. When one of the gang, Matt Warner, was captured, Cassidy decided rescuing him would be too risky, so instead they robbed another bank and spent the money on lawyers. After Warner’s arrest, the Wild Bunch targeted trains instead. The Union Pacific train company tried to buy Cassidy off by offering him a job, but he robbed another train instead, then he, the Kid, and Etta Place, a schoolteacher involved with the Kid fled to South America. There, they robbed banks and alternately stole or guarded mining company payrolls. In 1908, the Bolivian army hunted down the pair. Longabaugh was shot dead, but Cassidy may have escaped back to the United States where he lived for another twenty years. During their criminal career, the charismatic Cassidy prided on never killing a man, and he was involved in only a handful of shootouts. The Kid, by contrast, was a considerably wilder and more dangerous sort.

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The careers of Cassidy and the Kid can serve as models for those of outlaw player characters. From their hideout at Robber's Roost to their series of bank robberies and trying to keep the Wild Bunch under control, their exploits can be replicated or beaten by clever player characters. The player characters could also be sent to bring the Wild Bunch to justice. Cassidy returned to his old haunts in Wyoming several times before his death, looking for money from bank robberies that he buried years before. He never found this loot – could it have been removed sometime in the intervening years? Matt Warner, for example, was freed after five years thanks to Cassidy's lawyers, and ended up

becoming a sheriff and bootlegger. He might have known where Cassidy left the money…

Butch Cassidy

Smart Hero 3/Charismatic Hero 3; HP 29; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 12, touch 12, flat-footed 12; BAB +2; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (0, punch) or +2 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Colt Army); Full Atk +2 melee (0, punch) or +2 ranged (1d8/19-20/x3, Colt Army); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/;SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +5; Rep +10; Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 15. Skills: Bluff +10, Demolitions +7, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +5, Drive +5, Forgery +5, Gather Information +9, Handle Animal +7, Hide +5, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (law) +7, Move Silently +5, Repair +7, Ride +5, Search +7, Sense Motive +7, Survival +7, Treat Injury +6. Feats: Literacy, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Combat Expertise, Improved Aim, Point Blank Shot. Luck: 6. Vocations: Robber. Talents: Raiding Talent: Improved Intimidate, Planning the Job; Research: Law Savant; Strategy: Exploit Weakness, Plan.

The Sundance Kid

Fast Hero 6; HP 24; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 18, touch 18, flat-footed 16; BAB +4; Grap +5; Atk +1 melee (1d4+1, knife) or +7 ranged (1d8+2/19-20/x2, Colt Army); Full Atk +1 melee (1d4+1, knife) or +7 ranged (1d8+2/19-20/ x2, Colt Army); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/;SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +2; Rep +10; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 12. Skills: Bluff +6, Handle Animal +5, Hide +8, Intimidate +6, Move Silently +8, Ride +8, Survival +5, Use Rope +4. Feats: Literacy, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (Colt), Weapon Specialisation (Colt), Moving Shot, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (lasso). Luck: 6. Vocations: Robber, Rustler. Talents: Rustler: Vanish into the Wild; Robber: Improved Intimidate, Overwatch.

Cochise

Born Arizona, 1812. Died Arizona, 1874. Cochise was the son-in-law of a great Apache chief, Mangas Coloradas, of the Chiricahua Apaches. They were committed enemies of the Mexicans, but when their territory became part of the United States, the Chiricahuas were initially welcoming towards the Americans. Cochise agreed to allow travellers to cross his country on the way to California, and his people even worked for the Butterfield


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Overland Mail, cutting wood to construct a state way station in Apache Pass. In 1861, Cochise was called to come into the station. Expecting it to be routine matter, Cochise took five members of his family with him. However, what Cochise did not know was that a company of soldiers under Lieutenant George Bascom was waiting. Cattle and a half-breed child named Mickey Free had been taken from the nearby ranch of John Ward, and Bascom believed the Chiricahuas were responsible. When Bascom asked him about the incident, Cochise said that another band of Apache, the Coyoteros had raided the Ward ranch, but that he might be able to arrange a ransom. Bascom continued to accused Cochise, and ordered that the chief and his family be arrested. Cochise sprang back and managed to cut a hole in the tent to escape, but the rest of his family were captured. Cochise then captured three white travellers on the trail, and attempted to use them to ransom his family. Bascom refused to make the trade unless the kidnapped boy and stolen cattle were included. Cochice had a very strong sense of personal honour, and was greatly angered that Bascom refused to believe that the Chiricahuas were innocent. After trying a second time to exchange prisoners, Cochise had the three travellers executed. Bascom responded by hanging three of Cochise’s family – his brother and two nephews. It was tantamount to a declaration of war. Cochice joined forces with his father-in-law, the war chief Mangas Coloradas, and their bands blocked Apache Pass, raided wagon trails, stagecoaches and mail deliveries, and drove several hundred miners off their land. Their guerrilla campaign continued for months, until an army under the command of General Carleton was sent to stop them. Cochise knew that the army would need the water supply at the abandoned stage station, so he and Mangas set up an ambush there. However, the army had new cannon with them, far more powerful than the little artillery pieces the Apache had encountered fighting the Mexicans. Cochise’s forces were driven back, and Mangas was severely wounded.

In 1865, the government offered a peace treaty to the Apache, but it required them to move to the hated reservation at Bosque Redondo. Not a single Indian accepted the offer. 1871 found the Commissioner of Indian Affairs sending messengers to look for Cochise. The government had decided that it would take the word of the great chief to bring the Apaches round, but Cochise was hidden in the mountains and they were unable to track him down. That April, an unofficial war party from Tucson slaughtered an Apache camp near Camp Grant, in retaliation for a series of raids on ranches and outposts. The commander of Camp Grant, Lieutenant Whitman, had allowed the Apaches to make camp there as they had surrendered their firearms and considered themselves prisoners of war. He attempted to bring the party from Tucson to justice, but the eventual trial was a farce and the attackers were exonerated. The Camp Grant massacre did refocus government attention on Cochise. General George Crook was sent out with Vincent Coyler of the Indian Bureau to negotiate with the Apache chiefs. Crook, the Grey Wolf to the Apaches, sent out five companies of cavalry to find Cochise. They failed, but Cochise did agree to meet with another general, General Granger. Granger offered peace, if the Apaches stayed on another reservation, this one in nearby Canada Alamosa. Cochise agreed, but then word came that the Apache were to be moved to yet another reservation, at Tularosa, far from their beloved mountains. Finally, in 1872, the one emissary that Cochise could trust came to him. A white man named Taglito Jeffords had won Cochise’s respect by demanding a personal treaty with him, back when Jeffords was a mail carrier and Cochise was only just beginning to ambush travellers in Apache Pass. Between Jeffords, Cochise and General Howard, an agreement was made to turn a part of the Chiricahuas’ territory into a reservation, with Jefford appointed as agent for the reservation.

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Rather than trust Mangas to the medicine men, Cochise brought the older man into Mexico, to a village where there lived a great surgeon. Cochise rode up to the surgeon’s house and said ‘Make him well. If he dies, this town will die.’ Mangas lived, and continued the war against the army for some months. He was captured in 1863 when visiting an army camp under flag of truce, tortured and killed. Cochise and the other Apache chiefs, such as Victorio, redoubled their war.

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Adventure Ideas

The hunt for Cochise could keep a party of bounty hunters busy for years. A diverse party of characters – say, a diplomat from the Indian Bureau, a halfbreed scout (like a grown-up Mickey Free), a few soldiers and an old mountain man – might be sent to find the legendary chief and bring an end to the war. A Mexican general, still smarting from the loss of California, hits upon a plan. If the Apache attacks on traffic to California could increase greatly, then the Southwest could be partially cut off from the east and vulnerable to a second take-over. All he has to do is supply a great deal of weapons and


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Rogues Gallery

ammunition to the Apache. Of course, given their long rivalry with the Mexicans, the Apache are not going to accept the general's overtures. What he needs to do is hire some middlemen to smuggle the guns into the United States and get the Apaches to accept them and widen their war. Enter the player characters…

Cochise

Strong Hero 2/Fast Hero 3/Tough Hero 2/Dedicated Hero 2/Charismatic Hero 3; HP 60; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 24, touch 24, flat-footed 21; BAB +7; Grap +10; Atk +10 melee (2d4+3/19-20, hatchet) or +11 ranged (1d6+2, bow); Full Atk +10/+5 melee (2d4+3/19-20, hatchet) or +11/+6 ranged (1d6+2, bow); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/;SV Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +7; Rep +15; Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 12. Skills: Balance +8, Climb +11, Diplomacy +8, Escape Artist +8, Handle Animal +6, Hide +10, Intimidate +6, Jump +8, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, Ride +8, Search +7, Sense Motive +8, Spot +6, Survival +11, Treat Injury +7 Feats: Indian Weapons Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Speak English, Iron Will, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (bow), Weapon Specialisation (bow). Luck: 10. Vocations: Brave, Hunter, Chief. Talents: Brave Warrior: Dedication, Rage, Strike from Ambush; Hunter: Vanish into the Wild, Read the Land; Chief: Send them on the War Path, Smoke the Sacred Pipe, Wise Leadership; Leadership: Co-ordinate, Inspiration.

Do c H o l l i d a y

Aka John Henry Holliday Born Georgia, 1852. Died Colorado, 1887.

Made famous by his participation at the Gunfight at the OK Corral, Doc Holliday was born the son of a rich Southern family. He studied dentistry, but contracted tuberculosis in his early twenties, and went west in the hopes of finding a climate more amiable to his weakening lungs. He found the wild nature of life in the West to his liking – he made his living as a gambler, travelling from boomtown to boomtown. He showed up in Dallas and Fort Griffin in Texas, Cheyenne in Wyoming, Dodge in Kansas, Denver, Leadville and Pueblo in Colorado, Las Vegas in New Mexico, and Tucson and Tombstone in Arizona. While in Dodge, he befriended Wyatt Earp, the sheriff of the town. He also met a peace officer named John Joshua Webb, with whom he opened a saloon in Las Vegas. There, he shot a former army scout called Mike Gordon, whose former mistress was one of Holliday’s saloon girls.

Another of his saloon girls was Holliday’s companion (and, according to some accounts, his wife) Kate Fisher. Kate saved Holliday’s life in 1878, when he was captured by the friends of a gambler he had shot. The posse had locked Holliday in a hotel room; Kate set fire to the hotel to distract most of the guards, then threw down on the remaining guard with her six-shooter, forced him to free Holliday, then escaped with him. When Wyatt Earp moved to Tombstone, Holliday followed him. There, Earp became town sheriff, and Holliday was deputised just in time to fight at the OK Corral against the Clanton brothers. He killed Tom Laury with a shotgun, but missed a shot at Ike Clanton with his pistol. Later, he helped a posse lead by the Earps hunt down Virgil Earp’s suspected murderers, Frank Stilson and Florentino Cruz. Holliday separated from Fisher in 1881, and died six years later at a health resort from his old nemesis, tuberculosis. With his distinctive cough, Southern charm and deadly accuracy (not to mention being part of the most famous gunfight in history), Holliday’s reputation spread far and wide across the West.

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Adventure Ideas

Doc Holliday is one of those characters that players love to encounter. (Tombstone is pretty much required viewing before running a game involving him, and a Southern drawl is an easy accent to do.) Bring him into a poker game, and let the players work out who they are up against. Holliday's reputation and devil-may-care attitude can combine to trouble the players. Let them take the place of John Joshua Webb, and go into business in Vegas with Holliday. 'How can we lose', think the players, 'with one of the West's foremost gamblers and shootists here with us?' Then they discover that Holliday is an unstable drunkard with a talent for getting into gunfights. Can they keep Holliday, the business and themselves alive?

Doc Holliday

Fast Hero 7/Charismatic Hero 3; HP 23; Init +10; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 21, touch 21, flat-footed 16; BAB +6; Grap +6; Atk +2 melee (1d6/19-20, bowie knife) or +11 ranged (1d10/19-20/x3, Colt Thunderer); Full Atk +2/-3 melee (1d6/19-20, bowie knife) or +11 ranged (1d10/19-20/x3, Colt Thunderer); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/; SV Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +3; Rep +14; Str 10, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16. Skills: Bluff +13, Diplomacy +11, Gamble +18, Intimidate +11, Ride +7, Sense Motive +10, Spot +10, Sleight of Hand +14, Treat Injury +6. Feats: Literacy, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Improved Initiative, Point Blank


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Shot, Weapon Focus (Colt), Improved Initiative, Improved Feint, Precise Shot. Luck: 15. Vocations: Gambler, Gunslinger. Talents: Gambler: Poker Face, Devil’s Luck; Trick Shooting: Exact Shot, Between the Eyes; Quick Draw: Improved Quick Draw, Shoot from the Hip.

Kit C a r s o n

Born Missouri, 1809. Died Colorado, 1868.

One of the foremost scouts and adventurers of the West, Kit Carson was a legend in his own lifetime. He left home for New Mexico when he was seventeen, and set up a base in Taos. From there, he ranged west and north on furtrapping expeditions, reaching as far as California. During his expeditions, he became friends with several Indian tribes, including the Arapaho and Cheyenne. He also became a skilled hunter and respected mountain man. After a short period as a hunter in the early 1840s, he went home to visit his family in Missouri. There, he met John Fremont, an explorer who was sent to do an extensive survey of the West. He hired Carson as a guide, and the two travelled the west for several years. Fremont’s report would be widely read and make Carson’s reputation as an almost superhuman scout. While guiding Fremont, the pair became involved in the Bear Flag revolt and the Mexican-American war. Carson guided soldiers under the command of General Stephen Kearney into California to help defend Los Angeles against rebels. After leaving Fremont’s service, Carson returned to New Mexico and became a rancher and sheep farmer. He used his old trails to bring sheep to the California gold mines in 1853, making a handsome profit. Carson was then appointed Federal Indian Agent for Northern New Mexico, a post he held until the Civil War. During the war, he led a campaign against the Navaho, attacking their camps and crops to force them into submission. Some 8,000 surrendered to him in 1864, and Carson sent them on the brutal three-hundred-mile ‘Long Walk’ from Arizona to New Mexico. Carson retired to a ranch in Colorado soon after the Civil War, and died in 1868. Kit Carson was known for his temperance and politeness (a great contrast to most other mountain men of his day) and courage. As one of the West’s foremost scouts, many of his trails and techniques continued to be used for generations after him.

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Adventure Seeds

While Carson's exploits occur before the time of most Western campaigns, his deeds can serve as a template for games set in the first half of the nineteenth century. Such games would have fewer shootouts and lack many of the fun Western stereotypes, but have the advantage of being set in a wilder and unmapped West. Carson criss-crossed the continent during his travels. A game centring on his legacy could be very interesting. For example, the characters come across a page of Carson's diary, describing how he found a vein of gold when travelling with Fremont, but never had a chance to return to exploit it. However, the characters need to find the preceding diary page to work out where the vein actually is – and that diary page could have been lost anywhere along Carson's many paths…

Kit Carson

Dedicated Hero 10; HP 53; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14; BAB +7; Grap +9; Atk +9 melee (1d4+2, knife) or +10 ranged (1d10, Mississippi Rifle); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d4+2, knife) or +10 ranged (1d10, Mississippi Rifle); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/;SV Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +7; Rep +16; Str 15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12. Skills: Diplomacy +7, Handle Animal +8, Knowledge (Indian Lore) +9, Listen +17, Ride +8, Spot +17, Survival +15, Treat Injury +7. Feats: Literacy, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Martial Longarms Proficiency, Track, Alertness, Far Shot, Improved Aim, Weapon Focus (Mississippi Rifle), Speak Indian, Simple Weapons Proficiency. Luck: 10. Vocations: Scout, Trooper. Talents: Scouting: Whisper of the Land, Trailblazer, Stealth; Cavalry: In the Nick of Time; Insightful: Skill Emphasis (survival), Aware, Cool Under Pressure.

Judge Roy Bean

Born Kentucky, 1823. Died Texas 1903.

One of the most colourful figures of the West, Roy Bean was a famed judge and saloon owner. His bizarre career started when he went on a wagon train to New Mexico, following his two older brothers. He worked for some time with his brother Sam at a trading post in Mexico; then Roy headed onto San Diego, where eldest brother Joshua was making a name for himself. Joshua had, in fact, become Mayor of San Diego. When Roy arrived, he was soon appointed a lieutenant in the


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Rogues Gallery

state militia and bartender of the Headquarters, Joshua’s saloon. Both brothers got into trouble in 1852 – Roy shot and wounded a man, and was arrested for it. Joshua was later killed in by a romantic rival. Roy headed back to New Mexico, where Sam Bean had become a sheriff. He worked in Sam’s saloon for years, tending bar and smuggling weapons to the Confederates from Mexico. After that, he married a Mexican teenager and sold stolen booze to support his growing family in San Antonio. In 1882, construction started of a railroad across the scorching Chihuahuan desert between San Antonio and El Paso, Texas. Sensing opportunity, Roy left his family and went out to the tiny settlement of Vinegaroon to sell beer. He set himself up with a beer tent in the even smaller tent village of Langtry, next to the railroad. The village was named for the foreman who built it, but Bean preferred to think of it as being named after the actress Lillie Langtry. He built a saloon, the Jersey Lilly, and put a picture of her behind the bar. He lived, worked and was his own best customer in the bar. While in Vingeroon, Bean had heard that the county commissioners were eager to establish a courthouse to deal

with the settlements that were sure to grow up along the route of the new railroad. Bean posted a thousand-dollar bond and became a Justice of the Peace. The Jersey Lilly was his courtroom; anyone who was in the bar at the time was the jury. Never let it be said that Judge Roy Bean was unprepared for his legal duties. He had a copy of the Revised Statutes of Texas, 1879 edition, which he used exclusively. Other law books, such as the new editions of the Revised Statues, served as firewood. He would open proceedings in court with ‘Gents, this honourable court in now in session, an’ if any of you gander-eyed galoots wants a snort afore we start, let him step up to the bar and name his brand’. Tales of Judge Roy Bean’s creative interpretation of the law are legendary. He was said to keep a pet bear chained up outside, and prisoners were seated next to the bear to await trial. He regularly and drunkenly sentenced men to be hung from the nearest tree (although the lack of trees in the desert made such sentences hard to carry out). On one occasion, a railroad worker was accused of killing a Chinese laundryman. Friends of the railroad worker threatened Bean if he found the worker guilty. Bean made a great show of looking through his book, and eventually declared that ‘this here book, which is a Texas law book, says that hommycide


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is th’ killin’ of a human, male or female. They is many kinds of hommycide –murder, manslaughter, negl’gent hommycide, justifi’ble hommycide an’ praiseworthy hommycide. They is three kinds of human – white men, niggers, and Mexicans. It stan’s to reason thet if a Chinym’n was human, killin’ of him would come under the head of praiseworthy hommycide. The pris’ner is discharged on condition he pays f ’r havin’ the Chinee buried.’ Another time, he asked a cattle rustler if he pleaded guilty or innocent. The unfortunate rustler spoke no English, and responded in Spanish. ‘Court accepts your plea of guilty,’ replied Bean, ‘the jury will now deliberate, and if ’n it brings in a verdict short of hangin’, it’ll be declared in contempt.’ The verdict was ‘guilty as hell’. Bean was practised at lining his own pockets. A corpse was found with 40 dollars and a gun in his pocket. Bean fined the corpse 40 dollars for carrying a concealed weapon and pocketed the money. He also built his saloon just far enough from the railroad that thirsty travellers could see it when the train stopped to take on water. A traveller might run up to the Jersey Lilly and hand over a ten-dollar bill for an outrageously priced one-dollar bottle of ice-cold beer. Roy would promise to give change in just one moment – then the train whistle would blow, forcing travellers to sprint back to the train or be stranded in Langtry. Those who tried to argue were fined for cursing, and the amount of the fine was strangely equal to the amount of change they demanded. Bean died after a drinking binge in 1903.

