Chapter I: Running the Game
Play every game as if it is your last.
The Pen & Dagger RPG is played in four steps.
The basic component of the Pen & Dagger RPG is the attempt. When a player wants to try something involving meaningful risk of failure, have them make an attempt. Attempts are made by rolling a twenty-sided die ( d20 ) and consulting the Success Table.
If a hero has no chance of pulling something off, no attempt need be made. It is simply not possible.
If a hero has no chance at failing their attempt, no attempt need be made. They will be successful.
Various races, classes, spells, and monster types may apply different meanings to each success level. Despite their name, success levels do not always represent a hero's success. They can also represent the failure of the hero's foe. For example, an orc could slip on a banana peel the same moment they swing their axe at the hero. Similarly, a failure does not mean a hero failed. It could mean that the orc cut a blow so vicious the hero couldn't dodge out of the way.
The basics of each success level are defined below.
Critical Success
Critical Success
A critical success is the highest level of success. On a critical success, the best possible outcome for the hero occurs. For example, the rogue snatches a gem purse from a noble just before a stray horse knocks the noble into a canal, the bard tries to charm a merchant and happens to sing her favorite song, or the ranger shoots a raging bull in the neck.
Use a critical success to showcase a hero or villain's:
• Overwhelming Strength or Unexpected Weakness
• Impressive Skill or Missing Competency
• Unbeatable Cleverness or Foolish Rashness
• Dumb Luck
Critical Success on a 20
Critical Success On A Roll of 20
A critical success on a roll of 20 is one of the biggest tools in a DM’s cinematic toolbox. Rolling a 20 is an exciting moment for players and it should always have an impact on the game, either cinematically, creatively, or by adding fun.
For example, the rogue pickpockets a note revealing a plot against the king, the bard realizes the merchant she's trying to charm is a long-lost cousin, or the ranger shoots an arrow through a raging bull's literal eye.
In further example, a 20 on a knowledge check usually represents a hero remembering a lot of details. Even this can be made cinematic by zooming in. The wizard recalls reading a book in a musty old library beneath the gaze of their long-lost mentor. The cleric recalls her father taking her to the Golden Cliffs to learn how ankhegs are tamed to aerate farmland.
• If you want to see how far the pure victory of a critical success can go, have the player make one or more additional luck rolls. For more about Luck Rolls, see the Luck Rolls section below.
• Rolls of 20 can grow backstory, deepen character, and enrich your world, and you’re not on your own with them. When a player rolls a 20, ask them what happens. Let their imaginations run wild.
• Because a player's natural 20s should never be wasted, if a roll of 20 for a meaningful attempt would not result in something creative, cinematic, or fun, it can be turned into a normal success and the player granted a Fortune Die. To learn more about Fortune Dice, see their entry under Other Guidelines.
Major Success
Major Success
A major success reflects a result that had better than intended consequences. Major successes can represent a second, minor success. The cleric making a Religion check might recall two things about zombies. The rogue might pickpocket the real coin purse from the noble, rather than the false purse only filled with copper designed to deceive thieves. The bard might strike a melancholy tune when the merchant she was trying to charm was hoping for sad music. Or a raging bull might turn at just the right moment so the ranger's arrow slips between his ribs.
Use a major success to showcase a hero or villain's:
• Strength or Vulnerability
• Skill or Ineptitude
• Cleverness or Rashness
• Coordination or Bumbling
• Decision-making
Normal Success
Normal Success
A normal success means the hero achieved their expected result. The rogue pickpockets the noble's coin purse. The bard plays a tune the merchant finds agreeable. The ranger sinks an arrow into the raging bull's flank.
Use a normal success to showcase a hero or villain's:
• Hard Work or Laziness
• Well-planned Equipment or Lack of Quality
• Solid Thought Processes or Oversight
• Luck
Limited Success
Limited Success
A limited success reflects things not going as planned. If a player's attempt results in limited success, they do not get what they hoped for but still have some positive impact.
The limited success allows players to feel they haven’t wasted their time entirely. The rogue swipes for the noble's purse but hits their hand instead and pawns off the act as flirtation, or they snatch the purse but the noble notices immediately. The bard's song drives off the merchant she's trying to charm, but the barkeep reveals it was because the merchant lost their partner recently, information that could help the bard with her next play. The ranger's arrow deflects off the raging bull's nose ring hard enough to send it reeling off its charge, and the ranger manages to dive out of the way of its horns.
