"Tiny Tunnels" - More T&T-inspired underworld exploration

[gaptooth]

Howdy, Friends!

The other day in a late-night Dutch Fugue state, I accidentally wrote another T&T-inspired game of old school underworld exploration. I thought some of you might be interested in seeing the unhinged draft thereof:

Tiny Tunnels RPG

What it has in common with classic Tunnels & Trolls is:

• Characters start with 6 ability scores.
• There are 3 types: Warrior, Magic-User, and Rogue (a rogue wizard, like in T&T)
• Saving Rolls on all abilities, but Luck is focal.
• Monsters have a single, simple rating.
• Add monsters to your party, like Pokemon.
• Your magic is powered up by using a focus.
• Similar dungeon prep
• Adventure points for exploration and cunning trumps points for slaying monsters.

Some of the things it does differently are:

• Numbers are drastically smaller.
• Ability scores cap out at +3
• Instead of escalating Saving Roll target numbers, you get advantage on easier challenges and disadvantage on harder challenges.
• Monsters ratings are "weak", "strong", and "epic" instead of a number. Their rating determines their ability hurt you and how much damage they deal; and also how hard it is to hurt them.
• Combat based on one side rolling vs. another was grievously removed to make all rolls player facing.
• "Apprentice"-level magic is focused on magic words uttered by the player instead of a spell list. Range and duration of effects depend on what focus you use. Rote spells like in T&T are available through research and development, or as treasure.
• Lots and lots of ideas ported over from my other T&T tribute game, Twisted Tunnels, basically codifying my harebrained opinions on how to run T&T.

Still refining and simplifying all the ideas to make it more clear and coherent. I'd love to hear what feedback you have, if any!

[zanshin]

Well thats a fun read - a bit of a mix of simple with some concepts that look like they are influenced by Numenera (spending surge points/all rolls being done by players). If you have not encountered that game, great minds thinking alike:)

I prefer a bit more granularity in my games but I have no doubt this would be great in actual play.

Thanks for sharing.

[gaptooth]

Thank you, zanshin! Come to think of it, I did play Numenera once—I completely forgot those aspects of the game. What struck me most vividly about playing Numenera was how strikingly similar it was to T&T in spirit: Monsters had a single rating, there were 3 character types, etc.

I do remember spending some kind of currency to boost my rolls, but I can't remember what it was called, or how it worked. Wait, was it the ability score points?

[gaptooth]

Actually, the inspiration for the player-facing aspect of the game came from my many, many sessions of Dungeon World in its various evolutions.

Aug 18, 2020 17:53:34 GMT -5 zanshin said:

I prefer a bit more granularity in my games but I have no doubt this would be great in actual play.

I am aware that this expression of the game could lead to a loss of granularity, depending on the GM. I plan to flesh out the GM section, but what I'd like to express is that the granularity happens in a way that maximizes attention on the fiction rather than numbers.

That comes from habits I picked up running Dungeon World and similar games. One of the major ways it plays out is through the GM clarifying the cost or consequences in terms of in-fiction elements and actions.

For example, say a player says, "I jump over the moon."

Instead of expressing the difficulty in terms of an astronomical target number, the GM might say, "To do that, you’ll need to ignite about 16 tons of gunpowder, which risks turning you into tiny bits of flaming confetti. What do you do?"

If they can find ways to overcome the challenges involved through their creativity and wits, then maybe they can make a Saving Roll with a reasonable target number; if it still relies on an element of Luck, that is. They might even bypass a Saving Roll entirely if their plan is simple enough and they have eliminated the meaningful risks.

All that negotiating with the challenge to overcome the intermediate costs is expressed through granular action in the fiction. Getting them engaged with the fiction, the setting, the NPCs, and the assets and problems in their environment is one of the things I relish most about role-playing games!

[gaptooth]

The same applies to stealing from a dragon or slaying a troll. Either of those might be classed as "weak" enemies according to these rules, relative to the more terrifying dragons or trolls in the dungeon—but HOW are you going to get close enough to hurt them or snatch stuff from their horde without getting turned into a cinder or having your arms ripped off?

Instead of expressing that granularity in terms of hundreds of Hit Points, this game would express it in terms of costs and consequences in the concrete fictional situation.

