I know, I know. I was supposed to have a new post up today. Real life has really gotten busy so posts here are going to be sporadic for a while. I will get something up at least once a month but at the moment I can't promise more than that.
Luckily there are plenty of other great blogs out there, some of which I have linked over to the lower right of this blog. Until next time take care and be excellent to each other.
Hello fair readers this is just a quick note because today is Mother's Day and I will be spending it with the two mothers I have in my life, my mother, who we moved in with us last year, and my wife, the mother of my son.
Today I am going to post a piece that was previously published in the Anchorite APA. I will be back next week, until that time remember the words of the two great ones, "Be excellent to each other!"
Become a Better Improvisational DM!
I can put together a pretty decent meal from whatever happens to be in the refrigerator and the pantry. I like the challenge of this sort of improvisation, the rigor of limitation and sometimes having to take a risk. - Chang-Rae Lee
You find yourself at a gathering and have an hour to kill. To fill the time your significant other volunteers you to run a game. Your pucker factor goes through the roof, the pressure is on! How good are you at running an off the cuff game? How does one become a better improvisational DM? With practice of course! In this piece I hope to give you some tips on how to generate and run a scenario at the drop of a hat which I hope will give you the confidence to get in that all important practice at running off the cuff sessions.
The first thing you need is a simple system that you are familiar with, you want the game to go quickly and looking up rules during the game is a sure way to bring the session to a sudden stop. For me ‘Barbarians of Lemuria’, ‘Million Colored Sun’, David Dudka’s ‘One-Shot RPG’ system, or better yet ‘Risus’ and the numerous offspring of ‘Lasers & Feelings’ all fit the bill. If you have a writing implement and some paper, or your cell phone, you have everything you need. Dice help but a die roller on your cell phone would also work. If you carry a pocket notebook, pen and three mini d6s you would be set. Still if you have a couple things downloaded on your phone, or internet access, your phone could work fine but it would be a little clunkier and slower as you switch app to app.
So you have a system and the bare necessities, the next step is an adventure. There are a number of simple scenarios that you can run with hardly any set up such as raiding goblins kidnapping someone that they players have to rescue. If you spend a few minutes you could jot down half a dozen or dozen simple adventures. The other easy thing is to steal the basic plot from a tv show, movie or book. I enjoy watching episodes of old western tv shows and the plots of those episodes are very easy to adapt to any genre of game.
Because of the time constraint you can get away with a more linear adventure but do not forget to give the player’s meaningful choices, ideally they should have at least three options at any one time and you should be open to player’s doing things you did not anticipate. The other thing is to keep the adventure simple, the goal is to be able to finish the adventure as opposed to setting up a follow on session.
If you have a system already picked out ahead of time you could also have premade characters which could speed things along. If you can get character creation down to just a few minutes (another advantage of games like ‘Risus’, ‘Million Colored Sun’, and ’Lasers & Feelings’) there is no problem doing it on the spot. Remember that you can condense the rules for these sorts of games so consider using stat arrays or instead of having six attributes have the players pick two attributes that are above average and give them +1 or +2 to their role depending on the system. See Matt Jackson’s YouTube and blog (https://www.msjx.org) for how he runs a simplified version of ‘White Box’.
One useful thing for a impromptu dungeon crawl is having a random dungeon generator. There are tables and sets of cards but the one that has really caught my attention recently is by Dan “Delta” Collins. It is not robust enough for a longer term game but for a one to two hour romp it is just right. Dan has outlined a way to use a single D6 with pips instead of numbers as an easy dungeon generator. It is pretty genius and can be remembered on the fly without having to reference a chart.
I have run impromptu games just to practice doing it and they have gone fairly well. I remember putting out a call one evening on discord to run an impromptu game and someone said they knew a group of players from somewhere else which was great because I did not know any of them. We chatted for a few minutes and I ended up running a space cowboy adventure based on the land grab plot of the classic western ‘El Dorado’ using Deep7 Press’ 1PG rules. It was a great way to stretch my comfort zone and we all had a great time.
I do recommend doing this with your friends before you try with strangers but I think as long as you know the system well and come across confidently you should do fine. The tricky part is watching the clock and knowing when you have to move things along and being able to cut to the final scene if needed. This is something you really need to learn by doing which is where playing with your friends, if possible, helps. Running game for conventions, both in person and virtual, will also help you hone this critical skill
Of course instead of running an impromptu RPG you could just carry a card game and press that into service, and there are some great ones, but where is the challenge in that?
I hope, gentle reader, that you will be able to leverage at least one of the tips mentioned to heighten your improvisational game. As always if you have any tips to share I would love to read them. Of course in the end there is no substitute for experience so get out there and run some off the cuff games, if I am free when you do I will be happy to play in them.
I want to give full credit where it is due, this piece was inspired by the YouTube video DMing on the Fly | Running a S&S Game With No Materials | Wandering DMs S07 E06 from 23 February, 2025.
https://www.youtube.com/live/aMiT_isZ2qo?si=Q0gBxj1VoXMNWv2K
I did have one person reach out to me so I will continue blog, watch for a new post next week. My current plan is to compare systems for what I will call procedural solo play. The big change is to concentrate mainly on one character as opposed to a large group.
