V 1c
DEATHMAZE
3D
Miniatures in the Corridors of Doom an Unofficial Expansion
by
Fred Slice
Foreword:
It may sound strange but for me Deathmaze is despite of its obvious flaws one of the greatest
games ever designed. Even now, more than 30 years after I played it for the first time, no other
dungeon crawler made me experience the thrill of deadly dangers and hidden treasures better than
this little game which I bought in a plastic bag.
When I looked at the outdated components of the game, I had the idea that it could add to the fun to
design better looking tiles for it. When designing new tiles with detailed squares I soon did this with
the idea in mind to use them as a base for playing Deathmaze with miniatures.
I also wanted to provide a campaign with a goal because it is obvious that just heaping up xp and
gold is no adequate challenge for this great game.
After designing and playing the core miniature rules for the first time, I realized that actually seeing
the adventurers entering a room with a fountain and some skeletons had something very special. It
showed me what Deathmaze could have been if it had been released 20 years or so later as a boxed
game with high quality components like floor plans and miniatures.
So I continued writing down the rules and testing them until they were finished.
I tested the rules in that way that I played the game (including my campaign) through, made notes
when I found problems with the rules and updated them as necessary. So all I can say is that the
rules should work and should be fun.
If you have never played the game before, I strongly recommend to play it without miniatures first.
When reading the rules please keep in mind that my native language is not English.
A) Floor Plans, Miniatures and Rules
To play Deathmaze with floor plans and miniatures, you will need (besides the obvious floor plans
and miniatures) some rules to setup monsters and the party and rules which say how to move them:
1. Floor Plans and Tiles
Go to the Boardgamegeek webpage, find the game Deathmaze and download in the Files section
my tiles which you can find under DeathMaze new tiles. You will have to print them twice. Glue
them on cardboard and cut them out.
Do not use the blank tiles. Also do not use the L- and I-shaped stair tiles, because these are one-way
tiles which may lead to very small mazes. When you play a normal game of Deathmaze, you will
just need one stairs-up tile to mark the start position, discard the rest of the stair tiles.
When you look at the tiles, you will see that rooms measure 6 x 6 squares with one to four 1 x 2
section(s) for the door openings. You will have to create floor plans which are simply bigger
versions of these tiles and which are suitable for your miniatures.
Corridors consist of a 2 x 2 center part and up to four 2 x 3 parts to create straight corridors, Tcrossings, crossings and corners.
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It would be nice - but not necessary - to have some 1 x 2 overlays to represent stairs and markers to
represent doors.
You will never need more than two floor plans, one to represent where the party comes from and
one to represent where the party wants to go. So, you will need enough floor plan parts to form any
combination of two corridors or two rooms or one corridor and one room.
When you search the net for dungeon floor plans, you will find floor plans which you can
download for free and cut & paste (or physically cut & glue) to your needs. You will also find
trapdoors, fountains, statues and doors (see D, Links).
Of course there are countless commercial offers for dungeon floor plans and dungeon features.
Especially paper dungeons are cheap to buy for download.
2. Miniatures
You can use whatever miniatures you want. You can also use the counters provided in the game or
paper miniatures. Most people involved in fantasy gaming have chests full of miniatures. If you
search the net for OneMonkMiniatures, you will find enough suitable paper miniatures which can
be downloaded for free. Sadly, it will be impossible to find cronks. Simply use something which
looks as if it smells badly...and cronks. Lizard-men could be an appropriate choice.
Use miniature-bases which fit on a single square of the floor plan. For big creatures like trolls,
ogres, the giant spider and the alligator this size will not be always easy to find, so mount bigger
miniatures on 2 x 2 bases. I actually recommend to use big miniatures for these monsters, because
they will look much more dangerous.
Special room features measure 2 x 2 squares. You can use miniatures for the fountain, trap door and
statue or you can use overlays.
3. Rules
When an encounter occurs, leave the Deathmaze tiles and switch to floor-plan-view.
3.1 Setup
3.1.1 Party entering a room
When the party comes from a corridor or room and heads for a room, place the party on the floor
plan it comes from, standing at the door it just opened (see picture 1). Put them in a marching order
which consists of rows of two miniatures. Rows of three miniatures as written in the Deathmaze
rules are not possible, because the corridors are only 2 squares wide.