Just like you can't jump over the moon without meeting serious requirements, you'll need to overcome some intermediate steps in terms of fictional positioning to even get the chance for a telling blow against a creature with inch-thick adamantine scales or a monster with magma for blood.

[zanshin]

I agree with your assessment of Numenera - very similar in aspects to T&T. Your damage and your currency for influencing outcomes are indeed your ability scores. I liked the rest mechanic - taking progressively longer to recover damage - a gulp of air; a few seconds respite; a stop with food; a nights sleep.

I have not played or read Dungeon World. I have reviewed the Dresden Files Game (which is based on Fate) and come to the conclusion that I have a minimum crunch requirement for games I run , as the detail from the crunch gets me excited.

When I play I am happy to go with whatever the GM offers. I am sure I would have a blast (with or without 16 kegs of Gunpowder) at your table

[gaptooth]

I'm with you! Though I enjoy less crunchy games in principle—like Risus, for example—they get sidelined in practice by games with mechanics that get me excited about the things we can do with them.

I know that Fate is out there, but I've never examined it closely. Dungeon World is nothing like what I've read about Fate, and I'm baffled that they get lumped together. It's not for everyone, but coming from Tunnels & Trolls, I found it uses a very similar set of play skills, keeping the focus on fictional positioning. On top of that, the dice resolution mechanic is similar to the Saving Roll in T&T.

The thing I like about Dungeon World compared to T&T is that you don't have to add or subtract double- or triple-digit numbers to resolve common events in play. The huge thing T&T does better than Dungeon World is, oddly enough, the dungeon crawl. The core rules for Dungeon World place players in the roles of more epic heroes than classic T&T.

[gaptooth]

Also, I think it's necessary for GMs to have strong opinions about what games they want to run! It makes getting a game started much more decisive, and makes actual play a lot more impassioned when there is something the GM is excited to see the system do.

[gaptooth]

zanshin, now that I've added the gear section, you might find that the game has inched somewhat closer to the crunch you prefer. Check out the "Weapon Stunts".

[zanshin]

Aug 24, 2020 23:07:24 GMT -5 gaptooth said:

zanshin, now that I've added the gear section, you might find that the game has inched somewhat closer to the crunch you prefer. Check out the "Weapon Stunts".

You were right, love the flavour of the gear and the tone of the writing, and the added intrinsic weapon stunts. Makes me want to play a warrior with a caddy for all their weapons - 'the number 5 club of skeleton smashing please'

[schmee]

I also love your gear list! We've added Chomp Dogs to our regular T&T game!

[gaptooth]

Aug 25, 2020 2:26:50 GMT -5 zanshin said:

Makes me want to play a warrior with a caddy for all their weapons - 'the number 5 club of skeleton smashing please'

Awesome! As it would happen, I'm working on the hireling/minion section next—so you'll get your caddy!

[gaptooth]

Okay, the hireling and minion rules are ready for review.

• Hirelings and minions don't have stats, just monster ratings and specialties. This makes it easy to "convert" any monster into a minion—they just get a new name tag.
• If they have to make a Saving Roll, you roll for them. The roll is +0 if they don't have a relevant specialty, +1 if they do, and +2 if their relevant specialty is "outstanding".
• Bookkeeping is virtually eliminated.
• The cost of minions is keeping their monstrous appetites sated. The cost of hirelings is a cut of the treasure.

Sample hireling:

Herman the Weapon Caddy, from Dead End (weak)
Motto: "I'll never work for a wizard again."
Specialties: Outstanding teamster, passable fighter, former linkboy, wizard scent
Cost: 40 50 coins retainer, plus a quarter share of any treasure

Sample minion:

Sniveler, a not so cunning ratling, of Millet's Crossing (weak)
Motto: "Me, a rat? I'm no such thing!"
Specialties: Fencing, escape artist
Cost: Ale, wine, and spirits

[gaptooth]

(Sniveler is from Mike Hill's Dungeon of the Rat. Herman is from MonsterMike's Mines of Rag Mountain, of course!)

[gaptooth]

Oops, I forgot to say where to get your followers!

Minions can be found in the dungeon—they are monsters who decide to flip. (See "Capturing and Taming Monsters".)

Hirelings can be found in safe havens. (See "Hirelings", under "Safe Havens".)

The main rules for how they work are under "Leading the Way".