By Alan Bahr

Author: Alan Bahr

Twelve Labors: Jack Norris
Interior Art: Nicolas Giacondino, www.rawpixel.com
Cover Art: Nicolas Giacondino
Book Design & Layout: Robert Denton III
Publishing: Alan Bahr

Based on the game by Brandon McFadden

First Edition
Published by Gallant Knight Games, 2019

Tiny Gunslingers and TinyD6 are trademarks

of Gallant Knight Games. ©2019 by Gallant
Knight Games. All rights reserved. Reproduction
without the written permission of the publisher is
expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of
reviews, and for the blank character sheets, which
may be reproduced for personal use only.
Gallant Knight Games, Ogden UT 84404

Dedications: This is dedicated to my dad, Doug, and my brother, Adam, who love
Westerns even more than I do. They’ll never see this dedication (they don’t play
roleplaying games), but they’re the ones who instilled the love of the western in me.
An additional dedication: To Deadlands: Reloaded and Pinnacle, whose
gunslinging poker mechanics clearly inspired the Blackjack version here for Tiny
Gunslingers and provided me hours of western role-playing enjoyment. Their
support during some of the hardest times of my still fledgling career was invaluable,
and I firmly believe they are some of the best people in the game industry.
 CONTENTS A TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOR A GAME ABOUT
SLINGING LEAD

Introduction............................................................................ 4
Chapter 1: The Game............................................................6
How to Play............................................................................ 6
Obstacles......................................................................................7
Save Tests.....................................................................................7
Combat.................................................................................. 8
Hit Points............................................................................. 11
Sleeping......................................................................................11
Death..........................................................................................12
Hiding & Sneaking................................................................ 13
Gunplay & Shootouts............................................................ 14

Chapter 2: Making A Posse..................................................15

Cowpoke Creation................................................................ 15
Grit...................................................................................... 18
Bounty................................................................................. 18
Traits................................................................................... 19
Weapons.............................................................................. 24
Items and Equipment............................................................. 25
The Cowpoke’s Kit.....................................................................25

Chapter 3: The Game Master...............................................26

Running Adventures.............................................................. 26
Enemies Chart............................................................................27
Enemies............................................................................... 28

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Chapter 4: Twelve Labors, Montana.................................... 30
Cast.....................................................................................30
Locations.............................................................................33
Adventure Seeds...................................................................35

3
Introduction
Tiny Gunslingers is a minimalistic tabletop roleplaying game. Part
of the goal of Tiny Gunslingers was to create a western-genre RPG
that didn’t require pages of gear, tables for combat, paragraphs about
horses, and convoluted travel. We want a system that can handle any
kind of story in a western setting while promoting interesting ideas
and characters.
You will not find traditional RPG components such as classes, levels,
or experience points in Tiny Gunslingers – instead, you create a system
that has been stripped down to the bare essentials for play. A system
that is designed to be a toolkit for
If you like Tiny Gunslingers, and telling any type of story you might
you haven’t seen its sister games, want. While Tiny Gunslingers does
we have many. You can check assume its players are familiar with
out Tiny Frontiers: Revised,
Tiny Dungeon 2e or many the tabletop roleplaying genre,
others on our website, www. newcomers and veterans alike
gallantknightgames.com should be able to easily understand
the basic mechanics of the game.

History & Harm

The Western genre deals with problematic pieces of American
History, and is a sensitive and painful topic for many cultures and
individuals. This game isn’t meant to address anything serious about
Westerns, the injustices perpetrated on countless peoples, or deal
with racism, colonialism or similar.
Tiny Gunslingers is meant to emulate the cinematic genre of the
Western Showdown, where a hero and a villain face down in a quick
draw fight to the death. It’s not an excuse to be a jerk, inflict trauma or
harm someone, engage in racism, colonialism, or anything damaging
to anyone emotional or mental health. If you or your game is causing
any of that, you don’t need to be playing this game.

4
Getting Started
You will need at least two players; one or more to act as the Cowpokes,
and one to act as a Game Master. It is highly recommended to have at
least three players acting as Cowpokes in a game. Each player will also
need three six-sided dice, or d6, called a Dice Pool. You can make
do with a single d6 by rolling it multiple times, but it’s easier to have
three dice to roll at once when needed.
You will also want to have some paper and a pencil to write down
your Cowpoke’s information and notes. A plain index card generally
has enough space on it to be an adequate Cowpoke Sheet, which
simply lists all of your Cowpoke’s information, gear, and notes.
Lastly, you want a single deck of playing cards with the Jokers
removed. Those will come into play throughout the game.
Game Masters will usually require more tools in order to keep their
thoughts and plans in order, as well as information on Non-Player
Characters, or NPCs, the Cowpokes will encounter. Finally, if the Game
Master deems it necessary for complex situations, the Game Master may
want maps and miniatures to make sure everyone is on the same page.

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 CHAPTER 1
Chapter One: The Game

THE GAME

How to Play
First, before we create your Cowpokes, it’s time to learn how to play.
Roleplaying games are about storytelling, and Tiny Gunslingers is
no different. Most of the game is played simply by describing your
Cowpoke’s actions to everybody. When describing these actions, you
should explain what goal your Cowpoke is trying to accomplish. It
is the Game Master’s job to react to these actions and describe the
outcome. Simple actions are typically resolved automatically with the
Game Master’s consent.
To resolve Tests, we use dice. Tiny Gunslingers uses six-sided
dice (like the sort you find in board games or bundled in local game
stories). Each player will want three of these dice (called d6s from
here after). When we refer to dice in multiples, we put the number
of dice first (such as 2), the “d” to indicate dice second (2d), and the
sides of the dice last (6, so 2d6 means two six-sided dice).
Tiny Gunslingers will sometimes use d6s to generate other results.
If we refer to a d2, simply roll a d6, and divide the result by 3 rounding
up. This means a 1, 2, and 3 count as a 1, and a 4, 5, or 6, count as a 2.
When the rules state a d3, we use a similar idea, but 1 and 2 count as
a 1, 3 and 4 count as a 2, and 5 and 6 count as a 3.
The core Mechanic that runs Tiny Gunslingers is called a Test, which
is a roll of 2d6 from your Dice Pool. For complex actions, the Game
Master will usually require you to make a Test to determine if you
succeed at what you’re doing. Tests are considered to be successful if
you roll a 5 or a 6 on any of the dice rolled in your Dice Pool, unless
otherwise noted by the Game Master.