Remember when being cinematic that heroes in stories rarely have something go so completely wrong their deed doesn't help them in any way. Use a limited success to showcase a hero or villain's:
• Bad or Good Timing
• Lucky Unluckiness or Unlucky Luckiness
• Proximity to Success
Failure
Failure
The failure is the outcome that keeps attempts meaningful. What the hero tried failed.
A failure should not always reflect poorly on a hero. It can showcase the strength of their opposition as well. But things certainly still go wrong. The rogue gets noticed trying to pickpocket the noble and can't even pull the purse away. The bard sings a song that no one likes and the merchant she's trying to charm storms away. The ranger's arrow misses the raging bull completely.
Use a failure to showcase a hero or villain's:
• Vulnerability or Strength
• Ineptitude or Skill
• Rashness or Cleverness
• Bumbling or Coordination
• Bad Luck
Critical Failure
Critical Failure (Failure on a roll of 1)
Like the critical success, the critical failure is an essential tool in a DM’s cinematic toolbox. A critical failure occurs on a roll of 1 for any attempt that is not Godlike. Natural 1s are the bane of players and should stand out as moments of humor or horror. The rogue gets his bracer stuck on the noble's belt as he tries to pickpocket him and can't run away. The bard plays an offensive song to the merchant she is trying to charm, earning her the merchant's ire. The ranger's arrow misses the raging bull and strikes a child across the street.
Critical failures should be bad, while also opening up new storytelling opportunities. Heroes ending up in a pile of manure, having a shield or weapon shattered, or tripping and falling make for cinematic gold. Like other successes, critical failures can be imagined from a hero's misadventure or their opponent’s incredible success. Just remember to keep them cinematic, creative, or fun.
Rolls of 1, like rolls of 20, represent an opportunity to redirect the story, such as the rogue antagonizing a noble so badly the heroes must flee town. If you want to see how bad the bad luck goes, have the player make one or more additional luck rolls. Luck rolls can also soften the outcome of a critical failure with a rare reversal of fortune when the luck roll results in a 20.
Either way, critical failures should make memorable stories. If it makes sense, ask the player what ill befalls them, and let their imaginations run wild.
Most non-combat attempts test a hero's social, physical, or mental capabilities. These attempts are ability or skill attempts. To make an ability or skill attempt, a player rolls d20 and compares the result to their hero's rank in the pertinent ability.
Like ability scores, ability and skill attempts are only necessary for heroes. Creatures attempting something not involving the heroes should achieve or fail based on how the result benefits the story. If randomization is necessary, use a luck roll to determine the outcome.
Strength Attempts
Dexterity Attempts
Constitution Attempts
Intelligence Attempts
Wisdom Attempts
Charisma Attempts
Acrobatics. Have a hero make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) attempt to swing, tumble, balance, stand up quickly, and reduce falling damage.
Arcana. Have a hero make an Intelligence (Arcana) attempt to identify spells, magic items, magical creatures, dragons, and golems.
Climb. Have a hero make a Strength/Dexterity (Climb) attempt to climb.
Culture. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Culture) attempt to recall history, appraise, identify nobility, navigate a city, and barter.
Deceive. Have a hero make a Charisma (Deceive) attempt to craft disguises, create distractions, and lie.
Endurance. Have a hero make a Constitution/Wisdom (Endurance) attempt to maintain concentration, resist fatigue, and hold their breath.
Engineering. Have a hero make an Intelligence (Engineering) attempt to understand and disarm traps, use ropes, and identify architecture.
Handle Animal. Have a hero make a Wisdom/Charisma (Handle Animal) attempt to socialize with animals and ride creatures.
Insight. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Insight) attempt to detect another creature's lies, intentions, and desires.
Jump. Have a hero make a Strength (Jump) attempt to jump.
Medical. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Medical) attempt to save the dying, cure poison or disease, and poison things.
Perception. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Perception) attempt to sense things which are out of the ordinary and spot the hidden.
Perform. Have a hero make a Charisma (Perform) attempt to entertain through music, song, or acting.
Persuade. Have a hero make a Strength/Intelligence/Wisdom/Charisma (Persuade) attempt to intimidate, charm, haggle, or convince.
Religion. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Religion) attempt to identify divine influence, undead, and extraplanar creatures.
Run. Have a hero make a Strength (Run) attempt to run.
Sleight of Hand. Have a hero make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) attempt to forge writing, pick locks and pockets, conceal an item, and cast a spell subtly.
Stealth. Have a hero make a Dexterity (Stealth) attempt to sneak up, hide, and cast a spell silently.
