URFAD: Exploration, Combat, and Saving throws

Exploration

1.      Traps: When PCs are exploring, a cursory check for traps is assumed (to speed along game play) leading to a base 1-in-6 chance. Roll d6: a 1–2 springs the trap, a 6 (or, if the party includes a dwarf at the front, a 3, 4, 5, or 6) detects the trap.

2.      Secret Doors and Passages: When exploring, a cursory check for secret doors and passages is also assumed leading to a base 2-in-6 chance. Roll d6: a 1–2 (or, if the party includes an elf, a 3, 4, 5, or 6) finds the door or passage.

3.      Wandering Monsters: After every turn, roll d6, and if a 1 is rolled it means an encounter.

4.      Surprise: Roll d6: Monsters surprise on a 1 or 2, PCs on a 5 or 6. Surprise grants one free action, counting as the first round of the encounter. Typical distance is 10–30 feet away.b

5.      Parties will typically notice each other 20–80 feet away.

6.      Initiative (optional): Roll d6: Monsters attack first on 1–3; PCs attack first on 4–6.

Combat

1.      Attacks: Succeed if d20 + attack bonus + opponent’s AC + other modifiers ≥ 20. Use a monster’s HD for its attack bonus (round up fractions and consider any plus a +1 and any minus a –1).

a.      Any unseen from behind strike is at +4 and for two dice of damage.

b.      Pummeling (punches, but also kicks, knees, headbutts, etc.) is at –2 (assuming foe is armed) and does 1–2 points of damage.

c.      Improvised-weapon attacks (pommel, rock, chair leg, pole, etc.) are at –2 (assuming foe is armed with a real weapon) and do 1–3 points of damage.

d.      Grappling requires a successful hit and then contest HD (classed characters apply Strength bonus). Certain monsters (e.g., stone giants) may not be grappled.

2.      Monster Morale: Check morale when a group has suffered 50% casualties and then again at 75% casualties, or if an individual (standing alone) has lost 50% HP and again at 75% lost HP. To check, roll 2d6: 2–5 = Flee/Surrender; 6–8 = Hold the line; 9–12 = Battle on!

3.      Monsters who fail a morale check may surrender (if fleeing successfully is impossible or clearly unlikely) and the PCs may extend an offer.

4.      Reactions: Roll 2d6: 2 = Attack/Flee; 3–5 = Hostility/Flee; 6–8 = Uncertainty; 9–11 = Acceptance;
12 = Enthusiasm (+3 to Loyalty).

5.      Fleeing characters who are more than 20 feet away when they round a corner or ascend/descent stairs will have a 4-in-6 chance that the monsters stop giving chase.

6.      Unintelligent monsters will often stop chasing to eat fresh (non-spoiled) food (5 in 6) and sometimes stop to eat preserved food (3 in 6); semi-intelligent monsters have 3 in 6 chance for either. Intelligent monsters will not stop for food, but might stop for treasure (4 in 6, modified by value of treasure), while semi-intelligent creatures will sometimes stop for treasure (3 in 6, not modified by value, but perhaps by shininess).

7.      Stun results in an AC penalty of 2 and loss of attack for the stated number of rounds (one if unstated).

Saving Throws

1.      Saves succeed if d20 + level + save bonus + other modifiers ≥ 20. A true 20 always succeeds; a true 1 always fails. A monster’s HD equals its level (drop fractions and disregard pluses and minuses) and they roll a random 2–5 as the save bonus.

2.      Save bonus is determined by Wisdom divided by 3, except for clerics who use Intelligence divided by 3.