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Adventure Seeds

Using a saloon as a courthouse was far from unheard of, and while Bean was one of the more corrupt judges, he certainly was not alone. Players expecting due process from the law might be surprised by the state of the judge, and be forced to have their characters take justice into their own hands. The practise of having those sitting in the bar act as the jury could backfire on the characters. They happen to be sitting there when a murderer is sentenced to death. The murderer's brother, a notorious gunman, hears about the case and declares that he will kill each and every man who sat in judgement on his beloved little brother. The characters and all the other patrons of the bar are now marked men.

Judge Roy Bean

Charismatic Hero 6; HP 43; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 13, touch 13, flat-footed 12; BAB +3; Grap +5; Atk +5 melee (3, punch) or +4 ranged (1d10/x2, Remington Rolling Block); Full Atk +5 melee (3, punch) or +4 ranged (1d10/x2, Remington Rolling Block); Space/Reach 5 ft./5

ft/; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1; Rep +10; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 15. Skills: Bluff +9, Craft (chemical) +4, Diplomacy +8, Escape Artist +4, Gamble +4, Gather Information +9, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (law) +2, Ride +6, Perform (acting) +9. Feats: Literacy, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Improvised Weapon Proficiency, Brawler, Confident. Luck: 12. Vocations: Bartender. Talents: Tending Bar: Duck Behind The Bar; Fast Talk: Fast Talk, Dazzle, Taunt; Charm: Charm.

Sitting Bull

Born South Dakota, 1831. Died North Dakota, 1890. One of the greatest of the Indian Chiefs, Sitting Bull was of the influential and powerful Hunkpapa band of the Lakota Sioux. He fought in several wars against the rival Crow Indians as well as the US Army, and was a member of the Strong Heart and Silent Eater warrior societies. In 1868, Sitting Bull became head of the Lakota Sioux. The sacred Black Hills lay in the heart of Lakota country, a region granted to the Indians by treaty in 1868. Rumours began to spread of the vast gold reserves contained in the hills, and many white miners began to break the law and sneak into Indian territory to prospect for gold. These early miners were killed or driven out by the Sioux, but public clamour rose until the government sent a reconnaissance expedition into the Black Hills, led by General Custer. He reported the hills were filled with gold ‘from the grass roots down’. More and more miners followed his expedition in, and his route came to be known as the Thieves’ Road. A delegation was sent from Washington to obtain the Black Hills. The Sioux were offered first money for the hills, then just for the mining rights. Sitting Bull utterly refused the first offer, and the second was met with incomprehension and anger. Finally, the delegates returned to Washington empty-handed, and recommended that the Hills be obtained by forced purchase. In 1876, troops began to marshal for a campaign in the Black Hills. The Sioux and their allies knew war was coming, and they too began to prepare. Sitting Bull participated in the Sun Dance, and after three days he had a vision of the white soldiers falling like grasshoppers into the camp, and he interpreted this as the Great Spirit giving the soldiers to the Indians to be killed. Soon afterwards, another mystic, Crazy Horse, led his warriors to victory over a column of soldiers at the Battle of the Rosebud (the Battle Where The Girl Saved Her Brother, to the Sioux) and forced them to retreat.


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Rogues Gallery

Sitting Bull was unconvinced that this victory matched his vision, and he was proved right some weeks later. A column of troops under General Custer attacked a Sioux camp on the Little Big Horn. Sitting Bull’s adopted brother and war chief of the tribe, a strong warrior named Gall, rallied the fleeing Sioux and forced one of the army’s flanks to turn back. More Sioux and Cheyenne from nearby camps came to the battle, and ambushed the main column of Custer’s men as they passed through a ravine. The battle quickly became a massacre. Custer made a last stand on a ridge, but was surrounded and destroyed. Following this victory, the Sioux were hunted. More and more white soldiers came to the Black Hills, and Sitting Bull was forced to lead his people north into Canada. Those Sioux who remained were either hunted down or forced to surrender and move to a new reservation. By 1881, Sitting Bull too was forced to surrender – there were too few buffalo left alive to support his band. He was taken as a prisoner of war, and moved to a reservation. He was the last Sioux to surrender his firearm. He left the reservation briefly in 1885, to participate in Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show, during which he met President Cleveland, but Sitting Bull quickly tired of white civilisation, and returned home. He remained defiant and proud, still considering himself great chief of the Sioux and keeping to the old ways, although he did acknowledge the importance of the next generation of Sioux learning to read, write and use the weapons and technologies of the white men. In 1890, the Ghost Dance religion reached the reservation of the Sioux. Fearing that Sitting Bull would take advantage of the unrest caused by the Dance, the government decided to have him arrested. After considering various options, they sent a squad of Indian policeman to bring the great chief in. A group of Sitting Bull’s ardent supporters tried to stop them, and in the fight that broke out Sitting Bull was shot twice, and died on the spot.

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As one of the greatest Indian chiefs, the mere invocation of Sitting Bull's name can be a significant event. Rumours of his coming, even if entirely untrue, could cause great turmoil in a community. Characters might have to stop local bands of Sioux from doing something foolish because they believe Sitting Bull will soon be joining them in a war on the white man. Characters trying to get rich quick could risk mining the Black Hills. They would have to avoid army patrols and the bands of Sioux warriors. If found by the former, they would be arrested; if

captured by the latter, the fate would be much less pleasant. •

When Sitting Bull took refuge in Canada, he was virtually ignored by the government there, and given no aid or shelter. The characters could be American agents sent into Canada to scout the Sioux encampments, or to persuade Sitting Bull to surrender. Alternatively, Canadian diplomats could be sent to the Sioux, or even to drive them back into the United States.

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A few of the Nez Perces Indians under Joseph did made it across the border, and met up with the Sioux. If Sitting Bull had known of Joseph's intentions, perhaps he could have sent aid and guides and helped the rest of the Nez Perces cross into Canada. The characters could be sent by Joseph to send word to Sitting Bull.

Sitting Bull

Strong Hero 5/Dedicated Hero 4/Charismatic Hero 4; HP 65; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 19, touch 19, flat-footed 17; BAB +10; Grap +13; Atk +13 melee (2d4+3/19-20, hatchet) or +12 ranged (1d10/18-20/x3, Indian Trade Musket); Full Atk +13/+8 melee (2d4+3/19-20, hatchet) or +12 ranged (1d10/18-20/x3, Indian Trade Musket); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/;SV Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +6; Rep +25; Str 16, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 17. Skills: Concentration +12, Diplomacy +21, Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +13, Perform (oratory) +13, Ride +14, Sense Motive +12, Spot +12, Survival +12. Feats: Indian Weapons Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Power Attack, Cleave, Dodge, Track, Trustworthy, Combat Reflexes, Animal Affinity, Speak English. Luck: 18. Vocations: Hunter, Brave, Chief. Talents: Hunter: Vanish into the Wild, Read the Land; Brave: Dedication, Rage; Chief: Smoke the Sacred Pipe, Send Them On The War Path, Wise Leadership; Leadership: Co-ordinate, Inspiration, Greater Inspiration.

W i l d B i l l H i c kok

Aka James Butler Hickok. Born Illinois, 1837. Died 1876, South Dakota.

Hickok’s father was a general store owner, but also operated a branch of the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves. Hickok was obliged to help his father in this, but in 1855 he fled to Kansas after a fistfight with another teamster – Hickok believed he had killed Charlie Hudson, but had in fact merely injured him badly. There, Hickok joined the militia, and briefly became constable of Monticello township.


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He took a job as a stagecoach driver on the Santa Fe Trail, then became a wagon master of freight trains working for Russell, Majors & Waddell. While leading a train through Raton Pass, he was attacked by a bear. Hickok killed the bear with pistols and knife, but was badly mauled, and the freight company sent him for treatment in Kansas City. To recuperate, he was then sent to Rock Creek Station on the Oregon Trail. There, he began seeing a woman called Sarah Shull, who was also the mistress of a rancher named Dave McCanles. Tensions rose between the two, until McCanles attacked the stage depot. Hickok shot him dead, and a short fight broke out between the crew of the stage depot and McCanles’ cousin and ranch hand, which ended in the cousin being hacked to death with a hoe, and the ranch hand being blasted with a shotgun. Later that year, Hickok joined the Federal army, serving as a wagon master, and later as a spy and guide. He obtained his nickname during this time, for facing down a lynch mob. After the war, he became a gambler in Springfield, Missouri, where he killed Dave Tutt after an argument over cards and a girl named Susanna Moore. He left Springfield and moved to Fort Riley where his brother worked, and became a scout for Custer’s Seventh Cavalry. He tried to become sheriff of Ellsworth Country, but lost the election. He became a deputy marshal instead, hunting down deserters. 1869 saw him become sheriff of Ellis County, which included Hays City, a wild frontier town. During his tenure there, he shot a cavalryman named Mulrey for resisting arrest, and a teamster called Strawhim for shooting up a bar and causing a riot. He lost the next election for sheriff to his own deputy, and ended up fleeing Hays after drunkenly shooting two soldiers in a bar brawl. In 1871, he accepted the post of city marshal in the wilder cowtown of Abilene, at the impressive rate of $150 dollars a month plus a percentage of fines. He served there for less than a year – he got into an argument with the owners of the Bull’s Head Saloon (the décor offended the city council of Abilene), and in the ensuing brawl, Hickok killed one of the owners and (accidentally) his own deputy. The Texans put a bounty of eleven thousand dollars on his head, and he left the job at the end of 1871. From 1872 to 1874, he worked for Buffalo Bill on his Wild West Show, before drifting westwards once more. He married a circus owner called Agnes Lake, but soon went ‘prospecting’ in Deadwood. In actuality, he went there to gamble. On August 2nd, 1876, he was playing poker in Deadwood’s Saloon No. 10 against owner Carl Mann, gambler Charles Rich, and riverboatman Frank Massie. Wild Bill twice asked Massie to switch seats, so Bill could sit against the wall, but Massie refused, laughing that ‘no-

one was going to shoot him in the back’. A drifter named Jack McCall came in – he had lost $110 dollars to Bill the day before, and had possibly been paid $200 dollars by enemies to shoot Wild Bill. Just as Wild Bill Hickok was deal the famous ‘dead man’s hand’ of a queen, aces and eights, McCall shot him in the back of the head.

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Adventure Ideas

The career of Wild Bill shows that almost any character can become a lawman if he has the skills to enforce the law. A bunch of characters could be hired as sheriff and deputies in a growing town, even if they have no real idea how to police a community. Having a loose cannon like Wild Bill in town could make their lives even more difficult. After accidentally shooting his deputy, Mike Williams, in Abilene, it is said that Wild Bill never again fired a gun at another human being. This refusal to fight could bring Bill into trouble, especially if some young gunslinger decides to make his reputation by going up against the legendary marshal of Abilene. If the characters are friends of Bill, they might have to deal with the young gunfighter without violence.

Wild Bill Hickok

Fast Hero 5/Tough Hero 5; HP 52; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; Defence 21, touch 21, flat-footed 18; BAB +6; Grap +8; Atk +8 melee (1d6+2/19-20, bowie knife) or +9 ranged (1d6/19-20, Colt Navy); Full Atk +8/+3 melee (1d6+2/1920, bowie knife) or +9 ranged (1d6/19-20, Colt Navy); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft/; SV Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3; Rep +10; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 15. Skills: Concentration +5, Drive +6, Gamble +5, Diplomacy +6, Handle Animal +9, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (law) +5, Ride +10, Search +6, Survival +7. Feats: Literacy, Simple Sidearms Proficiency, Simple Longarms Proficiency, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Animal Affinity, Fan, Quick Reload, Brawler, Track. Luck: 5. Vocations: Stableman, Scout, Lawman, Gunslinger. Talents: Stable: Masterful Driver; Scout: Trailblazer; Law Enforcement: Silver Star; Gunslinger: Improved Quick Draw; Unbreakable: Remain Conscious; Damage Reduction: DR 1/-.


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oleplaying in the Wild West presents a unique set of tools and challenges for the Games Master. This chapter describes how the Games Master should adapt his play style to the genre.

may have a debt to that he must repay. Whatever the source of the duty, he will discharge it or die trying. To make this work in a roleplaying game, there must be a strong reason for the character to not do what he has gotta do. Overwhelming odds are one option, although some players are quite happy to go out in a blaze of glory. More effective is a conflict of interest – if the character completing his duty will ruin something else, then the choice to complete the duty becomes much more interesting.

Th e W e s t e r n Genre

‘Westerns’ immediately conjure up images of cowboys riding the range, of duels at high noon and lawmen blasting away at outlaws. Two broad trends can be tracked, in fact – the earlier Westerns had shining, faultless heroes as their protagonists, while later reactionary movies and novels focussed more on antiheroes. (The depiction of Native Americans similarly changed, from stereotyped Indian savages to a more generous portrayal as a noble and wise tribal people). The genre manages to be both timeless – almost every Western story that is not directly tied to a historical event takes place in a mythical, eternal West – and simultaneously fading, as nostalgia for a vanishing West is a common part of almost every story. The Games Master should discuss with his players what sort of Western game they will play together. If the Games Master wants to run a slightly cheesy 50s Western where the characters are all God-fearing square-jawed sharpshooting heroes who do good and save the day, then having the players show up with a consumptive gambler, a feisty prostitute and a one-legged miner with a dark secret is less than ideal. Similarly, a darker game set in a more realistic version of the West calls for a drifting gunfighter and a crooked thief, not a posse of morally perfect heroes.

W e s t e r n T h e mes

There are several classic themes that show up again and again in Westerns. Using one of these as the basis for a game will make it feel much more like a familiar Western. •

A Man's Gotta Do What A Man's Gotta Do: A character has some duty that he must complete. He may have given his word to do something, it could be a result of his chosen profession, or he

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Revenge: This is a variation on ‘A Man’s Gotta Do’, but important enough to be worth emphasising on its own. Coming back to exact vengeance on a wrongdoer is a common theme. The target of the revenge may be someone who wronged the characters, or the characters may have been hired to be the agents of someone else’s revenge. This is probably the simplest Western plot – the conflict is a very literal one. The characters have to find their target and destroy him.

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Taming the Frontier: This is perhaps a misnomer; very little of the West is really unexplored by the time of the classic Western. However, the final shape of the land is still very much undecided. Different groups – farmers, ranchers, dispossessed natives, different religious groups and so on – all clashed over the land. It was a wild time, when there was no clear authority and no generally accepted way forward. The flipside of this theme is community building, where different groups learn to live and work together.

Games where neither side is definitively ‘right’ and where disputes cannot be arbitrated by a high authority push the burden of resolving the story onto the players. Governments and legal authorities are a far-off thing in the West, so it is up to the characters to choose a side and ensure that it wins out.


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The Power of the Gun: The gun has an obviously iconic status in the Western. Characters who live by the gun tend to die by the gun; they cannot put their status as killers behind them, no matter how hard they try. The gunfighter is outside civilisation – he may intersect with it in saloons and jail cells, he may be the danger from outside as an outlaw, he may even defend it as a lawman or hired gun, but he is never part of it. This theme fits very well with the mission-based structure of roleplaying games. The player characters are already set apart from others by their very nature as player characters, so it makes sense to reinforce this by setting them apart as killers and gunslingers too.

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Cavalry vs. Indians: The long-running Indian Wars provide the backdrop for many classic stories, ranging from simple shootouts, chases and rescues of virtuous frontier women kidnapped by dastardly Injuns, to more complex questions about the morality of war and the clash of cultures.

Western Characters

The Western is a character-driven setting; even scenarios about mining or survival in the wilderness will turn on a character’s personality and decisions. Having player characters that work in the setting is the foundation of a good Western game.

Why Is The Character Out West?

Really, there are only three answers to this question. The character might have come from the east, and is now trying to make a new or better life for himself or to find his fortune. Secondly, the character may be born and bred in the West, a second or even third-generation settler. Thirdly, the character may be drifting, apparently devoid of a past. In the first option, the character has some driving goal to accomplish out West, which can serve as the hook for scenarios. Characters who came from the east may be still be somewhat green and unsure of themselves, or they might be well prepared and even arrogant.

Any military game must deal with the problem of chain of command – if one player character is in charge of the others, there can be internal tensions and disputes within the group. If kept in character, then this tension can provide an interesting story; if the dispute boils over into the out-of-character arena, it can cause problems. The best solution is to keep all the characters at the same rank or give them all unique specialities that are outside the chain of command.


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If the character is from the West, the character has family relatively nearby – what are the character’s parents doing? Are they still alive, or is the character hunting down the outlaw that shot his pa? Reputations and past associations mean a lot in the West – characters will usually have heard of others in the same field as themselves, so one gunslinger may have dealt with another in the past. Finally, a character who is apparently without a past is almost certainly hiding some dark secret or tragedy. Will this be uncovered in the course of play, or will it merely be hinted at? Who was the character before he started drifting? (As an aside, it is generally best to leave this sort of background to higher-level characters. It is rather silly to have a first-level character walking around with a big dark secret in his past – unless the dark secret belongs to his family as opposed to the character himself, or unless he just recently started drifting).

Personality

What sort of person is the character? Generous or miserly? Kind or cruel? Does he laugh easily, or is he stern and sober? How does he relax? Did he favour the Union or the Confederacy, or does he not care either way? What is the character’s attitude towards Native Americans? It is not necessary for the player to plan every aspect of the character’s personality in advance; a few broad strokes are fine, as most of the personality should be revealed or discovered in the course of play.

The Hero Alone

One major aspect of the Western is largely incompatible with roleplaying games – the classic Western hero is a lone hero, a taciturn gunslinger possessed of an indomitable will. While the lone hero works very well in movies or books, where the character’s inner psychological struggles or single-handed victory against all odds can be explored for the benefit of the audience. Roleplaying games, on the other hand, are fundamentally group activities, and have an ensemble cast. The Games Master should make it clear that having nothing but drifting clones of Clint Eastwood will not work. Lone heroes do not work in most games (there are exceptions, which are discussed below in Group Structures). Even if the character is a tough, lonesome drifter, then he should be distinguished from other tough, lonesome drifters. Give the character a personality quirk or tic that makes him memorable. (See Quirks, page XX).

Back Histories

Indeed, it is common in Westerns to tie characters together through previous associations – characters who know each other through previous adventures, or who once rode with the father of another character, or who shot each other


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back in Abilene ten years ago. Having the players discuss their characters’ backgrounds and past histories can weave their characters into the plot. A character should not have too many connections or events in his back history; you want to make the character’s legend during play, not start at the end of a character’s career. See Unfinished Business in Character Creation, page XX.

Group Str u c t u r e s

Making a Western character is easy enough; all players have seen the movies or even read the novels. As mentioned earlier, though, most Western heroes tend to be solitary – how does the Games Master bring all the player characters together? There are two basic ways to do this – either the Games Master and the players choose a group structure, and all the characters are designed to fit into this structure, or else the Games Master and players work to form the group of player characters during the early sessions of the campaign. The first option is easier and ensures group cohesion; the second can produce more interesting intercharacter dynamics and plots, but also runs the risk of the characters never meeting up properly and going off in different directions, forcing the Games Master to run four or five parallel games for four or five characters who have no connection to each other. Sample group structures include:

The Posse

All the characters are part of a posse, assembled to hunt down some miscreant. This structure works best for minicampaigns with a set end in sight, as the posse will dissolve once their quarry is found (unless the members of the posse have become friends and continue to work together afterwards). The aim of the posse does not have to be about bringing someone to justice; this structure works equally well with a group of characters working to defend a town, or to bring the runaway son of a rich industrialist back to Boston. The characters all have a mutual goal, but each of them can have a different set of skills that help them reach that goal.

