Basic Fantasy RPG Core Rules

[hjmartin70]

If you use it in place of the regular level advancement in skills, you could easily make each level bring 2d6 (or 4d6 or whatever)+dex bonus per level. No more than half of the total (rounded down) can be put in any single skill.

[Stan Shinn]

I've got a couple of questions about detecting traps that I'm not clear on when reading the rules.

1) Do Elves have TWO chances to check for traps?

On page 5 of the BFRPG rules it states: "All Elves have Darkvision with a 60' range. They are able to find secret doors more often than normal (1-2 on 1d6 rather than the usual 1 on 1d6). An Elf is so observant that he or she has a 1 on 1d6 chance to find a secret door with just a cursory look."

Does this mean that an Elf when entered a room has a 1 on a 1d6 roll chance to detect the trap (done secretly by the GM I presume) and if they fail, they have the option (if they ask) to roll a SECOND time, and then have a 1-2 on 1d6 to detect the trap?

2) How and when you can you detect a trap (adjacent to square or IN the square)?

On page 37 is states: "...a search for traps takes at least a turn per 10' square area." Let's say the character is in a 10' in a hall. He is walking north. The 10' square immediately to his north has a trap. When would the character first be able to detect the trap? I presume at 30' they can't detect the trap remotely. Then, when they are adjacent to the 10' square with the trap, and they roll to check for traps, would he find none, since the trap is in the 10' adjacent to him to the north? Then, when he enters the 10' with the trap, wouldn't the trap potentially trigger, in which case it is too late to check for the trap now that he is in the square and has triggered the trap?

Thanks!

-- Stan

[Solomoriah]

1) Do Elves have TWO chances to check for traps?

On page 5 of the BFRPG rules it states: "All Elves have Darkvision with a 60' range. They are able to find secret doors more often than normal (1-2 on 1d6 rather than the usual 1 on 1d6). An Elf is so observant that he or she has a 1 on 1d6 chance to find a secret door with just a cursory look."

Does this mean that an Elf when entered a room has a 1 on a 1d6 roll chance to detect the trap (done secretly by the GM I presume) and if they fail, they have the option (if they ask) to roll a SECOND time, and then have a 1-2 on 1d6 to detect the trap?

Traps are not necessarily secret doors. It is left to the discretion of the GM whether or not any given trap can be detected as a secret door; in general, I don't allow it, but in certain situations I might. Probably only in the case of pit traps, though if I thought hard enough I might think of other cases.

As to the number of chances an Elf has to detect a secret door: Two. Once, rolled by the GM in secret when one is passed by, and again by the GM (hiding the result) if the Elf's player makes a specific attempt to find one.

2) How and when you can you detect a trap (adjacent to square or IN the square)?

On page 37 is states: "...a search for traps takes at least a turn per 10' square area." Let's say the character is in a 10' in a hall. He is walking north. The 10' square immediately to his north has a trap. When would the character first be able to detect the trap? I presume at 30' they can't detect the trap remotely. Then, when they are adjacent to the 10' square with the trap, and they roll to check for traps, would he find none, since the trap is in the 10' adjacent to him to the north? Then, when he enters the 10' with the trap, wouldn't the trap potentially trigger, in which case it is too late to check for the trap now that he is in the square and has triggered the trap?

If a character is searching for traps, he or she will not accidentally trip one in the searched area if the roll is a success. If it is a failure, then any triggering conditions apply.

"I'll search the space in front of the door for traps," says the player. I know that the entire space is a pit, so I make the roll immediately, and if the roll is a success, I say "that whole ten foot square in front of the door appears to be a cleverly covered pit trap." If the roll is a failure, then, assuming other triggering conditions are met (amount of weight placed on the trapdoor, for instance), the pit opens and the character falls. Of course, there still might be a save to avoid it, usually using Death Ray with Dex adding a bonus.

[Stan Shinn]

Ah! Makes sense. Thanks for the reply!

[K-Slacker]

A question about energy drain in BFRPG... I notice that (unlike the d20 SRD) energy drain has no impact on caster level or spells known, making it quite a bit easier on spellcasters than meatshields. Just wondering if this was intentional?

[Solomoriah]

Interesting... I hadn't considered that. We've been doing that way in my game for some time now, and the spellcasters don't seem to fear the level-drainers any less than the non-spellcasters, so I don't think I'll change anything.

[uxintro]

Unless I'm blind, the Elf race description makes no mention of their reduced chances to be surprised. However it is mentioned in the Surprise section in the Encounter chapter. Is this deliberate, or an oversight?

[Solomoriah]

An oversight, I'm afraid. Doesn't hurt the game much though, since it IS in there.

[SmootRK]

I just noticed (while playing with my children) that in the Spells Section, as well as the Magic User class entry, that reference a Read Magic spell (the assumed already known spell). Yet, the spell listed in the spell list is actually "Read Languages" (which has magical text components). Is this the spell referenced in the MU class (and the beginning of the spells section), or something different?

If it is the spell in question, one or the other sections needs to be edited in future releases. Personally I would think that Read Languages is a better and more useful sort of spell (assuming it includes the Read Magic functions as we understand it from other (ahem) games we are familiar with). It also makes the game just a tad different from its inspirations.

Anyhow, just something that should be clarified in future releases.

[Solomoriah]

Ur. Carryover from the text of Read Languages as found in my Project 74 rules.

Sometime when I have the energy, I'll think about it.