Created by Matthew Bannock

Community development, editing, and layout by Tim Bannock

Art by Misosile Busher(HIZIKI)

Table of Contents
What is FARM Champions … 1
Playing the Game … 2
Character & Community Creation … 7
Gear & Supplies … 14
The Community … 19
Experience & Improvement … 24
Monsters & Threats … 27

©Matthew Bannock. All art ©Misosile Busher(HIZIKI) and used with permission.
Permission to print/photocopy for personal use only.
F.A.R.M. Champions BETA 
 
 

What is F.A.R.M. Champions?  FARM Champions is, at its default, a game of 
heroic characters in a fantasy version of a 
It’s up to both the Narrator and the players to 
collaborate on creating the finer details, but 
FARM Champions is a roleplaying game where  medieval world, much as you’d find in many  generally you just want to focus on discussing 
you (the players) play young heroes forced by  other roleplaying, video, and board games. It  the general tone of the game before you begin. 
choice or circumstance into embarking on a  typically depicts a fairly optimistic view of such  Everything else can be built up and expanded 
quest, going on adventures, and taking odd jobs  a world, and it can handle scenarios that focus  upon during gameplay. The preferences of the 
(all developed by the Narrator) to protect and  on slice-of-life events as easily as it can handle  entire gaming group should guide the sorts of 
improve your community.  epic quests. It probably works best to vary your  characters built, threats they will face, and the 
scenarios between that gamut to really get a  scenarios and quests they embark upon. 
All you need to do is:  sense of what the community means to the 
1. Get together with 1-5 friends interested 
characters, and vice versa. 
   
in playing.   
2. Gather at least two six-sided dice (d6), a 
copy of the character sheet 
for each player, and some 
scratch paper for taking 
notes, making sketches, and 
drawing maps as needed. 

   

   

1 
Playing the Game  Tests 
 
Other Types of Dice Rolls 
 
If something is relatively easy to do, don’t roll 
When you are acting against the environment, or  ❖ Sometimes, you will roll one six-sided 
dice. Just narrate how you do it. 
you’re in a situation where there isn’t someone  die (1d6) or two six-sided dice (2d6) and 
If something is challenging:  there to oppose you, but there’s something  you won’t add the results together. 
interesting that could happen whether you  ❖ You may occasionally see rolls with 
succeed or fail, you roll and compare your total  modifiers (1d6+1 or 1d6-1) in which 
2d6 + your relevant Skill (if any) + your Gear (if 
against a set target number: a ​‘test​.’  case you roll the die (or dice) and simply 
any) = your t​ otal​. 
add or subtract the modifier from the 
  Standard Difficulty & Examples  result. 
The Rule of 2  Task  Target  Example Tasks  ❖ You may also see notations like 1d3 or 
  Difficulty  Number  1d2: this means roll a six-sided die and 
Whenever you roll two 1s on your six-sided dice  Easy  7  Picking a simple lock.  divide the result by 2 or 3, respectively; 
for a test or contest, the action fails.  Busting down a wooden  always round down. 
door. Casting a minor 
Unskilled Rolls  spell.     
  Average  10  Picking a complex lock. 
When you don’t have a skill that applies to the  Busting down an 
action, and the Narrator determines that the  iron-banded door. 
action is unfamiliar to your character, they may  Investigating a crime 
apply a penalty to your roll of -1 (unfamiliar), -2  scene. 
(out of your depth), or -3 (alien to you).  Hard  14  Finding a magically 
concealed door. Busting 
Contests  down an iron door or 
  barred gate. Convincing 
If you are acting against another character,  the castellan to let you 
creature, or force that actively opposes you with  speak directly to the king 
some trait, you both roll dice (usually a player  despite not having an 
versus the Narrator) and compare the totals.  invitation to the court. 
The higher total wins. This is called a ​‘contest​.’ If   
a tied result doesn’t make sense, the character 
that initiates the contest has the advantage, and 
 
therefore wins all ties.     
 
   

2 
Combat  between the fighting parties, generally no more  Retreat 
  than three moves.  If you take no other action than a move on your 
Whereas most challenges are resolved with a  turn, you can retreat as your action. This puts 
You can always move and take an action in any  you at least two moves away from your 
single dice roll against a target number or 
order. In other words, you can move first and  opponent(s), or takes you out of the battle 
against an opponent’s dice roll, combat is more 
then take an action, or take an action and then  completely, subject to your intentions, the terrain 
involved. It follows this flow: 
move.  (cover, winding streets), and the Narrator’s 
1. Initiative: Everyone involved in a combat  approval. 
If you are ever knocked off your feet (often 
round rolls 1d6 to see who goes first. 
referred to as being “knocked prone”), it takes 
2. The highest rolling character or creature  Damage 
one move to get back up. 
acts first.  A successful hit will deal a number of points of 
3. Then each other character or creature in  Attack  damage, which are subtracted from your Health 
descending order, until everyone has  Points, abbreviated ‘HP’ (more about them 
An attack is a contested roll where the attacker 
acted once.  below). 
uses an appropriate weapon or unarmed 
4. Then, start back at the top of the  combat-related skill, and the defender uses an 
initiative order and go through it all  appropriate defense related skill. The attack 
Armor 
again until the encounter ends.  Armor provides a property called damage 
succeeds if the attack total is equal to or greater 
reduction (abbreviated ‘DR’ for short), usually 
than the defender's roll. 
An encounter ends when all opponents on one  rated 1 or 2. This number is subtracted from the 
side are defeated, flee, surrender, or are 
Cast a Spell  damage dealt to you by an attack, down to a 
otherwise no longer a viable threat to the party.  minimum of 1 point of damage. In other words, 
Casting a spell is typically an Easy test; see the 
Magic section for some exceptions. Some  every successful attack deals at least 1 damage, 
Taking Action  but armor protects you from a certain amount of 
creatures will have abilities that allow them to 
You may M ​ ove ​and take one other action on  additional damage. 
turn magic into a contested roll. 
your turn: 
Interact with an Object  Health 
❖ Attack  Your Health Points (HP) represent a 
❖ Cast a spell  Interacting with an object is a broad category of 
action that generally covers:  combination of physical sturdiness, stamina, 
❖ Interact with an object  mobility, focus, and alertness in stressful 
❖ Retreat  situations. As your HP is depleted, you might 
❖ Opening or closing a door. 
❖ Drawing or stowing an item.  suffer from cuts, bruises, sprains, exhaustion, 
You can always speak freely (unless a spell or 
❖ Quaffing a potion.  dizziness, and the general confusion of combat 
condition says otherwise!). 
❖ Picking up an object off the floor, such  or physical exertion. 
Move  as a dropped weapon. 
❖ Pulling a torch out of its wall sconce.   
Movement is highly abstracted: assume you can 
move from ranged combat (with a bow, sling, or  ❖ Picking a simple lock.     
spell) to melee combat (hand-to-hand or close  ❖ Disabling a pressure plate connected to 
weapons like swords and daggers) with a single  a trap. 
move. If an encounter happens at extreme 
range, simply denote range by number of moves 

3 
Wellness  character’s Wellness, but these should be used  this scene, and likely for a long time afterward. 
Every character has a “track” representing their  sparingly.  They can recover (and the Narrator may choose 
well being, separate (though in some ways tied  to begin tracking their Wellness), but most of the 
to) their Health. This is their Wellness. Wellness  Only important NPCs and monsters, as  time, they are permanently out of the action, no 
represents a broader (and not necessarily  determined by the Narrator, have Wellness. In  longer a threat the characters have to deal with 
physical) aspect of a character’s health outside  most cases, creatures are fine (no penalties  now or in the future. 
of Health Points. This includes their long-term  form degraded Wellness), but they are defeated 
vitality, emotional and mental state, and  once and for all when their Health Points are  Healing 
disposition.  reduced to zero.  Without the aid of magical spells or items, you 
recover your Health Points and your Wellness a 
Wellness is a track with four positions. As a  Defeat  little bit over a period of time. Called a rest, 
character’s Wellness is put in jeopardy, they  When your Health Points are reduced to 0, you  during this time you can only sleep or engage in 
move down the track, and are affected by  fall unconscious: you are d​ efeated​. Your  light, non-strenuous activity (no combat, no 
penalties on all of their dice rolls in tests and  Wellness is immediately reduced by 1. Generally,  lifting heavy boxes or tools, etc.). 
contests, like so:  this means that your character is helpless, and 
any subsequent blows do not deal damage in  During a s
​ hort rest​, which lasts 1 hour, you 
Wellness  Effects  Health Points but instead reduce your Wellness  recover a number of Health Points based on 
0  No penalties  by another point (no matter how many HP they  your current Wellness: 3 HP when you’re at 
would have dealt). Once you are  Wellness 0, 2 HP when you’re 
-1  -1 on all tests and contests 
reduced below Wellness -3, you  at Wellness -1, 1 HP when 
-2  -2 on all tests and contests  are permanently out of play,  you’re at Wellness -2, or 0 HP 
-3  -3 on all tests and contests  having either died or suffered  when you’re at Wellness -3 
  trauma too great to recover from  (see below). You can only 
The things that affect Wellness include:  and continue a life of adventuring.  benefit from 1 short rest in a 
Alternatively, the Narrator and  single 24 hour period. 
❖ Exhaustion  other players may help you 
❖ especially strong negative emotions like  determine different effects of  A ​long rest​ lasts 8 hours, and 
anger or sadness  subsequent damage with  you recover all of your Health 
❖ slow-acting poison  long-term effects.  Points during this time, unless 
❖ magical attacks that might inflict  you were defeated. You can 
confusion and befuddlement  Monsters and NPCs without  only benefit from 1 long rest 
❖ the stresses on both body and mind  Wellness (i.e. most of them)  in a single 24 hour period. 
when dealing with traumatic injuries or  operate slightly differently from 
psychological damage  player characters. When they are  To recover your Wellness, you 
defeated, the Narrator and the  must have five consecutive 
Specific game effects will call out when they  players determine what this  days in which you take long 
affect Wellness, but the most common is when a  means in the scenario: defeated  rests. At that point, you 
character is defeated (see below). Narrators are  does not have to mean death, but  recover 1 Wellness. 
free to create new special effects that target a  it does always mean that the 
opponent is down and out for the count. They   
are unable to act or do anything for the rest of     
 

