Darker Dungeons

D
arker Dungeons is an unofficial Character Creation 2 Inspiration 9
set of rules—heavily inspired by Darkest Leveling Up 5 Tools 9
Dungeon—designed to tone down the Training 5 Stressing Out 10
default heroics of D&D 5e and put more of Stress 10
an emphasis on danger, risk, and hardship. Equipment 6 Afflictions 11
An adventurer's life is not an easy one, and Character Inventory 6 Conditions 12
survival is never a guarantee. Wear & Tear 6
Darker Dungeons focuses on three core themes: Item Quality 7 Life & Death 13
exploration, survival, and wealth. Explore forgotten Ammunition 7 Health 13
corners of the world and make new discoveries. Survive Magic Items 7 Injury 13
by managing your resources and making the most of Item Charges 7 Death 14
your skills. Gain fame, fortune, and power—or fall into Taking Action 8 Cheating Fate 14
ruin and madness like so many before you. Attack & Defense 8 Retirement 14
Be smart, be careful, and be brave. The Darker Degrees of Success 8 Rest & Downtime 15
Dungeons await. Your journey begins... Initiative 9 Short Rest 15
Knowledge Checks 9 Long Rest 16
Skill Checks 9 Random Tables 18
Assistance 9
Credits & Influences
• Art: Chris Bourassa, Darkest Dungeons Version 1.0
• Stress and Afflictions: Darkest Dungeons
• Inventory: Matt Rundle's Anti-Hammerspace Tracker This first edition of Darker Dungeons is designed to require
• Weapon notches: James Young's Ten Foot Polemic only the 5e PHB. Races and subclasses from other books may
• Fate points: WFRP 2e be included in future revisions.
Created by: u/giffyglyph

1
Chapter 1: Character Creation

C
haracters in Darker Dungeons are Step 3. Class
not created as regular D&D characters—you
don't get to pick who or what you are. Now you know what your character used to be, it's time
Instead, the core details of your character— to see what they have become. Roll on the Character
race, class, abilities, skills, etc—are all Class table to see what class you are.
randomly generated.
This may result in some unusual Character Class
character choices, but that's ok. Characters are meant to d100 Class d100 Class
be flawed, not perfect. Learning how to make the best of
your unique abilities is a large part of the experience. 01-08 Barbarian 57-64 Ranger
09-16 Bard 65-72 Rogue
Step 1: Race 17-24 Cleric 73-80 Sorcerer

Your first step is to see which race your character is—roll 25-32 Druid 81-88 Warlock
a d100 and check the Character Races table to see what 33-40 Fighter 89-96 Wizard
you are. The races are not weighted equally, so some— 41-48 Monk 97-00 Choose one
such as human—will be more common than others. 49-56 Paladin

Character Races You gain the features, skills and proficiencies of your
d100 Race d100 Race class, but you do not gain any equipment from it.
01-03 Dragonborn 36-39 Gnome, Rock Some classes require additional choices to be made—
generate random results where needed, rerolling any
04-11 Dwarf, Hill 40 Half-Elf
duplicates.
12-20 Dwarf, Mountain 41 Half-Orc
21 Elf, Drow 42-45 Halfling, Lightfoot Class Specialisations
22-27 Elf, High 46-48 Halfling, Stout Some classes require you to choose a specialisation at
28-32 Elf, Wood 49-96 Human level 1, so roll to see what your specialty is.
33-35 Gnome, Forest 97-00 Tiefling
Cleric Domains
Some races have additional choices to make— d100 Domain d100 Domain
ancestry, proficiencies, languages, etc. Generate these 01-14 Knowledge 57-70 Tempest
results randomly, rerolling any duplicates. 15-28 Life 71-84 Trickery

Step 2: Background 29-42 Light 85-98 War

43-56 Nature 99-00 Choose one
Next, roll to see what what your character used to do
before they became an adventurer. Fighter Fighting Styles
Character Background d100 Style d100 Style

d100 Background d100 Background 01-16 Archery 65-80 Protection

01-07 Acolyte 50-56 Noble 17-32 Defense 81-96 Two-Weapon

08-14 Charlatan 57-63 Outlander 33-48 Dueling 97-00 Choose one

15-21 Criminal 64-70 Sage 49-64 Great Weapon

22-28 Entertainer 71-77 Sailor

Sorcerer Origins
29-35 Folk Hero 78-84 Soldier
d100 Origin d100 Origin
36-42 Guild Artisan 85-91 Urchin
01-50 Dragonic Bloodline 51-00 Wild Magic
43-49 Hermit 92-00 Choose one

You gain the proficiencies and languages from your Warlock Patrons
background, but you do not gain any equipment, d100 Patron d100 Patron
characteristics, or—importantly—any special features. 01-33 Archfey 67-99 Great Old One
If your background asks you to choose a proficiency or
language, generate the result randomly. Reroll any 34-66 Fiend 00 Choose one
duplicates until you get something new.

2
 Motivation
No Feats Roll to see what your character's primary motivation in
Feats are not allowed for Darker Dungeons characters. life is. This may explain why they became an adventurer,
or what their general goal is. You can choose exactly how
this motivation manifests in your character's actions.
Step 4. Ability Scores Character Motivation
Now you've defined who your character is, it's time to see d100 Motivation
how capable they actually are. Follow the process below
—in order—to randomly generate your ability scores: 01-06 Achievement To become the best
07-12 Acquisition To obtain possessions or wealth
1. Roll 3d6 for each attribute in order: Strength, 13-18 Balance To bring all things into harmony
Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and
Charisma. 19-24 Beneficence To protect, heal, and mend
2. Reroll one attribute of your choice, keeping the best of 25-30 Creation To build or make new
both results. 31-36 Discovery To explore, uncover, and pioneer
3. You may swap any two attribute results. 37-42 Education To inform, teach, or train
4. Apply your racial attribute bonuses.
5. Finally, get your Ability Modifiers from the table below. 43-48 Hedonism To enjoy all things sensuous
49-54 Liberation To free the self and/or others
Ability Scores and Modifiers 55-60 Nobility To be virtuous, honest, and brave
Score Modifier Score Modifier Score Modifier 61-66 Order To organize and reduce chaos
01 -5 08-09 -1 16-17 +3 67-73 Play To have fun, to enjoy life
02-03 -4 10-11 +0 18-19 +4 74-79 Power To control and lead others
04-05 -3 12-13 +1 20-21 +5 80-85 Recognition To gain approval, status, or fame
06-07 -2 14-15 +2 22-23 +6 86-91 Service To follow a person or group
92-97 Understanding To seek knowledge or wisdom
Your character may have an unusual ability array, but
that's ok. Learn how to make the best use of your 98-00 Choose one
strengths while protecting your weak spots.
Habits
Step 5. Character Details Everyone has a habit of some sort—roll to see what habit
Now you've established what your character is, you can your character has picked up during their life. They may
start fleshing out some personal details. or may not be aware they do this.
Character Habits
Appearance
Use the tables below to determine your relative age, d100 Habit d100 Habit

height, weight, and most distingushing feature. You can 01-03 Humming 52-54 Snacking
decide the precise details of what you look like. 04-06 Dancing 55-57 Pacing
07-09 Sleepwalking 58-60 Counting
Character Appearance
10-12 Facial tics 61-63 Snoring
d100 Age d100 Height
13-15 Fingernail biting 64-66 Beard/hair stroking
01-39 Young adult 01-05 Very short
16-18 Daydreaming 67-69 Nose picking
40-74 Early middle-age 06-30 Short
19-21 Talking in sleep 70-72 Apologizing
75-91 Late middle-age 31-70 Average
22-24 Whistling 73-75 Exaggeration
92-97 Old 71-95 Tall
25-27 Name dropping 74-78 Superstitious
98-00 Very old 96-00 Very tall
28-30 Constant grooming 79-81 Belching
31-33 Foot tapping 82-84 Repeating others
d100 Weight d100 Distingushing
34-36 Lip biting/licking 85-87 Smelling things
01-05 Very thin 01-20 Scar
37-39 Coin flipping 88-90 Teeth picking
06-30 Thin 21-40 Tattoo
40-42 Chewing 91-93 Swearing
31-70 Average 41-60 Piercing
43-45 Knuckle cracking 94-96 Telling secrets
71-95 Fat 61-80 Birthmark
46-48 Collects odd things 97-99 Repeating yourself
96-00 Very fat 81-00 Accent
49-51 Singing 00 Choose one

