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An Experience in Heroic Adventure ali: AVEKoa Ni ICE Anolon EN VINe) Game System * Character Generation ble flome ok colmisy1s * Skills %& Monsters barca} a BoM Lee) PO CRY bound volume including MMe Cun) POC a eco DragonQuest mrss regen cone SECOND EDITION CREDITS Eric Goldberg Gerald C. Klug ‘rat ESIGN and DEVELOPMENT ‘DESIG and DEVELOPMENT ofthe COMBAT SYSTER ‘of CHARACTER GENERATION, SKILLS, and ADVENTURE SYSTEMS EDITING and OEVELOPWENT of SECOND EDITION David James Rite! Edward J. Woods (Co-DESIGN of wAGiC SYSTEM ‘CO.DESIGN of WAGIC SYSTEM ‘end DEVELOPMENT of MAGIC and MONSTER SYSTEMS snd DEVELOPMENT of MAGIC end MONSTER SYSTEMS Redmond A. Simonsen DESIGN of PHYSICAL SYSTEMS ard GRAPHICS Robert J. Ryer Brad E. Hessel [RULES EDITING and TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT [PROJECT OVERSIGHT AND EDITING Peter Herzig and Nick Karp ‘DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE a Geach nd fits, Cindy tow, JohnH. Butera Mich Coline, Grog Catiyan, Lay D‘Ambroso, Dar) Ezako, Gary Gilat, Grog ‘Gordan end finds, Stephan Gray, Tom Hermon, Tm Halingar, Wes Iven, Rabert Kom, Drake Letchne, Ch Mocra ee Resea Nod Rasen, Tom Stanford ony Staton, Jamia Weer (GAME TESTING and ADVICE Manfred F. Milkuhn ‘ART PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT ‘Ted Koller, Michael Moore, Ken Stec ‘ART PRODUCTION end TECHNICAL EDITING Jim Sherman John Garcia SECOND EDITION COVER ILLUSTRATION (TERIOR ILLUSTRATIONS THIRD EDITION CREDITS Gerald C. Klug Jon Pickens DEVELOPMENT ot he THD EDITION (CO-ORDINATION and EDITING David J. Ritchie, Darryl Esakof, Nick Karp, Ted Woods, Deborah Ritchie ‘Adclional MAGIC SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT Paul Hanchette ‘THIRD EDITION GRAPHICS end ART PRODUCTION Joe Chiodo ‘COVER ILLUSTRATION. ‘Tim Truman ‘Adalonal INTERIOR ILLUSTRATION Eric Aldrich, Matthew Erskine, Greg Gordon, Theo Patterson, Verne Wetherholt and friends. ‘GAME TESTING and ADVICE ‘hls met protected oer he apy ane lhe Une Stats Aer A rpraductan waster woo the mat or nected "er rhea vou hegre wt artasone aR ltted te book wai ie Ure Shoes Ranom Hous, nan Caney Random Host of Crate Ld Die ihe oy ad hcbay ‘oueby regions ators Shits ae Unico ongecnoy FoR dena ered TS. a PRODUCT OF OURIMAGHATON 5 re ‘ache En, Chory tan ‘Cambiaso 303 Uinta rg DRAGONQUEST THIRD EDITION, PAGE it 1. Introduction “The Firt Book: Character Generation, Combat Il. How to Play the Game 1. General Course of Events 2: Requirements for Play WL, Game Terms TV, Character Generation 33 Description of Characteristics 42 Effects of Characteristics SS. Characteristic Generation 6. Birthrights 7. Aspects 8, Heritage V. Combat 9, Combat Terminology 30. Combat Equipment 11 Preparation for Combat 12, Combat Sequence 113, Actions of Engaged Figures 1M. Actions of Nor-Engaged Figures 418: Action Choice Restrictions 16. Attacking 117, Resolving Attempted Attacks 18, Damage 49. The Effects of Damage 20. Weapons 21, Unarmed Combat 22, Multi-Hex Monsters 23, Mounted Combat 2A, Infection ‘The Second Book: Magic Vi. Magic 25, Definition of Magical Terms 26, How Magic Works 27, How to Cast Spells 28. The Effects of Spells 29, Restrictions on Magic 430, Backfire from Spells and Rituals, 31, Counterspells and Resisting Spells 32, Special Magical Preparations 33, Incorporating Magic into Combat 34, The Colleges of Magic 35, Magic Conventions 136. The College of Ensorcelments and Enchantments 37, The College of Sorceries of the Mind 38, The College of Illusions 30, The College of Naming Incantations 40, The College of Air Magics 41, The College of Water Magics 42. The College of Fire Magics 43, The College of Earth Magies 44, The College of Celestial Magics 45, The College of Necromantic Conjurations 46, The College of Summonings 47, The College of Shapings 448. The College of Rune Magics 49, Notes on Magic 50, Creating New Colleges 51, Guide to Herbal Lore ‘The Third Book: Skills, Monsters, Adventure VIL Skills ‘52, Acquiring and Using Skills 53, Special Skills: Spoken and Written Languages 54, Alchemist 535, Assassin 6. Astrologer 57. Beast Master 538, Courtier 59. Healer 60. Mechanician 61, Merchant 62, Military Scientist 63, Navigator Ranger 65, Spy and Thief 66. Troubador VIL. Monsters 67, Encountering Monsters and Non-Player Characters 668. Reactions to Encounters 69, How to Read the Monster Descriptions 70. Common Land Mammals 71. Avians 72. Aquatics 73. Lizards, Snakes, and Insects ‘7, Giants, Fairies, and Earth Dwellers 75. Fantastical Monsters ‘76. Creatures of Night and Shadow 177, Sammonables 78. Undead 179. Dragons 80. Riding Animals 1X. Adventure 81, Preparation for Adventure ‘82, Game Conventions 83, Organizing a Party ‘54, The Adventure Sequence Monetary Matters Fatigue Loss and Recovery . Adventure Actions 3. Consequences, 489, Recuperation and Upkeep 90, How Experience is Gained 91, How Experience is Used ‘Adventure: The Camp of Alla-Akabar 1. Introduction IL How to Reed the Maps IM, Brieting for the Players IV Briefing for the Gamemaster 'Y. The Desert ve 1 2 53. All's Mistress rs 5 6 7. Descriptions of Non-Player Characters ‘Alla-Akeabar Cam Del Rory Talan ‘The Bedouins 8. The Slaves VIL The Camp 9. Background 10, Alles Tent A. Garr's Tent 12. The Treasure Tent 13, The Bedouins’ Tent X alanis Tent 15, The Servants’ Tents 16, Outside Areas 17. Random Encounters VIL, Assassination 1X. Final Notes DRAGONQUEST THIRD EDITION, PAGE itt I. INTRODUCTION ‘The genre of fantasy literature stems from the myths of our fathers. The marvel= ‘ous creatures and strange sorceries of legend are part and parcel of the genre, Harcly anyone in the Western world has not been ‘exposed to some element of fantasy, be it fairy tale, classical myth, or RR, Tolkien's estimable Lord of the Rings. Thereare many reasons for the widespread appeal of Fanta sy, the most compelling of which is its uncomplicated nature, Good and evil are readily distinguishable, and the hero invari= ably confronts the villain. It isl too easy to Imagine oneself, clothed in exotic garb, ing a magical sword, vanguishing the sinister sorcerer. Small wonder, then, that fantasy role-playing games, which allow a person to play the part of that hero, are so popular today. What is Role Playing? When you were a child, you probably played spontaneous, informal games in which ‘you pretended to bea policeman, an indian, a parent, ora pirate. You imagined what these mysterious and powerful people were capable of, and then you acted out scenes with your friends. Thre was no winner or loser —~ eve :ybody won by getting the thrill of pretending to be another person. These games of *make= believe’ had no rea ries, no sineture, and no ‘equipment. They depended solely upon the {imagination ofthe players to keep them lively and interesting Much of the wonderful, imaginative ‘experience and free play of these childhood {games can be found in their adult counterpart = role-playing games. A role-playing gare is also one in which you pretend to be someone — ut the “someone” is very detailed in abi ties, physical description, and nature. In fac, characters in role-playing games are 28 detailed as the characters in a major novel, ‘These characters inhabit a world that is also very wel deseribed. In a fantasy role-playing game, such as the DragonQuest® game, the ‘world & one of magic and monsters, quests and spells, and all the romantic color of an Imaginary ime and place reminiscent of early ‘medieval Europe, Each active character in the game is played bya live player. There are many oth- cer characters and monsters, all of whom are ‘operated by the gamemaster. The gamemas- ter is a combination of referee, storyteller, and "Hand of Fate’. He keeps the story unfolding by telling the players what ishap- ening and judging the results of any 5 the players take. He has a very free hand to interpret the situation as he sees fit ‘within the guidelines of the rules, The game- ‘master usually works from a prepared story ‘synopsiscalled an adventure. This isthe st- ling of the story and something of a general script outline for the course of the action It also can contain maps and tables of infor- ‘mation on the area and its inhabitants, This adventure isa tool for the gamemaster and ‘snot directly used by the players, although the players will actually create the detail and action ofthe story by the decisions they make as they participate inthe adventure. ‘An Example of Role Playing In a role-playing session, the players (usually three to nine people) sit around a table with the gamemaster at the head. Sometimes the adventure can be played through in one sitting but, more typically, the players will meet a number of times 10 finish the adventure, Adventures can be strung together and players play the same character from game to game in a role- playing campaign. ‘Their characters will grow or diminish in strength, ability and ‘wealth. Throughout the entire experience, the gamemaster creates the world through which the characters travel, by interacting ‘with and prompting the players, Here is a brief sample of a typical role-playing exchange: Gamemaster(GM Your characters are seat- ed around a table in a very dingy tavern, drinking mead, when a hooded figure enters, approaches the har, and orders a tan- ard of ale Johan (character name: Delion): What does hhe look like? Can we see any details of his facet