Elsai Overview

Elsai is a small planet and the only inhabited one orbiting its star. From its spaceport—nothing more than a flattened chunk of rock used by stellar scum—Elsai resembles a drop of gasoline on water. At its center is its blue ocean, the Lonely Sea. Circling that is a green whip of fertile land where life clings to existence. Beyond that is the Red Barren Wastes, pockmarked with the junk of the civilizations of Elsai's subsector that call her their dumping grounds.

Circling the Lonely Sea are the Eight Great Cities from where the eight lich kings rule. The Great Cities survived the apocalypse unscathed but none of the minor cities were that lucky.

Elsai was a modern world rife with luxury, innovation, and decadence before its Apocalypse. Afterwards life became a struggle for survival for most. Inhabitants were forced to cave to a life of slavery under the lich king's magitocracy or risk life inside the wastes with raiders and nomads.

The setting invokes the sword and sorcery of Conan, the post-apocalyptic action of Mad Max, and the trappings of pulp sci-fi. In truth it is a galloping gonzo setting where nothing is as serious as it seems.

The lich kings are feared—and for good reason because they are quite powerful. But they are just as lost to the going-ons beyond their planet as anyone else; and, like an apathetic manager who just realized all of their crew suddenly quit, they are trying to salvage the pieces before its too late. 

In that regard, I guess you could say Elsai is both a parody and celebration of the genres it siphons inspiration from. But what do I know. I'm just along for the ride. 

by Luka Rejec

Variant: Secondary Stats

I want ability scores to be king in Variant but secondary stats will be needed to avoid too much interdependence.

Hit Points
I don't want hit points to scale in Variant. Therefore Hit Points will be determined with a simple formula of CON + Class HP, identical to how Dungeon World handles hit points. Ability scores will range anywhere from 1—18 and Class HP will range anywhere from 4—12, meaning a PC's hit points will range anywhere from 5—30.

I use a similar system in my 5e campaign, and in my experience it puts players in a daring but cautious play style—willing to charge into harms way but completely killable.

Armor Class
Known as Defense in most GLOG-likes, Armor Class will be a number ranging from 1—10 and will alter the target number (which is 20 by default) to hit you. The formula is Armor + Dex. 

Armor is comprised of light, medium, and heavy; and grant +2, +4, and +6 Armor respectively. Shields are also a thing and grant +1 Armor. A naked PC has 0 Armor.

To write down your armor class, just add 20 to that number. So a full-armored PC with maximum DEX will have an AC of 30.

Inventory
PCs have a number of inventory slots equal to STR. Item weight is tracked by slots. Small items such as jewelry weigh 0 slots, but stacks of small items can add up to multiple inventory slots. Items about the size of a medium weapon such as a longsword, quiver, scroll, and torch weigh 1 slot. Most things bigger than that weigh 2 or more slots. 

PCs can carry weight in excess of their inventory slots, but each slot in excess increases the target number for movement-based checks by 1.

Things I'm not including
Attack, Movement, Stealth, and Save will be absent from Variant. These stats always felt like necessities of GLOG's resolution system and I found myself just calling for a simple check instead of calculating the target number. 

Variant: Ability Scores Part II

I've done some Diet Dr. Pepper insomnia fueled thinking and I've decided to ditch the Knave-style resolution system I described earlier.

Instead I've opted for a Target 20-style system. The basic formula is d20 + Score ≥ 20. 

The reason I like this system instead is because it gives an average level 1 PC about a 50% chance of success. Plus it's easy for a player to grasp. If they have an average score (10) all they need to roll is double digits to succeed.

Another reason I chose this over Knave's is because I really prefer the Arnold method of rolling 4d4 for ability scores and using the divide-3-minus-3 formula for modifiers.

Also a Target 20-style system establishes that the score is for the d20 and the modifier is for everything else. 

Cars Are Still People

I wrote about vehicle stats awhile ago. While I think it was one of my better posts from that era, I take some issue with it today. So now I'm going to redo them.

Size
Vehicles have a size category ranging from 1 to 4. A vehicle's size determines its seating capacity, storage capacity, its hull points, and its fuel die.

Size Category	Seating Capacity	Storage Capacity	Max Fuel Die	Hull Points	Example
1	2	4	d10	d4	motorcycle
2	4	10	d8	2d4	sedan
3	8	20	d6	3d4	van
4	16	30	d4	4d4	bus

Ability Scores

Vehicles have the three physical ability scores: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. (Vehicles with some kind of artificial intelligence, like KITT from Knight Rider, can have the three mental ability scores.) Generate vehicle ability scores like you would a characters.