If the new room contains a special feature, place it in the center of the room.
In case the party comes from a room and there is a special room feature in it and the party contains
one or more charmed monsters, you may have to place the miniatures of the party to the left and
right side of the special feature (see picture 3).
Determine an x- and y-axis for the new room the party wants to enter. Roll 1d6 for each axis and
place the monster. Repeat if there is more than one monster. Reroll when the determined square
already contains a monster or a special feature of the room.
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For monsters with 2 x 2 bases use the above method, but use a room-grid which does not consist of
single squares, but of 2 x 2 squares. Use a d3 to determine the exact position of the monster on the
x- and y-axis of the room (see picture 1 which shows the placement of a large monster).
3.1.2 Party entering a Corridor
Place the party in marching order (in rows as explained above) on the floor plan it comes from at
the border of the new corridor (see pictures 2 and 3).
Place the monster(s) at the opposite end of the new corridor. Determine randomly whether a single
monster stands at the left or right wall of the corridor. If the corridor has more opposite ends,
determine randomly where the monster(s) set(s) up. If there is more than one monster, they start in
marching order. Monsters with 2 x 2 bases just form a row.
3.1.3 Trap Doors
When the party enters the room below a trap-door and there is an encounter, use a straight corridor
and a room with one entrance. Setup the party on the corridor and the monster(s) in the room as
usual.
3.1.4 Statues becoming Gargoyles
When a statue turns into a gargoyle, remove the statue and place the gargoyle randomly in the room
as normal. Setup the party randomly in the room like you would do it with monsters, then begin
combat. This setup reflects the overall confusion when the statue turns out to be alive and jumps
into the party to attack. The center of the room will still be occupied by a 2 x 2 impassable area.
3.2 Movement, Combat and Reorganization Phase
3.2.1 Combat Round Sequence
The party takes its move and attack phase first, as usual. After that, the monster move and attack
phase takes place. This is followed by the party reorganization phase and then by the monster
reorganization phase, just as normal.
3.2.2 Options
A miniature may move and attack or attack and move. Instead of attacking, party members may
switch weapons. Monsters may switch weapons and attack in the same round as usual. Miniatures
do not have to move at all. Moving (especially after an attack) is not possible if a miniature is
engaged in melee combat (= adjacent to a hostile miniature).
3.2.3 Movement
3.2.3.1 Range
Miniatures may move 1d6+2 squares. After rolling the die and movement is possible, the miniature
has to move at least 1 square. Miniatures may not move diagonally. They may not enter or pass
squares occupied by another party member, monster or special feature of the room, other than a
trap-door. They must stop their movement if they enter an adjacent square of a hostile miniature if it
could attack from there (see corners 3.2.3.1 below).
Miniatures may not leave the two floor plans.
3.2.3.2 Big Monsters
Monsters with 2 x 2 bases do not move faster. They are centered on the intersection of the 4 squares
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they occupy. To resolve movement, draw them from intersection to intersection. As always, it is not
possible to move diagonally.
3.2.3.3 Moving out of Formation
a) Movement Reduction
Movement range is reduced by -1 when moving out of marching order for each row after the first.
So, when a miniature starts in the second row at the start of the combat turn, it only may move up to
1d6+1 squares. This also means that a miniature in the fourth row (may occur when the party
contains charmed creatures) can not move if it rolls a 1.
When moving out of formation, remember that miniatures may not move through each other.
(Charmed) monsters with 2 x 2 bases count as one row, not two.
b) Movement Direction
When the party is in marching order and moves backwards (a good tactic to soften up hard hitting
monsters with missiles or spells before melee starts), the last row becomes the first row.
The direction in which the party moves is determined by the first party member who leaves the
formation. This must be a party member in the first or the last row.
c) Movement in the next Round after breaking Formation
When at least one miniature has left the marching order, all party members may move at full
movement in the next combat round (if not engaged, of course).
3.2.4 Combat
3.2.3.1 Melee
Melee occurs when two or more hostile miniatures are adjacent (also diagonally) and follows the
normal rules. It is not possible to attack diagonally over the edge of a wall or a room feature other
than a trap-door. When engaged with more than one opponent, a monster chooses its target
randomly as usual. In situations which cannot be resolved by a d6, d3 or d2 roll a d6 and reroll if
wrong numbers appear (example: to simulate a d4, roll a d6 and reroll a result of 5 or 6).
