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Small But Vicious Dog (B/XWFRP hack), ver0.3

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Introduction

Welcome to a fantasy world where the men are Baldrick, the dwarves are punk, and the dogs are small butvicious. Welcome to a world of bawds, grave robbers, excisemen and witchhunters; a place where Blather,

Flee! and Mime are legitimate skill choices; and where all material on the insidious threat of Chaos isofficially interchangeable between settings.

Welcome (back) to the Grim World of Perilous Adventure.

Whisper it (that fanboys may not hear and descend asquealing), but for all the charm of its skewedfamiliar16th century milieu and the lurking horror of Chaos, Warhammer Fantasy RolePlaywas little more than amodcop of classic Dungeons & Dragons. Yes, our beloved WFRP was yet another fix D&D fantasyheartbreaker, albeit one which had the clout of the biggest name in British gaming behind it. Whole chunks ofthe system were lightly disguised D&D mechanics adapted to a rollunder d% system1, and many settingelements not gleefully ripped off from Tolkien, Leiber or Moorcock were already established D&D tropes by thetime WFRP was published.2

But that's ok. Indeed, that's part of why all rightthinking people Brits, Italians and Poles especially loveWFRP. To paraphrase a better man than I: we took an American invention, soaked it in a witches' brew ofBosch, Durer and Dor, Mervyn Peake and Tom Sharpe, Blackadder, The Young Ones, pints of bitter, cheapweed, Iron Maiden and The Damned, and then we played the hell out of it.

And thats what this illconsidered rules hack is about. Your humble author a dirty little yahoo from a rainy,

grimy, postimperial isle in the northern seas decided to have a go at welding D&D and WFRP together. Why?So I could play games of WFRPish misery and despair with rules of B/Xish brevity, thus achieving personalgaming nirvana. This here resulting travesty is a 90% pure game mechanics kitbash with minimal backgroundmaterial or context. I wont even pretend I can prcis 20odd years of background material into 32 pages orso. If you want all that good stuff you should hunt out a copy of WFRP itself; it is worth your time.

I hope you enjoy my little love letter to *real* WFRP (the one that came complete in a single fat book). But Ifyou know a better hole, then go to it.

Note: This is notforgain fanwork which requires access to both B/X D&D (either in the form of the originalTSR games, or as Goblinoid Games fine simulacrum Labyrinth Lord) and WFRP (1E or 2E) for full use andenjoyment. It is not intended as a replacement for either game, or as a challenge to any copyrights.

A Note on AbbreviationsMost people reading this will know what all these acronyms mean, but just in case:

OD&D Original Dungeons & Dragons (197477), published by TSR.B/X Moldvay/Marsh/Cook Dungeons & Dragons (1982), published by TSR.BECMI Mentzer Dungeons & Dragons (1986), published by TSR.

WFRP Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay (1986). Reprinted by Hogshead Publishing 1995.WFRP 2E Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay (2005). Published by GWs Black Industries imprint.WFRP 3E Some boxed collectible diceandcard game that claims to be Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay.

Oh, how we laughed! Published by Fantasy Flight Games (2010).

d20 SRD The d20 System Reference Document (2000), published by Wizards of the Coast.LL Labyrinth Lord, published by Goblinoid Games.LLAEC Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion, published by Goblinoid Games.

CreditsWFRP created by Meisters Bambra, Davis, Gallagher, Halliwell and Priestley.B/X D&D created by Meisters Gygax, Arneson, Moldvay, Marsh and Cook.

SBVD from the pen of Chris Hogan, a lowly inkstained wretch.Proofreading by Kelvin Green.Playtesting by [TBC]

1 Said system being a heavily Runequest/Call of Cthulhuinfluenced elaboration of the one prototyped in GamesWorkshops 1985Judge Dredd RPG.

2 Even the people who wrote Warhammer novels in the early 1990s were quite clear on the derivative nature ofthe WFRP world. See, for example, Steven Baxters 2002 retrospective article Freedom in an Owned World:Warhammer Fiction and the Interzone Generation.

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Ability Scores

A characters Primary Ability Scores are Movement, Strength, Toughness, Agility, Intelligence, Willpowerand Fellowship. Im sure anyone familiar with B/X and WFRP will be able to work out whats what

Movement (Mv) = B/X speed in feet/turn divided by 30. Why the changeforthesakeofit? Because a singledigit Movement score (Mv 4, Mv3, etc) is 1) more WFRPish, and 2) much simpler than fiddling about with somany tens of feet per round.

Other Ability Scores are generated 3d6 in order, for such is the way of righteousness (although see Laughterof Dark Gods rule below).

Primary Profile

Mv Str Tgh Ag Int Wil Fel

Ability Score Modifiers, and use in play, are per B/X unless indicated otherwise.

Ability Modifier Affects Score General Mod Init or ReactionStr WS, melee damage 3 3 2Tgh Wounds per die 45 2 1

Ag AC, BS, Initiative 68 1 1Int Additional languages 912 0 0Wil Save modifier vs. magic 1315 +1 +1Fel No.# of retainers, their morale, 1617 +2 +1

NPC reactions 18 +3 +2

A characters Secondary Scores are other gamerelevant numbers. These are a bit of a mishmash in thatsome are randomly generated, while others are either fixed, or accumulate/decrease over time. These are:

Secondary Profile

WS BS Att W Mag IP FP

Weapon Skill (melee attack bonus) See Combat, pp1617Bow Skill (ranged attack bonus) See Combat, pp1617Attacks (per round, generally 1) See Combat, pp1617Wounds (a.k.a. hit points) See Races and Careers, pp36Magic (max # of casting dice) See Magic, pp1920Insanity Points See Insanity, p14Fate Points See Fate Points, p7

A characters Saving Throws are determined by their class and level, as normal for B/X D&D.

Saving Throws

Death Petrify Breath Device Spell

Death also poison, disease, drug addiction, suffocation and drowning, etc.Petrify also paralysis, polymorph, sleep, entanglement, terror.Breath also adverse weather, avalanches and suchlike natural force majeure.Device wand, rod, stave, trap, explosion, falling into heavy machinery, etc.Spell also nonmagical feareffects.

Laughter of Dark GodsAt character generation a player may replace one and only one 3d6 Ability Score that makes them sad witha 10. Players who do this may be freely mocked as soft, gurly and sorely lacking in moral fibre.

True followers of the WFRP Way may instead replace their highestrolled Primary Profile ability score with a 10.

This latter choice earns kudos for being Totally WFRP! and, at the GMs option, gains the character anadditional d3 Fate Points.

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Races

Choice of playable races is one area where SBVD (and all its source material before it) show a notable debt tothat erudite 800lb gorilla of 20th century fantasy, J.R.R.Tolkien. Humans are the vast majority in SBVD, withnonhumans being the designated butts of both superstitious prejudice and a blatantly unfair tax regime.

Those who elect to play a nonhuman don't get the unalloyed joy of rolling for a career; instead they play aprofessional stereotype straight from Central Casting. Use the demihuman races of B/X as written.

Dwarf (0,2 per party)Wounds: 8+d8/lvl Attack as: Fighter Save as: DwarfLikes: gold, jewels, honour, combs.Preferred MO: axe to the knees, or overcomplicated deathmachines (Pull the lever!)Trappings: scruffy clothes, chainmail, hammer or axe, tankard, lantern, helmet. Huge beard, dour mien.

All dwarves are beersoaked beards on legs who stop mining only to fight, drink heavily and/or sing aboutmining. They consider everything they say and do to be SRS BZNZ and nurse a grudge like a Bretonniannurtures a fine vintage wine. All perceived similarities between Dwarves and Yorkshiremen are coincidental.

Theres a 10% chance that any dwarf character created is a Troll Slayer, a kamikaze nopants dwarf with a bigorange mohawk, prison tats, a twohanded axe and a burning desire to ragequit life as violently as possible.

Elf (0,1 per party)Wounds: 6+d6/lvl Attack as: Fighter Save as: ElfLikes: wine, art, singing, anything you havent heard of.Preferred MO: peppering with arrows, then singing beautiful songs about same.Trappings: fine clothing, lute or lyre, bow and arrows, sword, smug expression.

All elves are metrosexual minstrels and archers who fly into fey rages when provoked. The elven ability to loseit in spectacularly violent fashion has been clocked at Nought to Feanor in 4.2 seconds. Most PC elves arefilthy treehugging pseudoCeltic Wood Elves, although the Sea Elves who hang out in coastal cities seem to bea kind of Elven gap year backpacker. No ones quite sure what the mohawked, spandexwearing paramilitaryRiverdance troupe known as Wardancers are supposed to be, apart from FABULOUS!

Rumour has it that the Elven homelands are contested in an endless war between two mighty and ancientfactions: the loucheandarty vs. the darkerandedgier. The origin of their interminable strife is unknown,

although it probably began as a spat over the relative aesthetic merits of art nouveau and gothic revival styles.Elves of these factions are far too in love with themselves to do anything so dclass as adventuring for gain.

Elves use the SBVD casting system as wizards of their level.

Halfling (any number)Wounds: 6+d6/lvl Attack as: Thief Save as: DwarfLikes: food, drink, food, sex, food, stealing, food, gardening, food and food.Preferred MO: poison, or prisonyard shanking.Trappings: hardwearing clothes, skillet, recipe book, concealed shiv, jovial manner.

All halflings are smellyfooted, opportunistic little food tubes on the make. They are not to be trusted: dontrely on their word, dont eat their pies of dubious provenance, and neverlet them get their hands on your ring.Halflings emerged from the distant East to infest a formerly pleasant area called The Mootland; this schmaltzsoaked domain is now a terrible warning about what happens when the more touristy parts of rural Bavaria are

invaded and occupied by the Lollipop Guild.

Halflings do not have any sort of wacky Mohawkwearing subculture, for which we are all eternally thankful.

Human (any number)Wounds: 6+(varies) Attack as: 0level Fighter Save as: 0level humanLikes: money, killing.Preferred MO: varies wildly.Trappings: by Class and Profession.