GM: No, the hood covers his features. He appears to be avoiding eye contact vith ‘anyone but the bartender, Delion: I will go over to the bar, activating my magical talent of Sensitivity to Danger, and take the place next to him GM: He begins to move away from you. Delion: I speak to him and say, “Sin, your ‘robe appears to be torn. Has your journey been a hard one?” GM (nov acting the part of the nonplayer Character, Argotacl: He turns to you, his eyes glowing with an eerie amber light, and says: “Young man, my travels are none of your business, and your ingulsitiveness ‘may cause you harm if you continue”. Delion: What is my talent telling me? GM This man (if he is « man) radiates dan- er, Delion: ! return to my table, joining, my ‘companions, while continuing t0 watch his ‘movements GM: After drinking for about half an hous, she leaves, Delion: My companions and I will follow him. ‘This very simple, edited version of an encounter in a tavern with 2 non-player character can lead to an adventure that ean place the characters life in danger. The chance to be bold and brave without any ea] world consequences is one of the fasci- nations of role-playing. ‘There is also the fun of assuming the role of a powerful or outrageous character very different from your real-world self ‘The exhilarating experience of the power of ‘one’s own imagination is terrifically enter- taining and engrossing. Role-playing is a very social experience as well. People can use thelr role-playing identities to interact ith one another in ways that are usually ypossible. You can come to someone's rex- ‘ue, You can sell them the key to their quest — or you can sell them out! In particular, the gamemaster has the chance to influence the very fate of the other players — how coften do you get to tell a friend that he has found a fortune or been eaten by a dragon? Role-Playing Subject: Most role-playing games are fantasy based such as the DragonQuest game, These games deal with the world of magie and leg- endary creatures. Other role-playing games deal with science fiction. These games basi= cally substitute the intricacies of technology and aliens for magic and monsters. A emall ‘number of espionage roleplaying games — such as TSR's Top SecreuS..™ game are also available, In fact, virtually any action- oriented subject lends itself to role-playing. Whatever your area of role-playing interest, you can best get started by buying conly the basicset ofany role-playing system {in which you are interested, This book, for instance, contains all the rules needed to play the DragonQuest game. Role-playing gaming is an exciting ‘and involving hobby that is limited only by ‘your imagination. Role-playing offers you the chance to participate in adventure and take an active part in creating your own ‘entertainment. In these times of low-grade, DRAGONQUEST THIRD EDITION, PAGE iv thin-blooded commercial TV stories, role- players such as yourself can engage in the energetic, mind-stimulating fun of fantasy adventure. ‘The DragonQuest® Game System Fantasy role playing, as a way to spend one's leisure time, has come of age in the last 10-15 years. Since the days when a small group of devoted die-hards first uncovered an enjoyable fantasy role- playing game, the idea has attracted an Ever-growing bady of people whose diver pet tastes demand innovative and original few works, Thus, enter the DragonQuest game, "Three general themes guided the design and development of the ‘DragonQuest game and make it different from other role-playing games, First, the DragonQuest game vas designed to impose ‘as few artifical restrictions on the game- master(GM) as possible. For example, 9 Character isnot limited to’a particular group Of abilities (known inthe genre asa “charac ter class"), A character class imposes certain arbitrary restrictions upon a character, fo {ng him or her into molds that have to fit, regardless of the inclination of the player. ‘These classes came into being in other games as balancing tools, to make it just as advantageous to be a human fighter as to be ‘dwarven priest In order for a character in 2 DragonQuest game world to have as fuch freedom of choice as possible, anyone tan be anything. Of course, the player whe {esto have as versatilea character as possi- ble will be correspondingly handicapped when he tres to rise in power. The impor- {ant effect ofthis themes that any character from the pages of fantasy literature can be re-created (in game terms) without causing aberrations in the game system. ‘Secor, almost all creatures and mag~ jcsare drawn from sources existing in myth, Tegend, of literature. We do not pretend that cour fantastic inventions can compete with those reaching across the gulf of time tous, being the stuff of our heritage. Rather, we have attempted to imbue as much verisimili- tude as we could, to allow those who play the DragonQuest game to experience, on a gaming table, those worlds they have only been able to vicariously experience before. ‘The fantasy of northern Europe is prevalent in these rules, because itis the common ref- ‘erence point shared by most of the people ‘who will play the game. When a specific inythic creature or {ype of magic is repro- Guced, it is given all the characteristics ascribed toit in legend. When discussing the imaginary, brief mentions were often thought to be sufficient; in such cases, we try to explain as best we can. The few liber- ties taken were to fill the logical “holes’ Norse legends and the myths of Greece (to ame but two examples) are not entirely Compatible, We have attempted to give the GMa solid base to which he can add his ‘own or other cultures‘ legends and magics. ‘A third concept in mind during the ‘design process was to maintain the game's Fexibity, and allow the GM and players to ‘expand on the original rules. The modular presentation of skills and magic colleges Inakes the introduction of new ideas easy; ‘adding a new skill or college does not neces- sitate changing the original ones. Rules and the GM A point that should be emphasized is that printed rules are a framework for assuming the role of a person in a fantasy world, and cannot possibly cover every called upon to interpret or add to the rules. ‘This may seem to be an obvious statement to those readers who are veteran role play- cers, but for those to whom this game is a first experience, it is 2 concept not to be slossed over. ‘While the rules as written are play- able, they may not suit everyone's taste. Some may be too complex, and some may rot be complex enough (the desires of role players are many and varied). The GM is fempowered to change whatever he wishes (ith the mutual consent of his players) in order to make the game more enjoyable for all concemed. In order to make these deci- sions fairly, he must know the entire body of ules thoroughly and havea keen sense as 10 what is good for Ais campaign. The first attribute can be easly attained: the second requires experience and an acute awareness ‘of his players. ‘The GM must be fair and impartial at all imes, and never losesight ofthe fact that hr is a referee. Withia the framework of the rules, he objectively determines the results Of the players’ actions. The players act out their part as if their characters actually existed in the world the GM has created. ‘The GMisa master story-teller, a weaver of tales that deal with those themes aforemen- tioned: fairy tale, myth, and fantasy. This job can, at first glance, seem both mam- ‘moth and unattractive. Iti, however, one Of the most enjoyable gaming experiences this author end many other individuals have ever found. While the players act out the parts of their characters, the GM gets to ‘act out the parts of everyone elie who inhabits his world — shopkeepers, evil wiz- ards, dragons, and giants. Along with play- ing these parts, the GM is the referee ofall the actions that occur; his impartiality is assured by the absence of a game persona, directly identified with him. ANote on Dice It is strongly recommended that the ‘gamemaster and players have an adequate supply of 20-sided dice, which are used to resolve numerous game functions, These dice are readily available at hobby shops. If ‘you have no 20-sided dice, 2 pack of com- ‘mon playing cards can be used. Extract and shuffle the Ace through 10 ofboth a red and Dlack suit and drav from these at random as required by the situation you are resolving (see 2.6). Introductory Adventure |At the back of this book is an intro ductory adventure, It i designed to be played with one or two players and a GM. ‘This was done to ald the beginning GM in getting familiar with the rules and with run- ‘ning an adventure; handling many players at once can be a trying experience for the best GM. Once the sew GM has arranged to play the DragonQuest game, he should read the adventure very carefully, especially the character sketches provided for the Non~ Player characters (NPCS). These are intend ‘ed as guides for the GM. He should play the parts of these NPCs as accurately as possi- ble, remembering that the players, especial- ly in this adventure, will need to interact extensively with those NPC's to successfully ‘complete the adventure. When the adven= ture i over and the GM goes on to create his ‘own NPC's, he should use the sketches a5 {uides. The level of characterization in the ‘people who populate GM's world isa good Indication of the