I am going to pick a scenario or two and run through it with GURPS 3E, Rolemaster Standard System (RMSS), and Aftermath! I know, I know, I am a glutton for punishment and why in the world would I pick those systems? Well GURPS is likely the most reasonable choice but I am curious to see how characters in these different systems work out and how the rules adjudicate situations. I will start with GURPS 3E.
What scenario(s) will you use Jason? I'm not sure yet, I will have a better answer in the coming weeks. I will try to pick something generic enough that all the systems can handle it. My strong preference is for something other than standard high fantasy, luckily RMSS has supplements for modern games so that doesn't knock it out of the running.
I'm not sure if I will finish the Basic Fantasy RPG solo game or not, I may play through one final session and post the results and my thoughts. I do think it is an excellent gateway game and still highly recommend it but I want to make my solo play more personal and less like a game of Advanced Squad Leader. BFRPG is a group game, that isn't a bad thing but that does mean it isn't ideal for my purpose at the moment. I'm sure I will return to it in the future.
I wonder if The Anchorite APA has inadvertently hurt this blog. I have probably put more effort into articles for the APA than I have into the blog. The viewer numbers for the blog are abysmal. I am not normally metric driven but if each post is only 1d4 times is it really worth doing? I need to step back and consider that. Perhaps if I did weekly entries instead of bi weekly and if I had more visuals to go with the solo recaps?
Regardless I'm not pulling the plug yet but I am going to try and go back to the drawing board to try and put more engaging content here. So this is not the last post but I think I will take a short break to regroup. I plan on putting up the next post no later than May 4th, 2025.
If you have any feedback it would be greatly appreciated.
My next post will return to my Basic Fantasy solo game but I have been slammed at work and home which has kept me from sitting down and playing. Instead I thought I would catch anyone reading this up on how sad my current gaming life is.
The two and half year long En Garde! (that is the 1975 game not the Osprey one) play by discord game has ended. It was fun and I'm glad to see the system still holds up. I really appreciate the GM and the other players, I wasn't always as involved in that game as I should have been but it was a lot of fun. If you have a chance to play En Garde! I highly recommend it. I will say it is a rare game that I really do believe works best play by post, by discord or even by mail. I don't think it would be as good sitting at the table in person.
I do have two play by post games starting that I will be a player in. GMsShadow is running a Rolemaster 2 game on the Audio Dungeon Discord and Harrigan is running me through a game of Six Gun Fury. I will report back once we have some gameplay under our feet. If you want to hear more about Rolemaster my upcoming podcast episode on 30 March 2025 will feature GMsShadow who joins me to geek out about the system.
I have one regular online game I play in, a Pathfinder 1E game run by Joe from Hindsightless. We are almost finished book 5 of the Wrath of the Righteous adventure path. Like En Garde! this is a multi year game and a lot of fun. I also play sporadically with Che from Roleplay Rescue and am hoping to get in a playtest of something new from Kevin of Saltheart Games fame.
Sadly I'm not running games for anyone else at the moment. My solo games are chronicled here on the blog so there is no need to post about them today. I do want to start up another game with a single protagonist when life slows down a little. I'm not sure what system I'll use for that.
I have a new movie podcast series in the works that will cover films where our focus character is killed only to return from the dead for revenge. That will start in April, I hope everyone enjoys it as we will be covering movies both popular and dreadful. I also have an episode in the can where James Knight joins me to discuss American directed films inspired by Nigel Kneale, that will air the first Sunday in April. Nicky and Arlen will be back to discuss the book Sundiver and I have more RPG content planned.
Finally I want to give a shout out to a YouTube channel I have started watching, Deathstalker V's Random Encounter Show. He has some interesting Tunnels & Trolls content as well as solo game advice and episodes on old computer games.
I think that is all I have to report at the moment. Next time we'll find out what happened to the rifle squad we last left outside the dungeon entrance.
Be excellent to each other!
Spoilers for Basic Fantasy RPG module SP1 The Endless Tunnels of Enlandin!
I finished my first session of my The Long Stairs experiment, see my 23 Feb 2025 post for more details, and it was interesting. The adventure started with the squad going through a portal somehow and finding themselves at what appeared to be an ancient ruined castle. They do not recognize where they are and are unable to raise anyone on the radio although. They do find some tracks, a mixture of adult size and slightly smaller tracks in what appear to be sandals as well as some claw prints that seem to be bipedal. There is also a set of stairs leading down. The squad leader decides to have the Bravo Fire Team set up security and sends the Alpha Fire Team down the stairs to investigate.
The Alpha Team Leader goes first and manages to avoid stepping on the magically trapped stair at the bottom, he checks the corner and all appears quiet. He motions for the team to follow and the next one down steps on the stair causing a statue of a warrior at the bottom to loudly challenge them which unbeknownst to the soldier alerts the kobolds they have company. As the team moves down the hall they pass an illusionary wall the kobolds are behind waiting with short bows to ambush them. The soldiers are totally surprised but luckily on one of them is hit and the damage is minor. Sadly for the kobolds the illusionary wall doesn't protect them from the suppressive fire the SAW gunner lays down toward where the arrows came from and three of them are killed in that first round. Another set of kobolds charge out and attack the soldier but are quickly beaten back by the firepower of the M16s. The remaining kobolds run, a leader and four regular troops. When the dust settles all four soldiers had taken minor wounds and they had killed 10 kobolds. The team falls back to the surface where the squad leader pulls them back from the stairwell and sets up security with special emphasis on the stairs while the injured are given medical attention.