3
Quest Languages
There is something your character is seeking to The maximum number of languages your character can
accomplish in the short term, either through their own learn is equal to their Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).
desires or because someone has compelled them to. If they have more languages than this, choose which
Roll on the Character Quest table to see what theme ones you wish to keep.
your initial quest takes. You can decide the exact details All characters know how to speak Common, but they
of your task with your DM. cannot read or write Common if they have not learned to.
Character Quest Step 7. Buy Equipment
d100 Quest Finally, It's time to equip your character. Your class
01-10 Acquire To take possession of a particular item determines the amount of gold pieces you start with,
11-20 Craft To create an item or art piece which you can use to buy any basic starting equipment.
21-30 Deliver To bring something somewhere
Starting Wealth by Class
31-40 Destroy To destroy a precious object
Class Gold Class Gold
41-50 Discover To find a person, place, or thing
Barbarian 2d4 x 10 Paladin 5d4 x 10
51-60 Explore To map out a location
Bard 5d4 x 10 Ranger 5d4 x 10
61-70 Justice To apprehend someone
Cleric 5d4 x 10 Rogue 4d4 x 10
71-80 Learn To gain specific knowledge
Druid 2d4 x 10 Sorcerer 3d4 x 10
81-90 Meet To find someone
Fighter 5d4 x 10 Warlock 4d4 x 10
91-00 Vengeance To take revenge on someone
Monk 5d4 Wizard 4d4 x 10

Step 6. Feature Tweaks
Some racial or class features are modified in Darker
Dungeons, so check the tweaks below and update your
character if necessary.
Darkvision
Darkvision is not a common ability in Darker Dungeons,
and only those who live in the darkest places of the world
have it. If you are not a Drow Elf and you have the
darkvision ability, remove it.
The amount you can carry is limited by your inventory
size. Your character will incur living costs while in town,
so you may want to keep some gold spare.
Step 8. Take a Fate Point
Fate points allow your character to defy fate and cheat
death once. A new character starts with one fate point.
Take care—fate points are extremely rare, awarded only
in extraordinary circumstances, so use them wisely.
Step 9. Venture Forth
Your character is now ready to being their adventure.
Join the rest of your party, venture out into the untamed
wilds, and face the danger of Darker Dungeons.

4
 Chapter 2: Leveling Up

Y
our character gains experience by
being an active force in the world, making
new discovers and overcoming great
obstacles. With enough experience, your
character can open up pathways to greater
power and influence.
In Darker Dungeons, you don't get
experience for killing monsters—instead, there are three
avenues of experience: discovery, adversity, and treasure.
1. Discovery. Exploring the world, meeting new people,
and uncovering secrets—hidden dungeons, ancient
cults, legendary monsters. You gain more experience
the rarer and more valuable your discovery, so push far
into the unknown.
2. Adversity. Facing danger and surviving perilous
situations—recovering from near death, challenging a
red dragon, defeating a horde of orcs. The bigger the
danger, the more the experience—if you survive.
3. Treasure. Recovering treasure and valuables from
uncivilized, monstrous, or abandoned areas—
Training
Once you have gained enough experience, you may begin
your training. By experimenting with your newfound
knowledge—practising new techniques, developing new
spells, chanelling new power—you are able to spend your
experience and gain a level.
Training is not easy, however, or cheap. First, you
require a mentor—someone that can help you hone your
craft. Second, you need appropriate facilities—a training
ground, a wizard's tower, a druid's grove. Third, you need
gold to pay for all your training expenses—research
books, exotic components, new tools.
The Training Costs table below tells you how many
weeks you'll need to train per level, and the gold cost per
week required to pay for it. However, it doesn't cover
living expenses—you'll need to pay for those separately.
Training Time and Costs
Level Weeks Gold Level Weeks Gold

gemstones left in an ancient tomb, a dragon's hoard, a 1 — — 11 5 94

chest of gold hidden in a decaying cathedral. You gain 2 1 15 12 6 115
1 exp per silver piece gained as treasure, making this 3 1 20 13 6 165
the most efficent means of gaining experience. 4 2 15 14 7 202
The best way for your character to grow is to go out 5 2 20 15 7 295
adventuring in the wilds, exploring the great unknown. 6 3 25 16 8 370
The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
The Character Advancement table below shows the 7 3 35 17 8 536
amount of experience you need to gain per level before 8 4 37 18 9 687
you can begin training. 9 4 55 19 9 990
10 5 64 20 10 1,280
Character Advancement
Level Experience Level Experience You don't have to do your training in one unbroken
1 — 11 6,200
block, but your training is not complete until you have
put in the requisit amount of time.
2 300 12 8,680 You may find some rare components or books out on
3 420 13 12,150 your travels that help accelerate your training and reduce
4 590 14 17,010 the time needed, so keep an eye out for these relics.
5 820 15 23,810
6 1,150 16 33,330
Multiclass Training
You may train in multiple classes if you wish, paying the
7 1,610 17 46,660 costs and time of your new character level.
8 2,260 18 65,330
9 3,160 19 91,460 Leveling Up
10 4,430 20 128,050 Once you have completed all your training, you gain a
level and all its features. Don't use the fixed value for
your new hit points—roll this using the appropriate die.
Treasure vs Wealth You may choose your other leveling perks as usual.
Not all wealth counts as treasure. Income gained from No Mentor
civilized means—rewards, investments, gifts, tax income,
selling items—is not treasure and rewards no experience. Sometimes, a mentor is not available to you—they may
Only valuable items recovered from uncivilized, abandoned, be out of town, or refuse to train you, or even dead.
or monstrous areas are classified as treasure. You can't train without a mentor to guide you, so stay
on the good side of anyone you might need to learn from.