quality of the overall cam- paign and that particular GM's preparation (orlack thereof). “The adventure also contains examples of Encounter Tables designed for a special place and special NPCs. [tis not necessary For the GM to invent a different table of his ‘own for every adventure, but he should ‘consider altering the encounter probabilities to tthe scenario. The new GM should also examine the Campaign Map. Since it is raven ata scale of 1 hex/S feet, it facilitates transfer to the Tactical Display. This is a minor detail, but if overlooked, it can slow down the game. This type of map, with a few pertinent details let off, can be shown to the players upon entering any similar sit- vation. “The GM should guide the players through the adventure, stopping whenever there are rules questions or problems of any sort, Together, the players and the GM should discuss the problem and resolve it to their mutual satisfaction. In this way, all ‘concerned will lear the game and their ppatts in it, and hopefully whet their appe- tites to continue playing the DragonQuest ‘game. If more rapid pacing is desired, the GMcan make a temporary ruling and dis. ‘cuss the matter in detail at the conclusion of the playing session, Please enjoy playing the DragonQuest same. We at TSR, Ine. are confident it will ‘ring you many hours of pleasure, Gerry Klug The First Book lets aa a sel i. HOW TO PLAY THE GAME ‘The DragonQuest® game is a fantasy role-playing game. In a role-playing game, 2 person plays a character in another world Unlike 3 conventional game, the players do not sit around a board and move pieces. The playersait ina semi-circle about the gamemas- fer each with only asheet on which is recorded information about his character. The abject of a roleplaying game is not for an individual player to win infact, there is no winner}, but oenjoy a stimulating interchange between the players as characters and gamemaster (GM). “Fhe GM plots the background for an ‘adventure, invents 2 cegment of 2 fantasy ‘world, and plays the part of every being not {epresented by another player. The game lows fs. result of pive-and:take between the game- Jnasterand the other players, The GM informs the players ofthe situation in which the char- acters find themselves, the players tll him ‘hat their characters aredoing, and the GM in thm tells the players winat happens in response fo their characters’ actions. “The DragonQuest game can be played in two ways, The fis as an individeal session, IF played thie way, the players are taking char- ‘eters for one play session only, and are trying te complete a mission of limited scope. The players are not interested in a full-fledged role~ playing gate in thiscase. It will be sufficient to bea team with a common goals just this once. Flowever, the DragonQuest game is best played as « campaign. The game does not end Br the conelusion af one of the players’ get- togethers. A player role plays the sme charac- ter unl the character des or retires. During 2 campaign, a characters personally should became more andmore evident asheis granted A fiel, gets married, declares blood-feuds, ete. ‘Acampaign ean continue indefinitely. 1. GENERAL COURSE OF EVENTS “The folloving isan informal sequencing of the order in which the gamemaster should ause events to occur. What is written here is fot intended to supplant any ofthe rules inthe Following Sections. A. PRE-ADVENTURE ACTIVITY ‘The gamemaster is responsible for preparing aan adventure before he and the players game 1. Adventure Rationale. The gamemaster mist ecide what aptions he is going to present to the players. This can be done as a series of ‘questions posed to himeelf: What are the play- ‘es supposed fo accomplish Where are they ‘suppored to got Who (or what) i thelr adver ftyt How are they suppesed to find out about their mission? Ie any particular non-player character (q.v.) terested in, this mission? ‘How much information should the gamemas- DRAGONQUEST THIRD EDITION, PAGE 2 ter tll the players? 2, Map Adventure Area. The garemaster must ‘map (e261. 3) the land (or sea) area in vthich Fhe expects the player characters to travel. This ‘ust incude the area between the characters! Current location and their destination, and Should take in a szeable portion of the su ‘oundinge. The GM must aio plan the interior of any structures that will figure prominently in the adventure 23, Record Adversary Information. The game- ‘master must prepare a listing foreach of the Beings who directly opposes or obstructs the completion ofthe player characters mission. ‘Aeuitionaly, he mast preparelistings For a few ‘miscellaneaus encounters (g.v.), which can be picked t random when the characters are due fo meet something other than their ultimate foe. Both of these listings are recorded as described in cule 67. The gamemaster will probably wish to append some notes to the scriptions ofthe charactors’ adversaries, 4, Record Update, The gamemaster checks that all Character Records are current and that “any new entries have been figured correctly, Fhe has nat done #9 already. He writes any data About the choracters that ther players are not teppoped to know in hs private ampain B, ADVENTURE ACTIVITY “The players engage in some inital preparation, and then they play out the adventure with the amemaster. 5, Generate New Characters Any player with- uta character mast generate a new one; any player with a character can generale anew Se. There ne limit tothe numberof charac- fersan individval player may have; however, a player cannot control more than ane character At a time, Someone who likes variety might Choose to rotate five or six characters on con ecutive adventures. The gamemaster should ‘Selly limit the interaction between two char- ‘acters controled by the same player. 6. Organization of a Party. The players mest hoove a leader (@.v.). They must also inform the gamemaster of which non-player charac: ters they wish to accompany them on adven- ture: the gamemaster, in turn, tells the players ‘who is willing to accompany their characters ‘Any purchases or the upcoming adventure are rade at tis point. 17, Determine Any Contractual Arcangement “The players, epresentingtheircharacters, and the gamemarter, representing any non-player chatacters, haggle to decide hove any booty wwll besplit, The standard Adventurers’ Gulld ‘contract (see 83.4) i suggested 8 through 11. TieléWhit Stage, Encounter ‘Stage, Chate Stage, Tactical tage. See rule 8. C, POSFADVENTURE ACTIVITY “The players and the gamemaster wrap up the adventure, and the players decide what to do ‘with their characters. 12, Experience Point Awards. The gamemaster ‘awards the characters Experience Points (see 50), depending on each player's performance uring the adventure 13, Appeals. A player who objected strenuous Iytoa decision of the gamemester has one last chance to try and change the GMs mind. All Secieions ar final past this point, 14, Upkeep Level. The players inform the ‘gamemaster of how much their characters will spend on upkeep (se 89.3) per week, until the ‘ext adventure begins or the character goes broke, 15, Allocation of Time. Each player informs the gamemaster how his character will use the time between adventures. This is especially important for increasing Rank (q.v.) and saequiring new abilities [a.v.) 416, Solo Adventures. If 2 player wishes his ‘Character to underakeany action that requires the attention of the gamemaster, he and the GM play it out atthe GM's convenience. 117, Experience Point Expenditures. f the play fer wishes to increase the Rank (q..) oF value ff an ability, ill or characteristic, he must ‘have sufficient Experience Points in his charac- ter’ Experience Point Bank (q.v,) and have his ‘character perform all pre-requisites successful fy (ae 91), He ao infor the gamemaster, and 2 change is made on his Character Record. 118, Calendar Updete. The gamemaster marks ‘olf the passage of game time on is calendar (see 2.1) This cycle Is repeated indefinitely, a6 Jong asthe campaign lasts, 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR PLAY ‘The players must have certain equip- ment and Knawledge ofthe basics ofthe game ‘Before they can play. The gamemaster requires additional material and, of course, a thorough fenlirity with the rales [2.1] The DragonQuest rules aro intended to guide the GM, not to restrict him. ‘The flavor of each and every role: playing campaign is heavily influenced by the Knowledge (or lack thereof) and prejudices of the GM who runs Ino matter what set of niles" are being used. Some GM's emphasize ‘combat in thelr worlds, some magic, some monsters, some wilderness adventures; and some dungeon expeditions. The rules of any fame are simply a common set of guides for Both the players and the GM so they may speak the same language and have some base from which thelr Ideas may spring. GM's should feel free to add or delete any of these ules withthe understanding that he does so at his own rein terms of play balance and sys- {ems interfaceabiliy. Since the GM isthe final arbiter of these rules, most rues questions should be answered by him. CHARACTER GENERATION AND COMBAT, PAGE 3 [2.2] A Tactical Display is used in conjunction with the Combat rules (see, Particularly, rule 11). "A Tactical Display is used to portray a variety of terain and intelor features that can affect combat between characters, monsters and/or non-player characters. The