Friends & Family

A simple option is just to declare that all the characters are friends. The players should co-ordinate their characters’ back stories to explain how the characters met up and became friends. They travel together because that is what they have done for years, and they will move on to the

next job or next adventure together. This can be a bit bland, though, unless the players also include conflicts or tensions within the group. These tensions should not be so great that the group dissolves in the first session, but there should always be an undercurrent of danger that can be played up in important scenes. A variant on this structure is to have all the characters be related to each other. Bands of brothers are a common theme in Westerns, as well as in Western history (the Earps, for example). Having all the characters be members of the same family can be a very useful structure, as it gives the characters a bond to each other without necessarily having to get on; it gives the Games Master lots of extra non player characters to play with or put in danger (‘you’ve all got to ride down to El Paso to rescue your sister Daisy’).

The Company

All the characters work for the same organisation. They could all work on the same ranch, or be members of the Pinkertons detective agency, or all be part of the same mining company or wagon train. This is a variation on the Posse structure, but instead of the characters pursing a single overarching main goal and getting into smaller adventures along the way, here the characters are dealing with a series of problems or challenges that face their mutual company.

Hero & Supporting Cast

This structure is trickier than the others, and may not suit every player, but it does get the ‘lone gunman’ style down pat. Here, one player has the gunslinging character, and everyone else plays the ‘support cast’ – the love interest, the innocent settler who is being defended, the plucky young greenhorn who idolises the gunman and so on. The gunman will usually be several levels higher than the rest of the group, and will carry the bulk of the action. Still, this structure works well for one-offs and emulating several classic Westerns. Some players also really enjoy the chance to get into a minor role.

Working Without A Group Structure

If the Games Master does not want to impose a structure onto the group, then he must try to bring the characters together to a degree.


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Y o u A l l M e e t U p In A Saloon

It works in fantasy games, and can also work in Westerns. All the characters happen to be in the same bar when a stranger walks in and offers them a job. This really only works when all the characters are open to being hired for a similar job; a Games Master can work his head into knots trying to come up with a job that might appeal to a soiled dove, wandering preacher, bank robber on the run and half-breed scout. Still, ‘you all meet up in a saloon’ is quick and easy and can work with many common groups of characters.

O n A S t a g e c o ach

Or on a train carriage, or waiting in a doctor’s office, or in any other place where characters of different types and different social strata would rub shoulders. A stagecoach has a special appeal, as it can easily be isolated or overturned in the middle of nowhere to force the characters to work together to survive. Here, the key is getting the characters together for the first session – once the group of characters is together, they tend to stay together.

C h a n c e M e e t i ngs

Here, the characters just happen to encounter each other and fall into a company. This can be very interesting if done correctly, as the characters form relationships in play that would never have been predicted normally. All the Games Master needs to do is put the characters in the same town, and let them meet up. Often, handing the initial

introductions and set-up entirely over to the players works very well (‘OK, I need all your characters to be in the church at sundown, and willing to work for a good cause – sort it out’). The downside is that the characters may never meet up, and that any plot the Games Master has in mind may not ‘capture’ (involve) all the characters.

Recruitment

A variation on chance meetings; give one character a mission, and have him recruit the other characters to help him with it. This lets the players form their own intercharacter relationships, but also ensures that no one gets left behind or out of the group, which is a problem with the Chance Meeting option. For Recruitment to work, though, all of the characters must have clearly useful abilities to offer.

C a m p a i g n D e s ign

Before getting into the actual plot of the campaign, the Games Master should decide on the following options:

Time: Episodic, Discrete or Continuous

An episodic game behaves like a series of movies; characters may recur from one adventure to another, but each plot is largely self-contained. There may be an overarching plot, but it may never get resolved. One game may lead right


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into the next one, with no gap of time between the two, or there may be weeks or even years of downtime between game sessions. A discrete game has each adventure be entirely selfcontained. Recurring characters other than the player characters are rare, and there is no overarching plot. There are always large gaps of downtime between sessions, and gains made by characters may be lost by the start of the next adventure (it does not really matter if the gambler made his big score at the end of the last game – he always fritters it away during downtime and starts penniless at the beginning of every adventure). A continuous game has no gaps at all – time progresses just as it does in real life, and plots may resolve themselves or linger on indefinitely. This is the best structure for ‘realistic’ historical gaming; the other two are much more suited to a style of play based on fiction.

is that it is hardly history at all, and the players cannot be sure what events have actually happened. If the year is not set, then could a character have lost a brother at Custer’s last stand at Little Big Horn?

Life: Precious, Cheap or Variable

Hollywood has lied to us; the streets of every town were not littered with lead-riddled corpses. Certainly, killing was alarmingly common in the West, but even the most famous gunfighters were involved in no more than a dozen shootouts. Few gunmen ever actually killed anyone, and those who shot multiple people were even rarer. Killing had consequences, too; while the law was far away in most places, it had a long memory and the penalties for a shooting could catch up with a gunfighter years later. By contrast, many movies have the hero blasting away and piling up bodies left right and centre without remorse or

History: Real, Flexible or Mythic

There is a wealth of information on the historical West, so it is entirely possible to run a game based directly on historical events. A sufficiently motivated Games Master can dig up photographical references, diaries, maps, handouts and so on, and put the players in the place of historical figures. (Try starting a game with ‘you’re at the OK Corral, facing down the Earps. Roll for initiative’). The downside of historical gaming is that sources do not always agree, and the game can get lost in arguments over the cost of flour in 1860’s California, or the exact penetrating power of a Peacemaker. This style of play works best with players who are enthused about genuine history – if a well-meaning Games Master spends ages researching and designing his game, he is likely to be disappointed when a bunch of players who just want to be Clint Eastwood run around shooting people and fail to appreciate his careful reconstruction of Dodge City. Flexible history tries for the best of both worlds – it bases itself on real events, but leaves enough ‘wiggle room’ to cope with the wild-card actions of players. It is a slightly exaggerated version of the West, focussing more on the style and atmosphere instead of the niggling details of ‘correct’ history. Flexible history tries to get the history right, but when history and game clash, print the legend and run the game. Finally, mythic history ignores real-life events and facts in favour of an idealised, iconic West. Instead of working out what the nearest reservation would have been, there are simply doggone Injuns in those hills. Every town is a single dusty street with a swinging-door saloon and moustachioed barman; the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black. The downside of mythic history


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consequence. (For that matter, other roleplaying games also tend to teach the players that the only good enemy is a dead enemy, and that lethal force is usually the best option). In a game where life is precious, then a killing is an important thing. Any death will attract attention, and the characters may have to leave town to avoid being arrested. Warrants and bounty hunters may dog their heels for years. While this is historically accurate, and also encourages players to consider their action and use tactics other than gunfire, it can throw the Games Master’s plot off course. If a character gets into an argument in the saloon and shoots someone before the game really even begins, then the plot will once again turn into ‘the characters run from the law’. A game where life is cheap, then killings are common and the characters can blaze away with impunity. While there may be consequences for a killing, this will be a rare plot point, not the usual result of a shootout. The characters can shoot freely – as can the non-player characters. It may not be realistic, but combat is fun in roleplaying games. Finally, a game where the value of life is variable is something of a cheat, but works quite well in a roleplaying game. Here, the characters can shoot the nameless extras without worrying about consequences, but the shooting of a character significant to the plot will have bigger ramifications. As a rule of thumb, assume that any character with a name is significant to the plot. (This mirrors some movies very well, where the plot is kicked off by an important killing, but the killings in vast bloodbath at the end of the movie are barely mentioned and are far less significant.) The key is to give the characters an idea of how much consequence there is in the game. Most games have either areas where there is no legal consequence (‘killing things in a dungeon’) or where consequence must be avoided (‘the police can’t handle the cult of cosmic evil; we have to deal with the cult without alerting the authorities’). Westerns vary greatly in the severity of the consequences of killing, so the players need to know how their characters should behave in the current campaign.

Campaign Structures

An aside: campaign is a term derived from military wargaming, which has come to be applied to continuing roleplaying games. The term ‘series’ may be more suited to an episodic game. This can be expanded to ‘miniseries’ for a finite campaign, with a definite ending in store for the game. A more extreme option is to model the campaign

on movies – this takes the episodic structure to extremes, with a different setup to the game every time. A campaign structure outlines both how the different game sessions will be connected, but also what the overarching plots of the campaign, if any, will be.

High Plains Drifters

The characters are wanderers and vagabonds, drifting through the West without any real direction. Each scenario in the campaign has the characters running across some situation that needs their intervention. One week, they are hired to defend a community against outlaws; in the next, a saloon keeper falls ill and asks them to run his bar for a few weeks; the week after that, they come across the corpse of a murdered miner and are involved in a race with his killers to a find a cache of gold. The characters never put down roots or make long-term connections to anything; the end of every game has them riding off into the sunset once more. This structure is suited to an episodic campaign, and does let the players play through any possible Western plot imaginable. It gives the Games Master a great deal of flexibility; the characters are basically wandering around looking for plot hooks to get involved in. The downside of this structure is that the players are encouraged not to get too involved with any of the plots – they must always ride on. To keep the players involved, the game should focus on the relationships between the characters, which will be the major continuing element of the game. This style of play can include an overarching plot – the characters could be searching for something, or on the run, but it is best to use this plot as a reason for the characters to keep moving instead of a source of adventures; if the overarching plot gets resolved, then the characters may have no reason to stay together and keep drifting. •

A gang of former outlaws have a Road-toDamascus style conversion following a meeting with a mysterious preacher, and decide to redeem themselves by helping those in need. They ride through the West, looking for situations where their skills can be used for good. They are being hunted by a vengeful sheriff who wants to arrest them for their previous misdeeds.

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A beautiful young girl is looking for her long-lost father. She travels with a band of characters who have vowed to protect her – one is a mysterious gunslinger, another is her brother, another an old friend of her father and so on.


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The Law

The characters are sheriffs, deputies, bounty hunters, soldiers or just hired guns with a knack for investigating mysteries. The various stagecoach and rail companies employed detectives to keep an eye on their vehicles; the larger ranches also employed men to hunt down troublesome rustlers. In this structure, the characters have a regular source of missions – crimes to solve, problems to deal with, outlaws to hunt down and so on.

iron horse right into the heart of America and make war on the streets of Washington. •

Another team of miners using dynamite accidentally trigger a huge landslide. The team are killed, but the player characters discover that half their dynamite supplies are still up on the mountain. The dynamite is old and rather shoddily made, and could explode at any moment. There is a town in the valley below that will be buried if the dynamite triggers a second landslide. The characters have to climb the mountain, recover the unstable dynamite and deal with it safely. Their efforts are hampered by a grief-crazed settler, whose family was crushed in the initial landslide and who now blames all miners for his loss.

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The characters are sponsored by an eccentric nobleman from Europe, who seems to have almost endless resources of cash. Then, rumours start that their benefactor is actually a thief and swindler, who is using the characters to launder his dirty money. The characters need this cash to stay in business – what do they do?

This structure does limit the sort of characters that the players can have, but it is a quick and easy way of getting them involved in interesting and potentially violent challenges. •

A large landowner contacts the characters, claiming that a few mountain men and outlaws have been causing trouble on the edge of his land. The landowner is known to be trying to expand his holdings – there is a well near the edge of his land which is the only water for miles around, and which would be worth killing over. However, he is also a close personal friend of the governor, and therefore the characters must be very careful when investigating the matter.

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A member of a well-known and wanted gang of bank robbers is found dead drunk on the floor of the local saloon. The characters arrest him, and soon the word on the street is that the gang are going to try to bust him out. Then, the prisoner tells the characters that the gang are actually going to hit a stagecoach a few miles outside town. Do the characters stay in town and guard their jail, or head out and save the stagecoach? Is the prisoner lying to them as part of some cunning feint?

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A famed killer rides into town. He has numerous warrants out for his arrest, but his reputation is a fearsome one – he is a stone cold killer, and faster than greased lightening. He is, in fact, far more dangerous and skilled than any of the characters. If they try to arrest him, there is a good chance they will all end up dead. What do they do?

Building a Town

This variant campaign combines both the Law and the Business campaigns. Let each player take a specific role in a town – one might run the saloon, another could be the sheriff, another owns the general store, another the mayor or preacher or judge and so on. The characters must protect and guide the development of their town, making decision on how it will grow and keeping the law there. Most adventures have the characters dealing with some threat to their town – a flood, a war, a blood feud between two local families and so on. Inter-character politics can also play a part; the preacher might want to ban gambling and alcohol in town, while the saloonkeeper wishes for more people to indulge. •

A famous opera singer is doing a tour of the West; bringing her to the town would be a significant and profitable coup for the characters. However, the singer is something of a diva, and will only work in the best of conditions. The characters must make their rough-and-ready town acceptable to a finicky European singer, not to mention dealing with drunken cowboys who do not appreciate opera, her money-grabbing manager, a deranged assassin and a dangerous outlaw who is coming to town to hear her sing.

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Strange lights have been seen on Boot Hill. Rumours of ghosts and spectres are running rampant. Graves are being desecrated and bodies

The Business

The characters are all working for the same business; a mining company, a ranch, a newspaper, even an outlaw gang. Their adventures stem from threats to their business – the ranchers must go on a cattle drive each year, the miners have to defend their claim against claim jumpers and thieves. The actual adventures can of course be much more interesting and complex, but the business provides the initial hook. For example, a team of newspaper journalists are on the train to meet their investor, when the train is hijacked by an Indian chief who intends to ride the


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exhumed. What is going on? Grave robbers and moonshiners, or something more sinister?

Adventure Design

A good Western adventure requires careful planning. Part of the appeal of the Western genre is that there are a set number of elements that recur again and again in different combinations. The Games Master needs to arrange things so the elements lead up to a classic confrontation. A (partial) list of such elements might include:

People

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Gunslingers: Most Westerns end with a shootout, so those who live by the gun are important figures. A non player character shootist should either be a major threat to the characters, or a wild card that they must win over in order to survive. o Reluctant and retired o Mysterious and mean o Young and eager

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Settlers: Usually, ordinary people are the victims who must be rescued or protected. Sometimes, they must be rallied to a cause, or taught to fight for themselves, or learn to survive in the West. o Honest pilgrims heading West o Looking for a male relative who went West earlier o Helpless greenhorns o Being menaced by another group

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Outlaws: Switching between the two sides of the law was relatively common. A character might be an outlaw one season and a farmer the next, turning to crime only when things are hard. Others are habitual criminals, who will keep killing until it kills them. o Despicable and cruel o Planning a big heist o Framed and innocent o Feuding and self-destructive

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Lawmen: The presence or absence of the law makes a huge difference in a Western. If the embodiment of the law is absent or corrupt, then it is up to the characters to take the law into their own hands and do what is right. If the law is present, then the characters must ensure that it wins out over dishonesty. o Honest and upstanding o Corrupt, in the pockets of local authorities

o o

Harsh and tough Drunken and aging

Cowboys: Even if the nature of the cattle business never plays a part in the scenario, cattle and their handlers were a major part of the West. Cowboys can be heroes, villains or mere bystanders. Dealing with rustlers Driving a trail herd Young and inexperienced Old and leathery Army: Like the law, the army is a symbol of authority and law, a step in the ‘civilising’ of the West. Unlike the law, however, the army and especially the cavalry is usually portrayed as an unstoppable force – when the army shows up, then the game is over, one way or the other. By contrast, games where the characters are part of the army will emphasise discipline, lack of resources, and being asked to do the impossible. Getting help from the nearest fort


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o o

Local problems have to be sorted before they arrive Escorting an important cargo or dignitary Indians: Historically, the threat of attack from natives was exaggerated – they were massively outnumbered and outgunned, making their few victories all the more impressive. Native tribes can also be allies, hiding places, advisers or local colour. Hostile and dangerous Old friends of a character Defeated and diminished

•

•

•

•

Locations

Towns: The main street of town tends to be the setting for any big confrontation, from shootouts to hangings. o Tiny one-horse towns in the middle of nowhere o Chaotic and wild boom towns o Cities trying for growth and respectability o Ghost towns Places in town: In addition to being a vital part of the town’s economy, any of these could be the setting for a shootout. o Saloons o Bank o Sheriff ’s Office/Jail o Livery Stables o Brothels o General Stores o Dry Goods o Church o Courthouse o Opera House o Dance Hall Outside Town: Out in the wilderness, the characters have no one to rely on except themselves. o Badlands full of mesas and broken rock o Deserts o Scrubland o Mountains o Forested hills o Farmland o Open range Places outside town: Getting to any of these places will require passing through the wilderness. o Mining camp o Small settlement o Indian village or reservation o Army fort o River crossing or ferry

•

Rail bridge Stagecoach way station

Travelling Locations: These locations may also play a part in the game. o Stagecoach o Trains o Pony Express o Wagon Train o Cattle herd o Buffalo herd

Plots

Classic plotlines include: •

Dispute over some contested resource: Multiple sides are after something – land, a box full of gold, a woman, control of a town or water supply or some other valuable item. Perhaps one side has a genuine claim on the resource, or it may be a simple situation of might makes right. Variations: o A contest of skill (shooting, gambling) will determine who gets the resource o The problem is finding the resource

•

Revenge: Someone has wronged someone else, and they are out for revenge. They may intend to use the player characters as instruments (or targets) of this vengeance. Variations: o The revenge is misguided. o Lots of people have a grudge against the character, and the character does not know which of them is currently trying to kill him. o The character has no idea why the avenger hates him.

•

The mission: The characters must deliver an item or a person safely through hostile territory. Variations: o The item is dangerous, or the person does not want to go. o There is a time limit on the mission.

•

Survival: The characters have to survive in dangerous conditions, and may require help from others in order to live. Variations: o The danger comes from a temporary phenomenon, such as a storm or blizzard. Soon, the characters will be able to move on – assuming they live long enough. o The danger comes from the current


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location; keep moving, and you will survive.

Games Mastering

•

Defence of the homestead: A location is going to be attacked for some reason, and the characters must act to defend it. Variations: o The characters know they will soon be attacked, and must find a secure location to defend. o The characters must break out of a besieged location and go for help.

C o m p l i c a t i o ns

Every plot needs a twist of some sort, an added complication to keep the players on their toes. Complications include: •

A change in weather or conditions

•

A betrayal

•

The arrival of a third party or other 'wild card'

•

A change in the goals of one party

•

An unusual condition (the sheriff bans firearms in his town)

Putting The Elements Together

Once the basic elements of the adventure have been selected from the lists above, the Games Master must start putting them together. A scenario needs a beginning, a middle and an end, just like a story, but there must also be plenty of room for the player characters to affect events. Often, the Games Master will design scenes that may or may not take place, ones that can be slid around. These ‘set-pieces’ (the term is drawn from movies, referring to elaborate, carefully planned and visually breathtaking scenes) will often be shootouts or other dramatic confrontations.

Beginnings

The beginning of a scenario needs to ‘hook’ both the characters and the players. A dramatic opening scene works wonders – dropping the characters into a hazardous situation or describing some wide-open vista and letting the characters ride in. Having a little mystery works well – if the characters come across the burnt-out ruins of a farmhouse, and find signs that someone was carried off by the raiders, then the players are immediately interested in finding out what went on.

