Introduction🔗
A tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) is not just a game but a collaborative storytelling experience fostering a sense of community. These games bring together players around a table, usually more than two, to embark on adventures in a fictional setting, much like a novel, TV series, or movie.
The Game🔗
The Dungeon Legacy RPG is a tabletop adventure ruleset, a rules-lite roleplaying game designed for storytelling, danger, and action flow, a return to non-tactical, theatre-of-the-mind gameplay. Adventures in Dungeon Legacy is written in an Old-School Renaissance (OSR) style, so it plays fast and loose - rules as intended - and although maps and miniatures can be used, most game aids are minimal. However, unlike other OSR games, the game mechanics of Dungeon Legacy are subtle, allowing for a sundry of character options, equipment, and supplemental rules. Also, Dungeon Legacy is highly customizable; add your flavors and houserules to expand the game further.
Theatre-of-the-Mind. This style of play is where everything in-game is wholly imagined, taking place in the players' minds, and is at the heart of Dungeon Legacy. Here, the group can experience interactive adventures through the back-and-forth storytelling between the gamemaster and the players. Many modern rulesets rely on tactical rules that get in the way, bogging the game down by interfering with the game's flow. These games use plotted landscapes, or virtual tabletops (VTTs), that are excessively tactical; it's like playing a video game in slow motion. Theatre-of-the-mind is non-tactical and allows players and gamemasters to describe actions in quick detail without worrying about the tactical rules. Although handouts, maps, and basic miniature placement can be used, theatre-of-the-mind allows gaming groups to concentrate more on the storylines, descriptions, and characterizations. This provides an opportunity to visualize and respond to everything in more detail and in less time, allowing for more productive and enjoyable game sessions. In addition, the gamemaster will spend less time preparing the tools of the trade for each adventure. Many consider this mind’s eye approach the quintessential gaming style!
Game Crew🔗
A tabletop roleplaying game consists of a group of players, usually 2 to 8, where one accepts the role of gamemaster.
The players roleplay the heroes - a.k.a. player characters (PC), the protagonists trying to survive and thrive in the adventures. In this endeavor, the players make all the dice rolls for character actions, reactions, and otherwise, as necessary, per the gamemaster.
The gamemaster (GM) directs the villains - a.k.a. non-player characters (NPC) - the antagonists trying to undermine the heroes; this includes all monsters but also all the pedestrians, samaritans, and powers-that-be (good or bad). Specifically, the gamemaster's job is to outline and run adventures by narrating and overseeing the game's flow. As such, the gamemaster rarely makes any dice rolls; the players make all pertinent dice rolls in defense of their characters.
Gaming Etiquette🔗
It's everyone's job to create an atmosphere of fun. Together, the gamemaster and the players co-write the ongoing storyline from each person's - or character's - point of view. The gamemaster may need to adjust his plots and arbitrate the ruleset as required but should never be the controlling entity of the whole storyline; instead, the story is continually generated - moment to moment - from the minds of the gamemaster, the players, and the results of each dice roll. The gamemaster should never railroad the game but rather allow it to evolve naturally from everyone's effort.
Gamemaster's Purview. It's worth noting that the gamemaster has the final say over ANY rule or in-game situation. If the GM wishes to make a judgment call, change, or houserule anything in the game - on the spot - that's the GM's discretion. However, it's always best to discuss any homebrewed changes before playing. Also, before starting a game for the first time, the gamemaster and the players should set any expectations they feel are essential; a good "Session Zero" - typically used to create characters - can also be used this way. Always respect each other and pause the game when issues arise. Discuss what is happening and adjust before proceeding. Nuff Said.
Game Modes🔗
There are several modes of play available within the game.
Crew Play. This is the primary method of gameplay consisting of a group of players and a gamemaster; one-on-one play also fits here. This is the default play mode, and this ruleset reflects that throughout.
Solo Play. This is where a single player also acts as a gamemaster using the Dungeon Legacy Solo Ruleset, complete with a tableless oracle.
Coop Play. This mode is like crew play but without a gamemaster. Here, the players agree to use as little or as much of the solo play ruleset as needed.
