BASICS
Table of Contents
Rolls
Make a Roll when you just need a number within a certain range. Rolls are for inflicting damage, spell effects, and a great many other things. These use the d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12 dice, as below:
Modifiers
A positive or negative number called a Modifier may alter Roll results. For example, a 1d8+3 roll would give a result of 4-11. A Roll can be modified by the relevant Attribute plus the largest Bonus (+) and the largest Penalty (-). This can reduce the result to zero but not into the negatives.
Normally, bonuses do not stack with other bonuses and penalties do not stack with other penalties. All you need to consider is the Attribute used (if any!) and the largest bonus and/or penalty.
Modifier = Attribute + Bonus + Penalty
Sometimes you will halve or double the result of a Roll. If halved, always round up.
Roll-offs
This is when two Rolls oppose each other, a common situation during feats of might or size. The highest result is the winner, the lowest is the loser, and ties go to the attacker. Roll-offs decide clash damage and the winner of Grapples.
Rerolls
A Reroll is when a player or Imp picks up a die Roll result they do not like and rolls it again, choosing the best result. If the result is the same, add the two! Rerolling costs a temporary Willpower (WP, point. One may only spend a single WP on a given Roll and cannot Reroll Checks.
Checks
Certain actions can either succeed or fail, such as aiming at a foe, looking for clues to a treasure, convincing villagers not to burn them alive, etc. Make a Check in these dramatic situations. This calls on fate and talent to decide between a good and bad outcome, based on what the player says their character is doing.
To make a Check, roll 1d20 plus the relevant Attribute , then add any modifiers. Adventurers are broadly competent and get a d20 for vital feats such as Attack and Grapple. Other actions require a relevant OCS, standing for Origin Career, or Skill . If they do not have it, they use 1d12 instead.
If the total result is at or above the action’s Difficulty Factor (DF, usually 10) it is a success, and the “good” outcome occurs. If below, it is a failure and the “bad” one occurs. If not obvious, the Imp may explain the outcomes beforehand. Modifiers apply to Checks just as they do for Rolls.
DIFFICULTIES
| DF | Narrative Difficulty |
|---|---|
| 5 | Routine |
| 10 | Challenging |
| 15 | Daunting |
| 20 | Formidable |
| 25+ | Nigh impossible |
For example, trying to catch a falling potion might be a Check of 1d20 +Dex vs. DF 10. The good outcome could be “you catch the potion safely, just inches off the ground” and the bad one could be “it shatters, the precious liquid sinking into the earth.”
A “natural” or “raw” result of one; before any modifier, always fails. A natural twenty always succeeds. These results are otherwise no better or worse than usual. Whether a result is better or worse relies on Gambits, below. A d12 Check always succeeds on a 12 instead, due to beginners’ luck.
The Imp should not humor utterly impossible acts, and the players should find other means to move forward. On the other hand, trivial actions that are highly likely to succeed should simply do so. Part of playing the Imp is learning where to draw this line.
Gambits
Mere success or failure is not the only possible outcome of a Check. A player may also call for a Gambit after throwing the dice, pushing their luck by re-rolling for a better result. After success, succeeding again results in a triumphant Critical, while failing means they have now merely failed. After Failure, succeeding on the Gambit turns it into a Success while failing again reveals a ruinous Botch. See the next page for useful Critical & Botch ideas.
The same Modifiers and dice apply to the Gambit as the original Check, and one can only Gambit once per Check. WP Rerolls do not apply to Checks, so you cannot spend them on a Gambit either.
- Critical is a success with benefits. For example, a Critical to pick a lock might halve the time, while a Critical attack may add damage.
- Botch is a failure with a painful drawback or twist. For example, a Botch to persuade someone may also ruin your relationship, while a Botched attack might result in a dropped weapon.
Other players can chime in with possible outcomes. To keep this fun from getting too sadistic, the Scenes chapter gives default Criticals and Botches for many popular actions. These defaults are a valid resort for either the Player or Imp if they cannot reach an agreement quickly. Once either chooses a default, the game moves on.
Gambits are optional! However, players who dare to use them will understand the heart of this game long before their more cautious fellows.
STANDARD CRITICALS
| Critical | Effect |
|---|---|
| Ahead of Schedule | Takes around half the time it normally would. |
| Bonus Damage | Add max of one die as bonus to the damage Roll. |
| Conserve Resources | Costs about half the usual materials or coin. |
| Help Ally | Improve their situation somehow, granting +2 to +4 to a Check if called for. |
| Hinder Foe | Turn a foe’s Success or Critical into a Failure. |
| Leave No Trace | Carefully avoid leaving evidence or clues for opponents to find. |
| Make an Impression | Improve relationship with contact or other important NPC. |
| Super Effective | Has about twice the usual effect or counts as two Successes. |
STANDARD BOTCHES
| Botch | Effect |
|---|---|
| Attract Trouble | Lets anyone nearby know something interesting is going on. |
| Bad Impression | Harm relationship with contact or other important NPC. |
| Countered | Take retaliatory damage or other setback from target. |
| Friendly fire | Harm ally instead of target, target gets to choose which. |
| Fumble | Drop a weapon or other important item in combat, lose it if out of combat. |
| Hinder Ally | Worsen their situation somehow, inflicting -2 to -4 to a Check if called for. |
| Help Foe | Improve their situation somehow, granting +2 to +4 to a Check if called for. |
| Stumble | Lose next Action or task takes around twice the time it normally would. |
| Waste | Costs about twice the usual materials or coin. |
Teamwork
You can make a single Check for actions involving an entire group, such as Sneak or Travel. When more people would help, such as intimidation, this is a Strongest-link Check. When more people get in the way, such as sneaking around, it is a Weakest-link Check.