6
 The Game Master, and certain Traits selected at Cowpoke Creation,
can grant you Advantage in some situations. This will allow you to

Chapter One: The Game

roll 3d6 from your Dice Pool instead of 2d6 for that particular Test,
increasing the odds of success!
Other situations, at the Game Master’s discretion, may put you at
a Disadvantage. When at a Disadvantage, you will only be able to
roll 1d6 to resolve your Test. If the Game Master declares you have
Disadvantage situationally, it reduces your Dice Pool by one. Your
Dice Pool can never be reduced to zero dice.
If a situation gives you Advantage and Disadvantage, Disadvantage
wins out, putting you at a single dice instead of 2 or 3.

Obstacles
Obstacles are challenges that usually require you to make a Test
to succeed in overcoming the challenge. Obstacles may include
attempting to barter with a merchant, hack a control panel, search a
room for a hidden item before the guards come, or resolve a conflict
with words rather than swords.
The Game Master may determine your roleplaying is sufficient in
overcoming the Obstacle and grant
you an immediate success without
having to Test; however, in most
situations, a Test will be necessary
to determine the outcome.

Save Tests
Obstacles may arise that require
you to make what’s called a Save
Test in order to prevent something
bad from happening to you. For
example, you need to successfully
leap out of the way as a trap springs,
or you’re climbing a rope when it
snaps and could fall to your doom,

7
 or duck behind cover to survive a fiery explosion. Save Tests are also
used to stabilize yourself if you begin a turn at 0 Hit Points.
Chapter One: The Game

Save Tests are just like regular Tests, and unless otherwise noted
by the rules or the Game Master, you roll 2d6 to resolve your Test. A
5 or 6 on any of the rolled dice represent a successful Save and your
Cowpoke survives the danger unscathed.
Some Save Tests can be a life or death scenario – these are called
Save or Die Tests. Should you fail the Save Test, your Cowpoke is
killed. Period. There is no preventing it. Hopefully these situations
will be few and far between.

Combat
The Game Master will usually announce when Combat is about to
begin by requesting an Initiative Test. Cowpokes will roll a standard
2d6 Test and sum up both of the rolled dice.
Likewise, the Game Master will roll Initiative for any enemy
combatants the Cowpokes will be facing. The highest roller will have
the first turn in the Initiative Order, followed by the next highest,
and so on. If there is a tie between an Cowpoke and an enemy, the
Cowpoke always goes first. If there is a tie between two or more
Cowpokes, the tying Cowpokes can reroll for that position until the
tie is broken.
Combat is strictly turn-based in order to keep things running smoothly.
A round of combat begins at the top of the Initiative Order, and ends at
the bottom. The next round of combat then begins, starting again at
the top of the same Initiative Order. This continues until the Cowpokes
have defeated their enemies, completed some objective determined by
the Game Master, or until the Cowpokes have been killed.
While it can take some time for players to get through an entire
round of combat, in-game, a full round of combat is equal to roughly
five or six seconds. During your turn in the Initiative Order, you have
two Actions. You can choose to move, attack, or do other things with

8
 Chapter One: The Game
these Actions. If you move, that is one Action. If you attack, that is
one Action. You can use both Actions to move, or use both Actions to
attack if you wish. You can also use an Action for drawing a weapon,
holstering a weapon, grabbing an item, or giving an item to an ally.
When you move, first declare where your Cowpoke is moving to; the
Game Master determines whether or not you can cover enough ground
to get there with that Action. This is where miniatures and maps come in
handy, as they can assist in determining distance. It is also assumed that
each Cowpoke can move just as far as any other Cowpoke with a single
Action, unless the Game Master says otherwise. A good rule of thumb is
to assume your Cowpoke can move approximately 25 feet in-game with a
single Action, so long as there isn’t anything hindering their movement.
Attacking is the most important aspect of Combat. Attacking is just
another type of Test, and the Obstacle is your enemy. Usually, you’re
going to be using the weapon you have Mastered in to attack. Any
weapon type you are Mastered in allows you to roll an Attack Test with
Advantage, or 3d6. If you are simply Proficient with the weapon you’re
wielding, your Attack Test is a standard 2d6 Test. You are considered to
be at a Disadvantage for Attack Tests while wielding weapons you are not
Proficient with – this includes unarmed combat and improvised weapons.
On a successful Attack Test, you deal 1 point of damage to your
enemy, regardless of your weapon, unless your Game Master says
otherwise. Game Masters are encouraged to reward roleplaying at
all times, so a particularly detailed description of an attack may score
more than 1 point of damage to your enemy.

9
 There are four specific Actions you can perform in Combat: Focus,
Evade, Suppressing Fire, and Cover.
Chapter One: The Game

• When you choose to Focus, the next time you attack, your Test
is successful on a roll of 4, 5, or 6, increasing your chances of
hitting the enemy. Your Focus Action remains in effect until
you choose to attack, so the Action can carry over to other turns.
There is no benefit to stacking Focus Actions.
• When you choose to Evade, until the start of your next turn, you
can Test 1d6 when you are successfully hit by an enemy. If your
Test is successful, you evade the attack and do not take damage.
• Suppressing Fire lets you make an attack at Disadvantage every
time an enemy enters the area you’re suppressing.
• When you take Cover, all enemy attacks from one direction gain
Disadvantage.
As mentioned earlier, there are three categories of weapons in Tiny
Gunslingers – Melee, Light Ranged, and Heavy Ranged. You can still
attack while unarmed, or even with improvised weapons such as a
barstool or a rock, but these are not classified as weapons.
Melee Weapons have the benefit of being reliable and never running out of
ammunition. You can also take one hand off of your weapon, allowing you
to do other things with your free hand, such as dragging a friend to cover,
wielding a pistol, or holding a shield. You must be adjacent to an enemy, or
within 5 feet, to attack with a Melee Weapon. Examples of Melee Weapons
include daggers, swords, clubs, axes, and whips. If you are proficient with
Melee Weapons, you may select Unarmed as your Mastery.
Ranged Weapons come in Light and Heavy categories, and they share
some rules. Ranged Weapons treat all targets on the field as being
within range for attack, unless the Game Master declares they are
being protected by some form of cover or are just too far away to hit
with that type of ranged weapon. In Tiny Gunslingers, unless otherwise
noted by the Game Master, it’s assumed you’re always carrying enough
ammunition for your Ranged Weapon in the current fight. This keeps
the game moving quickly, and not bogged down by counting bullets.
At the end of every fight, use the Cinematic Ammo rule in the sidebar.