5
Chapter 3: Equipment

I
n a dark and dangerous world, having
the right gear at the right time can mean the Wear & Tear
difference between life and death. Items degrade with use, losing condition until they
In Darker Dungeons, great emphasis is placed become useless. This is measured with notches—the
on a character's inventory. What you carry and more notches an item has, the more it has degraded.
where you carry it are very important things to Weapons gain a notch when you critically fail an
keep track of. This chapter introduces new attack. Each notch reduces the damage die by one step:
systems to manage character inventory, equipment
degredation effects, and item qualities, as well as other 1d12 > 1d10 > 1d8 > 1d6 > 1d4 > 1
item-related tweaks. Though a weapon's damage cannot go below 1, it can
still gain additional notches.
Character Inventory Armor gains a notch when you are critically hit. Each
armor notch reduces your total AC by 1.
Inventory is managed using containers. A container can
be anything—a sheath, a bag, a backpack, a box, a sack— Other items gain notches whenever appropriate—often
so long as it can be carried by your character. Each when they take direct damage or are used in a failed skill
container has three slots, and every item stored occupies check. Each notch reduces the item's effectiveness by 1.
one or more slots—depending on its size—when carried.
The number of containers your character can carry Repairing Items
depends on the armor being worn—the heavier the Items can be repaired by an appropriate craftsman,
armor, the smaller your total inventory capacity. costing 10% of the item price per notch. Depending on
the item, this may require rare or expensive components.
Containers and Items Characters may, if they're proficient, also use relevant
Armor Containers Item Size Slots tools to perform basic repairs on their gear while out
None 6 Tiny 1/5 traveling—a whetstone to smooth out a notch, a sewing
Light 5 Small 1
kit to patch up a robe, a hammer to tap out a dent.
Medium 4 Medium 2 Shattering Gear
Heavy 3 Large 3
When you hit with an attack, you can sacrifice your
In addition to their containers, characters also carry weapon to roll its original un-notched damage die. Doing
one ration box, one waterskin, and one purse. These are this shatters the weapon, rendering it useless.
used to store a small amount of basic supplies—food, Likewise, you can sacrifice your armor when hit by an
water, and money. attack to reduce the damage taken by 3d4 for light armor,
3d8 for medium armor, and 3d12 for heavy armor—it
• Ration box. Stores up to five basic rations. falls apart irreparably in the process.
• Waterskin. Holds enough water for five drinks.
• Purse. Holds 100 coins.
Naming your Containers
When you are equipping your character for the first time,
it's important that you name each container that you
carry—this defines what it is and where it is on your
body. You can change your containers at any time during
your downtime if your needs change.
This also places natural limits on where and what you
can store about your person. A pouch is too small for
large items, but you can take items out of it with only one
hand—great when you need fast access to a potion.
Conversely, you can store anything in a bag, but it
requires much more time and effort to take an item out.
Stacking Items
You can store up to 5 tiny items (of the same type) or 100
coins (of any type) in one container slot.