- Strongest-link Checks use the best relevant OCS and Attribute out of the group.
- Weakest-link Checks use the best OCS but the lowest relevant attribute out of the group.
For example, a party would enjoy the guidance of their thief when sneaking, but a clumsy (low Agi) ally would still hinder them.
Helping and Hinder
This should play out naturally. Explain what the character does either way, then find out how this changes the situation. For example, dropping a rope to allies climbing a wall, or cutting an enemy’s rope from above. If you still need a Check, maybe apply +2/-2 for a good idea or +4/-4 for a brilliant one.
Procedures
You’ve probably already figured out no one can tell you or your group how to run their own game. The author is not going to smash through your wall and demand you stop having fun wrong. That said, here are some helpful suggestions for Players and Imps to get the most out of Eldritch Gambit.
Narrating Actions
How you describe actions is up to you. For example, saying “I attack” is valid, but so is “I bend back my bowstring and let my arrow fly, aiming straight for its wretched eye socket.” See what you enjoy best, but most groups prefer a little spice.
Party Conflict
If acting against another PC, avoid hard feelings by letting them describe the outcome of your action. This is as true for gory attacks as for social persuasion. For example, a player whose character is convinced to take the lead may say they do so distrustfully or take precautions. One shot by another player gets to say where and how bad it looks, etc.
Keep in mind the Player always stays in control of their character. They can go along, put their own spin on it, or outright refuse to be manipulated!
To Die or not to Die
Rolling dice is fun, but even the prettiest number rocks can lose their magic if you call on their oracular powers too often. Players and Imps alike should think about when to use them, not just how!
First, there is no need to start throwing your dice while the Imp tries to describe what your character encounters. There are no Checks to notice or detect in this game. Sneak Checks are none of your business if you aren’t making them, and Insight Checks only help understand what you see. Instead, you and the Imp get to work together. Ask the right questions to help imagine the situation.
Second, instead of asking permission or what you should roll, just boldly proclaim your action. For example, “I leap across the balcony, swinging off the chandelier into the fray!” The Imp and the rest of your table are likely to love it and move on. You may do very well without touching your dice for quite a while. Give them no reason to doubt and see what you can get away with.
Sometimes a Player will harbor suspicions about an Imp’s action, and they may call for a Check too. Just like the Imp, they should be careful not to pull this stunt too often.
The takeaway here is to let the narration come first, mostly calling on the dice to resolve doubt.
Example of Play
The following is a short bit of play showcasing Rolls, Rerolls, Checks, and Gambits. Players are using their character’s names and in-character speech is in quotation marks. You will understand the actions they take and the terms they use better as you read further in this book.
Petra the Exiled Amazon and Mazzy the Singing Shepherd have just jumped off a cliff onto the back of a giant Wyvern to escape a deadly trio of Gargoyles, as one does.
Petra: “Can you fly this thing?”
Mazzy: “You’re the Amazon.”
Petra: “Where did you get it lodged in your noggin that Amazons flew around on these things? Hope you have a better idea in there.”
Mazzy: Oops. I wonder if I can hold on? Ehh no I am going to use a different approach. I’m a charming guy so I’ll make some screeching Wyvern noises and try to calm it…
Imp: creative… but unlikely, so Check.
Mazzy rolls a mere d12 as he has no relevant Career, Origin, or Skill. He gets a 2, then adds his +3 Cha for a total of 5. The Wyvern’s WP is 12 so this fails. Bad luck!
Mazzy: If I can’t control it the Gargoyles might catch us. I’m going to use a Gambit; if we fail, I don’t just lose control - the new consequence is the Wyvern will try to throw us off!
Imp: That’s a great consequence, but I’ll lessen it so it will only try to throw Petra off.
Petra: Jerk!
This time, Mazzy rolls a 9 for a total of 12. Still low, but just enough to reach the Wyvern’s 12 WP.
Imp: Much to your relief, it calms down a little and starts to soar. But it is still skittish, and you know better than to trust the thing. The Gargoyles can fly too, of course, and they are right behind you.
Petra: Whew! I would have found a way to take you down with me if I fell, you know.
Mazzy: Harsh. I mean I would have saved you somehow… “Ok Petra, you shoot!”
Petra: I level my flame staff on the gargoyle as it swoops in… rolled a 14 plus my Dex of 2 – 16!
Imp: hit him dead on, roll damage.
Petra: ok, the flame stave does 1d12, +1 for my Charisma…and it’s a 2? Ugh. I spend a WP and Reroll the 2… that’s a 10, so now it’s 11 damage. Wow, I am on fire tonight!
Imp: …and so is the Gargoyle. Eleven is over its HP so it drops out of the sky trailing smoke. One of the other Gargoyles swoops down to try and catch it. The third and last one glares at you, enraged, but it also flies off.
Mazzy: Weird. That is not how I thought this sort of monster would act.
Petra: Yeah, they really seem to look out for each other. I wonder what that is about?