Survival. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Survival) attempt to rest, forage, track, and identify animals and plants.
Swim. Have a hero make a Strength/Dexterity (Swim) attempt to swim.
When a hero must overcome a foe's defenses, defend themselves against a foe's attack, or act before a villain can cut down an ally, they make a proficiency attempt. Proficiency attempts resolve contests where brute strength or cunning are not enough and real experience, expertise, and intuition must be combined to survive the battle.
The witch times her defensive charm to deflect the ogre's club. The priest strikes out with his spiritual hammer the instant the dragon rears to breathe fire. The cavalier feints to draw a gorgon's horn-thrust onto their shield.
Have your players make Proficiency Attempts to determine their hero's success in:
Bardic Music. Have a hero make a Bardic Music attempt to affect a creature or object with bardic music.
Divine Magic. Have a hero make a Divine Magic attempt to affect a creature or object with divine magic such as orisons or spells.
Rebuke. Have a hero make a Rebuke attempt to command or turn an outsider they can rebuke.
Weapons. Have a hero make a weapon attempt to hit a creature with a weapon.
Armor. Have a hero make an armor attempt to quickly don or doff armor.
Divine Defense. Have a hero make a Divine Defense attempt to protect themselves using divine magic.
Dodge. Have a hero make a Dodge attempt to get out of the way of an attack.
Parry. Have a hero make a Parry attempt to block an attack using a physical object.
Shields. Have a hero make a Shield attempt to parry an attack.
Detect Magic. Have a hero make a Detect Magic attempt to sense magic and learn its nature.
Dispel Magic. Have a hero make a Dispel Magic attempt to suppress or end a magical effect.
Divine Guidance. Have a hero make a Divine Guidance attempt to get an answer on a question.
Initiative. Have a hero make an Initiative attempt to determine how quickly they act in a round of combat.
Manipulate Magic. Have a hero make a Manipulate Magic attempt to take control of a magical effect.
Martial Maneuvers. Have a hero make a Martial Maneuver attempt to disarm, grapple, pull, push, or trip a foe or sunder a foe's weapon, or resist having the same done to them.
Sense Outsider. Have a hero make a Sense Outsider attempt to detect the presence of an outsider they can rebuke.
For more information on specific proficiencies, see Appendix I: DM Quick References.
The roll of a 20 on a twenty-sided die should be momentous. However, sometimes it doesn't offer anything cinematic. For example, a rogue rolling a 20 on a climb attempt to scale the last few feet of a cliff where nothing at the top is waiting for them might be anticlimactic. In such cases, players can convert the result to a normal success and take a Fortune Die instead.
Fortune dice can also be acquired through certain class features and when a hero puts the needs of their party over their Dream. When the latter occurs, spotlight the sacrifice the hero is making for their friends or the story in your granting of the fortune die.
Fortune dice provide delayed rewards. Players can use them to:
1. Get a hint for a puzzle, course of action, or the like.
2. Get out of an awkward social situation.
3. Increase the providence of something they find.
4. Reroll an attempt or luck roll that did not result in a 1 until they get a better result.
Like a here would know if she struck an ogre with her sword, the success table is designed so your players know the result of their attempt after rolling it. Encourage your players to use this knowledge to describe their side of the action. For example, if a paladin critically hits a wyvern with his lance, ask his player to describe the attack. This will keep the camera on their heroes and enhance the cinematics, creativity, and fun.
However, if some players are shy or uncomfortable doing this, keep things fun by not forcing them to.
Whenever your players make a roll, they have ownership of and investment in the outcome, which keeps the game engaging. The more meaningful rolls you can put in your players' hands, the better.
The one exception is knowledge checks. Anytime you need to know if a player knows something, allowing them to roll tells them something about that knowledge. If the revenant tries to discern the motives behind a baron's command and rolls a 1, they know any information you give them must be incorrect. On the other hand, if they roll a 20, they know they have the truth. Therefore, the DM makes all knowledge-related rolls to keep players immersed in the story.
Make an attempt for your players when they:
• Would know whether or not they found something, such as searching a room for a hidden door.
• May not become aware of something, such as a bugbear sniper shooting at the party from a hidden position in the woods, or a witch at a table across the tavern trying to slip a spell into the dwarf's drink. Framing a successful attempt against a player in a cinematic manner makes the threat feel more real and less unfair. Suddenly you feel an explosion of pain in your leg! What you thought was a log in the bog is a crocodile!