Game Sessions🔗
The adventures are governed and often created by the gamemaster. Short adventures, referred to as one-shot or side quests, can take hours or days to play, spanning multiple sessions, while longer adventures can last for weeks or months. A traditional adventure is a self-contained quest with a goal but can also be episodic, with many scenarios. Adventures can cover various locations, such as cities or dungeons, but can also include countless worlds, planes, dimensions, and timelines, each setting offering unique challenges. Aside from being fun to play, adventures drive player character development; as you add experience to the character's record sheet, they become better at what they do.
The campaigns are a series of adventures usually connected by an overarching plot or hook that moves the player characters towards an overall objective and often a final confrontation. Depending upon the players’ desires and the gamemaster's plans, campaigns can be played for months or years, being paused and revisited many times involving generations of characters. Campaigns could also be run and developed by multiple gamemasters.
Game Materials🔗
A few supplies are needed to use this ruleset; these items can be physical, digital, or combined. Typically, a playgroup will draw maps, take notes, and track their character's stats; see Appendix XX and our official website for various game aids and sheets. Also, the playgroup will need gaming dice, ideally a set for each person. The gamemaster should set any material requirements or restrictions for the game before play begins.
Game Dice🔗
This ruleset uses polyhedral gaming dice to validate a character’s actions and reactions or to determine things randomly. In such cases, a handful of dice will be needed, typically consisting of a 4-sided die (d4), 6-sided die (d6), 8-sided die (d8), 10-sided die (d10), 12-sided die (d12), 20-sided die (d20), and percentile dice (d100). The rules and the gamemaster determine which dice are needed in each instance.
Percentile Dice (d100). This die type comprises two 10-sided dice of different colors or styles. One die represents the "tens" position, and the other represents the "ones" position, each designated beforehand. Rolled together, the dice will generate a percentile number from 01% to 99%, and a roll of "00" (double zeros) equals 100%.
Dice Expressions. When multiples of the same die type (dice pools) are described in the text, the number of dice to roll will appear before the die type. For example, three 6-sided dice (d6) are written as 3d6. Unless stated otherwise, dice pools are usually tallied.
Dice Modifiers. A dice expression may include modifiers like 1d20+1 or 2d6x2, where each roll is calculated and modified per the formula.
Always Round Down. Unless specified in the rules, when you divide or multiply any number, you will always round down, no matter the fraction; a minimum of 1 always applies.
Advantage / Disadvantage🔗
In the rules of the game, or when the gamemaster deems it appropriate, there are instances where characters gain an advantage or disadvantage per the action or situation. These effects are usually applied to the action or reaction roll but could be used on any single die roll or even multiple dice (dice pools).
Advantage (ADV) improves the odds by adding an extra die to the roll and uses the best results; discard the worst die. For percentile dice, advantage means swapping the dice positions (one's and ten's) after the roll to achieve the best outcome.
Typically, advantage is granted to a character when copy needed here.
Disadvantage (DIS) aggravates the odds by adding an extra die to the roll and uses the worst results; discard the best die. For percentile dice, disadvantage means swapping the dice positions (one's and ten's) after the roll to achieve the worst outcome.
Typically, disadvantage is granted to a character when copy needed here.
Conventions🔗
These conventions are customarily practiced throughout the ruleset.
Creatures. This term is synonymous with characters or monsters, including hero, player character (PC), protagonist, villain, non-player character (NPC), antagonist, boss, animal, beast, and deities or other powerful beings.
Specific Beats General. You may find aspects of the rules that break or contradict other elements. When a contradiction occurs, specific rules often beat general rules; however, the gamemaster will arbitrate as needed.
Always Round Down. Unless specified in the rules, when you divide any number, you will always round down, no matter the fraction; a minimum of 1 always applies.
Terminology. Terms have a specific usage and are defined throughout this ruleset. Where a term is used but not defined, browse the Index in the back of the material for its source. Popular terms often have a shortened form; the abbreviation will appear in parentheses where the term first appears in the material.