RPG Design Patterns

Dice Pool, Idiom, Last Man Standing, Negotiated Contest, Point Spend Attribute, Recycled Fortune (Initiative and Conflict Resolution), Resource (Money), Trauma Gauge (Spunk)

Characters have three core attributes: “Spunk,” “Dumb Luck,” and “Low Cunning.” Spunk is initially set to a value of 5 while the others are set to zero. Dumb Luck and Low Cunning can be raised by spending Spunk points. Each point of Spunk gives the player two points to distribute to the other attributes. Characters also have an idiom called “Stage” which can be set to “Oral,” “Anal,” or “Genital.” Oral characters are always on the lookout for food. Anal characters are fart factories. Genital characters are, well, depraved. Characters gather treasure in the form of magic items and “Coins,” which can be spent on nifty new equipment.

Elfs uses a dice pool system for contests consisting of 3d10. The individual dice rolls are compared to a threshold. Any values less than or equal to the threshold are counted as successes. Spunk is always counted into the threshold, but it may be raised by either Low Cunning or Dumb Luck, depending on what actions are attempted. Low Cunning is used on actions involving dirty, rotten tricks where the character takes advantage of someone else. Dumb Luck is used when the player states two desired outcomes to a conflict, one that he wants and one that his character wants. In such a roll, the player’s desired outcome happens if the roll comes up with any successes. The character’s wishes are fulfilled only if all three dice roll successes (total success). If a conflict results in total failure for a character (zero successes), the character sustains damage in the form of a one point loss of Spunk.

The order of character actions is done by first rolling the 3d10 for contests, taking the highest single die roll from all characters involved, and going in order from highest to lowest. Thus, the dice rolls are used for both action order and conflict resolution.

Every 100 Coins spent (not just looted) and every 10 enemies slain earn a player the right to raise his character’s Low Cunning or Dumb Luck by one point. Also, players are Luck by one point. Also, players are encouraged to “tattle” on the other players when they don’t properly portray their characters’ Idioms. Whenever this is done, the tattling player gets a bonus on his character’s next roll.