• Try to recall knowledge or learn about something, such as a warpriest remembering a demon's weakness or a caller assessing a merchant's motivations.
Feel free to ignore success levels for an attempt if you feel they don't make sense. However, sometimes the best way to explain them is to hand the cinematic to your player, letting them tell the group how they succeeded or failed in the fashion they did.
ADVANTAGE
With advantage, players roll an attempt twice and take the better Success Level. Advantage occurs when a situation is largely in the hero's favor. For example, the sorcerer trying to sneak quietly past a guard while the troubadour belts a song might have advantage.
DISADVANTAGE
With disadvantage, players roll twice and take the lower Success Level. Disadvantage occurs when a situation makes success difficult. The thief trying to pick a lock while hanging from a rope might have disadvantage.
RANK ADJUSTMENTS
Some conditions can influence a hero's rank. A rank bonus or penalty adjusts the player's rank for the attempt up or down as specified. The thief using old, rusted lock picks might have a -1 rank penalty, while masterwork tools might give her a +1 rank bonus.
Use rank adjustments sparingly. They should generally only be provided by player powers, actions, and items. Trying to micromanage every situation bogs down the game.
RELIABILITY
A reliable attempt has its result increased one Success Level, except on a roll of 1. Failures become limited successes, limited successes become normal successes, normal successes become major successes, and major successes become critical successes. Reliability occurs when what’s being attempted will be highly effective against its opposition. A sorcerer trying to sneak quietly past a drunk, sleeping guard, would have reliability.
UNRELIABILITY
An unreliable attempt has its success decreased one level, except on a roll of 20. Critical successes become major successes, major successes become normal successes, normal successes become limited successes, and limited successes become failures. Unreliability occurs when what’s being attempted will be largely ineffective against its opposition. A sorcerer trying to get a drunk, sleeping guard to hear his screams would be unreliable.
SETTING THE BAR
Another way to frame reliability and unreliability is by setting a different bar for success. For example, requiring a major success for an attempt to be successful is essentially the same as unreliability. A particularly complex lock might require a major success to pick, an extremely complex lock, critical, and a cheap lock, limited.
Setting a bar provides a quick and logical results explanation while removing graded successes from the equation.
SHARED RESULTS
Similar to advantage and disadvantage, a shared result is where two or more heroes unite for an attempt. Two heroes working to lift a portcullis might each make Strength checks, with the higher result being utilized. On the other hand, two heroes might be hanging on opposite ends of a teetering boulder and both must succeed on Dexterity checks as they climb off or the whole thing will go over.
Shared results allow players to build comradery and conflict.
LINKED ATTEMPTS
Sometimes two attempts should be combined for story or cinematic effect. For example, a wizard might want to silently cast mage hand to slip a key ring off a table. The first part of the attempt would be a Stealth attempt, likely a Dexterity check, to keep the verbal component of the spell silent. The second part would be the actual mage hand (Arcane Magic) attempt itself.
A linked attempt is similar to disadvantage but is less punishing. The initial ability attempt (Dexterity/Stealth) could take advantage of related skills or backgrounds, allowing for advantage on them. additionally, a limited success on the initial attempt could mean a decision for the player—cast the spell audibly or abort casting it.
Augmented attempts help drive cinematics in visualizing the outcome of the combined attempts while simultaneously speeding up action.
IMPOSSIBILITIES
Some things are simply not possible. If your players want to do something that you deem would have no chance of success, you can simply tell them so. However, it is often a good idea to open a window when you close a door. If a great vault cannot be battered down, magicked open, or have its lock picked, uncovering the combination can offer a whole new adventure.
For example, the Dodge proficiency reflects expertise in moving the body just enough to evade a blow or take it in an area that would minimize damage. Dodging the massive explosion of a fireball would be nothing like dodging a spear thrust. Likewise, an Intelligent person may realize there are signs they are being charmed by a dryad but might not care as their personality (Charisma) is being magically influenced into valuing the dryad over their own reasoning.
If you do decide to make an exception, it's best to make a permanent house rule that everyone understands and can work from.
- The DM sets the scene.
- The players announce their hero's actions.
- The dice determine the outcome.
- Repeat!