Another useful trick is starting the game off with a cut-scene – describe events happening elsewhere that the characters do not know about, but that will interest the players in the plot. The Games Master could describe the attack on the farmhouse by a gang of outlaws lead by a vicious half-breed with a tattooed hand, who carry off the farmer for some reason. This immediately shows the players who the villains of the scenario will be (and, usefully, it lets the Games Master describe the villains and build them up as threats without trigger-happy players taking pot shots the moment the bad guys show up.) If cut scenes are used, then it is generally a good idea to give the characters the same information that the players have as soon as possible. In the above example, the characters should be told of the attack of the farmhouse early in the game. Forcing the players to make in-character decisions while ignoring out-of-character information is rarely well received (that said, it can work once for a nice tense scenario – the players know that their employer is a murderous villain and traitor, but their characters do not, then the players will be on edge waiting for the gun to go off ). Most Western characters are tough and able, and willing to work if hired. They will also protect those in need, although they tend to complain and pretend to be much more uncaring than they actually are. In general, it is better to let the players get their characters involved than it is to force them into a scenario that does not directly affect them. Mix adventures where the characters intervene on behalf of a non player character with adventures where they themselves are threatened or hired directly at the beginning of the game. One useful trick – players enjoy the ‘Western sightseeing’ part of Western games. Do not be afraid to let the characters ride into town and amuse themselves for a while before getting the plot kick-started. While modern characters tend to sit around nervously and wait for the plot to start, Western characters usually head into the saloon and get drunk/into barroom brawls/insult the sheriff ’s patronage/ spontaneously decide to turn outlaw/fall in lust with females and so on.

Middles

One very useful tool for plotting a Western game is plotting the various elements in a diagram. Most Western plots hinge on a very limited number of characters and locations. Indeed, ambiguous relationships and past associations between characters are common themes. Try giving every element in the diagram at least two links to other elements. For example, imagine a scenario where the characters are hired to defend a town against outlaws (ala the Magnificent


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Seven). The elements of the adventure are: •

The three player characters

•

Three factions within the town o

The townsfolk who hired the characters

o

Townsfolk who fear the coming battle, and think that the village should buy the outlaws off with food and money

o

Townsfolk who believe that they can fight their own battles, and that the characters are unwelcome and untrustworthy

•

The town sheriff

•

The outlaws

As a complication, the sheriff is actually in league with the outlaws – he is increasingly unpopular in town, and intends to let the characters die before he heroically drives the outlaws off. To pay the outlaws, the sheriff has arranged for a shipment of gold to come into town. By telling the outlaws about the characters and their plans to defend the town, he can ensure that the characters fail to stop the outlaws stealing the gold. The sheriff and the outlaws then split the gold, the failure is blamed on the characters, and the sheriff can win glory by driving off the outlaws and cleaning up at least some of the character's messes.

sheriff wants to keep the gold a secret from the characters until after the outlaws have stolen it, the fearful townsfolk are likely the only way for the characters to find out about the gold. E: The fighting townsfolk intend to take the fight to the outlaws – having some of the townsfolk get killed will show the players that the outlaws are dangerous. These townsfolk can also be used to disrupt the player’s plans by shooting too earlier, triggering ambushes and so on. F: The sheriff is in cahoots with the outlaws, intending to use them to cement his authority in town. G: The gold is the outlaw’s payoff. H: The outlaws, of course, intend to backstab the sheriff and take all the gold. I: The sheriff lives in a small cabin outside of town – he likes his privacy.

A diagram might look something like this: A: The townsfolk who hired the characters are their initial hook into the scenario. They look to the characters to solve all the problems of the town… B: …and have decided that the sheriff is of no use in solving these problems. It is these townsfolk that the sheriff is trying to win over in his plot with the outlaws. C: The townsfolk who hired the characters generally agree with those who are willing to fight, but believe that they need professional killers. D: The fearful townsfolk know about the gold shipment – perhaps one of them is the town mayor, or the banker. As the


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Games Mastering

J: The gold is actually hidden in the sheriff ’s cabin – the box that the outlaws steal will actually be empty. Once the ‘gold’ has been stolen, it can be split secretly between sheriff and outlaws. K: The outlaws will meet the sheriff at his cabin. The blank spaces on the diagram are almost as important as the established relationships between elements. It is the character’s actions that will determine how the fighting or fearful townsfolk will react to them. (As an aside, abstract groups like ‘fighting townsfolk’ should be personified by detailing one or two non player characters who belong to the group). There can also be links between elements that are not immediately apparent at the start of the adventure. Currently, for example, there is only one link between the three player characters and the rest of the scenario. What if a different connection is made between each of the three characters and three different elements? One character might know one of the outlaws, having ridden with him in Texas five years ago. Another might have a relative in the town, or be offered a job as deputy by the sheriff if he gets rid of the other two. By combining one or more of the elements from the main part of the diagram with the player characters and the list of locations, the Games Master can assemble scenes and encounters. (It is worth breaking the town down into discrete locations, as the players will probably need a tactical map of the town if they are to defend it). For example, the characters could track the outlaws to their camp, or visit the sheriff ’s cabin before being ordered out of town. The sequence of events in the middle of the scenario is: •

The characters arrive in town, having been hired.

•

They meet up with the various characters and factions. These scenes can take place at any time and in any order.

•

The characters hear that the outlaws are coming to town.

•

The outlaws raid the bank, carrying off a box. The sheriff warns them of whatever traps the players have set.

•

The players lick their wounds, recover from the attack, and eventually either track the outlaws to the sheriff's cabin or else work out that the sheriff betrayed them and head after him.

•

The final shootout comes at the sheriff's cabin.

Flexibility is key – instead of planning everything that happens in advance, just plan the dramatic set-piece scenes and rely on improvisation for the rest. As there are only a limited number of elements, it is relatively easy to come up with an encounter on the fly.

Endings

Most adventures will end with a shootout or other confrontation – why mess with a classic climax? Of course, the Games Master cannot always predict how the adventure will run, as no scenario survives contact with players. One of the best methods is to design a dramatic finale that does not involve the characters, and then let their presence alter it as they see fit – let the characters tip the balance one way or the other. The end of the adventure should resolve the initial hook and most of the relationships between elements. It should also, ideally, have a moral or a twist to make it memorable, perhaps passing judgement on one of the Western themes mentioned above. In the example above, the finale takes place at the sheriff ’s cabin. If the characters arrive early, they can confront the sheriff over his treachery, and deal with him themselves. If they arrive late, they might stand aside and let the outlaws murder the sheriff, or join forces with the sheriff and take cover within his cabin while they fight off the outlaws. They might switch the gold for a box of dynamite and a timer, or rally the townsfolk to bring both outlaws and sheriff to justice.

N o t e s & S u n d ry The Cinematic Game

The stereotypes of Western films are very well established, and the Games Master should use them. He can use classic scenes from movies to describe events or locations in game, assuming all the players have seen them. Just saying ‘the house is like the one at the end of The Outlaw Josey Wales’ not only conveys to the players that the house is a tough sod house with narrow windows and only two entrances, but also gets them in the mood for a vicious siege. Characters can also be borrowed from the movies, or history for that matter. Using famous characters lets the Games Master use all the pre-existing weight they have in the players’ minds. If the Games Master describes a skilled and dangerous gambler and gunslinger, he needs to ‘sell’ him to the players, show that he is as skilled and dangerous as he needs to be for the plot. However, if the characters run into Doc Holliday, then all that work is already done for the Games Master – all the players already know that Doc is a brilliant gambler and deadly shot. Similarly, just saying that a mean-looking drifter bears a strong resemblance to


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Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name instantly puts the fear of God into the players. Cinematic gaming is more than just borrowing the sets and actors from movies and history, though. The Games Master should use distinct scenes, and emphasise scene framing. Instead of just letting events drift into each other, have definite beginnings and endings to scenes. Use cinematic language – instead of just saying ‘you ride from town to the ranch’, then describe the terrain, or even have a montage of images and stirring music as the characters ride. Start and finish scenes dramatically; instead of beginning a bar scene by running through how the characters arrive (‘so, you all ride in…are you tying your horses outside? Anybody checking round the back of the bar?’), just describe the scene in the bar and let the players narrate their own entrances (bursting in dramatically through the saloon doors, silhouetted by the sun, the piano player in the corner losing his place as they come in). Similarly, finish scenes definitively and abruptly, cutting once the climax of events has been reached.

Ranching Terms

Beef: A cow ready for market (over four years). Plural beeves. Bell mare: a female horse outfitted with a bell, used to aid ranchers on the open range; the horses naturally follow the female and thus the ringing of the bell indicates the location of the entire remuda, even in the dark when the horses cannot be seen. Bronco: Wild or half-tame horse. Cimarrone: Wild longhorn cow. Cowpoke: A railroad employee in charge of penned cattle, or a cowboy. Drag: The rear end of trail herd; riding drag meant keeping the straggler cattle in position, amid the dust and heat. Metaphorically, riding drag was any unpleasant or difficult duty.

Be generous with luck points and dramatic licence, but do not let the game spiral out of control. Think of the game as a movie with a budget – big action scenes and special effects cost money, so they should only be used sparingly and when they will have the most impact. Involve the players as much as possible – unlike other games, where the accumulation of power and wealth is a major impetus, players in a Western game tend to be more interested in acting like movie characters and being involved in cool shootouts. Indulge them in this.

Western Language

Most of the colourful terms and metaphors that show up in the Western vocabulary are drawn from the various industries (ranching, mining), or from Spanish or Indian languages. In general, try to keep the language a character using close to whatever that character does for a living – the players should be able to distinguish a cowpoke from a miner from a greenhorn just by the way they talk.


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Drover: Anyone who drives animals to market.

Make wolf meat: Leaving a dead man where he fell, as a final insult.

Games Mastering

Lariat: Another term for lasso, used in Texas. Maverick: Unbranded or wild cattle.

Make meat: To hunt for and lay in a good store of meat; more generally, prepare supplies and stocks for a long winter or siege.

Mossyhorn: An old longhorn. Reading sign: Tracking. Point rider: The cowboy in front of the herd; the lead element in a situation. Remuda: Herd of horses accompanying a drive.

Mining Terms

Claim jumper: One who takes a claim belonging to another.

Skookum: An Indian word meaning good. Wampum: An Indian term for belts of small beads or shells that were used as money. Many mountain men adopted this term to mean all money.

Stagecoach Terms

Bullwhacker: One who drives an oxen team. Colour: Signs of gold; a good omen. Leaders: The lead horses in a team. Hydraulic mining: Redirecting a river against a hillside to tear up the terrain.

Jehu: A stagecoach driver, taken from the name of a Biblical character who drove fast and furiously.

Panning: Sifting dirt through a pan to find specks of gold. Muleskinner: One who drives a mule team. Pinch: Literally, a pinch of gold dust, the basic unit of currency in mining circles. Long nails or digging too deep into another man’s pouch were discouraged, but there were large variations in the size of a pinch (hence the expression ‘how much can you raise in a pinch?’)

Rig: Harness. Road agent: A stagecoach robber.

Plasser: Gold on a riverbed or sandbar.

Road agent spin: Offering a pistol butt-first, then spinning it around into firing position.

Poke: Leather bag to hold gold dust and nuggets.

Wheelers: The horses nearest the front of a stagecoach.

Rocker: Wooden box rocked back and forth to separate gold from rock and dirt; sometimes it is called a “cradle” because of its resemblance to a baby’s cradle.

Boot Hill: The graveyard in Dodge City, also applied to any frontier cemetery.

Mountain Man & H u n t e r T e r ms

General Terms

Carpetbaggers: Northerners rebuilding the South, named for their luggage.

Arkansas toothpick: A large, pointed dagger used mostly by river men and gamblers.

Dry gulch: Ambush.

Buffaloed: Confused, lost or tricked.

Nester: Homesteader.

Buffalo lick: A natural saltlick used by buffalo and other game animals. Usually a very good place to find game.

Sodbuster: Settler.

Cut for sign: Looking for signs of passage. Firewater: Whiskey. This term comes from the Indian practice of throwing a cup of whiskey into a fire to see if it would burn. If it would not flame up, it would not be accepted.

Sod house: Cabin built out of piled sod. A Western drawl, interspersed with innumerable ‘ah reckons’ and other clichés can be fun, but putting on any accent can be seen as a challenge by the players for them to put on worse ones. Remember that a few carefully chosen words can be more effective than a long diatribe.


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Sho o t o u t s

A good shootout is the climax of many Western adventures. The Games Master should attempt to plan when and where the characters will end up fighting the antagonists, but given the unpredictability of players, he should be ready to improvise. The first factor in a shootout is the location. The location should offer plenty of cover, but no completely safe locations – you want the players and their enemies to be scurrying around, darting behind barrels and jumping over rocks. Locations for a shootout include: •

•

•

•

•

The Besieged House: The characters are all inside a house or other building, and their attackers are outside (or vice versa). Those inside the house have the advantage of defence, but are outnumbered and cannot retreat or resupply. The attackers have to find a way into the house; those inside have to keep watch over every possible entrance. The Barn: Or a livery stable, or construction site, or forest. This is a place where there is plenty of small pieces of cover, but no definite strongpoint. The characters might hide behind a beam or stack of bales, but holding the place in a siege is not an option. The fight is made more complicated because there are multiple levels – characters could climb trees, or up to the attic of the barn.

brambles; the enemy is on the other. Anyone trying to close the distance will be forced to move slowly through the obstacle, and be an easy target for shooting. •

The Rocky Plain: Plenty of small rocks to hide behind, but no clear strongpoints.

Range is the second factor – if the characters are far away from the enemy, then aimed shots with longarms are the order of the day, and the fight will really come down to who has the best attack bonuses and luck. Up close, the fighting will be mostly with sidearms, and be much more frenetic. Characters will also be able to use other tactics against enemies, such as melee attacks, bluffs and feints and so on. Mix the ranges that the characters are engaged at; do not have every opponent attack at the same range. Force the players to adapt their tactics to each new situation. The third factor in a memorable shootout is the complication – what makes this gun battle unique. Complications might include: •

Time Limit for the Attackers: The cavalry or some other relief is coming. At midnight, the characters’ claim on the land will become legal. The attackers have a very limited amount of ammunition.

•

Time Limit for the Defenders: One of the defenders is injured, and needs medical attention soon. More attackers are coming. The place being defended is on fire or collapsing.

•

Main Street: A wide-open area in the centre, with bits of cover like barrels and horse troughs off to the side.

Time Limit for Everyone: The dam is breaking and the area will be flooded. The whole area is on fire. The dynamite will soon explode.

•

Running Battle Through Town: A gunfight might boil out of control, and be taken to the streets and houses of the townsfolk. Characters might burst into the kitchen of some poor widow, or exchange shots with bandits from the cover of the candy store or funeral home.

Difficult Situation: The gunfight takes place in the middle of a sandstorm/snowstorm/rainstorm/ high wind/billowing smoke, making fighting difficult.

•

Dangerous Situation: The whole area is unstable/ on fire/filled with scorpions/filled with unstable scorpions on fire.

•

A Third Party: A rival gang/vicious rattlesnake/ deranged mountain man is fighting against both sides.

The Saloon: Lots of tables to be overturned for cover, and ducking behind the bar is also an option. There is plenty of glass to shoot, possibly causing minor injuries to those in the area of shattering glass. Alcohol might also be set alight, causing a fire.

•

The Dry Gulch: The characters are at the bottom of a canyon or gully; their attackers are on the heights above. The characters have to find cover in the flat bottom, then make their way up the hill to engage the enemy.

•

Across the River: Characters are on one side of a river or other obstacle, like a field of briars and


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WesternAdventuring

Western Adventuring

M

aking one’s fortune out West was the primary reason why so many left the comparative safety of the settled states. There was vast land and wealth to be won west of the Missouri River. Of course, this wealth had to be won at the expense of the frontier land and the native Indian, or at the expense of blood and sweat. Wealth brought thieves and bandits, and there was no law save what the common folk made for themselves.

Trapping & Buf f a l o H u n t i n g

Until gold was found and the Indian lands opened up to ranching and nesting, fur trapping was the major economic activity of the Western lands. Trappers working for the Hudson’s Bay or American Fur companies would head up the Missouri river into the mountains. Beaver pelts were the most sought after, and would sell for $5. Otter, muskrat, mink, fox and buffalo were also hunted for their hides. Initially, the fur companies traded with the Indians; later, most furs were gathered by the mountain men, white trappers who lived in isolated areas and intermarried with the native tribes (referred to as squaw men). Beaver pelts were taken down the mountain to trading posts established by the fur companies to be exchanged for money or goods brought from St. Louis. A character making a living through trapping uses the Craft (traps) skill to set snares. The traps for beavers were hidden underwater and baited with beaver musk. Other traps were hidden in underbrush along animal trails. A trapper lived out in the wilderness, isolated from civilisation

F u r C o m p a n i es

American Fur Company Columbia Fur Company Missouri Fur Company Pacific Fur Company North West Company Hudson’s Bay Company Rocky Mountain Fur Company

and other people, and so had to be tough and resourceful enough to deal with disease and wild animals like bears, wolves or men. As the fur trade diminished, attention turned to the huge buffalo herds. Millions of buffalo roamed the plains in the 1850s in gigantic herds. The buffalo was a vital source for meat, hide and sinew for the native tribes, but their hunts made no impact on the vast numbers of buffalo. By contrast, white buffalo hunters with firearms effectively wiped out the buffalo in a scant few years. Initially, the buffalo were just hunted for meat or hide, but when it was discovered that buffalo hide make good machine belting, the demand back east exploded and buffalo hunting became an industry. The trick was to keep the buffalo milling around in a rough circle instead of stampeding off; a new target would move into view after each shot, allowing a hunter to keep firing again and again. A good hunter could kill up to a hundred buffalo a day. Some used Sharps rifles with telescopic sights mounted on a tripod; others just rode up to the herd with rifles or shotguns blazing. When a buffalo was killed, skinners would descend on the corpse with their knives and ‘peel’ the animal. The hide was then pegged to the ground and left in the sun to dry. The remainder of the animal was left to the buzzards and the flies. A buffalo hide sold for about $1.50. The wiping out of the buffalo herds left the plains open to cattle grazing, ushering in the next phase of the west. Statistics for buffalo are on page XX. If a character makes a successful Handle Animal check (DC 15), he can work out how to shoot to keep the herd milling, thus keeping the herd together and allowing him to count the whole herd as a single target (and thus get the attack bonus for a Colossal target). Skinning a buffalo uses the Survival skill (DC 5). The main dangers during a buffalo hunt are stampedes or reprisals from local Indians.


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•

T r a p p i n g & B u f f alo Hunting Adventure Seeds

While travelling in the mountains, the characters happen upon a broken trap. It looks like a wolf was caught in a trap meant for a smaller animal such as a mink, and managed to break free. However, the local mountain man blames the characters for breaking his trap and begins to harass them as they pass through his domain. He knows the land much better than the characters do and can stay one step ahead of them. The mountain man has been alone much too long and is quite willing to murder the characters in revenge for breaking his property. Meanwhile, there is also an injured and angry wolf roaming the forest…

•

The characters are being guided through the mountains by a mountain man. According to rumour, a hostile Indian tribe lives nearby. The characters are taken to the mountain man's cabin, where they meet his wife – a squaw. Is their guide's loyalty to the tribe, and is he leading them into a trap?

•

A dude comes West to hunt buffalo, and accidentally starts a stampede. He manages to ride off and stay ahead of the charging buffalo, but his horse dies of exhaustion and he is lost in the wilderness. The characters must locate the lost dude and bring him back alive. The best trackers, though, are the local Indians, but they are none too happy with the mass slaughter of the buffalo.

