Goodman Games

Greetings! I'm a bit of a newbie to DCC (though I go way back to Empire of the Petal Throne in 1977) and I'm currently running two groups through Sailors on the Starless Sea and Doom of the Savage Kings.

A newbie question, and forgive my ignorance: in Doom, the sorceror Sylle Ru has the following profile:
Sylle Ru, Seer: Init +0; Atk dagger -1 melee (1d4-1) or harmful spell (2d4, range 50’, no save, up to 3 times per day); AC 10; HD 3d4; hp 6; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP prestidigitation (DC 12 Will save or target sees his weapon disappear for 1d6+1 rounds), harmful spell 3/day; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4; AL C.

Because I'm relatively new to this, I'm not sure how I play Sylle - what spells does he have? Do I have to choose them? Or does he just have a generic 'harmful spell' that does 2d4 damage, and another that makes the target's weapon disappear? Is that it? No rolls on tables like PCs?

Many thanks for any help! By the way, I'm really enjoying this system, and it's just perfect for low-prep, fun games, which is the way I like to play these days.

UniversalHead wrote:Greetings! I'm a bit of a newbie to DCC (though I go way back to Empire of the Petal Throne in 1977)

Ooooh. EPT would be a wonderful setting for the DCC rules. Tekumel just oozes "Appendix N" flavor!

UniversalHead wrote:I'm not sure how I play Sylle - what spells does he have? Do I have to choose them? Or does he just have a generic 'harmful spell' that does 2d4 damage, and another that makes the target's weapon disappear? Is that it?

When I run NPC wizards I tend to pick a few spells at the start, but then I "cheat" and allow them to have certain spells if needed on the fly.

I like the generic "harmful spell" you described. I typically give my wizards (PC and NPC alike) a "Zap" spell which has shortbow damage and is more flashy than shooting a bow; sounds a lot what you describe.

And if your NPC wizard knows magic that the PCs don't (such as a "weapon vanish" spell) that just makes the game more mysterious. Maybe your PCs will decide to do some research so they can do it, too!

DCC enemies are not supposed to have to conform to the same rules as the PC's.

Right in the monster section it says bad guys could well have abilities the players simply cannot have (or that work differently in their hands).

Its all about making it easier for you. The players don't KNOW that the spell cast by the bad guy has only one outcome - they just see you roll and hear you describe what happens.

Thanks folks. I guess I'm asking here though, what is the adventure telling me Sylle Ru should have in the way of spell-casting? I know I could sit down and work out what spells he has, but given this is the standard format for listing the abilities of 'monsters', I'm trying to work out if this listing is telling me he just has those two spells, or if I'm supposed to work out what he can do.

I know I can always do whatever I want to do, but for the sake of ease and brevity, what's the process?

I haven't run Doom, but I have it...

I think he has those two magical abilities -- disarm and harm -- as written. He can be embellished, but I think that's his intended compliment of spells.

Sylle Ru never figured into any combats in both times I've been through DotSK (once as a player, the other as Judge) but if he did on his turn I'd choose a target & inflict the spell's damage (2d4) on them, no save. You can gloss it up, say it was a gout of flame, an arcane bolt of energy, or an instant swarm of golfball sized fanged eyeballs (like twisted little Pac-Mans).

He unlikely would get another chance (AC10, only 6hp) but he can do that at most 2 more times / day. If he did get another crack at it, I'd have him do the vanishing weapon trick (which does allow a save) just to mix it up.

Or you could choose a spell and do it "by the book" but that's where some swinginess comes into play. Anyone who has run "Tower Out Of Time" can tell you that can be a bit of a knuckleball (even you don't know where it'll go).