Searchers of the Unknown boiled D&D down to HD, HP, AC, Damage, Movement.
Clearly a cumbersome bloat of a system.
I mean who even uses Movement? HD and HP? Talk about crunch city. Different ratings for different armour? Variable weapon damage??
I've had it with these simulation-obsessed robots ruining my hobby.
I stripped back Into the Odd for a bit of fun, but it seems my work isn't done. Let's get minimalist on the colossus that is Searchers of the Unknown.
Unknown!
You start at Level 1. At the end of each session you level up, to a maximum Level 9. You start with a weapon, a tool, and an heirloom of your choice.
A Roll is d10 aiming for your Level or Lower.
Attackers Roll to hit the target. When a target has taken hits equal to their Level they are defeated, and must Roll or Die. Defeated beings always get an injury. Hits are recovered with a night's rest.
Armour and Shields can be destroyed to ignore a single hit. Both encumber you.
Traps risk out outright death or dismemberment if not handled well. Anyone who triggers a deathtrap gets a last chance to Roll or Die. In the case of other traps, the consequences are more creative.
Artifacts have function that's powerful, but not universally useful. Some may require a Roll to use without suffering harm. Tomes contain powerful spells that require complex rituals to cast.
Monsters have a level between 1-9 representing their general danger. They have two things that they want, a special power, and may have loot.
Sludge Troll (L6) - Stinky brute with a trunk.
Wants to bully smaller things and grow a disgusting garden.
Regenerates any physical harm at will, except that caused by burning.
Hides disgusting but delicious fungus in his lair.
Death Spider (L8) - Huge white spider.
Wants to catch things in its webs and philosophize with them at length.
Anyone hit takes a second hit from numbing poison.
Has a library of old books stashed deep in the webs.
Scypple (L1) - Little blue imp.
Wants to watch from just outside your field of vision and make you look stupid.
Can turn water it can see to ice.
Has a few pieces of jewelry stolen from the dead.
Glow-Puncher (L3) - Glowing humanoid.
Wants to scare people by smashing their surroundings, and consume sources of light.
Gains a level for each light source it consumes, and can disguise itself as a glowing ball.
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