Mining

‘Mining’ is something of a misnomer; much of the gold gathered in the West was found in riverbeds. Panning for gold involved filtering out the speck and fragments of precious metal out of silt-filled water. This required little talent or specialised equipment. As the loose gold became harder to find, more elaborate methods were used. Ore-bearing quartz rocks were crushed and mixed with water, then the resulting milky liquid was panned for gold. Rivers were redirected to smash into cliff faces and hillsides to break up earth and rock. Larger mechanical rockers processed much greater volumes of water than a hand-held pan could. In other strikes, such as the Comstock lode in Nevada, the gold and silver was found deep underground, so miners had to sink long shafts to reach the metal. This was more expensive and difficult than the panning of the Californian riverbeds, and required much greater skill. Gold nuggets and dust were gathered and exchanged for paper money or coinage in some regions, or used directly as currency in wilder places. As early as 1848, an informal miner’s code dealt with disputes over claims. A miner or mining company would stake out an area and defend it against claim jumpers trying to steal the area. If a company could be driven off, another group of miners could move in. Claims could be registered, but there was little law and less enforcement for decades. Criminals could also salt an area with gold nuggets and then sell the claim on the salted earth. Claim trading was common – if a miner did not want to put in the work needed to develop a claim, he could sell his share of a company onto another.

Commandments of the 49ers

1.

Thou shalt have no other claim than one.

2.

Thou shalt not make unto thyself a false claim, nor shall you jump one.

3.

Thou shalt not go prospecting before your claim runs out.

4.

Thou shalt not remember what your friends do at home on the Sabbath day, lest that remembrance compare unfavourably with what thou doest in your cabin.

5.

Thou shalt not inquire into your neighbours name in the states, or whatsoever he did there, lest he inquire into your past.

6.

Thou shalt not steal a pick or shovel or pan from a fellow miner, nor borrow tools he cannot spare, nor return them broken, nor wash takings from his sluice’s mouth.

7.

Thou shalt not tell false tales about good diggings in the mountains, to profit your mule and provision business.

8.

Thou shalt not keep one or two squaws when a maiden pines for you in your old home.


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WesternAdventuring

M i n i n g Adventure Seeds

•

A mining company starts up on a claim, but finds nothing. One by one, the miners lose faith and leave the company, selling their shares onto those who remain. The last one decides to fraudulently salt the claim with gold and sell it on. However, when he sells it on, the company that takes over strike it big. Now, the other miners believe that the last one was hiding the strike all along, and merely waited until they all sold their shares to him before exploiting it. They are willing to attack both the new miners on the claim and the last miner from the old company.

•

A classic seed – a grizzled old '49er prospecting up in the mountains discovers a rich vein of gold. He draws a map marking the location of the vein, walks back into town, goes to the saloon to celebrate – and dies of alcohol poisoning. Now, everyone in town is after the map, and blood is going to be shed.

•

A gang of thieves raid a series of isolated mining camps. Their attacks are not random; in each raid, the thieves carry off the camp's supply of explosives in addition to money, gold dust, nuggets or whatever else they can steal. Someone is assembling a great quantity of dynamite for some reason…

•

A mine accidentally breaks through into a vast underground cavern complex, like the famous Mammoth Caverns. The miners fall through a shaft into the midst of the caves. Climbing back out is impossible – to survive, the miners will have to pick their way through the caves to the surface.

Gold or silver was tested for purity in town in an assayer’s office. A character involved in panning for gold need have no particular skills, although Spot, Search and Survival are usually necessary for success. A deep vein miner needs Craft (mining) and Demolitions to dig into the hard rock. Miners underground are from risk of cave-ins, foul air, accidental explosions and banditry – gold is easy to steal, so most miners had to be ready to defend their claims with force of arms. A character can make a living working for a large mining company, but will not strike it rich. Quick wealth only comes with having shares of a company, or finding a fresh vein of gold. See the Miner Talent Tree, page XX.

Wa g o n T r a i n s & Settlers

Great wagon trains of settlers set out west along the Oregon or California trails throughout the middle of the 19th century. Each train would contain a half-dozen or more wagons, usually drawn by oxen or mules. Some trains contained tens of wagons and hundreds of travellers. Other animals were tethered to the back of the wagons. Progress was relatively slow, often no more than a dozen miles a day. Crossing the plains could take months. Both of the major trails started in Missouri. Following the course of the Platte river west, the wagons passed along a series of well-known landmarks such as Chimney Rock, Courthouse Rock and Independence Rock, where previous travellers had inscribed their names in the soft

stone. (The routes were described in dozens of pamphlets and newspaper articles that exhorted pilgrims to go West, praising the virtues and fecundity of the far West.) Beyond the Platte, the wagon trains had to wind their way through the Rocky Mountains. After the first mountain crossing, the trails divided at Fort Hall, north of the Great Salt Lake. The Oregon Trail followed the treacherous Snake River north across harsh, volcanic plains to Fort Boise, then west to the almost impassable Cascade Range. The key to success on the Oregon Trail was ensuring that the train crossed the mountains before winter. Early in the 19th century, ownership of the Oregon Territory was contested by both the United States and the British Empire, and having plenty of American settlers there was considered desirable. The California Trail became popular during the gold rush of ‘49, but was still used for decades due to the economic growth of the southwest. The gold rush brought thousands West, many with poor supplies and even worse preparations for the hardship of the trail. Even while the route was guarded by the US Cavalry, it was far from a safe or easy journey. Disease was a big danger; cholera was a major killer on the trail. Wagon trains sent scouts out to find water or buffalo to hunt, but an unusually hot spell could dry out a water hole and leave travellers both hungry and thirsty. Many settlers overloaded their wagons and had to abandon treasured possessions on the trail to avoid killing their oxen. Raids from Indians were also not unknown, although stealing valued mules was more common than all-out attack. For safety, the wagon train was normally arranged into a circle


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C a l i f o r n i a Trail Events

The dates of these events vary greatly, depending on how fast the wagon train moved and weather conditions. Day 0 7 18 24 29 34 38 44 50 51-70 71

83 93 94 97 99 106 107 108 115 127 129 145 153

Event/Encounters Departure from Independence, Missouri (or a nearby place such as Fort Leavenworth or St. Joseph). Cross into Indian Territory. The tribes here are mostly peaceable Shawnee and Potawatomis. The once-dangerous Pawnee have most been destroyed by predation from the Sioux and smallpox. Hit the Big Sandy Creek or Little Blue River; follow it upstream to its source. Meet the Platte river at Fort Kearny. Ford the north branch of the Platte and keep on following the river. Enter Sioux territory. Pass Chimney Rock. Reach Fort Laramie. Cross the Platte again at the Mormon ferry. Pass through the mountains to South Pass. Reach Dry Sandy Stream. At this point, the company must choose whether or not to take the longer route south along the Mormon trail to Fort Bridger and Salt Lake City and re-supply, or head straight west along Sublette’s Cut-Off. The territory ahead is more difficult – a mountainous wilderness with no west-east river valleys to follow. (Sublette’s Cutoff ) Reach Raft River, the turn-off for the California Trail. (Mormon Trail) Reach Salt Lake City. (Sublette’s Cutoff ) Reach Steeple Rocks, the junction with the trail from Salt Lake City. Those who detoured south to Salt Lake City will reach this point two weeks later. Steep descent from the mountains. Reach Thousand Springs Valley. Hit the Humboldt River, and follow it downstream. The terrain becomes progressively more desertlike. The threat of Indians reappears, due to the Shoshoni and Paiute tribes. Reach Lassen’s cut-off, a short-cut established in 1849 that crosses the Black Rock desert. Rabbit Hole Wells, the last watering hole before the desert. The Black Rock Desert. Reach High Rock Canyon. The land beyond becomes much more mountainous and difficult. Cross the Warner Range of mountains. Hit the Pit River and follow it downstream to the eastern edge of the mountains. Cross the Sierra Nevada. Reach Lassen’s Ranch, the easternmost outpost of California.

at night, corralling the oxen or mules as well as any cattle brought for meat or milk along the trail. A character travelling with a wagon train faces a series of challenges; a single failure will not destroy the train, but each unsuccessful encounter will wear away at the wagon train’s resources and resolve. Encounters include buffalo hunts to replenish meat supplies; rivers to be forded; thirsty crossings of dry deserts and fouled water; trading with Indians and fort commanders; accidents and injuries along the way; arguments and clashes between settlers; mountains to be climbed and routes to be navigated.

When a wagon train arrived at its destination, the settlers would build their first homes – log cabins if lumber was plentiful, or sod houses made of earth on the open plains. An overlander should have in his wagon two hundred pounds of flour, 150 pounds of bacon, ten pounds of coffee, twenty pounds of sugar and ten pounds of salt. - Lansford Hastings’ The Emigrants Guide to Oregon and California.


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W a g o n T rain Adventure Seeds

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The characters are accompanying a wagon train through difficult terrain. More and more, they are forced to rely on the skills of one of the settlers, a man who is notably stronger and more skilled than the rest. Without his help, the wagon train would have been destroyed or lost several times. Then, the train overtakes and incorporates another wagon, also heading West. One of the children travelling with this new wagon recognises the characters' ally – he saw him murder a woman back in Philadephia. Could the child's testimony be true, and how do the characters deal with a serial killer in the wagon train?

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More generally, the concept of the wagon train allows the Games Master to introduce almost any non player character for a session. A traveller could confront the players with a problem to be solved one week; then vanish back into the anonymity of the train next week.

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Debates over the correct route West runs rampant on most trains. While there are distinct trails to be followed, there are always shortcuts and cut-offs that could get the train across the mountains much more quickly. A traveller with the train claims to know a shortcut across the mountains into Oregon, and support for the route is growing among the settlers. The characters are sent to investigate this supposed cut-off. They must scout it for hidden dangers and see for sure if it leads through the mountains as quickly as they can, before winter descends on the caravan.

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A wealthy settler heading out West brings several expensive heirlooms with her, such as an ornate cabinet or other pieces of furniture. When the wagon train runs into difficulty, these items have to be abandoned along the trail, hidden in a secret cache. The characters are hired to go out into the desert and retrieve the hidden valuables.

Ca t t l e D r i v e s

The cattle drives were inevitable in retrospect, formed by the invisible hand of economics and circumstance. Cattle grazed the western lands newly cleared of buffalo herds; the cities of the east were growing quickly, and the fighting armies of the Civil War needed food; the railroad was winding out from the coast to the interior of the continent. Steers could be bought for about $5 in Texas and sold for $30 or more at the end of a drive.

Once cutting out is completed, the drive proper can begin. The cowboys drive the assembled adult cattle before them, forming the herd into a rough wedge or column. To help keep the herd in order, a lead steer was put at the head of the herd – this was generally the biggest and meanest animal in the herd, and all the others would fall into place behind it. Often, the same lead steer would be used on several trail drives. Having a strong lead steer gives a +1 to +3 bonus to Handle Animal checks when trying to change the direction of the whole herd.

Cattle were gathered on the ranches and ranges of the south; then herded north to the railhead, where they were loaded onto trains and brought to the stockyards and slaughterhouses of the north. The trail-driving days lasted until barbed wire and smaller farms tied down the open range towards the end of the century.

The trail boss, the lead cowboy on the drive, moved a few miles ahead of the herd, looking for watering holes and campsites. Behind him came the chuckwagon, driven by the cook and carrying supplies and food for the cowboys. A good cook was always hard to find, so cooks had a great deal of influence and privilege on the trail.

A classic cattle drive began with the roundup, as the cattle were gathered from all over the ranch. Wilder animals would have to be chased down and caught with lassos. The animals were driven into a corral and held there until cutting out began. Cutting out is the process of separating the mature, ready-for-market cattle from the young calves. Cowboys would ride into the herd, find the calves, drive them out and rope them. Unbranded calves would be dragged off to be marked with the ranch’s symbol; calves were then returned to the range. Cattle without a brand could be claimed by anyone (unbranded animals are known as mavericks).

Then came the youngest of the cowboys on the trail, the horse wrangler. The horse wrangler was responsible for the remuda, the horse herd accompanying the drive. There could be anything up to ten horses per cowboy, to ensure that each hand always had a fresh mount or a horse specialised in a particular task (cutting out, night herding, fast riding and so on). Near the remuda came the herd of cattle. Point riders moved along near the lead steer, while swing and flank riders kept the column together. Finally, the worst job went to the tail or drag riders, who had to ride along behind the herd, riding through huge clouds of dust and heat.


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C u tting Out

Firstly, the cowboy must locate a calf and chase it down, using a Ride check opposed by the calf ’s Dexterity. He must then drive it out of the herd, using a Handle Animal or Intimidate check at DC 5 + 1d20. If this check is failed by more than 10, he causes a stampede. Once the calf is separated from the herd, it must be brought to the ground using a lasso or ‘bulldogging’ (Grappling). Finally, it is tied up (Use Rope check opposed by the calf ’s Dexterity).

B randing

Often, further Grapple or opposed Strength checks are needed to drag a calf up to the branding fire. Applying a branding iron does not require any check, but the result of a Handle Animal check can be used to determine how neat and legible a particular brand is. The Forgery skill can be used to alter a brand, to make one calf appear to be the property of another ranch. Different ranchers used symbols that were as different as possible, to make such rustling difficult. The DC for the Forgery check is therefore at least DC 10, and can go as high as DC 30. A failed Forgery check means that the brand is blotched and has obviously been altered. Using a special iron called a running iron gives a +5 equipment bonus to the Forgery check, but possession of a running iron is illegal.

At night, some cowboys would be assigned to be the night watch, keeping the cattle settled and watching for rustlers. A herd could travel up to fifteen miles a day, but it could still take up to three months to move from the ranch to the railhead. The main dangers faced on a drive were rustlers, flash floods, Indian attacks and – especially – a stampede (see Animals, Page XX). A lack of water was also dangerous – while a man or a horse could survive for a few days without water, cattle were much more vulnerable to death by thirst – double the damage caused by dehydration for cattle. Rustling was almost an accepted part of the trail; if a steer wandered off from the main herd of another drive, then it could be claimed as a maverick. These animals were often given to Indians along the way, as payment for the Indians not attacking the drive.

Cowt o w n s a n d Boo m t o w n s

At the end of a cattle drive, the cowboys would bring their cattle into town; the cattle would be loaded into railcars and the cowboys would be paid. A ‘cowtown’ was a small town with a railroad, grass for cattle – and places for the cowboys to spend their money. Stores, saloons, whorehouses, casinos, music-halls, barbershops, opera houses, dance halls – and with all those armed drunken cowboys around, the funeral parlours and gravediggers had a large share of the trade too. Abilene was the first of the cowtowns, lasting from 1867 to 1871. It changed from a town of a dozen log huts near Fort Riley in 1866 into a town with ten boarding houses, ten saloons, five general stores and four hotels in 1870. The Drover’s Cottage was the first and most famous of

these. It also acquired plenty of trouble; the unsavoury extensions to town were referred to as the Devil’s Addition. The town also employed a marshal, Tom Smith, to keep the peace. Despite Smith’s banning of guns in town, Abilene’s reputation for violence continued to grow. In 1872, it was announced that cattle drives would not longer be welcome there. Other cowtowns took over from Abilene – Ellworth, Wichita and Hays City. Whole buildings, like the Drover’s Cottage, were disassembled and shipped by rail from Abilene (giving rise to the expression, ‘Hell on Wheels’, which was later applied to any drinking or gambling house shipped by rail). In each case, the wild cowboys brought violence, chaos, sin and money to town. Some of the most famous marshals were employed to keep the towns under control – Whitney in Ellsworth, Wyatt Earp in Wichita, Wild Bill Hickok in Hays. Cowtowns were a subset of the so-called boomtowns; when wealth appeared, places to spend it appeared there almost instantly. Mining towns exploded in California or Colorado; Dodge City grew up to service buffalo hunters. A boomtown could grow from nothing to a sprawling, chaotic town in a few months, then vanish again when the boom went bust. Ghost towns littered the west, marking places that never made it. See Page XX for notes and rules on designing a western town. Running a business in a boomtown is both unusually dangerous and unusually profitable – apply a +5 bonus to the roll for Complications, but also to the result of the seasonal skill check (note that this second modifier is applied after the skill check is made – being in a boomtown does not help a business directly, but does make it more profitable if run correctly).


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T r a i l D r i ving Adventure Seeds

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Two ranches border on each other, and both are dependant on the success of this season's drive to survive. If one ranch does not get its cattle to market, then the owners will be bankrupt and the other ranch can take its territory. The characters are cowboys employed by one ranch on the cattle drive. They discover that the rival ranch is driving its beef steers north at the same time along the same trail. How do the characters defend their herd from saboteurs and rustlers, and do they attack the other herd to stampede it?

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Clashes between cowboys and settlers were common; barbed wire and enclosed land were hated by the freespirited ranchers. Along the trail, the characters encounter a rich landowner who despises the wild cowboys. He has deliberately set up farmhouses and fences along the trail route that force the characters to bring their cattle along more dangerous terrain. Do the characters knuckle under and risk their herd, or cross the landowner's holdings and risk battle with his farmhands.

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The characters receive word that a fort, mining camp or other isolated settlement is in dire need of meat. There is no railroad there, and no established cattle trail. If the characters could drive a herd of steers through the wilderness, over mountains and prairies that have never been crossed by cattle before, then they could sell their beef at a huge profit. The trick is getting there.

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One night, one of the characters notices a steer in their own herd that seems to bear the brand of another ranch. By daylight, they can see that the brand was altered to match the other herd. If the steer had been rustled and added to the other herd, that would make sense; but it has been left in the characters' herd. The only explanation is that someone is trying to make others believe that the characters are rustlers. The trail ends in three days, and the characters will be accused of rustling and lynched unless they get rid of the branded steers and find out who is framing them.

B o o m t o wn Adventure Seeds

To be honest, just having a group of player characters walk into town with money in their pockets will get them into plenty of trouble. A badly chosen word or minor argument can result in brawling or even a gunfight – and once the characters have made enemies in town, their revenge can be an adventure in itself. Similarly, just mentioning a famous marshal can encourage some players to misbehave. Characters could try their hand (and lose) against Bat Masterson or Wyatt Earp… Refusing a drink could be a deadly insult. One tenderfoot who asked for the wrong drink was physically dragged on an epic saloon crawl around town by a gang of angry cowboys, determined to show him how to drink in the West. Even experienced characters can get into trouble in the bar – for example, the characters walk into a bar ahead of an important meeting with a teetotal puritan, and an old cowpuncher or miner tells them to have a drink on him of the bar’s most lethal firewater. If the characters refuse, the miner will be furious with them; if they accept, they risk meeting their puritan contact while drunk. Even the most mundane activities in a boomtown offer the chance for adventure. An old friend of the characters opens a business (such as a saloon, hotel or newspaper) and immediately runs into trouble with local toughs or rival companies. Anything goes in these wild towns, so he asks the characters to help him sort out his problems.

The Law

Law is a product of civilisation. As Western communities grew from a handful of rude cabins into thriving towns, they put their own lawmen and marshals in place. The influence of eastern law and order was limited to the presence of the US Army in forts and billets across the land. Often, the nearest law was several days ride away, so communities had to deal with their own problems.

Fortunately for most communities, many problems could be solved with rough justice. Petty theft was rare; overcharging, confidence tricks and other minor crimes faced the disapproval of the community, and in small towns, everyone knew everyone else and social pressure was strong. Rustling was a common problem, but crimes committed out on the range were often solved and justice dispatched out on the range also. For larger problems, a marshal or judge could be summoned from another city.