10
 Light Ranged Weapons can be held
and shot in one hand. You can also Cinematic Ammo

Chapter One: The Game

take one hand off of your weapon At the end of every fight,
have each player make
freely, allowing you to do other a Test for each ranged
things with your free hand. Examples weapon they used. Anyone
of Light Ranged Weapons include who fails is out of ammo un-
revolvers, throwing knives, shuriken, til they do something to re-
crossbows, or anything you could fill their supply. Cowpokes
who share ammo with allies
reliably shoot or throw one-handed. who have run out must Test
Heavy Ranged Weapons require you for Cinematic Ammo with
to wield them with both hands due to Disadvantage.
them being cumbersome. Examples
of Heavy Ranged Weapons include rifles, shotguns, and bows. Heavy
Ranged Weapons have bigger ammo clips, so you can reroll a failed
Cinematic Ammo Test once per mission.

Hit Points Other game systems generally

Now that you know your way around
the basics of Combat, it’s time to
discuss Hit Points. All characters
have 6 Hit Points. They reflect the
punishment your body can take
before you lose consciousness. In
Combat, every successful hit deals
1 point of damage unless otherwise
noted by the Game Master. Your choice of weaponry does not alter this.
have you roll for the damage
you deal or have different
weapons deal different amounts
of damage. Tiny Gunslingers
does away with this, because a
well-placed dagger can be just
as deadly as getting bisected
by a laser sword. Ultimately,
the final blow is the one that
counts.

Sleeping
You need at least 4 in-game hours of uninterrupted sleep every day to
regain your strength. If you manage to obtain 4 hours of uninterrupted
sleep, you will fully restore any lost Hit Points to your maximum. You
otherwise regain 1 Hit Point for every hour of sleep.

11
 When asleep, Cowpokes are unconscious. If something is going
on around them they are less likely to be aware of it, and are at a
Chapter One: The Game

Disadvantage when making a Test to see if something wakes them up.

Death
The dying process begins when you’ve taken enough damage to reduce
your Hit Points to 0. At this point, you’re knocked unconscious, and
without further assistance you could succumb to your wounds and die.
If you are at 0 Hit Points at the start of your turn in Combat, you can
only make a Save Test to stabilize yourself. A successful Save Test
will bring your Hit Points up to 1 and this will end your turn. If you
fail this first Save Test, you get one last chance at surviving on your
own – at the start of your second turn, make one last Save Test, at a
Disadvantage. If you fail this final Save Test, your Cowpoke dies.
While you are unconscious, any ally can attempt to stabilize you
by making a Save Test as an Action on their turn, providing they are
adjacent to you. On a success, you are restored to 1 Hit Point and
your next turn would start as a normal turn. Additionally, any items or
abilities that could potentially heal you while you are unconscious –
such as the Doctor Trait or medical equipment– can be used by allies
to bring you back from the brink.

12
 Chapter One: The Game
Hiding &
Sneaking
Attempting to hide or sneak around
is performed simply by making a
standard Test with 2d6. If the Test
is successful, you are hidden, or
your actions went unnoticed. Note
that you can’t simply hide in plain
sight, so you need some sort of
cover or concealment to hide. It is
up to the Game Master to determine
if you are in a situation where you
could potentially hide.
Allies and enemies alike can also make a standard 2d6 Test to locate
someone – or something – that is hidden. Hiding during Combat uses
an Action, as does searching during Combat. These Tests can only be
done during your Turn while in Combat.

The Rules Don’t Cover That!

Tiny Gunslingers is a minimalist rule set and it provides only a frame-
work for gameplay. There are a lot of scenarios that could happen
in a game that these rules don’t cover, and neither do the epic tomes
that other game systems use. If a situation arises where an Cowpoke
is asking for a ruling that these rules don’t provide an answer to, it
is up to the Game Master to provide a ruling. This is known as Game
Master Fiat. Ultimately the Game Master has final say on how the
game is played and how the rules are enforced. The key is simply to
be consistent.

13
 Gunplay & Shootouts
Chapter One: The Game

A key component of Western stories (even science fiction westerns)

are shootouts, quick-draws, and stare downs in the main road in town.
Here’s how we adjudicate that: with an awesome version of
Blackjack! The table will need a single deck of playing cards with the
Jokers removed (we mentioned that early, if y’all will recall).
A shootout is between two characters (either Cowpokes or NPCs).
After determining who is in the shootout, the GM will take the deck of
cards and deal one card face up to each player. Then the GM will deal
one card facedown to each player.
The Cowpoke or GM can look at the facedown card in front of them,
but no one else should see it.
Then, starting with the character with the highest value card faceup
in front of them, they can choose one of the following three options:
• Hit. A character who chooses to hit gets another face-up card.
• Stand. They get no card but hold.
• Shoot. If they shoot, everyone reveals the cards they have.
If all shootout participants stand consecutively, give them one more chance
to pick an option, and if they all stand again, proceed to the Shoot option.
Once someone picks shoot, the lead starts
to fly. Immediately stop dealing cards. The Remember, the Cowpokes
player with the highest total on the cards are the focus of the
story. You should never
that doesn’t exceed 21 gets to make an have a shootout without
attack. This attack hits automatically and at least one player being
deals 1d6 damage. If the other participants involved.
are still standing, in descending order of
value, allow them to make an attack that deals 1d6 damage.
Once everyone has made their attack, collect the cards and roll initiative
as normal.