Digplay is overlaid with a hexagonal grid to regulate the ‘movement and positioning ofthe playing pice es. Each hexagon (hex) equals 5 fee of terrain from sideto side, [2.3] The figures occupying the display are eithor miniatures, ‘cardboard counters, or other suitable markers, Most often role players use metal minia- tures (available from most hobby stores these days) to represent thelr character while he ‘cccupiesthe display. these are unavailable or undesirable, eardboard counters euch asthoee used in wargames) are equally useful if not a8 picturesque. Ina pinch, such markers as chess pieces foy soldiers, or other small tems (dice Of different colors often work well) ean be sub stituted without affecting play ‘The GM will ned markers of some kind {o represent monsters er NPCS that also occ= py the dplay. Doors, chars, wall, tees, wi dows, fireplaces, chess, and other items of Importance will also have tobe represented, A combination of small markers and lightly cdrawn-in features will solve most of these problems. A note shovld be made of any Ambiguous item or drawing. (2.4) Percentite dice will be needed by both the players and the GM. At least one set of two twenty-sided dice are needed for play, andi is most desirable to have three or four sets available at all times, ‘The GM will need to have his own eet sith which tore those checkshe needs tokeep hid den from the prying eyes of players, With a group of players numbering thee or more, any combat sivation will have many die rolls hap- pening in rapid suecession, and play wil be treatly slowed if each player has to reach across the table for the only available sel of fice. 12.5] The players must provide themselves with some miscellaneous play aids. 1. Bach player must havea copy of the Charac ter Record for exch of his characters. tie aug ‘ested that all numerical vals be recorded in pene, and the rst ofthe entries in pen 2. The GM must have a copy of the Adventure Record. The players should fil his out before the adventure begins 3. The GM should haves copy ofthe Strategie ‘Map Hexgrid on which the area over which the characters are going 0 adventare can be ddraven. NOTE: The players are given permis sion to photocopy or reproduce in any way any of the above fr thelr pevate, nom commercial se, 4. The GM must have elther graph paper or copies of the Strategic Map Hexgrid if hei to draw any structure plans. ‘5. Each player must have some readily identi= fied marker to represent his character on the ‘Tactical Display. This marker mast have an unambiguous front and back, for the purpose of determining facing during combat. 6. Scrap paper, pens and pencils will also be seeded (2.6) The abbreviation “D” stands for “dia” or “dice”. A Jargon for the number of dice rolled hasbeen established in she ole-playing hobby, and this jargon fs wad throughout the rule. ‘Wen the players are told to rol "D10" or “1D10", tis means one of them 10 rol sin ae twentysided die (ance the de i only tnarked 1 through 0, thi will yield a diet between 3 and 6.) "2DI0" would direct the players to roll two twenty-sided die and sum fhe results, etc. Note that whan a dics code Ie sulle with ‘DIC, any raul of 0" on ade ie treated 253 "20". Examples Tro rolls of “0° would eal 20 (went) when the players are rected to rll 2010. “DIGO", “1D100" or “percentile dice” would direc a player orl wo twenty sided fice of diferent colors, treating one ss the fist Sig ‘of a two-digit number, and the other as the second digh. Thus if payer olla" an the fist die and a.°9* on the second die, the dice roll would be "39 Note that a roll of “0° onthe fist dle could not be interpreted ethout the use ofthe roll on the second def the ell on the second diets1 through (07), terol strested e theappropriste number! through 9. However, ‘he ll of the second die ie"0 giving a recut F700), then the resul is treated as 100 fone handed) ‘Wa dice codes followed by a postive or negative number (eg, D103, 20100), dd rsubract the number asindieated too zom the dceroll. Thos, 20101 would diet the players to rol two tensided die and subtract, ‘ne from the sum of those roll (to obtain the fesul, Sometimes, an adn tor sbteae= tion. from a de or ce rll is referred to a8 a rocifier All moubiersafect 2 2D10 die rol (thus, a "#4" modifier equals “D104 ‘When instrcted a rlla DS, the playershould rela DIG and halve theres, rounding frac tors vp. [2.71 The roll on a single or percentile die-+roll may never be modified below 1. “Thus, the result of 2D10 cannot be lee than 2, the result of 3010 neverlessthan3, ete. (2.8) The gamemaster is advised to keep some information, particularly dice-rolts, secret during adventure. Suggestions are made throughout the rules as £0 who should rll dice ina particular sitvation, but the GM has the final thority in this matter. Where the very act of rolling dice ‘ean givethe players moreinformation than the GM wishes them to know, he should at times Intersperse relevant dicerolls with meaning Jess ones to confuse thean. The GM should setup his workspace so thatthe players cannot sce his records or the results of any die he rolls a. GAME TERMS ‘The terms unique to magic and combat are summarized in rules 9 and 25. Ability: Any single talent that a character can perform. One spell or ritual is a single ability. ‘Adventurer Whenever the player characters ‘organize themselves Into a party and seek to fulfill a mission, they are on adventure, ‘Campaign: A series of adventures run by the fame gamemaster, presumably with some duplication of players prevent on the separate adventures, Characteristic: A numerical value that describes a facet of a characters physical or emotional makeup. Se rule 3. Encounter: Any time the player characters meet a non-player chatacter or monster notin thelr party tis termed an encounter, [Eepecience Point: The basic unit of exchange {or improvement in abilities, skills or eharae- teristics, Experience Points are eared at the ‘conclusion ofan adventure forthe player char- ‘acter’s performance during the adventure. A ‘character keeps Experience Points in his Expe- ence Point Bank (on the Character Record) ‘until he uses them for gain in any Skil, Spell, Weapon, ete Gamemaster: The referee, or maderstor, ofthe mame, Game Time: The peed at which time passes in the alternate world, relative tothe time in the real world (see 82.2) Leader The player nominated to be the speak efor the party. Several prvilogs are accorded to his character for the extra bookkeeping responsibilty he assumes, See rule 83.1 Mission: The goal the characters swish to achieve to conclude their adventure, Alter- nately, what must be accomplished to come plete the goal. Monster: Any being of a race from which a player character cannot comeistermed a mon NowPlayer Character: Any being of race from which a player character could come (and which is controlled by the GM) is 2 non- player character (NPC, far shor). Rank: A numerical expression for a chara ters (or monster's) aptitude in askill orabili- ty, The greater the Rank, the better the character (or monster) sat the ability or skill in question ‘Party: The player characters and the accompa DRAGONQUEST THIRD EDITION, PAGE 4 ying non-player characters on an adventure are collectively known asthe party. Player Character: The analogue for a player in the alternate world, The amalgam of player land character (he., when an action i simulta- neously taking place in both worlds) is also referred to a5 the player character. Session: The time during which the gamemas: ter and all players partaking ina given adver tue spend together i known as one session Skil: A skil isa collection of interrelated abi ties that are almost always learned together. See Section VIL Success Percentage: When a character has @ chance of doing a particular task properly, the ‘ice range in which he succeeds atthe tsk is termed the success percentage. Iv. CHARACTER GENERATION ‘A player assumes the role ofa character, ‘The player develops the personality of his character during adventures: the character's needs, foibles, and ethos ae revealed through interaction with the other players’ characters and the creatures epresented by the GM, The ‘manner in which the character's personality ‘evelops wail undoubtedly be affected by that characters characteristics. A characteristic is a measure ofa Facet ofthe character's physical or Iental make-up that the player docs not invent, Every human character begins play at the age of 18 years the gamemaste’s world revolves around ts un during a period of ime fot equal to 365 days, he should conver from earth years to his own). A:non-human charac ter begins play ata corresponding age for his race, At that age, the characters body has ‘matured enough so that age will not alter his Characteratce: The character does have some of his life already behind bien the memories of those times mast be supplied by the player, but any monies and experience accumulated are the character's to expend, “A player must keep track of the statit- cal data (€g, characteristics) concerning, his Character. A model Character Record, on ‘which all pertinent Information can be recorded, is provided within this rulesbook. "The gamemaster can choose to use a diferent recording form, or modify the one provided to ‘st his tastes, Whichever the case, the game: faster must be provided with a complete and ‘Current character record for each player'schar- acter, The