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L ynching

A character being lynched can survive for a number of rounds equal to half his Constitution score (being strangled by the full weight of one’s own body is more damaging than simply being throttled). Once this time has elapsed, the character must make a Fortitude save (DC 10) each round; the DC for this check increases by +1 each round. Once the first check is failed, the character falls unconscious. In the second round after the check is failed, the character is dying; in the third round, the character dies. Supporting a character’s legs by force alone requires a Strength check each round; the DC for this Strength check begins at DC 5, but increases by +1 each round.

T h e L a w Adventure Seeds

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Adventures centring around law enforcement are easy to set up – just give the characters a crime to solve or a troublemaker to bring in, and let them sort out the details. For example, a dangerous drifter shoots a farmhand after an argument. The drifter is seen again a few days later, out in the badlands. The family of the murdered farmhand demand that the characters ride out and arrest the killer, or they will send out a posse and deal with the murderer themselves.

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Keeping the peace without resorting to firearms can be a big challenge for characters, especially in cases where there is no obvious 'right' answer. A town built on the edge of a reservation or Indian territory would face clashes between the dispossessed Indians and the settlers from the east.

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Going to get the local marshal can also be an adventure – especially if the criminals are between the characters and the nearest civilisation. An isolated village might be at the mercy of a railroad crew trying to drive the rails through their farmland, or a large rancher with a number of armed cowboys in employ. If the characters going to fetch the marshal are shot dead in the desert and no one ever finds their bones, is it really a crime?

As a town grew, the townsfolk appointed their own marshal or sheriff. A respected and capable man was selected from among the townsfolk, or a famed law dog was brought in from elsewhere. The cowtowns and boomtowns were especially needful of a strong hand to keep the peace. A sheriff could choose deputies to aid him. Court was often relatively informal; only the larger towns had a courthouse and a permanent judge. Hearings were more often held in church halls or even saloons. Many settlers had a surprisingly good grasp of legal jargon and trivia. A sheriff ’s office and town jail were hallmarks of a community with an established justice system. An overflowing Boot Hill (graveyard, originally named after the one in Dodge City) and hanging tree spoke of one where the gun held sway. The Pinkerton detective agency was founded in 1850, and was heavily involved in intelligence gathering for the Union during the civil war. After the war, Pinkerton agents rode shotgun on stagecoaches and railroads as well as hunting down wanted criminals that could not be captured by local law enforcement. The Pinkertons pioneered the use of photographs and other detection methods in the West to catch criminals.

Wanted, Dead or Alive

Bounties were often placed on the heads of especially wanted criminals. Some of these bounties were put up by the state; others by whatever persons or companies the criminals had wronged. A bounty usually begins at $50 to $100 dollars, but criminals with a high Reputation can carry a far higher price. Billy the Kid: $500 Frank James: $15,000 Jesse James: $10,000

Outlaws & Rustlers

Characters can also play on the other side of the law. Holding up trains and stagecoaches is a western cliché, but one well grounded in history. The stagecoach and the train were vulnerable to attack as they crossed the wilderness between towns. A band of outlaws with fast horses and a knowledge of the terrain could ambush a stagecoach as it travelled, stealing the strongbox and the valuables of the passengers. One famed thief, Black Bart, was known as the ‘Po8’ for his habit of leaving bad poems when he robbed a


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O u t l a w s & R ustlers Adventure Ideas

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The characters discover that a bank vault in San Francisco was designed by a man who has since succumbed to the vices of drink, or perhaps even opium. If the characters can track down the designer, they can find out if there are any weaknesses or hidden ways into the vault. All they need to do find one drunk out of the thousands wandering San Francisco's docks and saloons.

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A stagecoach carrying a rich cargo is soon to pass through the characters' territory. A trio of famous gunfighters will be riding shotgun to protect the stage, and a detachment of cavalry is rumoured to be nearby, waiting to protect the cargo on the next section of its journey. It would be utter suicide to try to steal that cargo… then the characters find out that the stagecoach vanished, that they are being blamed for the theft, and that the cavalry are coming to get them. The stagecoach has been stolen by the gunfighters guarding it, who hope that by the time the cavalry kill the player characters; they will have gotten away with the treasure.

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A rustler player character is caught by a posse of cowboys, and hung from a tree. Just before he chokes to death in the noose, he is cut down by a shadowy figure. The character is in no shape to identify his rescuer – who would rescue a common thief, and why?

stagecoach. To dissuade attack, a stagecoach normally had a guard, riding shotgun alongside the driver. Trains were robbed when they stopped for water or at a station, by damaging the rails, or by falsifying signals. Robbing a train was a far more lucrative, and more hazardous prospect. In addition to the guards in the mail car, some rail companies passed out guns to the passengers to blast away at robbers. Bank robberies required the thieves to ride into town, but many towns were wilder than the wilderness. In addition to the town sheriff and peace officers, most banks employed a guard or two, especially if they suspected trouble was in the offing. Player character outlaws should be put up against such difficult odds; running into town guns blazing will get them killed, so they must carefully plan their raids, stake out the bank, arrange distractions for the sheriff, get the guards drunk and so on. Games centring on rustling will involve less gunplay than bank robberies, but are still dangerous – rustlers were lynched without trial out on the range. The best way to run a rustling game is to draw a map of an area, populate it with a few ranches, and let the characters run around freely, looking for a good hiding place, scouting the ranches, finding buyers for their stolen cattle, and fleeing from vengeful cowboys.

Railroads & St a g e c o a c h e s

Railroads were astonishingly successful in the West. They quickly outstripped every other form of transport and were a major part of the American economy by the end of the century, employing nearly five percent of the population.

Irish and Chinese workers employed by the Central Pacific and Union Pacific laid miles of track every day as the first transcontinental railroad crossed the continent. It was completed in 1869. A train travelled at around 25 miles per hour (although later, in the 1880s, speeds increased to 40 miles per hour or more). Most engines pulled about thirty cars in their train, a mix of passenger cars and cargo. Sleeper cars for passengers were common, although richer passengers often had their own luxurious private cars. At the head of the train, behind the locomotive, was the express car containing the train’s safe – the main target of would-be train robbers. The safe contained money, gold dust and other valuables, not to mention an expressman security guard. Robbing a train required stopping it or getting on board – an especially skilled rider could leap from a galloping horse onto a moving train, but more commonly a train could be attacked when it was stopped at a station or to take on water and fuel, or ambushed by putting a barricade on the track or damaging the rails ahead of it. Before the rise of the railroad, the stagecoach was the primary means of travel and communication between east and west. Drawn by teams of horses, stagecoaches rocketed across the deserts and the plains. Every twelve miles, the coach would stop at a waystation to change horses and give the passengers on board a break.

War

The West was a violent place, and armed soldiers were never far away. The major American conflict of the era was of course the Civil War, but numerous other wars took place during the 19th century.


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R a i l r o a d & S t a g e coach Adventure Seeds

Both modes of transport are ideal ways to kick off a campaign involving disparate player characters. Where else might a gunslinger running from his past, an earnest young doctor out to help the sick and infirm, a recently freed slave, a miner who wasted his hard-earned money and is now looking for work and a beautiful, fiery young woman searching for her lost beau all meet up? All the characters are travelling in the same stagecoach or railcar when some disaster happens, such as the vehicle being attacked or a gunfight breaking out on board. The characters have to work together, and so become friends.

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Speaking of disasters – a train offers the chance to run a classic disaster scenario in a western setting. Bridges could collapse, or a shoddily constructed rail might buckle and bend. Imagine a train that is partially derailed high above a canyon – the locomotive and a few cars run over the edge, but the rest of the train stays jammed in the rocks above. By some miracle, the whole train stays together. The characters must climb down through the carriages that are hanging vertically into the chasm, rescuing the survivors and retrieving important documents from the express car. By the way, the locomotive is on fire and there is a crate of dynamite somewhere in the first five cars…

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The construction of the railroads was opposed by many, from Indian tribes to competing stagecoach companies. To further complicate matters, different railroad companies used different rail gauges, meaning their tracks were incompatible with each other. Only one rail company could therefore use each route, so the first to make it to a particular town or pass would have a significant advantage. Every dirty trick and tactic was used to win the rail race.

W a r A d venture Seeds

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A detachment of soldiers come to the area where the characters are currently employed. They are searching for a band of Indians, who intelligence suggests will soon raid this area. As the weeks drag on, though, there is no sign of attack, and off-duty soldiers are causing more and more trouble. The characters are asked to tell the soldiers to move on – but what if the army is sent home, and the Indians attack when the area is defenceless?

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The characters come upon a wagon in the middle of the trail. The driver is slumped over the reins, the victim of some slow disease that finally claimed him. The wagon is loaded down with boxes and boxes of ammunition and rifles. The driver was clearly smuggling weapons, probably stolen from an army fort. If the characters take the weapons, they may be accused of stealing them; but if they leave them, whose hands will they fall into?

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Deserters fleeing the army often travelled west. A group of them take up residence in an abandoned ranch house. The son of the former rancher arrives in town, and hires the characters to drive the deserters off so he can claim his inheritance.

In 1812, the United States clashed with the British Empire. In the south, the United States fought with Mexico over the status of Texas in 1845, and nearly went to war over California around the same time. Texas had fought its own war for independence from Mexico a decade earlier. While determining the course of such a war or participating in a pitched battle is somewhat outside the scope of this book, the wars can provide excellent background for characters. The Indian wars drove the native tribes off their old territories and hunting grounds, forcing them onto the reservations and opening up new land for white settlement. These wars are more suitable for adventuring, as they were composed mainly of long-running guerrilla campaigns and small skirmishes. Scouts were much in demand, to lead companies of cavalry or infantry up into the hiding places of the Indians.

Gambling

The fever for gambling in the West was as strong as that for gold or land. As soon as men started making money, they started gambling it. Gambling saloons sprang up wherever there was money (as the railroads spread, gambling houses were often built into railcars and travelled from place to place), beginning as rough tents, but quickly transforming themselves into luxurious and fanciful pleasure palaces. The games were poker, faro and roulette, although almost anything could be gambled on, from shooting matches to jumping grasshoppers. Gambling was a huge industry – in Dodge City at its height, there were a hundred and fifty professional gamblers in town. Some ran their own games in the gambling halls, hiring a table from the owner for a day. Others drifted from game to game, preying on the


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Faro

The game of faro was believed to be fairer and less corrupt than poker. The rules were simple – the faro dealer drew cards in pairs, and the gambler bet whether or not a specific card would come up. If the chosen card was the first card of the pair drawn, the player lost. If the chosen card was the second card, the player won. If neither card was the chosen card, the player could bet again. Drawn cards were placed face-up on the table, so the player could see what cards were left in the deck and attempt to calculate what was likely to come up. The faro dealer could, with Sleight of Hand, cheat and arrange cards so the players lost. Faro cards were drawn from special boxes, usually decorated with a picture of a tiger, hence the game was also known as bucking the tiger.

G a m b l i ng Adventure Seeds

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A big-stakes game can create trouble before anyone even gets near the table – all those gamblers carrying all that money in easily-stealable bags are prime targets for thieves and outlaws. Characters hired to provide security for a tournament might have to deal with half-a-dozen different gangs of robbers or scam artists.

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Curious gambling games can be used for scenarios. For example, an eccentric Russian duke bets the characters' employer that a band of Indians can easily beat a team of cowboys in a race through a section of badlands. The characters then find that the team hired by their employer to compete against the Indians have all been killed by a single assailant armed with a tomahawk. One of the apparently peaceful Creek Indians hired to lose the race may be an angry and vengeful Apache in disguise – and now the characters have to take part in the race for the honour of their employer.

unfortunate amateur gamblers who were expected to bet high and lose big. Professional gamblers, for their part, were quite popular figures – ‘the knights of the green table’ as one writer put it – and often played on this reputation by giving large sums to charities or the unfortunate. They were also comparative chivalrous towards women, and female gamblers were counted among the best. However, most gamblers were less than heroic when it came to defending themselves – if an opponent did not lose gracefully, concealed pistols and knives were the order of the day for solving disputes.


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Tables Feats Name Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting Agile Riposte Alertness Animal Affinity Athletic Blind Fight Builder Brawler Cautious Cleave Combat Expertise Combat Reflexes Confident Crafter Creative Deceptive Dodge Educated Elusive Target Endurance Fan Far Shot Focussed Great Cleave Great Fortitude Greater Weapon Focus

Prerequisites Dexterity 13, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +11. Dexterity 13, Dodge.

Strength 13 Strength 13, Power Attack Intelligence 13

Dexterity 13 Dexterity 13, Martial Arts

Strength 13, Power Attack, Cleave, base attack bonus +4

Improved Aim Improved Bull Rush

Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, fighter level 8th. Proficiency with selected weapon, Greater Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Weapon Specialisation with selected weapon. Wis 13, Longarms Proficiency Strength 13, Power Attack

Improved Disarm

Intelligence 13, Combat Expertise

Improved Feint

Intelligence 13, Dodge

Greater Weapon Specialisation

Benefit Third Attack with Offhand Weapon Get an attack of opportunity against Dodge target +2 to Listen and Spot +2 to Handle Animal and Ride +2 to Climb and Swim Reduces darkness penalties +2 to two Craft skills Enemies suffer penalties to Brawl saves +2 to Demolitions and Disable Device Extra attack if you drop target Increase defence by penalising your attack Bonus Attacks of Opportunity +2 to Gamble and Intimidate +2 to Repair and Craft +2 to Perform and Craft +2 to Bluff and Disguise +1 Defence against nominated target +2 to two Knowledge skills Use enemies as cover +4 bonus to saves against fatigue Extra pistol attacks Increases range of attacks +2 to Balance and Concentration Extra Cleave Attack +2 bonus to Fortitude saves +1 to attack rolls with selected weapon +2 to damage with selected weapon

Bonus to aiming No Attacks of Opportunity for Bull Rush attempts No Attacks of Opportunity for Disarm attempts Feint as a move action


2

Tables

Improved Initiative Improved Trip

Intelligence 13, Combat Expertise

Improved Two-Weapon Fighting Iron Will Lightning Reflexes Literacy Lucky Martial Arts Medical Expert Meticulous Mobility

Dexterity 13, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +

Mounted Fire Moving Shot Nimble Point Blank Shot Power Attack Precise Shot Quick Reload Resist Impairment Ride-by Attack Run Shot on the Run Skip Shot Speak Language Spirited Charge Spring Attack

Ride 1 rank Point Blank Shot

Stealthy Sunder

Dexterity 13, Dodge

Strength 13 Point Blank Shots Toughness Ride 1 rank

Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot Ride 1 rank, Ride-by Attack Dexterity 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4 Strength 13, Power Attack

Surgery Toughness Track Trample Trustworthy

Treat Injury 4 ranks

Vehicle Dodge Weapon Finesse

Dexterity 13, Drive 6 ranks, Vehicle Expert Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +1

Weapon Focus Weapon Specialisation

Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +1 Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon Dexterity 13, Intelligence 13, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat Expertise, base attack bonus +4

Ride 1 rank

Whirlwind Attack

+4 to Initiative No Attacks of Opportunity for Trip attempts Second attack with offhand weapon +2 bonus to Will saves +2 bonus to Reflex saves You can read and write +2d6 luck Lethal damage with bare hands +2 Craft (chemical) and Treat Injury +2 Forgery and Search +4 Defence to avoid Attacks of Opportunity caused by movement Halve penalties for mounted movement Reduce penalties for moving fire +2 to Escape Artist and Sleight of Hand +1 to attack and damage at close range Increase damage from attacks No penalties for firing into melee Reduce reload time Reduce impairment by 1 Make move-by attacks on horseback Increase run speed Move-by firearms attacks Ignore cover Speak an unusual language Double damage from mounted charge Move-by melee attacks +2 to Hide and Move Silently No Attacks of Opportunity for break item attempts You can perform surgery +3 hit points Follow a trail Improves overrun attempts +2 to Diplomacy and Gather Information Use Dexterity instead of Strength when attacking with selected weapon +1 to attack rolls with selected weapon +2 to damage with selected weapon Hit all adjacent opponents


2

Weapon Proficiency Feats Name Improved Weapon Simple Weapons Martial Weapons Indian Weapons Exotic Weapons Simple Sidearms Martial Sidearms Exotic Sidearms Simple Longarms Martial Longarms Exotic Longarms

Lets you use Anything as a weapon Basic weapons such as knives and spears Sabres and other military weapons Bows and tomahawks A selected exotic weapon Basic, commonly available pistols Military pistols Unusual variant weapons Basic, commonly available rifles and muskets Military rifles Unusual variant weapons

Class Talents Tree Strong Hero Extreme Effort Extreme Effort Extreme Effort Ignore Hardness Ignore Hardness Ignore Hardness Melee Smash Melee Smash Melee Smash Fast Hero Defensive Talent Defensive Talent Defensive Talent Defensive Talent Increased Speed Increased Speed Increased Speed Tough Hero Damage Reduction Damage Reduction Damage Reduction Incredible Health Incredible Health Incredible Health Unbreakable Unbreakable Unbreakable Smart Hero Research Talent Research Talent Strategy Talent Strategy Talent Strategy Talent Dedicated Hero

Talent

Effect

Extreme Effort Improved Extreme Effort Advanced Extreme Effort Ignore Hardness Improved Ignore Hardness Advanced Ignore Hardness Melee Smash Improved Melee Smash Advanced Melee Smash

+2 to Strength-based check +4 to Strength-based check +6 to Strength-based check Reduce hardness by 2 Reduce hardness by 4 Reduce hardness by 6 +1 melee or brawling damage +2 melee or brawling damage +3 melee or brawling damage

Evasion Uncanny Dodge All-Around Awareness Defensive Roll Increased Speed Improved Increased Speed Advanced Increased Speed

Half damage from explosions Retain Dex bonus when flatfooted Cannot be flanked Dodge lethal attacks +5 movement +10 movement +15 movement

Damage Reduction 1/Damage Reduction 2/Damage Reduction 3/Disease Resistance Infection Resistance Poison Resistance Remain Conscious Robust Stamina

Reduce all damage by 1 Reduce all damage by 2 Reduce all damage by 3 +4 to saves against Disease +4 to saves against Infection +4 to saves against Poison Keep going after 0 hit points Gain extra hit points Heal quicker

Savant Linguist Exploit Weakness Plan Trick

Bonus to chosen Int skill Understand strange languages Use Int bonus in combat Give bonuses to allies Confuse target


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Tables

Empathic Talent Empathic Talent Empathic Talent Healing Talent Healing Talent Healing Talent Insightful Talent Insightful Talent Insightful Talent Charismatic Hero Charm Talent Charm Talent Charm Talent Fast Talk Talent Fast Talk Talent Fast Talk Talent Leadership Talent Leadership Talent Leadership Talent

Empathy Improved Aid Another Intuition Healing Knack Healing Touch 1 Healing Touch 2 Skill Emphasis Aware Cool Under Pressure

Bonuses to interpersonal skills Increase aid another bonus Sense trouble +2 to Treat Injury Restore +2 damage Restore +4 damage +3 to chosen skill Bonus to Listen and Spot Take 10 on selected skills

Charm Favour Captivate Fast Talk Dazzle Taunt Co-ordinate Inspiration Greater Inspiration

Bonus to interaction with opposite gender Get minor aid Beguile target Bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Gamble Distract target Anger target Give bonuses to allies Inspire allies Inspire allies even more

Tree Gunslinger Quick Draw Quick Draw Quick Draw Trick Shooting Trick Shooting Trick Shooting Dude Genuine Dude

Talent

Effect

Improved Quick Draw Shoot from the Hip Twitch Improved Skip Shot Exact Shot Between the Eyes

+2 Initiative Better initiative bonus in quick-draw duel Reflex save to fire at same time as enemy No penalties for skip shot +4 bonus to attacks on Tiny targets Use Exact Shot on Called Shot