All humans are cynical, vicious, and have a laserfocus on their own selfinterest. Those not prone to absurdsuperstition are usually in thrall to pernicious ideologies or religious mania. Humans can be found all over theplace, stuffed tendeep in squalid firetrap cities or cluttering up the rural landscape with their farms, mines,castles, temples, lazarhouses and hospitals. They even take to the seas, forever seeking new and distant

markets in which to display their hardwon skills in larceny, fraud and murder.

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Classes and Careers

All playable characters in SBVD are levels 13 in B/X D&D terms. The grubby, vicious world of SBVD is a placeof minor triumphs against a background of misery, squalor and suffering. It thus has very little in common withthe monsterriding, daemonpunching antics of WFB or highlevel D&D. Baldrick dont ride no dragon!

Class and Career Selection Overview1. If playing a human pick (or roll) your class and note the basic package of goodies on your sheet.

2. Roll your starting HD and note your attack and save progressions (derived from the B/X originals).3. Roll your occupation, adding your career skill and distinctive trappings (stereotypical item, you know, like

white coat = scientist, stethoscope = doctor, warrant card = cop/agent, etc.) to your sheet.4. Note your starting cash: 3d6 GC. No exceptions.5. Scheme, rob and kill your way to fortune and glory without succumbing to poison, disease, madness,

horrible accident, witchhunt, banditry, massacre by beastmen, the machinations of Chaos

ClassesThere are four broad classes in SBVD. These are:

1d10 Class Place in Great Chain of Being Totem Great Young One1 Academic The learned in lore Neil

23 Ranger Hardbitten, gimleteyed rustics Mike47 Rogue The turbulent urban proletariat Rick810 Warrior Vicious armed thugs Vyvyan

Each class encompasses 15 or so specific occupations, known as careers, which indicate what the character didbefore he fell into the highstakes live of a wandering adventurer. Players may choose their class but the hairychested and manly WFRP way is to generate both class and career randomly.

Academiccan it be true? That I hold here in my mortal hand, a nugget of purest green?

Wounds: d4 Attack as: Cleric Save as: WizardBasic equipment: set of decent clothing, academic robes, knife or stave.Likes: knowledge, comfort, being cited.Preferred MO: killing without getting their hands dirty (magic or vile concoctions).

All Academic PCs gain casting dice (see Magic, p2425) as they advance in level. Yes, there are lots of non

caster Academics in the WFRP world, but we really dont care about them. The simple fact is that a noncasterscholar or artisan has the survival chances of a snowflake in Hell. Sure, if you want to play one, knock yourselfout and try to die usefully. Elsewise, academic = caster in SBVD.

Academics dont wear armour and have little, if any, experience wielding weapons. They generally only usesmall, light weapons (knives, clubs, staves) and that quite poorly.

Esoteric Knowledge: Academics can make an Int test to remember obscure lore related to their profession.

Academic AdvancementXP Wounds Casting Dice

1 0 6+1d4 12 2,000 6+2d4 13 4,000 6+3d4 2

1d20 Career Skill Trapping

1 Alchemist App. Brew alchemicals 1d3 books on alchemy2 Artisan's App. Trade skill Tools of trade3 Druid Identify Plants Sickleknife, holy symbol4 Engineer Engineering Hammer+chisels, surveying tools5 Exciseman Supernumerate Abacus6 Herbalist Herb Lore Pestle and mortar7 Hypnotist Hypnotise Pendulum

810 Initiate Priest Theology Robes and holy symbol11 Pharmacist Manufacture drugs 1d6 glass jars filled with oddness12 Physician's App. Treat injuries Surgical tools, jar of leeches13 Scribe Read language Ink, quills and paper14 Seer Divination Divining gear

1516 Student Read language 1d3 scholarly books17 Trader Haggle Stock in trade

1820 Wizard's App. Scroll Lore Manual of spellcraft

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RangerBastards! I hate them, with their long tails and their stupid twitchy noses! *gunfire* Squeak *thud*

Wounds: d6 Attack as: Fighter Save as: ThiefBasic equipment: hardwearing clothes, hand weapon, leather jack, pack with bedroll, cutlery, etc.Likes: forests, roads, long walks in the country.Preferred MO: shooting people with missile weapons and retiring into the shadows.

Rangers can wear leather or chain armours and use any onehanded or missile weapon.

Survival: Rangers are able to increase the amount of food garnered by foraging/hunting amounts in the wildand know enough to avoid doing stupid things like eating the red mushrooms with white spots.

Ranger AdvancementXP Wounds BS

1 0 6+1d6 +12 2,000 6+2d6 +23 4,000 6+3d6 +3

1d20 Career Skill Trapping1 Boatman River Lore Oar, pipe, knitted cap

23 Bounty Hunter Follow Trail Net, manacles4 Coachman Drive cart Coach horn, whip5 Fisherman Sailing Fishgutting knife, waterproofs6 Gamekeeper Concealment, Rural Mantrap7 Herdsman Charm animal Sling, pan pipes

89 Hunter Follow trail Bow, furry hat10 Muleskinner Animal care Broadbrimmed hat, whip11 Outrider Move Silent, Rural Horse, crossbow12 Pilot Orientation 2 lanterns13 Prospector Metallurgy Pan, pick and shovel

1415 Rat Catcher Resist disease Animal traps, small but vicious dog16 Runner Flee! Running shoes, headband17 TollKeeper Evaluate Crossbow

1819 Trapper Set Trap 1d4 animal traps, fur hat20 Woodsman Identify plants Woodmans axe

RogueGood evening Duke, and the lovely Miss Cheapside. Your cash bags please.

Wounds: d6 Attack as: Thief Save as: ThiefBasic equipment: scruffy clothes, knives galore, wellconcealed purse, leather jack.Likes: stealing, money, getting one over on the lordships.Preferred MO: leaving unexplained knives protruding from the backs of their enemies.

Rogues generally wear street clothes or leather armour and can use any onehanded or missile weapon.

Sneak Attack: Treat as backstab attempts according to the B/X rules.

Rogue AdvancementXP Wounds Sneak Attack

1 0 6+1d6 x22 2,000 6+2d6 x23 4,000 6+3d6 x2

1d20 Career Skill Trapping1 Agitator Public Speaking 2d10 inflammatory leaflets2 Bawd Bribery Pimp hat3 Beggar Concealment, Urban Begging bowl, crutch4 Entertainer Perform Tools of trade

56 Footpad Strike to Stun Mask, blackjack or garrotte7 Gambler Gamble Cards (marked), dice (loaded)8 Grave Robber Silent move, Rural Spade, large sack9 Jailer Resist poison Club, ring of keys, fleas10 Minstrel Perform Lute or mandolin, flashy clothes

1112 Peddler Haggle Stock in trade13 Raconteur Blather Fancy clothes, outrageous hat

1415 Rustler Move silent, Rural Lantern, lasso1617 Smuggler Move silent, U or R Cart or row boat

1819 Thief Move silent, Urban Swag bag, hooks and rakes20 Tomb Robber Spot trap Crowbar, lantern, sack

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WarriorSwords! What do you think this is, the Middle Ages? Only girls fight with swords these days. Stand by yourgun, sir!

Wounds: d8 Attack as: Fighter Save as: FighterBasic equipment: sturdy clothing, hand weapon, leather jack+helmet, pack with bedroll, cutlery, etc.Likes: fighting, looting, rapine.Preferred MO: smashing you in the face hard repeatedly.

Warriors can wear any type of armour and use any weapon they encounter.

Combat Ability: Warriors are able to use any weapon they pick up with minimal practice.

Warrior AdvancementXP Wounds WS

1 0 6+1d8 +12 2,000 6+2d8 +23 4,000 6+3d8 +3

1d20 Career Skill Trapping1 Bodyguard Street Fighting Knuckle dusters

23 Labourer Scale sheer surface Packed lunch, flask of tea45 Marine Dodge blow Grappling hook, chainmail68 Mercenary Strike mighty blow Bow or crossbow, chainmail910 Militiaman Dodge blow Spear, shield11 Noble Etiquette Costly clothes, horse, d4 hangerson12 Outlaw Concealment, Rural Bow, bandanna13 Pit Fighter Disarm Wacky arena weapon combo14 Protagonist Strike to injure Horse, chainmail, attitude15 Sailor Sailing Boat hook, bottle of rotgut

1617 Servant Dodge blow Livery, stolen trinkets18 Squire Animal care Livery, pony, cleaning kit

1920 Watchman Strike to stun Lantern on pole, hourglass

Advanced CareersI fail to see why a common thief should be idolized just because he has ahorse between his legs.

Whats that? You dont like being a saltoftheearth peddler or doughtyratcatcher. You want to play a Warrior Priest, or a magus of the Colleges ofSorcery, or a Knight of the White Wolf, or a Dwarven Giant Slayer? OK. Crawlyour way up to around 8,000xp without dying horribly in a ditch, and well talk.What? No! Not about you taking L33T advanced careers, but about yourfailure to enter fully into the correct WFRPish mindset: joy through adversity.

Joking aside, even the most advanced careers in WFRP are about on a par withmidlevel D&D characters. Theyre substantially harder to kill than Fritz in thestreet, but most of that difference in survivability stems from training,equipment and, above all else, player skill.

If sufficient interest is ever expressed your humble scribe may one day rejigthe experience and advancement requirements, addressing the subject ofadvanced careers (and all the headaches that go with them like arcane lores,

skill mastery, mass combat and leadership, etc.) in a hypothetical Small ButReallyVicious Dog.

Otherwise, its all about the travails and torments of the little guy.

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Resolution

Although the skill test system was among the glories of WFRP I dont think D&D is much enhanced by hundredsof skills; too prescriptive for me. So, in the name of simplicity:

Career Skill / I grew up doing this = Ability check vs. Ability ScoreNoncareer Skill / I know what Im doingkind of = Ability check vs. Ability ScoreTotal Mystery* / I saw this done once = Ability check, succeeds only on a 1

* Things entirely outside a characters ken: the mysterious workings of magic to a guttersnipe, the subtleties ofcourtly etiquette to a labourer, the nuances of armed combat to a deskbound scribe, etc.

Unless indicated otherwise all mechanical task resolution in SBVD is per the rules laid out in B/X D&D. ExistingB/X dungeoneering skills (checking for traps, barging open doors, sneaking about and the like) can either beretained as written or treated as vs. Ability checks, as the GM prefers. If the latter option is used demihuman racial abilities are treated as Career skills tested against a relevant Ability Score.