Seating and Storage Capacity

The former is the number of normal sized creatures the vehicle can transport; the latter is the amount of stuff a vehicle can transport—represented by slots. It's possible to break both of these capacities; however, breaking one calls for a CON check during travel. On a failure, the axle breaks from the strain and the vehicle is left inoperable. Breaking both capacities gives this CON check disadvantage. 

Fuel Die

After 25 miles of driving, roll the vehicle's fuel die. If the result is an odd number, the vehicle uses up a portion of its fuel and the fuel die decreases by a step. A fuel canister can be emptied into a vehicle to increase its fuel die by one step up to its max. A fuel canister takes up two inventory slots.

Hull Points

Vehicles have hull points and 1 hull point is equivalent to 10 hit points of damage. This means that a damage roll has to be 10+ to damage a vehicle. Unlike hit points, hull points do not recover naturally and require repairs. It takes a day of work to repair 1 hull point if materials are available.

Vehicle Armor Class

Small vehicles have less coverage but are fast, while larger vehicles are slow but have more coverage. Therefore a vehicle's size category also determines its AC.

Size Category	Armor Class
1	11 + DEX/4
2	14 + DEX/10
3	16
4	18

Generating Vehicles

To generate a vehicle on the fly:

1) Roll a d4 to determine its size category.

2) Generate its ability scores.

3) ... and that's it really!

Variant: Ability Scores

Variant is my GLOG hack. I figured I'd start with ability scores.

Arnold started the tradition of generating ability scores using d4s instead of d6s and I'd like to preserve that tradition in Variant. Instead of using GLOG's roll under system, however, I've opted for Knave's roll over system. 

Each character rolls 3d4. The lowest result is their modifier and they add 10 to that to get their score .

The math works out to PCs having a +1 or +2 most of the time with a +3 or +4 being rare. Compared to modern 4d6k3, a bonus of +1 is twice as common, a bonus of +2 is 30% more common, and a bonus of +3 and +4 is as common.

The main kind of roll related to abilities is the check. PCs make checks by rolling a d20 and adding their modifier to the roll. If they meet or beat 15, they succeed. If not, they fail. This number changes depending on what the PC is rolling. For example Attacks.

If you're not sure what that number should be, if the PC isn't opposing someone, go with 15. If it's easy, it's a 10. If it's hard, it's a 20. If the PC is opposing someone, go with their number of HD + 10. If that someone is particularly good at whatever the PC is opposed against, add 5 to that number. If they're bad at it, subtract 5.

Negative modifiers will be a thing. Just subtract 10 from the PC's score: an 8 is a -2, for example. A -10 modifier equals death. 

Mini DM Screen

I made this mini DM screen. It's cheap and easy to make. (Check out Dungeon Craft when you have a chance. Their channel is a treasure trove for OSR and DIY DMs.)

The above screen is for my Elsai setting, which is like a really bad Conan X Mad Max fanfic written by Terry Pratchett. Each image invokes an aspect of the setting. On the left we have Conan, who represents the "Sword" in Sword and Sorcery. Next to him we have an image of the planet itself, desolate and ringed by the dilapidated space station constructed by lizardfolk in ages past. Then we have a war rig, something you'd see in Mad Max. Lastly we have one of the eight tyrannical liches who represent the "Sorcery" in Sword and Sorcery.

123 Past Present Future

I run a lot of gonzo games. It's not uncommon for a PC in my campaigns to have a longsword in one hand and a machine pistol in the other. This brings the question to mind: How much damage does a longsword do compared to a machine pistol?

The most common answer to this question that I see is none. The level of tech shouldn't matter; just roll a d8 and move on. This answer doesn't really cut it for me. If a swordsman sees his foe whip out a Tommy gun, I want him to start sweating. But this opens a can of worms all on its own.

How much damage should a Tommy gun do? Should we account for sights? Automatic fire? Etc, etc. These questions are the first to come to mind but they lead down a slippery slope. In the long run, it doesn't matter if you perfectly simulate the finer points of firearms.

All that matters is that lasers deal more damage than guns than swords. And to simulate that I've implemented a rule I like to call 123 Past Present Future.

Basically, the weapon in question does 1 die of damage if it's from the past (relative to human history... or not!), 2 dice of damage if it's from the present, and 3 dice of damage if it's from the future.

For example, a longsword would deal a d8. Something like a chainsword would deal 2d8 since it requires levels of tech (machinery, fuel) that is more common in the current era. And a lightsaber would deal 3d8 damage.

The only trick here is finding what's equivalent to what. I would argue that a pistol is the equivalent of a modern day shortbow so it would deal 2d6 damage, but you might think otherwise...and that's OK!