14
CHAPTER 2
MAKING A POSSE

Cowpoke Creation

Chapter Two: Making a Posse

Creating your Cowpoke is a quick process. You don’t necessarily
need to follow this specific order, but it serves as common flow for the
process (there are more details after the checklist).
• Select 3 Traits
• Select Weapon Proficiency and Mastery
• Assign Gear and dinero.
• Assign Grit
All Cowpokes start with 6 Hit Points.
Then select three unique Traits from the Trait List. Instead of predefined
character classes like other RPGs, Tiny Gunslingers (like Tiny Dungeon)
uses Traits to express what your Cowpoke excels at doing.
Next, you’re going to pick a weapon group you are Proficient with.
There are three groups of weapons; Melee, Light Ranged, and Heavy
Ranged, which are discussed in more detail in the Combat section and
in the Weapons section.
From your chosen weapon group, you select one specific type of
weapon that you have Mastered. For example, you can select Melee
Weapons as your Proficient group, and from that, you can select
daggers as your Mastered weapon. Your Cowpoke will start with one
weapon of your choice, ideally the weapon he or she has Mastered.
Don’t be afraid to be creative – you may have chosen to be Proficient
with Melee Weapons, but there are many different types of weapons
you could arm your Cowpoke with, such as dirks, daggers or broken
bottles from a bar fight.

15
Chapter Two: Making a Posse

It is assumed that your Cowpoke is already wearing the standard

armor or clothing of their choosing. Armor serves no mechanical
function in the game, so just note what you’re wearing.
You also start with 10 dinero and an traveler’s kit, the content of
which is described in the Traveler’s Kit section.
Finally, name your Cowpoke and give him or her a little bit of a
backstory. This should include a description of your job (called a
Profession), along with anything else that makes your Cowpoke
unique or interesting. When choosing your Profession, keep in mind
you have picked up some skills and knowledge from this craft and gain
Advantage in situations you can put it to use.

Game Masters:
Professions that affect combat directly should always be vetoed
because they tend to be unbalancing.
Cowpokes’ Professions are usually employment in a posse or jobs in
town, but ultimately their professions should be a useful (or enter-
taining) match for the missions the Cowpokes will face. Now, that’s
not to say a soldier is not a valid Profession. Simply don’t allow
Advantage on attack rolls. They can gain Advantage on rolls to
notice traps, plan ambushes, identify weapons or vehicles, or even
military tactics enemies use. Just not attacks.

16
 Finally, Cowpokes all have a driving principle called a Drive that you
will want to write down.
This Drive is a simple statement used as a guiding force for your
Cowpoke. Your Drive may be, “I’ll always find a diplomatic solution,”
“Money can buy happiness,” or “I let my six-shooter do the talking.”
This Drive is not etched in stone, and can be changed or added to with
the approval of your Game Master.

Chapter Two: Making a Posse

Game Masters:
While this is going on, you should be thinking about what type of
scenario you will be placing the Cowpokes in. The choices players
make while creating their Cowpokes should give you lots of ideas
about what missions and challenges would work well, particularly
their Drives and their Traits.
It is the Game Master’s job to create a convincing setting and story
for the Cowpokes, which includes missions to undertake, locations
to visit, enemies to fight, and NPCs to interact with. Is this going
to be a one-off adventure? Or are you planning to create an entire
world or universe for your Cowpokes to discover over the course
of many game sessions?
You can put as much or as little effort into this as you like, but keep
in mind it’s your job to keep everyone on track and entertained. One-
off adventures can be planned with a few minutes of preparation;
however, if it is your goal to have a larger campaign in mind, this is
going to take some work on your part to plan in advance. Take some
time to look through the For The Game Master section.

17
 Grit
At the start of every session, each Cowpoke in the posse gets 3 Grit.
Grit is a representation of willpower, fortitude, and savvy that all folks
out in the west seem to possess in spades. It’s recommended you use
poker chips to represent Grit.
Chapter Two: Making a Posse

Cowpokes can spend Grit for a number of effects.

• 1 Grit will give you a reroll on a failed Test. The reroll is made with
Disadvantage. You can’t reroll a Test that has already been rerolled.
• 1 Grit will let you look at a facedown card in a Shootout.
• 2 Grit will let you swap out a facedown card in a Shootout (yes,
even your opponents).
• 3 Grit will make an attack that hits you miss instead.
Recoverin’ Grit is pretty essential. The only way to recover Grit
during gameplay is to collect “Bounty” on a folk. If you kill, capture,
or arrest someone with a Bounty, you recover 1 per point of Bounty
that the wanted scum has.
You can never have more than 3 Grit though, unless you have a
special rule that says so, so any extra you better share with your posse.
Bounty isn’t always around, so be wise when you decide to use Grit.

Bounty Level Of “Wanted-ness”

Petty Crimes
Bounty
1

Bounty is a stat that Stole somefolk’s ride 2

represents how wanted Killed someone 3
a folk or varmint is. Killed a whole passel of someones 4
Bounty has no upper Most wanted outlaw in the region 5
limit, but use this handy
table below as a benchmark. Bounty is assigned by the GM at their
discretion, but there are some abilities that allow others to increase
or decrease Bounty.

18
 Trait List
Below are new Traits for Tiny Gunslingers:
Born Fighter: I’m always ready for a fight. When rolling initiative in
a fight, if any of your dice is a “1”, you can reroll it. You can’t reroll a
dice you’ve already rerolled.

Chapter Two: Making a Posse

Bounty Hunter: Yer comin’ with me. Dead or alive! When collecting
Bounty, you collect one extra Grit.
Detective: I always get my man. When searching for clues as to an
identity, whereabouts, or motives, you gain Advantage.
Drifter: Home is wherever my feet point. The first time you enter a place
you haven’t been in a long time (GM’s discretion), you recover 1 Grit.
Duelist: Draw! In a Shootout, you may add your current Grit to the total
result of your shootout. You must add all the Grit, or none. For example,
if your total is 17, and you have 3 Grit still, you would add +3, making
your new total 20. You can choose to use this after you see your cards.
Engineer: I fix what y’all break down. When you are maintaining,
managing, or repairing equipment, you gain advantage.
Fastest Gun: Fastest gun on the frontier. When rolling initiative, you
roll 3 dice and total them for your Initiative score. However, your first
attack has Disadvantage.
Gambler: Luckiest dice, this side of the Mississippi. You gain
Advantage when engaging in games of chance or luck, or attempting
to bluff or deceive others.
Gunslinger: I’m your huckleberry. One man leaves. In a shootout, if
your faceup or facedown card from the initial deal is a 5 or less, you may
choose to have a new card dealt. You may only do this once per Shootout.
Judge: I am the law! You may spend 1 Grit to increase the Bounty on
a target by 1.
Lawman: I’m here cuz y’all need to be set back on the straight and
narrow, ‘fore heading back into the west. When a target has a Bounty,
you may spend 1 Grit to gain Advantage on a roll against them.

