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com/wonders
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z
z
CHAPTER 9

Running
Your Game
Looking to take your GM skills to the next level? The resources in this chapter
help you build the one-shot session plans in this book into an epic campaign.
You’ll find tips for running games, adding extra challenges and new ways
to reward your party. There are also simple guides to character creation
and combat, which are perfect for sharing with new players.
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Making a Character
P
Players, it’s time to create a unique character to embody at the
tabletop! Your choices will influence your character’s in-game
abilities, then a character sheet is used to store all that information.
The process can be confusing at first, so here’s a breakdown.

What can I choose? What numbers do I need?

The building blocks of your character are species There are many numbers on a character sheet,
(or race), class and background. These all give you here’s a list of the ones you’ll likely use the most.
different capabilities that you use in the game.

There are multiple options available for species, Ability Scores – Your character’s core
class and background, so select the combination abilities are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution,
that suits your vision for your character. Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.

To generate ability scores, roll four six-sided dice

Species – Gives you genetic aptitudes such as and add together the three highest results. Do
your speed or darkvision. You can also choose this six times, then assign your six totals to your
cultural traits, such as a language, based on the core abilities. Consider giving your highest score
traditions of your species or your upbringing. to the ability type that your class uses the most.
Finally, apply any bonuses to these scores that
Class – Your character’s specialism. This decides may have been granted by your choice of species.
the talents you possess such as spellcasting
ability, weapon competence, and hit die value. Modifiers – Each ability score has an associated
modifier. Modifiers increase or decrease the
Background – Describes what your character results of dice rolls when using an ability. To
was doing before their quest began. This choice calculate a modifier, minus 10 from the ability
influences the equipment your character may be score, then divide by 2 (rounding down). For
proficient with, as well as their skills. example, an ability score of 17 has a +3 modifier
(17− 10 = 7, 7 ÷ 2 = 3.5, rounded down to 3).
Level – Character levels range from 1 to 20.
Gaining adventuring experience helps your Skills – There are eighteen key skills. To calculate
character level up and increase their abilities. how good your character is at those skills, add the
Your character’s starting level is chosen in associated ability modifier to any bonuses you
agreement with the GM. receive for proficiency in that skill.

Starting equipment
You’ll start the game with a list of useful adventuring Your Armour Class (AC) determines how likely it is a
gear, armour and weapons. This can be taken directly creature’s attack will hit you. This is generally your
from the suggestions for your class or purchased from Dexterity modifier + 10, but can be boosted by armour.
the items available in the Equipment chapter of the
Basic Rules, with a budget of 4d4 x 10gp. You will need to be proficient with any weapons chosen.

Hit Points Personality

Your hit points (HP) reflect the amount of damage To decide your character’s personality, you can
you can take. At Level 1, your HP are equal to your select pre-written Ideals, Bonds, Flaws and Traits
Constitution modifier + the highest number on your from within your background. Or, you can get
class hit die. When levelling up, you gain HP equal creative and write some of your own, to link with
to your Constitution modifier + a roll of your hit die. your vision of the character’s backstory.

184 SPECIES CLASS STATS LEVEL HP BACKGROUND PROFICIENCIES GEAR AC BACKSTORY

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CHAPTER 9: RUNNING YOUR GAME

Playing a Session
P
As a GM, you describe the world your players exist in and what they
encounter. However, you aren’t in charge of exactly what happens.
Instead, the players propose the interactions their characters make,
and it’s up to the dice to decide if they are successful or not.

When do players roll? When do GMs roll?

