I run mostly one-shots and short-form campaigns, so it's no surprise that I like my character growth quick and messy.
Slowly increasing scores and damage output over months of play just doesn't mesh with how I use the game, so that's how you end up with my current home-variant of Into the Odd: Quick and Messy.
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Three Established PCs |
The messiness starts from the very birth of a character, with the goal of making characters equally interesting, if not equally powerful.
I'll let you in on how I'm currently generating new characters.
So as you know, you roll 3d6 each for STR, DEX, WIL, and d6 for HP. You can swap two scores if you want, but I dare you not to.
You also get d6x10p in pocket-change. Forget shopping; Pennies are lunch-money at best, but at least you'll be able to afford a drink.
STARTER PACKS
- Match your Highest Ability Score against your HP to get your first Starter Pack.
- Match your Lowest Ability Score against your starting money for your second.
- A weapon states its damage, and perhaps a detail. For unusual weapons, the Referee clarifies questions about its use and limitations. Weapons causing d6 damage use one hand, and d8 two hands.
- If a player rolls the same starter pack as another, they take the next pack instead (right, then next row).
Highest Ability and Hitpoints
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1hp
|
2hp
|
3hp
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4hp
|
5hp
|
6hp
|
9 or less
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Spike-Gun (d8)
Oddity
|
Musket (d8)
Oddity
|
Pump-Gun (d8)
Oddity
|
Alleygun (d8)
Oddity
|
Funnelgun (d8)
Oddity
|
Hatchet (d6)
Oddity
|
10
|
Rifle (d8)
Oddity
|
Carbine (d8)
Oddity
|
Claymore (d8)
Oddity
|
Bladdergun (d8)
Oddity
|
Pistol brace (d8)
Oddity
|
Halberd (d8)
Grappling Hook
|
11
|
Shotgun (d8)
Oddity
|
Club (d6)
Oddity
|
Speargun (d8)
Oddity
|
Long-Pistol (d6)
Oddity
|
Maul (d8)
Whiskey
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Longaxe (d8)
Blowtorch
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12
|
Hammer (d8)
Oddity
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Pocketknife (d6)
Oddity
|
Mace (d6)
Oddity
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Flamethrower (d8 cone), Rum
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Truncheon (d6)
Rocket
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Duckpistol (d6)
Marbles
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13
|
Handcannon (d6), Oddity
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Sports Bat (d6)
Oddity
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Pole-Club (d8)
Firebomb
|
Harpoon (d6)
Net
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Cleaver (d6)
Putty
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Bonesaw (d6)
Stethoscope
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14
|
Pole-Axe (d8)
Oddity
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Pick-Axe (d8)
Bomb
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Chain (d6)
Grease
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Nail-Plank (d6)
Barbed Wire
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Crossbow (d8)
Bolt Cutters
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Knife (d6)
Spyglass
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15
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Mallet (d6)
Tongs
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Scalpel (d6)
Brandy
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Shovel (d8)
Flute
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Rapier (d6)
Smoke Bomb
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Pitchfork (d8)
Holy Book
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Polehook (d6)
Beast Repellent
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16
|
Cane (d6)
Pocketwatch
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Bow (d6)
Ether
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Crowbar (d6)
Cigars
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Machete (d6)
Fake Pistol
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Cutlass (d6)
Parachute
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Sabre (d6)
Magnifier
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17
|
Sledgehammer (d8), Drill
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Staff (d8)
Glue
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Whip (d6)
Shackles
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Pistol (d6)
Bug Book
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Dirk (d6)
Acid
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Garotte (d6)
Poison
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18
|
Sap (d6)
Whistle
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Fork (d6)
Gum Collection
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Spear (d6)
Puppet
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Axe (d6)
Wheelbarrow
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Poker (d6)
Wig Collection
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Tiny Pistol (d6)
Exquisite Pie
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Lowest Ability and Pennies
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10p
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20p
|
30p
|
40p
|
50p
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60p
|
3
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Minor Fame,
Fake Jewellery
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Pet Eagle
Frilly Shirt
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Perfect Memory
Fur Cloak
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Pet Hound
Fine Jacket
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Pet Parrot
Monocle
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Gills
Long Scarf
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4
|
Gifted Singer,
Puffy Hat
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Pet Mutt with Mind Link
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Pet Canary
Always Dirty
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Bodyguard (5hp, d8 Halberd)
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Pet Pigeon
Heavy Boots
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Society Connections
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5