6
 Item Quality
The quality of an item affects how people treat it. Lower
quality items are more likely to have visual defects, such
as dents and scratches, that mark it's use.
This doesn't affect the item's effectiveness, but it may
change how NPCs react—a merchant will offer much
less for scarred goods than pristine goods. Sometimes,
you might want your goods to have a few scratches—a
fighter who wears pristine armor may look like they've
never been in battle, drawing scorn and derision.
There are four grades of item quality:
• Pristine. Never been notched. This item looks, feels,
and smells brand new.
• Worn. Has had only one notch at a time. This item has
one main defect that indicates use.
• Well-Worn. Has had two notches at one time. This
item shows heavy signs of use.
• Scarred. Has had four or more notches at one time.
This item looks shabby and in poor condition.
Restoring Items
Item quality can be restored by an appropriate
craftsman. As with repairs, this may require some
special components or facilities.
Item Restoration
Quality Cost
Worn to Pristine 50%
Well-Worn to Worn 30%
Scarred to Well-Worn 10%
Restoring an item usually takes 1 week per grade,
though rare or delicate items may take longer.
Ammunition
Some weapons and items require ammunition of some
kind—arrows, bolts, bullets, etc. Instead of tracking each
individual shot, your ammunition comes in five abstract
quantities:
Lots > Many > A few > A couple > One
You reduce the quantity of your ammunition usually as
a consequence of failing an action. If you're down to one
piece of ammunition and you use it, there's no more left—
you've used it all up, so remove the ammunition from
your inventory.
You can replenish your ammunition during downtime,
or by looting some from your enemies.
Special Ammo
Some ammunition is rare or has limited uses—fire
arrows, magic bolts, lighting bullets, etc. Unlike generic
ammo, these will reduce in quantity after each use.
7
Magic Items
Magical items in Darker Dungeons are very rare and
highly sought-after. It is hard to sell magical items for
gold—only the exceptionally wealthy have such vast
quantities of disposable coin on hand. You are much
more likely to trade a magical item for another, or
exchange it for some services, property, or other
intangiable reward.
Magical goods mark you out as a very special, and
wealthy, individual—very dangerous if you attract the
wrong kind of attention. Flaunting your magical wares is
sure to get you noticed by thieves, bandits, and corrupt
lords, so be smart about who you ply your treasures to.
Potions
Not all magic potions look alike—even a simple healing
potion can vary wildly in appearance depending on who
made it and what recipe was used.
To determine what a potion actually is, a character will
need to make a successful Arcana knowledge check
using an alchemist's kit. If they fail, they may mistake it
for another type of potion—with potentially lethal
consequences.
Toxicity
Potions are powerful distillations of arcane power, and
should not be mixed or ingested carelessly. You may
drink one potion per day without experiencing any toxic
side-effects, but for every potion after the first you
automatically suffer a major amount of Stress.
Item Charges
Some items can only be used a set number of times
before they are exhausted—cooking supplies, rations,
waterskins, wands. Unless stated otherwise, an item
with limited charges can be used five times before it runs
out.
Chapter 4: Taking Action
I
t's time to act. You want to charge
across the rickety bridge, climb the crumbling
wall, kick down the old door—great, now roll to
see if you succeed.
This chapter sets out changes to the default
rolling mechanics by adding player-owned
defence rolls, degrees of success and failure,
knowledge check modifications, and unlinking skill
bonuses from abilities. Also introduced is an an overhaul
to the initiative system.
Attack and Defense
In Darker Dungeons, the DM doesn't make attack rolls.
Instead, the players make defence rolls against attacks.
A defence roll has a bonus equal to the character's AC,
while the opposing DC equals the attacker's attack
bonus + 22.
Defence roll: d20 + your AC
DC: attacker's attack bonus + 22
If your defence equals or beats the DC, your character
successfully avoids the attack. If they fail, the attack hits.
If the attacker would normally have advantage on the
attack, you instead apply disadvantage to the defense
roll, and vice versa if the attacker would have
disadvantage.
If the defense roll comes up as a natural 1, it's a
critical fail—the attack is a critical hit. If the attacker
would normally score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20,
then the attack is a critical hit on a 1 or 2, and so forth
for broader critical ranges.
Saving Throws
Where the DM would normally make a saving throw, the
players instead make a saving throw attack.
The bonus to the attack roll equals the effect's save
DC, while the opposing DC equals the target's saving
throw bonus + 22.
Saving throw attack: d20 + the effect's save DC
DC: target's saving throw bonus + 22
On a successful check, the character overcomes the
target's resistance and the target suffers the effect. On a
failed check, the target has defended against the attack.
As with other attacks, the saving throw attack has
advantage if the target would have disadvantage on its
saving throw, and vice versa.
Static Damage
Instead of rolling to calculate damage, entities controlled
by the DM deal static damage according to their average
values. If the attack is a critical hit, double the damage.
Players roll their damage as per normal.
Degrees of Success
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we don't always win.
A plan goes awry, or a creature escapes, or a guard sees
through your disguise. But not all failures are equal—
sometimes we mess up a little, sometimes we mess up
catastrophically.
When you attempt an action that has a chance of
failure, check the list below to see if you succeed.
• Critical Success: You succeeded by 10 or more, or
rolled a natural 20 on an attack. Things have gone
perfectly. You achieve your goal and something else
happens in your favour.
• Success: You achieve your goal.
• Minor Failure or Success at a Cost: You failed by 1, 2,
or 3. You can choose to succeed, but something very
bad also happens as a consequence.
• Failure: You failed by 4 or more. Something goes
wrong for you.
• Critical Failure: You failed by 10 or more, or rolled a
natural 1 on an attack. Things have gone very badly.
You fail and something goes seriously wrong.
Success at a Cost
When you fail by a narrow margin, you can choose to
instead succeed at a cost. You get what you want, but
something very bad happens to you as a consequence—
as bad as if you had critically failed.
This may require some negotiation with the DM—if
you can't both agree on the cost, you can't succeed.
Consequences
Here are some consequences you might apply when a
character fails a roll. For a failure, pick one. For a critical
failure, apply multiple consequences.
•
•
You or an ally take damage
An enemy reacts and takes an action
• You gain stress
• Take a notch on your weapon/armor/item
• You lose an item
• One of your conditions worsens
• Your torch goes out
• An NPC becomes hostile to you
• You lose some gold
• You learn some misinformation
•
•
Your enemy becomes enraged
You gain the attention of the local guards
• You drop your weapon
• You slip and fall prone
• You are poisoned or diseased
• One of your injuries becomes worse
•
•
A crowd turns against you
A higher authority learns of your misdoings
• Your god punishes you
8
 Initiative
No one rolls for initiative—instead Darker Dungeons
uses a variant of the Popcorn Initiative system. There is
no turn order, because at the end of your turn you get to
decide who goes next. This applies both in and out of
combat—there is no explicit difference between the two.
A basic scene follows four steps:
1. Decide which character or creature acts first. This is
usually whoever triggered the scene, but if this isn't
clear then decide by rolling initiative—the highest roll
goes first.
2. Take your turn. Once you've finished your actions, you
get to pick who goes next. This can be any character,
creature, or group that hasn't acted yet.
3. Once all characters and creatures have finished their
turns, end the round and clear up any expired effects—
spells, powers, timers, etc.
4. The last person to act gets to decide who starts the
new round—it can't be themselves unless they have no
alternative.
You cannot pass or delay once your turn begins, but
you can ready an action. This doesn't change your turn
order—if your triggered action is the last act in a turn,
you don't get to choose the next person to act.
Interrupt
You can use your inspiration to interrupt your enemies
and steal the initiative. Before an enemy acts, you can
spend your inspiration to interrupt them and take your
turn. At the end of your turn, control reverts back to
whichever enemy was interrupted. You cannot do this if
you have already acted this round.
You cannot interrupt an interruption, interrupt during
the middle of a turn, or interrupt an ally.
Each scene, the DM gets to make one free interruption
per player, but can only use one per round.
Effect Duration
Effects that last a specific duration of rounds now tick
down at the end of each round. Once a duration has gone
below 0, the effect has ended and can be removed.
Effects that would expire at the start or end of your
next turn are unchanged.
Tools
A tool helps you do something you couldn't otherwise do
—pick a lock, craft an item, forge a document. Some
tools are basic enough to provide some simple use
without training—cook's utensils, painter's supplies, dice
and card games. Most, however, require proficiency to
use properly.
If you are proficient with a tool, add your proficiency
bonus to any ability check made with it. If you are
proficient with both a tool and a relevant skill—an
instrument and Performance, for example—you may add
your proficiency bonus and make your roll with
advantage.
9
Knowledge Checks
Knowledge is a valuable resource, and can sometimes
mean the difference between life or death. Characters
shouldn't be able to tell if their information is false by
knowing they rolled a low number on the check.
The DM always rolls knowledge checks in secret on
behalf of the player, and then reveals knowledge
accordingly. If the check was a failure, give the character
some misleading information—the larger the failure, the
greater the mislead.
Skill Checks
Skills in Darker Dungeons are not tied to a single ability.
Instead, you may add your skill bonus to any roll that
seems appropriate.
For example, you might use Religion with Intelligence
to recall the history of your order, or with Charisma to
talk to befriend someone who shares your religion, or
with Wisdom to worship your deity.
Assistance
Players can't roll multiple attempts for the same action,
such as recalling a piece of knowledge, or trying to push
a boulder. As a group they get to make one roll, and
anyone with a relevant skill or background may
contribute a +1 assist bonus to whomever makes the roll.
If the roll fails, however, anyone who assists is also liable
for the consequences.
Inspiration
You gain inspiration by acting in a characterful manner,
or by adding something new or special to the game—a
piece of lore, a new plothook, an interesting NPC or
background character.
You can spend your inspiration in two ways:
• To make a roll with advantage
• To interrupt someone's turn
You can hold up to three inspiration points at a time,
so make good use of them.
Chapter 5: Stressing Out
T
he adventuring life is not an easy
one. Moving from town to town, delving
into dark dungeons and hunting
dangerous monsters for perhaps a few
gold coins, is not a safe—or sane—way to
make a living.
This chapter introduces a system for
tracking a character's stress level, and its potential
consequences on their adventuring career.
Stress
Stress is a measure of strain and pressure on a
character's mental state, representing a build-up of
negative emotions such as anger, fear, frustration, and
irritation. Too much Stress is bad for your mental health
and, if not treated carefully, can lead to detrimental
Afflictions—or even death.
Characters can suffer up to 200 points of Stress before
they reach breaking point. To prevent this, they will need
to find ways to relax and recover during their downtime.
Gaining Stress
Stress is gained through danger, hardship, and adversity
—suffering a critical hit from an enemy, hearing an
unearthly moan from a dark room, sleeping rough out in
the cold rain, watching an ally die. Anything that could
reasonably threaten the mental well-being or emotional
state of your character can inflict Stress.
When choosing how much Stress to inflict, decide how
significant the event is to the character—is it minor,
moderate, major, or monstrous? The more emotionally
significant, the higher the amount of Stress.
Significance Stress
Minor +5
Moderate +10
Major +20
Monstrous +40
You usually gain Stress as a direct consequence of a
failed action. In cases where the situtation provokes a
response—standing before a dragon, entering a decrepid
tomb, hearing a terrifying sound—the characters should
make a Wisdom saving throw against a target DC.
Snapping
When a character takes 100 points of Stress, they snap
and develop an Affliction. A character can snap only once
per long rest.
Breaking Point
When a character takes 200 points of Stress, they hit
breaking point. In this state, your character is reckless
and extremely vulnerable—any damage taken while at
breaking point is immediately fatal.
Relieving Stress
Stress is relieved through success and relaxation—
disarming a trap, defeating a formidable opponent,
carousing in town, sleeping in a warm bed. Anything that
helps your character feel better emotionally can relieve
some Stress.
The amount relieved depends on the event's
signficance to your character—minor, moderate, major,
or majestic? The more the event aligns with your
character and personality, the more you restore—a rogue
benefits more than a mage from picking a lock, while a
cleric benefits more than a fighter from prayer.
Significance Stress
Minor -3
Moderate -6
Major -12
Majestic -24
Stress is mainly relieved during a character's
downtime. It is harder to lose Stress than it is to gain it,
so characters need to be proactive in treating their
Stress level before it becomes insurmountable.
Stressful Situations
These are some example situations that might trigger Stress.
Some characters may respond more strongly than others
depending on their background—a fighter may be less
stressed about being outnumbered in battle, while a
necromancer might not react to the sight of a dead body.
• Failing an attack or skill check
• Hearing an unearthly roar from the dark
• Embarrasing yourself in front of someone
• Falling over or being knocked down
• Being disarmed or disabled
• Critically failing an attack or skill check
• Seeing a heap of mutilated corpses
• Facing a huge or formidable enemy
• Embarrasing yourself in front of a crowd
• Being caught lying
• Being outnumbered by the enemy
• Being surrounded or out-flanked
•
•
Sleeping rough out in the open
Living in squalor
• Being critically hit
• Falling to 0 hit points
• Seeing an ally die
• Accidentally hurting a friend
• Seeing the corpse of a loved one
• Being feared or dominated
•
•
Being severely outnumbered or underpowered
Seeing a hideous abomination
• Breaking an oath
10