The Success Table
Rank | Failure | Limited | Normal | Major | Critical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godlike | - | 1-4 | 5-10 | 11-14 | 15+ |
| Legendary | 1 | 2-5 | 6-11 | 12-15 | 16+ |
| Epic | 1-2 | 3-6 | 7-12 | 13-16 | 17+ |
| Master | 1-3 | 4-7 | 8-13 | 14-17 | 18+ |
| Adept | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-14 | 15-18 | 19+ |
| Trained | 1-5 | 6-9 | 10-15 | 16-19 | 20 |
| Novice | 1-6 | 7-10 | 11-16 | 17-19 | 20 |
| Untrained | 1-7 | 8-11 | 12-17 | 18-19 | 20 |
| Inept | 1-8 | 9-12 | 13-18 | 19 | 20 |
| Hopeless | 1-9 | 10-13 | 14-19 | 20 | - |
| Doomed | 1-10 | 11-14 | 15-20 | - | - |
Attempts
RANK
Rank represents how likely a creature is to succeed at an attempt. Each rank provides a different range of rolls to determine success. The worst rank is Doomed and the best is Godlike. A hero's ranks are defined by their ability scores and proficiencies. When a hero is not proficient in an attempt, their rank is usually Untrained.SUCCESS LEVEL
The outcome of an attempt is determined by rolling a d20 and comparing the result against the attempt's rank. This outcome is called the Success Level.Various races, classes, spells, and monster types may apply different meanings to each success level. Despite their name, success levels do not always represent a hero's success. They can also represent the failure of the hero's foe. For example, an orc could slip on a banana peel the same moment they swing their axe at the hero. Similarly, a failure does not mean a hero failed. It could mean that the orc cut a blow so vicious the hero couldn't dodge out of the way.
The basics of each success level are defined below.
Critical Success
• Overwhelming Strength or Unexpected Weakness
• Impressive Skill or Missing Competency
• Unbeatable Cleverness or Foolish Rashness
• Dumb Luck
In further example, a 20 on a knowledge check usually represents a hero remembering a lot of details. Even this can be made cinematic by zooming in. The wizard recalls reading a book in a musty old library beneath the gaze of their long-lost mentor. The cleric recalls her father taking her to the Golden Cliffs to learn how ankhegs are tamed to aerate farmland.
• If you want to see how far the pure victory of a critical success can go, have the player make one or more additional luck rolls. For more about Luck Rolls, see the Luck Rolls section below.
• Rolls of 20 can grow backstory, deepen character, and enrich your world, and you’re not on your own with them. When a player rolls a 20, ask them what happens. Let their imaginations run wild.
• Because a player's natural 20s should never be wasted, if a roll of 20 for a meaningful attempt would not result in something creative, cinematic, or fun, it can be turned into a normal success and the player granted a Fortune Die. To learn more about Fortune Dice, see their entry under Other Guidelines.
• Strength or Vulnerability
• Skill or Ineptitude
• Cleverness or Rashness
• Coordination or Bumbling
• Decision-making
• Hard Work or Laziness
• Well-planned Equipment or Lack of Quality
• Solid Thought Processes or Oversight
• Luck
Limited Success
Remember when being cinematic that heroes in stories rarely have something go so completely wrong their deed doesn't help them in any way. Use a limited success to showcase a hero or villain's:
• Bad or Good Timing
• Lucky Unluckiness or Unlucky Luckiness
• Proximity to Success
Use a failure to showcase a hero or villain's:
• Vulnerability or Strength
• Ineptitude or Skill
• Rashness or Cleverness
• Bumbling or Coordination
• Bad Luck
Rolls of 1, like rolls of 20, represent an opportunity to redirect the story, such as the rogue antagonizing a noble so badly the heroes must flee town. If you want to see how bad the bad luck goes, have the player make one or more additional luck rolls. Luck rolls can also soften the outcome of a critical failure with a rare reversal of fortune when the luck roll results in a 20.
Either way, critical failures should make memorable stories. If it makes sense, ask the player what ill befalls them, and let their imaginations run wild.
Top | Ability & Skill Attempts | Proficiency Attempts | Luck Rolls | Fortune Dice | Other Guidelines
Ability & Skill Attempts
Like ability scores, ability and skill attempts are only necessary for heroes. Creatures attempting something not involving the heroes should achieve or fail based on how the result benefits the story. If randomization is necessary, use a luck roll to determine the outcome.