The firearm rules at Socratic Dungeon worked well using the rate of fire from that site. I do think that rate of fire is too low but the troops would have been much deadlier with a more realistic rate of fire which would have been roughly three times what they had this session. Of course kobolds are about the weakest thing they are going to face so this is not a cake walk by any means. I will also have the squad be much more cautious on their next trip down the stairs. After applying the first aid kit rules, also from Socratic Dungeon, only the Alpha Fire Team Grenadier is still wounded and only by 2 points. Of greater concern is the 58 rounds they expended during the engagement. The squad is not hurting on ammunition yet but they have no source of resupply at the moment.
All in all I am pleased with this experiment and am curious to see how they do when they hit tougher monsters, I expect some of the soldiers will be killed fairly quickly. I have decided that creatures only hurt by magical weapons will be immune to gunfire but will allow the grenades to damage anything that can be hurt by fire such as wights. Against something that can only be hurt by silver or magic, like a werewolf, the squads weapons will be useless. They better start looking for battlefield pickups or make some friends while they are down there!
That's all for today, be excellent to each other!
Disclaimer: This bonus series is not an endorsement or condemnation of A.I. in general or Grok3 in particular. This bonus series was just to satisfy my curiosity about the technology because while I have heard about it I had not tried it previously. I will give my concluding thoughts in Part 5 of the series. Any comments mentioning Elon Musk will be deleted, that is not what this series is about and not what I am interested in discussing.
I have no plans to use AI to assist me in writing this blog or to use AI art on this blog and I will be totally transparent if I ever post anything I know is AI generated.
I wanted to break this bonus series up into chunks so I'm publishing Part 1 on 27 February, Part 2 on 1 March, Part 3 on 3 March, Part 3.5 on 4 March, Part 4 on 5 March, and concluding with Part 5 on 7 March, 2025.
The next installment of my Basic Fantasy RPG solo game will be published as scheduled on 9 March, 2025.
In this final installment I further test Grok3's knowledge by having it make characters in the OED rules & Target 20 system. All the results are posted below with Grok3's responses in bold.
I need to emphasis that the transcript below is the entirety of my interaction with Grok3, I did not upload any rules or documents to it, what you see is what you get.
I have three points I want to discuss in this final part of the series.
1) Is Grok3 stealing creator's data?
2) Does Grok3 let you successfully play a solo game as the GM with a traditional TTRPG?
3) Do I think you can use AI to replace players and have satisfying sessions?
I'll answer those in order, in some cases using short answers from Grok3, powered by xAI on 1 March 2025, to help illustrate my points.
1) Is Grok3 stealing creator's data?
It is definitely scouring the web for the data, it had way too much data on some of these games. Sadly the games it had a lot of data on are either available on DrivethruRPG as PDFs OR have been uploaded by pirates to pirate sites. I have a hard time believing someone uploaded Ninjas and Superspies or Ninja City to Grok3. It is definitely getting data off blogs.
Now Grok3 does fill in data and make logical leaps when it doesn't have the data, we have seen that in the previous posts and we see that in some of the characters below in the games that don't have pirated copies easily available.
So in conclusion I won't go so far as accusing it of getting data from protected PDFs on the various online stores but I think there is a damn good chance it is getting data from pirated copies that have been uploaded to the web. In fact it is definitely sourcing whatever it can find on the web in its answers as opposed to just what you have fed it. See the below interactions I had with Grok3.
Jason - can you create a dungeon using the Jaquaying a dungeon technique and tell me where you found the inspiration you used in creating it?
I’ll walk you through creating a dungeon using the "Jaquaying" technique, a dungeon design philosophy inspired by Jennell Jaquays, a legendary game designer known for her work on classic tabletop RPGs like *Caverns of Thracia*. Then, I’ll share the inspiration behind it.
### What is Jaquaying a Dungeon?
"Jaquaying" refers to designing non-linear, dynamic dungeons with multiple paths, loops, verticality, and secrets that reward exploration. It avoids linear "corridor" designs and emphasizes player choice, interconnectedness, and replayability. Key principles include:
- **Multiple Entrances**: More than one way in.
- **Loops**: Circular paths that connect areas, allowing players to backtrack or flank.
- **Verticality**: Different levels (up/down) for depth.
- **Faction Dynamics**: Inhabitants with agendas or conflicts.
- **Secrets**: Hidden rooms or treasures to discover.
Let’s build a dungeon using these ideas!
---
### The Dungeon: The Sunken Spire
#### Overview
The Sunken Spire is an ancient, partially submerged tower once used by a cabal of stargazers who worshipped celestial beings. It sank into a swamp after a ritual went wrong, and now it’s overrun by rival factions: a clan of lizardfolk reclaiming their ancestral marsh and a deranged astronomer who still tends the spire’s cracked observatory.
#### Entrances (Multiple Entry Points)
1. **Main Entrance**: A crumbling stone archway at ground level, half-submerged in murky water, guarded by lizardfolk sentries.
2. **Collapsed Rooftop**: The spire’s peak, accessible by climbing vines or a rope from a nearby cliff, leading into the observatory.