19
 Learned: Look, these here books
contain the sum of the property
law of this territory! If you never
need a piece of information and
you can’t find the answer, you
can test with Disadvantage. If
successful, the GM will give you
Chapter Two: Making a Posse

a tidbit that will aid you.

Lucky: Whew. Close. Once per
session, you can reroll a dice
roll you just made. You can not
reroll a reroll.
Nose for Trouble: I also seem
to get into trouble in this saloon,
especially come Settlement Day.
You gain +1 Grit at the start of
each session (this means you
start with 4). However, every
time you spend Grit, something bad seems to happen around you.
Not necessarily to you...just...in your presence.
Outlaw: Everything I want, I have to steal or have to win. You gain
Advantage on Tests to avoid detection or capture by “the Law”.
Preacher: We can only settle Gulch by working together, as friends,
neighbors, and family! You can spend your Grit on behalf of others.
Prospector: I got a nose for the stuff. You can spend 1 Grit to locate
valuable or scarce natural resources in your area. If there are none,
the GM will tell you, and return the Grit.
Tenderfoot: Green to Gulch, eh? You’re green and new to the west.
You start each session with one less Grit, but each time you recover
Grit, you gain 1 extra Grit.
Wanted: Black Bart, I’m here for you and your thugs! You’re either
a very bad person, or a very misunderstood soul. You start with 1
Bounty, but you gain +1 Grit at the start of each session for each
Bounty you have.

20
Below are traits from other TinyD6 games that are appropriate for
Tiny Gunslingers:
Acrobat: It’s up there? No problem! You gain Advantage when Testing
to do acrobatic tricks such as tumbling, long distance jumps, climbing,
and maintaining balance. You always land on your feet when you fall.
Ambush Specialist: Keep your eyes on your six... You gain Advantage

Chapter Two: Making a Posse

on Tests to locate, disarm, and detect ambushes and traps. You also
gain Advantage on Save Tests to avoid traps.
Animal Empathy: What is it, boy?! The neighbor fell down a well?!
You are able to communicate with animals loosely, understanding
their body language and noises. This form of communication is
primitive and very simplistic, you can’t convey any complex ideas.
Apothecary: Cactus dust has many uses. It’s also great on salads!
Provided the right reagents and recipes, you can mix medicines,
elixirs, chemical bombs, and poisons. You also gain Advantage when
identifying unknown liquids and other useful substances.
Berserker: YAAAARRRRRGHHH! When attacking with a Melee
Weapon, you can choose to attack at a Disadvantage. If the attack is
successful, it deals 2 points of damage.
Big-Game Hunter: If it ain’t like me, I can kill it. You have spent years
learning how to hunt, kill, and trap other creatures. You can spend an
action to attack an enemy at Disadvantage, if you succeed you deal 1
damage and gain Advantage on your next Test or attack against them.
Brawler: Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face. If you
are fighting Unarmed, you Test for Evade or Goblin Agility with 2d6
(instead of 1d6).
Charismatic: I can get what I want without even asking. You gain
Advantage when attempting to convince someone of something or
otherwise influence them.
Cleave: I will bathe in the blood of enemies! If your attack drops an
enemy to 0 Hit Points, you may immediately make an extra attack with
Disadvantage.
Dark-fighter: Who needs eyes, when I have all the other senses? You
do not suffer Disadvantage for having your sight impaired.

21
 Diehard: I’m not going down that easy. When an attack would reduce
you to 0 Hit Points, it instead reduces you to 1 Hit Point. You can do
this twice per mission.
Doctor: I’ve seen worse, son. You’ll pull through. As an Action, you can
Test 2d6 to heal a creature other than yourself. If the Test is successful,
the target creature is healed for 2 Hit Points. This Trait can also be used
to cure poison, disease, and other physical ailments as determined by
Chapter Two: Making a Posse

the Gamemaster. You must be next to the creature to heal it.

Ecologist: Naw, jackalopes have four or six points on their antlers. That
there’s a jackaoose. Don’t startle it. You gain Advantage when attempting
to find your way through natural environments, and when attempting to
identify dangerous creatures, odd plants, and wild animals.
Educated: I didn’t go to college for four years for nothing! You gain
Advantage when checking to see if you know specific information. If
you don’t know something, you do know the best place to find it.
Eidetic Memory: You remember that guy in that city? Who did that
thing? What did he say? When Testing to recall information you have
seen or heard previously – even in passing – you succeed on a roll of
4, 5, or 6.
Fleet of Foot: Running away is always a valid option. Your speed
increases from 25 feet to 30 feet.
Heavy Weapons Expert: There is never enough bullets. As one
Action you may attack with a Heavy Ranged Weapon to hit one target,
and also the two targets nearest to your initial target (ally or enemy).
All these are attacks are made with disadvantage.
History Professor: P as in Past. You have spent years learning the
tricks, traps, uses and language of the various dead civilizations.
You gain Advantage to identify the primary function of any piece of
historical artifact you find, and there might be other benefits.
Insightful: Not sure if serious… You gain Advantage when Testing to
discern whether or not someone is telling the truth or lying.
Marksman: The odds of hitting your target increase dramatically
when you aim at it. When you Focus, your next attack with a Ranged
Weapon is successful on a Test of 3, 4, 5, or 6.

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Martial Artist: Be like water, flowing through cracks. You gain
Unarmed as a Weapon Group to be proficient with (in addition to
your starting Proficiencies). You do not gain an additional Mastered
Weapon for this proficiency. Once per day, you may reroll a failed
Unarmed Attack, Evade Test or Goblin Agility Test.
Nimble Fingers: I could have sworn I left it right here! You gain
Advantage when Testing to pick locks, pick pockets, or steal.