4 
Magic  Magic Skills  Spell List 
  Magic Skill  Repertoire  Bless​: This basic luck spell is cast on you or 
These are areas of magical expertise used by  Animal Magic  Bless Beasts, Communicate  another creature. That creature may choose to 
Acolytes and Mages. Each area -- the Magic Skill  with Beasts, Summon Beasts  re-roll a die within 5 minutes of the spell being 
itself -- dictates what spells you can cast; this is  cast. They only re-roll one die: for example, if 
Fire Magic  Area Smite, Fire, Smite 
known as the magic skill’s repertoire of spells.  they make a test, they only re-roll one of the 2d6 
Typically, having a magic skill grants you three  Holy Magic  Bless, Healing, Smite  they rolled. 
spells to start with. If you have multiple magic  Necromancy  Communicate with Undead   
skills, you still only have three spells, but you can  (spirits), Smite, Summon  Bind​: This is the ability to entangle a 
choose any combination of three spells from the  Undead  human-sized opponent in bindings; these might 
repertoire associated with your magic skills.  Plant Magic  Bind, Communicate Plants,  be vines and roots, magical symbols given 
Create  physical form, ghostly shackles, or whatever fits 
For example, if you have both Animal Magic and  the style of the caster. The bindings can be 
Ritual Magic  Bless, Curse, Summon Undead 
Plant Magic, you could choose any of the spells  attacked (an Easy test), and have 6 Health 
(spirits) 
listed with either skill, but only up to a total of  Points. If reduced to 0 HP, the target is freed. 
three. You might choose Bless Beasts and  Water/Ice  Bind, Create, Smite  Otherwise, the bindings last an hour. 
Summon Beasts from your Animal Magic skill,  Magic   
and Bind from your Plant Magic repertoire.    Communicate​: This spell gives you the ability to 
Spellcasting  communicate with something unusual, such as 
Some spells only affect the noted types of  Spells are magical effects cast by an Acolyte or  plants, animals, the spirits of the dead, 
creatures. You can’t cast Bless Beasts on a  Mage. Spells require the character to have a free  elemental creatures, and so on. Alternatively, it 
human, for example. These creature types are  hand to direct the spell (possibly through the use  can be used to speak a language you don’t 
detailed more fully in the Bestiary chapter.  of a particular ingredient, component, or a focus  otherwise know. 
Special types like Undead (spirits) denote an  such as a wand), and the ability to speak in order   
even more specific type of creature.  to incant the magical words of power that bring  Create​: This is the ability to create a useful item 
the spell into existence. The Narrator may  out of thin air, such as conjuring a fruit using 
The following lists of magic types and spells are  Plant Magic. These creations are permanent for 
decide whether a spell requires rare or special 
not meant to be exhaustive: players and  small items, 24 hours for something roughly 
spell ingredients. 
Narrators should work together to expand them  human-sized, and 1 hour or less for very large 
after having played several sessions of FARM  Each spell requires a skill roll that costs one  items. 
Champions and understanding the rules of the  spell point to cast; unless otherwise stated,   
game.  casting a spell is an Easy task with a target  Curse​: This spell inflicts a foe with one unlucky 
number of 7.  event within 1 day. Alternately, curse can remove 
 
a positive spell or enchantment of some kind on 
    Acolytes have 3 spell points, while Mages have  someone or something. If the original magic 
6. Spell points refresh automatically  was cast by someone of greater power, you 
(automagically?) at a rate of 1 point every 20  suppress the effect for some time (usually 1d6 
minutes for Acolytes, and 1 point every 10  hours), but if you are more powerful, you can 
minutes for Mages.  permanently end the effect. 
 

5 
Fire​: This is the ability to create or extinguish a  Improvising a Spell   
torch-sized fire. 
 
If you want to use a spell you don’t have, but 
have a justification that your magic skill should 
   
Heal​: This spell comes in two forms, depending  apply, you can appeal to the Narrator and other 
on how long you choose to spend casting it. It  players to do so as a rare stunt. If they approve, 
requires a minute to cast and heals 1d6 Health  you make your spell test with a -2 penalty to see 
Points, or can be cast as an action during  if it works or not. (You can then add that spell to 
combat and heals 1d3 Health Points.  your repertoire with 
  experience points; see the 
Smite​: This is the generic name for any spell  Experience & Improvement 
designed to deal damage. You can deal 1d6+1  chapter.) 
damage to a target within line of sight. Area 
Smite deals 1d6 damage to all creatures in a 10  For example, Mira is a Mage 
foot radius. (Yes, that means allies, too.)  with the Water Magic skill. 
  She wants to use her water 
Summon​: This spell summons an ally that hangs  magic to cast the 
around for 5 minutes. This duration can be  Communicate spell to speak 
extended by spending additional spell points: +5  with a water elemental spirit. 
minutes per additional spell point. Summons are  The Narrator and other 
generally less powerful than player characters.  players will decide if this is a 
Some example summons from the Monsters &  fair use of the magic. If the 
Threats chapter include:  group approves the 
❖ Giant hornet  improvised spell, Mira rolls 
❖ Bandits, guards, pirates    her spell test at a -2 penalty. 
Using Magic  If successful, she can speak 
While this set of spells gives you a good  with the spirit, but if she fails, 
foundation for how you use magic, you should  she risks annoying it! 
not feel limited by this list. With some creativity, 
you can create new uses for the spells you have,  Learning a New Spell 
expand your breadth or depth of knowledge of a  To create an entirely new 
spell, or create all new spells.  spell, you must first have 
approved and improvised the 
This section covers additional rules for magic.  casting of the spell, as above 
All of these can be considered optional and  (see Improvising a Spell). 
advanced rules. There’s no need to explore them  After successfully casting 
until after the first several sessions of playing  the spell, you can spend 
FARM Champions, so you can get used to the  experience points to add this 
standard spells and spellcasting.  new spell to your repertoire, attached to one of 
your magic skills. (See the chapter on 
Experience & Improvement for more 
information.) 
 

6 
Character & Community 
Creation 
Part of creating your character is creating the 
community that your character lives in and helps 
prosper through their heroic quests, typical day 
to day tasks of their job, and any other odd jobs 
that they may pick up along the way. 

Creating a Character 
 
Creating your character is quick and easy. We’ll 
cover all of this in detail below. 

1. All of the players and the Narrator 

discuss the tone of the game, which 
determines the campaign setting and 
provides you with the starting attributes 
of your settlement. 
2. Choose a class: Fighter, Acolyte, Rogue, 
or Mage. 
3. Choose an occupation. There are lots of 
jobs, and each one provides modifiers to 
the settlement’s attributes. 
4. Choose 5 skills that you are good at. 
5. Choose or roll to find out about your 
guardian figure. 
6. Choose or roll to find out about your 
problem. 
7. You start at Wellness 0. 
8. Your maximum Health Points is 15. 
9. You have 45 coins to spend on  Campaign Setting & Settlement  Settlement 
equipment.  FARM Champions typically takes place in a 
 
10. Fill in the details: your name, heritage,  village that the PCs live in and have grown up in. 
You start the game by discussing the tone of the 
physical description, 1-3 personality  Every settlement has traits called attributes that 
game. This should include a general idea of the 
traits or typical habits, and a brief  will fluctuate during play: they will increase as 
setting (usually a fantasy medieval world), which 
backstory. Try to leave some gaps and  the community prospers, usually through the 
determines two things: the Settlement and the 
blanks to be determined during game  actions of the PCs, and they will decrease when 
Campaign Setting. 
play! 

7 
the community is faced with threats from inside  The Narrator, or the group as a whole using a  Campaign Setting 
or outside. These attributes are:  voting process, can assign the following values  1d6  Setting  Attribute Modifiers 
in any order they wish to those attributes: 4, 5, 6, 
Safety​: A measure of the general might and  1  Colony  Safety -1, Solidarity 
7, 7, 7​. The lower an attribute is, the more likely it 
proliferation of trained military, militia members,  +1 
is to be threatened by various events, 
mercenary soldiers, or other forces dedicated to  organizations, monsters, and so on. Luckily,  2  Frontier  Leadership -1, 
the protection of the settlement and its  there are quite a few opportunities to increase  Resources +1 
surroundings.  these values during character creation alone,  3  Populated  Solidarity -1, Safety 
never mind the quests and jobs you undertake  +1 
Resources​: A general indicator of the natural  during the game that will help your community 
resources available to the settlement, such as  4  Settled  Resources -1, 
prosper.  Enlightenment +1 
gardens, farms, nearby orchards, rock quarries, 
mines, timber, and so on.  Once you’ve assigned ratings to the attributes,  5  Wilderness  Safety -1, Resources 
you can further discuss the particulars of each  +1 
Industry​: The industriousness of the folk of the  trait and what it means at its current rating, but  6  Re-roll*   
settlement; basically, how quickly and how well  you don’t have to do that until the end of   
they turn the resources into useful product to  character creation, or even at all: the Narrator  *When you roll a 6, re-roll the die. If you get a 1 
utilize, buy, sell, and so on.  can fill in the details as game play progresses.  through 5, take that setting. If you roll a second 
Keep in mind that these are meant to be  6 instead, the setting is Darklands (Safety -1, 
Enlightenment​: Measures the progressive nature 
somewhat vague, open-ended traits, and you  Industry -1). 
of the people, whether it stems from world 
don’t have to exhaustively define things like 
wisdom, higher learning, or some combination 
what resources are actually available unless (or 
of the two. 
until) it matters to the scenario at hand. 
Solidarity​: An indication of the camaraderie and 
civic mindedness of the folk in the settlement.  Campaign Setting 
As you’ve discussed the tone and initial village 
Leadership​: Measures the charisma, influence,  where game play begins, you can also determine 
and organization of the settlement’s leading  that village’s place in the larger world. Often, this 
members, usually but not always involving its  is a choice that the Narrator makes as part of 
government, infrastructure, wise elders, and so  setting the tone of the campaign, but you can 
on.  leave this decision up to a vote from the entire 
group (with the Narrator breaking ties, if 
  necessary), or even roll a single six-sided die to 
determine it. Regardless of the method you use, 
    you will apply the noted modifiers to the 
settlement’s attributes. 

 
     

8 
Class  Acolyte  Rogue 
  A religious mystic, healer, or teacher dedicated to  A thief, trapper, stealthy warrior, or anyone who 
Your character’s class determines the heroic  serving a higher being or purpose. Acolytes have  uses wit to get by. 
path they have taken in life since they’ve been  access to magic gifted to them from their calling, 
forced into a role of stewardship for the  or through the use of rituals.  Weapons, Armor and Shields​. Rogues can use 
community. Each class gives you benefits that  any weapon and wear any armor, but cannot use 
are unique to it, as described below.  Weapons, Armor and Shields​. Acolytes can use  shields. When they wear heavy armor, they can 
any weapons and wear any armor, but don’t use  no longer make use of their swiftness bonus, 
Fighter  shields because they quickly need to free up at  however. 
Someone who specializes in physical combat, or  least one hand to cast their spells by 
brandishing their holy symbol or religious focus.  Swiftness​. Naturally adept at getting the drop on 
may have a natural aptitude for physical skills. 
their foes, rogues have a +1 bonus to their 
Weapons, Armor and Shields​. Fighters can use  Spellcasting​. Acolytes have 3 spell points. They  initiative rolls. As noted above, they lose this 
any weapon, wear any armor, and use shields.  automatically recharge 1 spell point every 20  bonus if they wear heavy armor. 
minutes. 
Fighting Skill​. Damage bonus +1 with all  Mage 
weapons.  Calling​. An acolyte is dedicated to something  A magical scholar specializing in using alchemy 
bigger than themselves, though this can take on  and arcane science to form spells. 
Powerhouse​. Bonus +1 on all tests or contests  many aspects. Use this as an opportunity to 
involving athletic ability and physical fitness.  collaborate as a group on the sorts of mystical  Weapons, Armor and Shields​. Mages can wear 
connections the folk of this campaign setting  light armor, but cannot use two-handed 
have. Perhaps you are dedicated to ancestor  weapons or shields because they need a hand 
spirits, forces of nature (the wind, the elements  free to cast their spells. 
of earth or fire), specific patron deities (Ra the 
God of the Sun, Aleena Goddess of Protection)  Spellcasting​. Mages have 6 spell points. They 
or concepts that might hold power (Justice,  automatically recharge 1 spell point every 10 
Hearth & Home, Law). It’s okay to leave some  minutes. 
things vague or open to be filled in during play 
(the name of the deity of Law, the organizational     
structure of the Monastery of Silent 
Contemplation). 