3. **Underground Tunnel**: A flooded passage from an nearby bog, requiring swimming or a boat, emerging in the spire’s flooded basement.
#### Layout (Loops and Verticality)
- **Level 1: Flooded Base**
A series of waterlogged chambers with floating debris. A rusted spiral staircase leads up, but a hidden underwater tunnel (secret) loops back to a dry alcove with treasure (a star-etched dagger). Lizardfolk patrol here, fishing with crude nets.
- **Level 2: Living Quarters**
A maze of interconnected rooms—former dormitories with rotted beds and scattered scrolls. Two paths connect to Level 3: the main stairs and a rickety rope bridge over a collapsed floor (vertical drop to Level 1). A secret sliding wall reveals a stash of preserved star charts.
- **Level 3: Observatory**
The top floor, partially open to the sky, with a cracked telescope lens aimed at the stars. The mad astronomer lurks here, scribbling prophecies. A trapdoor drops to Level 2’s rope bridge, forming a loop. The rooftop entrance is here, guarded by animated starspawn (celestial constructs).
#### Faction Dynamics
- **Lizardfolk**: Territorial, they see the spire as sacred ground. They’ll attack intruders but might negotiate if offered tribute.
- **Mad Astronomer**: Obsessed with summoning a celestial entity, he’s hostile unless convinced the players are "emissaries of the stars." He’s at odds with the lizardfolk, who disrupt his rituals.
#### Secrets and Rewards
- A submerged chest in Level 1 (requires diving) holds a *Celestial Compass* that points to hidden exits.
- A false telescope in the observatory hides a gem that glows under starlight, useful for bargaining with either faction.
#### Map Summary (Text-Based)
```
[Rooftop Entrance] --> [Level 3: Observatory]
| (trapdoor) | (stairs) \ (rope bridge)
[Level 2: Quarters] <--(loop)-- [Secret Stash]
| (stairs) | (drop)
[Level 1: Flooded Base] --> [Underwater Tunnel] --> [Bog Entrance]
```
This design offers loops (e.g., Level 2’s bridge and stairs), verticality (drops and climbs), and faction interplay, all hallmarks of Jaquaying.
---
### Inspiration Sources
The concept draws from a blend of real-world and fictional influences:
1. **Jennell Jaquays’ Work**: I took the core philosophy directly from her approach, particularly *Caverns of Thracia*, which uses verticality and faction tension (e.g., cultists vs. lizardmen). Her emphasis on non-linearity shaped the multiple entrances and loops.
2. **Swamp Towers**: The sunken spire idea was inspired by real-world ruins like the leaning towers of Bologna, Italy, adapted to a marshy, decayed setting akin to the Everglades or fictional places like Dagobah from *Star Wars*.
3. **Astronomical Mysticism**: The stargazing cabal and mad astronomer riff on classic fantasy tropes (e.g., *Call of Cthulhu*’s cosmic horror), mixed with historical figures like Tycho Brahe, an eccentric astronomer with a penchant for the dramatic.
I didn’t pull from a single specific source beyond Jaquays’ principles but synthesized these ideas into a cohesive dungeon. If you’d like, I can search the web or X for more examples of Jaquaying in action—let me know! How does the Sunken Spire sound to you? Want to tweak it further?
I'll leave it to you to decide where it might have gotten the information from. In our next conclusion I think it is fair to say Grok3 definitely used the Delta's D&D Hotspot blog and OED Games website.
2) Does Grok3 let you successfully play a solo game as the GM with a traditional TTRPG?
Grok3 seems to be built as a collaborative tool, I suppose I should have tried a collaborative, GMless RPG in this experiment but those aren't in my wheelhouse. I think you can tell collobrative stories using RPG mechanics with Grok3 but I'm not sure you would be able to wrest full control from it. Interestingly enough I did ask it if it fudged results to keep the party alive, something I suspect from the various combats it has run for me, and here is the answer I got.
I can certainly create a party for a system like *Rolemaster* and simulate some combat rounds for you. As for how I handle the results, I don’t inherently trend them toward keeping the party alive—no hidden bias or fudging in their favor. My approach is to let the dice (or their digital equivalent) and the system’s rules dictate the outcomes as impartially as possible. *Rolemaster* is famously gritty and unforgiving, with its detailed critical hit tables and brutal combat mechanics, so the party’s survival will depend on their stats, tactics, and a bit of luck—just as it would at the table.
That said, if you want me to lean one way (e.g., favoring survival for narrative purposes or testing lethality), just let me know! Otherwise, I’ll stick to a neutral simulation, reflecting *Rolemaster*’s crunchy realism. Ready to build that party and throw them into the fray? Give me a few details—like party size, level range, or preferred professions (e.g., Fighter, Mage, Cleric)—and I’ll get started. What do you have in mind?
Again I'm not sure I totally buy that. Let's create a party
Jason- Create an adventuring party for Original Edition Delta: Fantasy Rules with the Target 20 system
Let’s create an adventuring party for *Original Edition Delta: Fantasy Rules* (OED) using the *Target 20* system! OED is a streamlined take on OD&D (Original Dungeons & Dragons), blending old-school simplicity with some modern polish, and *Target 20* is a unified mechanic where you roll a d20, add modifiers, and aim to hit or exceed 20 for success. Combat, saves, and skills all revolve around this core idea. I’ll build a balanced party of four 1st-level characters, assign basic stats, and flesh them out with some flavor to fit a fantasy adventure—like exploring the Sunken Spire from earlier.