gamemacter can then verify the information on each record, or sake core tions where necessary. Each player should also hhave a copy of his own character's record, though as play goes on, the two records will lifer (the gamemaste wil, in all probability, rote something about a character that he does ‘hot want the player to Know, such as a curs), 3. DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERISTICS ‘The player must generate and/or assign values to each of his character's irs eight char~ Beteristis, sted in 3.1 theough3.8. The game ‘master can also choose to introduce optional Characteristics, including, Physical Beauty {described herein), Height, Weight, Bravery, ‘and anything else that comesto mind. The pro- Iifertion of such indices, while providing a player with a clearer pieture of his character, wll require extra bookkeeping. “The fist six characteristics are the pri- mary characteristics. Primary characteristics Cane increased temporarily by magic or per- imanently by the expenditure of experience, land can be decressed tomporarily by magic ot permanently by injury to the character. All ‘other characteristics, whether or not such are fptional are secondary characteristics. The Tranner in which a secondary characteristic ‘an be changed willbe covered in the appropri- ate rule. A "temporary" change indicates an {ncreate o decrease of limited duration tothe ‘Value ofa characteristic; a “permanent” change indicates an increase ot decrease of indefinite oration to the value of a characteristic, ‘Adventurers in a world of magie can expect t0 ‘be ina state of Fix most of the time. Generally, & high characteristic value indicates a character's ability to perform acer- tain task well, while a low value indicates 3 character's relative lack of such ability. Thus, = Characteristics effect is almost always trans- Tated into numerical terms forthe purposes of resolving action during play. "Though characteristics are relatively fixed, a player retains total Freedom oF choice for his charscter. When a player shapes the personality of his character, he will probably Irish fo account for some of the character's yore extreme characteristic. For instance, fa Character with an extremely low Physical ‘Strength value decided to specialize in magic, ihe might compensate for an inferiority com- plex developed during adolescence (due to ‘Constant bullying) by choosing spells of spec fecular effect. The spells would, of cour allow that character to sand off the would-be ‘Conans of his world, A character with a high value in Agility might Indulge in frivolous sports, because of his natural talent in such ‘activities, Remember, the greater the care take fen when characterizing, the more “eal” that ‘Character becomes, The player should strive for consistency in developing facets of his characters emotional makeup. [3.1] Physical Strength is a measure ‘of a character's muscle ‘coordination and strength. ‘The Physica Strength characteristic rep (CHARACTER GENERATION AND COMBAT, PAGE 5 resents the brute force » character can exert from the thews of his arms, the thrusting power of his leg muscles, and his lit and weigh apc ig, bc, ad tomach [3.2] Manual Dexterity is a measure of a character's digital control. ‘The Manual Dexterity characteristic rep- resonts the characters hand-to-eye coordina tion, the speed at which he can perform a ‘comples task with ishands, and his ability to ‘manipulate his hands, [3.3] Agility is a measure of a character's ability to manouvor his body and the speed at which he moves. ‘The Agility characeristc represents the characters lthenest of bady, the speed at which hecan run, and hisability tododge with for contort his body. [3.4] Endurance is a measure of the punishment a character's body can absorb before he becomes unconscious, sustains mortal wounds, or dies. ‘The Endurance characteristic represents the character's capacity 0 suttain wound, his resistance to disease and infection and his rate of recovery from same, and directly affect his abillty te overexert hime (3.5) Magic Aptitude is a measure of a character's ability to harness and direct magical energies. ‘The Magic Aptitude charactereticrepre- sents the character's control over the flow of ‘marca (the stuff of magic from another dimen- sion, andhisability to remember arcane rituals and information. (3.6) Willpower is a measure of a character's control of his mind and body especially in stress situations. ‘The Willpower characteristic represents 4 character’ ability to resist the imposition of ‘another's wll upon his own, and the degree to which his will can be used to counter his Instiness (when, for instance, he might be attempting an action that might be suicially dangerous (3.71 Fatigue is a measure of the length of time that a character can sustain activities requiring a great deal of physical or mental exertion. “The Fatigue charateritc represents the umber of potentially serious wounds the character can tum into minor cuts end brulses bby adrot or random maneuvering in combat, ‘te mental energy he can se toes! spells, and tke dogo wich heeanexet hing bre coming exhausted "The Fatigue value can be increased per- mmanently, by the expenditure of Experience Polnts, and temporary by magic. [3.8] Perception is a measure of a character's intuition developed as a result of his experience. “The Perception characteristic represents the character's ability to nate peculiarities in a given situation (eg, recognize an ambush), Fis ability to deduce 2 people's habits or cus” toms from scan information, and his ability to ‘gauge the fighting skill of another person or Perception value can be increased or decreased temporarily, asa result of 3 charac ter’s performance during an expedition, and ‘can be increased permanently, through the ‘expenditure of experience. Magic, certain nat= ural or alchemical preparations, andthe char- acter’s condition ‘can cause a temporary increase or decrease inthe Perception value. (3.9] Physical Beauty is a measure of a character's exterior attractiveness (or repulsiveness!, as perceived by a member of a humanoid race, Physical Beauty ian optional character- istic representing a character's appearance compared to theaesthetie standards of hiss00)- tty and race. A character with ahigh Physical Beauty value will bea pleasing eight toa mem- ber of any ofthe races described in Section VI, hough reactions will vary by race (for exam ple, a feral halfling would find a male half- ling. with a Physical Beauty of 23 sexually stimulating, while 2 female human would think thatthe sane halfing is exremely ete). Physical Beauty isin no way a reflection of a characters personality; a member of the oppo- slte sex might be smitten by a character with a high Physical Beauty value, but the smitten character subsequent reactions would proba- bly be governed by the beautiful characters personality. ‘The Physical Beauty values for monsters describe how that monster appears to a charac: ter, and not to another monster of the same race, Thisdistineton is made because there isa rear incidence of character-to-monster than ‘monster-to-monster interaction, from the per- spective of the players. Physical Beauty can be increased or decreased temporarily by magic, and eereased permanently by disfigurement 4. EFFECTS OF CHARACTERISTICS ‘The characteristics do not cover every facet of a characters performance on an adventure. The gamemaster relies upon char- acteristics only when a player attempts phys ical or magical action for which usdal character gamemaster interaction will no long cer help decide the outcome. Ifthe character ‘must exercise his intelligence or wisdom (to ‘name a fe facets of his personality not includ ce in characteristics), the player must provide the action or canvertation for his character, [4.1] Ifa character attempts a feasible task not specifically explained in a rule, the gamamaster derives a percentage chance of the character succeeding. ‘When a player declaresthat his character wil attempt a task that the GM decides i= ependent upon a particular characterise, the [gamemasterassignsthe task a diffieulty factor ‘This difficulty factor will be a number from one-half through 5. The greater the dilfculty factor value, the easier a task will be to per- form, ‘The gamemaster multiples the difficulty factor by the appropriate characteristic, arriv- ing atthe percentage chance of the character performing the task. He then rlls D100, and if {he rol is ess than the percentage, the charac ter has successfully performed the task. Ifthe roll is equal to that percentage, the character will succeed if immediately aided by another ‘character (if applicable). If the roll greater than the percentage, but not greater than the percentage plus the relevant characteriatie, the character has failed without iajary to himself (GF injury ts at all avoidable). If the roll is greater than the percentage plus the relevant ‘characteristic, then thecharacter has failed and may have injured himself The gamemaster ‘may wish to determine the extent ofthe injury by how much the roll exceeds the percentage plus the characteristic, When one character aids another (because the D100 rell was equal tothe latter's characteristic times the dfficlyy factor), the aiding character value in the relevant charac teristic must beat east 15 or equal oor greater than the aided character's value, Example: Rolf the Barbarian