3.2.3.2 Ranged
a) Line of Sight
A miniature may fire without penalties at a hostile miniature if it can draw an unobstructed line
from the center of its square to the center of the target square (any center of a square of a big
miniature). The line is obstructed when it traverses or touches a square another miniature or a wall
or room feature (other than a trap-door) is in.
b) Obstruction by Walls or Dungeon Features other than a Trap-Door
When the line is obstructed by a wall or a dungeon feature other than a trap-door, it is not possible
to shoot.
c) Obstruction by other Miniatures
If the line is obstructed only with other miniatures, the firing miniature has to assess its chances
whether the shot can be successfully fired at the target in this given combat situation, which takes
time. For every miniature standing in the way, roll a die. On a result of 1-3, the miniature will not
fire that turn.
d) Firing from the Second Row
A miniature may fire from the second row without penalty, i.e. when a miniature stands directly
(also diagonally) behind a friendly miniature which is engaged in melee or not, it may freely fire at
a hostile miniature if there is no other obstruction of the line.
e) Combat Spells
Combat spells follow nearly the same rules. When the line is obstructed by walls or room features
other than a trap-door, the spell cannot be cast or has no effect. For the explosion spell, assume that
the center of the explosion is the wizard.
Whether a miniature obstructs the line of a combat spell depends on the kind of the spell:
- Charm and Sleep can be cast on any miniature, regardless of obstruction.
- Explosion affects any miniature, regardless of obstruction .
- Lightning and Blast need an unobstructed path but can be cast from the second row. If the path
is obstructed, the wizard has to assess whether he can cast the spell or not.
f) Firing Missiles or Casting when Engaged
- It is not possible to fire missiles when engaged. In this case the miniature has to switch to a meleeweapon if it wants to attack.
- It is possible to cast spells when engaged.
3.2.5 Reorganization Phase
In this phase, a miniature may move (shift) one square (or intersection in the case of big
miniatures). It is not allowed to shift diagonally. A miniature may also use this movement to move
away from an adjacent hostile miniature.
This movement may also be used to swap places with another friendly miniature (not diagonally).
This action also counts as one-square movement for the other miniature. Monsters with 2 x 2 bases
may only swap places with miniatures with the same base size.
Unlike the reorganization phase in Deathmaze all miniatures (not only one party member or
monster) are allowed to move in that way.
3.3 Monster Intelligence
3.3.1 Movement
Monsters move to the nearest enemy miniature in attack range to attack, regardless if it is a hero,
thief or mage. If they cannot reach an enemy, they approach as close as possible and fire a missile if
they have a bow. If there are two or more enemy miniatures at the same range, determine randomly
which miniature the monster moves to to attack.
3.3.2 Reorganization
Engaged monsters will shift in the direction of the closest (resolve ties randomly) party members
engaged in ranged combat in the reorganization phase if they have a movement path to get closer or
adjacent to them. They do this to engage thieves which then have to switch to melee weapons or
wizards to diminish their hit points. Attacks will still be distributed randomly, so thieves and
wizards are no priority targets in melee.
3.3.3 Vampires and Evil Wizards
- A vampire casts his charm spell at the nearest party member. He has not to be in melee to do so. As
I understand the rules, the vampire tries this in the first two combat rounds and charms not more
than one party member.
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A charmed Vampire does not charm his adversaries.
- An evil wizard stands where he is and casts lightning. He only moves to get an unobstructed line
to the next target or to engage in melee if his health is too low to cast lightning.
B) Campaign Game
1. The Quest:
In the Maze of the Necromancer
Al Kadabra is a dreaded evil wizard who dwells in the 5th level of a magical dungeon where he
practices horrible necromantic studies. His aim is to conquer the surrounding lands with hordes of
skeletal warriors. To protect himself and his studies, he turned the dungeon into an ever changing
maze full of evil minions. Countless adventurers were sent into the dungeon to kill Al Kadabra, but
all have failed. The ever changing maze which trapped and killed hundreds of brave adventurers
who tried to end the threat once and for all proved to be an impassable barrier. But there is still
hope. A new magical item, the *Amulet of Recall* was discovered by the Kings mages which has
the capability to transport adventurers in and out of the maze. Whether this will be the decisive
advantage in the struggle against the evil necromancer, only history will tell...