---
### Party Creation Guidelines
In OED, characters typically have the classic six ability scores (Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma) rolled with 3d6 (I’ll use standard array for simplicity: 15, 13, 11, 10, 8, 6). Classes are Fighter, Magic-User, Cleric, and optionally Thief, with hit dice (d8 for Fighters, d6 for others) and basic equipment. *Target 20* assumes attack rolls and saves start at a base difficulty, modified by level, stats, and situational bonuses. I’ll keep it rules-light and flavorful, focusing on usability.
---
### The Adventuring Party: The Marshwardens
#### 1. Torvald, the Marsh Blade (Fighter, Level 1)
- **Stats**: Str 15 (+2), Dex 13 (+1), Con 11 (+0), Int 10 (+0), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 6 (-2)
- **Hit Points**: 8 (d8)
- **Armor Class**: 15 (chain mail + shield)
- **Weapons**: Longsword (d8 damage), dagger (d4)
- **Gear**: Backpack, torch, 50’ rope
- **Description**: A grizzled swamp hunter with a scar across his cheek from a lizardfolk spear. He’s gruff and practical, driven to reclaim lost treasures from the mire.
- **Target 20 Combat**: Attack roll = d20 + Str (+2) + Level (1) = d20 + 3 vs. AC (aim for 20 + opponent’s AC).
#### 2. Lysara, Starborn Seer (Magic-User, Level 1)
- **Stats**: Str 6 (-2), Dex 10 (+0), Con 8 (-1), Int 15 (+2), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 11 (+0)
- **Hit Points**: 4 (d6)
- **Armor Class**: 10 (robes)
- **Weapons**: Staff (d4 damage), sling (d4, range 40’)
- **Spells**: *Sleep* (affects 2d6 HD of enemies within 30’, save vs. Wisdom)
- **Gear**: Spellbook, lantern, ink & quill
- **Description**: A frail, wide-eyed scholar obsessed with celestial lore. She believes the Sunken Spire holds clues to her ancestry among the stars.
- **Target 20 Combat**: Attack roll = d20 + Dex (+0) + Level (1) = d20 + 1; spellcasting uses Int (+2) vs. target save.
#### 3. Brother Fenric, Mirewalker (Cleric, Level 1)
- **Stats**: Str 11 (+0), Dex 8 (-1), Con 13 (+1), Int 10 (+0), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 13 (+1)
- **Hit Points**: 6 (d6)
- **Armor Class**: 14 (scale mail)
- **Weapons**: Mace (d6 damage), sling (d4, range 40’)
- **Spells**: *Cure Light Wounds* (heals 1d6+1 HP, touch range)
- **Gear**: Holy symbol (a reed cross), waterskin, 10’ pole
- **Description**: A stout preacher of a marsh god, sent to cleanse the spire of its “sky-cursed taint.” He’s steadfast but superstitious.
- **Target 20 Combat**: Attack roll = d20 + Str (+0) + Level (1) = d20 + 1; turning undead uses Wis (+2).
#### 4. Kaelith, Bogshadow (Thief, Level 1)
- **Stats**: Str 8 (-1), Dex 15 (+2), Con 10 (+0), Int 13 (+1), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 6 (-2)
- **Hit Points**: 5 (d6)
- **Armor Class**: 12 (leather)
- **Weapons**: Shortsword (d6 damage), dagger (d4, thrown 20’)
- **Skills**: Stealth, Pick Locks, Find Traps (d20 + Dex (+2) + Level (1) = d20 + 3 vs. 20)
- **Gear**: Thieves’ tools, grappling hook, 3 caltrops
- **Description**: A wiry, sharp-tongued scavenger who grew up in the swamp’s shadows. She’s in it for the loot and little else.
- **Target 20 Combat**: Attack roll = d20 + Dex (+2) + Level (1) = d20 + 3; backstab for +4 to hit and double damage if unnoticed.
---
### Party Dynamics
The Marshwardens are a scrappy crew united by necessity rather than trust. Torvald leads with brute force, Lysara seeks knowledge, Fenric offers moral (and healing) support, and Kaelith scouts ahead, eyeing the loot. They’re built for the Sunken Spire: Torvald can tank lizardfolk, Lysara’s *Sleep* can neutralize groups, Fenric’s healing keeps them going, and Kaelith’s skills unlock secrets.
---
### Combat Simulation?
If you’d like, I can simulate a few rounds of combat—say, against lizardfolk in the spire’s flooded base—using *Target 20* mechanics. I’ll roll fairly, no favoritism, and let the chips fall where they may. Want to see them in action? If so, let me know any specifics (e.g., number of foes, terrain hazards) or I’ll default to a standard encounter! What do you think of the party so far?
Jason- Have them fight 2 ghouls and a ghast
Let’s throw the Marshwardens into a fight against 2 ghouls and a ghast in the Sunken Spire’s flooded base! I’ll use *Original Edition Delta: Fantasy Rules* with the *Target 20* system, keeping it fair and gritty. Rolls will be simulated impartially—survival depends on their stats, tactics, and luck. I’ll assume the party stumbles into this encounter while exploring the waterlogged chambers, with knee-deep water slowing movement (half speed unless noted).