Yes, this treat as career skill handwave does skew the probabilities given in the B/X rules. As written it makescharacters marginally more competent than in either of the base systems from which SBVD is derived.3

The Gods Hate You!In keeping with the failure is the expected outcome ethos of WFRP the GM is encouraged to arbitrarily slappenalties onto any die roll or target number as he sees fit. I suggest +/1d6 in whichever direction is against

the best interests of the players. This should serve to convey the unfairness and perversity of a world wherethe presiding gods of law are Murphy and Sturgeon. The exact reason why these SO UNFAIR! modifiers applyis left to the limitless imagination and exquisite good taste of the GM.

Ability Check or Saving Throw?My personal rule of thumb for SBVD is to use Ability Checks to adjudicate actions initiated by a character and toresort to Saving Throws when characters are on the receiving end of something. Yeah, the roll over nature ofplayer initiated actions in combat does confuse the issue slightly, but in my experience players seem to have noproblem remembering whether more or less is better if things are in their interests.

Fate Points

These represent the favour of the gods, or, more likely, the unwillingness of the gods to let you die until youhave suffered further for their entertainment. Expenditure of a Fate Point allows a player character to avoid

otherwise inevitable death (or horrific permanent injury). What happens instead of death or maiming is entirelyup to the GM, although the words frying pan and fire should be meditated upon.

Human characters start with 3 Fate Points.Dwarves and Halflings start with 2 Fate Points.Elves, being frontloaded and cheesy beyond belief, start with 1 Fate Point.

Fate Points are lost forever once spent. New Fate Points can only be gained either by achieving greater skilland renown (a.k.a. levelling up) or through spectacular heroic endeavours (a.k.a. GM fiat). Which meanstheyre pretty much an irreplaceable wasting asset in SBVD.

Experience & Advancement

Experience in SBVD is awarded for killing dudes and taking their stuff. Theres none of this nambypamby

experience for achieving objectives or good roleplaying. Those things are expected elements of play,means to the true end of adventuring: riches, glory, and the bloody downfall of ones enemies.

Characters earn experience by:

Making money through theft or looting 1 xp per 1 GCKilling members of player races 25xp/HDKilling monsters 50xp/HD + 50xp per special ability

Sucking LessOn advancing in level a player may select either by 1d6 roll (Winning!) or careful consideration (Weak!) one3d6 Ability Score on his characters primary profile. With all due rejoicing and thankful sacrifices, he may thenraise that score by one (to a maximum of 18). He also gains 1 Fate Point free and clear.

3 A typical unmodified adventuring check for a level 1 character in B/X D&D, or for a first career character inWFRP, would have ~35% chance of success if a career skill, ~17% if not. System synchronicity strikes again!Chances of success in SBVD are all over the shop, largely by design.

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Social Status

The world of SBVD is hopelessly casteridden. The law is entirely weighted in favour of the rich and well bred(As well it should be! Only a fool writes laws against his own interests), as are tax codes, military obligationsand even social mores. In civilised parts of the world it's still considered perfectly acceptable among thosewho can afford them to roger the serving girls and viciously horsewhip insolent underlings.4

Climbing to the top over a heap of looted bodies doesnt just advance personal power; it also advances your

place in society. Instead of representing vast disparities in clout and authority with higher character levels,heres a fix inspired by the hilarious and underrated GURPS Goblins sourcebook.5 These rules are entirelyoptional, and supersede The Gods Hate You! (see Resolution, p7) where appropriate.

Social position affects all dice rolls made directly against a particular character. Hit rolls, Ability Score checks,Saving Throws; theyre allaffected by the modifier given on the table below. Similar modifiers cancel out: thelowly batter one another on roughly even terms, as do the rich and powerful.

Your Position What Your Kind Do For a Living Mod.Highborn Titled toffs, merchant princes, emissaries, etc. +3Pillars of Society Burghers, guild notables, Collegiate wizards, etc. +2Respectable Types Lawyers, physicians, priests, engineers, etc. +1People of the Middling Sort Apothecaries, initiates, roadwardens, etc. +0Humble Folk Scribes, militia, peddlers, bounty hunters, etc. 2The Lowly Hoi Polloi Poorbuthonest farmers, ratcatchers, day labourers, etc. 4

The Vile Underclass Thieves, gypsies, corpse pickers and similar. 6

Exactly how and why this works the way it does is something of a mystery: the consensus is that its ratherdifficult to beat the crap out of someone while you're malnourished and/or busy doffing your cap. Either way,this rule prevents some dirty oiks with rusty knives and a plan from opportunistically assassinating the Kaiser.

So, for example, if Reinhard the Ratcatcher decides to take his ratting shovel to Hans von Schnitzelgruber,Grand Duke of BurgdorfHossenpfeffer, hes laying himself open to a world of hurt. Thanks to poor diet and acrippling inferiority complex all Reinhards rolls against the Duke will be at 4; all His Graces rolls againstghastly little plebian Reinhard will be at +3! By contrast, if Stinking Aggie the Puregrubber, doyenne of the VileUnderclass, decides to shiv Reinhard for his hardearned loot shell suffer a net 2 to all rolls (64 being, yep,2). Reinhard will suffer no penalties beyond those that the GM in his mercy and wisdom sees fit to inflict.

I am Huge of Moustache. You Must Obey!When a character is able to pull rank by virtue of position he may elect to use social clout in lieu of Fellowship.

People might not respect the man, but they do respect the office. Likewise lowly characters attempting towheedle their betters must use the lowerof their social standing or Fellowship in reaction rolls.

Pull Rank (high status vs. lower) = best of Fel mod. ~or~ Social Standing mod.Toadying (low status vs. higher) = worst of Fel mod. ~or~ ofSocial Standing mod.

Your Ways Are Strange And I Mock Them Puny Weaky ManRelative status has no effect whatsoever on creatures that dont respect social niceties. Grumblefimwanger theGiant doesnt care if youre a big noise socially: to him youre just another uppity runt to be trampled. Nor area gang of rampaging Beastmen likely to be awed into submission by your cultivated cutglass accent andexquisitely fashionable garb. Suchlike nonhuman yahoos must be taught respect the old fashioned way: coldsteel, hot lead and arcane fire.

Gaining and Losing StatusAll 1st level characters start out in the hoi polloi (4), rising in position through graft, backstabbing and lowcunning. An adventurer claws his way into the ranks of the Humble Folk (2) at level 2, and may pass as

A Person of the Middling Sort (+0) at level 3. This gentrification only applies if the character comports himselfin a befitting manner; if he dresses and acts like a common thug, he will be treated as one.

Adventurers may climb further in status through conspicuous consumption, politic toadying, bribery, largesseand charitable donations, but this is all considered tres nouveau. Real class, like good furniture, is inherited.

Characters of any standing can fall into the Vile Underclass by acting in a despicable manner. The usual routesto infamy are 1) committing detected crime against people who actually matter, or 2) engaging in certain

untouchable trades. Recovery of lost caste if possible at all should be a long and torturous affair.

4 Where 'insolent' = 'coughed in my presence' or 'had the temerity to look me in the eye'.

5WFRPand GURPS Goblins are nearperfect matches in tone and attitude. Id go so far as to call Goblins theWFRP urban caper sourcebook that never was.

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Psychology

There are several psychological states which are so frequentlyencountered a part of life in SBVD that theyhave their own rules (suffice it to say happiness and contentment are not among them). Stimuli as varied asinsanity, drugs, or a nasty fright may cause these outbursts of atypical behaviour, which generally last 3d4rounds, or until the inspiring object is no longer visible (GMs discretion).

Some psychological states are mutually exclusive (stupidityand most others), while others are synergistic in

effect (hatredand frenzy, for example). Follow the WFRP guidelines, or apply common sense (as preferred).

Aggro Some people just dont play well with others and will cheerfully turn on their own side if they cansee both an opportunity and clear advantage in doing so. Ratmen, goblins and orcs are infamouslyprone to treacherous infighting.

Hatred Hatred is aroused by a particular stimulus, usually someone you really, really dont like. Dwarveshate orcs and goblins; various factions of elves hate one another; daemons of rage hate everyone(and their little dog too).

Frenzy Some states of aggressive excitement can be so powerful they impair the urge to selfpreservation.These can be induced by drugs, religious mania, insanity, or through martial disciplines.

Stupidity Theres mildly confuzzled, and then theres trollgrade stoopid. A character affected by stupidity isunable to sustain a train of thought without outside assistance. Concussion and intoxication have a

remarkably similar effect to innate stupidity.

Fear However brave and hardbitten someone is, there are some things that are just downright scary.A pack of charging minotaurs, for example, is nothing to be sniffed at.

Terror Some things out there are more than just scary; they are pants wetting terrifying. A character thatlays eyes on such a sanityblasting horror must save vs. paralysis to avoid letting the side down inan undignified and histrionic manner.

Mental State Save/Check Effect if passed Effect if failedAggro Morale check No effect Turn on allies unless already in melee.Hatred Will check Character gains +2 bonus to

morale, to saves vs.fear/terror, and to melee hit

rolls against hated enemy.

Dislike is evident, but the character draws noespecial benefit from the animus he bears.

Frenzy Will check Character remains calm. Character goes utterly berserk. Must movetowards the object of outrage and destroy it ifat all possible. Morale = 12, unaffected byFear, treats Terror as if it were Fear, allattacks are furious attacks (see Combat, p16).

Stupidity Int check Character copes with themyriad distractions andcomplexities of life.

Character initiates no meaningful action, beinginstead distracted by something extraneous(and probably shiny). He is treated as beingunder the effect of a hold person spell but willlash out if goaded or attacked.

Fear vs. spell Character masters his fear.This time

Character refuses to move towards or attackthe fearcausing object unless and until itattacks him. He suffers a 1 penalty to allattack rolls, saving throws and ability checksfor 3d4 rounds (as scare spell effect, LLAEC).

Terror vs. paralysis Treat as failed Fear test(above)

Character gains one Insanity Point. Hescreams like a sissy girl and legs it (ifpossible) or else curls into a helpless catatonicball. This state of terror lasts for 3d4 rounds.