 
   

 
   

9 
Occupation  2-4  Entertainer  Enlightenment +1  Skills 
  2-5  Farmer  Resources +1   
Your occupation tells you what you do for a  2-6  Fisher  Resources +1  Skills are things your character is good at. When 
living, and likely defines much of what you did  you are involved in tests or contests, you can 
3-1  Fortune Teller  Enlightenment +1 
before being thrust into the role of a hero. It also  always add one (and only one) skill as a bonus 
tells you how you’re likely to make a living in the  3-2  Gemcutter  Resources +1  to your roll, as long as it is appropriate: justify it 
community when you’re not off on some heroic  3-3  Guide  Safety +1  to your Narrator, and they will work with you to 
quest!  3-4  Hedge Mage  Enlightenment +1  see if it applies or not. 

You can choose your job, or you can leave it in  3-5  Hunter/Trapper  Resources +1  Each skill can have up to three ranks, each 
the hands of fate: roll 2d6!​ You don’t add the  3-6  Logger  Resources +1  representing +1 point to the total score of a roll. 
results together. Instead, you choose one of the  4-1  Merchant  Resources +1  Thus, any skill may be taken up to three times to 
dice to be your “first” number and the other to be  provide a bonus of up to +3 points. 
4-2  Militia  Safety +1 
your “second” number, and reference them on 
the table below. If you don’t like the result, you  4-3  Missionary  Enlightenment +1  Your character starts with five ranks to spend on 
can always flip the numbers and choose  4-4  Painter  Enlightenment +1  skills​. You may take five skills at rank 1, and 
between the two results.  4-5  Priest/Monk  Solidarity +1  thus each will provide a +1 bonus on a test or 
contest. Or, you could write down four skills, 
For example, if you roll a 1 on your first die and a  4-6  Ranger  Safety +1  taking three of them at rank 1 (+1 bonus) and 
2 on your second die, you get “1-2: Beggar.” If  5-1  Sage  Leadership +1  one of them at rank 2 (+2 bonus). Or any 
you don’t like that, simply flip the numbers and  5-2  Sailor  Resources +1  combination thereof, with a maximum of three 
you get “2-1: Cobbler.” If you don’t like either,  5-3  Scout  Leadership +1  ranks in any one skill. 
re-roll or choose something you do like...but 
that’s not really in the spirit of leaving your  5-4  Scribe  Enlightenment +1  The list of skills is as vast as your imagination. 
occupation up to fate, is it?  5-5  Server  Solidarity +1  The Narrator may create a list that suits the 
5-6  Shipwright  Industry +1  setting, and players can suggest skills they’d like 
Occupation  to use. Two default skill lists (one for combat 
6-1  Stablehand  Solidarity +1 
and one for non-combat skills) appear below, 
2d6  Occupation  Settlement  6-2  Steward  Leadership +1  and are fairly exhaustive.  
Attribute Modifier 
6-3  Tanner  Industry +1 
1-1  Artisan  Industry +1  Combat Skills​. Battleaxe, Block, Blowgun, Bow, 
6-4  Tavernkeeper  Solidarity +1 
1-2  Beggar  Solidarity +1  Club, Crossbow, Dagger, Dart, Dodge, Flail, 
6-5  Tax Collector  Leadership +1  Glaive, Greataxe, Greatclub, Greatsword, 
1-3  Blacksmith  Industry +1 
6-6  Weaver  Industry +1  Halberd, Handaxe, Javelin, Lance, Light hammer, 
1-4  Brewer/Vintner  Solidarity +1    Longsword, Mace, Maul, Morningstar, Net, Pike, 
1-5  Carpenter  Industry +1 
  Quarterstaff, Rapier, Scimitar, Shortsword, 
Sickle, Sling, Spear, Trident, War pick, 
1-6  Chef  Solidarity +1 
    Warhammer, Whip 
2-1  Cobbler  Solidarity +1 
2-2  Courtesan  Leadership +1  Non-Combat Skills​. Acrobatics, Alchemy, Animal 
2-3  Criminal  Enlightenment +1  Handling, Arcana, Athletics, Brewery, Calligraphy, 

10 
Carpentry, Cartography, Cobblery, Cooking,  5  Entertainer  Bard  Solidarity +1  and places of innate magical energy. They rarely 
Deception, Gaming, Glassblowing, Herbalism,  6  Noble or  Dragon  Leadership +1  share their knowledge lightly or in whole, but 
History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation,  official  they often reveal snippets and prophecies, if 
Jeweler, Leatherworking, Masonry, Medicine,  only to brag about the vastness of their lore. 
 
Nature, Painting, Perception, Performance, 
Bard​. The bard is an incredibly charismatic,  Guardian Spirit​. Some folk are visited by the 
Persuasion, Pottery, Religion, Sleight of Hand, 
highly trained entertainer that knows how to  lingering spirits of their ancestors and given 
Smithing, Stealth, Survival, Weaving, 
inspire and educate. They may have taken a  insight into the past, that they won’t make the 
Woodcarving 
shine to you because of your musical talents,  same mistakes as their forefathers and 
natural leadership skills...or because you were a 
Guardian Figure  worthwhile charity case! 
mothers. Others are attuned to totemic animal 
  spirits, or lesser deities that walk the earth in 
Few kids grow up all alone in a community as  spiritual form. Still others are guardian angels, 
Dragon​. Although many dragons are greedy, a 
small as a village, where everyone knows  sent from the heavens (or the hells, if they are of 
significant number of them are not overtly 
everyone else on sight, if not intimately. But that  the fallen variety) to protect someone with a 
aggressive. Some even take an interest in mortal 
doesn’t mean your guardian -- your parent(s),  grand destiny or dark fate. Regardless of their 
affairs, whether it’s to help them amass 
mentor, older siblings, guardian spirit, etc. -- is  origin, guardian spirits might provide guidance 
impressive hoards of gold over the centuries, or 
currently a part of your life. They have left an  or might manifest physically at times to help 
simply because they enjoy the vivacity of 
indelible mark on you and by extension your  their charge. 
shorter-lived creatures. 
community, but they may be gone, temporarily or 
permanently.  Druid​. Some shamans or priests who follow the  Status 
path of nature’s wonders grow in power until  Next, choose or roll 1d6 to determine the current 
In a typical campaign, you cannot choose your  they become mystically attuned to the natural  status of the guardian figure​. 
guardian figure: fate hands them to you. In this  world. They can speak with plants and animals, 
case, r​ oll 1d6 first to determine whether or not  control the region’s weather, make harvests 
Guardian Figure’s Status 
your guardian is Common (1-4) or Special (5-6),  more bountiful, and otherwise improve the lot of  1d6  Status 
then roll 1d6 to determine which guardian  the common folk by keeping nature’s fury at bay.  1  Passed away 
figure it is​. Either way, they provide the same  This druid likely saw you as a pupil, or noticed  2  Missing 
bonus. Each type is described in detail below.  your ease with calming savage predators and 
3  Captured 
taming wild horses. 
Guardian Figure  4  Traveling 
1d6  Common  Special  Bonus  Dwarf or gnome​. These industrious folk have a  5  Lives far away 
(1-4)  (5-6)  long history as miners, gemcutters, smiths, 
6  Here! Present and accounted for! 
1  Watch  Guardian  Safety +1  artisans, carpenters, and builders. Though they 
 
captain  spirit  can be insular and gruff, they sometimes have a 
Armed with the guardian figures of the PCs and 
natural inclination to seek out bright students of 
2  Farmer  Druid  Resources +1  their fate, the Narrator is able to weave these 
these crafts in other species and teach them 
3  Guild  Dwarf or  Industry +1  characters into the narrative of the community 
many secrets to improve their works. 
patron  gnome  and future scenarios. They can be simple 
Elf or wizard​. Long-lived elves know a great deal  patrons, providing jobs for the party of 
4  Priest or  Elf or  Enlightenment +1 
about the mystical parts of the world, while  characters to perform in and around the 
shaman  wizard 
wizards study arcane secrets of potent artifacts  settlement, often to further its prosperity. They 

11 
might be sources of lore and guidance in times  involved with failed.  Changing the Skill List 
of need. They may have an active role in some  4  A family, friend, or mentor  Enlightenmen The presented skill list is fairly generic, 
scenarios, accompanying the party on their epic  is an outcast, a pariah to  t -1  representing a wide swath of typical medieval 
quest, but should never overshadow the  the community.  fantasy tropes. Your group might want a smaller 
characters.  list of skills, or might want to have a more 
5  A dangerous faction has  Solidarity -1 
evocative list of skills for a specific technology 
See the section on Jobs for one possible way to  recruited or blackmailed 
level, such as a Bronze Age game, or 
have guardian figures accompany the party and  someone you know. 
science-fantasy feel. As long as the list doesn’t 
have a mechanical impact, without requiring the  6  Someone you know has  Leadership -1  grow longer than what was previously 
complexity of being a fully developed NPC or  gotten away with, or was  presented, you should be fine; more skills than 
creature in the mechanical sense.  wrongfully punished for a  that and you’ll want to consider adding more 
serious crime.  skill ranks to starting characters. 
   
Problem  Final Details  Some of the types of changes you could 
    institute include: 
No one’s life is all smiles and sunshine. You  As mentioned elsewhere, ​you start at Wellness 0 
have experienced something awful at least once  ❖ Making skills a bit more generalized, like 
and your maximum Health Points are 15. You 
in your life, and to this day it haunts you, or  replacing Masonry, Leatherworking, 
have 45 coins to spend on your starting 
directly affects some or all of your relationships  Carpentry, and the like with a skill simply 
equipment​ (see Gear & Supplies); any left over 
in your community.  called Crafts. 
coins remain in your pocket for later use. 
❖ You could cut down on the specific 
Choose or roll 1d6 on the table below to  Simply fill in any additional details you’d like to  weapon skills by making more general 
determine what your problem is​. These are  at this point:  weapon sets: Axes, Swords, Hammers. 
written with the intent that they are open-ended,  ❖ Or you could even go more generic than 
to be filled in by you, the Narrator, and the rest of  ❖ Your name  that if you want characters that are 
the group. You should feel encouraged to detail  ❖ Your heritage  broadly skilled in weapon types or 
the specifics of the problem as little or as much  ❖ A brief physical description  fighting styles: Blades, Bludgeoning 
as your group feels is necessary, and no more.  ❖ 1-3 personality traits or typical habits  Weapons, Dueling. Such a skill list might 
❖ A brief backstory  be appropriate in a dangerous campaign 
Problem  setting where the average person has to 
1d6  Problem  Attribute  Don’t hesitate to leave some gaps and blanks to  be skilled in the art of war to survive, or 
Modifier  be determined during game play. Remember  when martial arts are considered a 
that your young hero has their biggest  badge of honor, or are used for sporting 
1  Friends or family suffered  Safety -1  challenges ahead of them!  purposes. 
during a raid. 
2  You’re involved with a  Resources -1     
smuggler, criminal, or the  Optional Character Creation Rules     
thieves’ guild.   
3  Due to bad decisions or  Industry -1  The following optional rules can be used to tailor 
bad circumstances, a  characters to the campaign setting. 
business you were 
 

12 
Ancestry 
You may want to set your campaign in a world 
of Masonry, elves get a free rank of 
Performance, and humans get a free rank in any     
where there are wildly divergent people, either  skill of choice. Or you might have it be more 
culturally or even on a species level. As it is, we  culturally relevant if you aren’t using different 
present some intelligent monsters like lizardfolk  species: the folk of the Telora Plains get a rank 
and goblins in the bestiary; why not turn these  in Animal Handling, while the corsairs of the 
into playable characters rather than casting  Soarian Coast get a rank in Cartography, and the 
them as thoroughly alien antagonists?  noble warriors of Chuulari get a rank in Spear. 