Chapter Two: Making a Posse

Opportunist: One man’s failure is another man’s opening to stab the idiot
who failed. If an enemy within range fails to hit with an attack against you,
you may immediately make an attack with Disadvantage against that enemy.
Perceptive: It’s too late, I’ve seen everything. You gain Advantage
when Testing to gain information about your surroundings or find
things which may be hidden. You gain this even while asleep.
Prepared: Like I’d come without extra bullets. You gain Advantage
when making a Cinematic Ammo Test at the end of a fight. Twice
per session you can Test with Disadvantage to see if you brought a
specific piece of Common equipment with you.
Quick Shot: Pew, pew, pew! As one Action you may make two attacks
with a Light Ranged Weapon. Both Tests are at Disadvantage.
Resolute: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. You gain Advantage
on all Save Tests.
Sneaky: Silent, but deadly. You gain Advantage when Testing to
hide or sneak around without others noticing you. If you are detected
while hiding, you can always act first.
Strong: Forget the doorknob! Stand back, I’ll kick it in! You gain
Advantage when Testing to do something with brute force.
Survivalist: These berries are safe to eat… I think. You gain Advantage
when Testing to forage for food, find water, seek shelter, or create shelter
in the wild. You also gain Advantage on rolls against any type of poison.
Tough: I have not journeyed all this way because I am made of sugar
candy. You gain 2 additional Hit Points.
Tracker: These prints are fresh. He went that way. You gain Advantage
when Testing to track a creature’s movement. While outdoors, you
can always locate true north (or a useful local equivalent).

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 Trapmaster: It’s a trap! As an action, you can Test to set a trap or
trick an enemy. If you succeed, the enemy blunders into your trap and
the next Test or attack against them gains Advantage.
Vigilant: Better to stay ready than to get ready. You gain Advantage
on Initiative Tests.

Magical Traits
Chapter Two: Making a Posse

If you wish to run a weird-western style game, the magical Traits

found in Tiny Dungeon 2e will cover your needs (especially Familiar
and Spell-Touched.) Refer to those books as needed.

Weapons
There are three weapon categories: Melee, Light Ranged, and Heavy
Ranged. These categories include a variety of individual weapons,
and the listed weapons provided can be supplemented with additional
weapons with approval from your Game Master.
Prices are suggestions and represent an average cost for basic weaponry.

Weapon Cost
Melee: Axe, baton, brass knuckles, fencing sword, hammer, 1-5 Dinero
knife, sword, club
Light Ranged: Crossbow, revolver, shuriken, throwing knives, 1-20 Dinero
sling, thrown weapons
Heavy Ranged: Buffalo Rifle, shotgun, longbow, Gatling Gun, 10-25 Dinero
any two handed ranged weapon

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Items and Equipment
An assortment of additional items and equipment can usually be
purchased at local shops in towns. This list is not an exhaustive list of
every item you can procure, but is meant to act as a general guide. The

Chapter Two: Making a Posse

list divides items and equipment by rarity. Prices are suggestions and
represent an average cost.
Items And Equipment Cost
Common: Backpack, barrel, belt pouch, clothing, coat, crowbar, 1-5 Dinero
flask, fishing rod, torch, grappling hook, lantern, lighter, musical
instrument, paper (10 sheets), pen, rope (50 feet), sewing kit,
shovel, sleeping bag, pocket watch
Uncommon: Armshield, chemistry set, lockpicks, machine parts, 1-20 Dinero
doctor’s kit, pager, mining tools, pocket watch, two-way radio, tent
Rare: Disguise kit, forged travel papers, poison, antique weapons, 10-25 Dinero
gold nuggets, silver nuggets, horses, saloon

The Cowpoke’s Kit

As a Cowpoke, you start with a basic kit of items from the Items and
Equipment list to help get you going. The Cowpoke’s Kit includes
the following items: sleeping bag, holster belt, saddle, horse, lantern
with 72 hours of oil, water, 50 feet of strong cord, 7 days of trail
rations, and a poncho.

A note on equipment. While equipment has no mechanical benefit,

the GM can and should often ask characters if they have equipment
that would help. If the answer is no, the GM can have them Test at
Disadvantage for related items. An engineer without his tools has a
harder time than one that remembers. Equipment should be treated
in service of the story and a good time.

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 CHAPTER 3
THE GAME MASTER
The following sections are to assist the Game Master in running
games. The Game Master should study it before character creation.

Running Adventures
Chapter Three: The Game Master

This is undoubtedly the hardest part of being the Game Master,

but luckily, you have options. Tiny Gunslingers is a western game
system – meaning if you know western genre stories, you’re already
halfway there. A lot of the time, you can write a brief story and the
Cowpokes will quickly get you on the way. Now, this may require you
to make some changes to the rules to ensure everything fits, but it’s
the quickest way to get things started. There is an unending list of
supplemental gaming material out there for premade characters, plot
hooks, missions, and campaign settings.
But before we get too deep, ask yourself this question: is this going
to be a one-off mission that just lasts for one game session, or do you
have a larger campaign in mind? If you are planning a one-off session,
then things aren’t going to be too difficult, even if you plan to create
the adventure yourself. One-off missions generally do not require a
significant amount of world-building, meaning you do not need to
spend time creating the rich history that larger campaigns require.
One-off missions present your players with a single main objective or
quest to complete in the game session.
Here’s an example of a session that could be a one-off, or be present
in a larger campaign.
For example, the posse of Cowpokes rolls into the town of Gulch,
intent on hunting down the notorious villain Black Bart. However, they
run into a hurdle. Due to the amount of violence in the town, the local
Sheriff requires all visitors to hand over their firearms when they arrive.

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 What do the players do? Do they hand over the firearms, or do they
attempt to circumvent the law and either smuggle them in or flat out
refuse. A tough choice. If they don’t hand them over, they likely face
an increase in their “Wanted” rating.
After the players make their decision, they need to be refreshed,
so they head to a local tavern. Clearly, a barfight will break out over
gambling, and without their irons to defend themselves, the players
might be in for a bit of a struggle.
As the players are recovering from this fight, Black Bart and his gang, the
notorious Bart’s Banditos ride into town, intent on looting the local bank!
This sequence of events keeps the action on, and the players movin’,

Chapter Three: The Game Master

focusing on dynamic events that stem from their initial choice to hand
over the guns or not. Every event here plays out different if the players
are armed, versus if they are not.
Enemies Chart
Threat HP Description
Fodder 1 Fodder enemies are people or animals that have
virtually no combat ability. They can be used to
throw additional enemies into combat for a more
epic feel.
Low 2 Low threat enemies may represent wild animals or
average criminals.
Medium 3-5 Medium threat enemies can begin to be dangerous
in small groups, and can represent skilled
combatants or predatory creatures.
High 6-8 High threat enemies are just as dangerous as a
skilled Cowpoke. They are often leaders of Low
threat or Fodder threat enemies. Since they’re
usually leaders, they often have unique abilities
that bolster their minions.
Heroic 9-14 Heroic threat enemies are easily more skilled
than your average Cowpoke. Provide two or three
unique abilities for Heroic enemies, and several
Fodder enemies to protect them.
Solo 15+ Solo threats are enemies that require an entire
party to engage with them.