Psychology: Ability Check or Saving Throw?Why do I check for frenzy, but save vs. terror? Good question. This refers back to Ability Check or SavingThrow? (see Resolution, p7).

Hatred, frenzy and stupidity are functions of a characters internal mindset; hence Ability Checks. Fear and Terror are (generally) conditions inflicted by external stimuli; hence Saving Throws. Aggro onlyaffects NPC creatures. One way to determine what monsters are going to do in a binary

Y/N outcome is by checking their Morale. The better a creatures morale, the better it can keep itsdesire to frag the boss in check.

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Poisons

Sometimes the quickest way to take someone out of the picture is to dose him with something nasty. Poison isa pretty effective and definitive statement of disapprobation, but its use has harsh penalties (both socially andin law): no one likes a poisoner.

The world is full of poisonous things, from serpents to mushrooms to mineral compounds. Most animal venomskill within seconds of injection, plant and fungal toxins within 1d6 hours of consumption, while mineral toxins

may be fatal immediately or cumulatively. Tileans have spent centuries researching ever more subtle poisons,some of which only take effect in the presence (or absence) of other chemicals.

Most poisons kill or render incapable. Save vs. poison/death or suffer listed effect. A successful save inflictsthe next less intense degree of debilitation until treated.6 Levels of effect are:

Dead > Helpless > Seizure/Drowsy (as Stunned) >Dizzy (as Floored) > Unaffected

Infamous Toxins Vector Onset Failed SaveBelladonna Contact Minutes DeadBlack Lotus Extract Seconds Dead

Arsenic Ingestion Hours Dead

Cyanide Seconds DeadRabid Dog Saliva Hours FrenziedHemlock Minutes DeadWolfsbane Hours Dead

Liche Dust Inhalation Minutes DrowsyHellebore Minutes HelplessMercury Fumes Hours Confusion

Centipede Venom Injury Seconds HelplessScorpion Venom Seconds DeadSpider Spittle Seconds DeadTarantula Venom Seconds Seizure

Killing That Which Does Not LiveSupernatural and daemonic creatures can be poisoned,although usually not by things toxic to mortal life. Someunnatural beasts are poisoned by substances rare and strange: alchemical silver, blessed jade, or holy water.Others wither at the touch of the most innocuous of things: salt, iron, garlic, or the wood, roots and seeds ofparticular plants. The particular effects of these atypical arcane poisons are treated in the description of thecreature in question.

How Much To Make Him Go Away Permanently?Prices for toxin are whatever the market will bear. The powers that be dislike the idea of poison, which is agreat leveller in the killing people stakes. Unlicensed possession of poison is generally held to be proof of

going equipped to commit murder. Plan for the usual black market antics, and be prepared to swing for it ifcaught in possession.

6 Yes, this is more severe than the poison rules of B/X D&D. But then SBVD isnt meant to be a game whereyou can just shrug off the envenomed bite of giant serpent with naught but a macho grunt.

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Drugs

People in the Grim World of Perilous Adventure will try to get wasted on almost anything. And society is okaywith that. Alcoholism and drug addiction are not even recognised as illnesses, merely as gluttonous appetite.The local potentates only come down heavily on drug use if suppliers forget to pay the informal nonguild retailtrade tax, or if all gets a bit Gin Lane and starts to affect tax revenues.

Most drugs are toxins if taken in larger doses, or over an extended period. Overdose is entirely too easy if a

user has no formal knowledge of what hes dealing with, or just impaired judgement.

Taking drugs is easy and fun and has a universal mechanic. To whit: procure; take; save vs. poison.Pass = good times, and no lasting harm done. Fail = good times with complications (consult the table below).

Save FailedTake once Habituated (require 1/day)Take again while habituated Addicted (require 3/day)Take again while addicted Overdose (save or Keith Moon)

WithdrawalSo youre habituated/addicted and cant get any of the good stuff. Take the relevant withdrawal penalty to allactions until you can feed the monkey, which you totally will if any of what you hanker for is handy (Willpowercheck or go hog wild).

Taking extra doses while under the effect of your initial hit (addiction can be fun like that) has all sorts ofentertaining side effects.

Popular Drugs Dur Effect 2 doses 3+ doses WithdrawalBlack Lotus 2d6 hrs Drowsy Hallucination Death 4Bottled Love 1d6 hrs Arousal Palpitations Death 2Crimson Shade 1d6 hrs Hatred Palpitations Death 3Lustrian Marching Powder 3d10 min Stupidity Frenzy Palpitations 1Mad Cap Mushrooms 1d6 hrs Frenzied Death 3Rye Mould 3d6 hrs Hallucination Helpless Death 1Sultans Resin 1d6 hrs Dizzy Drowsy Unconscious 2Weirdroot 1d6 hrs Drowsy Hallucination Unconscious 3

Arousal: You are hot for it, where it has a value of whatever crosses your path.Hallucination: Save vs. poison or act in a hilariously inappropriate and likely dangerous manner.

Palpitations: Save vs. poison or treated as Stunned, albeit unpleasantly conscious, for 3d10 minutes.Death: Indecorously dead in 1d6 rounds.

Other status effects not listed here are covered under Psychology (p9) or Poison (p10).

Whats This Gonna Cost Me?Prices for drugs are whatever the market will bear. Many jurisdictions place punitive taxes on these goods,usually at the behest of the Distillers and Apothecaries Guilds. This invariably leads to all the usual blackmarket antics, or as we call them around here opportunities for profit and advancement.

Kicking the HabitGoing without a hit for a month (or 4d6+10 days, if you feel the need to throw dice about it) and then passinga save vs. poison (modified by the relevant withdrawal penalty) cures you of addiction, as does becominghabituated to a new drug. So you can either get clean the hard way, or you can stave off your unfashionableand debilitating smack habit by becoming addicted to cocaine, and vice versa.7

Addiction: Ability Check or Saving Throw?Once again, the mechanics presented here refer back to Ability Check or Saving Throw? (see Resolution, p7).

Saving throws are to resist the physiological/psychoactive effects once a drug is in your system. Ability checks are to resist the urge to go all Dr Rockso in the first place.

7 It worked for Alistair Crowley, so what could possibly go wrong? I dunno. Maybe you could ask all those lateVictorians weaned off their debilitating addiction to opium by doctors who prescribed morphine and heroin assubstitutes! Relapse rates into opium use were recorded as being gratifyingly low

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Disease

Disease is a fact of life in the filthy living conditions encountered in SBVD. There is no systematicepidemiology: diseases, syndromes and chronic conditions are categorised by their symptoms and visibleeffects, rather than by a true understanding of their operation. More primitive societies consider disease to beevidence of moral failing on the part of the sufferer, sure evidence that they have somehow offended the gods.

Exotic infections are an occupational hazard to adventuring types. To keep things simple all diseases require a

save vs. poison/death when exposed to their vector of transmission, with failure indicating that the luckycharacter has a colourful new complication in his life.

Infamous Medical AfflictionsVir. = Virulence (save modifier) Inc. = Incubation Period (in days) Dur. = Duration of illness (in days)

Name Vector Vir Inc Dur Symptoms Effect RemedyBlack Plague Rats, fleas 2 2d10 2d10 Coughing, fever,

black buboes,death

1 to all abilityscores/day.Death if any statdrops to 0.

Flower posies.And prayer.Panicked, ferventprayer.

FrothingYellow Pox

Tileans, foulwater

+0 2d6 3d6 Frothing at mouth,fever, death

1 Tgh per day. Wrap in heatedblankets.

The Kruts Goats,Dwarves

+0 1d8 2d10 Itching, rash 4 Fel whileaffected.

Daily applicationof creosote to

affected areaMootishStinkfoot

Halflings +0 1d4 2d10 Rotten odour fromfeet

Mv, 4 to Agchecks.

Poultice ofmashed Halfling

Gurglish Rot Curse orChaoticinfluence

4 1d6 3d10 Vomiting,diarrhoea,pustules,decomposing flesh

1 to all abilityscores/day.Rise as Daemonof Disease if anystat drops to 0.

Poultice ofmouldy bread

ScurvishGob Rot

Sailors,poor diet

+0 3d10 2d6 Tooth loss,nonsense speech,flawed judgement

1d6 all mentalability scores(Int, Will, Fel).

Fresh fruit,essence ofalbatross in grog

Sinople Pox Viciouslydisputed

2 1d10 2d10 Green or redpustules, fever orchills

6 to all abilitychecks andsaving throwswhile affected.

Ice baths andcool blankets, orhot eggs up thefundament

SylvanianTomb Rot

Corpses,graveyardmiasmas

+0 1d6 2d6 Bluegrey skintone, open sores

1 Tgh per day.No naturalhealing possible.

Potation ofcalcined Mummybones

Wound Rot(InfectedWounds)

Weapons,animal bite,sewage

+0 1d4 2d8 Inflammation,fever, affedtedarea rots

Prevents naturalhealing. 1d6 Agwhile affected.

Eating groundiron, applicationof maggots

Jolly Uncle Gurgles Super Happy Funtime Instant Disease GeneratorNeed a particularly horrible affliction, fast? The GM should apply horrific effects as he sees fit, the moregrotesque the better. Whether the sufferer ever fully recovers from the disease, or if he remains a wasted shellof a man, is also at the GMs option. Err on the side of disfiguring, unpleasant, but not viciously debilitating.

1d12 Disease Name1 [d2 of Humour, Symptom or Magnitude] Ague

2 Canker of the [body part]3 [Animal or Symptom] Cough4 [any descriptor] Fever5 [Humour] Flux6 [Place] Measles7 [Colour or Place] Plague8 [d3 of Colour, Animal, Place or Magnitude] Pox9 [any descriptor] Rot10 [d2 of Place or Symptom] Sweats11 [Place or body part] Wen12 An inexplicable medical mystery. One for the journals.

Colour: Red, blue, umber, puce, crimson, etc. The more lurid and obscure a shade the better.Humour: Blood, bile, phlegm, choler. If you want to think up more humours thats fine by me.Place: Named for city, region or nation: Saratogan, Reman, Bilbali, Sylvanian, Talabecan, Mootish,

Khyprian, Hekharan, Estalian, Breton, Norse, Cathayan, Lustrian, etc.Symptom: Wheezing, shivering, sweating, gibbering, foaming, seeping, gritty, galloping, etc.Magnitude: Petty, lesser, great, ghastly, mickle, horrible, etc.