Stress Relief
These are some things a character might do to reduce their
stress levels. Not everyone will recover in the same way—an
introvert may unwind best on their own with a good book and
some hot tea, while an extrovert may want to throw a raucus
and extravagant party to blow off steam.
• Disarming a trap
• Defeating a dangerous enemy
• Eating a hot, well-cooked meal
• Making people laugh with a joke
• Listening to a bard perform a song
• Carousing in a rowdy tavern
• Picking a lock
• Sleeping in a warm, comfortable bed
• Praying to your deity
• Creating something you're proud of
• Reading a good book
• Finding a chest of treasure
• Spending time with family and friends
• Learning a new skill
• Engaging in a hobby
• Having a pet
• Rolling dice and playing some games
Curing Afflicions
Afflictions don't go away on their own—your character
must dedicate some free time to treating their mental
state. At the end of a long rest, your character can
attempt to treat one of their afflictions in an appropriate
fashion—carousing, praying, resting, etc.
Roll a d100 and subtract 10 times the number of
whole weeks you have had the affliction. Check the result
on the Affliction Removal table to see if you succeed. You
can only attempt to cure one affliction per in-game week,
and you spend the gold whether you succeed or fail.
Affliction Removal
d100 Result
01 Critical Failure: You fail to cure your affliction,
gaining a new one in the process.
01-10 Failure: You fail to cure your affliction, causing
yourself a moderate amount of Stress.
11-20 Minor Failure: You fail to cure your affliction unless
you pay double the cost.
21-40 Minor Success: You cured your affliction.
41-70 Success: You cured your affliction and relieved a
major amount of Stress.
71-99 Major Success: You cured your affliction and

Afflictions 00
relieved a majestic amount of Stress.
Critical Success: In a moment of clarity, you cleared
An affliction is a stress-induced mental issue suffered by yourself of all afflictions and Stress.
a character when they gain too much Stress. Afflictions
change your abilities in some fashion, and can only be Costs
cured during downtime.
When you gain 100 Stress for the first time after a As you gain in experience, it becomes harder to reset
long rest, roll to determine which affliction you develop. your mental state—the things you have seen and
If you roll an affliction you already have, roll again. experienced have had a lasting impact. It costs more to
remove an affliction the higher your level as you must
Afflictions seek more elite and exotic outlets.
You can try to seek specialist help in curing your
d100 Affliction Modifier affliction by paying double the removal cost. This allows
01-07 Fearful -2 STR you to roll your removal check with Advantage.
08-14 Lethargic -2 DEX
Affliction Removal Costs
15-20 Masochistic -2 CON
Level Gold Level Gold
21-27 Irrational -2 INT
1 5 11 113
28-34 Paranoid -2 WIS
2 7 12 158
35-41 Selfish -2 CHA
3 9 13 221
42-48 Panic -1 STR, -1 DEX
4 12 14 309
49-55 Hopelessness -1 DEX, -1 CHA
5 16 15 432
56-61 Mania -1 CON, -1 WIS
6 22 16 604
62-68 Anxiety -1 INT, -1 STR
7 30 17 845
69-75 Hypochondria -1 WIS, -1 CON
8 42 18 1,183
76-82 Narcissistic -1 CHA, -1 INT
9 58 19 1,656
83-85 Powerful +1 STR
10 81 20 2,318
86-88 Focused +1 DEX
89-91 Stalwart +1 CON
Mental Breakdown
92-94 Acute +1 INT
If a character has four or more untreated afflictions, they
95-97 Perceptive +1 WIS suffer a mental breakdown. The character cannot
98-00 Courageous +1 CHA continue—they either fall into total madness, or die.

11
Conditions Darkvision
Stress is greatly affected by your situation. Are you
hungry? Tired? Uncomfortably hot? These factors can Darkness and its debilitating effects are pervasive themes in
dramatically change the amount of Stress you take. Darker Dungeons, and it should not be common for
In Darker Dungeons, there are six conditions to characters to have an easy workaround.
manage: health, light, hunger, thirst, temperature, and If your race has Darkvision as a racial feature, remove it—
exhaustion. Any time you would gain Stress, add up the unless you're a Drow Elf, in which case you may keep it.
modifiers from all six conditions—this should range
between -12 and +48—and add this to the total (to a
minimum gain of 0).
This can be very dangerous if not treated carefully, Hunger and Thirst
turning some minor Stress from +5 into, worst case, A body needs fuel to survive. As the day progresses, your
+53. Always keep an eye on your conditions and use your character will become progressively more hungry and
items proactively to prevent yourself being overwhelmed. thirsty—the DM will notify you when this triggers.
Most of the time, it should be clear which state each Depending on your situation, these conditions may
condition is in—if in doubt, ask your DM. change at different rates—being in a hot room or wearing
heavy armor could make you thirsty quicker.
Health Constitution has no impact on your hunger or thirst—
Most people are unnerved at the sight of their own blood. everyone needs nourishment at the same rate, depending
This condition reflects your current hit points—the lower on their environment and situation.
your hit points, the worse your condition is. Check the Eat food and drink water to restore your vitality.
Health Conditions table to see what state you're in. Higher quality food will nourish you more, so cooking
Use your healing supplies and hit dice to maintain skills can be very useful while out in the wilds.
your health as best you can.
Temperature
Health Conditions The local temperature can greatly impact your mood—no
Condition Hit Points Temporary HP one likes a space that is too hot or too cold for them.
Robust 100% 11+
This condition is affected by your environment, weather,
and attire—heavy, thick clothing and armor may protect
Healthy 100% 01-10 you from the cold, but will overheat you in the warm.
Ok 100% — Wear the right clothing for the right season, build a fire
Hit 99-51% — when it's cold, and stay out of the rain.
Bloodied 50-26% —
Hurt 25-01% —
Exhaustion
Critical 0 or less — The mind needs sleep to recharge. As the day
progresses, your character becomes more tired—the DM
will call for a Constitution check at appropriate intervals.
Light Excessive activity will make you tired more quickly.
Sleep is the traditional means of restoring your energy,
Danger hides in darkness. The more light there is, the though there are some foods and drinks—and other
better you can see and anticipate the threats ahead. Use stimulants—that may help you stay awake longer.
torches and lanterns to light the way in dark places.

Condition Tracks
Stress Health Light Hunger Thirst Temperature Exhaustion
-2 Robust Bright Stuffed Quenched Perfect Energised
-1 Healthy Well-lit Well-fed Refreshed Comfortable Well-rested
+0 Ok Ok Ok Ok Ok Ok
+1 Hit Dim Peckish Parched Noticable Tired
+2 Bloodied Twilight Hungry Thirsty Uncomfortable Sleepy
+4 Hurt Dark Ravenous Dry Overwhelming Very sleepy
+8 Critical Blind Starving Dehydrated Unbearable Barely awake

12
 Chapter 6: Life & Death

A
n adventurer without a scar is Injuries permanently alter your ability scores unless
either very good, very lucky, or very new to treated. They also stack, gaining in severity. If you roll a
the profession—trap-ridden dungeons, duplicate, worsen your current injury by one step.
rabid monsters, and sharp weapons are
notoriously bad for your health. Some Injuries
adventurers are lucky enough to retire with d6 Injured Area Modifier
just a few injuries to show for their career.
Many, however, die long before reaching retirement. 1 Arms/Hands -1 STR
This chapter sets out the rules around character 2 Legs/Feet -1 DEX
healing, persistent injuries, and death. 3 Torso -1 CON
4 Head -1 INT
Health 5 Eyes/Ears/Nose -1 WIS
Your health is your most precious resource, and in 6 Face -1 CHA
Darker Dungeons keeping hold of it is not an easy task.
If an injury reduces any of your modifiers to -6, you are
Bloodied immediately rendered unconcious and helpless until the
A character is considered bloodied when they have lost injury can be treated.
half of their hit points—in this state, they have taken a Treatment
cut, bruise, or small wound.
Some monsters may react differently to you when you An injury hinders you for as long as it's untreated. You
are bloodied—becoming frenzied or blood-thirsty—while can treat an injury with first-aid knowledge and supplies,
others may have an easier time detecting you by scent. or a magical spell, at which point it stops penalising you.
This does not remove the injury completely, however—
Hit Dice injuries can only be properly cured during a long rest.
You can spend hit dice during a rest to restore some hit If you choose to use magical healing to treat an injury,
points, but if you are bloodied you must use a banadage you don't gain any hit points from the healing—all of its
or other first-aid material to spend your hit dice. power is used to treat your wound.