In such a campaign world, players can choose 

their ancestry either before or after choosing 
their class. If you use a campaign setting where 
certain ancestries have a proclivity toward only 
a small subset of classes (i.e. dwarves cannot 
cast spells, or goblins can only be rogues), have 
this step before class choice. But generally 
speaking, FARM Champions works best when 
players are given a lot of leeway to frame how 
and why their character is the way they are, so 
even if the magic of an elven mage and a 
dwarven mage use the same game rules, they 
may be wildly different in appearance and 
cultural meaning. As a result, it’s best not to 
limit choices too much, and in such settings it’s 
fine for the players to choose class first and 
then ancestry. 

What does ancestry mean in the game’s 

mechanics, though? Often, not much. Some 
game systems spend a lot of time on lighting 
conditions and certain terrain movement, and 
thus some ancestries might have rules 
implications regarding such things, but FARM 
Champions doesn’t stress that sort of thing very 
much. Instead, we recommend giving every 
ancestry a single free skill rank in one skill. 
Alternatively, they might grant a single skill rank 
in a choice of up to three skills. The skills each 
ancestry gets should be things exemplary of 
their culture, physiology, or other attributes. For 
example, you might have a dwarf get a free rank 
 

13 
Gear & Supplies  Coinage 
 
Quality & Value 
What are monetary rewards without something  Quality  Modifier  Value  Example Trade 
FARM Champions prices everything in the rather  Goods 
to spend it on? What good is opening trade with 
generic “coins,” but you’re encouraged to name 
nearby settlements if there isn’t money to be  Poor  -1 or worse  x0  Mangy rat-hide 
it something cooler: doubloons, dragons, 
made?  pelt, rusty 
crowns, whatever. Since most folk come from 
dagger 
Carrying Stuff  villages and rely on barter, coins are a 
denomination that’s accepted everywhere, and is  Mediocre  +0  x0  Stale bread, 
  often more of a gauge of value than the currency  notched sword 
FARM Champions doesn’t worry too much about  most folk work with on a daily basis. Typically, a  Common  +1  x1  Wolf pelt, 
how much you are carrying. Generally speaking,  coin is made of silver, though you are free to  longsword 
every character can carry the following without  create a simple exchange rate of 10 coins  Uncomm +1  x10  Dire wolf’s 
any issues:  equals 1 gold coin, and 100 coins equals 1  on  hide, silvered 
platinum coin, if you wish. That can help cut  longsword 
❖ One suit of armor and a shield. 
back on the number of actual coins the 
❖ One weapon in hand or stowed, and a  Rare  +2  x25  Wyvern’s tail, 
characters are toting around or storing in a bank 
backup weapon stowed.  masterwork 
vault...if there even is such a thing in their 
❖ Ammunition is carried in bundles, and a  sword 
village! 
character can typically carry one bundle.  Very rare  +3  x100  Basilisk’s egg, 
(This applies to thrown weapons, too.) 
❖ A bag or belt pouches of up to 100  Quality & Value  Sir Cartalan’s 
Rapier 
coins.   
All items have a quality rating from Poor to  Legendar *  x1,000*  Dragon scale, 
❖ A single equipment pack. 
Unique, which translates to a quality modifier on  y  the Enchanted 
Stowing an additional item about the size of a  dice rolls using that item as well as a value  Sword of King 
one-handed weapon or up to five smaller items  multiplier for figuring out what the item is worth.  Mowlen 
shouldn’t be a problem. Carrying anything more  Quality is rated from Poor to Unique, like so:   
than that can result in an Unskilled Penalty (see  Poor ➤ Mediocre ➤ Common ➤ Uncommon ➤  *​Narrator’s Call​. Legendary items can have 
Playing the Game) at the Narrator’s whim, unless  Rare ➤ Very rare ➤ Legendary.  whatever modifier the Narrator wants, though it 
or until the objects are dropped. At -1, this  still should usually be only +1 to +3. Often, what 
doesn’t necessarily slow down movement, but  An item’s value is important when bartering for  makes the item special is not its modifier, but its 
may result in Wellness being reduced over long  things, negotiating with folk that want it, or as a  history, additional benefits (such as an 
periods of time due to exhaustion. At -2, it may  simple gauge for what something’s worth when  enchanted weapon), and perceived value. 
take two moves to close from ranged to melee  compared to wages (see later sections). In the  Likewise, their value multiplier is ultimately up to 
combat. At -3, movement becomes slowed  following lists of equipment, trade goods, and  the Narrator, guided by the fiction of the 
considerably, and exhaustion can set in within  even services, the values provides are the base  campaign setting to determine what the item is 
mere minutes as you labor to move the objects.  value for a Common quality version of the item  worth. Often, that number will be something well 
or service.  beyond the means of any given community to 
purchase. 
 

14 
Selling Stuff  modifier to the value of said common item, but  Ammunition 
As you get paid (sometimes in goods rather than  all of this is subject to the Narrator’s approval,  Ammunition for most ranged weapons comes in 
coin), trade for items, are awarded treasure, or  with consideration given towards the type of  bundles of 20, and cost 1 coin. So, whether you 
otherwise go about your adventures, you’re likely  campaign setting the group has setup.  are buying a quiver of 20 arrows, a case of 20 
to pick up some things you don’t need to hold  crossbow bolts, a sack of 20 sling bullets, or a 
onto. Giving things back to the community is a  Arms, Ammunition, Armor & Shields  pack of 20 blowgun darts, they cost 1 coin per 
great way to get rid of them, and a good    20. 
justification for using experience to improve  Arms 
aspects of a community (see the Experience &  When ammunition is used during an encounter, 
Improvement chapter).  Type  Dama Range  Value  Skill  it is expended; there is no chance to recover 
ge  Examples  spent ammo. 
Arms, Armor, and Gear​. Most goods that are  Unarmed  1d2  Melee  Free  Hand-to-ha
procured from looted enemies or ruins are going  nd  This is not the case for thrown ranged weapons: 
to feature wear and tear. If they are of poor  such items can be recovered. (During an 
Light  1d3  Melee  3 coins  Dagger, 
construction (determined by the Narrator), they  encounter, this may require a move and interact 
melee  brass 
are likely worthless to the typical villager: a  with an object action, but outside of an 
knuckles 
shovel is a better weapon than a rusty, notched  encounter, assume it just happens.) For this 
sword that could shatter on its very next strike!  Light  1d3  Ranged  10  Blowgun,  reason, thrown ranged weapons are not 
Only items of common quality or better can  ranged  coins  dart, sling,  purchased in bundles of 20. Instead, they are 
fetch up to half their usual value.  throwing  purchased in bundles based on the weapon, at 
knife  the costs specified in the table above. For the 
Gems, Jewelry, Art, and Trade Goods​. These  Melee  1d6  Melee  15  Handaxe,  listed examples, these are: 
items tend to retain their full value in most  coins  longsword, 
situations, unless they are damaged, of poor  shortsword ❖ Darts for throwing are purchased in 
quality, or the like. In those cases, they are worth  , spear,  packs of 10. 
half their value, or nothing, if the buyer isn’t  staff,  ❖ Javelins are purchased in bundles of 3. 
seeking it out.  warhamme ❖ Throwing axes are purchased in sets of 
r  3. 
Special Items​. Special items might include  ❖ Throwing knives are purchased in 
Ranged  1d6  Ranged  25  Crossbow, 
magical items, legendary artifacts, or more  bandoliers of 4. 
coins  javelin, 
esoteric things like a mastodon’s tusk, a 
longbow, 
wyvern’s tail, a dragon’s scales, or a basilisk’s  Special Weapons 
shortbow, 
egg. Selling any of these sorts of things likely  Below are a few ideas for specialized weapons 
throwing 
requires finding a special buyer, as they are  with unique effects. Each would use its own 
axe 
worth a lot of money, might be valuable only to a  skill. These are entirely optional. 
select few individuals, or are inherently  Heavy  1d6+1  Melee  20  Battleaxe, 
dangerous. The folk of a village or even a town  melee  coins  greatsword Net (5 coins)​: A net doesn’t deal damage. 
may not have the resources to handle such  , polearm  Instead, it can target up to 4 targets who are all 
transactions. A few guidelines are given below    in melee range of one another; roll one attack, 
for special items that may be similar enough to      but have each target contest this individually. 
common items that you can simply apply a 

15 
Any targets that are hit are knocked prone,  Equipment Packs  Cobbler’s tools  5 coins 
requiring a move to get free.  Most equipment comes in packs, making it easy  Cook’s utensils  1 coins 
for adventurers to manage their supplies. It 
Whip (7 coins)​: A whip is a light melee weapon,  Glassblower’s tools  30 coins 
typically costs about half the value of a pack to 
but allows you to attack opponents who are a  refresh its contents. Higher or lower quality  Jeweler’s tools  25 coins 
move away without actually having to move into  packs aren’t often a thing; most settlements  Leatherworker’s tools  5 coins 
melee range first.  don’t put in the effort necessary to greatly  Mason’s tools  10 coins 
increase the craftsmanship of tools like these. 
Armor  But there may exist certain ways (such as 
Painter’s supplies  10 coins 
Type  DR  Value  Examples  dwarven smiths, or giant forges) of getting  Potter’s tools  10 coins 
Light  1  25 coins  Leather, hide,  higher quality gear, and thus increasing the  Smith’s tools  20 coins 
breastplate  bonus to applicable rolls by more than +1.  Tinker’s tools  50 coins 
Heavy  2  50 coins  Chain mail, scale  Weaver’s tools  1 coins 
armor, full plate  Equipment Packs 
Pack  Value  Woodcarver’s tools  1 coins 
Shields   
Burglar’s pack  16 coins 
Shields do not reduce damage, but instead are  Other Tools 
equipped to improve defensive skills, and  Diplomat’s pack  39 coins 
Item  Cost  Notes 
therefore aid in the defender’s contested roll  Dungeoneer’s pack  12 coins 
versus the attacker. Shields give a +1 bonus to  Disguise kit  25 coins   
Entertainer’s pack  40 coins 
defense skills such as block or dodge. A shield’s  Forgery kit  15 coins   
value is 15 coins  Explorer’s pack  10 coins 
Herbalism kit  5 coins   
Priest’s pack  19 coins 
Navigator’s  25 coins   
Adventuring  Scholar’s pack  40 coins  tools 
Gear    Poisoner’s kit  50 coins  Quality is the 
  Tool Kits  penalty to resist 
This section  Note that tool kits usually include enough items  poison’s created 
describes items  that they can be encumbering. They might  with this kit 
that help  replace an equipment pack or backup weapon, 
Thieves’ tools  25 coins  Quality is the bonus 
characters on  but if they are carried in addition to those sorts 
to open locks, 
journeys and  of things, they will slow you down. 
disable traps, 
adventures, 
disarm mechanical 
though they may  Artisan’s Tools 
security measures, 
be useful around a  Item  Cost  and so on 
settlement, too.  Alchemist’s supplies  50 coins   
  Brewer’s supplies  20 coins 
 