As a player, you’re likely to roll the dice in one of A GM rolls ability checks, attack rolls and saving
three situations: throws on behalf of any enemy or ally characters,
in the same way a player rolls for their character.
1. A
 bility Check – When you try to do something
(e.g. “Can I climb the side of this building?”). Generally, the GM will tell the players the result of
any dice roll they make for an enemy or ally. You
2. A
 ttack Roll – When you try to hit something (e.g. may want to roll behind your GM screen to conceal
“I shoot an arrow at one of the Hydra’s heads!”). your results, or in front of the players to show you
are being honest!
3. S
 aving Throw – When you avoid something bad
happening to you (e.g. shake off a toxin’s effect). Occasionally, a GM will need to roll without letting
the players know the result, such as when an
Players don’t need to roll for everything they want
enemy makes a Stealth ability check to creep up
their character to do. If they want to open a shop
on the party. If the enemy successfully beats the
door, it is safe to assume they can manage it!
characters’ Passive Perception scores, don’t tell the
Players roll if the intended outcome is uncertain,
players until the enemy makes themselves known!
or if there would be a real consequence to failure.

How do rolls of the dice work?

You roll a twenty-sided die to get a result, then make any Here’s an example of how dice rolls work in play:
modifications based on the abilities or proficiencies
listed on your character sheet or monster stat block. Leena wants to help a worried merchant by lifting their
overturned cart and placing it back on its wheels.
The number rolled is compared to an opposing, pre-set
number to see if the action was successful:
The GM asks Leena to make a Strength ability check,
• Ability Checks are modified by the skill you are to see if she has what it takes to move the vehicle.
testing and rolled against a GM-set Difficulty Class (DC).
A good rule for setting DCs is: Easy = 10, Moderate = 15, The GM determines the task is of Moderate difficulty,
and Hard = 20. so has set a DC of 15 for the challenge.
• Attack Rolls are modified by Strength for melee and
Dexterity for ranged. The opposing creature’s Armour Leena rolls a twenty-sided die and gets a 13. She adds
Class (AC) determines whether the attack hits or not. her Strength modifier of +2 to get a final result of 15.

• Saving Throw difficulties are set by the rules of a spell Meeting or beating the DC means the action succeeds!
or special ability, or applied by the GM in the same way The GM describes how Leena successfully lifts the cart.
as a regular DC.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Sometimes, a player can roll with either advantage or To roll with advantage – roll two twenty-sided dice and
disadvantage. This could be based on their abilities, the take the higher roll.
current situation or their relationship with the person
they are speaking to. If another player’s character is To roll with disadvantage – roll two twenty-sided dice
helping with an action, this can also give advantage. and take the lower roll.

Generally, twenty-sided dice are used for everything apart from attack or spell damage calculations, where other dice are needed. 185
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Running Combat
P
Conflict is an integral part of all storytelling, and that is especially
true of RPG storytelling. When your party run into an opposing force,
combat often follows. Once you know the mechanics of running
combat, bring it to life with epic narration.

Initiative Order
As soon as a fight breaks out, the GM asks the players highest to lowest (including the monsters) determines
to make their Initiative rolls, and rolls Initiative for the a turn order for the ongoing combat. When each
monsters in the encounter. Players roll a twenty-sided combatant has taken a turn, a new round of combat
die and add their Dexterity modifier to the number begins, following the same order from the top, until
rolled. The list of everyone’s Initiative results from the combat encounter comes to an end.

Players’ Turns
Action – A character can typically take one action Movement – A character can also move on their turn;
per turn. Often, this is used to Attack with a weapon the distance is determined by their speed. On a battle
or Cast a Spell (if they are a magic user). map, each square is normally considered 5 ft wide, so
a character with 30 ft speed can run up to six squares.
There are also a variety of tactical actions a character
may take instead of an outright attack. These include, Reaction – Every character and monster has one
but are not limited to: Dash / Disengage / Dodge / Help reaction that they can spend during each round of
/ Hide / Ready / Search / Use an Object. Other class combat, this resets when a new round begins.
abilities may require an action to use.
Some spells and abilities use a reaction, but the most
Bonus Action – A character may also have access common use for a reaction is an opportunity attack.
to abilities or spells that are considered bonus actions, When a creature leaves another creature’s melee
which allow them to take another supplementary action range, the stationary creature can use their reaction
on their turn. to make a free attack roll against the moving creature.