Injury
Injuries are persistant trauma suffered by a character—
open wounds, fractured bones, crushed ribs. When you
fall to 0 hit points, roll on the Injuries table to see which
part of your body was injured. You can decide exactly
what the injury is with your DM.
Curing
At the end of a long rest you may attempt to improve an
injury by one step with a difficult Constitution check. For
additional injuries, you'll need to seek some professional
medical aid and pay for their services.

13
Reopened Injuries
If you are critically hit during combat, your treated
injuries may reopen and worsen. When taking critical
damage, roll a d20 for each injury and subtract the
severity from the result. On a 1-4, the injury reopens and
worsens one step, while on a 5-8 the injury only reopens.
An untreated injury automatically worsens after a
critical hit—this can be very dangerous, so try to keep
your wounds bandaged at all times.
Death
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, your best just isn't
good enough. All things end, and your character is no
exception. With any luck, you fought a good fight and left
the world a little less dark than when you joined it.
Burial
No one wants their corpse to be left out in the open, torn
apart by birds and wild dogs. If your adventuring party
are able to recover your body, bury it properly, and throw
an appropriately lavish funeral, they may gain the
unspent experience you had when you died—1
experience point per silver spent on your funeral.
The Will
Hopefully, while you were still alive, you left a will with
someone in authority that confirms who the heirs to your
property are—otherwise, you may find your possessions
are up for grabs to all and sundry. This can be arranged
in secret with the DM if you wish.
The reading of the will usually takes place at, or just
after, the funeral.
A New Beginning
It's time to start anew. Once you've added your
character's name to the graveyard you may create a
brand new character, or elevate a proven henchman.
If you create a new character, start at level 1. You may
then benefit from any property or wealth bequeathed by
your predecessor—gold, land, titles, etc.
When you're ready, join the rest of your party. The
adventure continues.
Cheating Fate
That last attack should have killed you, but fate is not
your master. Against all odds, you survived to fight
another day.
If you would suffer a killing blow, you may instead
spend a fate point to cheat death. Perhaps you were
knocked unconcious rather than killed, or the scorpion's
poison wasn't strong enough to finish you off, or your fall
was cushioned by a thick bush. Discuss with your DM
exactly how you managed to survive.
Every new character begins with one fate point.
Gaining Fate Points
Fate points are extremely rare, awarded only when you
face—and defeat—the most dangerous of enemies.
Dragons, liches, beholders—fate smiles on those who
brave the darkest of dangers and survive.
Retirement
The adventurer's lifestyle is not for everyone, and
sometimes a character chooses to lead a different life.
Maybe they found an offer too good to pass up, or their
injuries became too great, or they had a nervous
breakdown—whatever the case, the character decides to
retire from adventuring and settle down somewhere.
Retired characters become active NPCs. Some may
join local factions, or provide downtime services, or even
become training mentors depending on their skillset.
One Last Adventure
You may bring a character out of retirement to join one
last adventure—discuss this with your DM.
14
 Chapter 7: Rest & Downtime
A
dventurers need to rest at some
point, if only to eat, drink, and sleep.
Downtime is important—it's how you
recharge, how you spend your wealth, and
how you prepare for your next adventure.
This chapter defines the short and long
rest periods, as well as some activities you
might undertake during each.
Short Rest
A short rest is a period of downtime, at least 1 hour long,
during which a character does nothing more strenuous
than basic tasks—eating, drinking, sleeping, and tending
to wounds.
During a short rest you can spend your hit dice, bind
any injuries, and eat some essential supplies. Anything
more complex will require you to make camp.
Making Camp
Out in the dark wilderness, few things raise the spirits as
well as a warm campfire. Build a campfire and make
camp if you intend to rest a while, using dry wood, tinder,
and a successful Survival check.
While camping, you assume a duty and may perform
one activity from the list below. If an activity you wish to
undertake is not listed, discuss it with your DM.
Lookout
It's a great risk to set up camp without someone
watching out for any would-be intruders. Anyone can
stand watch, but this takes effort and concentration—the
lookout does not benefit from any Stress-reduction with
the exception of eating a hot meal. If something bypasses
your watch and enters your camp, you gain a major
amount of Stress.
15
Cooking
If you know how to cook and have the right supplies, you
can prepare a meal for the group. This requires use of a
campfire and cooking tools. Expend one use of your
cooking supplies to do one of the following:
• Create rations: You cook and preserve some fresh
ingredients—usually meat or grains—to create new,
basic rations. The number of rations you create
depends on the quantity and quality of your
ingredients.
• Stretch rations: You thin out some basic rations,
feeding two people for each ration you cook. Stretched
rations spoil if not eaten and can't be preserved.
• A hot meal: You cook a hot meal for everyone. This
requires one ration—or ration substitute—per person.
You might add extra ingredients—meats, vegetables,
spices—to create a more nourishing and fulfilling meal.
Before you serve the meal, roll a Survival (Wisdom)
check to see how well you prepared everything.
Success: The meal is well made and you relieve a
moderate amount of Stress. Everyone else who eats your
meal also relieves a moderate amount of Stress.
Failure: You have spoiled the meal—no one can eat
your cooking, and you gain a moderate amount of Stress.
Attracting Attention
Some activities—cooking spices, playing musical
instruments, loud celebration—create noise or smells which
could attract unwanted attention or scare away potential prey,
so be mindful of your surroundings when making camp.
Music
If you know how to play an instrument, you can attempt
to play a song for the group. Roll a Performance
(Dexterity) check to see how well you play.
Success: Your song is well recieved. You relieve a
moderate amount of Stress from everyone.
Failure: You embarrased yourself somehow and
gained a minor amount of Stress.
Storytelling
Everyone likes to hear a good story. If you are proficient
in Arcana, History, or Religion—or are carrying an
interesting book—you can attempt to tell a captivating
story to the group. Roll a Performance (Charisma) check
to see if you succeed.
Success: Your story is well told and relieves a
moderate amount of Stress from everyone.
Failure: You made an embarrasing mistake and gained
a minor amount of Stress.
Repairs
If you're proficient with certain tools, you may perform
basic repairs on damaged equipment. You can try to
remove a notch from one item with a successful
Intelligence skill check.
Success: You remove the notch and relieve a moderate
amount of Stress from yourself.
Failure: You couldn't make the repairs and grew
frustrated, gaining a minor amount of Stress.
Crafting
You can spend time crafting simple items—bandages,
salves—if you have the right materials and tools. Roll the
appropriate check for your specific craft to see if you
succeed in your efforts.
Success: You craft your item and relieve a moderate
amount of Stress from yourself.
Failure: You couldn't craft the item and grew
frustrated, gaining a minor amount of Stress.
Games
If you have a gaming set and know the rules, you can play
a game to unwind. Anyone can join in—so long as they
don't have other duties—but at least one person playing
must be proficient in the rules.
Everyone who plays can roll an Intelligence ability
check. The winner restores a major amount of Stress,
while everyone else restores a minor amount.
Solitude
If you prefer to spend some time alone—reading a book,
meditating, painting—you can do so. Roll a Wisdom
ability check to see if you are able to relax.
Success: You relieve a moderate amount of Stress
from yourself.
Failure: You couldn't relax and grew irritable, gaining
a minor amount of Stress.
Sleep
Sometimes the best way to clear a mind is to shut it
down for a while. If you are able to sleep for 6 hours
undisturbed, you relieve a major amount of Stress. If
your sleep is broken, however, you instead gain a
moderate amount of Stress.
You may need a sleeping bag or tent to sleep,
depending on the weather and temperature. Sleeping in
medium or heavy armor is also very uncomfortable, and
could cause you to have a restless sleep. You may need to
roll a Constitution check at the end of your sleep—if you
fail, your sleep was restless.
The Sleep Outcome table details how the quality of
your sleep affects your condition levels and Stress.
Sleep Outcome
Type Hunger Thirst Exhaustion Stress
Good +1 +1 -4 -12
Restless +1 +1 -1 0
Broken -1 -1 -1 +10
Trance
Some races do not sleep as others do—instead, they fall
into a meditative state known as a Trance. While in this
state, your character is semi-concious. You cannot make
out any specific details, but you can broadly sense motion
and noise. You have disadvantage on all Perception rolls.
You are still affected by the same Sleep Outcomes as
other races.
Long Rest
A long rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 1
week long, during which a character performs downtime
activities and pursues their own interests. You can only
take a long rest in a secure location, such as a village,
town, or city.
When you begin a long rest, follow these three steps
for each week you choose to rest:
1. Choose your lifestyle for the week: wretched, squalid,
poor, modest, comfortable, wealthy, or aristocratic.
2. Choose your primary downtime activity.
3. Allocate the gold you'll spend.
At the end of each week of rest, in addition to your
activities, your adventuring party gathers three rumors.
Some of these rumors may be false, or only mostly true—
you'll have to investigate further to see for yourself.
Lifestyle
Your lifestyle determines the level of comfort you live in
during your week and the types of people you'll be
surrounded by. If you aim to meet nobles and
artistocrats, you'll need to support a more expensive
lifestyle.
The Lifestyle Conditions table shows the average
lifestyle cost in gold pieces per week, and the condition
each lifestyle leaves you in at the end of the week.
16
 Lifestyle Conditions
Lifestyle Cost Hit Points Hit Dice Hunger Thirst Exhaustion Rations
Wretched 0 50% 0 Starving Dehydrated Barely awake 0
Squalid 1 50% 25% Ravenous Dry Very sleepy 1
Poor 2 75% 50% Hungry Thirsty Sleepy 2
Modest 10 100% 75% Peckish Parched Tired 3
Comfortable 20 100% 100% Ok Ok Ok 5
Wealthy 40 110% 100% Well-fed Refreshed Well-rested 5
Aristocratic 100+ 120% 100% Stuffed Quenched Energised 5