2. Traveling between the Levels of the Maze
You will find stairs in the maze which will lead up or down. However, all stairs leading down to the
next level are sealed by a magical barrier. To overcome such a barrier, you have to find a magic key
which is hidden in the maze and which grants access to the next level. There are four keys which
have to be found to finally access level 5. To travel easily between the accessible levels of the maze
it is possible to use a magic item, the Amulet of Recall which is automatically assigned to all
adventurer parties who descend into the maze. This amulet remembers the deepest level the party
has visited and sends the party according to its wish to that or a higher level when activated. It also
can teleport the party out of the maze. But this comes at a price: The amulet has to be charged
before it can be used.
3. Setting up the Maze
When you set up the game, take one randomly chosen upstairs tile as starting tile. Take the
remaining stair tiles (up-and downstairs) and shuffle them in the corridor deck. Therefore, when you
find the appropriate stair tile you may leave the maze when you are in the first level (or ascend one
level when you are in a deeper level) or you may descend to the next lower level when you have the
key for that level.
When you ascend to a level, the starting tile is of course a downstairs-tile.
When you enter a new level, discard the old level and build a new one (it is an ever changing
maze!).
4. Monsters
Monsters grow stronger when the party enters a deeper level. Use the following table:
Level
Monster HP
+1
+2
+4
+8
To Hit
+1
+2
+3
+4
- Level is the dungeon level below the first level which is considered as level 1.
- Monster HP means the hit points a monster has additionally to its usual hit points.
This also adds to the xp value of a monster.
- To Hit is the (additional) bonus you add when you roll 1d6 to determine the wounds caused.
5. Treasure
Monsters drop more Treasure when the party enters a deeper level. Use the following table:
Level
Bezants
+1
+2
+3
+4
Gems
+1
+2
+3
+4
Magic Items
+1
+2
- The entries under Bezants mean that for every D6 you roll to generate the amount of
Bezants found, add that value. So, when the party finds 3d6 Bezants in level 3, roll 3d6 and
add 2 for every die rolled which results in 3d6 +6 Bezants.
- The entries under Gems mean that whenever you roll 2d6 on the Gems Table, shift the result for
that value to generate better gems. So, when you roll for gems in level 4 and the result is 7, add 3
and look at the entry 10" in the gems table. It is not possible to find better gems than in entry 12.
- Magic Items: When a treasure has a chance to include magic items, add this number. So, when
the chance is 1 and the party is in level five, add 2 to increase the chance to 1-3 on a d6.
6. Keys
6.1 Finding Keys
There are four keys for the levels 2-5 which you will find in one of the special rooms. You will find
the first key in level 1 (the key for level 2), the second (for level 3) in level 2 and so on. The party
has a 1 in 6 chance (roll a 6 on a d6) to find the key in a special room. Add +1 to the die roll for
every special room searched without result. So, whenever you enter a special room, roll a d6 and
add 1 for each unsuccessfully searched room until you have found the key for the next level on a
result of 6 or better. When you dont find a key you always have the option to leave the maze and
re-enter a new one, which also resets the chance to find the key.
6.2 Encounters in Key Rooms
When you have found a room with a key, roll for a room encounter as normal. When there is no
encounter, the party was lucky to find the key unguarded. If there is an encounter determine the
monster(s) as usual, but take the monster stats from one level below. Refer to the table above to
determine the stats of the monster(s). For monsters from a level below use the appropriate treasuretable.
7. The Amulet
7.1 Charging the Amulet
The amulet can be charged at any time with psychic energy (xp) or - when in town - with Bezants.
For each party member the amulet has to be charged with 5 xp or Bezants for each level the party
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wants to travel up or down. So, when a party of 6 adventurers has found the key for level 4 and
already visited that level (so that the amulet can remember that level), the amulet has to be charged
with 6 (adventures) x 4 (level) x 5 (xp or Bezants) = 120 energy to teleport to level 4. The same
amount would be necessary to teleport from level 4 to the surface. Deduct xp or Bezants from any
adventurer as you see fit. Especially thieves with their extra amount of xp for disarming traps are a
good source to charge the amulet.
Since the game usually generates more xp than Bezants, you should be able to charge the amulet
without sacrificing level-ups.
