1. General Course of Events
2. Requirements for Play
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DragonQuest is a fantasy roleplaying game. In a roleplaying game, a player is a character in another world. Unlike a conventional game, the players do not sit around a board and move pieces. The players sit in a semicircle about the GM, each with only a sheet on which is recorded information about his character. The object of a roleplaying game is not for an individual player to win (in fact, there is no winner), but to enjoy a stimulating interchange between the players as characters and the GM (GM).
The GM plots the background for an adventure, invents a segment of a fantasy world, and plays the part of every being not represented by another player. The game flows as a result of give and take between the GM and the other players. The GM informs the players of the situation in which the characters find themselves, the players tell him what their characters are doing, and the GM in turn tells the players what happens in response to their characters' actions.
DragonQuest can be played in two ways. The first is as an individual session. If played this way, the players are taking characters for one play session only, and are trying to complete a mission of limited scope. The players are not interested in a full-fledged roleplaying game in this case. It will be sufficient to be a team with a common goal just this once. However, DragonQuest is best played as a campaign. The game does not end at the conclusion of one of the players' get-togethers. A player roleplays the same character until the character dies. During a campaign, a character's personality should become more and more evident as he is granted a fief, gets married, declares blood-feuds, etc. A campaign continues indefinitely, until the players either become separated in the real world, die or (heaven forbid!) lose interest.
The following is an informal sequencing of the order in which the GM should cause events to occur. What is written here is not intended to supplant any of the rules in the related sections of the rules. This cycle (A. through C.) is repeated indefinitely, as long as the campaign lasts.
The GM is responsible for preparing an adventure before he and the players game it out.
The GM must decide what options he is going to present to the players. This can be done as a series of questions posed to himself: What are the players supposed to accomplish? Where are they supposed to go? Who (or what) is their adversary? How are they supposed to find out about their mission? Is any particular non-player character interested in this mission? How much information should the GM tell the players?
The GM must map the land or sea area in which he expects the player characters to travel (see rule 151.3). This must include the area between the characters' current location and their destination, and should take in a sizeable portion of the surroundings. The GM must also plan the interior of any structures that will figure prominently in the adventure.
The GM must prepare a listing for each of the beings directly opposing or obstructing the completion of the player characters' mission (see rule 131). Additionally, he must prepare listings for a few miscellaneous encounters, which can be picked at random when the characters are due to meet something other than their ultimate foe. The GM will probably wish to append some notes to the descriptions of the characters' adversaries.
The GM checks that all Character Records are current and that any new entries have been figured correctly, if he has not done so already. He writes any data about the characters that their players are not supposed to know in his private campaign record.
The players engage in some initial preparation, and then they play out the adventure with the GM.
Any player without a character must generate a new one; any player with a character may generate a new one. There is no limit to the number of characters an individual player may have; however, a player may never control more than one character at a time. Someone who likes variety might choose to rotate five or six characters on consecutive adventures. The GM should strictly limit the interaction between multiple characters controlled by the same player.
The players must choose a leader. They must also inform the GM of which non-player characters they wish to accompany them on adventure; the GM, in turn, tells the players who is willing to accompany their characters. Any purchases for the upcoming adventure are made at this point.
The players, representing their characters, and the GM, representing any non-player characters, haggle to decide how any booty will be split. The standard Adventurers' Guild contract is suggested (see rule 153.4).
The players and the GM wrap up the adventure, and the players decide what to do with their characters.
The GM awards the characters Experience Points, depending on each player's performance during the adventure (see rule 160.).
A player who objected strenuously to a decision of the GM has one last chance to try and change the GMs mind. All decisions are final past this point.
The players inform the GM of how much their characters will spend on upkeep per week, until the next adventure begins or the character goes broke (see rule 159.3).
Each player informs the GM how his character will use the time between adventures. This is especially important for increasing ability ranks and acquiring new abilities.
If a player wishes his character to undertake any action which requires the attention of the GM, he and the GM play it out at the GMs convenience.
If the player wishes to increase the Rank or value of an ability, skill or characteristic, he must have sufficient Experience Points in his character's Experience Point Bank and have his character perform all prerequisites successfully (see rule 161.). He so informs the GM, and a change is made on his Character Record.
The GM marks off the passage of game time on his calendar (see rule 152.1).