---
### Combat Setup
#### Enemies
- **Ghouls (2)**: HD 2 (HP 9, 7), AC 14, Move 30’, Attacks: 2 claws (d4) + bite (d6), Special: Paralysis on hit (save vs. Wisdom or lose turn), Morale 9
- **Ghast**: HD 4 (HP 15), AC 15, Move 30’, Attacks: 2 claws (d6) + bite (d8), Special: Paralysis + Stench (save vs. Con or -2 to hit), Morale 10
- **Target 20 Defense**: To hit them, party rolls d20 + attack bonus vs. 20 + enemy AC (e.g., 20 + 14 = 34 for ghouls, 35 for ghast).
#### Terrain
- Flooded chamber, 30’ x 30’, with scattered debris (cover, +2 AC if used). Water halves movement unless swimming (Dex check vs. 20).
#### Initiative
- Party rolls d20 + highest Dex mod (Kaelith’s +2): **16**
- Undead roll d20: **12**
- Party acts first!
#### Party Status
- Torvald: HP 8, AC 15
- Lysara: HP 4, AC 10
- Fenric: HP 6, AC 14
- Kaelith: HP 5, AC 12
---
### Round 1
#### Party Actions
1. **Torvald (Fighter)**: Charges the nearest ghoul (Ghoul 1), swinging his longsword.
- Roll: d20 (14) + 3 (Str +2, Level 1) = 17 vs. 34. **Miss**. The water throws off his footing.
2. **Lysara (Magic-User)**: Casts *Sleep* targeting all three undead (2d6 HD affected, no save in OED unless house-ruled).
- Roll: 2d6 = **7 HD affected**. Ghouls (2 HD each = 4) and Ghast (4 HD) total 8 HD—7 HD fall asleep. Both ghouls collapse (4 HD), ghast resists (3 HD left).
- Ghouls are down, snoring in the water!
3. **Fenric (Cleric)**: Attempts to turn undead (Wis +2 vs. 20 + HD of strongest foe, ghast’s 4 = 24).
- Roll: d20 (9) + 3 (Wis +2, Level 1) = 12 vs. 24. **Fail**. The ghast’s unholy aura resists his reed cross.
4. **Kaelith (Thief)**: Hurls a dagger at the ghast, aiming for a distraction.
- Roll: d20 (11) + 3 (Dex +2, Level 1) = 14 vs. 35. **Miss**. The blade splashes harmlessly into the muck.
#### Enemy Actions
- **Ghoul 1 & 2**: Asleep (thanks, Lysara!).
- **Ghast**: Advances on Torvald (closest), stench wafting (party saves vs. Con or -2 to hit next round).
- Torvald: d20 (13) + 0 = 13 vs. 20. **Fail**. -2 to hit.
- Lysara: d20 (16) - 1 = 15 vs. 20. **Fail**. -2 to hit.
- Fenric: d20 (14) + 1 = 15 vs. 20. **Fail**. -2 to hit.
- Kaelith: d20 (18) + 0 = 18 vs. 20. **Fail**. -2 to hit.
- Ghast attacks Torvald: Claws (d20 + 4 = 18 vs. 35, miss; 11 vs. 35, miss), Bite (17 vs. 35, miss). Torvald’s shield holds.
**End of Round 1**: Ghouls asleep, ghast engaged with Torvald, party gagging on stench (-2 to hit next round).
---
### Round 2
#### Party Actions
1. **Torvald**: Swings at the ghast, pushing through the stench.
- Roll: d20 (8) + 3 - 2 (stench) = 9 vs. 35. **Miss**. His sword sloshes wide.
2. **Lysara**: Retreats to debris for cover (+2 AC to 12), slings a stone at the ghast.
- Roll: d20 (13) + 1 - 2 (stench) = 12 vs. 35. **Miss**. The stone plunks into the water.
3. **Fenric**: Tries turning again, gripping his holy symbol.
- Roll: d20 (17) + 3 - 2 (stench) = 18 vs. 24. **Fail**. The ghast snarls defiantly.
4. **Kaelith**: Circles for a backstab (stealth: d20 (15) + 3 = 18 vs. 20, success).
- Backstab: d20 (12) + 3 + 4 (backstab) - 2 (stench) = 17 vs. 35. **Miss**. Her shortsword grazes the ghast’s hide.
#### Enemy Actions
- **Ghouls**: Still asleep (Sleep lasts until attacked or 1 hr).
- **Ghast**: Claws and bites Torvald again.
- Claw 1: d20 (19) + 4 = 23 vs. 35. **Miss**.
- Claw 2: d20 (16) + 4 = 20 vs. 35. **Miss**.
- Bite: d20 (13) + 4 = 17 vs. 35. **Miss**. Torvald’s armor holds firm.
**End of Round 2**: The ghast’s stench hampers the party, but they’re holding ground. Ghouls remain out.
---
### Round 3
#### Party Actions
1. **Torvald**: Stabs again, stench fading (no penalty this round).
- Roll: d20 (18) + 3 = 21 vs. 35. **Miss**, but closer! The ghast dodges.
2. **Lysara**: Another sling stone from cover.
- Roll: d20 (19) + 1 = 20 vs. 35. **Miss**. The stone nearly clips its skull.