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Medicines and Healing

Medicine in SBVD is empirical at best, and more often than notabsurdly wrongheaded. Although correlations between dirt andinfection have been observed there is no germ theory of disease.Illnesses as varied as the common cold, cholera and cancer arealmost randomly attributed to miasmas, celestial influences, totiny invisible daemons of disease, or to the personal hobbyhorse

of the physician being consulted (Every learned man concursthat purple cloth, by virtue of its chromatic resonance with thearcane wind of death, carries disease. Youll have to burn that

jacket. And probably those pants too).

In game terms, if a character is afflicted with disease andchronic ailments hes going to be wholly at the mercy of his(drunken, semicompetent, shakyhanded) physician andwhatever fad or fashion is currently en vogue among the leechfondling fraternity. The GM might want to represent this with arandom chance that a treatment actually harms (poisons,weakens, causes damage or wound rot, exacerbates the existingproblem, etc.) the character upon whom it is inflicted. Thephysician still expects payment in such circumstances.

The harsh doordie schools of battlefield medicine and invasivesurgery have largely escaped the dead hand of the theoreticiansand leechfarm lobbyists. Surgeons, although socially inferior tophysicians, pride themselves on being more practical andrational than their pompous, pampered rivals. Unfortunatelytheir techniques and equipment are just as rudimentary as thosefound in the salons of the gouty and poxridden. Deftly wieldedknives, drills, saws, hot pitch, bandages and splints are the limitof surgical sophistication. Opium poppies and alcohol are thecommonest anaesthetics, and with fire, alcohol, lime wash and hot water as the current stateoftheart inantiseptics wound rot and other secondary infections are rife.

Miraculous and magical healing both exist, but many people are loath to trust their precious health to the powerof Chaos or the whims of enigmatic gods. Better to resort to that timetested poultice of stink nettles andmashed weasel bollocks.

And no, a player character physician cannot singlehandedly replicate the development of modern scientificmedicine through a series of lucky guesses and simple structured experiments. Injecting people with milderforms of diseases and/or cutting up dead bodies for research is verboten in most jurisdictions. Legally suchthings are classed as poisoning or necromancy, and rumours of such goings on always gets the witch huntersand allpurpose angry mob excited.

Miracles of Modern MedicineAnyone can slap some clean linen over a gushing wound, but doing anything more requires at least a modicumof medical knowledge. Any medical intervention requires an Int check (halved if the character has no claim toeven empirical medical training).

Stop Wound Loss: Check at +4 bonus. Prevents character from bleeding out (see Combat, p16)Treat Light Wounds: Takes 1 turn, restores 1d4 Wounds.Accelerate Recovery: Doubles rate of natural Wound recovery.

Set Broken Limb: Limb must be bound up for 1d4+2 weeks.Amputation/Invasive Surgery:

Patient dies of blood loss, shock or infection if failed.Recovery time as if critically injured.

Healing TimesPlayers do whine on when you take away their precious Wounds and Ability Scores. Minimize their whining withthe following harsh but fair recovery times. All recovery times assume nonstrenuous physical activity andrelatively clean living conditions. The rigours and squalor of adventuring != convalescence.

Lightly Injured (flesh wounds; Wounds remaining) 1 Wound/dayCritically Injured (limb, organ, cranial damage; 0 Wounds) 1 Wound/weekRecovering from Ability Score loss 1 point/week/score

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Insanity

I know some people find the idea of sanity systems in RPGs less thantasteful, but theyve been an integral part of WFRP since the year dot.This is a game of darkly comic horror, where sometimes the only saneresponse to the unrelenting horror of a world sinking in misery, squalorand corruption is to go stark, staring mad.

The attitude towards mental illness in SBVD is horribly ignorant. There isno difference in the popular imagination between insanity and daemonicpossession; both are seen as clear manifestations of Chaos in the world.Relatively harmless village idiots or noddy men are tolerated, theirconditions provoking pity or laughter. The violent or unsettling mad, onthe other hand, are treated with fear and loathing, with lynch mobsforming at the least provocation.

A character gains an Insanity Point (IP) if any of the following conditionsare met:

Failing a Terror test (see Psychology, p9) Surviving drug overdose (see Drugs, p11) Suffering a Critical Hit (see Combat, p16) Other: failing to save a loved one, suffering torture, encounter with

Chaos, etc.

On first passing the threshold of 5 IP, and for each IP gained thereafter, a character must make a save vs.Death/Poison:

Pass = the pressure continues to buildFail = the characters fragile mental state finallysuccumbs to the horror of it all.

A character who goes insane loses 5 IP from hisaccumulated total, but gains a colourfullynamedinsanity (usually, but not always, related towhatever finally drove him over the edge). Gaininganother5 IP either advances an existing insanity insome catastrophic way, or gives the character a

whole new aspect of unreason to explore.

When confronted with an opportunity to act out aninsanity the sufferer must make a Willpower check:

Pass = the character holds it together enough tostay within the (usually generous) social normsaccorded to adventurers.Fail = Oh dear, here we go again

Curing InsanityInsanity can be managed through regimens of drugs and behavioural modification therapy and, on rareoccasions, cured by surgery or powerful magic. Be warned that all of these expedients are wildly hitandmiss.Scholars, surgeons and apothecaries are universally agreed that merely talking it out achieves absolutelynothing. Such dire straits require heroic (if often catastrophically wrongheaded) intervention.

Common Name Wed know it asAlienated Flesh Body DysmorphiaBestial Rage Psychotic RageCrushing Despair Suicidal TendenciesDelirious Saviour Messianic DelusionsCataclysmic Mania Eschatic DelusionsHeartless Hate SociopathyInescapable Memory Obsession, fixated on eventLoathsome Mistrust Unfocused ParanoiaMandrake Mania Addiction to Mandrake Root

Profane Persecutions Focused Paranoid DelusionsRazed Recollection AmnesiaRestless Fingers KleptomaniaSlave to the Vine DipsomaniaThrall of Chance Compulsive GamblingUnreasoning Fear PhobiaTides of Joy and Dread Bipolar Manic Depression

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Mutation

The common yokel hates and fears deviation from the physical norm as evidence of the taint of Chaos. Whenwhipped up by witchhunters or zealous preachers even civilised urbanites will readily drive from their midstthose marked with extra digits, vestigial tails, funnyshaped birthmarks, or ginger hair. More severe mutations(tentacles, horns, feathers or scales, etc.) are obvious marks of Chaos; anyone manifesting them will be burntat the stake unless they flee the inevitable torchandpitchfork party.

If exposed to the influence of Chaos (Weirdstone, catastrophic spell failure, backwash of a daemonicsummoning, a bracing hike through the Northern Wastes, etc.) a character must make a save vs. Poison/Death,developing some form of mutation if they fail. Generally the more intense or prolonged the exposure thegreater the degree of mutation, but dont hold to this as a hardandfast rule. Chaos is, well, chaotic.

Some mutations can be concealed with clever tailoring or prosthetics. A successful Int check is required to spota concealed mutation, modified by location and severity of mutation, lighting conditions, GM fiat, etc. Its easyenough to hide a sixth toe from most people, but a steaming, smoking mechanical limb, transparent skin or aparasitic second head that sings blasphemous songs isnt so easily obfuscated.

Mutations can be removed by surgery (although they may grow back the caprices of Chaos are not so easilythwarted), by cleansing fire, or through a miraculous intercession involving the willing sacrifice of one ofinnocent blood. That last is a fancy way of saying GM fiat as the objective of a particular quest.

The GM should roll on the mutation table of his choice. Mutations should rarely, if ever, be picked.

(If you want access to the true, proper and sacred WFRP mutations tables then refer either to an obscure littlevolume entitled Realms of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness, or to the RoClite Tome of Corruption for WFRP 2E.Andrew Fawcett also produced a handy fanwork compilation of iconic WFRP mutations entitled ChaosMutations, for which consult Google.)

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Combat

InitiativeSBVD uses B/X D&Ds optional individual initiative rule (1d6 +/ Ag mod.) as standard.

ActionsYou get one action per round. Moving (up to Mv rate) and swiping wildly counts as an action, as does aimingand firing a missile weapon, casting a spell, running away (up to 3x Mv rate), etc. More than one Attack on

your profile allows additional attacks per round, but not additional movement or spell casting. It no complex.

Hitting People for Fun and ProfitSBVD uses Dan Collins Target 20 system for combat resolution. Why? Because simple and intuitive is good.

To hit: get 20 or more from the total ofyour WS/BS + their AC + d20.

WS = melee bonus to hit (class modifier +/ Str mod)BS = ranged bonus to hit (class modifier +/ Ag mod cover mod)AC = Armour Class (armour worn +/ Ag mod)

Further ComplexityRolling a natural 20 in melee allows you to make a followup attack during the same combat round.Rolling a natural 1 in melee allows your enemy to riposte, making an additional attack against you.

Combat OptionsIts assumed that characters protect themselves in melee; they dont just stand there exchanging blows likemechanical figures on a municipal clock tower. If the GM allows especially cautious or reckless behaviour incombat may result in mechanical advantage. This ties in nicely with psychological effects (see Psychology, p9).

Dive for Cover Forego attack, gain +1d4 bonus to AC against missile fire. Unless the fight is taking placein a ballroom theres always some cover within diving distance.

Fight Defensively Forego attack to confer a penalty = WS on enemy attack (as Parry, LLAEC p152)Furious Attack Take 4 penalty to AC, gain +2 bonus to hit.

Several warrior careers also have career skills with an effect on combat:

Dodge Blow (Marine, Militiaman, Servant) 1 from damage inflicted by any melee weaponStreet Fighting (Bodyguard) Never count as being unarmedStrike Mighty Blow (Mercenary) +1 damage with any melee weapon

Strike to Injure (Protagonist) May swap damage for debilitating effect on enemy(2 to all rolls until healed)Strike to Stun (Footpad, Watchman) May swap damage for Stun effect on enemy

(save vs. paralysis to avoid)

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DamageIn both B/X D&D and WFRP base weapon damage was 1d6, modified by Str and by any special rules thatapplied to the weapon type. One wrinkle that WFRP added was an exploding damage die:

Reroll to hit if 6 comes up on damage dice. Another hit = damage of 6+1d6+modifiers.