7.2 Using the Amulet
To use the amulet a ritual is necessary, so it can not be used in combat situations.
It is also possible to travel in the maze between the levels.
It is not necessary to assign the amulet to a special adventurer, but make a note of the energy it
contains.
In the maze, the party will always materialize on an appropriate (up or down) stair-tile, just as if the
party would have physically entered it from above or below. Remember that on such a tile no
random encounter is possible when the level is entered for the first time (always 2 floor plans are
needed to resolve combat).
8. Healing and Death
8.1 Healing
As usual, the party automatically heals all wounds when it exits the maze.
8.2 Party Survival
As long as one surviving adventurer manages to exit the maze, you may continue the quest.
Dead party members may be replaced with lesser experienced new ones. If the party only includes
members from level 0 to 1, the party only attracts new level 0 party members. A more experienced
party attracts followers who are one level below the lowest party member.
8.3 Distributing Items from Dead Party Members
It is allowed to teleport with one or more dead adventurers out of the maze to assign their magical
items to new party members. This must be done before entering a new tile. Otherwise, these items
have to be assigned to the rest of the party under the usual restrictions.
9. Balance
9.1 Detrap Skill 6
The rules allow it to build the detrap skill up to 6 (or even higher), which must be a bug. I
recommend to cap the skill at 5, just as Magic Resistance. Traps are a major fun in the game, so
why to remove it.
9.2 Charmed Monsters
Allow a wizard to charm and control only one monster. The wizard has to wait until the monster is
dead, left the party or breaks free to charm and control a monster again.
9.3 Level Cap
Adventurers may only level up 10 times. Make a note on the character sheet for each level up.
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10. AL KADABRA
10.1 Encounter Chance
When the party finally fought its way to the 5th level of the ever-changing maze, whenever it enters
a room first roll 1d6 before you roll for monsters in the room. On a roll of 6, the party faces Al
Kadabra, the evil necromancer. Do not roll for other monsters when he appears.
10.2 Al Kadabra's Stats
Al Kadabra has 2d6 + 22 hit points. He is immune to charm and sleep. He has a resist value of 5.
10.3 Al Kadabra's Tactics
In the first round of combat, Al Kadabra activates his necrotic aura. In the subsequent rounds, he
will maintain the aura at will, which allows him to additionally strike with his staff.
10.3 Al Kadabra's Spell
Al Kadabra only uses one spell, Necrotic Aura: This aura lowers the resistance of his adversaries by
one and drains 1d6+2 wounds from each adversary per combat round if not resisted. It will not be
blocked by walls or room features. Each round, it drains 1 health from Al Kadabra. Whenever it
drains life from one of his adversaries, Al Kadabra receives 1 hit point. Al Kadabra does not stop to
maintain the aura if he only has 1 hit point left. He relies on his aura to leech life from his
adversaries. Due to his undead nature, he can survive a short time with zero hit points, but will be
defeated if the spell does not drain life in that round.
The aura only allows a resist value of 5 when a Ring of Resistance would theoretically rise the resist
value above 5 (party members with a resist value of 4 wearing a Ring of Resistance +2 or party
members with a resist value of 5 wearing a Ring of Resistance of +1 or +2).
10.4 Al Kadabra's Equipment
Staff of Painful Death: Allows Al Kadabra to strike with an overall bonus of +10, treat the weapon
as hammer.
10.5 Winning the Game
The party wins the game when Al Kadabra is dead and at least one adventurer leaves the maze alive
to tell about it. Obvious threats to lose the campaign in spite of defeating Al Kadabra are charmed
Monsters who break free or a decimated party with an amulet of recall with insufficient charges.
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C) Pictures
Picture 1
In this picture you see the setup when a party enters a room from a corridor. The room feature
(fountain) is placed in the middle of the room. It occupies 2 x 2 squares which block sight and
spells. The giant spider was placed randomly on the big grid. When you start the coordinates at
the lower corner of the room, it stands at position x3, y2 which you get when you roll a 5 or 6 and a
3 or 4 on a d6.
Picture 2
Setup when a corridor is entered from a corridor. The party contains a big charmed creature.
It counts only as one row, not two. The goblins starting position at one of the 3 corridor endings
was chosen randomly. They start in marching order.