    Calligrapher’s supplies  10 coins 
 
Carpenter’s tools  8 coins 
   
Cartographer’s tools  15 coins 

16 
Pack Contents  ❖ 50 feet of hempen rope  ❖ 10 sheets of parchment 
Burglar’s Pack (16 coins)  ❖ small bag of sand 
Entertainer’s Pack (40 coins)  ❖ small knife 
❖ backpack 
❖ bag of caltrops  ❖ backpack  Tool Kits 
❖ 10 feet of string  ❖ bedroll  Note that tool kits usually include enough items 
❖ bell  ❖ 2 costumes  that they can be encumbering. They might 
❖ 5 candles  ❖ 5 candles  replace an equipment pack or backup weapon, 
❖ crowbar  ❖ 5 days of rations  but if they are carried in addition to those sorts 
❖ hammer  ❖ waterskin  of things, they will slow you down. 
❖ 10 pitons  ❖ disguise kit 
❖ hooded lantern  Artisan’s Tools​: These special tools include the 
Explorer’s Pack (10 coins)  items needed to pursue a craft or trade. The 
❖ 2 flasks of oil 
❖ 5 days rations  table shows examples of the most common 
❖ backpack 
❖ tinderbox  types of tools, each providing items related to a 
❖ bedroll 
❖ waterskin  single craft. Each type of artisan’s tools requires 
❖ mess kit 
❖ 50 feet of hempen rope  a separate skill. 
❖ tinderbox 
❖ 10 torches  Disguise Kit​: This pouch of cosmetics, hair dye, 
Diplomat’s Pack (39 coins) 
❖ 10 days of rations  and small props lets you create disguises that 
❖ chest  ❖ waterskin  change your physical appearance. 
❖ 2 cases for maps and scrolls  ❖ 50 feet of hempen rope 
❖ set of fine clothes  Forgery Kit​: This small box contains a variety of 
Priest’s Pack (19 coins)  papers and parchments, pens and inks, seals 
❖ bottle of ink 
❖ ink pen  and sealing wax, gold and silver leaf, and other 
❖ backpack 
❖ lamp  supplies necessary to create convincing 
❖ blanket 
❖ 2 flasks of oil  forgeries of physical documents. 
❖ 10 candles 
❖ 5 sheets of paper  ❖ tinderbox 
❖ vial of perfume  Herbalism Kit​: This kit contains a variety of 
❖ alms box  instruments such as clippers, mortar and pestle, 
❖ sealing wax  ❖ 2 blocks of incense 
❖ soap  and pouches and vials used by herbalists to 
❖ censer  create remedies and potions. 
❖ vestments 
Dungeoneer’s Pack (12 coins) 
❖ 2 days of rations  Navigator’s Tools​: This set of instruments is 
❖ backpack  ❖ waterskin  used for navigation at sea. Proficiency with 
❖ crowbar  navigator’s tools lets you chart a ship’s course 
Scholar’s Pack (40 coins)  and follow navigation charts. 
❖ hammer 
❖ 10 pitons  ❖ backpack 
❖ 10 torches  Poisoner’s Kit​: A poisoner’s kit includes the 
❖ book of lore  vials, chemicals, and other equipment necessary 
❖ tinderbox  ❖ bottle of ink 
❖ 10 days of rations  for the creation of poisons. 
❖ ink pen 
❖ waterskin 
 

17 
Thieves’ Tools​: This set of tools includes a 
small file, a set of lock picks, a small mirror 
mounted on a metal handle, a set of 
narrow-bladed scissors, and a pair of pliers. 

Mounts & Vehicles 

 
Sometimes, it’s better to get around via methods 
other than on foot, or at least to do so 
accompanied by a favorite animal companion. 

Item  Cost 
Camel  50 coins 
Donkey or mule  8 coins 
Elephant  200 coins 
Horse, draft  50 coins 
Horse, riding  75 coins 
Mastiff  25 coins 
Pony  30 coins 
Warhorse  400 coins 
Carriage  100 coins 
Cart  15 coins 
Chariot  250 coins 
Sled  20 coins 
Wagon  35 coins 
 

   

18 
The Community  that will take actions to try and reduce these 
traits, or target the people, places, things, and 
Events 
First, determine the type of event that occurs by 
As was defined during character and community  ideals that make these traits so prominent.  rolling 1d6 on the table below. 
creation, the settlement that you live in has six 
attributes, each of which is rated from 0 to 12.  If an attribute ever drops to zero (0), the town  Events 
These attributes are not static: the quests, jobs,  faces an immediate crisis. It might be 
and other activities that you undertake can have  existential, causing people to move away. It may  1d6  Result 
an affect on them, helping to raise them higher  be that trade with neighbors breaks down, or  1  Weather or natural event 
as aspects of the community prosper, or  relations with other communities become  2  Resource affected 
creating unintended consequences -- making  hostile. Physical threats may strike immediately: 
3  Contact with other settlement 
enemies, neglecting trade agreements, ignoring  a settlement with zero Safety is bound to be 
the search for additional resources as a village’s  raided by monsters!  4  Wandering creature or faction 
population grows -- that will lower these scores.  5  Truth revealed 
Additionally, random events outside of your  Events and Threats  6  Social change 
control or the control of other villagers can     
endanger aspects of the village.  Any time an attribute drops to 0, roll 1d6 to  Contact with other settlement​. The folk of 
determine what befalls the settlement: an event  another fixed settlement have some sort of 
This chapter deals with the threats to  or a threat. In either case, the result occurs  contact that potentially changes the trajectory of 
communities, how to find work within them, and  immediately, and will affect the settlement,  your settlement. They may offer a beneficial 
how to help them prosper. This forms the  either raising the attribute by 1 (so it’s no longer  trade agreement (favorable), may levy additional 
impetus for many of the scenarios that the  a zero) or reducing another attribute. It’s thus  fees on trade goods (damaging), or get into an 
Narrator will develop and that the PCs will then  possible to have multiple events or threats  armed territorial dispute (catastrophic). 
deal with.  occur, since a second attribute could be reduced 
to zero in this way.  Resource affected​. Some resource that the 
What Attribute Ratings Mean  settlement relies on faces an unforeseen 
  Event or Threat?  change. This could take the form of a bountiful 
As a reminder, the attributes for a settlement  harvest (favorable), a lower yield than expected 
1d6  Result 
are:  such as a mine playing out (damaging), or a crop 
1-4  Event  famine (catastrophic). 
1. Safety  5-6  Threat 
2. Resources    Social change​. Social changes often relate to 
3. Industry 
4. Enlightenment 
  changes in leadership or governance, younger 
generations asserting their own identity, or 
5. Solidarity      changes in cultural values over time. Such a 
6. Leadership  change might lead to sovereignty gained from a 
foreign power (favorable), a chaotic change in 
When an attribute is at 12, the settlement is  the social order (damaging), or outright riots and 
exemplary of that trait, and likely attracts new  or a rash of criminal activity (catastrophic). 
folks. Of course, anything that good is likely to 
attract negative attention, too, so there might be  Truth revealed​. Few leaders rise to the top 
monsters, organizations, or other settlements  without making tough choices. Few societies 

19 
last long without some sort of stain on the  Favorable​. Favorable events increase one  and Leadership improving one level each. Of 
people’s collective conscience. When a truth is  attribute by 1 point. Usually, an attribute  course, if the guildmaster is the town mayor, it’s 
revealed, it could lead to more enlightened  currently rated at 0 takes precedence, but the  possible that Safety is improved, but Solidarity 
leaders (favorable), a scandal coming to light in  Narrator can choose or randomly determine the  and Leadership are both worsened as this 
the community (damaging), or finding the truth  attribute. Remember that an event or threat only  scandal comes to light. 
depths of corruption in the settlement’s officials  occurs immediately after an attribute reaches a 
(catastrophic).  score of 0, so it’s not like an attribute remaining  While these modifications during adventures are 
at zero is going to do much other than be a  ultimately up to the Narrators whims, with input 
Wandering creature or faction​. Transient forces  reason for people to move out of the  from the players, they should follow some sort 
such as wandering monsters, nomadic tribes, or  community...  of logic. This might be ad hoc, based on how 
foreign pilgrims and refugees can appear  often your group gets together: having a 
suddenly. Perhaps they bring high quality goods  Threats  settlement only lose one or two points off an 
heretofore unseen (favorable), or they shake up  For more immediate problems, you can use  attribute every few months of real time doesn’t 
the region’s power structure (damaging)...or  threats. Every monster or organization has a  feel like much of a threat, after all. 
they presage an invading force (catastrophic)!  threat rating. This rating -- either a static number, 
or a die roll (1d6 or 2d6) -- tells you the number  One-Shots 
Weather or natural event​. Nature bows to no  by which you reduce a settlement’s attribute(s).  In a one-shot or short scenario, a community 
mortal. Sometimes it comes in the form of  Sometimes they can target any attribute,  needs to feel threatened very quickly. Obviously, 
much-needed rain after a drought (favorable), or  sometimes they can only target specific ones;  stating the stakes are high helps, but you can 
it could turn into a flooding monsoon  each threat tells you which, and if it doesn’t,  also simulate this by doing something that 
(damaging), or a terrifying earthquake  assume it can damage any attribute you want  radically changes expectations. You can also 
(catastrophic).  (or roll 1d6 to randomly determine it).  ask for the players to come up with some 
stakes: what repercussions will they see if they 
Severity  You can find a number of monsters in the  fail? 
Next, find the severity of the event by rolling 2d6.  Bestiary chapter, plus organizations and larger 
scale threats in the Organizations & Threats  Some guidelines: 
2d6  Result  chapter. 
2  Catastrophic  ❖ Give the PCs a chance to fundamentally 
3  Damaging  Adventures  change the situation for one or more of 
their guardian figures (resurrect, find, 
4-10  The event is minor; no   
etc.) over the course of the scenario. 
mechanical effect  You can affect all of this. Your adventures, first 
❖ Give all of the PCs the same guardian 
and foremost, should be driven by these sorts of 
11-12  Favorable  figure, who is intricately tied to the plot 
events and threats, or by the simple virtue of 
  (the Gandalf-style figure that travels with 
seeking to make your community more 
Catastrophic​. A catastrophic event reduces an  them, or a figure who prominently 
prosperous. 
attribute by 2 points. The Narrator can choose or  features in the background of the story, 
roll to determine which attribute, but an attribute  Your actions during adventures should influence  or who the heroes can contact 
can never be reduced below 0.  ratings, and can lead to a lot more than a single  occasionally). 
one point improvement. For example,  ❖ Start one or more of their settlement’s 
Damaging​. A damaging event reduces an  uncovering the guildmaster of the thieves' guild  attributes at 0 and open with an event or 
attribute by 1 point.  and bringing them to justice might lead to Safety  threat that leads into the quest. Having a 