The 5e Hack No One Asked for

Player Stuff

Ability Scores
Derivative ability scores are a sacred cow; it's time to take it to the slaughterhouse. 
Instead of rolling out ability scores, each character gets the standard array: +3, +2, +2, +1, 0, -1. 

Race 
I'm tired of my players picking outlandish races for a stat boost and/or power. I want a more grounded grimdark feel. Every character is assumed to be human. If you want to play a member of a certain race, it'll be for roleplay or lore purposes only.

Class
Class features remain unchanged for the most part. When a character receives an Ability Score Improvement, they pick an ability score and improve it by +1, up to a maximum of +5. Spellcasting and Hit Points are also changed (see below).

Proficiencies 
I don't need a Survival skill to tell me that the Barbarian might know a thing or two about wild plants. Skill proficiencies are axed. Classes are, instead, proficient with checks related to two ability scores. These are the same as the classes' Saving Throw proficiencies, as written in the book. Weapons, armor, and tool proficiencies remain unchanged.

Proficiency Die
Instead of a static bonus, PCs roll a proficiency die. Just multiply the static bonus by two and slap a "d" behind that number and you'll know which die to roll. If your class has Expertise, roll the die twice and take the better result.

Hit Points
Roll 4d6k3.
You can reroll any results less than your Constitution modifier once.
Add your hit die maximum to the result.
That's your HP for your entire career.
For example. Hrega the Terrible, a barbarian, has a con mod of +3. Her player rolls 1, 2, 4, 6. She rerolls the 1 and 2 and gets 3 and 1. Her result is 13. She adds 12 to that, because Barbarians have a hit die that's a d12, for a total of 25.

Spellcasting
The magic system is Alexandrian (Kempian? It's GLOG's!) in design.
5E has three different spell progression trees for some reason. 
Full spellcasters, like wizards, start with 1MD and gain 1MD every level up to a max of 10.
Half-spellcasters, like Rangers and Paladins, get their first MD at level 2 and gain 1MD every second level thereafter up to a max of 5. 
One-third spellcasters, like arcane tricksters and eldritch knights, get their first MD at level 3 and gain 1MD every third level thereafter up to a max of 3.
MD stands for Magic Dice. They're d6s.
When the spellcaster casts something, he chooses how many of his MD he wants to invest, then rolls. Dice with results 1—3 go back into the pool and ones with 5—6 are expended till the next rest.
If the spellcaster roll doubles, that's a mishap. If they roll triples, that's a calamity! (I ain't going to write specific mishaps and calamities for each class. That's what an imagination is for. All I need to know is that a mishap is inconvenient and a calamity is, well, cataclysmic.)
the number of [dice] involved as well as the [sum] of those dice determine the outcome of the spell.
Full spellcasters start with 3 spells, half start with 2, and thirds start with 1. They gain a spell every level, every second level, and every third level respectively. Other spells have to be discovered, researched, learned, and/or prayed for.
Clerical magic is more (?) reliable.
(whew! I think that about does it. Why is magic always a complicated affair?)

I just remembered that spellcasters have spellcasting ability modifiers so a Kempian magic system won't cut it. I'll probably use a DCC style casting system instead. The idea was to have one roll determine the success and outcome of the spell, but whatever. This game is about rolling to hit and rolling damage anyway.

Background
Ask of your character these questions three: What do they love the most? What do they fear the most? What do they hate the most? These answers three, their background be.

Monster Stuff

Hits
Monsters have hits, instead of hit points. A monster's number of hits is equal to its HD. When a PC hits a monster, the damage roll determines the number of hits lost.
natural 1: 0
2—5: 1
6—9: 2
10+: 4

Other Stuff

Surges
To offset the need for magical healing, each class can do a surge once per combat. A surge is an instant heal that restores Class HD + Level hit points. A first level barbarian would surge for 1d12+1 hit points. A sixth level rogue would surge for d8+6. (A fighter can do this twice with their Second Wind.)
PCs can roll surge for free while resting to restore that many hit points.

Dying
When a PC goes down, they roll their hit die. The result is how many rounds they have left until they bleed out and die, unless they're killed instantly by a hit that deals double their max hit points in damage. Each round the PC has a 5% chance to regain hit die hit points and re-enter the fray.

--

I also wanted to try this thing from Index Card RPG where each area has a set Target Number. If that Goblin Warren has a TN of 14, you'd need to roll that to hit the goblins, disarm their traps, decipher their poo-scribbles, etc. Also allowed for modifers for hard and easy tasks, usually in the for of +/- 3—5.