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Idiot Twin (d6 club), Cape
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Pet Kestrel
Scruffy Hair
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Book Smart
Floppy Cap
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Language Skills
Fashion-Wear
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Dark-Vision
Rat Hat
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Especially Small
Rope Belt
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6
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Peg Leg
Animal Expert
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Gifted Engineer
Fox Hat
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Wooden Body
Mock Life
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Glorious Hair,
Missing Finger
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Pet Cat
Fine Gloves
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Elderly
Bloody Clothes
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7
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Cold Blooded,
Wide Hat
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Pet Donkey
Perfect Memory
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Pet Ferret
Naval Tattoo
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Iron Hand
Old Uniform
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Magic Trick
Fancy Shirt
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Slave Brand,
Cool Pipe
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8
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Acute Scent,
Feather Hat
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Pet Goat
Crazy Tattoos
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Double-Jointed,
Mask
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Appraisal Skills,
Old Suit
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Political Connections
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Toxin-Immune
Hunchback
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9
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Street-Smarts,
Stolen Gear
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Raised in Wilderness
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Toothless, Shoeless
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Never Sleep, Mad Stare
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Loved by Beasts
Puffy Shirt
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Hook Hand
Burnt Clothes
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10
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Formal Wear,
Gifted Dancer
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Gifted Cook
Gaudy Clothes
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2g Bounty
Warts
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Visibly Diseased (benign)
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Cult Believer
Pet Rat
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Bad Reputation
Studded Jacket
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11
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Bald,
Illiterate
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Ugly
Loud Whistle
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Eyepatch,
Echolocation
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Barely Literate,
Filthy Clothes
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Needs Glasses
Hated by Beasts
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Unusually Large
Thick Accent
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12 or more
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1g Debt
Bloody Eye
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Cannot Swim,
Wonky Face
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Mute,
Eats Raw Meat Only
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Lice Infested
Patchy Hair
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No Nose
Small Clothes
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Alcohol Allergy
Burnt Face
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Characters Growth happens in a number of ways, most notably through a refinement of my
previous Scars system.
SCARS
When you are taken to exactly
0hp, you get a Scar.
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Your
first Scar adds d6hp to your Maximum.
-
Scars
only occur in deadly situations, not training.
-
When
Non-humans take a Scar, the Referee may forgo the table for their own
creativity.
-
Specialists
overcome negative effects for a price, but a mark always remains.
Roll
d6 plus the damage caused by the attack.
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2:
Busted Foot - Reduced to a limp until fixed.
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3:
Lasting Pain - A nasty scar that causes intense pain if
pressed on.
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4:
Busted Lung - Your breathing is loud and you cough up blood
often. It’s gross.
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5:
Smashed Jaw - You lose a lot of teeth and get a speech
impediment.
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6:
Bloody Mess - It needs lots of Stitches, and you don’t
benefit from Resting until it’s done by a Specialist.
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7:
Shaken Nerves - You stammer, twitch, or shake, unless you use
something to calm your nerves.
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8:
Disfigurement - The injury leaves your face totally disfigured.
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9:
Mind Splinter - A specific element of this injury is stuck in
your psyche. Lose d6 WIL each time you're forced to confront it.
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10:
Gouged Eye - A random eye is gouged out.
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11:
Obsession - Do not benefit from rests until you achieve
revenge.
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12:
Hewn Limb - One of your limbs (1: right arm, 2: left arm,
3: right leg, 4: left leg) is torn off or in need of amputation.
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13:
Terrible Fracture - A random limb (1: right arm, 2: left arm, 3:
right leg, 4: left leg) is broken in the worst way. It can be set by a
specialist, but until then you cannot use it, or benefit from Rests.