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 Enemies
The enemy chart is to assist the Game Master in crafting challenging
fights. As a Game Master, you want to be sure your Cowpokes feel
threatened. The goal isn’t necessarily to kill your Cowpokes, but the
danger of death should always be present and possible. Cowpokes
should never feel as though they are above running to save their hides
if need be.
Enemies can serve many roles. The most basic role of enemies
is to justify calling in Cowpokes to complete a mission that would
otherwise be easy for ordinary people (such as fighting through
Chapter Three: The Game Master

some dangerous wildlife to flip a switch and reboot a terraforming

system). You can also use enemies to make a seemingly mundane and
simple task become extremely complicated. Enemies may actively try
to prevent the Cowpokes from completing their mission. It may be
possible to negotiate with some enemies, although they will certainly
have wants and goals of their own. A mission’s sole goal may be to find
and defeat an enemy or group of enemies.
Enemies can also have unique abilities, either selected from the Traits
List just like a Cowpoke, or unique abilities the Game Master feels
appropriate. You should choose abilities that would be appropriate
for the type of enemy, such as basic combat training for a guard, or
multiple weapon attacks per round from a war machine. When the
Cowpokes are on a planet with a harsh environment, native lifeforms
may have abilities that make them well-adapted to the environment.
Enemies can have specific weaknesses for Cowpokes to exploit.
This weakness may be something that disables one of the enemy’s
abilities, instantly defeats that enemy, or forces the enemy to flee from
the Cowpokes. An entire mission may revolve around the Cowpokes
finding a weakness that allows them to deal with an enemy or species of
enemies. A dangerous alien monster might be vulnerable to freezing
temperatures, or it may be possible to shut down a combat drone’s
shields by radioing the right deactivation codes. Sometimes this may

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be a social task, such as finding evidence to blackmail someone, or
obtaining research from someone who has been studying the enemy’s
biology. A particular piece of lost lore may be the key to finding an
enemy’s weakness, or it may need to be reverse-engineered and mass-
produced to deal with the entire species. When designing a weakness,
make sure that the Cowpokes have ample opportunity to learn of its
existence before they try to fight the enemy.
Dread and tension can serve a large role in introducing more
powerful enemies. Once Cowpokes have rolled initiative, a lot of the
tension goes away because now they can just shoot it. If Cowpokes
keep hearing the monster, or seeing blurry sightings of it, or finding
its victims, or learning about its bizarre biology, or hearing tales and

Chapter Three: The Game Master

rumors from NPCs, then when they finally meet it they will understand
that it’s not just another encounter, but a dangerous adversary. If you
are running a campaign, you may want to spend multiple sessions
seeding rumors about a Solo-level enemy and giving the Cowpokes
opportunities to learn its weaknesses.
Game Masters should try to vary enemy types to keep things interesting
(unless the entire mission has a reason for similar enemies). Here are
some varieties of enemies you can use:
2d6 Enemy Type
2 Formerly peaceful railroad workers
3 Outlaws!
4 Misguided Lawmen (or maybe not so misguided!)
5 Bear!
6 Thieving gamblers
7 Angry drunks
8 Posse mistaken you for someone else
9 Prairie Spiders
10 Mercenaries
11 Scorned lover
12 Rival Gunslinger

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 CHAPTER 4
TWELVE LABORS, MONTANA
Founded by prospector and mountain man Hercules Stanton, the
town of Twelve Labors is a small community in transition. Originally
built around a small but prosperous gold vein, the town has since
become a trade and social hub for local ranchers and herders. The
Stantons, still the dominant family in town, run the saloons and hold
the seemingly hereditary position of mayor.
However, with the death of Hercules two years back, rule of the
Stanton dynasty falls on the shaky shoulders of his son Alex. Alex,
though better educated and urbane than his father, lacks the old
man’s grit and integrity. Under Alex, Twelve Labors has expanded,
even prospered, but some of the residents think the growing town has
brought in the wrong elements.
Twelve Labors, Montana

Cast
Hercules Stanton
Prospector and trapper Hercules
Stanton finally succumbed to
the loneliness of his frontier
existence when he struck gold
in 1860. He arranged to marry
a widow from back east, having a
son, and with his family grew the
town of Twelve Labors. There
is a charming 3’ bronze statue
of Hercules near the mayor’s house at the end of town, depicting the
patriarch as a modern mythological hero, holding his miner’s pick with
a great bear skin hanging from his shoulders.

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Alex Stanton
Son of town founder, Hercules Stanton, current mayor Alex Stanton
literally looks like a pale reflection of his father. He lacks his father’s
vigor and frontiersman build, instead looking more like a banker or
accountant. Alex is a fair businessman and charming enough in most
circumstances, but he lacks his father’s tenacity and sense of purpose.
Instead, Alex chases money and praise—this has allowed several seedy
characters to set up shop in town, from saloon keepers of questionable
background to ranchers known for their strongarm tactics.
Alex is currently unmarried, having lost his wife in childbirth several
years ago. His daughter and his father’s namesake, Hera, is being
educated back east and he has no sons. Alex keeps regular company
with a few of the higher-priced ladies at Lita’s, but he has yet to
find another wife. Alex is a good shot and accomplished rider, but
otherwise lost when it comes to most outdoor or militant activities.
Alex is a bit paranoid, worried that some outlaw or renegade or other
undesirable might one day take a shot at him. To prevent this, he has
recruited a group of “regulators” who act as bodyguards, agents,

Twelve Labors, Montana

and if necessary, enforcers. All are ex-military or law enforcement
and highly skilled in a fight. He’s grown their numbers to nine so far,
often hiring two or three for each lost to dangerous work.

