Pbem adventure system



House rule: Resolving an adventure action in a PBEM












This is presented as a quick play system for running adventures on-line. It works best with the GM and players online together via a chat program but can be done slower via email or with only a single player leading.
Begin by collecting modifiers that will apply to a final roll to determine how successful the adventure was. Then that result will be used to determine if the goals of the adventure were satisfied and what rewards the characters earned.
First take the highest level Player Character and add 1 for every additional Player Character. Goons, soldiers, guards, lieutenants and such may be brought along and their abilities utilized but they do not give a direct bonus to the resolution.
Next present the players with a series of four challenges. On each of these they can score from zero to two points for a total of anywhere from zero to eight. The challenges should represent obstacles that would need to be overcome in the course of the adventure. They can range from the simple, such as a single skill check or saving through, or can be more complex such as describing basic combat tactics, or overcoming fiendish traps etc. A poor performance generates no bonus, an average performance grants one point and an excellent performance grants two points.
Then the level of the adventure is subtracted from bonuses (possibly resulting in a negative number)
Finally a d20 is rolled with the cumulative bonuses from above and the chart below consulted.
At least a 10 is necessary to achieve the basic goals of the adventure (such as rescue the kidnapped prince, defeat the bandits etc). A 16 or higher indicates a Major success which represents an exceptional success on the adventure (such as closing the portal to the Shadow World in addition to just beating up the marauding undead). In addition a d6 is rolled for each player to indicate what rewards/negatives they receive - Trivial, minoR, Major and Great. +s represent rewards while - represent negatives. It is possible to have both good and bad things happen to you as the result of the adventure. Also a d6 is rolled for a each player with a 1 indicating a strange negative and a 6 indicating a strange positive. (The result of this roll should be kept secret as the strange rewards/negatives are often misleading and sometimes mirror each other)
Example: The Baron of Roesone lvl 7 (PC) and his lieutenant Captain of the guards (NPC) along with the Arch-Prelate of the Impregnable Heart of Haelyn lvl 5 (PC) decide to lead a group of soldiers into some ancient ruins to investigate rumors of ghosts guarding an ancient magical sword (lvl 6 adventure) .The Baron having the highest level generates a +7 on the roll. The extra PC adds +1 while the NPC does not. Over the 4 challenges they do well (+2) on the first one, ok (+1) on the second two challenges and poorly (+0) on the 4th challenge. This brings them to +12, subtracting 6 for the adventure level brings them back to +6. Rolling a 7+6 on the resolution gives then a minor success allowing them to find the sword in question while a 16+ on the final resolution would have also given them the information on how to put the souls to rest.































































































































































































































































1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Death Death Death Death Death Death
2 -G,R -G,R -G,T -G,T -G -G;+T
3 -G,R -G,T, -G,T -G -G -M,-T
4 -G,-T -G -G, -M,R -M,T -M
5 -G -M,R -M,T -M,T -M -M
6 -M,R -M,T -M -M -R,T, -R
7 -M,T -M -M -R,T -R -T
8 -M -R,-T -R -T +T;-T +T
9 -R,T -R +T +T;-T +T +T
color="#000000">Minor Success












10 -R -R;+T -T -T +T;-T +T
11 -R +T +T +R +R +R,T
12 +T +T +R;-T +R +R,T +R,T
13 +T +R;-T +R +R +R,T +R,T
14 +R;-T +R +R +R,T +R,T +M;-T
15 +R +R, +R,T +R,T +M;-T +M
color="#000000">Major Success











16 +R +R,T +R,T +M;-T +M +M,T
17 +R,T +M,-T +M, +M +M,T +M,T
18 +M;-T +M, +M +M,T +M,T +M,R
19 +M +M +M,T +M,T +M,R +G;-T
20 +M +M,T +G;-T +G;-T +G +G
21 +G;-R +G;-R +G;-T +G;-T +G, +G
22 +G;-R +G;-T +G;-T +G, +G +G,T
23 +G;-T +G;-T +G +G; +G,T +G,T
24 +G +G +G +G,T +G,T +G,T
25 +G +G +G,T +G,T +G,R +G,R































































































































































Good Bad
Trivial 50xLx(L+1/2) Expendable 1 Goon Death


Ignore Loyality Loss -1 Domain Action 1 Month


+L on initiative next eaon -50 GP/L in Expendable


Access to new Spell -L on initiative next seaon


(L/2) Bonus on challenge -1 lowest level spell slot lost 6 month


+1 Max HP (Notable Scar) -1 Max HP (Notable Scar)
minoR Recover .1GB/lvl 1d4 Goons die


(L/2) bonus on Future Adventure -5ft move for 6 month


Expendable (Potion/scroll) -(L/2) on Domain action for 1 month


(L/2) Bonus on specific domain
action
next month
-1 skill check for 6 month


(L/2) Bonus on domain action
next month in specific province
-1 attack rolls for 6 month


Info on a Province -1 saving throws for 6 month
Major Recover .25GB/L DC 10+L Will save or Truename/Secret revealed


+0.5RP/L -(L/2) on Domain actions for 3 month


Wand -L on domain action for 1 month


L bonus on domain action Named NPC in Entourage: DC 10+L fort save vs
death


Province Loyality +1 Province loyalty -1 or holding become conteted


Realm spell scroll Reduction in Fortification or destruction of
asset (ie. road etc)
Great Recover .5GB/lvl Captured (1GB/Level Ranom)


Permanent Item DC 10+L fort save vs Death


Domain Item Loss of Random Magic Item


+1 RP/L -1 RP/L


Charged Item Coma, miss 1 month


+1 Bloodline Eye Lost/Limb maimed*
Strange ?Blessed? NPC +1 first adventure 6 month ?Cursed? NPC -1 first adventure next 6 month


Useful Rumour False Rumor


Next Action Auto succeed on a
19+
Personal Adventure (-2/+2 level off)


Personal Adventure Attention of Evil forces


Access to Strange Unit Minor secret revealed through rumor


Weird Prereq Next Action auto fail on a 2-

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