THE Six ABILITIES ATTEMPTS
The six ability scores make up the six ability attempts. For more information on ability scores, see Chapter I of the PHB.Strength Attempts
Strength represents bodily or muscular power and the ability to generate force. Have your players make Strength attempts when their heroes try to:
• Lift heavy items
• Bash down doors
• Climb, swim, or jump
• Lift heavy items
• Bash down doors
• Climb, swim, or jump
Dexterity represents accuracy or swiftness with the body. Have your players make Dexterity attempts when their heroes try to:
• Sneak, tumble, swim, or climb
• Manipulate complex items
• Perform movements quickly
• Avoid damage from area effects
• Sneak, tumble, swim, or climb
• Manipulate complex items
• Perform movements quickly
• Avoid damage from area effects
Constitution represents bodily health and ability to endure discomfort. Have your players make Constitution attempts when their heroes try to:
• Exert themselves over long distances or times
• Endure or resist adverse effects on the body
• Get a good night’s rest in the wilderness
• Exert themselves over long distances or times
• Endure or resist adverse effects on the body
• Get a good night’s rest in the wilderness
Intelligence represents capacity for learning, reasoning, and understanding. Have your players make Intelligence attempts when their heroes try to:
• Deduce or comprehend information or language
• Plan or carry out complex tasks
• See through trickery or illusion
• Investigate a room or pick up on a clue
• Deduce or comprehend information or language
• Plan or carry out complex tasks
• See through trickery or illusion
• Investigate a room or pick up on a clue
Wisdom represents the ability to perceive, understand others, and make good judgements. Have your players make Wisdom attempts when their heroes try to:
• See or hear something
• Pick up on subtlety and unspoken communication
• Choose the most sensible course of action
• Sense something out of the ordinary
• See or hear something
• Pick up on subtlety and unspoken communication
• Choose the most sensible course of action
• Sense something out of the ordinary
Charisma represents strength of personality and ability to influence or project authority over others. Have your players make Charisma attempts when their heroes try to:
• Charm, intimidate, or act diplomatically
• Maintain their personality against outside influence
• Convince others to do what they want
• Charm, intimidate, or act diplomatically
• Maintain their personality against outside influence
• Convince others to do what they want
THE TWENTY SKILL ATTEMPTS
Skills checks use the same ability ranks as ability checks. However, when a hero makes a check related to their background or a skill they possess, they have advantage on the attempt, rolling their d20 twice and taking the higher result. More information on skills and backgrounds are provided in Chapter IV and V of the PHB. The twenty different skills a hero can possess are as follows.Acrobatics. Have a hero make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) attempt to swing, tumble, balance, stand up quickly, and reduce falling damage.
Arcana. Have a hero make an Intelligence (Arcana) attempt to identify spells, magic items, magical creatures, dragons, and golems.
Climb. Have a hero make a Strength/Dexterity (Climb) attempt to climb.
Culture. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Culture) attempt to recall history, appraise, identify nobility, navigate a city, and barter.
Deceive. Have a hero make a Charisma (Deceive) attempt to craft disguises, create distractions, and lie.
Endurance. Have a hero make a Constitution/Wisdom (Endurance) attempt to maintain concentration, resist fatigue, and hold their breath.
Engineering. Have a hero make an Intelligence (Engineering) attempt to understand and disarm traps, use ropes, and identify architecture.
Handle Animal. Have a hero make a Wisdom/Charisma (Handle Animal) attempt to socialize with animals and ride creatures.
Insight. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Insight) attempt to detect another creature's lies, intentions, and desires.
Jump. Have a hero make a Strength (Jump) attempt to jump.
Medical. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Medical) attempt to save the dying, cure poison or disease, and poison things.
Perception. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Perception) attempt to sense things which are out of the ordinary and spot the hidden.
Perform. Have a hero make a Charisma (Perform) attempt to entertain through music, song, or acting.
Persuade. Have a hero make a Strength/Intelligence/Wisdom/Charisma (Persuade) attempt to intimidate, charm, haggle, or convince.
Religion. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Religion) attempt to identify divine influence, undead, and extraplanar creatures.
Run. Have a hero make a Strength (Run) attempt to run.
Sleight of Hand. Have a hero make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) attempt to forge writing, pick locks and pockets, conceal an item, and cast a spell subtly.
Stealth. Have a hero make a Dexterity (Stealth) attempt to sneak up, hide, and cast a spell silently.
Survival. Have a hero make an Intelligence/Wisdom (Survival) attempt to rest, forage, track, and identify animals and plants.
Swim. Have a hero make a Strength/Dexterity (Swim) attempt to swim.
Proficiency Attempts
The witch times her defensive charm to deflect the ogre's club. The priest strikes out with his spiritual hammer the instant the dragon rears to breathe fire. The cavalier feints to draw a gorgon's horn-thrust onto their shield.