20 
 sheet on the paper with a big fat zero on  That continuity becomes its own sort of focus or  adventures outside of the typical jobs found 
it should be proper motivation,  mini-game: you should all experience growth  around town. 
especially if you occasionally bump it up  and change, as the heroes advance in ability, 
as they achieve goals or milestones!  relationships deepen, enemies are brought to  Enough downtime between adventures for the 
❖ Give them a timer: either a guardian  justice, and the community grows or undergoes  heroes to reasonably advance their skills and 
figure will perish if they don’t rush to  changes.  abilities (see the Experience & Improvement 
finish the quest, or the settlement will be  chapter). 
destroyed, or a new attribute will drop to  For all of this to work, you should focus your 
0 every so often...  preparation time on building a dynamic  Enough time to elapse between adventures and 
❖ Add one legendary artifact to the  community with interesting NPCs. You don’t  jobs for the settlement to be affected by both 
mix...but make its destruction the only  need to develop many things (though some  the actions of the heroes (helping the village 
way to save the settlement, or its  Narrators prefer to do so, which is great!), but  prosper, or creating unforeseen problems for it), 
presence the thing that assures an  simply need to come up with a few, well  and by random events and threats. 
invasion force will arrive tomorrow.  developed things. Consider what the scenarios 
you and your players are interested in, and what  Quests 
In such scenarios, the long-term play of  features of a settlement they may focus on   
community attributes can be mostly ignored:  because of those things. For example, you may  Quests are long-term storylines, which takes a 
simply use it as a motivating factor to get the  want to develop a lively tavern in the center of  bit more of a balancing act to make them fun 
heroes started on an adventure, or as the  the village, with a tavern keeper, two or three  without becoming repetitive. Additionally, to get 
occasional measure of their successes and  servers, a musician or other entertainer, and two  the most out of FARM Champions, quests need 
failures regarding certain encounters and  or three folks who frequent the tavern. Simply  to provide downtime so that a community can 
milestones.  having a short menu, the names and two or  grow, shrink, prosper, and face problems 
three personality quirks of each of those  dependent on the events of a quest. Remember, 
Additionally, character growth should be  characters, and one or two interesting secrets  too, that a quest doesn’t have to be the entirety 
measured in terms of completing the goals of  among their relationships will go a long way  of a campaign: a quest can be just one piece of 
the scenario. You can probably ignore  towards making the place feel alive.  a community’s bigger story. 
experience points and mechanical 
improvements to the characters (as described in  In terms of the mechanical aspects of FARM  Quests work best when they have multiple 
the next chapter). In lieu of those touch points of  Champions, short adventures should allow for  milestones. Having several well-defined goals 
the game system, consider having magical  the following:  working toward a singular purpose provides you 
items, discovered spells and rituals, recruited  with fuel to split up the scenario among many 
allies, and so on act as rewards to keep the  Develop a list of 10-15 jobs around the  smaller, relatively self-contained adventures. 
players feeling like they are making a difference,  settlement, perhaps with one to three sentences  The overarching goal of the quest is the 
experiencing a bigger world, and growing in new  each that mention a problem, a couple potential  common thread of the campaign. That, and the 
and fun ways throughout the scenario.  setbacks, and a simple reward. As these jobs  community itself, of course. 
are completed, cross them off of your list and 
Short Adventures  don’t forget to occasionally add more. (Hint!  The nature of FARM Champions is such that 
Short scenarios with a clear end point are great  Look to video games with sidequests and odd  incredibly long-term play (weekly sessions over 
for episodic play. The same group of heroes go  jobs for ideas.)  the course of a few months of real, outside of 
off on new adventures every so often, with the  the game world time) can lead to heroes that 
only continuity being them and their community.  A regular patron or two, likely drawn from the  have few if any traits left to purchase with 
heroes’ guardian figures, to provide them with 
 

21 
experience points. Additionally, the community  Jobs  Job Description 
will have lots of 12s for its attribute scores. Or,    1d6  Job 
the heroes may be very powerful, but the  A small but important way that you can affect 
community can’t get out of the death spiral of  1  Protect a person 
the prosperity of your community is to perform 
having one of its Attributes permanently locked  jobs. Jobs are regularly posted in a settlement,  2  Protect a thing or place 
in the 0-3 range. That’s intentional for two  or are spread by word of mouth or couriers.  3  Find/deal with a person or monster 
reasons:  Folks who perform these tasks might be skilled  4  Find/deal with a thing 
at tasks no one else has the training to perform, 
FARM Champions is meant to be simple to get  5  Keep an eye on, check out, or scout out 
willing to take on the tough chores, or simply 
into, pick up and play. Simplicity leads to smaller  for a place 
willing to do what no one else wants to. That 
ranges of character growth to maintain ease of  6  Deliver a thing 
means that some jobs are dirty...but somebody’s 
use and playability.   
gotta do it! 
Here’s a table with some inspirational 
FARM Champions can easily work as a 
Any given day, 1d6-2 jobs are posted or  suggestions for people, monsters, and things 
generational game, and the community rules 
circulated around the settlement. Yes, that  that might be the subject of the job. 
provide a valuable connection should you 
means 1/3 of the time you will have to explore or 
choose to run such a game. 
otherwise get creative with your downtime.  Fun People, Monsters and Things 
The community rules allow you to create a  That’s what adventures and quests are for.  2d6  People  Monsters  Things  Places 
settlement that changes over time. You can very  When the roll is zero or negative (say, you roll a 1 
or 2), this means an NPC hireling has posted  2  Spy  Dragon  Cursed  Unholy 
easily add in more descriptive effects regarding  item  site 
the raising and lowering of attribute scores:  that they are looking for work. This is a great 
families moving in or moving out, the village  time to pick up help for an adventure or future  3  Hermit  Lizardfolk  Contraban Ley line 
expanded to become a town with all of the new  job. Hirelings are unlikely to stick around past a  d 
building and infrastructure that comes with that,  single job or short adventure. (See the costs of  4  Trader  Orc  Tool  Keep 
or the toll of too many catastrophic events and  hirelings in the Equipment chapter, and the  5  Merchan Ghoul  Ingredient  Hermita
threats turning the town into a ruin.  Bestiary chapter for game mechanics.)  t  ge 

If your players are game to create new heroes in  Sample Jobs  6  Official  Goblin  Letter  Well 
the aftermath of a previous series of adventures  The best jobs are custom made to make use of  7  Noble  Giant  Trade  Fort 
or a big quest, then you can explore either the  the player characters’ guardian figures, shine a  vermin  good 
new state of the community, or build a new  light on the businesses or other NPCs of a  8  Celebrity  Owlbear  Book  Temple 
community nearby that allows them to revisit the  settlement or fill in details about your campaign  9  Laborer  Drake  Weapon  Monast
previous one in its altered form. Are they  setting.  ery 
returning to a thriving village-turned-port town, or 
But if you are in need of last minute ideas, or just  10  Guild  Skeleton  Armor  Lighthou
are they taking on an adventure to find an 
want some inspiration, use the following tables  leader  se 
ancient artifact buried in its smoking ruins? 
to generate some jobs.  11  VIP  Golem  Magical  Ancient 
item  ruin 
  12  Guardian  Giant  Artifact  Portal 
    figure 

22 
  Job Rewards 
Here’s some inspiration for possible setbacks 
2d6  Reward 
and complications regarding a job. 
2  Do it for the exposure! Nothing, unless 
Job Complications & Setbacks  they negotiate (max: 1 coin each). 
2d6  Complication or Setback  3-7  A typical days’ wage: 1 coin each. 
2  You get attacked!  8  A weekly salary: 10 coins each. 
3  Interrupted by a random creature (not  9  Wage plus hazard pay (1 day): 3 coins 
necessarily hostile).  each. 
4  Weather changes for the worse.  10  Wow, a handsome sum! 10 coins each. 
5  Somebody misplaced something  11  A special item, such as an uncommon 
important.  version of a trade good. 
6  A random passerby needs your help.  12  A special item, likely a rare version of a 
trade good. 
7  Evidence of someone (or something) 
 
else being involved. 
   
8  Someone from your past appears 
suddenly. 
9  An important detail was forgotten. 
10  “You got the thing, but that wasn’t the 
right​ thing.” 
11  Aberrant magic causes someone or 
something to disappear or teleport 
suddenly. 
12  The focus of a previous job, adventure, 
or quest interfere. 
 
And finally, some ideas on simple rewards. Best 
to choose something appropriate to the task, 
job-giver, and the particulars of your campaign 
setting, but you can roll if you want to. 

 
   

23 
Experience & Improvement  frequently enough to see some benefit from 
them consistently, if not constantly. 
can only do this once in a game session, 
however. 
As you take on jobs, adventures, and quests, you 
will face challenges and forge relationships (or  Individual Improvement  Add an Improvised Spell​. If you are an Acolyte or 
become the victim of betrayal!) that test your  Experience points can be spent on a number of  a Mage and you recently improvised a spell 
mettle, leading you to grow and change. This is  activities such as learning or developing skills,  that’s not normally on your magic skill’s 
measured in experience points, which can be  creating a new spell, and so on. In every case,  repertoire of spells, you can add that spell to the 
used to improve the individual capabilities of  you must have some downtime and the  appropriate magic skill’s repertoire by spending 
your hero, or can be invested in improving your  appropriate environment to develop or practice  2 experience points. This is one way to expand a 
community.  this new trait, subject to the approval of the  magic skill’s repertoire. 
Narrator and the rest of the group. For example, 
Experience Point Rewards  if your characters’ journey ended in a desert, it  Develop a New Spell​. If you are an Acolyte or a 
  doesn’t make sense for you to add or improve  Mage, you can add a completely new, heretofore 
At the end of a game session, you will gain  the Swimming skill.  unknown new spell to your character sheet by 
experience points awarded by the Narrator:  spending 3 experience points. As explained in 
Learn a New Skill​. It costs 3 experience points to  the Magic section, brand new spells should be 
❏ One point for completing the session  gain a rank in a brand new skill. You can only  collaboratively developed with the Narrator, and 
without being defeated.  learn one new skill in between each session of  perhaps the input of the rest of the group, as 
❏ One point for attaining any goals or  play.  well. They may also require jobs, adventures, or 
milestones that might benefit the  quests to procure special implements to help in 
prosperity of the community.  Improve an Existing Skill​. It costs 3 experience  devising the spell. 
❏ One point if there was a “wow moment”  points to raise the rank of a skill. You can only 
in which the entire group laughed, cried,  raise a single skill one rank in between sessions.  Community Improvement 
or cried-laughing, or otherwise had a  Doing so does not influence whether or not you  As with individual improvements, any experience 
blast collaboratively describing an  can learn a new skill.  points spent to bolster the community can only 
amazingly timed success or a dismal  improve a single trait by one point at a time. 
failure.  For example, if you have amassed 6 experience  Multiple traits can be improved by 1 point at the 
points, you could add a new skill to your  same time, so long as each is paid for in full. 
Improvements  character sheet at rank one, and improve a 
different, existing skill you already had by one 
That said, communities are much more 
  time-consuming to improve than individuals, 
rank (to rank two or rank three).  generally speaking, and so any such 
Experience points can be spent on improving 
existing, or gaining new traits for the individual  improvement is subject to Narrator’s approval, 
Learning a Magic Skill’s Spell​. If you are an  and may require a certain amount of time in the 
player characters. Alternatively, they can be  Acolyte or a Mage and you have a magic skill but 
spent to improve the attributes of the  game world to pass before they can be 
don’t yet have all of the spells listed in its  purchased, or take effect. Some guidelines are 
community. It’s thus beneficial to accrue as  repertoire, you can add such a spell to the 
many experience points as you can over time,  given below. 
appropriate magic skill’s repertoire by spending 
but not to simply “bank” them: most  1 experience point. You can even do this in the   
improvements can only be done a little bit at a  middle of a game session: a sort of 
time, so it’s a good idea to spend them     
spontaneous magical generation, if you will! You 

