Random Berserking

Going berserk in combat is such a chaotic thing (small "c" chaotic, of course) that it seems like a perfect place to stick in a random table. 

I thought about making a random berserking table for the barbarians in Blood & Treasure Second Edition, but space constraints and a desire to avoid excess dice rolling (I know, for some there cannot be enough) I didn't. Still, I wrote it, so I might as well get it out there!

Berserkergang

Roll 1d10 and add your barbarian level (or half your fighter level, if your GM swings that way). You may roll once for the combat, or roll each round, with the effect lasting for that round and then ending.

d10	Effect
1-6	+1 to attack, +2 to damage; +1d6 damage vs. non-humanoids
5-11	+1 to AC, +2 to all saving throws
12-15	Two attacks each round
16-18	+2 to attack, +4 to damage; +2d6 damage vs. non-humanoids
19-20	Immune to fear and spells of 2nd level or lower; +1d6 damage to spell casters
21	Opponents must save or be frightened
22	Continue fighting after reaching 0 hit points; save vs. death at end of combat or die
23	Immune to spells of 5th level or lower; +2d6 damage to spell casters
24	Three attacks each round
25	Roll twice, combine results

While berserk, you cannot cast spells, make ranged attacks (other than throwing things), retreat from combat, make or follow complex plans, stop attacking a foe until you or it are dead, and when you kill one foe you must move on to the next closest foe.

A Weird Day at the Faire

Oh, the little faire looked pleasant enough - a sort of company picnic for the feudal set, with children running about and young men trying to show off for the ladies. People strolling, eating, drinking, singing, dancing - a good time.

But since the murder-hobos are involved, there had to be something sinister lurking just under the surface ...

Roll d20 and then d4 a few times to generate some interesting or weird encounters at the faire - something the PCs can bump into as they wander. Some of these might even prove of value as game hooks - players arrive too late to stop something from happening, but are called on by the king to investigate and set things right.

Click to enlarge

Monstrous One-Liners

Have you ever had a half-ass idea for a monster - just a description and a few ideas for special abilities, or maybe even just a picture - and wanted to use it without having to come up with all the other stats right then and there?

Today, I was jotting down some ideas for monsters at work and I thought up a way to do simple, one line monster descriptions and only one stat - a monster level - that ties into a random chart that determines the combat stats when you need them.

Monsters have levels that run from 1 to 10. The monster's level determines the dice you roll for its combat stats.

The combat stats are then rolled on this chart. You could do one roll and use all the stats for that line, or roll for each stat - whatever you want. Treat a roll that is less than zero as zero.

Two notes:

*Damage for first attack; second and third attacks are 1 level lower; third and fourth attacks are 2 levels lower

**Movement is slow (S), normal (N), quick (Q) and rapid (R) – use your best judgment for what these mean in your preferred version of the grand old game

Finally - some monster one-liners (with a quick sketch of the killa-bot).

Killa-Bot, the murderous automaton; 4th level; electro-touch (1d6), resist electricity, maniacal laughter (confusion)

Befouler, the drooling eye orb; 8th level; rust ray, acid ray (1d6), disease ray, rot ray (ruins food and water)

Mindbender, worms out to conquer the world; 3rd level; appear as normal neckware, control mind with their touch, magic resistance 15%

Tar-Bull, bovine made of flaming tar; 5th level; fire body (1d6 damage), foul smoke (save or blinded), charge for x3 damage

Mercury Ape, violet violent primate with force arms; 3rd level; constrict with arms (x2 damage), resist all energies, immune to mind effects

 
So the adventurers run into two of mercury apes while exploring a dungeon. The DM rolls d6-1 five times and discovers they have 2 HD, AC 13, 2 attacks for 1d6 damage and they are slow. She can now make a note of this for the next battle, or even roll over again the next time mercury apes show up.