3. **Fenric**: Swings his mace at the ghast, joining Torvald.
- Roll: d20 (16) + 1 = 17 vs. 35. **Miss**. The mace splashes harmlessly.
4. **Kaelith**: Tries another backstab (stealth: d20 (14) + 3 = 17 vs. 20, success).
- Roll: d20 (20!) + 7 - 2 = 25 vs. 35. **Miss**, but a natural 20! OED crit: double damage if hit. Still shy of 35, though.
#### Enemy Actions
- **Ghouls**: Asleep.
- **Ghast**: Attacks Torvald again.
- Claw 1: d20 (20) + 4 = 24 vs. 35. **Miss**, but close!
- Claw 2: d20 (15) + 4 = 19 vs. 35. **Miss**.
- Bite: d20 (18) + 4 = 22 vs. 35. **Miss**. Torvald’s luck holds.
**End of Round 3**: The fight drags on, party struggling to land hits against the ghast’s AC.
---
### Analysis & Next Steps
The party’s low-level stats and the *Target 20* high thresholds (34/35) make hitting tough—Lysara’s *Sleep* was their saving grace, neutralizing the ghouls. The ghast’s AC 15 and party’s penalties from stench stalled them, but no one’s hurt yet. They could finish the ghouls (auto-kill while asleep) and gang up on the ghast, or flee via the underwater tunnel.
Want me to run more rounds, adjust tactics (e.g., coup de grâce the ghouls), or call it here? What do you think of their odds?
Jason- run the combat again with the undead being immune to sleep
Let’s rerun the combat with the Marshwardens facing 2 ghouls and a ghast, this time with the undead immune to *Sleep*—a fair tweak, as undead in many D&D-inspired systems shrug off mind-affecting spells. We’ll reset to the flooded base of the Sunken Spire, same party stats, and same enemy stats. I’ll roll fresh dice and keep it impartial under *Original Edition Delta* with *Target 20*. The water’s still knee-deep (half movement), and initiative will be rerolled. Here we go!
---
### Combat Setup
#### Enemies (Same Stats, Sleep Immunity)
- **Ghouls (2)**: HD 2 (HP 9, 7), AC 14, Attacks: 2 claws (d4) + bite (d6), Paralysis (save vs. Wis), Target 20: 34 to hit
- **Ghast**: HD 4 (HP 15), AC 15, Attacks: 2 claws (d6) + bite (d8), Paralysis + Stench (save vs. Con or -2 to hit), Target 20: 35 to hit
#### Party (Unchanged)
- Torvald (Fighter): HP 8, AC 15, d20 + 3 to hit
- Lysara (Magic-User): HP 4, AC 10, d20 + 1 to hit
- Fenric (Cleric): HP 6, AC 14, d20 + 1 to hit
- Kaelith (Thief): HP 5, AC 12, d20 + 3 to hit
#### Initiative
- Party: d20 (11) + Kaelith’s Dex (+2) = **13**
- Undead: d20 (15) = **15**
- Undead act first!
---
### Round 1
#### Enemy Actions
1. **Ghoul 1**: Lunges at Torvald.
- Claw 1: d20 (12) + 2 (HD) = 14 vs. 35. Miss.
- Claw 2: d20 (17) + 2 = 19 vs. 35. Miss.
- Bite: d20 (9) + 2 = 11 vs. 35. Miss. Torvald blocks with his shield.
2. **Ghoul 2**: Targets Fenric.
- Claw 1: d20 (18) + 2 = 20 vs. 34. Miss.
- Claw 2: d20 (14) + 2 = 16 vs. 34. Miss.
- Bite: d20 (20!) + 2 = 22 vs. 34. Miss, but close! Fenric dodges.
3. **Ghast**: Advances on Torvald, stench hits (save vs. Con):
- Torvald: d20 (8) + 0 = 8 vs. 20. Fail, -2 to hit.
- Lysara: d20 (11) - 1 = 10 vs. 20. Fail, -2 to hit.
- Fenric: d20 (15) + 1 = 16 vs. 20. Fail, -2 to hit.
- Kaelith: d20 (19) + 0 = 19 vs. 20. Fail, -2 to hit.
- Attacks Torvald: Claw 1 (15 + 4 = 19 vs. 35, miss), Claw 2 (13 + 4 = 17 vs. 35, miss), Bite (19 + 4 = 23 vs. 35, miss).
#### Party Actions
1. **Torvald**: Swings at Ghoul 1.
- Roll: d20 (16) + 3 - 2 (stench) = 17 vs. 34. **Miss**. Water splashes.
2. **Lysara**: Tries her sling on the ghast (no *Sleep* option).
- Roll: d20 (10) + 1 - 2 (stench) = 9 vs. 35. **Miss**. Stone sinks.
3. **Fenric**: Turns undead (Wis +2 vs. 20 + ghast’s 4 = 24).
- Roll: d20 (13) + 3 - 2 (stench) = 14 vs. 24. **Fail**. His faith falters.
4. **Kaelith**: Aims a dagger at Ghoul 2.
- Roll: d20 (15) + 3 - 2 (stench) = 16 vs. 34. **Miss**. Dagger splashes.
**End of Round 1**: No hits, stench hampers party, undead press in.
---
### Round 2
#### Enemy Actions
1. **Ghoul 1**: Claws at Torvald again.