Morgan Stanton
Stepdaughter of Hercules Stanton, Morgan came west with her
mother, Erin, when she traveled to meet and ultimately marry the old
man. Despite a rocky start, Morgan came to appreciate her stepfather,
who left her a modest inheritance and the ownership of his horse
ranch, stables, and a large herd of prized horses. Since then Morgan
has become one of the town’s more respected and prominent citizens,
though she often butts heads with her stepbrother, who she feels is
too unlike their father to protect and grow the town he established.
Despite lacking Stanton blood, Morgan often expresses the idea she
was more Hercules’ daughter than Alex. Despite having many offers,
she has yet to settle down and wed, though many note she is quite
close to her assistant and business manager, Elaine Ryan.

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 Leo Means
The sheriff of Twelve Labors, Leo Means is a handsome, strong-
jawed lawman who is as skilled with his fists or blade as his guns.
While hardly a stateman of great skill, Leo is charming enough and
his easy-going friendly demeanor has diffused some tense situations
in the past. Paid to keep the peace generally, Leo is nevertheless an
unapologetic servant of the Santons and their interests. Leo isn’t
necessarily a bad sort, but he’s less stalwart and benevolent than
initial impressions suggest—he’s a tough company man not afraid to
use force to solve problems if necessary.
Leo has three deputies that help him keep the peace. Two are
brothers, Henry and Elliot Byrd, a pair of reasonably skilled and loyal
guns who can follow orders. The third deputy is Bram Boreman, a big
burly ex-soldier with a blind left eye and a mean streak. He favors a
scattergun in a gunfight, though he carries a pistol as well.

Silver Bull
Twelve Labors, Montana

A Crow chieftan of mixed ancestry, few know the fearsome Silver Bull
is in fact the son of Hercules Stanton himself. Sent to live with his
relatives in the Crow nation after his mother’s death, Hercules rarely
acknowledged his son, always calling him by his “Christian name” of
Andrew on the rare occasions when he spoke of the boy—such as his
will. Expressing great regret at his neglect of his eldest son, Stanton
left his largest cattle ranch, a sizable herd, and largely unsuccessful
orchard to Andrew. Andrew moved much of his dwindling tribe to his
new holdings, allowing the elders to live as they will and recruiting the
youth to help him work the land.
Silver Bull, aka Andrew Stanton aka Silver Bull Stanton aka Andrew
Silver Bull, is a tall, powerful man who shows a mix of Anglo-Saxon
and Native American features. He hires mostly Native Americans,
African Americans, Chinese, and other disenfranchised individuals
for his businesses, making him popular in those communities and
unpopular with bigoted citizenry who resent such “elements” in their

32
town. He has recently begun expanding from cattle to horses, an act
that has brought him into friendly conflict with his half sister, @@.
However, unlike his half-brother Alex, Silver Bull likes his sister.

Twelve Labors, Montana

Silver Bull is finding that the more “civilized” the town becomes, the
more unwelcoming people are to his business ownership, employees,
and even him personally.

Locations
The following locations are representative of important places in
Twelve Labors. GMs should feel free to add their own locations. In
addition to these places, Twelve Labors has many normal businesses
and locations for Old West town, including multiple saloons, a town
hall, a church that doubles as a school and meeting hall, and numerous
residences in and near town. As a former mining town shifting to
cattle and horses, some of saloons, gambling houses, and tents are
slowly giving way to corrals and other businesses.

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 Lita’s
One of the most successful “entertainment palaces” in Stanton,
Lita’s has been serving the needs of travelers and locales since it was
a tent staked on the far end of town. Lita herself is an aging but still
beautiful Mexican woman who no longer takes clients but is rumored
to occasionally make an exception for the sheriff and the mayor. Lita
regularly brings in new “performers” and is known for being firm but
fair with her workers. She guards her ownership of Lita’s jealously,
including a special title and deed by old Hercules that guarantees her
ownership and the ability to operate inside town limits in perpetuity.

Stanton Manor
Originally a small but well-constructed home, Stanton Manor has
been expanded and rebuilt over the years. The home stands as the
mayor’s house and source of many local social events and parties.
Alex Stanton lives there, attended by several servants and the odd
guard. While Hercules often stayed at one of his ranches, Alex prefers
Twelve Labors, Montana

the manor house.

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The Golden Elk
Built by prospector, Arthur Hunt, the Golden Elk Saloon and Casino
is one of the oldest businesses in town. Using the proceeds from his
one big strike, Arthur built the Elk and likely made more money off
the miners and later the ranchers and cowboys than he ever would
have mining the quickly exhausted gold veins of the region. Arthur
was a friend, frequent hunting companion, and drinking buddy of
Hercules Stanton, even serving as deputy mayor for a time before
it was decided Twelve Labors was far too small to benefit from such
expanded administration. Arthur is still owner-operator of the Golden
Elk, running the place alongside his wife, Rosa, and three children,
Arthur Jr, Orin, and Diana.
Recently, the Elk has become the site of various brawls and one
murder, a result of drunken cowboys, drifters, and other transients
clashing with locals. Arthur has asked the sheriff and mayor to take
action, but they are slow to act—wary of scaring off or offending the
big cattle operations and other businesses that come to town.

Twelve Labors, Montana

Adventure Seeds
The following adventure seeds can be used to spark encounters and
adventures in Twelve Labors.

The Hounds of Hell

The Hounds, a family of famous rustlers and outlaws, move into the
region. The two brothers, Jed and Zeke, and their sister Abigail,
run a gang of cutthroats and opportunists who seek to bleed Twelve
Labors for every dollar they can. Will one of the local ranchers bribe
the Hounds to attack and weaken a rival? Will these villains descend
on some local business or homestead and steal and kill before they are
stopped? Why is the sheriff and his men slow to stop these outlaws—is
it fear or perhaps something else?

35
 Contest of Champions
Eager to grow the town’s fame and fortune, Alex Stanton sponsors
a shooting contest. For five days the best marksmen from near and
far gather to compete in tests of speed and skill. Prizes include cash
and high-quality firearms. The best local guns compete—including
several or Stanton’s regulators and Sheriff Means and his deputies—as
do many famed gunfighters and marksman. In addition to competing
Twelve Labors, Montana

or watching the contests, many people are gambling on the results

of various contests. If well known for their skill with a gun, the PCs
may be invited personally to compete. The contest is not meant to
be dangerous or violent, though if tempers run high or two sworn
enemies arrive in town to compete, who knows what could happen?

36