The players must have certain equipment and knowledge of the basics of the game before they can play DragonQuest. The GM requires additional material and, of course, a thorough familiarity with the rules.
The flavor of each and every roleplaying campaign is heavily
influenced by the knowledge (or lack thereof) and prejudices
of the GM who runs it, no matter what set of rules
are
being used. Some GMs emphasize combat in their worlds, some
magic, some monsters, some wilderness adventures, and some
dungeon expeditions. The rules of any game are simply a common
set of guides for both the players and the GM so they may
speak the same language and have some common base from which
their ideas may spring. Game masters should feel free to add
or delete any of these rules with the understanding that he
does so at his own risk in terms of play balance and systems
integration.
Since the GM is the final arbiter of these rules, most rules questions should be answered by him.
A Tactical Display is used to portray a variety of terrain and interior features that can affect combat between characters, monsters, and non-player characters. The display is overlaid with a hexagonal grid to regulate the movement and positioning of the playing pieces. Each hexagon (or hex) equals 5 feet of terrain from side to side.
Most often, roleplayers use metal miniatures (available from many hobby stores) to represent their character while he occupies the display. If these are unavailable or undesirable, cardboard counters (such as those used in board games) are equally useful, if not as picturesque. In a pinch, such markers as chess pieces, toy soldiers, or other small items (dice of different colors often work well) may be substituted without affecting play. The GM will need markers of some kind to represent any monsters or non-player characters also occupying the display. Doors, chairs, walls, trees, windows, fireplaces, chests, and other items of importance will also have to be represented. A combination of small markers and lightly drawn-in features will solve most of these problems. A note should be made of any ambiguous item or drawing.
At least one set of two ten-sided dice are needed for play, and it is most desirable to have several sets available at all times. The GM will need to have his own set with which to roll those checks he needs to keep hidden from the prying eyes of players. With a group of players numbering three or more, any combat situation will have many die rolls happening in rapid succession, and play will be greatly slowed if each player has to reach across the table for the only available set of dice.
Dstands for
dieor
dice.
A jargon for the number of dice rolled has been
established in the roleplaying hobby, and this jargon is
used throughout the rules. When the players are told to
roll D10
or 1D10
, this means one of them is
to roll a single ten-sided die (since the die is only
marked 1 through 0, this will yield a digit between 1 and
0). 2D10
would direct the players to roll two
ten-sided dice and sum the results, etc. Note that when a
dice code is suffixed with D10
, any result
of 0
(zero) on a die is treated as a 10
.
Example: Two rolls of 0
would equal 20 (twenty) when the players are directed to
roll 2D10.
D100
, 1D100
or percentile dice
would
direct a player to roll two ten-sided dice of different
colors, treating one as the first digit of a two-digit
number, and the other as the second digit.
Example: If a player rolls
a 3
on the first die and a 9
on the second
die, the dice-roll would be 39
.
Note that a roll of 0
on the first die could not
be interpreted without the use of the roll on the second
die. If the roll on the second die is 1 through 9 (e.g.,
07), the roll is treated as the appropriate number 1
through 9. However, if the roll on the second die
is 0
giving a result of 00
), then the result
is treated as 100 (one hundred).
If a dice code is followed by a positive or negative number (e.g., D10+3, 2D10−4), add or subtract the number as indicated to or from the dice roll.
Example: 2D10−1 would direct the players to roll two ten-sided dice and subtract one from the sum of those rolls (to obtain the result).
Sometimes, an addition to, or subtraction from, a die or dice roll is referred to as a modifier. All modifiers affect a 1D10 die roll.
Example: A +4
modifier is the
same as D10+4
.
When instructed to roll a D5, the player should roll a D10 and halve the result, rounding fractions up.
Therefore, the result of 2D10 can never be less than 2, the result of 3D10 never less than 3.
Suggestions are made throughout the rules as to who should roll dice in a particular situation, but the GM has the final authority in this matter. Where the very act of rolling dice may give the players more information than the GM wishes them to know, he should intersperse relevant dice rolls with meaningless ones to confuse them. The GM should set up his playing space so that the players cannot see his records or the results of any die he rolls.
This can be achieved by using a cardboard screen (GM Screen) that has useful tables printed on it, and thus is readily accessible by the GM when needed.