Knights&Knaves
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K NIGHTS & K NAVES TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 2 Skills 2 Combat 6 Equipment 8 Miscellaneous 10 Magic and Spells 11 The Setting 13 Bestiary 17 HOW THIS PDF IS ORGANIZED CHARACTER CREATION If you're new to this game, it might help to know First, get an idea for what kind of character you're that learning how to play requires only that you read the going to want to play, write a short background for the PDF in order. The first section of the PDF covers gameplay character, including their goals and motivations (you'll mechanics, including character creation, the attribute and probably want more than one goal for each character and skill system, combat, and equipment. The second section a different motivation for each goal), and a short covers the optional rules to include magic in the setting. description of the character. Then, you're going to want to The third section covers the setting itself, all the way from make your characters statistics (attributes, skills, and the world and cosmology to key places of interest and equipment) reflect your description and background. You important figures from throughout its history. The fourth start with 30 Experience Points (EP) to do this, which and final section of this PDF covers the bestiary, which must be spent on developing the character before the includes stats for common NPC archetypes, wild animals, game begins. EP is used to increase your characters monsters, and even alternatives to sentient races that the attributes and skills. players can play as instead humans, which the PDF assumes you'll be playing by default. ATTRIBUTES WHY PLAY KNIGHTS & KNAVES? Your score in an attribute determines the type of dice you roll when performing an action that pertains to There are plenty of tabletop roleplaying games that attribute (consult the chart below). When you create already in print, so why play this one? Knights & Knaves is your character, pick two attributes to be your primary a rules-light system that's meant to fit well in a medieval- attributes. All of your attributes start at a score of 2, but styled setting with a "NobleDark" theme, which is to say you can raise them by spending EP. Raising one of your that the general populace in the game is filled with primary attribute scores by 1 point costs an amount of EP people that are at least well intentioned, if not dedicated equal to the score you wish to raise it to (for example: to leaving the world a better place than when they came Agility is one of your primary attributes. It starts at 2. You into it. However, environmental conditions such as want to raise it to a total of 4. First spend 3 EP to raise it droughts, floods, and blight, as well as monsters and the to 3, then spend another 4 EP to raise it to 4). Your other occasional tyrant all seem to be determined to make life attributes cost double this amout to increase. An miserable. Unlike many other tabletop roleplaying games, attribute can be raised to a maximum score of 5. this one is both class-less and level-less. Any type of action not displayed in the following There are a few other tabletop games that are made section is up to the GM's discretion when determining with those specifications in mind, and as the author of which attribute governs that action. If the GM determines this game and an avid tabletop roleplayer, I encourage that an action could fall under more than one of the you to try each of them as you find them. After some attributes, then you can use the alternate attribute if the experimentation, you might find that you prefer the way alternate attribute is one of your two primary attributes gameplay mechanics are handled in this system over the (for example: if Perception is one of your primary way they are handled in other games. If this game offers attributes, then you could use Perception for unarmed the ideal system to just one group other than my own, attacks instead of Might; likewise, if Might is one of your then I'll consider the time I spent writing it to have been primary attributes, then you could use Might for attacks well worth the effort. made with thrown weapons instead of Perception). The GM should be careful not to allow too many types of actions to fall under a single attribute. WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO PLAY THE GAME Bare Minimum Recommended At least 1 four-sided dice, 1 six-sided dice, At least 5 four-sided dice, 5 six-sided dice, 1 eight-sided dice, 1 ten-sided dice, and 5 eight-sided dice, 5 ten-sided dice, and 1 twelve-sided dice. 5 twelve-sided dice. Enough scrap paper to keep track of A character sheet for each character, details on characters and missions, events, in addition to some scrap paper. and the setting as you deem necessary. A mechanical pencil for Something to write with – preferable a pencil. each player and the GM. Someone willing to be the GM. Someone who actually wants to be the GM. Agility: This is the attribute typically used to times damage is applied to a random location; succeeding measure your mobility. It governs the following skills: on an Acrobatics roll doubles the number you subtract Acrobatics, Athletics, Dodge, Ride, Stealth. when determining how many times damage is applied to Communication: This is the attribute used for nearly a random location. The GM determines the TN - typically all forms of social interaction. It governs the following 4 or 6. skills: Charm, Goad, Intimidate, Leadership, Mercantile. Athletics (Agility): A characters movement speed is 5 Education: This is the attribute used for the meters per round and they can climb or swim at a rate of academic arts. It governs the following skills: History, 1 meter per round. If Agility is one of your primary Linguistics, Medicine, Research, Science. attributes, you may add your Agility score to your Might: This attribute is the measure of your physical movement speed and both Climb and Swim at a rate power and durability. It governs the following skills: equal to your Agility score in meters per round instead of Encumbrance, Endurance, Fortitude, Labor, Melee the typical rate of 1 meter per round. Use Athletics when Attacks. climbing a wall or sheer cliff face to avoid falling or when Perception: This is the attribute used for hand-eye swimming in liquids thicker than water or against a coordination and general awareness of ones current to avoid sinking. The GM determines the TN – surroundings. It governs the following skills: Initiative, typically 4 or 6. Judgment, Navigation, Ranged Attacks, Vigilance. Charm (Communication): This is your ability to make Subterfuge: This is the attribute used for the people like you. Use Charm to seduce or gain the favor of criminal arts. It governs the following skills: Disguise, an NPC. Many NPCs may be immune to your advances or Forgery, Legerdemain, Lockpick, Sabotage. determined to dislike you for some reason. The GM determines the TN – typically 8 or 10. Attribute Score and Dice Type Disguise (Subterfuge): This is your ability to pull off a SCORE 1 2 3 4 5 convincing disguise. Use Disguise to convince someone you are somebody else while wearing an appropriate DICE TYPE d4 d6 d8 d10 d12 disguise or disappear into a crowd while wearing normal street clothes (For example, you could convince someone SKILLS you're a guard if you're wearing a guards outfit). Your roll when using Disguise sets the TN for Vigiliance rolls made to see through your deception. At the GMs discretion, Your score in a skill determines the number of dice some NPCs may be too well-informed to fall for a you roll when performing an action that pertains to that disguise. skill. All of your skills start at a score of 1, but you can Dodge (Agility): This is your ability to avoid attacks raise them by spending EP. Raising one of your skills by 1 and traps. Use Dodge whenever you are aware of an point costs an amount of EP equal to double the score attacker or you trigger a trap. You cannot dodge an attack you wish to raise it to (for example: You want to raise made by an enemy you are unaware of. The TN is Stealth to a total of 3. First spend 4 EP to raise it to 2, determined by the Melee Attack roll, Ranged Attack roll, then spend another 6 EP to raise it to 3). A skill can be or trap that you're attempting to avoid. See the entry raised to a maximum score of 5. "Essential Combat Reference" on page 9 for details. When you use a skill, you keep the highest number Encumbrance (Might): The maximum amount of out of the dice that you roll and ignore the rest (for weight in pounds that you can carry without suffering any example: You're making a Stealth roll. Your Stealth score penalties is equal to 10 pounds, plus 5 times your Might is 3 and your Agility score (the governing attribute for score, plus 5 times your Encumbrance score. If you carry Stealth rolls) is 4. So you roll three 10-sided dice. The dice more weight than that, you can't use Climb, Stealth, or roll a 3, 5, and a 9, so you keep the 9 and ignore the 3 and Swim, the result of any Dodge roll you make is halved the 5.