RPG Mini-Handbook

Back in the 1990s, I made a simplified “universal conversion guide” to various tabletop role-playing games, reducing the core mechanic to a 2d6 + modifiers system. The document also includes a rough live-action rules one-sheet for use with AD&D2e.

While clearly inspired by Traveller, the majority of benchmark examples look to come from the World of Darkness books of the time (Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, etc.).

Click to download stanton_tabletop_roleplaying_minibook.pdf

THE SYSTEM

Roll two six-sided dice, add an ability modifier, add an action difficulty modifier, and find the result on the bottom chart.

For head-to-head challenges, players roll dice, add modifiers and compare end totals. Highest value wins.

ABILITY MODIFIER
+10 … Monstrous
+7 … Great
+5 … Excellent
+2 … Good
+0 … Average
-2 … Poor
-5 … Feeble
-7 … Abysmal
DIFFICULTY MODIFIER
+6 … Very East
+4 … Easy
+2 … Somewhat Easy
+0 … Standard
-2 … Somewhat Hard
-4 … Hard
-6 … Very Hard
-8 … Extremely Hard
-10 … Ridiculous

+/- for good or bad role-playing

OUTCOME RESULTS
12 or more … Strong Success
9 to 10 … Moderate Success
6 to 8 … Mixed Result
3 to 5 … Moderate Failure
2 or less … Strong Failure

HEALTH
Follows a hit point system (lose X dice of point per damage hit). Using an “average human” example…
* Good condition: 10 points
* Average condition: 5 to 9 points
* Poor condition: 3 to 4 points
* Feeble condition: 1 to 2 points
* Abysmal condition: 0 to -9 points
* Dead: -10 or less points

ARMOR
Deflects damage points from successful hits.
* -20 points per hit … full suit of heavy armor
* -15 points per hit … partial suit heavy armor
* -10 points per hit … medium armor, armor clothing
* -5 points per hit … light armor, heavy leathers