Downtime Activities Investing

During your long rest, you'll have time to pursue a You can invest your money in a business, or perhaps start
primary interest. This is the main focus of your week and a business of your own. When you invest, decide the type
something you spend about half of each day on, leaving a of business and the level of risk—stable, risky, or wild.
quarter day for sleep and a quarter for miscellaneous Then, in four weeks time, roll to see how well your
activity—shopping, eating, basic socialising, etc. investment pays off.
Activities cost gold to perform—your DM will inform Investment Risk
you how much. You can only perform one primary
activity per week. Choose one from the suggestions Stable Risky Wild Outcome
below, or discuss one with your DM. (3d6) (2d6) (1d6)
— — 1 Bankrupt! Lose every last copper
• Working: Trivial work for a simple wage piece.
• Spreading rumors: Seed rumors about town — 2 2 Terrible Catastrophe. -1d20%
• Carousing: Socialising and making contacts value.
• Finding a buyer or seller: Trade something rare 3-4 3 3 Major Calamity. -1d10% value.
• Crafting: Create something
• Research & Information: Gathering intelligence 5-6 4 — Mild Setback. -1d6% value.
• Training: Learning new skills and abilities 7-8 5 — Bad Omens. -1d4% value. -2 to
• Resting: Recovering from your injuries next outcome roll.
• Charity: Helping out the community 9-12 6-8 — Business as usual. +1% value.
• Theft: Stealing an item from someone 13-14 9 — Encouraging Signs. +1d4% value.
• Family: Spending time with family members +2 to next outcome roll.

Your activity has a small chance of generating a 15-16 10 — Good Fortune. +1d6% value
complication that may make life more difficult—you hurt 17-18 11 4 Excellent Luck. +1d10% value.
yourself working, you offend a lord while carousing, you — 12 5 Massive Windfall. +1d20% value.
damage a priceless book while researching. — — 6 Huge Profits! +1d100% value.

Spending Gold Stress Relief

While in town, you may wish to spend some of the
treasure you've found on your adventures. Hoarding
treasure for too long is rarely a good idea, as gold makes
you a likely target for thieves, beggars, and the taxman.
Here are some additional ways to spend your coin
while in town.
Pension
Save for the future and invest some of your gold in a
pension, if you can find a reliable bank. Either your
character gets this pension when they retire, or your next
level 1 character may inherit the value (minus a 10%
transfer fee) as starting experience—1 gp equals 10
starting experience.
You can spend gold venting Stress in a manner
appropriate to your character. For every gold piece you
spend in this way, you relieve one point of Stress.
Property
You can buy property or build structures and fortresses
of your very own. Land must be acquired first if building
something new. Upkeep and land taxes may apply.
Taxation
Depending on the local laws, there may be taxation of
some kind to deal with. You can try to hide your wealth
from the taxman, but this may get you into serious
trouble with the local lords if you get caught.

17
Appendix A: Random Tables
These are some tables you Musical Instrument d100 Dragon d100 Dragon
may find useful, particularly d100 Instrument 81-90 Silver d100 Dragon
49-64 Nature
during character creation. If
you roll a number that's not 01-10 Bagpipes 91-00 White 65-80 Perception
listed in the table, you may 11-20 Drum 81-96 Survival
choose a result instead. 21-30 Dulcimer Dwarven Tools
31-40 Flute
d100 Tool Cleric
Proficiencies 41-50 Lute
01-33 Smith's tools d100 Skill
34-66 Brewer's supplies 01-20 History
Artisan's Tools 51-60 Lyre
67-99 Mason's tools 21-40 Insight
d100 Tool 61-70 Horn
41-60 Medicine
01-05 Alchemist's supplies 71-80 Pan Flute
Class Features 61-80 Persuasion
06-10 Brewer's supplies 81-90 Shawm
81-00 Religion
11-15 Calligrapher's 91-00 Viol Favoured Enemy
supplies d100 Enemy
Skills Cleric, Knowledge
16-20 Carpenter's tools 01-07 Aberrations d100 Skill
d100 Skill
21-25 Cartographer's tools 08-14 Beasts 01-25 Arcana
01-05 Acrobatics
26-30 Cobbler's tools 15-21 Celestials 26-50 History
06-10 Animal Handling
31-35 Cook's utensils 22-28 Constructs 51-75 Nature
11-15 Arcana
36-40 Glassblower's tools 29-35 Dragons 76-00 Religion
16-20 Athletics
41-45 Jeweler's tools 36-42 Elementals
21-25 Deception Cleric, Nature
46-50 Leatherworker's 43-49 Fey
tools 26-30 History d100 Skill
50-56 Fiends
51-55 Mason's tools 31-35 Insight 01-33 Animal Handling
57-63 Giants
56-60 Painter's tools 36-40 Intimidation 34-66 Nature
64-70 Humanoids
61-65 Potter's tools 41-45 Investigation 67-99 Survival
71-77 Monstrosities
66-70 Smith's tools 46-50 Medicine
78-85 Oozes
71-75 Tinker's tools 51-55 Nature Druid
86-92 Plants d100 Skill
76-80 Weaver's tools 56-60 Perception
93-99 Undead 01-12 Arcana
81-85 Woodcarver's tools 61-65 Performance
13-24 Animal Handling
66-70 Persuasion Natural Explorer
Gaming Set 71-75 Religion d100 Terrain 25-36 Insight
d100 Gaming Set 37-48 Medicine
76-80 Sleight of Hand 01-12 Arctic
01-25 Dice 49-60 Nature
81-85 Stealth 13-24 Coast
26-50 Dragonchess 61-72 Perception
86-90 Survival 25-36 Desert
51-75 Playing cards 73-84 Religion
37-48 Forest
76-00 Three-Dragon Ante Racial Features 49-60 Grassland 85-96 Survival