The hero with the axe needs a roll of 3 (he adds +2 because he is in the first row) to engage the
nearest goblin, who is 5 squares away.
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Picture 3
Setup when the party enters a corridor from a room. The room has a special feature (fountain) and
the party includes a charmed monster, so party members who can not be placed directly behind the
first rows stand on the right and left side of the fountain. If the special feature would be a trap door,
the 3rd and 4th row would have been placed atop of it.
The two ogres start in marching order. The second ogre may only move d6+1 intersections (big
monster, see rule 3.2.3.2), because he starts his movement in the second row.
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Picture 4
The party in combat with 3 bats. Not an actual combat scene, just a setup to explain things. If this
would be the party movement and combat phase, The warrior near the open door could not attack
the bat adjacent to him, because it is not allowed to attack over corners. Although he is adjacent to
the bat, he could move one square ahead or move away from the bat, because the bat could not
attack him. After moving one square ahead, he would be engaged and had to stop movement.
The gray cloaked archer near the middle of the room could fire with no penalties at the bat at the
corner below. He also could fire with no penalties at the bat who fights the hero adjacent to him,
because he would fire from the second row. He also could fire at the bat in the upper left corner, but
he would have to assess his shot. There are two miniatures in the firing path, so he would have to
roll 2 dice without getting a result of 1-3.
The blue-cloaked wizard could cast lightning or blast from the second row at the bat in the upper
left corner or the bat near the middle of the room. He would have to assess the chances of the spell
if he plans to cast lightning or blast at the bat near the open door, because the path is obstructed. He
could affect all miniatures with explosion, because no miniature is behind a wall or room feature
which could obstruct the spell. He could freely cast sleep or charm at any monster in the room,
because miniatures do not block the path of that spells.
In the monster reorganization phase, the bat at the door would shift one square to the gray cloaked
archer to prevent him from shooting. He then would be forced to switch weapons in the next combat
round. The bat near the middle of the room would shift to the female archer in chain mail to achieve
the same result. The bat in the upper left corner would shift one square to the right to get nearer to
the archer and the wizard. This will force the warrior with the axe to shift to the left in his
reorganization phase to protect them.
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Note: The floor plans in these pictures are from Fat Dragon Games from the sets Dragon Tiles:
Dungeon Set 1" and Dungeon Set 2". They contain all necessary floor plans and doors, but not a
room with three entrances which can easily be made from a room with four entrances. The tiles
shown are downsized and adapted pictures of the floor plans, not my tiles which you can download
at BGG.
D) Links
Finally, some links to non commercial products:
https://sites.google.com/site/theothergamecompany/dungeon-bash
Look for BasicFloorTiles.pdf for floor plans which are suitable to cut & paste or cut & glue.
http://old.enworld.org/CrookedStaffProductions/
Great source for floor plans and dungeon features.
http://onemonk.com/Home.html
The best source for paper miniatures. Update: Some of the miniatures now are no longer free for
download.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepage/59841/deathmaze-new-tiles
My Deathmaze tiles
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E) Tables
1) Monsters
Level
Monster HP
+1
+2
+4
+8
To Hit
+1
+2
+3
+4
- Level is the dungeon level below the first level which is considered as level 1.
- Monster HP means the hit points a monster has additionally to its usual hit points.
This also adds to the xp value of a monster.
- To Hit is the (additional) bonus you add when you roll 1d6 to determine the wounds caused.
2) Treasure
Monsters drop more Treasure when the party enters a deeper level. Use the following table:
Level
Bezants
+1
+2
+3
+4
Gems
+1
+2
+3
+4
Magic Items
+1
+2
- The entries under Bezants mean that for every D6 you roll to generate the amount of
Bezants found, add that value. So, when the party finds 3d6 Bezants in level 3, roll 3d6 and
add 2 for every die rolled which results in 3d6 +6 Bezants.
- The entries under Gems mean that whenever you roll 2d6 on the Gems Table, shift the result for
that value to generate better gems. So, when you roll for gems in level 4 and the result is 7, add 3
and look at the entry 10" in the gems table. It is not possible to find better gems than in entry 12.
- Magic Items: When a treasure has a chance to include magic items, add this number. So, when
the chance is 1 and the party is in level five, add 2 to increase the chance to 1-3 on a d6.
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