Combat, Abilities and Health

Combat in Legend of the Bones broadly follows those laid out in B/X D&D.

Hit Modifiers

Targeting specific hit locations carries a -1 penalty to hit. 

Missile attacks whilst moving or if the target is running carries a -1 penalty to hit.

Characters who do not eat or drink for more than 24 hours suffer a –1 penalty to hit and damage.

Critical Hits & Fumbles

A D20 roll of Natural 20 is a critical hit, and causes maximum damage, plus an additional damage die.

A D20 roll of Natural 1 is a fumble, and the character misses their next turn/action

 

Ability Checks

Ability checks require the character to roll equal to or less than the relevant ability score

A D20 roll of Natural 1 is a critical success, and has additional benefits

A D20 roll of Natural 20 is a fumble, and has additional negative consequences

Benefits and Consequences are referee defined unless otherwise stated e.g. magic overcharge/miscast

 

Armour Class

Legend of the Bones used the optional rule of Ascending Armour Class

 

Initiative

Group rather than individual initiative is generally used.  A D6 is rolled for each side, with the highest number winning the initiative

Weapon Damage

Damage is calculated by weapon type with Strength modifiers applied.

 

Special Damage

Undead: Corporeal undead can always be harmed by normal weapons.  Incorporeal undead are immune to normal weapons, but can be wounds by weapons made from, or edged with silver, or magic weapons.

 

Hit Points

Monster and NPC Hit Points min-out at half

Death

Player Characters reduced to exactly zero Hit Points fall unconscious, and remain so until at least 1 Hit Point is regained, Player Characters that fall into negative Hit Points are dead.  At the referee's discretion, falling to 0 Hit Points may result in some kind of permanent injury.

Poison

Depending of the poison,  Characters that pass a save vs death to resist poison fall into a feverish delirium for 1D4 days as their body fights the toxin, but recover Hit Points normally.

Natural Healing

1 Hit Point is recovered after 6 hours sleep, with a maximum of 1 hit point recovered in a 24 hour period