Have your players make Proficiency Attempts to determine their hero's success in:
OFFENSE
Arcane Magic. Have a hero make an Arcane Magic attempt to affect a creature or object with arcane magic such as cantrips, spells, sorcery, and pact magick.Bardic Music. Have a hero make a Bardic Music attempt to affect a creature or object with bardic music.
Divine Magic. Have a hero make a Divine Magic attempt to affect a creature or object with divine magic such as orisons or spells.
Rebuke. Have a hero make a Rebuke attempt to command or turn an outsider they can rebuke.
Weapons. Have a hero make a weapon attempt to hit a creature with a weapon.
DEFENSE
Arcane Defense. Have a hero make an Arcane Defense attempt to protect themselves using arcane magic.Armor. Have a hero make an armor attempt to quickly don or doff armor.
Divine Defense. Have a hero make a Divine Defense attempt to protect themselves using divine magic.
Dodge. Have a hero make a Dodge attempt to get out of the way of an attack.
Parry. Have a hero make a Parry attempt to block an attack using a physical object.
Shields. Have a hero make a Shield attempt to parry an attack.
UNUSUAL CONTESTS
Countersong. Have a hero make a Countersong attempt to use music to counter an auditory effect.Detect Magic. Have a hero make a Detect Magic attempt to sense magic and learn its nature.
Dispel Magic. Have a hero make a Dispel Magic attempt to suppress or end a magical effect.
Divine Guidance. Have a hero make a Divine Guidance attempt to get an answer on a question.
Initiative. Have a hero make an Initiative attempt to determine how quickly they act in a round of combat.
Manipulate Magic. Have a hero make a Manipulate Magic attempt to take control of a magical effect.
Martial Maneuvers. Have a hero make a Martial Maneuver attempt to disarm, grapple, pull, push, or trip a foe or sunder a foe's weapon, or resist having the same done to them.
Sense Outsider. Have a hero make a Sense Outsider attempt to detect the presence of an outsider they can rebuke.
For more information on specific proficiencies, see Appendix I: DM Quick References.
Luck Rolls
Sometimes, dumb luck is the most appropriate way to resolve a situation. This is where luck rolls come into play. To make a luck roll, a player rolls a d20 . If the result is 10 or higher, it is lucky. Otherwise, it is unlucky.
In most situations, players should make luck rolls. Even if the roll is to determine who a mindless clay golem attacks, having each player make a luck roll and having the golem attack the unluckiest adds to the tension and fun.
Have your players make Luck Rolls to determine:
• The extent of success on a roll of 20's Critical Success.
• The extent of failure on a Critical Failure.
• Which player a random effect hits.
• If something a hero is hoping to find is present (such as a stiletto in a weapon's cache or an apple in a picnic basket).
• If an ally is effective with their attack or defense.
In most situations, players should make luck rolls. Even if the roll is to determine who a mindless clay golem attacks, having each player make a luck roll and having the golem attack the unluckiest adds to the tension and fun.
Have your players make Luck Rolls to determine:
• The extent of success on a roll of 20's Critical Success.
• The extent of failure on a Critical Failure.
• Which player a random effect hits.
• If something a hero is hoping to find is present (such as a stiletto in a weapon's cache or an apple in a picnic basket).
• If an ally is effective with their attack or defense.
Fortune Dice
Fortune dice can also be acquired through certain class features and when a hero puts the needs of their party over their Dream. When the latter occurs, spotlight the sacrifice the hero is making for their friends or the story in your granting of the fortune die.
Fortune dice provide delayed rewards. Players can use them to:
1. Get a hint for a puzzle, course of action, or the like.
2. Get out of an awkward social situation.
3. Increase the providence of something they find.
4. Reroll an attempt or luck roll that did not result in a 1 until they get a better result.
While the use of the last option is obvious, the first three can be a great help to your story.
When a player wants a hint, they may be frustrated by or unable to figure out the direction your story is taking. Give them something meaningful enough to get the game racing again.
When a player wants to get out of a social situation, it's usually a cue they are not enjoying it. Try to change things for them quickly, and humorously if possible. If they have a suggestion, try to use it. Otherwise, having a random accident or simply fast-forwarding can save the day. A stray dog could burst through the crowd and knock someone over, a courier could run up with urgent news about someone's mother-in-law, or the heroes could doze off with their eyes open and come to at the start of a big event.