Connections

Genuine Dude Fancy Pants Fancy Pants Fancy Pants Mountain Man Mountain Man Mountain Man Mountain Man Animal Companion Animal Companion Animal Companion Miner Mining Talent Mining Talent Mining Talent Mining Talent Lawman Law Enforcement Law Enforcement

Backing The Latest Style A Confidante of Dame Rumour Stylish Attack

+6 to Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate against certain officials Reset Wealth +2 to Bluff, Diplomacy and Profession Use Reputation when Bluffing Substitute Charisma for Dexterity in melee

Self-sufficiency Trapper Trust nobody ‘cept yourself Animal Companion Enhance Companion Faithful Friend

+4 to Craft, Repair and Treat Injury +2 to Craft (traps) Prepare traps Gain a companion Increase companion level Summon companion

Obsessive Work Familiar Tools Sixth Sense Strike

Take 20 quickly +2 to attacks with mining tools Notice danger Gain wealth

Demand Aid Silver Star

Get help +4 to Intimidate against criminals

Vocation Talents


2

Law Enforcement Storekeeper Trader Talent

Gets his Man

Regain health

Sociable

Trader Talent Trader Talent Stableman Stable Talent Stable Talent Stable Talent Cowboy Cowpunching Talent Cowpunching Talent Cowpunching Talent Riding the Range Riding the Range Riding the Range Scout Scouting Talent Scouting Talent

Careful Trading Ambitions

+2 to Knowledge Information +4 to trading rolls +4 to business rolls

Insightful Care Whip-hand Masterful Driver

+4 insight to horse care +2 to whip or lasso attacks Transfer damage from vehicle

Cowpuncher Animal Dodge Lariat Master The Long Ride Far Range Life in the Saddle

Grapple Large creatures Dodge Large creatures +2 to lasso attacks Regain hit points while travelling 10% extra distance covered Take 10 on Ride

Whisper of the Land Trailblazer

Scouting Talent Favoured Horse Favoured Horse Favoured Horse Favoured Horse Rustler Rustling Talent Rustling Talent Rustling Talent Robber Raiding Talent Rustling Talent Rustling Talent Safecracking Safecracking Boatman Boatman’s Talent Boatman’s Talent Bartender Tending Bar Tending Bar Tending Bar

Stealth Animal Companion Enhance Companion Faithful Friend Improved Mount

Retry Tracking using Listen Bonus to Fortitude saves, Drive and Ride in wilderness +2 to Hide and Move Silently in wilderness Gain a companion Companion gains a level Summon companion Companion gains a feat

Cause Stampede Swift Rope Vanish into the Wild

+4 to cause panic +2 to attack rolls with lasso Make Tracking harder

Improved Intimidate Planning the Job Overwatch Improved Demolitions Keen Ear

Use Reputation when Intimidating Reduce cover Shoot people who move +4 to Demolitions Take 10 on Open Lock

Confined Spaces Knock Overboard

+1 to Defence in confined areas Knock back opponents in brawl

Duck Behind the Bar Talkin’ About It Know Everything That Goes On In Town

Take cover as free action Bonuses when extracting info from drunks Automatically hear rumours

Leisure Time Unrecognised Talent Recover from Injury Retire

Gain talent from any vocation Gain talent from new vocation Adapt to injury Leave game

Pillow Talk Inspire

+4 to Sense Motive and Gather Information Transfer luck

Settler Settler Talent Settler Talent Settler Talent Settler Talent Soiled Dove Soiled Dove Talent Soiled Dove Talent

(local)

and

Gather


2

Tables

Soiled Dove Talent Tenderfoot Tenderfoot Talent Tenderfoot Talent Trooper Cavalry Cavalry

Rose of the Prairie

Men cannot attack you

Unrecognised Talent Beginners Luck

Gain talent from new vocation Gain luck points

Improved Mounted Charge Sound the Charge

Cavalry Infantry Infantry Infantry Soldiering Soldiering Soldiering Journalist Power of the Press Power of the Press Investigative Talent Investigative Talent Preacher Preacher Talent Preacher Talent Preacher Talent Gambler Gambling Talent Gambling Talent Gambling Talent Doctor Sawbones Talent Sawbones Talent Sawbones Talent

In the Nick of Time Veteran Through the smoke Indomitable Endurance Corporal Captain General

Halve penalties for firing from horseback +2 bonus to attacks and Defence when charging +2 bonus to skills when searching +1 bonus to ranged attacks Reduce concealment Reduce impairment penalty Bonuses to Plan talent Use Reputation for Charisma Request Aid from army

Reputation Bonus Moral Outrage Hard-hitting Questions Pursuit of the Story

Increase Reputation of target Inspire emotions Force target to fail Bluffs +2 bonus to skills when investigating

Blessing Moral Outrage Righteous Anger

Transfer luck points Inspire emotions +2 to Will and Concentration

Poker Face Devil’s Luck Detect Mark

Bonus to Bluff checks +2d6 luck points for gambling Notice those vulnerable to gambling

Improved Surgery Improved Care Get Back on your Feet

+4 to surgery rolls Patients regain more hit points Cure ability score damage

Wound Value 0-4 5-8 9-12

Wound Type Scratch Deep Serious

12+

Mortal

Effects None Bleed 1/round, Impairment 2, Infection, Extra Damage +2 Bleed 2/round, Impairment 4, Infection, Surgery, Extra Damage +4 Bleed 4/round, Impairment 8, Infection, Surgery, Extra Damage +8

Hit Location Roll 2 3 4 5

Scratch or Deep Left Hand Left Shoulder Left Arm Left Leg

6

Left Leg

Serious Stomach Left Leg Left Arm Left Shoulder Chest

Mortal Stomach Stomach Stomach Chest Chest

7 8 9

Chest Right Leg Right Leg

10 11 12

Right Arm Right Shoulder Right Hand

Chest Chest Right Shoulder Right Arm Right Leg Head

Chest Chest Chest Head Head Head


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Location Impairment Effects Location Hand Arm Shoulder Leg Stomach Chest Head

Skills Impaired Climb, Craft, Demolitions, Disable Device, Drive, Repair, Sleight of Hand Climb, Craft, Drive, Sleight of Hand, Swim Climb, Craft, Drive, Swim Balance, Jump, Move Silently, Swim, Tumble Climb, Drive, Jump, Ride, Swim Climb, Swim Listen, Spot

Ability Score Impaired Dexterity when manipulating -

Actions Impaired Ranged Attacks

Strength Dexterity when moving

All Attacks Movement, Defence Value

Con -

All

Melee Attacks

Balance Check DCs Narrow Surface DC* Difficult Surface DC 7–12 in. wide 10 Uneven or angled 10 2–6 in. wide 15 Slippery surface 10 Less than 2 in. 20 Damaging surface +5 wide *Add +5 to the DC if the narrow surface is slippery or angled; add +10 if it is both slippery and angled.

Bluff Checks Sense Motive Example Circumstances The target wants to believe the character (I knew there was gold in those hills). The bluff is believable and does not affect the target much one way or the other (so, there’s a war party of Cheyenne down the trail? I’ll take the left fork instead). The bluff is a little hard to believe or puts the target at some kind of risk. (I’ll let you take my horse so you can warn the fort, but only if you swear to come back with it right after.) The bluff is hard to believe or entails a large risk for the target (They hung someone else for the robbery, so now I can go back to town?) The bluff is way out there; it is almost too incredible to consider. (Whadya mean, mechanical men?)

Modifier –5 +0

+5

+10

+20

10

A surface with sizable ledges to hold on to and stand on, such as a rugged cliff face. 15 Any surface with adequate handholds and footholds (natural or artificial), such as a rough natural rock surface or a tree, or a chain-link fence. An un-knotted rope. Pulling yourself up when dangling by your hands. 20 An uneven surface with just a few narrow handholds and footholds, such as a coarse masonry wall or a sheer cliff face with a few crevices and small toeholds. 25 A rough surface with no real handholds or footholds, such as a brick wall. 25 Overhang or ceiling with handholds but no footholds. — A perfectly smooth, flat, vertical surface cannot be climbed. Modifiers Condition –10* Climbing inside a chimney or other location where one can brace against two opposite walls (reduces normal DC by 10). –5* Climbing a corner where a character can brace against perpendicular walls (reduces normal DC by 5). +5* Surface is slippery (increases normal DC by 5). *These modifiers are cumulative; use any that apply.

Climb Checks DC 0 5 10

Example Wall or Surface or Task A slope too steep to walk up. A knotted rope with a wall to brace against. A rope with a wall to brace against. A knotted rope.


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Concentration DCs

Moderate (chloroform) Complex (dynamite)

Distraction Damaged during the action *

Tables

Taking continuous damage during the action **

Vigorous motion (bouncy vehicle ride, small boat in rough water, below decks in a storm-tossed ship, riding a horse)

DC 10 + damage dealt 10 + half of continuous damage last dealt 10

Type of Gunsmithing (Examples) Simple (Cast bullets) Moderate (pistol, rifle) Complex (machine gun)

Craft DC 10 20

Time 1 hr. 12 hr

25

24 hr


Type of Scratch-Built Mechanical Device (Examples) Simple (tripwire) Moderate (mechanical clock) Complex (steam engine)

Craft DC 15 20 25

Time 1 hr 12 hr. 24 hr.

Craft (structural) (Int) Type of Scratch-Built Structure (Examples) Simple (bookcase, false wall) Moderate (shed, stable) Complex (house)

Craft DC 10 15 25

Time 12 hr. 24 hr. 120 hr.

Craft (traps) (Int) Trained Only Type of Trap (Examples) Simple (tripwire, snare) Moderate (concealed pit, bear trap) Complex (lethal boobytrap)

Craft DC 10

Time 1 hr

Damage Entangle

15

3 hr.

1d6

20

6 hr.

By weapon used

Craft (woodworking) (Int)

Craft (bowmaking) (Int) Trained Only Craft DC 15 20 25


Craft (chemical) (Int) Trained Only Type of Chemistry (Examples) Simple (acid, gunpowder, disinfectant)

Craft DC 10 20 30

Craft (mechanical) (Int) Trained Only

Craft (blacksmithing) (Int) Trained Only

Type of Bowmaking (Examples) Simple (arrow) Moderate (normal bow) Complex (masterwork bow)

12 hr. 24 hr.

Craft (gunsmithing) (Int)

Violent motion (very rough 15 vehicle ride, small boat in rapids, on deck of storm-tossed ship, galloping horse) Extraordinarily violent motion 20 (earthquake) Entangled in net or snare 15 Grappling or pinned 20 Weather is a high wind carrying 5 blinding rain or sleet Weather is wind-driven hail, dust, 10 or debris * Such as an activity that requires more than a single full-round action. Also from an attack of opportunity or readied attack made in response to the action being taken (for activities requiring no more than a full-round action). ** Such as from catching on fire.

Type of Blacksmithing (Examples) Simple (batch of nails) Moderate (horseshoes, hunting knife) Complex (steam engine parts, rapier, sabre)

20 25

Craft DC 15

Time 1 hr.

Type of Woodworking (Examples) Just whittlin’ away, biding my time Simple (planks of lumber) Moderate (rifle stock, coffin) Complex (artistic carving)

Craft DC 5 10

Time Until Judgement Day 4 hr.

15

8 hr.

25

24 hr.


2

Craft (writing) (Int) Skill Check Result 9 or lower 10–19 20–24 25–30 31 or higher

Familiarity Recognises on sight Friend or associate Close friend Intimate

Effort Achieved Untalented amateur Talented amateur Professional Expert Master

Escape Artist (Dex) Armour Penalty

Diplomacy (Cha) Attitude Hostile

Unfriendly

Indifferent Friendly Helpful

Means Will take risks to hurt or avoid you Wishes you ill

Does not care much Wishes you well Will take risks to help you

Possible Actions Attack, interfere, berate, flee Mislead, gossip, avoid, watch suspiciously, insult Act as socially expected Chat, advise, offer limited help, advocate Protect, back up, heal, aid

Difficulty Table for Diplomacy Checks New Attitude Hostile Unf. 19 or 20 less Unfriendly 4 or 5 less Indifferent — 0 or less Friendly — —

Initial Attitude Hostile

Bonus +4 +6 +8 +10

Indif. Friendly Helpful 25 35 45 15

25

35

1

15

25

0 or less

1

15

Restraint Ropes Net Leg Irons Handcuffs Tight space Grappler

DC of Escape Check Opponent’s Dex check +20 20 25 35 30 Opponent’s grapple check

Forgery (Int) Some Trained Only Check Modifier +0

Examination Time 10 min.

Moderate (claim, business form) Complex (stock certificate, legal document) Difficult (passport)

-2

20 min.

-4

1 hr.

-8

4 hr.

Extreme (Banknote)

-16

4 hr.

Document Type Simple (letter)

Familiarity* Unfamiliar (seen once for less than a minute) Fairly familiar (seen for several minutes)

Modifier -4

Quite familiar (on hand, or studied at leisure) Forger has produced other documents of same type Document includes specific signature

+4

+0

Disable Device (Int) Trained Only Lock Type (Example) Cheap (house) Average (sheriff ’s office) High quality (bank)

DC 20 25 30

Disguise (Cha) Disguise Modifier Minor details only +5 Appropriate uniform or costume +2 Disguised as different sex –2 Disguised as different age category –2 * * Per step of difference between the character’s age category and the disguised age category (child, young adult, adult, middle age, old, or venerable).

+4 -4

*: Use all modifiers that apply from this list. Examiner’s Condition Type of document unknown to examiner Type of document somewhat known to examiner Type of document well known to examiner

Modifier –4 –2 +0


2

Document is put through additional tests +4 * Examiner only casually reviews the –2 document * * Cumulative with any of the first three conditions on the table. Apply this modifier along with one of the other three whenever appropriate.

Tables

Gather Information (Cha) Type of Information General Specific Restricted Protected

DC 10 15 20 25

Purchase DC 5 10 15 20

Handle Animal (Cha; Trained Only) Task Handle Animal DC Handle an animal 10 ‘Push’ an animal 25 Teach an animal a trick 15 or 201 Train an animal for a general 15 or 201 purpose Rear a wild animal 15 + HD of animal 1 See the specific trick or purpose below. General Purpose Combat riding Fighting Guarding

DC 20 20 20

Heavy labour

15

General Purpose Hunting Performance Riding

DC 20 15 15

Hide (Dex) Armour Penalty Size Small Medium Large

Modifier +4 +0 -4

Cover or Concealment Three-quarters Nine-tenths

High Jump Distance DC * 1 foot 6 2 feet 10 3 feet 14 4 feet 18 * Requires a 20-foot move. double the DC. Creature Size Colossal Gargantuan Huge Large Medium-size Small Tiny Diminutive Fine

Jump (Str) Armour Penalty Long Jump Long Jump Distance DC * Distance 5 feet 10 20 feet 10 feet 15 25 feet 15 feet 20 30 feet * Requires a 20-foot move. Without a 20-foot double the DC.

DC –10 0 10

Sound A battle People talking An unarmoured person walking at a slow pace, trying not to make any noise 15 A 1st-level Fast hero sneaking up on someone * 20 A mountain lion stalking prey * 30 A bird flying through the air +5 Listening through a door +15 Listening through a solid wall * This is actually an opposed check; the DC given is a typical Move Silently check result for such a character or creature. Check Penalty –1 –5

Perform (Cha) Result 10

15 DC * 25 30 35 move,

Maximum Height 128 ft. 64 ft. 32 ft. 16 ft. 8 ft. 4 ft. 2 ft. 1 ft. 0.5 ft.

Listen (Wis)

Condition Per 10 feet of distance Listener distracted Circumstance Bonus +5 +10

High Jump Distance DC * 5 feet 22 6 feet 26 7 feet 30 8 feet 34 Without a running start,

20 25 30

Performance Amateur performance. Audience may appreciate your performance, but is not impressed. Routine performance. Audience enjoys your performance, but it is not exceptional. Great performance. Audience highly impressed. Memorable performance. Audience enthusiastic. Masterful performance. Audience awed.


2

Search (Int) DC 10 20 25+

Task Ransack an area to find a certain object. Notice a typical secret compartment, a simple trap, or an obscure clue. Find a complex or well-hidden secret compartment or trap; notice an extremely obscure clue.

15

18

Gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saves against severe weather while moving up to half the character’s overland speed, or gain a +4 circumstance bonus if stationary. The character may grant the same bonus to one other character for every 1 point by which the character’s check result exceeds 15. Avoid getting lost and avoid natural hazards such as alkali flats, prairie fires and so on.

Survival (Wis) DC 10

Task Get along in the wild. Move up to half the character’s overland speed while hunting and foraging (no food or water supplies needed). The character can provide food and water for one other person for every 2 points by which the character’s check result exceeds 10.

Treat Injury (Wis) Bleed Before Stem Bleeding Bleed After None None 1/round 1/day 2/round 1/hour 4/round 1/minute Tumble (Dex) Trained Only; Armour Penalty


2

Index

Index

A Ability Damaged 102 Ability Drained 103 Adams ‘Improved’ 90 Adams ‘Service’ 90 Adams ‘Single Action’ 90 Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting 70 Advancement 27 Adventure Design 202 Age 26 Agile Riposte 70 Aging Effects 26 Aiding Another 45 Aid Another 136 Alertness 70 Ambitions 33 Ammo bandolier 85 Ammunition Types 84 Amputees 107 Animal Abilities 158 Animal Affinity 70 Animal Companion 31, 35 Animal Companion Talent Tree 31 Apache 172 Armourer 163 Athletic 70 Attacks of Opportunity 131 Attack Action 124 Attack Bonus 119 Attack Roll 119 Attack Roll Modifiers 132 A Confidante of Dame Rumour 31

B Backing 30 Balance 46 Bandanna 83 Banjo 85 Bank 163 Barber 163 Barrel 81 Bartender 37 Bedroll 84 Beginner’s Luck 39 Beginners’ Luck 147

Between the Eyes 29 Billy the Kid 183 Biter 151 Blacksmith 163 Blanket 84 Blessing 41 Blind-Fight 71 Blinded 103 Bluff 47 Boatman 36 Boatman’s Talent Tree 36 Boots 83 Bordello 163 Bottle of Burning Booze 96 Bow 94 Bowie Knife 96 Branding Iron 84 Brass Knuckles 96 Brave 178 Brave Warrior Talent Tree 178 Brawler 71 Brawling & Unarmed Combat 139 Breaking Objects 138 Buffalo 156 Buffalo/Trapping 162 Buffalo Bill Cody 184 Buggy 87 Builder 71 Bull Rush 140 Burnside Carbine 91 Businesses 111 Business suit 83

C Called Shots 141 Campaign Design 198 Campaign Structures 200 Cannon 94 Canteen 84 Captain 40 Careful Trading 33 Carrying Capacity 98, 99 Carrying Loads 99 Cashing Out 112 Casual wear 83

Catching on Fire 104 Cattle Drives 214 Cause Stampede 35 Cautious 71 Cavalry Officer 171 Cavalry Talent Tree 39 Cemetery 163 Charge 128 Charger 151 Charismatic Hero 22 Charisma (CHA) 7 Charm Talent Tree 23 Chases 115 Chasing Trains 115 Checks without Rolls 45 Cherokee 174 Chest 81 Cheyenne 173 Chickasaw 174 Chief 180 Chieftain Talent Tree 180 Choctaw 174 Chuckwagon 87 Church 164 Cleave 71 Climb 48 Clothier 164 Club 96 Coat 83 Cochise 186 Colt ‘Army’ 90 Colt ‘Buntline Special’ 90 Colt ‘Cavalry’ 90 Colt ‘Lightning’ 90 Colt ‘Navy’ 90 Colt ‘Peacemaker’ 90 Colt ‘Revolving’ Rifle 91 Colt ‘Revolving’ Shotgun 92 Colt ‘Shopkeeper’ 90 Colt ‘Stagecoach’ Shotgun 93 Colt ‘Thunderer’ 90 Comanche 173 Combat Expertise 72 Combat Modifiers 132 Combat Reflexes 72 Combat Round 123