24 
Indirect Improvement  Library, allowing villagers access to a  cultists who were poisoning the well 
Each hero may spend 1 experience point to  great many historical tomes.  water. 
increase one attribute, to a maximum of 12.  ❖ Solidarity​: You have taken great care in  ❖ Leadership​: Convincing the village 
Indirect improvements are by definition changes  managing relations between the  elders that they need to listen to teens 
that can only occur over a long period of time,  Traditionalists and the new Mining  and young adults about a social issue 
typically measured in weeks or months.  League. You have slowly eroded the  rather than relying on tradition. Exposing 
power of the thieves’ guild.  the doppelganger who had replaced the 
In other words, the players will spend the  ❖ Leadership: You have helped pave the  mayor’s trusted advisor for what it really 
experience and request one attribute to be  way for better infrastructure building in  is. 
improved by one point, and the Narrator will  the poorer Docks District. You have 
approve this only if the actions of the heroes’  helped the village make good on  Downtime Improvements 
jobs, adventures, and/or quests over a period of  promises of protecting the border  The heroes may, as a group, seek to improve a 
time have reasonably impacted the trait. The  regions of the kingdom.  community’s attribute by one point during 
main difference between this and direct  downtime, meaning they do not actively go out 
improvements (see below) is the Narrator is  Direct Improvement  on quests or adventures, or search for jobs. 
considering the totality of all jobs, adventures,  If each of the heroes spend 2 experience points,  They may be dedicating themselves to a single 
and quests over weeks or months of time in the  and their actions over the course of an  job or even a specific business (the tavern, 
game world, whereas otherwise only a specific  adventure or quest have a noticeable and  smithy, inn, stables, a merchant caravan) during 
adventure or quest’s results would be  immediate effect on one of the settlement’s  this time, and concentrating on any and all of the 
considered. Indirect activities that might help  attributes, then that attribute can be increased  boring day to day tasks revolving around that job 
improve a community’s attributes include:  by one point, to a maximum of 12. Immediate  or business. In this case, improving a trait costs 
effects can be things like:  1 experience point per hero, just like for indirect 
❖ Safety​: Your adventures have helped  improvements. 
increase recruitment and/or improved  ❖ Safety​: Exonerating the captain of the 
equipment resources for the militia. You  watch of a crime they didn’t commit.  The difference here is that the Narrator isn’t 
have encouraged hostile creatures to  Finding a cache of good quality  worried about what has happened during the 
leave the region.  weapons to arm the village’s militia.  jobs, adventures, and quests that the PCs have 
❖ Resources​: You have kept the Merchant  ❖ Resources​: Re-opening a mine that was  played through. Rather, they should use this as 
Guild’s major trade routes clear of  plagued by monsters. Placating an  an opportunity to consider how the game world 
obstacles. You have strengthened trade  elemental spirit that grants the region  progresses during this downtime, which usually 
relations with a neighboring settlement.  with beautiful weather for a month.  lasts one month. New families may arrive in the 
❖ Industry​: You have put a stop to a ring of  ❖ Industry​: Establishing a guild. Rescuing  settlement, or if certain attributes are low, some 
criminals abducting miners. You have  the blacksmith’s child from a dragon,  families may leave for greener pastures 
discovered new sources of metal ore,  allowing them to focus on their work  elsewhere. Businesses may open or close. New 
providing the raw materials for the  again.  organizations and creatures may come to the 
village to use in creating tools or trade  ❖ Enlightenment​: Uncovering a vast library  region, presaging future threats or representing 
goods.  of ancient tomes. Clearing out the  new opportunities for trade and information 
❖ Enlightenment​: You have provided  monsters along the path to the  about foreign lands. 
regular aid to the mysterious elven  mountain monastery. 
temple in the Foggy Forest. You have  ❖ Solidarity​: Bringing a crime boss to   
protected expeditions into the Lost  justice. Saving a nearby town from 
 

25 
Additionally, this is the perfect opportunity to 
have the players collaborate on a story that they 
tell to the Narrator. The players will work 
together to develop what sorts of activities they 
engage in during this downtime, and tell the 
Narrator how performing these activities played 
out. They might develop a problem or two that 
their community faced, and the steps they 
took (individually or as a party) to help the 
community overcome those challenges. 

   

26 
Monsters & Threats  employed as messengers or agents in the 
mortal realm and throughout the planes. 
more than animate masses of their respective 
elements, including the creatures simply called 
Monsters are a class of creatures that may have  Celestials are good by nature, so the exceptional  elementals. Others have biological forms 
special abilities instead of or in addition to  celestial who strays from a good alignment is a  infused with elemental energy. The races of 
equipment. They do not have classes, but they  horrifying rarity. Celestials include angels,  genies, including djinn and efreet, form the most 
may have similar features, and they usually have  couatls, and pegasi.  important civilizations on the elemental planes. 
an NPC type.These may have descriptive  Other elemental creatures include azers, 
elements but don’t necessarily have any game  Construct  invisible stalkers, and water weirds. 
mechanics by themselves.  Constructs are made, not born. Some are 
programmed by their creators to follow a simple  Many elementals do not break down 
Type  set of instructions, while others are imbued with  appreciably, even when subjected to massive 
  sentience and capable of independent thought.  amounts of damage: they just keep coming, 
Although rare, it is possible for a creature to  Golems are the iconic constructs. Many  relentlessly and seemingly unstoppable. Such 
have multiple types. Additionally, there may be  creatures native to the outer plane of Mechanus,  elementals do not have multiple Wellness 
some creatures or abilities that refer to even  such as modrons, are constructs shaped from  ratings and wound thresholds. They operate as 
more specific types such as Undead (spirits) or  the raw material of the plane by the will of more  if they have Wellness 3 right up until they reach 0 
Humanoid (goblinoid). The notation in  powerful creatures.  Health Points and are defeated. 
parentheses is called a tag, and is simply 
another means to call out common traits in a  Some constructs do not break down  Fey 
specific bloodline or type of monster. Common  appreciably, even when subjected to massive  Fey are magical creatures closely tied to the 
tags are noted below along with the types they  amounts of damage: they just keep coming,  forces of nature. They dwell in twilight groves 
are most often associated with.  relentlessly and seemingly unstoppable. Such  and misty forests. In some worlds, they are 
constructs do not have multiple Wellness ratings  closely tied to the Feywild, also called the Plane 
Aberration  and wound thresholds. They operate as if they  of Faerie. Some are also found in the Outer 
Aberrations are utterly alien beings. Many of  have Wellness 3 right up until they reach 0  Planes, particularly the planes of Arborea and 
them have innate magical abilities drawn from  Health Points and are defeated.  the Beastlands. Fey include dryads, pixies, and 
the creature's alien mind rather than the  satyrs. 
mystical forces of the world. The quintessential  Dragon 
aberrations are aboleths, and slaadi.  Dragons are large reptilian creatures of ancient  Fiend 
origin and tremendous power. True dragons,  Fiends are creatures of wickedness that are 
Beast  including the good metallic dragons and the evil  native to the Lower Planes. A few are the 
Beasts are non-humanoid creatures that are a  chromatic dragons, are highly intelligent and  servants of deities, but many more labor under 
natural part of the fantasy ecology. Some of  have innate magic. Also in this category are  the leadership of archdevils and demon princes. 
them have magical powers, but most are  creatures distantly related to true dragons, but  Evil priests and mages sometimes summon 
unintelligent and lack any society or language.  less powerful, less intelligent, and less magical,  fiends to the material world to do their bidding. If 
Beasts include all varieties of ordinary animals,  such as wyverns and pseudodragons.  an evil celestial is a rarity, a good fiend is almost 
dinosaurs, and giant versions of animals.  inconceivable. Fiends include demons, devils, 
Elemental  hell hounds, rakshasas, and yugoloths. 
Celestial 
Celestials are creatures native to the Upper  Elementals are creatures native to the elemental 
Planes. Many of them are the servants of deities,  planes. Some creatures of this type are little 

27 
Giant  get in their way. Black puddings and gelatinous  Tags 
Giants tower over humans and their kind. They  cubes are among the most recognizable oozes.   
are human-like in shape, though some have  A monster might have one or more tags 
multiple heads (ettins) or deformities  Some oozes do not break down appreciably, 
appended to its type, in parentheses. For 
(fomorians). The six varieties of true giant are  even when subjected to massive amounts of 
example, an orc has the humanoid (orc) type. 
hill giants, stone giants, frost giants, fire giants,  damage. Instead of or in addition to lowering 
The parenthetical tags provide additional 
cloud giants, and storm giants. Besides these,  their Wellness when they reach progressively 
categorization for certain creatures. The tags 
creatures such as ogres and trolls are giants.  worse wound thresholds, they may have other 
have no rules of their own, but something in the 
abilities that manifest. Some oozes split into two 
game, such as a magic item, might refer to 
Humanoid  smaller versions of the same ooze, while others 
them. For instance, a spear that is especially 
Humanoids are the main peoples of a fantasy  might become more amorphic, allowing them to 
effective at fighting demons would work against 
gaming world, both civilized and savage,  flow into small holes.  
any monster that has the demon tag. 
including humans and a tremendous variety of 
other species. They have language and culture, 
Plant  Some typical tags are described below. 
few if any innate magical abilities (though most  Plants in this context are vegetable creatures, 
humanoids can learn spellcasting), and a  not ordinary flora. Most of them are ambulatory,  Goblinoid​. Humanoids with the goblinoid tag 
bipedal form. The most common humanoid  and some are carnivorous. The quintessential  come from a loose heritage of creatures that 
races are the ones most suitable as player  plants are the shambling mound and the treant.  share similar biology, which happens to be 
characters: humans, dwarves, elves, and  Fungal creatures such as the gas spore and the  highly mutagenic. In other words, goblinoids 
halflings. Almost as numerous but far more  myconid also fall into this category.  have a huge variety in their appearance, physical 
savage and brutal, and almost uniformly evil, are  stature, and sometimes, even their numbers of 
the races of goblinoids (goblins, hobgoblins, and 
Undead  appendages! 
bugbears), orcs, gnolls, lizardfolk, and kobolds.  Undead are once-living creatures brought to a 
horrifying state of undeath through the practice  Lizardfolk​. Lizardfolk are reptilian humanoids 
Monstrosity  of necromantic magic or some unholy curse.  that are usually semi-aquatic, able to dwell on 
Monstrosities are monsters in the strictest  Undead include walking corpses, such as  land or underwater with relatively the same 
sense--frightening creatures that are not  vampires and zombies, as well as bodiless  ease. 
ordinary, not truly natural, and almost never  spirits, such as ghosts and specters. 
Demon​. Demons are a type of fiend, generally 
benign. Some are the results of magical 
Many undead do not break down appreciably,  more chaotic both in mindset and physiology. 
experimentation gone awry (such as owlbears), 
even when subjected to massive amounts of  They are the progeny of powerful monsters 
and others are the product of terrible curses 
damage: they just keep coming, relentlessly and  known as Demon Lords. 
(including minotaurs). They defy categorization, 
seemingly unstoppable. Such undead do not 
and in some sense serve as a catch-all category  Spirit​. Spirits are often undead creatures that 
have multiple Wellness ratings and wound 
for creatures that don't fit into any other type.  have an ephemeral form, allowing them to pass 
thresholds. They operate as if they have 
Wellness 3 right up until they reach 0 Health  through solid objects or even cross over planar 
Ooze  Points and are defeated.  barriers. Some other types of creatures can have 
Oozes are gelatinous creatures that rarely have  this tag as well, most notably fey and celestials. 
a fixed shape. They are mostly subterranean, 
dwelling in caves and dungeons and feeding on 
refuse, carrion, or creatures unlucky enough to 

28 
On Dragons and Epic Monsters 
 
Giant Beasts  Giant Rat 
 
Giant beasts are monstrously oversized versions 
Incredibly powerful monsters like ancient  Giant rats can haul away an entire pizza with 
of normal critters. Often, they will turn a 
dragons and kaiju-sized krakens are best fought  ease! 
nuisance into a deadly opponent, and almost 
with siege weapons and truly legendary magic. 
always, they signify some sort of magical origin, 
They remain outside the rules for typical combat 
turning the creature into a more violent version 
Goals 
as sword or spell are useless against such huge  ❖ Eat. 
of its normal self. 
monsters.  ❖ Survive at any cost. 