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14:
Lost Sense - One of your senses is lost (1: Sight, 2:
Hearing, 3: Scent, 4: Taste).
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15:
Heart Damage - This vital organ is in critical state. If you
suffer this Scar again, you die.
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16:
Shadow of Death – You feel a cold hand on your shoulder and have
nightmares. Any time you sleep, pass a WIL Save or scream through the night.
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17:
Fractured Skull - You drool and slur. If you suffer this
Affliction a second time your skull is utterly split open and you die.
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18+:
Doomed to Die - You shouldn't have survived that. You have
nightmares of your own death. If you fail your next Save against Critical
Damage you die horribly. If you pass, remove this effect.
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PRESTIGE
When you achieve all the following criteria, you reach Prestige Status and add d6hp
to your Maximum.
-
Bravery: You have at least one
Scar.
-
Legacy: You have an apprentice
and heir.
-
Prominence: You have sold at least
one treasure worth 10g or more.
-
Eminence: You have been awarded a
medal, title, or another honour.
Then, roll d12 for your Vice. When you indulge your Vice,
re-roll your maximum HP on 3d6, keeping it if the result is higher.
Roll
d12
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1:
Grandiosity – Spend at least 10g on something frivolous.
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2:
Greed – Take something worth 10g from its
rightful owner.
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3:
Bloodlust – Kill ten sapient beings in one day.
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4:
Wanderlust – Visit a Far Land you have not visited before.
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5:
Vanity – Earn a medal or other honour from a figure of
genuine respect.
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6: Self-Preservation – Return from an expedition without having
taken any Ability Score Damage.
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7:
Zeal – Find a cult that you like and convert a new
member.
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8:
Nurturing – See your heir or apprentice reach Prestige Status.
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9:
Wrath – Utterly break somebody that has wronged you.
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10:
Hatred – Kill a specific rival or legendary creature.
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11:
Pride – Have somebody swear their life to you.
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12:
Malice – Aid in the collapse of an organisation or group
that you dislike.
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FOREGROUND GROWTH
Scars and Vices are just one example of Foreground Growth, alongside the obvious changes that come with increased wealth.
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The inevitable consequences of boat ownership. |
Now I try to give significant NPCs and Monsters a way to permanently alter the characters through interaction with them. Something direct, not giving the gift of EXP to be spent abstractly.
Let's take three of the example monsters in the core book, which I'll give a quick update to my current methods. I've bolded the examples of Foreground Growth opportunities.
Dust Hag
STR 8, DEX 13, WIL 11, 7hp. Claws (d6), Dust Staff (Spray dust, DEX Save or Blinded until the Hag is dead or lifts the curse).
- Turn to dust at will, ignoring physical attacks (cannot do this if wet).
- Direct one of her eyes to fly independently, but she can still see through it. If you help her, she will offer to pull one of your eyes out to give you the same gift.
- Lives to manipulate others, and has no agenda besides stirring up trouble and gaining influence.
Beckoning Shadow
STR 10, DEX 17, WIL 13, 6hp. Shadow Form (Immune to any attacks, but bright light repels it, and being trapped in light destroys it).
- Moves across walls as a shadow, mimicking with mocking exaggeration.
- Lures the unwary to touch hands, then grabs for d6 WIL loss each turn until they break free. At WIL 0 they are absorbed into the shadow.
- If someone breaks free from the shadow, it flees, but the victim's shadow becomes a pit to nothingness until the shadow is destroyed.
Strange Hunter
STR 13, DEX 13, WIL 12, 14hp, Glossy Body (Armour 1), Beam-Gun (d8, Disintegrates on Critical Damage), Alien-Blade (d8, one-handed).
- Speaks an unfathomable language and phases from this place to his Far Land at will.
- Looks at you with disgust but only wants to find big-prey to hunt.
- Keeps a watch on you, and if it witnesses you kill some big-prey it grants you the Cosmic Mark on your forehead (if you allow it). Intelligent beings from other Far Lands will respect and fear this.