This simple and elegant system can be replaced by the variable damage system from B/X D&D, or by theweapon qualities of WFRP 2E, if the GM prefers (see Weapons, p1819).

Combat ConditionsSometimes a blow will do more than simply cause damage. The most common effects (in increasing order ofseverity) are:

Floored: Prone (no movement), defensive actions only. Enemies gain +2 to hitStunned: Prone. No actions may be taken. Enemies gain +4 to hitHelpless: Paralysed or unconscious. Enemies hit automatically for x2 damage.Bleeding Out: Dead in 1d6 rounds if not healed. Any further hits: coin flip, tails = dead

Hit LocationThis is an optional rule, generally used in connection with critical hits or specialist weapons like lassos andbolas, or because the GM feels like enforcing the No helmet? Head = AC9 rule today. Roll a d10:

1 2 3,4 5,6 7,9 0Leg, l Leg, r Arm, l Arm, r Torso Head

Critical HitsWhen a character you actually care about (PC, named NPC) is reduced to 0 Wounds take the overkill damage(total damage remaining Wounds), add 1d10, and compare to the chart below. Make another roll each timethe character is damaged further. Anyone who isnt significant enough to merit a roll on this table just has a50% chance of dying at 0 Wounds (coin flip, tails = dead). Yeah, it sucks to be insignificant.

As you can imagine, getting gnawed on by a creature that does multiple dice of damage on a hit is almostinvariably fatal, but thats as it should be.

Overkill + d10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14+Result 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10

Arm Leg Head Body

1 ButterfingersDrop wielded item

StaggeredLose next action

DisorientedLose next action

Winded4 to all actions for 1 rnd

2 Arm numbedNo attack or Ag bonusto AC for 1 rnd

Leg numbed

Mv 1 and 4 to Agchecks for 1 rnd

Ears ringing

Stunned for 1 rndKidney Jab

Stunned for 1 rnd

3 Arm numbedAs #3 for 1d4 rnds

Leg numbedAs #3 for 1d4 rnds

Nose crumpledAs #3 for 1d4 rnds

Groin shotStunned for 1d4 rnds

4 Hand incapacitatedCannot use hand

Leg incapacitatedFloored 1 rnd, Mv 1

Scalp sliced2 to all actions

Ribs cracked2 to all actions

5 Arm brokenCannot use arm

Hip crackedStunned 1d4 rnds,Mv 1

Concussed4 to all actionsfor 1d6 rnds

Badly winded4 to all actionsfor 1d6 rnds

6 Arm mauledAs #5 + bleeding out

Leg mauledAs #5 + bleeding out

FlattenedStunned for 1d10 rnds

WallopedStunned for 1d10 rnds

7 Arm mangled

As #6 + save or dieor lose hand

Leg mangled

As #6 + save or dieor lose foot

KO,ed

Helpless for1d10 minutes

Gutted

Helpless + bleeding out

8 Arm hanging offAs #6 + save or dieor lose arm at elbow

Leg hanging offAs #6 + save or dieor lose leg at knee

Face mangledAs #7 + save or dieor lose an eye

Spine CrushedAs #7 + save vs. paralysisor lose use of legs

9 ,, Dead bloodily so ,,10 ,, Dead messily so ,,

Unless duration is listed penalties last until the injured character is treated by a medically competent healer.

Theres no shame in surrendering, or in just staying down and quietly awaiting assistance, if reduced to 0Wounds. Only the most ferocious combatants (berserks, wild boars, Trollslayers, warriors/daemons of RAEG!)will keep fighting beyond this point. You probably want to avoid that kind of nutter.

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Weapons

Many, varied and exotic are the tools of death. Any and all weapons from B/X D&D are available, along with abunch of rare and specialised quasiRenaissance killtoys.

A note on carried weapons: Carrying a knife is unremarkable even in polite company, many workingmen carrypotentially lethal tools of the trade (axe, club, meat cleaver, crowbar, ratting shovel, etc.), and the gentry arepositively expected to wear an elegant hanger (rapier) as a mark of their status. However, wandering the

bustling streets of Burgdorfstadt clad in full armour and tooled up for mayhem will get you turned away bymerchants and/or stopped by the guard. Theres a time and place for such things, and market day is not it!

Weapon PropertiesThese rules may be used to differentiate weapons beyond simple raw damage potential.

Property Weapon Mechanic

(2H)anded Battle axe, flail, halberd, heavy crossbow,morning star, pole arm, twohanded sword

Roll 2K1 damage. Strikes last in melee

(B)raced Spear, halberd, lance, pole arm 2x damage vs. chargers

(Ch)arge Lance, scimitar 2x damage in cavalry charge

(C)ompact Dagger, shortsword, pistol Usable in tight spaces

(Fl)ail Flail Ignore shield bonus to AC

(Fi)rearm Arquebus, blunderbuss, jezzail, pistol Ignore armour bonus to AC at short range,Misfire on Nat 1 to hit (save vs. poison/deathor take 1d6 damage), *really* noisy

(Q)uick Dagger, pistol, any onehanded sword May be drawn as free action

(R)each Spear, lance, pole arm Wins initiative vs. nonreach weapons

(Sn)are Bola, lasso, mancatcher, net, whip May entangle opponent

(T)hrown Dagger, bola, dart, hammer, hand axe,javelin, lasso, net, spear, trident

May be thrown

CrossbowsThe original pointandclick weapon has been elaborated on by weaponsmiths who have created ingeniousspecialised versions for the discerning killer. Cheaper and quieter than guns, and easier to master than self orcompound bows, crossbows are still popular among hunters and militia.

Repeating A gravityfeed magazine (capacity 10) and integrated lever action allow rapid restringing.Wielder may fire twice/round if no movement is taken. Popular with stagecoach guards.

Pistol A small allsteel crossbow, infamous as an assassins weapon and illegal in many jurisdictions.Requires both hands to span with assistance of a mechanical screw, but only one hand to aim/fire.

Fencing WeaponsGentlefolk use smaller, lighter blades than the fullsized war sword (variously dubbed the broadsword,claymore, or spadroon) when in civilised company. These light blades and their accompanying array ofoffhand bucklers and blades are optimised for quick jabbing combat against lightlyarmoured humansizedopponents, not for hacking at shieldwalls, pike blocks, or gargantuan monsters.

There are several competing styles of fencing, with Tilean swordandbuckler fighting being the most famous.Estalian defencing (a onehanded style typified by rapid jabs and linear shifts backandforth) and Teutogenduelling (a macho northern style relying on static positioning and reflexive parries and ripostes) also have theiradherents, and students will fight to prove the superiority of their chosen style at the least provocation.

Large wooden shields are simply too bulky to be used in conjunction with the rapid movement of fencing. Abuckler, dagger, cloak, main gauche or swordbreaker (a forklike weapon with two or three blades set atangles) is more commonly wielded in the offhand.

Judicial shieldA curious fencing weapon found in rustic courtswhere trial by combat remains on the statute books.Only the most eccentric (and shortlived) warriorswield such things on the field of battle.

Judicial shields are wielded twohanded, and theirprotrusions and hooks may be used to overbalance,trip or pin opponents. Wielders can elect to eitherdo damage or Floor their opponent (see Combat).

The defender chooses whether they want to take thedamage or suffer the penalties of being floored.

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Non,Lethal WeaponsSometimes its worth keeping the enemy alive for questioning or ransom. Thats when nonlethal entanglingweapons come in handy. A humanoid, physically solid target hit by a nonlethal weapon (one with the (Sn)areweapon property) must save vs. paralysis or be tangled. Check the hit location table (see Combat, p17) andapply an appropriate effect for maximum hilarity (lasso to the arm = disarmed or caught, bola to the head =spark out). If used twohanded, or by more than one person, or as part of a trap, a large net can hopelesslyentangle a targeted enemy per the web spell (successful hit and failed save required). Even if the save issuccessful the entangled must spend a round shaking off the encumbrance.8

Melee Weapons Cost Enc Dmg PropertiesFoil 10 1 1d6 +2 to individual initiativeRapier 15 1 1d8 +1 to individual initiativeScimitar/Sabre 10 1 1d6 Ch, QBuckler 5 1 +1 to AC vs. melee attacks onlyMain Gauche 10 1 1d4 Second attack ~or~ +1 to melee ACSwordbreaker 10 1 1d4 Second attack ~or~ disarm*Judicial Shield 25 2 1d4 +2 to ACMancatcher 10 2 1d4 2h, SnWhip 5 1 1 Sn, 10 reach

* If a successful parry is made with a swordbreaker, the opponent must save vs. paralysis or be disarmed.

Ranged Weapons Cost Enc Dmg Range ROF PropertiesRepeating Crossbow 100 2 1d6 40/80/120 1 or 2 2hCrossbow Pistol 50 1 1d6 30/60/90 Bola 5 1 1d3 20/40/60 1 Sn, TLasso 5 1 10/20/30 1 Sn, TNet 10 2 10/20/30 1 Sn, T

FirearmsProlonged and rigorous alchemical study has revealed the explosive qualities of certain compounds of naturallyoccurring minerals. Warriors sick and tired of highandmighty wizards hogging the pyrotechnic limelight havegleefully exploited these properties for maximum carnage. Firearms are expensive, fiddly, complicated andprone to failure, but their potential for noise and damage outweighs these failings in many minds.

Arquebus Five feet and 10+lbs of awkward, oneshot matchlocked fiddlyness. Look at one of your d20s.Thats about the size of the ball being thrown.

Blunderbuss Wide mouthed, short barrelled dispenser of havoc. Damage drops off rapidly at longer range,but itll totally ruin the day of anyone nearby.