informs the gamemaster that he wishes to burst open 2 soli-looking oaken door that has temporarily symied the party. He proposes to use his trusty great axe to batter the door dovn, The GM, who knows that the daor is buttressed by aniron bolton the reverse side, assigns ita di Ficulty factor of2.5. Rolfs Physical Strength is 20, 50. if the GM rolls a 49 or less (@.5x20%50), the door bursts azunder (and ‘any traps will probably beset off). Ifthe roll is 50, the doar will be held by the iron belt, unless Rolf's good friend, ‘Tedie Ironthews (ovth Physical Strength of 18), frmeciately takes his mallet to the door. Ifthe roll is from ‘ST to 70 ([2.5%20]+20=70), the door with- stands Rolf assault Ifthe al is 71 or greater, results will vary from the preat axe being dam aged or broken to Rolf receiving a jarring shock (he hit the iron bolt directly) to Rol su fering Damage Points as oak splinters pene- trate his armor. The result depends on the GMs discretion and how great the rll is, ‘The chance of failure is always equal to at least 30 minus the relevant characteristic, and 2 roll of 100 always causes failure. If, for instance, the applicable value i623, then 3 roll (of 94 or greater (30-237; there Is a 7% chance of anumber from 94 to 200being gener ate) will cause the character to Fail ais tak, regardless of what the percentage chance of success may be. ‘The following sample tasks are provided s0 the gamemasters ean establish their own agudelines, Physical Strength: Opening doors and kiting heavy objects will be the two most common tacks tied to Physical Steength. Consider the ‘stureines ofthe door and the implement being ‘used toopen it for the former, and consider the ‘relaht and bulk ofthe objet plus the purchase Siforeled the character for the lattes “Manual Dexterity: Consider the delicacy ofthe fas when a character seeks the careful manip- tation or removal of an abject. Asility: Consider the sturdiness of the struc- {urebeing crossed or climbed andthe ease with ‘which the character can balance himeelf when nitempting to cross or climb a poorly- anchored structure. Endurance: Consider how tired the character already is and how exhausting the upcoming faskif the character wishes to push his body to iy iis. TT more than one character i attempt ‘task that the GM. will resolve using these ules, hecan reduce the difficulty factor if their Combined elforts surpass those of one. Ifthe tke requires a co-operative effort, the difficult factor remains the same. In ether ease, the Iowest-valued characteristic among the per- forming characters the multiplier. [4.2] The only magic task not described in the rules that can be attempted by a character is a feat ‘of minor magic. ‘Minor magic is best performed by a member of a Magical College. Therefore, a character’ ability to pesform minor magic is governed by his Magie Aptitude value, 'A feat of minor magie i generally per~ formed to entertain rich, royal, or townsfolk. Sach a feat can also gl the eredulous. Minor tape includes the trick used by the prestig {ators and conjurars of fantasy literature ‘Minor miagie can be employed by any caster, regardless of his collegiate affiliation. [No ore ean be directly harmed by the use of miner magic, although an adroit caster might Conceive a trap making use of minor magic. fa Being wishes fo resist minor magic, his magic resbtance i increased temporarily (see rule 30), ‘There are three types of minor magi. “The glamour, a spell of rinor illusion, can be ted to create simple images that glow with faint lumineseence. A easter could, for fntance, appear to be juggling colored balls of light through ase of a glamour. The eantzp, 2 spel of smal transformation or apportion, Gan be used to re-create some of the spells Sseribed to imps. A caster could sour beer, Cause candle flames to gutter, or make small bjeets disappear down hissleeve toany other place on his person. The trance, a hypnotic pel, canbe used ta remove minor inhibitions temporarily or to cause a person to perform a hhanless task, The caster of such a spell mast engage hs subject through traditional means; fren he must Tull the subject into trance by ‘engaging the subject's concentration upon the Shythmie movement of a small object. If, for jnstance, an avaricious native saw a rich trea- sure or legendary weapon at night in the unat- fended shrine of his primitive god, the caster could not make him steal it, if taboos against DRAGONQUEST THIRD EDITION, PAGE 6 the act are as strong as they are in most primi- tive cultures. “The eating of a minor magic spell costs the Adept one Fatigue Point, whether the spell issuccesful ornot, The procedure deseribed in {Lis used to resolve the spell. Magic Aptitude is the relevant characteristic. The difficulty factor value should decrease a6 the spell ‘becomes more ambitious. Ifthe rol is greater than the sum ofthe success percentage pis the valve of the characters Magie Aptitude, then the spell result should manifest io a manner ‘ecidedl different from the Adep's intention. [4.3] The information given the players by the GM will sometimes depend upon a player's Perception characteristic. ‘Accharacter will often have to rely upon his intuition and his powers of observation at crucial junctures during an adventure, The (GM can re-create a character's interpretation ‘of events or of a tableau in front of him by “deriving « percentage chance (ofthe character understanding the situation properly) from ‘one character Perception value. ‘The GM should use this procedure to dictate what he will ell the players only when the particular clue or piece of information is not dedueible from verbally-rlayed data. The ‘GM should, for example, inform the players that the ellipsoid symbol en the robes of the tall man approaching them probably indicates that he isa priest, since the circle fsa religious symbol ase throughout his world. However, ‘would be upto the players to infer what hap- pened when they see the brigand with whom Thele merchant friend sas so recently talking come out the door, blood dripping from his blade, ‘When the GM deems it appropriate to ‘check a player's Perception before he answers ‘question, he either consults the Perception of the leader (see 83.1) or the character who is particularly suited to deduce information in fhe current situation, The obscurity of the information sought determines the chifculty factor. Multiply the character's Perception val- tue by the difficulty factor, and roll D100. If the roll is equal to or less than the per~ centage chance, the GM informs the appropri- ate player ofthe correct information Ifthe rll is greater than the percentage, but ot greater than the percentage plus the characters Per ception value, the GM wil ether inform the player thathe snot sure orgive hima part (but fot all ofthe information. Ifthe rol is greater then the percentage plus the character's Per- ception value, the GM will mix fact with fic tion the greater the roll, the more erroneous the information. "The gamemaster should not avail himself ofthis procedure constantly during an expedi- tion, He should use i when the players request fore information than he is willing to give them, when the characters venture into foreign places or lands or meet allen people or races, [End when a decision isnecessary to speed play. [Remember that constant use ofthis procedure ‘makes the outcome of the adventure increas: ingly lack-dependent. A judicious GM will use theprocedure no mare than onceper hour (real time) during an expedition ‘The GM will stint those players who cconsianlly request ute of the Perception roll ‘wien i comes time for experience awarts (see 50). A player who allows dice-rolls to usurp the responsibilities of his mind deserves no bet- ter [4.4] The effects of an optional characteristic must be determined by the gamemaster. Whenever the GM introduces a new characteristic he must define what i repre- sents and its effects, Hecan decide to change or Add to the effects ata later date; since a fantasy roleplaying game evolves with exch cam paige, such adjustments are permissible as Tong ashe informs the players Example; The GM requires exch player to generate a valve of Physical Beauty. He announces that the characteristic will come {nto play whenever the reaction ofa humanoid on-player character must be gauged on the Reaction Table. The dicerol will be modified by one for every 3 points difference between 15 ‘andthe Physical Beauty value ofthe character with whom the humanoid is conversing. "The primary parpase For creating new characteristics is to provide players with fur- the elerene point fr ther charac pee 8. CHARACTERISTIC GENERATION ‘The player randomly generates his char- acters total Characteristic Points. He assigns ‘Values, within epecifed limits, to each of his primary characteristics from this point pool ‘The secondary characteristics are generated cithar randomly aras a direct function ofa trary characteristic, or they begin ata set num- ber for all characters. Some of the characteristics will be modified if the character is of a non-human race. The player will not [know the race of his character (unless human) ‘uni all of his characteristics have been gener- ated “The range of values for 2 characters will normally be between 5 and 25. A value of 5 represents the minimum performance posse bleby an adventoring character. Thus, a char- acter with a manval Dexterity of 