2

Compass 84 Concealing a Weapon 117 Concealment 134 Concentration 49 Conestoga Wagon 87 Confident 72 Confined Spaces 36 Connections 30 Constitution (CON) 6 Corporal 40 Corral 164 Counting Coup 176 Coup de Grace 134 Courthouse 164 Cover 133 Cowboy 34, 168 Cowering 103 Cowpunching Talent Tree 34 Cowtowns and Boomtowns 215 Cow Town 162 Coyote 156 Craft 49 Crafter 72 Craft (blacksmithing) 50 Craft (bowmaking) 50 Craft (chemical) 50 Craft (gunsmithing) 50 Craft (mechanical) 50 Craft (structural) 51 Craft (traps) 51 Craft (woodworking) 51 Craft (writing) 52 Creative 72 Creek 174 Critical Hits 120 Cutting Out 151

D Damage 119 Damage from Falling Objects 105 Damage Reduction Talent Tree 17 Dance Hall 164 Dazed 103 Dead 103 Deafened 103 Deane-Adams 90 Deane-Adams ‘Pocket’ 90 Deceptive 72 Decipher Script 52 Deck of Cards 85 Dedicated Hero 20 Defence Modifiers 132 Defence Value 120 Defensive Talent Tree 15 Delay 135 Delaying Limits 135

Demand Aid 32 Demolitions 52 Dentist 164 Deputy 171 Detect Mark 42 Devil’s Luck 42 Dexterity (DEX) 6 Dexterity Modifier 119, 120 Difficulty Class Examples 43 Diplomacy 53 Disabled 103 Disable Device 54 Disarm 141 Diseases 108 Disguise 54 Distillery 164 Distinctive 151 Doctor 42, 170 Doctor’s Bag 83 Doc Holliday 188 Dodge 72 Dog 156 Donkey 152 Dreyse ‘Needle Gun’ 91 Drinking 116 Drive 55 Drowning 105 Drugstore 164 Dry Goods 164 Duck Behind The Bar 37 Dude 30 Dying 103 Dynamite 95

E Easy Ride 151 Educated 72 Effects of Reputation 109 Elusive Target 72 Empathic Talent Tree 21 Endurance 73 Enhance Companion 31, 35 Entangled 103 Escape Artist 55 Established 162 Evasion and Pursuit 102 Exact Shot 29 Example Opposed Checks 44 Exhausted 103 Exotic Longarm Proficiency 80 Exotic Sidearms Proficiency 80 Exotic Weapons Proficiency 80 Expert Rider Talent Tree 179 Explosives 136 Extreme Effort Talent Tree 13

F Faithful Friend 31, 35 Falling 105 Falling Objects 105 False-Front Buildings 163 Familiar Tools 32 Fan 73 Fancy Pants Talent Tree 30 Faro 220 Far Range 34 Far Shot 73 Fast 151 Fast-Talk Talent Tree 24 Fast Hero 14 Fatigued 104 Fatigue and Mounts 155 Favourable and Unfavourable Conditions 44 Favoured Horse Talent Tree 35 Feats 70 Fighting Defensively 126 Firing Actions 88 Five Civilised Tribes 174 Flat-Footed 104 Focused 73 Forgery 56 Forgery kit 83 Formal dress 83 49er 170 Free Action 124 Full-Round Action 124 Full Attack 129 Fur Companies 210

G Gaining Luck 149 Gamble 57 Gambler 41 Gambling 116, 219 Gambling Den 164 Gambling Talent Tree 41 Gather Information 57 Gatling Gun 94 General or Major 40 General Store 164 General Store Owner 169 General Terms 208 Genuine Dude Talent Tree 30 Gets His Man 32 Get Back On Your Feet 42 Grabbing Objects 142 Grapple 142 Grappled 104 Grapple Modifiers 142 Greater Weapon Focus 73 Greater Weapon Specialisation 73


2

Great Cleave 73 Great Fortitude 73 Grizzly Bear 156 Group Structures 197 Gunpowder Keg 96 Guns 117 Gunslinger 29 Gun cleaning kit 85

Index

H Hampered Movement 101 Handcuffs 83 Handle Animal 58 Hard-hitting Questions 40 Hardware 165 Harmonica 85 Hartford Cowboy Shotgun 93 Hat 83 Hatchet 97 Hawken ‘Plains Rifle’ 91 Headstrong 151 Healing Talent Tree 22 Heat and Cold 104 Heavy-Footed 151 Heavy Coat 97 Helpless 104 Helpless Defenders 134 Henry Rifle 91 Hide 60 High Jumper 152 Hit Location 127 Hit Locations 127 Hit Points 121 Holster 85 Horse, Heavy 154 Horse, Light 154 Horse Feats 151 Horse feed 85 Hotel 165 Hunter 180 Hunter Talent Tree 180

I Ignore Hardness Talent Tree 14 Improved Aim 74 Improved Bull Rush 74 Improved Care 42 Improved Demolitions 36 Improved Disarm 74 Improved Feint 74 Improved Initiative 74 Improved Intimidate 36 Improved Mount 35 Improved Mounted Combat 39 Improved Quick Draw 29 Improved Skip Shot 29

Improved Surgery 42 Improved Trip 74 Improved Two-Weapon Fighting 74 Improvised Weapons Proficiency 79 Increased Speed Talent Tree 16 Incredible Health Talent Tree 18 Indian Agents 178 Indian Trade Musket 91 Indian Weapons Proficiency 80 Indomitable Endurance 40 Infantry Talent Tree 39 Infection 107 Initiative 121 Injuries, Wounds and Infection 107 Insightful Care 33 Inspire 38 Intelligence (INT) 6 Intimidate 60 Investigative Talent Tree 40 In The Nick Of Time 39 Iron Will 74

J Journalist 40 Judge Roy Bean 189 Jump 61

K Keen Ear 36 Kicker 152 Kiowa 174 Kit Carson 189 Knock Overboard 36 Knowledge 62 Know Everything That Goes On In Town 37

L Lamp oil 85 Lasso 94 Lawman 32 Law Enforcement Talent Tree 32 Leadership Talent Tree 25 Leather chap 83 Leisure Time 38 Level Dependant Benefits 12 Le Faucheux 90 Life in the Saddle 34 Lightning Reflexes 74 Light Sources and Illumination 102 Light Wagon (Buckboard) 86 Listen 63 Literacy 26, 74 Location Impairment Effects 127 Lockpick set 83

Loyal 152 Luck 26, 147 Lucky 74

M ‘Mississippi’ Rifle 91 Martial Arts 75 Martial Longarms Proficiency 80 Martial Sidearms Proficiency 80 Martial Weapons Proficiency 80 Mechanical tool kit 84 Medical Expert 75 Melee Attacks 126 Melee Smash Talent Tree 14 Metal Breastplate 97 Meteor double-barrelled ‘Street Howitzer’ 93 Meticulous 75 Miner 32 Minimum Weapon Damage 120 Mining 211 Mining Talent Tree 32 Mining Terms 208 Mining Town 161 Misfires 120 Mobility 75 Moral Outrage 40, 41 Mountain Man 31 Mountain Man & Hunter Terms 208 Mountain Man Talent Tree 31 Mounted Combat 145 Mounted Fire 75 Mounts and Vehicles 101 Movement 99 Movement and Distance 101 Movement and Position 131 Move Action 124 Move Silently 64 Moving Shot 75 Mule 154 Multiclass Characters 27 Multiplying Damage 120

N Nauseated 104 Navaho 174 Nervous 152 Newspaper 85, 165 Nez Perce 174 Nimble 75

O Obsessive Work 32 Oil lamp 84 Ornery 152 Outlaw 171


2

Outlaws & Rustlers 217 Overrun 140 Overwatch 36

P Paiute 175 Panicked 104 Paralysed 104 Paterson Colt 90 Perform 64 Piano 85 Pick 85 Pillow Talk 38 Pinned 104 Pistol belt 85 Planning the Job 36 Point Blank Shot 75 Poker Face 41 Pony 155 Post Office 165 Power Attack 75 Power of the Press Talent Tree 40 Preacher 40 Precise Shot 75 Profession 64 Prone 104 Pueblo 175 Puma 157 Pursuit of the Story 40

Q Quickdraw Duels 122 Quick Draw Talent Tree 29 Quick Reload 75 Quirks 149

R Raiding Talent Tree 36 Rail 162 Railroads & Stagecoaches 218 Ranching Terms 207 Ranch Boss 169 Random Height and Weight 26 Ranged Attacks 125 Range Penalty 119 Rattlesnake 157 Rat Swarm 159 Ready 135 Readying an Action 135 Recovering from Impairment 106 Recover from Injury 38 Reload 144 Remington-Elliot 90 Remington ‘Army’ 90 Remington ‘Rolling Block’ 91

Repair 64 Repairing Objects 139 Reputation 26, 108 Reputation Bonus Size 109 Reputation Boost 40 Research Talent Tree 18 Resist Impairment 76 Restaurant 165 Restore Hit Points 107 Retire 38 Ride 65 Ride-by Attack 76 Riding the Range Talent Tree 34 Rifle cover 85 Righteous Anger 41 Robber 36 Rope 84 Rose of the Prairie 38 Run 76, 129 Running an Outfit 112 Running a Business 110 Rustler 35 Rustling Talent Tree 35

S ‘Squirrel’ Rifle 91 S&W ‘American’ 90 Sabre 97 Sack 81 Sacred Pipe 176 Saddle 84 Saddle, Masterwork 84 Saddlebag 81 Saddlemaker 166 Safecracking Talent Tree 36 Saloon 166 Saloon Owner 170 Savage ‘Navy’ 90 Saving Throws 121 Saw 84 Sawbones Talent Tree 42 Scalping 176 Schofield S&W ‘Frontier’ 90 Schoolhouse 166 Schooner Wagon 87 Scorpion 157 Scorpion Swarm 158 Scout 34 Scouting Talent Tree 34 Search 65 Self-sufficiency 31 Seminole 174 Sense Motive 66 Settlement 161 Settler 37, 169 Settler Talent Tree 38

Shaken 104 Shaman 180 Shaman Talent Tree 180 Sharps ‘Big 50’ 91 Sharps ‘Buffalo Gun’ 91 Sharps Carbine 91 Sharps Derringer 90 Sharps Rifle 91 Shawnee 175 Sheriff 171 Sheriff’s Office/Jail 166 Shootouts 209 Shoot from the Hip 29 Shot on the Run 76 Shovel 84 Sickly 152 Silver Star 32 Simple Longarms Proficiency 80 Simple Sidearms Proficiency 80 Simple Weapons Proficiency 80 Sioux Nation 175 Sitting Bull 191 Sixth Sense 32 Size Modifier 119, 120 Skill Focus 76 Skip Shot 76 Skittish 152 Sleight of Hand 66 Sliding Down The Bar 143 Slocum ‘Pocket Arm’ 90 Slow 152 Small Furry Animal 159 Small Knife 96 Smart 152 Smart Hero 18 Smith & Wesson no.2 90 Smoke 105 Snap Shot 76 Sociable 33 Soiled Dove 38 Soiled Dove Talent Tree 38 Soldiering Talent Tree 40 Sound the Charge 39 Speak Language 76 Spear 94 Speed 121 Spencer Carbine 91 Spencer Slide-Action Shotgun 93 Spirited Charge 77 Spot 67 Springfield Carbine 91 Springfield Trapdoor Shotgun 93 Spring Attack 77 Spurs 83 Stable 104, 152, 166 Stableman 33 Stable Talent Tree 33


2

Index

Stagecoach 87 Stagecoach Terms 208 Stage Station 166 Starr ‘Army’ 90 Starr Carbine 91 Starvation and Thirst 105 Steady 152 Stealth 34 Stealthy 77 Steer 160 Storekeeper 32 Strangulation 144 Strategy Talent Tree 20 Strength (STR) 6 Strength Bonus 120 Strength Modifier 119 Strike 32 Strike an Object 137 Strongbox 81 Strong Hero 13 Stunned 104 Stylish Attack 31 Sunder 77 Sun Dance 177 Surgery 77, 166 Surprise 122 Survival 67 Swarm 159 Swift Rope 35 Swim 68

T ‘Trapdoor’ Springfield Carbine 91 Talkin’ About It 37 Telegrams 165 Telescope 84 Telescopic Sight 85 Tenderfoot 38 Tenderfoot Talent Tree 38 Tending Bar Talent Tree 37 Tent 84 Terrain and Overland Movement 101 Theatre 166 The Cinematic Game 206 The latest style 31 The Law 216 The Long Ride 34 the Sundance Kid 185

Through the Smoke 39 Throwing Hatchet 94 Throwing Knife 94 Thrown Through A Window 143 Timeline of the West 2 Time and Skill Checks 45 Tobacco 85 Total Defence 126 Touch Attacks 121 Toughness 77 Tough Hero 16 Town Hall 167 Town Layout 161 Track 77 Trader Talent Tree 33 Trading 81 Trading Post 167 Trading Posts 178 Trailblazer 34 Trail rations 85 Train Station 167 Trample 78 Tranter 90 Tranter ‘Army’ 90 Trap 84 Trapper 31 Trapping & Buffalo Hunting 210 Treat Injury 68 Trick Shooting Talent Tree 29 Trip 141 Trooper 39 Trustworthy 78 Trust nobody ‘cept yourself 31 Trying Again 44 Tumble 69 Twitch 29 Two-Weapon Fighting 78 Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties 129

U Unbreakable Talent Tree 18 Unbroken 152 Unconscious 104 Undertaker 167 Uniform 83 Unrecognised Talent 38 Untrained Skill Checks 44 Use Feat, Skill or Special Ability 130

US Musket, mod.1842 91 Ute 176

V Vanish into the Wild 36 Vehicle Combat 146 Vehicle Dodge 78 Vehicle Speeds 146 Veteran 39 Violin 85 Vision Quests 177 Volcanic ‘Rocket-Ball’ Carbine 91

W Wagon Trains & Settlers 212 Walch ‘Navy’ 90 Walker-Colt ‘Dragoon’ 90 Wanted, Dead or Alive 217 War 218 Wealth and Purchasing 110 Wealth Category 110 Weapon Finesse 78 Weapon Focus 78 Weapon Proficiencies 79 Weapon Specialisation 79 Webley ‘Army’ 90 Webley ‘Bulldog’ 90 Western Characters 195 Western Language 207 Western Themes 194 Whip 94 Whip-hand 33 Whirlwind Attack 79 Whisper of the Land 34 Wild 152 Wild Bill Hickok 192 Winchester ‘1-in-1000’ 91 Winchester ‘76’ 91 Winchester ‘Yellow Boy 91 Winchester Lever Action Shotgun 93 Winchester Rifle 91 Wisdom (WIS) 6 Withdraw 130 Wolf 160 Wolverine 160 Wooden Breastplate 97 Wounds 126

OGL WILD WEST 236 Steve Hunting (order #3510822)

2

Ability Score

Ability Modifier

Temp. Score

Base Save

Temp. Modifier

ST R

F o rt

Strength

CON

DEX

Ref

Dexterity

DEX

C ON

Will

Constitution

WIS

Ability Misc. Misc. Misc. Misc. Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier

IN T

W IS Wisdom

CH A Charisma

Base Attack

Total

M E LE E

=

Attack Bonus Weapon

R A N GE D

INITIATIVE

Armour Notes

Subdual

Hit Dice

Misc.

WOUND S

+

+

+

Range

Type

+

Size

+

Weight

+

+

Notes

Base Dexterity Size Misc. Misc. Misc. Misc. Misc. Temp. Attack Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier

+

Misc.

Total

Range

=

Mag

+

Size

+

Weight

LU C K

+ Base Bonus

R.O.F

+

+

Restriction

Misc.

Modifier Modifier

=

+

+

+

Total Attack Bonus Damage Critical

Total

D E F E N CE Value

+

=

Attack Bonus

Temp.

Strength Size Misc. Misc. Misc. Misc. Misc. Temp. Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier

Total Attack Bonus Damage Critical

Total

Weapon

Current Maximum

H I T PO I N T S

Intelligence

REP

Size Armour Misc. Misc. Misc. Misc. Dexterity Modifier Modifier Bonus Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier

+

+

+

+

+

+

DV when Touch Flat-Footed Attacks

+

+

10

Max Dex. Armour Bonus Penalty


2

S k ill N a m e

Key Ability

Balance ✓ ★

DEX

Bluff ✓

CHA

Climb ✓ ★

STR

Concentration ✓

CON

Craft (

)

INT

Craft (

)

INT

Total

Modifiers Ability Ranks

Misc.

INT

Decipher Script

Index

Cross Class

Demolitions

INT

Diplomacy ✓

CHA

Disable Device

DEX

Disguise ✓

CHA

Drive

DEX

Escape Artist ✓ ★

DEX

Forgery

INT

Gamble ✓

WIS

Gather Information ✓

CHA

Handle Animal

CHA

Hide ✓ ★

DEX

Intimidate ✓

CHA/STR

Jump ✓ ★

STR

Knowledge (

)

INT

Knowledge (

)

INT

Knowledge (

)

INT

Knowledge (

)

INT

Listen ✓

WIS

Move Silently ✓ ★

DEX

Perform ( Profession (

)✓

CHA

)

WIS

Repair

INT

Ride ✓

DEX

Search ✓

INT

Sleight of Hand ★

DEX

Spot ✓

WIS

Survival ✓

WIS

Swim ✓ ★

STR

Treat Injury ✓

WIS

Tumble ★

DEX

Use Rope

DEX

✓ These Skills may be used with 0 ranks. ★ Armour check penalties apply to these skills.

Maximum Skill Ranks (Level + 3)

Total Skill Points

Maximum X-Class Skill Ranks ((Level + 3)÷2)


2

Player: Cha ra c t e r : Le v e l : Occupation: Group: Ge n d e r : Age: Eyes: Height:

EQUIPMENT

Class:

Hair: Hand ed : Weight:

F E A TS

DESCRIPTION

C LA S S A B I L I T Y

DESCRIP T IO N

MOUNT

FAMILIAR

Name:

Creature:

STR

Creature:

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier Modifier

LA N G U A G E S

Reflex

Will

Fort

Save

Save

Save

R

Points

Bonus:

Hit Dice: Speed:

DV: Attacks:

AC: Attacks:

Space/Reach: Skills:

Space/Reach: Skills:

Feats:

Feats:

Special Abilities:

Special Abilities:

MOUNT

239

Name:

Creature:

STR

DEX

CON

INT

C

HIT

INITIATIVE

Hit Dice: Speed:

DEX

Modifier Modifier M

Save

HIT


STR

Fort

Points

NOT ES

N

COMPANION

N

Creature:

WIS

CHA

STR

DEX

C

2

Index

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (‘Wizards’). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a)’Contributors’ means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)’Derivative Material’ means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) ‘Distribute’ means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)’Open Game Content’ means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) ‘Product Identity’ means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) ‘Trademark’ means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) ‘Use’, ‘Used’ or ‘Using’ means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) ‘You’ or ‘Your’ means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content. 5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original

creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. 6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute. 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity. 8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content. 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorised version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License. 10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute. 11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so. 12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected. 13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License. 14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable. 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker. OGL Wild West is Copyright 2004, Mongoose Publishing Limited.


2

OGL Wild West

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