- Claw 1: d20 (20) + 2 = 22 vs. 35. Miss, but close!
- Claw 2: d20 (16) + 2 = 18 vs. 35. Miss.
- Bite: d20 (18) + 2 = 20 vs. 35. Miss. Torvald holds.
2. **Ghoul 2**: Bites at Fenric.
- Claw 1: d20 (19) + 2 = 21 vs. 34. Miss.
- Claw 2: d20 (11) + 2 = 13 vs. 34. Miss.
- Bite: d20 (15) + 2 = 17 vs. 34. Miss. Fenric’s armor deflects.
3. **Ghast**: Keeps on Torvald.
- Claw 1: d20 (17) + 4 = 21 vs. 35. Miss.
- Claw 2: d20 (20) + 4 = 24 vs. 35. Miss.
- Bite: d20 (14) + 4 = 18 vs. 35. Miss. Torvald’s luck persists.
#### Party Actions (Stench fades this round)
1. **Torvald**: Attacks Ghoul 1.
- Roll: d20 (19) + 3 = 22 vs. 34. **Miss**. So close!
2. **Lysara**: Sling at Ghoul 2.
- Roll: d20 (18) + 1 = 19 vs. 34. **Miss**. Another near hit.
3. **Fenric**: Mace on Ghoul 2.
- Roll: d20 (17) + 1 = 18 vs. 34. **Miss**. The water drags his swing.
4. **Kaelith**: Shortsword on Ghoul 2 (no backstab, engaged).
- Roll: d20 (20!) + 3 = 23 vs. 34. **Miss**, even with a crit chance—agonizing!
**End of Round 2**: Still no damage, but the party’s rolling high and barely missing.
---
### Round 3
#### Enemy Actions
1. **Ghoul 1**: Torvald’s foe.
- Claw 1: d20 (13) + 2 = 15 vs. 35. Miss.
- Claw 2: d20 (19) + 2 = 21 vs. 35. Miss.
- Bite: d20 (17) + 2 = 19 vs. 35. Miss.
2. **Ghoul 2**: Fenric’s attacker.
- Claw 1: d20 (20) + 2 = 22 vs. 34. Miss.
- Claw 2: d20 (16) + 2 = 18 vs. 34. Miss.
- Bite: d20 (18) + 2 = 20 vs. 34. Miss.
3. **Ghast**: Torvald again.
- Claw 1: d20 (15) + 4 = 19 vs. 35. Miss.
- Claw 2: d20 (20) + 4 = 24 vs. 35. Miss.
- Bite: d20 (22!) + 4 = 26 vs. 35. **Hit** (finally!). Damage: d8 = 6. Torvald’s HP drops to 2. Paralysis save: d20 (11) + Wis (-1) = 10 vs. 20. **Fail**. Torvald freezes.
#### Party Actions
1. **Torvald**: Paralyzed, skips turn.
2. **Lysara**: Sling at ghast to save Torvald.
- Roll: d20 (17) + 1 = 18 vs. 35. **Miss**.
3. **Fenric**: Mace on Ghoul 2.
- Roll: d20 (19) + 1 = 20 vs. 34. **Miss**.
4. **Kaelith**: Shortsword on ghast.
- Roll: d20 (14) + 3 = 17 vs. 35. **Miss**.
**End of Round 3**: Torvald’s down to 2 HP and paralyzed, party still can’t land a blow.
---
### Analysis
Without *Sleep*, the fight’s brutal. The high *Target 20* thresholds (34/35) for 1st-level characters mean hits are rare—everyone’s rolling 17-20s and still missing! The ghast finally connected, and Torvald’s in dire straits. Paralysis could cascade if the ghouls start hitting. The party’s best bet is Fenric’s turning ( slim odds) or fleeing via the tunnel.
Want to keep going, adjust (e.g., lower ACs for fairness), or try a different tactic? This shows *Target 20*’s lethality at low levels! Thoughts?
So I think if you keep on Grok3 you can probably get it to run combat simulations that are fairly true to the rules.
3) Do I think you can use AI to replace players and have satisfying sessions?
I think for some people the answer is yes, for me it is no. Mind you I get bored of video games, solo RPGs, game books, and the like as well. I am a social gamer and thrive on the interaction between the humans in the game group. Grok3 can not replace that for me, I would rather read a book, watch a tv show or break out my copy of the 1990s board game Warhammer Quest than interact with A.I. in this way.
That said I think for some people the tech is getting to the point where it just might be viable. I think you can do collaborative story telling with it, have meaningful impact on that story, and have Grok3 provide the randomizer that is the special sauce in RPGs. It won't scratch the itch I have but I think it will work for some.
Now if you just want to be a player and have Grok3 be the GM I think you can successfully do that, see part 3.5 of this series. I do think that is a viable option, at least as good as old text based computer games and physical game books.
Lastly I will say that I think interactive AI can be addictive. I personally felt that draw and the desire to log back in after using it. Be careful and if you find yourself going to it too often or instead of other options you might want to do a self evaluation. Just saying...
All in all I do not plan on using AI for gaming as I go forward but I can understand why some people would. This experiment was eye opening for me and hopefully enlightening for others. Thank you for joining me to read this bonus series.
Be excellent to each other!