Finally, increasing the providence of an item plays into a sense of wonder and ownership. Try not to use this option to double the coins in a purse, make a masterwork weapon a magical one, or similar flat increases in wealth. Instead, use it to make an item memorable. Give a sword a rainbow sheen, have a lock announce when it is unlocked, or have a breastplate inscribed with the signature of a hero's mentor.
Players are limited to holding a maximum of two Fortune Dice per level. This is to encourage them to reuse their fortune while its source is fresh in their minds.
When a player wants a hint, they may be frustrated by or unable to figure out the direction your story is taking. Give them something meaningful enough to get the game racing again.
When a player wants to get out of a social situation, it's usually a cue they are not enjoying it. Try to change things for them quickly, and humorously if possible. If they have a suggestion, try to use it. Otherwise, having a random accident or simply fast-forwarding can save the day. A stray dog could burst through the crowd and knock someone over, a courier could run up with urgent news about someone's mother-in-law, or the heroes could doze off with their eyes open and come to at the start of a big event.
Finally, increasing the providence of an item plays into a sense of wonder and ownership. Try not to use this option to double the coins in a purse, make a masterwork weapon a magical one, or similar flat increases in wealth. Instead, use it to make an item memorable. Give a sword a rainbow sheen, have a lock announce when it is unlocked, or have a breastplate inscribed with the signature of a hero's mentor.
Players are limited to holding a maximum of two Fortune Dice per level. This is to encourage them to reuse their fortune while its source is fresh in their minds.
Other Guidelines
However, if some players are shy or uncomfortable doing this, keep things fun by not forcing them to.
WHEN YOU MAKE ATTEMPTS
Players make most attempts in the game. Even if your heroes have allies fighting alongside them, assign players to make luck rolls for their allies, as this will give them a sense of being tied to their ally's fate.Whenever your players make a roll, they have ownership of and investment in the outcome, which keeps the game engaging. The more meaningful rolls you can put in your players' hands, the better.
The one exception is knowledge checks. Anytime you need to know if a player knows something, allowing them to roll tells them something about that knowledge. If the revenant tries to discern the motives behind a baron's command and rolls a 1, they know any information you give them must be incorrect. On the other hand, if they roll a 20, they know they have the truth. Therefore, the DM makes all knowledge-related rolls to keep players immersed in the story.
Make an attempt for your players when they:
• Would know whether or not they found something, such as searching a room for a hidden door.
• May not become aware of something, such as a bugbear sniper shooting at the party from a hidden position in the woods, or a witch at a table across the tavern trying to slip a spell into the dwarf's drink. Framing a successful attempt against a player in a cinematic manner makes the threat feel more real and less unfair. Suddenly you feel an explosion of pain in your leg! What you thought was a log in the bog is a crocodile!
• Try to recall knowledge or learn about something, such as a warpriest remembering a demon's weakness or a caller assessing a merchant's motivations.
DEALING WITH BINARY RESULTS
In binary success/fail situations, success levels can feel challenging to implement. For example, a hero trying to catch a coin purse would theoretically either catch it or not. In such a situation, try to use the success level as a guide for your cinematic. On a limited success, the purse might bounce off the hero's fingertips and a single coin might tumble into their grip. On a major success, they might catch the purse in their teeth. On a critical, they might catch it on their belt like that was always their plan.Feel free to ignore success levels for an attempt if you feel they don't make sense. However, sometimes the best way to explain them is to hand the cinematic to your player, letting them tell the group how they succeeded or failed in the fashion they did.
THE DM TOOLBOX
Attempts in the Pen & Dagger RPG are designed to favor heroes because they are heroes. However, not every situation leans in a hero's favor, just as some situations favor the heroes extraordinarily. The tools you can use to adjust the challenge of an attempt are as follows.Augmented attempts help drive cinematics in visualizing the outcome of the combined attempts while simultaneously speeding up action.
UNUSUAL ATTEMPT REQUESTS
In some cases, players may ask to use a different ability, skill, or proficiency for an attempt, such as Dodge for a fireball or Intelligence for resisting a dryad's charm. It's usually best to avoid such exceptions because they can bog the game down in meta-gaming and trade one argument for another.For example, the Dodge proficiency reflects expertise in moving the body just enough to evade a blow or take it in an area that would minimize damage. Dodging the massive explosion of a fireball would be nothing like dodging a spear thrust. Likewise, an Intelligent person may realize there are signs they are being charmed by a dryad but might not care as their personality (Charisma) is being magically influenced into valuing the dryad over their own reasoning.
If you do decide to make an exception, it's best to make a permanent house rule that everyone understands and can work from.
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