Jezzail Long barrelled, small bore hunting piece. No one has come up with rifling yet, so this is stateoftheart. Price? If sir has to ask

Pistol Sophisticated snaplock weapon. Dont think in terms of a snubnose 9mm revolver. Think ofsomething over a foot long with a 12mm bore.Cost Enc Dmg Range Reload Properties

Arquebus 300 2+ 1d10 50/100/200 1 2H, FiBlunderbuss 100 2+ 1d8/6/4 * 20/40/60 2 2H, FiJezzail 2+ 1d8 75/150/300 2 2H, FiPistol 200 1+ 1d8 25/50/75 1 C, Fi, Q

* Counts as 2handed weapon only at short range. Damage drops off as range increases.Reload is the number of combat rounds of complete inactivity (no movement, no attacks; nothing but faffingaround with the boomstick) required to reload the weapon and ready it for use again.

GrenadoBig black ball with a fizzing fuse and BOMB written on the side. Grenadoes are popular with grenadier stormtroops and blackcloaked anarchists, but really unpopular with everyone else. Requires move action to lightfuse provided flame is to hand. Grenadoes misfire (roll d10) on a natural 1 to hit:

14 Fuse fizzles out57 Fuse delayed 1d3 rounds89 Explodes halfway to target0 Explodes in the wielders hand

Cost Enc Dmg RangeGrenado 50 1 4d6 ** 10/30/50

** 10' radius, save vs. device for half.

8 Hey look! Noncasters get to throw save or effects around without having to rewrite the whole D&D gamesystem from scratch. I honestly dont see how that stumped WOTC for a decade and two whole editions.

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Equipment

Characters in SBVD start with very little stuff, and most people are motivated by the desire to gain more andbetter stuff. This is much easier to achieve if you can leverage your ownership of existing stuff in someingenious manner. The universal rules of business apply: it takes money to make money, and violencetrumps money trumps ethics.

Money

Generally as B/X. Gold Crown (gp), silver Shilling (sp), copper Pfennig (cp). Keep the WFRP names for flavour,but dont bother with the old money ( S/d) format: such timeless elegance and sophistication in a currencysystem just overwhelms the colonials. KISS principle applies. Counting on fingers is just easier.

Selling Off LootSo youre got your hardearned swag to the big city. Congratulations! Time to liquidate it and squander theproceeds. As a general rule, used and/or looted goods yield ~50% of the list price for a new item. There are,as ever, a couple of exceptions to the rule:

Used/looted markdown does not apply to precious metals, jewels or magic items. Stuff like that alwaysretains value; thats what makes it so ideal as treasure.

Good stolen from people (not tombs, or monsters) should be fenced, yielding 530% of list value. Sellingstolen goods openly may result in apprehension and judicial mutilation (branding, fingercropping, etc).

Trade and Buying in Bulk

Sometimes youre going to want to buy something by the batch, barrel or shipload. Be warned that bulk tradeis the fiercely protected prerogative of chartered merchant guilds. These cartels of hardnosed mercantiletypes regularly bribe, beat and burn to safeguard their lucrative local monopolies from competition. Someonewith valid guild contacts (You have paid this seasons trading dues I trust?) can expect the following discounts:

Quantity Purchased Price mod.10+ of an item list price100+ of an item list price1,000+ of an item list price

The above table is, of course, a gross simplification on market behaviour. Prices and availability will vary wildlyby season, market saturation or scarcity, local tax changes and tariff wars, smuggling crackdowns, etc.9

QualitySome stuff is better made than other stuff. People can, and do, pay through the nose for something superior in

terms of utility or bragging rights. Theres also a lot of cheaply made crap out there, which sellers will usuallytry to pass off as quality product. Caveat emptor.

Quality Mark,up Rarity Game effectFine 10x list price Rare as hens teeth (10%) +1 to relevant skill use, 1 enc.Good 3x list price Sought after (30%) 4/5ths normal enc.Poor cost Common as muck 1 to skill use, +50% enc

ArmourBig solid chunks of material interposed between ones soft delicate bits and the harsh realities of theunforgiving world. Armour types are (N)one, (L)ight, (H)eavy and (P)late, which map pretty handily to thearmour types found in both TSRs Chainmailand GWs Warhammer Fantasy Battle rule sets. Funny that

Type AC Cost space AC Cost

(Clothing) N 9 Shield, buckler * +1 5Padded N 8 10 Shield, small +1 10

Leather L 7 20 Shield, large +2 25

Scale mail L 6 50 Shield, judicial * +2 25

Chain mail H 5 150 Helmet 10+

Banded mail H 4 250

Plate mail P 3 600 * new item

Full plate P 2 1,000

For those who desire the rich local colour of looted and piecedtogether patchwork armour (traditional inWFRP): a D&D piecemeal armour system appropriate to a 16th century milieu was presented in the historicalsourcebook volumeA Mighty Fortress for AD&D 2nd Ed.

9 If you want comprehensive WFRP trading rules seek out a copy ofDeath on the Reik, or you could Google forRolph Segers WFRP 2E Trade ToolExcel spreadsheet.

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GearPrice and descriptions are generally as B/X. KeithThompsons LLA006 General Equipment Lists pdf issuggested for those who care enough about finedetail to distinguish between a keg and a kilderkin,or for when you need definitive figures for theresale value of that stolen glassfronted bookcase.

Gunpowder AccoutrementsMatch, powder, balls, etc: all the various fiddly bitsand pieces that make gunpowder weapons such adelight to use during extended engagements.

Lead shot* 1GC for 10 shotPowder* 3GC for 10 shotSlow Match 1 shilling/foot (burns at 1ft/hr)

* Double cost per shot for the substantial powderand shot requirements of blunderbusses.

Land and PropertyBecoming Squire Broadacres or a rackrentingslumlord is way beyond the intended scope ofaction in SBVD. As a general rule use the pricesfor buildings given in Labyrinth Lord(or othergame book of your choice). Rental or leaseholdprice will be 510% of purchase price per annum.

Land is a bit more fiddly. Although the casheconomy has made inroads a lot of land is still heldthrough a web of feudal obligations. An acre of good grainland yields around 3.5GC per year10, and willprobably cost around 1012 times that to purchase outright. Suburban land suitable for market gardening willcost more, and prime urban real estate vastly more.

ProstheticsReplacements for body parts chopped, gnawed or rotted off. Assume 3d6GC for an item of average quality,less for preowned tat. As ever, more sophisticated lifestyle solutions (lighter, sturdier, more elegant, morecomfortable to wear, etc.) will cost more.

Artificial Poor Average Good FineLeg Crutch Peg Leg Carved Foot Spring LegHand Hook/fork Carved hand Gripping handEye Patch Wooden Glass Nose Leather Ceramic Silvered/GildedEar Ear horn ProstheticTeeth Wood Horn Human IvorySkull Plate Pewter Iron Silver or Gold

Encumbrance

Yes, you could track every ounce of carried weight individually, but thats just masochistic (and not in theentertaining WFRP fashion). I use James Raggis Lamentations of the Flame Princess encumbrance rules: tickoff each carried item, to a max of 25: 010 = Mv 4, 1115 = Mv 3, 1620 = Mv 2, etc.

Enc EncOnehanded weapon 1 Shield 12Twohanded weapon (inc. bows) 2 Light armour 5Ammo (per 10 shots) 1 Heavy armour 10Blunderbuss Ammo (per 10 shots) 2 Plate armour 15

Multiple instances of small, light item 1 Cash 1 per 100 coinsBulky loot (stolen furniture, etc) 5 Carried casualty = Tgh score

The one downside of all that lovely gear and swag is that it is heavy, and can really slow you down at criticalmoments. If the GM elects he can impose a penalty to any physical Ability Checks of 2 per degree ofencumbrance (Mv 3 = 2, Mv 2 = 4, etc). This is why you bring porters.

10 Where did I asspull these figures from? Well, according to the SRD a pound of wheat costs 1cp, andhistorically an acre of good farmland sown with two bushels of wheat typically yielded eight bushels (480lbs) atharvest. Reserve two bushels for resowing and you have a net yield of 480120 = 360lbs, or 360cp.

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Treasure

These alternative treasure generation rules have been included for GMs who want to make loot a bit moreWFRPey (i.e. begrudgingly stingy, inconvenient, corpserobbing) than traditional B/X treasure.11 These rulesowe a substantial debt to Dave Sham Bowmans excellent Dismal Depths Treasure Tables.

Pocket ChangeThe vast majority of people and creatures encountered carry walking around money of some kind. This might

be literal pocket money, or disregarded inedible loot, or body parts that have bounty value (goblin ears) or resale value (manticore bile ducts), or whatever. You acquire this by looting their cadavers.

As a rule, everyone carries 1d10xW^2 shillings (0 = 1d10xW^2 GC instead, 0 again = My Precious, arandom piece of swag, jewellery or magic). You might want to add an extra 1d10xW^2 pfennigs for variety.

Notable creatures (boss types, nobles, rich merchants, bestofbreed, etc.) may disgorge some multiple ofnormal value for their type when piataed by our heroes. For example: A rich merchant or noble might carry5x normal silver, have two extra rolls for gold, and up to 3 noncash items (1d107). Of course, our putativeHerr BulgenKaschbagze invariably has halfadozen attentive bodyguards on hand

Treasuries Troves and HoardsThe royal road to illgotten wealth isnt in opportunistic muggings and highway robbery, but rather in knockingover cashrich traders, tribes, temples, tombs and the like. When the party secure a tribal hoard, ancient gravegoods, etc. roll once for each category of the eight types of treasure on the tables below.

W of Owner/Guards: 1 2,3 4,5 6,7 8,9 10,11 12+Gold Crowns (1d126x)* 50 100 200 500 1,000 2,000 3,000Silver Shillings (1d6x) 100 200 500 1,000 2,000 5,000 10,000Copper Pfennigs 1d100x100xW, always present

* An adjusted result of 0 or less indicates that no gold is present in the hoard.

For noncash treasure check using the die type indicated vs. TN equal or less than W of the opposition.

Success = the hoard contains # of items of that loot type equal to the number on the die.Fail = treasureeating moths ate that particular category of loot from this hoard.

Type Die Type Example Value per ItemClothing 1d6 vs. W Fine apparel and fashionable dcor:

fur cloaks, bolts of silk, rugs, tapestries, etc.

1d10x5GC, 0 = 50GC + reroll*

Goods 1d8 vs. W Wellcrafted useful items: candelabra,cutlery, plate, cruet sets, jars of spices, etc.

2d10x10GC, 0 = +1d10x10GC

Artwork 1d10 vs. W Objects dart: cameos, paintings, statues,vases, ivories, furniture, books, etc.