Instead, these sorts of encounters are best  Threat 1 

handled as a series of quests. For example, a    Giant Hornet 
quest may involve repelling a dragon with a  Giant beasts luckily don’t organize in large  Beast 
specific magical ritual, an alchemical formula, or  groups, but just a few of them can be dangerous   
the combination of the two (or more). This may  to crops, unattended foodstuffs, or unattended  HP​ 3 
keep the dragon at bay for a time. Defeating the  children.  Skills​. Dodge +2, Scratch +1 
monster with any sense of finality may involve  Attacks​. Claws & fangs (1d3) 
all of this and more! In an epic battle, the  Giant Hornet   
characters may have to scramble to    Diseased​. Giant rats are often disease 
tower-mounted ballista with specially treated  This hornet is nearly two feet long!  carriers. Each time a creature is damaged by a 
ballista, enact powerful rituals to restrict the  giant rat’s claws & fangs attack, they must roll 
dragon’s ability to fly or breath fire, and utilize  Goals  2d6. On a result of 2 (two “1s”), they lose 1 
catapults to weaken its scales. You can treat  ❖ Eat.  Wellness. 
each of these tasks as their own encounter,  ❖ Defend the hive.   
“arming” the dragon with a suitable number of 
Health Points and Wellness for each step in the     
Giant Hornet 
process of weakening it, limiting its powers, and 
Beast 
then attacking it with a series of weapons that 
 
might lay it low. 
HP​ 6 

 
Skills​. Dodge +1, Sting +1 
Attacks​. Stinger (1d6) 

   
 
Antennae​. The hornet’s antennae give it a +2 
bonus on all rolls that might benefit from an 
improved sense of smell. 
Flight​. A giant hornet can fly. 
 

 
   
 

29 
Bugbear  Goblins  Goals 
 
A tall, barrel-chested, and very hairy humanoid  A short, lanky, green-skinned humanoid. 
❖ Accumulate wealth (meaning: anything 
with green, brown, or gray colored skin. 
shiny). 
Goblin Skirmisher  ❖ Impress the leaders. 
Bugbear Warrior  Humanoid (goblin) 
Humanoid (goblinoid)    Goblins are easy to bribe and cowardly when 
  Armor​ Wolf hide (DR 1), ​HP​ 9  intimidated. Their leaders (often a shaman) are 
Armor ​Furry hide (DR 1), H​ P​ 12  Skills​. Handaxe +1, Foraging +1, Shortbow +1,  egotistical and vain, and thus easy to 
Skills​. Battleaxe +2, Foraging +1, Sprinting +2,  Sprinting +1, Stealth +1  manipulate. 
Stealth +1  Attacks​. Handaxe (1d6), Shortbow (1d6) 
Attacks​. Battleaxe (1d6+1) 
 
Threat 1 
   
Goblins are mischievous raiders. They often 
Goblin Shaman 
History  Humanoid (goblin) 
attack merchants and travelers for goods, but 
rarely fight to the death. They don’t organize in 
    large enough numbers to effectively attack 
The tallest, nastiest goblins eventually gave rise  Armor​ Wolf hide (DR 1), ​HP​ 12  settlements very often. 
to a related species: the bugbear. Bugbears are  Skills​. Handaxe +1, Foraging +1, Ritual Magic 
generally quite angry, possibly because their  +1, Shortbow +1, Stealth +1     
massive amounts of body hair actually hurts as  Attacks​. Handaxe (1d6), Shortbow (1d6) 
it grows.   
Spell Points​ 6, ​Refresh 1
​ 0 minutes 
Goals  ❖ Ritual Magic Spells​. Curse, Summon 
  Undead (spirits) 
❖ Accumulate wealth (meaning: anything 
 
shiny). 
❖ Eat really, really tasty meat. 
❖ Get a haircut.  History 
 
Threat 2  Goblins are humanoid creatures that have highly 
mutable biology, meaning that they can offer 
 
look very different from one another even when 
Bugbears aren’t usually organized enough to 
they are closely related. Some goblins even grow 
threaten much more than outlying farmsteads, 
additional limbs (extra arms are common), or 
but when they join up with bands of goblins they 
have certain features that take on the 
can become dangerous and savage leaders. 
appearance of other animals’ features, such as 
  bat ears or feline eyes. 

   
 

30 
Lizardfolk  adventure, but when they do they favor 
the acolyte and rogue classes.     
This is a hunched reptilian humanoid with dark 
green scales. Males are smaller and have  Threat 2 
colored patches along their abdomen.   
Lizardfolk are organized and savage on the 
Lizardfolk  offense, but they are not often overtly violent 
Humanoid (lizardfolk)  towards communities. 
 
Armor​ Dirty leathers (DR 1) + shield, ​HP​ 12     
Skills​. Dodge +1, Shortbow +1, Shortsword +1, 
Spear +2, Stealth +1, Traps +1 
Attacks​. Shortbow (1d6), Shortsword (1d6), 
Spear (1d6+1) 
 
Aquatic​. Lizardfolk are semi-aquatic, able to 
breathe underwater for long periods of time 
(often hours). 
 

History 
 
Lizardfolk are isolated and often quite 
xenophobic. Little is known about them outside 
of those specifically invited into the 
communities. They can be fiercely territorial and 
vicious. 

Goals 
 
❖ These hunters are quite fond of plying 
their trade, bursts of athletic 
entertainment, and long naps in the 
warm sun. 
❖ Lizardfolk consider themselves guests 
outside their own communities, and are 
polite to a fault. 
❖ Lizardfolk rarely attempt to live outside 
of their own communities or actively 

31 
Owlbear  Goals 
 
   
This unusually large brown bear has an owl like 
❖ Feed. 
head and feathers that poke through its fur. 
❖ Defend the nest. 

Owlbear  Threat 1d6 

Monstrosity   
  Owlbears are dangerous in a pack, and can 
Armor​ Feathery hide (DR 1), H ​ P​ 18  easily lay waste to poorly defended farmsteads 
Skills​. Bite +1, Claw +2, Shrug Off Pain +1,  or hamlets. 
Swim +1, Track +1 
Attacks​. Bite (1d3), Claw (1d6)   
 
Bear Hug​. When the owlbear successfully     
deals damage with its claw attack, it 
immediately draws the target in for a bear 
hug, making a free bite attack, and then 
throwing them aside. 
 

History 
 
Owlbears were originally created alchemically to 
guard treasures or mage towers. They are 
fiercely territorial however using specific sounds 
they can be ‘trained’ to feel at home with certain 
beings in its home. They have since multiplied 
on their own and spread to many habitats. 
Interestingly, owlbears are highly sensitive to 
music, which soothes them almost instantly. 

 
   

32 
Skeleton Assassin  ❖ The spirit is performing a long-form 
ritual: if it can kill twenty-one people in 
   

This undead moves freely as a cloaked figure,  seven weeks, it will gather enough 
for it is rare that people see the dingy skull  power to become a vampire. 
within the shadows of the dark hood. This robe 
is frayed at the edges, and beneath it the  Threat 1d6 
skeleton wears dirty leather armor with a small   
puncture over where the heart would be.  The Skeleton Assassin is a force of nightmares, 
often used as a figure to scare children, though 
Skeleton Assassin  it is very real. 
Undead 
   
Armor​ Leather armor (DR 1), H ​ P​ 15 
   
Skills​. Dodge +1, Knife +1, Shortsword +2, 
Stealth +3, Knife +1 
Attacks​. Bandolier of 5 Throwing Knives 
(1d3), Shortsword (1d6) 
 
Swiftness​. The skeleton assassin has a +1 
bonus on initiative rolls. 
 

History 
 
This rogue killed a young cleric of a death 
goddess, and he was cursed by the cleric's dying 
breath. The rogue died of illness within three 
days. Her remains are animated, possessed by a 
spirit that hungers for blood. 

Goals 
 
❖ There is a constant battle of wills 
between the assassin’s soul and the 
spirit that possesses his body. The 
assassin wishes to be free of the curse 
and he believes that there must be a 
way to return to life. The spirit wishes to 
kill, and it strikes quickly and randomly. 

33 
Baroon the Spirit Wolf  know who is sending the trappers and 
why. 
❖ Usually, a humanoid band is a 1d6 
threat. 
A large wolf with bright blue eyes and a thick,  ❖ Disorganized groups will be threat 1, 
healthy looking coat of fur the dark gray color of  Threat 2d6  unless they are especially large (30+), in 
soot.    which case they are threat 2. 
The Spirit Wolf is one of four such creatures, and  ❖ A very large, well-organized band of 
Baroon the Spirit Wolf  can lead packs of wolves on its own, or they can  mercenaries might be threat 2d6. 
Beast  all band together with their separate packs. As 
  such, the Spirit Wolves can threaten a  Disciplined Combatants 
HP​ 15  settlement easily if they organize against it.  The following represent trained soldiers, guards, 
Skills​. Animal Magic +1, Bite +2, Dodge +1,  watch members, or noble warriors. 
Ritual Magic +1, Track +2 
Attacks​. Bite (1d6+1) 
NPCs  Guard 
The below stat block represents a typical, 
  Humanoid (human) 
trained NPC combatant. Notably, the stat block 
Spell Points​ 6, ​Refresh ​10 minutes   
is customizable, allowing the Narrator to choose 
❖ Animal Magic Spells​. Communicate  Armor​ Studded leather (DR 1), H
​ P​ 6 
a couple skills and customize the weapon 
with Beasts, Summon Beasts  Skills​. Halberd +1, Shortbow +1 
loadout to suit their needs. 
❖ Ritual Magic Spells​. Bless, Curse,  Attacks​. Halberd (1d6+1), Shortbow (1d6) 
Summon Undead (spirits)  A hireling or similar NPC can use this stat block   
  as well, varying the Health Points from 6 to 12 
as needed. 
Knight 
History 
  Goals  Humanoid (human) 
 
Baroon was a normal wolf until the day he and   
Armor​ Platemail (DR 2) + shield, ​HP​ 12 
his pack drank from a magical spring. His pack  ❖ Make a living. 
Skills​. Lance +1, Longsword +1, Animal 
became blessed with unusual intellect and  ❖ Find a place to call home, and people to 
Handling +1 
abilities (there are four wolves, one tied  call family. 
Attacks​. Lance (1d6+1), Longsword (1d6) 
mystically to the conceptual themes of each 
class; Baroon is the Mage). Shortly after this,  Threat varies  Mounted Combat​. A mounted knight can 
 
trappers came into the woods looking to drive    move twice on their turn. 
out his pack. The four wolves split up, each  Most NPC bands of 10+ can organize well and 
becoming the leaders of separate packs of  do significant harm to a community. Especially   
wolves.  large groups (30+) can be devastating if well 
organized...but some groups are frankly just  Soldier 
Goals  poorly organized, and therefore their threat to a  Humanoid (human) 
  community drops off significantly.   
❖ Baroon simply wants to live a good life.  Armor​ Chainmail (DR 2) + shield, H
​ P​ 9 
❖ His new friends, the spirits of the woods,  Use the following guidelines to establish the 
Skills​. Crossbow +1, Longsword +1, Dodge +1 
tell him that trappers wish to take his  threat of humanoids: 
Attacks​. Crossbow (1d6), Longsword (1d6) 
pack out of the forest. Baroon wants to 
 

34 
   

Disorganized & Rag-tag NPCs   

The following are your typical commoners,   
roving bandits, and lightly organized pirates. 

Commoner (Militia) 
Humanoid (human) 
 
HP​ 6 
Skills​. Farming +1, specific craft of choice +1 
Attacks​. Club or farming implement (1d3) 
 

Bandit 
Humanoid (human) 
 
Armor​ Leather (DR 1), ​HP​ 6 
Skills​. Dagger +1, Spear +1, Stealth +1 
Attacks​. Dagger (1d3), Spear (1d6+1) 
 

Pirate 
Humanoid (human) 
 
Health Points​ 9 
Skills​. Cutlass +1, Dagger +1, Sailing +1 
Attacks​. Cutlass (1d6), Dagger (1d3) 
 

   

35