Language, Basic 61-72 Mountain

Draconic Ancestry Fighter
d100 Language 73-84 Swamp d100 Skill
d100 Dragon
01-12 Common 85-96 Underdark 01-12 Acrobatics
01-10 Black
13-24 Dwarvish 13-24 Animal Handling
25-36 Elvish
11-20 Blue
Class Skills 25-36 Athletics
21-30 Brass
37-48 Giant 37-48 History
31-40 Bronze Barbarian
49-60 Gnomish 41-50 Copper d100 Skill 49-60 Insight
61-72 Goblin 51-60 Gold 01-16 Animal Handling 61-72 Intimidation
73-84 Halfling 61-70 Green 17-32 Athletics 73-84 Perception
85-96 Orc 71-80 Red 33-48 Intimidation 85-96 Survival

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 Monk d100 Skill d100 Spell d100 Spell
d100 Skill 65-80 Persuasion 37-40 Feather Fall 61-66 Healing Word
01-16 Acrobatics 81-96 Religion 41-44 Healing Word 67-72 Jump
17-32 Athletics 45-48 Heroism 73-78 Longstrider
33-48 History Warlock 49-52 Identify 79-84 Purify Food and
d100 Skill Drink
49-64 Insight 53-56 Illusory Script
01-14 Arcana 85-90 Speak with Animals
65-80 Religion 57-60 Longstrider
15-28 Deception 91-96 Thunderwave
81-96 Stealth 61-64 Silent Image
29-42 History
65-68 Sleep
Paladin 43-56 Intimidation Sorcerer, Cantrips
69-72 Speak with Animals d100 Cantrip
d100 Skill 57-70 Investigation
73-76 Tasha's Hideous 01-06 Acid Splash
01-16 Athletics 71-84 Nature Laughter
17-32 Insight 07-12 Blade Ward
85-98 Religion 77-80 Thunderwave
33-48 Intimidation 13-18 Chill Touch
81-84 Unseen Servant
49-64 Medicine Wizard 19-24 Dancing Lights
d100 Skill Cleric, Cantrips 25-30 Fire Bolt
65-80 Persuasion
01-16 Arcana d100 Cantrip 31-36 Friends
81-96 Religion
17-32 History 1-14 Guidance 37-42 Light
Ranger 33-48 Insight 15-28 Light 43-48 Mage Hand
d100 Skill 49-64 Investigation 29-42 Mending 49-54 Mending
01-12 Animal Handling 65-80 Medicine 43-56 Resistance 55-60 Message
13-24 Athletics 81-96 Religion 57-70 Sacred Flame 61-66 Minor Illusion
25-36 Insight 71-84 Spare the Dying 67-72 Poison Spray
37-48 Investigation Spells 85-96 Thaumaturgy 73-78 Prestidigitation
49-60 Nature Bard, Cantrips 79-84 Ray of Frost
61-72 Perception d100 Cantrip Druid, Cantrips 85-90 Shocking Grasp
73-84 Stealth d100 Cantrip
01-09 Blade Ward 91-96 True Strike
85-96 Survival 01-12 Druidcraft
10-18 Dancing Lights
19-27 Friends
13-24 Guidance Sorcerer, 1st Level
Rogue 25-36 Mending d100 Spell
28-36 Light
d100 Skill 37-48 Poison Spray 01-05 Burning Hands
37-45 Mage Hand
01-09 Acrobatics 49-60 Produce Flame 06-10 Charm Person
46-54 Mending
10-18 Athletics 61-72 Resistance 11-15 Chromatic Orb
55-63 Message
19-27 Deception 73-84 Shillelagh 16-20 Color Spray
64-72 Minor Illusion
28-36 Insight 85-96 Thorn Whip 21-25 Comprehend
73-81 Prestidigitation
37-45 Intimidation Languages
82-90 True Strike
46-54 Investigation Druid, 1st Level 26-30 Detect Magic
91-99 Vicious Mockery d100 Spell
55-63 Perception 31-35 Disguise Self
64-72 Performance 01-06 Animal Friendship 36-40 Expeditious Retreat
Bard, 1st Level
73-81 Persuasion 07-12 Charm Person 41-45 False Life
d100 Spell
82-90 Sleight of Hand 13-18 Create or Destroy 46-50 Feather Fall
01-04 Animal Friendship
Water
91-99 Stealth 05-08 Bane 51-55 Fog Cloud
19-24 Cure Wounds
09-12 Charm Person 56-60 Jump
Sorcerer 25-30 Detect Magic
13-16 Comprehend 61-65 Mage Armor
d100 Skill 31-36 Detect Poison and
Languages 66-70 Magic Missile
Disease
01-16 Arcana 17-20 Cure Wounds
37-42 Entangle 71-75 Ray of Sickness
17-32 Deception 21-24 Detect Magic
43-48 Faerie Fire 76-80 Shield
33-48 Insight 25-28 Disguise Self
49-54 Fog Cloud 71-85 Silent Image
49-64 Intimidation 29-32 Dissonant Whispers
55-60 Goodberry
33-36 Faerie Fire

19
 d100 Spell d100 Spell d100 Cantrip d100 Spell
86-90 Sleep 37-45 Expeditious Retreat 67-72 Poison Spray 40-42 Grease
91-95 Thunderwave 46-54 Hellish Rebuke 73-78 Prestidigitation 43-45 Identify
96-00 Witch Bolt 55-63 Hex 79-84 Ray of Frost 46-48 Illusory Script
64-72 Illusory Script 85-90 Shocking Grasp 49-51 Jump
Warlock, Cantrips 73-81 Protection from Evil 91-96 True Strike 52-54 Mage Armor
d100 Cantrip and Good
55-57 Magic Missile
01-11 Blade Ward 82-90 Unseen Servant Wizard, 1st Level 58-60 Protection from Evil
12-22 Chill Touch 91-99 Witch Bolt d100 Spell and Good
23-33 Eldritch Blast 01-03 Alarm 61-63 Ray of Sickness
34-44 Friends Wizard, Cantrips 04-06 Burning Hands 64-66 Shield
d100 Cantrip
45-55 Mage Hand 07-09 Charm Person 67-69 Silent Image
01-06 Acid Splash
56-66 Minor Illusion 10-12 Chromatic Orb 70-72 Sleep
07-12 Blade Ward
67-77 Poison Spray 13-15 Color Spray 73-75 Tasha's Hideous
13-18 Chill Touch Laughter
78-88 Prestidigitation 16-18 Comprehend
19-24 Dancing Lights Languages 76-78 Tenser's Floating
89-99 True Strike
25-30 Fire Bolt 19-21 Detect Magic Disk
Warlock, 1st Level 31-36 Friends 22-24 Disguise Self 79-81 Thunderwave
d100 Spell 37-42 Light 25-27 Expeditious Retreat 82-84 Unseen Servant
01-09 Armor of Agathys 43-48 Mage Hand 28-30 False Life 85-87 Witch Bolt
10-18 Arms of Hadar 49-54 Mending 31-33 Feather Fall
19-27 Charm Person 55-60 Message 34-36 Find Familiar
28-36 Comprehend 61-66 Minor Illusion 37-39 Fog Cloud
Languages

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