5 would be ‘exitemely chimsy, but not s0 inept that he ould ot be entrusted with a simple, though fsential, task. A value of 25 represents the fnonmal maximum performance that can be Achieved by a human; a value of 26 or greater befits a superman. Thus, a character with = Physical Strength of 25 may not be able to ‘bend stel bars in his hands, But he does pretty swell with bars of iron, [5.1] Each player begins the game with a randomly determined number of Characteristic Points from which to assign values to hi character's primary characteristics. Each player rolls 2D10 and reads across the line on the Point Generation Table below ‘comesponding to the two dice total. The num= CHARACTER GENERATION AND COMBAT, PAGE 7 bberof Characteristic Points and Maximum val- ue thereby obtained is nated en apiece of serap paper. Point Generation Table Characteristic Dice Points Maximum 2 a 25 a 2 2 a 5 a“ 5 2 6 % 4 7 86 23 8 a B ° 88 2B 10 2 2 nL 70 2 2 a BR B 2 a u 33 a 8 a a 6 8 20 v % 20 18 7 2 » 98 8 Fy ” B {5.2] The minimum value that a player can assign to a primary characteristic is 5, and the maximum value is determined by the maximum for his characteristic Point total. Furthermore, a character can have only ‘one characteristic equal to his maximum value ifthat value is greater than 20. He can have up to fwo characteristics equal to the maximum value if that value is 19 920. In either case, the character can have up to fo characteristics ‘qual to one less than his maximum value and up to three characterises equal to oO less than his maximum value If 2 character does not havea characteristic equal tohis maximum value, he can increase the limit of characteris: fics witha value one ort less than the maxi- mum values by one. Similarly, he can “ansfer" an extra characteristic equal to two tess than the maximum value or either or both ‘of his two characteristics equal to one les than the maximum value; thus, Ff were mathernat= ‘cally possible, a character could havesix char- acteristics equal to rao lee than the meximmum value for his group. Prior to dividing up his characteristic points, the player should give some thought te what kind of character he Wishes tobeand what weapons, spells, and/or skils he desires for his newly born individual. Tkis important that he introdkces the equal dis tribution to emphasize that any DragonQuest® game character can choose any combination of abilities, Certain weapons require a great deal of Physical Strength or manuel Dexterity and the player should be sure to allot enough points in those areas to use the weapons of his choice. All Magical Colleges (se 36 through 48) cequire minimum Magical Aptitude to join (se 34.7) and the player should be avrare of hee reins, Most Skil 52 trough 66) do not have any special requirements, but many give bonuses for exceeding a minimum value in certain characteristics, The choice of race will also alter the characteristic values, and the player must weigh all requirements and restrictions. Example: A player begins with 8 points (maximum of 23) with which to assign values to characteristics, He could choose a Physical Strength of 23 (the maximum value), an Endurance and Willpower of 22 (his two with fone lass then the maximum value), an Agility ‘and Manual Desterty of 9, and a. Magical Apiitude of 5. Ifthe player wished, he could ‘crease his Physical Strength by one (to 22), and increase ether Agility, Manual Dexterity, fr Magic Aptitude by one. ‘When the player has chosen the values for his character, he writes them down on his Character Record. The total value of the sb primary characteristics must eval the amount received from the Point Generation Table, thus, 2 player cannot “save” Characteristic Points and assign thern to characteristics at 2 later date. The Value ofeach ofthe sx primary characteristics must allbe recorded betore any secondary characteristics are generated. [5.3] The value of a character's Fatigue is a direct function of his Endurance. ‘The player enters the Fatigue value cor responding to his character's Endurance valoe. Endurance f.. Fatigue i. Bord 16 5007 v 81030 w 111013 w 106 2 vee a i022 2 231025 2 261027 és Boldface Endurance and Patigue values can be achieved only by members of certain nonhuman races. Once the character has been ted, a change in the charace face vale wil noallect his Folge value, and vice-vern, [5.4] A character's Perception value begins at 8. ‘The value may be modified ifthe charac- ter is non-human, [6.5] An optional characteristic is usually generated randomly, ‘The gamemaster can decide on any method he wishes to generate a characteristic that he introduces. The equal distribution ‘method generates the value randomly, with every result having the same chance of occur rence. The bell curve method also generates the value rendomly, though the average is ‘more likely to occur than the extremes. The set value method either gives every character the same starting value, or derives the value directly from seme characteristic. The GM showld not interfere with the procedures For {generating any of the mandatory eight charac Teristics when establishing a procedure for an ‘optional characters, Example: The value ofthe Physical Beau- ‘ty characteristics pnerated by rallingD5 +3 (bell curve). A roll of7 indicates an ugly char~ acter, while a 23 indicates 3 beautiful charac- ter. Characters are assumed not tobe execrably horrible in appearance (5), or of surpassing Tovelines (25), since such people would have reat problems while adventuring, They were, Small likelihood, directed to other pursuits at an ene age [5.6] A character's Tactical Movement Rate (see 14.1) is a direct function of his Agility. ‘The player enters the Tactical Movement Ratecorrespondingohis modified Aglity val Moditied Tactical Movement Agility. Rates. Sora 2 Bios Stolz Biol? 1wtoat 221025 260127 ‘The Tactical Movement Rate may be modified if the character is non-human, [n ‘dition, a character's normal Tactical Move ‘ment Retecan be reduced if he suffers an Agili- ty penalty due to wearing armor, or becomes encumbered cue to the amount of weight he cartes (se 86,9), In normal pay, a character's Agility will not exceed 27, BIRTHRIGHTS A character's genetic heritage will have rest influence upon him throughout his aadventuces. Fist, theres the matter of gender, ‘The DragonQuest game world closely parallel the Europe of medieval Earth, where women were largely relegated to secondary roles ‘However, the bias is nol as great in a fantasy world, fr the physically weak have recourse to magic, Generally, a female adventurer will bea determined so, having surmounted cul tural handicaps, A character's race is just 25 important as his gender, ifnot moreso, In this world, a per son's race connotes the color of hi skin, In a fantasy world, a character’ race indicates that he ipa member of a distinct humanoid species, Each race has aseparaie way of life, developed ‘over millennia ‘of co-existence’ with one another. Only the camaraderie and interde- pendence of adventurers have promoted intar- racial harmony, which may be why adventures are often regarded at rogues and outcasts among their comparatively staid brethren, Practically, each race has its strengths and weaknesses. The human race ig the most prevalent, probably because ofits high birth rate and’ the flexibility of the individual hhuman. The elves, divarves, and giants are ‘acesin their twilight years; human civilization will not treat them too kindly. The halfings seem lobe adaptable to almost any way of life, and thrive becauce of their compatibility with humans. The orcs and shape-changers are naz cent races, who may some day challenge human hegemony. ‘A truly sophisticated player will inte- grate the effects of his sex, culture, and race {into the personality of his character. Most gamemasters, while struggling to flesh out the Ealtares oftheir worl, vil settle forthe char- Scter who is the product of his racial back- round [6.1] A player can choose the gender of his (or her) character. ‘A character must be either male or female, Every race described in this section ‘comprises only those two sexes. ‘Each player should choose the sex forthe character tis recommended each character be thesame sex asthe player. Role playing. char- ‘acter whose entire gestalt salen to the player is hard enough without a change of sex. f the player wishes a character ofthe opposite sex, the GM should warn him (or her) ofthe df= calles, and judge the players characterization as closely as anyone else. “The Physical Strength of a female char- acteris decreased by two, but her manual Dex- ferity and Fatigue are increated by one [A characters gender can be changed only through deep magic, or by a deity. 