1d10x20GC, 0 = 200GC + reroll*

Gem/Jewel 1d12 vs. W You know what these are, right? 1d10x50GC, 0 = 500GC + reroll*Magic 1d20 vs. W Ditto Generate per B/X.

* All roll again results explode, doubling all values added with each successive 0.So, for example, a gem/jewel roll of 0,0,0,3 would indicate items of (2,000 + 3x400 =) 3,200GC in value.

Noncoin swag encumbers 1 Enc per item, except for gems, which encumber as coinage (100 = 1 Enc).

Wheres All The Gold Gone?!I know, I know. Under this system of treasure generation the average gold yield of a dragon or clan of orcsdrops to ~10% of expected B/X norms, which totally skews the incentive system.12 Thats why Clothing, Goods

and Artwork have been added as treasure types: they boost treasure values while hopefully giving loot a littlebit more variation than yet anotherpile of boring old money.13

Other reasons for adding tableware and art as swag included: 1) verisimilitude: gold and silver weretraditionally held in the forms of plate and jewellery (both for security reasons, and because these were sociallyacceptable forms in which to flaunt wealth before ones peers), and 2) entertainment value: watching the PCslug that ornate marquetry arras back to civilisation in one piece should be good for a few laughs

11 You humble scribe has never been enamoured of the treasure tables of Classic D&D. Five(!) coin metals andthree types of shiny thing, only one of which (Magic) is something other than a gp equivalent? Pah! Any lootgenerator that doesnt have the PCs stealing boots and tearing out the furnishings is just Doing It Wrong!

12 A kill/loot XP ratio of 20/80 or 25/75 is traditional in Classic D&D, which puts the emphasis firmly on theftover massacre as means of advancement. XP for gold: a feature, not a bug.

13 Sure, coins are fungible, but lets face it after the firstchest of pirate gold theyre just ledger entries.

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Hirelings & Retainers

Its nice having flunkies and cronies around to do your bidding, sing your praises, carry your stuff, and takecare of the dreary little details of life. Adventurers tend to acquire hangerson like a nasty rash; that headyaroma of doomed glamour and easy gold unerringly draws opportunists, thieves, conmen and trulls, at leastuntil it gets dangerous.

Hirelings

Use B/X rules (or the more comprehensive figures presented in OSRIC, BECMIor Lamentations of the FlamePrincess) as guidelines on pay and conditions for your malingering 0level hired lackeys.

Dont expect that hirelings will take an arrow for you, or even work an extra minute out of loyalty. Unlesswatched like hawks apprentices will skive off, maids and footmen will gossip and pilfer, and stewards willembezzle (Perks of the job, innit squire). Yes, you can totally hire a bunch of scruffy street urchins aspersonal gophers, lookouts, catamites or whatever; just dont expect any loyalty from them either. Use Moralechecks to establish whether the hired help succumb to bribes, idleness, petty theft, and similar temptationswhenever temptation crosses their path.

MercenariesUse B/X rules, but recall that the WFRP world has more strictures on the political use of force than a classic

fantasy frontier game world. A burgess or gentleman accompanied around town by a couple of burly cudgelarmed bodyguards wont raise eyebrows, but retaining a dozen armedandarmoured horsemen to defend oneshonour is definitely a noble prerogative (My young cousins and nephews: a rash, touchy crowd).

Recruiting, equipping and training large numbers of men for purposes opaque and nefarious is severelyfrownedon by the powers that be: those are someones cheap labour pool and militia reserve youre hiring away. Yes,there are mercenary companies available for hire, but such concentrations of unaligned military force becomevery political, very quickly. Be prepared to lay the necessary gifts in anticipation on extrathick.

RetainersRetainers are classlevelled secondstring adventurers who will stand by their employer through thick and thin,or at least so long as they get their cut of the loot. A retainer is at least as much a trusted ally and comradeinarms as he is a mere employee. All normal B/X rules for retainers apply in SBVD.

PC must make successful 2d6 Reaction Check to hire a prospective retainer.Humans and Halflings are common (d10, 19), Dwarves and Elves rare (d10, 0).Roll for Ability Scores, Class, career and trappings of the retainer as for a starting PC.

Max. retainers: 4 +/ Fel mod.Their morale: 7 +/ Fel mod.Their cut: normal share of loot and XP each

Retainers are equipped out of the PCs pocket and controlled by the player during play. The GM should onlystep in to veto blatant attempts to use them as canaries, trap springers, meat shields or suchlike onerous dutyfodder (You want to know if its safe down there? After you Freiherr).

Although loyal many retainers have longterm ambitions of their own. Check against a retainers morale aftereach adventure. If the check fails the retainer retires from service (to marry his sweetheart, open an inn, joina guild/cult/the army, set up his own capers, or whatever). This check can be adjusted in the players favourby offering extra pay, or by working to advance the retainers ambition.

I suggest you dont bother with The Gods Hate You! modifiers when rolling to hire or keep retainers: 2d6 rollsare hard enough to pass asis.

Hes Dead? Right. Im the Daddy Now!If a PC dies the player can promote his senior retainer to the status of fullshare PC in good standing, completewith Fate Points (see p7). The new PC enjoys full XP, swag and corpselooting rights from that moment. Thenew PC must pay 10% inheritance tax on any property, goods or chattels gained from his late predecessor.(Either a tithe of the value, or the whole estate is forfeit to the Kaisers tax collectors. Your choice)

How Theyd ReactWhen things get dangerous, the distinction between hireling, mercenary and retainer comes into stark relief.

The inevitable masked assassins have finally come for you. They crash in through the window andthe hired help run screaming, fighting to ensure their own escape.the mercenaries fight, fleeing if opposition is tough or if their payday (you!) bites the dust.your retainer draws his sword and ploughs in. Thats his breadandbutter theyre f***ing with!

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Magic

As ane fule kno the use of magic in the world of WFRP (and thus in SBVD) is much riskier than in B/X D&D.Magic is the stuff of Chaos in the world, and casting spells is the imposition of a mortals will upon Chaosenergy. As you might imagine, this is an insanely dangerous way of making a living. All those elaborate ritualsand weird paraphernalia arent just mumbojumbo designed to impress the rubes; theyre timetestedprotective gear just as vital as the graphite rods and lead shielding in a nuclear power plant. Of course, thosesame rites and juju are dead giveaways to the inevitable witch hunters and pitchfork posses.

Giving Them the ExplodoSBVD uses a straight rip of the WFRP 2E casting system (already familiar to players ofLegend of the Five Rings,which is basically WFRP + samurai) because its an unimprovably vindictive minigame of Russian roulette.There are no limits on spells/day, other than the caster's own prudence and the tolerance of locals

To cast: roll d10s = characters Casting Dice vs. Target Number (TN) of spell

Equal or better: Success Just as planned.Less than TN: Failure Winds of magic say NO!All dice = 1s: Fumble As above + save vs. magic, caster gains +1 IP if failed

Wearing armour while attempting to bend the uncontrolled power of Chaos to your will is generally not a goodidea. All that iron plays havoc with the flow of magic. Add +1 to TN per 1 AC of armour worn.

Our Wizards Are DifferentThere are three arcane traditions accepted (or at least semiaccepted) in polite society. These are:

The timehallowed rites of priestly prayer, which most people dont thing of as toying with Chaos. The scholarly magic of the wizard traditions. The halfassed wordofmouth tomfoolery of the craft mysteries, hedge wizards and cunning folk.

Cleric: Cast Divine Petty Magic and Lesser Magic, Subject to Divine Wrath.Wizard: Cast Arcane Petty Magic and Lesser Magic, Subject to Curse of Chaos.Hedge wizard*: Cast Hedge Petty Magic and Lesser Magic, Subject to Curse of Chaos in spades.

* Any academic who isnt a Priestly Initiate or Apprentice Wizard can dabble in the infernal arts. Lacking therigorous training and protective gear of their more respectable peers they are even more prone to having it allgo horribly wrong on them. Hedge wizards roll an extra die whenever they attempt to cast any spell. Thisdoesnt count towards the total accumulated by their Casting Dice, just towards checks for Curse of Chaos.

Curse of ChaosIf any casting dice match the wizard has sorely mishandled his magic and becomes subject to magicalbacklash; the more dice match, the more severe the effect.

Doubles(2,2)

Minor ManifestationCaster glows with eldritch light for 1d10 rounds, milk curdles,animals flee, ghostly voices, caster takes minor damage, etc.

1in20 chance ofmajor manifestation

Triples(5,5,5)

Major ManifestationCaster gains visible infernal mark lasting 24 hours, stunned for 1round, gains +1 IP, a minor daemon appears, suffers magical burnout(1 Casting Dice for the next 24 hours), etc.

1in20 chance ofarcane catastrophe

Quads(7,7,7,7)

Arcane Catastrophe!Casters falls unconscious for 1d10 minutes, gains +1d10 IP,1d6 daemons appear, caster takes random critical hit, etc.

1in10 chance caster issucked into Realm ofChaos

Wrath of GodPriestly magic doesnt normally result in the kind of grotesque outburst of Chaotic power that plague wizards.However, if any casting dice match the priests god requires some selfsacrificial rite of his pawn *ahem*devoted servant. This can be anything the GM finds amusing and thematically appropriate, such as no morespells for you today, 1d10 minutes of penitential prayer, right now! Yes, in the middle of the fight, 1d10rounds of selfflagellation with a spiked knout, or even no more spells until you go on a penitentialpilgrimage. Refusal of a direct command from Upstairs is not recommended.

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Petty MagicApprentice magic, either learnt by trialanderror, or as trade secrets, or drummed into the apprentice by rote.Most petty magic spells map readily to lowlevel spells found either in B/X, or in the d20 SRD. Youll probablywant to chop most of the durations listed from turns or hours down to minutes at most: magic in SBVD isenvisioned as shortduration boosts or stunts, not the stuff of daily morning buffing rituals.

Petty Arcane TN EffectGlowing Light 3 as light

Sounds 4 as ghost soundsDrop 4 as targeted grease (SRD)Marsh Lights 6 as dancing lights (SRD)Magic Dart 6 as magic missileSleep 6 as sleep, one target, touch attack

Petty Divi

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