Monsters’ Turns Taking Damage

The GM controls the enemies and allies, following When an attack hits a player or enemy, it inflicts
their stats and rules. Some creatures have abilities damage. The attacker rolls the damage dice in their
that need to recharge after use; roll a six-sided dice weapon or spell profile to determine the damage
at the start of the creature’s turn, if the number falls done, adding their modifiers. This number is
within the range listed, then the ability is recharged. deducted from the target’s Hit Points (HP).

Death Saving Throws

If a monster reaches 0 HP, they are killed and removed remains unconscious; three failures mean the character
from the battlefield. If a player’s character reaches 0 HP, sadly dies and the player must create a new character,
they are unconscious and must use their following turns who can be introduced in a following session.
to make death saving throws. To do this, the player must
roll a twenty-sided dice every turn until they reach three Rolling a 1 counts as two failures; rolling 2-9 counts as
successes or three failures, or until they are healed by an one failure; rolling between 10-19 counts as one success;
ally. Three successes mean the character stabilises, but rolling a 20 gives the character 1 HP, waking them up.

186 A player’s turn reflects what their character can achieve in six seconds; this can be a combination of actions and movement.
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CHAPTER 9: RUNNING YOUR GAME

Common Complications
P
During combat, you may encounter some unusual circumstances that
change how the rules of attacks, movement or damage calculations
are applied. Familiarising yourself with these terms and the
associated rules can help you run combat more smoothly.

Falling Mounted Combat

After falling, a creature can make a Dexterity saving Mounting or dismounting a creature uses half the
throw. If they don’t meet the DC that the GM has rider’s movement speed. The mount’s actions and
set, they take 1d6 damage for every 10 ft they fall, Initiative position depend on whether it is controlled
up to a maximum of 20d6. If they succeed on their by the rider or acts independently. Riders may fall if
Dexterity saving throw, they take half damage. a mount is moved against its will, or falls prone.

Conditions Chases
A condition alters a creature’s abilities in the During a chase, creatures may wish to use the Dash
game. For example, the Poisoned condition causes action to gain ground. Within one chase, a creature
disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. may only Dash so many times (3 + their Constitution
There are many other conditions, including Charmed, modifier), or risk exhaustion. If a character becomes
Frightened, Grappled, Invisible, Prone and Stunned. totally exhausted, their speed is reduced to 0.

Resistances Taking Cover

Some creatures react differently to certain forms of If a creature is shielded from its attacker, it is harder
damage. If a creature is resistant to a damage type, to hit. If half of the creature is covered, it has a +2
that damage is halved. If they are vulnerable to a bonus to its AC and Dexterity saving throws, whereas
damage type, that damage is doubled. Immunity three-quarters cover grants a +5 bonus. Total cover
means that damage type causes no harm at all. means a creature can’t be targeted directly.

Exhaustion Difficult Terrain

Strenuous activity, lack of rest, exposure to harsh Dense undergrowth and deep snow are examples of
conditions and some spell effects can give creatures terrain that could slow down movement. In combat,
levels of exhaustion. A creature can remove a level of each square of difficult terrain costs 10 ft of speed
exhaustion by completing a long rest. The first level to cross. When travelling across a region in difficult
of exhaustion gives disadvantage on ability checks. terrain, the journey’s travel time is doubled.

Underwater Area of Effect

If a creature does not have a swim speed, their speed A spell can either target a single being, or an area
is halved when in water. Weapon attacks are often of the battlefield. If a spell has an area of effect, the
made at disadvantage, although some weapons, spell description will detail the shape of the affected
such as spears, function normally. Most creatures area, whether that is a cone, cube, cylinder, line or
can hold their breath for 1 minute, or 10 turns. sphere, as well as its size and point of origin.

187
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