16.21 A player must determine whether his character's Primary ‘Hand is his right or his loft. ‘The player roles DS and D10. Ifthe D10 result is greater, the character's Primary hand is his right, Ifthe DS result is higher, the pei- mary hand is the left. IF the two results are IMentical, the character ls ambidextrous. This termination affects which hand a weapon is held in during combat, and any penalties ‘assessed for attacking with a weapon in anon: Primary Hand. [6.3] A player can always choose to be a human character. i the player wishes his character to be nor-human, he has three chances to roll within one of the indicated ranges. Tf the player i a human character, none ofhis characteristics are modified. Hegainsro Sdvantages and is subject to no restrictions. ‘When aplayer wishes to bea non-human character, be declares which raceke isattempt= {ng to be, and rolls D100 Ifthe rol is equal to for less than the percentage chance given for that race, the character Is that type of non- human. If the rolls greater than the indicated percentage, the character cannot be of that Race Chance () wart 35 BF 30 Giant 06 Halling 8 Human 100 Ore 20 Shape-Changer om ‘A player can attempt up to three rolls (for separate races) fo be a nom-uman. If he fall on all three rolls his character i human. Conversely, if one of his rolls Falls within the DRAGONQUEST THIRD EDITION, PAGE 8 indicated span of numbers fora race, his char acter rst be ofthat race, A player can forfelt hhisright to any further rol to bea non-human if he has exhaueted the aces he wants to be. ‘When a character gains proficiency i an ability, ibis represented in game terms by his player expending Experience Points. The cost, fn terms of Experience Points, to advance in any one ability is affeced by the characters ‘ace, Multiply the cost for any advancement in fone ability (see the Experience Cost Chart, 1.7) by the Race Maltipier. Race Maltiplier Dwarf 15 BF 25 Giant 25 Halfling 1s Human 10 Ore 42 Shape-Changer 2.0, [6.4] A dwarfis a stout, usually ‘tacitum humanoid who frequents mountainous areas. ‘Traits: Dwarves are enamored of pre- cious stones and metals, and of intcieate work Incorporating same. They form strong com unity tes, and are distrustful of strangers, expecially those of other races. Ther strongest Gatipathies are fowards orcs and elves. ‘Though dwarves are greedy by nature, they are essentially honest. Dwarven warriors favor the axe at weapon. Pride matters 25, such to dwarves as face does to the Japanese. ‘Special Abilities: 1. A dwarf can see in the dark at ahuman doet at dus. His fective range of vision in the dark is 50 fet under the ‘pen sky, 100 feet inside manmade structures, ‘nd 150 feet inside caves ard tunnels. 2. A ‘Gvarf can assess the value of and dealin gems ‘and metals as if he isa Merchant (aee 61.) of Rank. Ifa dwarf character progresses in the merchant skill his ability to assess the value of ‘gemsand metalsis foe greater than his current ‘Rank, to amaximum of fn. 3. Fadwarfchar- acter takes the Ranger ski, and opecializes asa Spelunker (ie, mountain environment), he ‘expends one-half the Experience Points to progress Ranks 4. A dhvars capacity for aleo- Fol i twice that of 2 humans. Characteristic Modifier Physical Strength Adda Aslity Subtract Endurance Add Magical Aptitude Suberact 3 Willpower Adda Perception ‘Add 2 ‘Tactical Movement Rate Subiract 1 Average Life Span: 250 to 300 Easth years [6.5] An offis a lithe humanoid, of Joyful demeanor, who frequents wooded areas. ‘Traite: Elves are great respecters of anatureandlearning. They are virtually immor- fal, and ae, atthe same time, repositories of great wisdom and highly enthusiastic mery- makers. Many elves cannot handle their dval atures, and become either frivolous wastrels for grim questers. The elves are ethical by ‘ature, and, though they donot often interfere in the affairs of others, are traditionalists Elven warriors favor baw weapons and dis- dain metal armor, Members of other races gen erly Hn de tse, ‘Special Abilities: 1, An elf can see in the dark as a human does on a cloudy day. His ‘fetive range of vision in the dark is 150 feet Lunde the open sky, and 75 Feet elawhere, 2 IF an elf character takes the ranger skill and spe- Gializes in a woods environment, he expends fone-alf the Experience Points to progress Ranks. 3, An elf receives a Magic Talent that functions in al respects as Witchsight (Talent TE, Book I, pp. 2). 4, An olf makes little or no noise while walking and adds 10% to his chance to perform any activity requiring Stealth, 5, If an lf character takes the healer Skil (Cee 59.), he expends three-quarters the “Experience Points to progress Ranks, though he cannot resurrect the dead. 6. An olf is impervious to the special abllites ofthe lesser undead. 7 Ian elf character takes the courtier il ee 58), he expends one-half the Experi- fence Points fo progress ranks. Characteristic Modifier Physical Strength Subtract 3 Aallty ‘Ada Endurance Sabtract 1 Magical Aptitude Add Willpower ‘Add3 Fatigue ‘add 2 Perception ‘Add 2 ‘Tactical Movernent Rate Add Estimated Life Span: Circa 30,000 Earth years [6.6] A giantis a tuge, slightly prognathous humanoid, whose existence stems from deep elemental magic. Type: The player must roll D10 to deter~ nine what type of giant hs character i Die Giant Type 1t03 Fire 106 Frost Water) 7or8 Cloud (Air) 90710 Stone (Earth) ‘Traits: Giants have a good-natured respect for thelr avn element, and a healthy respect for ils opposite (Fire opposes Water, ‘Airopposes Earth). Giants are usty types, pre ferving nothing beter than to go through life brawling, drinking, and wenching, They tend fo gather together ina clan arrangement, building huge halls (or steading) in out-of-the- ‘way locations. They are not overly intelligent, nd resent humane and elves particularly. Giants enjoy tidding and bartering. Giant ‘warriors favor the club and sword (Scaled to thee size) ‘Special Abilities: 1, A Giant possesses infravision, which allows him to see faint red shapes where living beings are located in the ark, His range of vision is 250 feet. 2. A fiants magic resistance is increased by 10%, ‘cxcept when a spell ofthe opposite elemental Slignment is asta him, in which case his age feresstance fs reduced by 20%. 3. A giant cast- er whose college is identical to his element gains 5% of his chance to cast a spell of that College. A giant cannot be a caster of the col- CHARACTER GENERATION AND COMBAT, PAGE 9 lege opposed to hi own element. 4. Whenever a pian attempts minor magic (see 4.2), the GM should increase the eifculy factor by one, ‘making it easier Characteristic Modifier Physical Strength See 74.1 Manual Dexterity Sabtraet 1 Agility Subtract 2 Endurance See 74.1 Magical Aptitude Subtract 1 Willpower Subtract 1 Fatigue Add Tactical Movement Rate See 74.1 Average Life Span: 500 Earth years [6.7] A halfling is a short, sleepy ‘humanoid, who frequents halfling-constructed burrows. ‘Tats Helflings appreciate the good life more than most; a successful halfling. will arrange a schedule of much sleep, good focd, and relaxed study or conversation, Halfings Aare a socal folk, though are more inclined to keep intercourse among themselves. They treatly enjoy the telling of tales and exchange Of gossip. Halfings take their responsibilities seriously. Halfling warsors use, for obvious reasons, smaller weapons, including maces and slings. Halflings usually go barefoot, nd are noted for ther tough, bairy feet Special Abilities: 1. A baling possesses Infraviion, which allows him to see slid red shapes where living beings are located in the dark. His range of visions 100 ee, 2. A haling audds 20% to his chance to perform any activity requiring stealth, 3. a hailing takes the thi sal, he expends omto-half the Experience Points to progres Ranks. 4. A halfling can dispose of Jewelry into large, somi-actve voleances, with ‘ut anyone thinking the woree of him. Characteristic Moditier Physical Strength Subtract 6 ‘Manual Dextery Adds Aatlty Add Endurance Subtract Magical Aptitude Subtract 2 Willposter ‘Ada2 ‘Average Life Span: 80 to 90 Earth Years, [6.8] An orcis a stoop-shouldered, ‘surly humanoid who is nomadic by nature, ‘Traits Orcs are a cruel violent fo, ik- ing nothing better than o pillage. Individually, ‘ores are acowardly lot, buta charismatic lead fr can tum a band of ores into a conquering hrorde. Ores enjoy the sensual pleasures of life tnd reduce their already short life span through hard living. Ore warriors favor the scimitar. Ores are considered unattractive by the other hurnanofd races. Special Abilities 1. An ore possesses infravision, which allows him to se faint red shapes where living beings aze located in the dark. His range of vision s 150 fet. 2. An ors eyes are highly light-sensitive. The GM should decrease an orc’ chance of aiming at a target ‘during daytime by 5% to 18%, depending on the brightness ofthe sun. 3. An are is not an adept student. Increase the game time requced to learn or improve upon any ability by one day per week required. 4. The ore and hybrid fore population inerease mitigates against the high ore fatality rate Characteristic Moultier Physical Strength ‘Add 4 Endurance ‘Ads 2 Magical Aptitude Subtract 4 Willpower Subtract 4 Fatigue Add Tactical Movement Rate Subtract 1 “Average Life Span: 40 lo 45 Earth years (6.9) A shape-changer is a separate aoc ares Saytanei sso Particular animal, Sethe ment ped Aaa m Bpoee 2B Rp iE Traits: Shape-changers aze identical in _eppearance te humans when nt in animal form. Shapechangess are somewhat bestal im nature, ‘adopting traits one might expect from an anthro- Pomerphized wolf, tiger bear, or boar. There ‘ts a love/hate relationship benveen humane and shape changer: shapechangers posses some ‘gree of animal magna, but #f dacovere, fan expect severe treatment a the hands of humans, Shape changes are, on the whele, biter towards hurars, and arenot above using humans to their acvantage. There ae very few ways to tall ashapechanger from a human (eg, they val be

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