Roleplaying Game Handbook

Brandon McFadden
Artwork by Brandon McFadden and Anthony Cournoyer

First Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Brandon McFadden

Smoking Salamander is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Open Game License

This work, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced without the express written permission of
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No contributor work may constitute a complete game. For the purposes of this license, a "complete
game" is defined as any work that an individual can use for character generation and/or reference in
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First Printing: 2014

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 Dedication
To my wonderful wife, who continues to support my crazy ideas and random flights of fancy.

And to all my friends who helped make this possible.

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more

to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Introduction Traits to express what your Adventurer excels at
doing.
Tiny Dungeon is a minimalistic table-top
roleplaying game that delivers a satisfying gaming Next,  you’re  going  to  pick  a  weapon group you are
experience without books upon books of rules and Proficient with. There are three groups of
options. You will not find classes, levels, or weapons; Light Melee, Heavy Melee, and
experience points in Tiny Dungeon – instead, you Ranged, which are discussed in more detail in the
create organic characters that grow through Combat section. From this group, you select one
roleplaying. While Tiny Dungeon does assume its specific type of weapon that you have Mastered.
players are familiar with the table-top roleplaying, For example, you can select Light Melee Weapons
newcomers and veterans alike should be able to as your Proficient group, and from that, you can
easily understand the basic mechanics of the game. select daggers as your Mastered weapon. Your
Adventurer will start with one weapon of your
choice, ideally the weapon he or she has Mastered.
Getting Started Don’t   be   afraid   to   be   creative   – you may have
You will need at least two players; one to act as the chosen to be Mastered with daggers, but there are
Game Master, and one to act as an Adventurer. It many different types of daggers you could arm
is highly recommended to have at least three your Adventurer with, such as dirks, katars, and
players acting as Adventurers in a game. Each stilettos.
player will also need three six-sided dice, or d6,
called a Dice Pool. It is assumed that your Adventurer is already
You can make wearing the standard armor or clothing of their
due with 1d6 choosing – be it leather armor, chainmail, or just a
by rolling it cloth robe – as armor serves no mechanical
multiple function in the game. You may eventually come
times,   but   it’s   across magical armor and wearable items that grant
easier to have special benefits during your travels, but for now,
three to roll at just  note  what  you’re  wearing.
once when needed.
Besides, d6 dice are You also start with 10 Gold and an Adventurer’s  
easy to come by. Kit, the content of which is described in the
Adventurer’s  Kit section.
You should also have
some paper and a pencil to write down your This next part is going to be the hardest, because
Adventurer’s  information  and  notes. A plain index these   aren’t   options   you   select   from   a   list.   You’re  
card generally has enough space on it to be an going to want to name your Adventurer and give
adequate Adventurer Sheet, which simply lists all him or her a little bit of a backstory. Going along
of your Adventurer’s information, gear, and notes. with that backstory, another   reality   is   you   weren’t  
born an Adventurer. No,   really.   You   weren’t.
Growing up, you were probably exposed to a
Game Masters will usually require more paper in Family Trade. Perhaps you learned your way
order to keep their thoughts and plans in order, as around a forge from your father, who was a smithy.
well as information on Non-Player Characters, or Maybe your mother was a weaver and taught you
NPCs, the Adventurers will encounter. how to make and mend clothing. Whatever it was,
you
Finally, Tiny Dungeon is truly a pen and paper picked up some knowledge of this craft and gain
game in the classic sense; however, maps and Advantage in situations you can put it to use.
miniatures do assist in visualizing where things are Choose some sort of Family Trade for your
so that everyone is on the same page. While maps character; your Game Master will then decide how
and   miniatures   aren’t   required,   they   do   have   their   it will be applicable during gameplay.
place at the table.
Finally, Adventurers all have a driving principle
called a Belief that you will want to write down.
Adventurer Creation This Belief is a simple statement used as a guiding
force for your Adventurer. Your Belief may be,
Creating your Adventurer is a quick and easy
“I’ll  always find  a  diplomatic  solution,”  “Gold  can  
process. You   don’t   necessarily   need to follow this
buy happiness,” or  “I  let  my  sword  do  the  talking.”  
specific order, but it serves as a nice outline.
This Belief is not etched in stone, and can be
changed or added to with the approval of your
First, select a race from the Race List and then
Game Master.
select three unique Traits from the Trait List.
Instead of pre-defined classes, Tiny Dungeon uses
Game Masters: While this is going on, you should Other   situations,   at   the   Game   Master’s   discretion,
be thinking about what type of scenario you will be may put you at a Disadvantage. When at a
placing  the  Adventurers  in.  It  is  the  Game  Master’s   Disadvantage, you will only be able to roll 1d6 to
job to create a convincing setting and story for the resolve your Test. It is important to note that if the
Adventurers, which includes locations to visit, Game Master declares you have Disadvantage in a
enemies to fight, and NPCs to interact with. Is this situation, even if you would normally have
going to be a one-off adventure? Or are you Advantage due to a particular Trait, you still roll
planning to create an entire world for your 1d6 for that Test. Magical items that grant
Adventurers to explore? You can put as much or as Advantage are the only things which supersede this
little effort into this as you like, but keep in mind – if a magic item grants you Advantage, you will
it’s   your   job   to   keep   everyone   on   track   and   always have Advantage for that situation. Why?
entertained. One-off adventures can be planned Because  magic.  That’s  why.
with a few minutes of preparation; however, if it is
your goal to have a larger campaign in mind, this is
going to take some work on your part to plan in Obstacles
advance. Take some time to look through the For Obstacles are challenges that usually require you to
The Game Master section. make a Test to succeed in overcoming the
challenge. Obstacles may include attempting to
How to Play barter with a shopkeeper, pick a lock, search a
room for a hidden item, or resolve a conflict with
Now   that   you   have   your   Adventurers   created,   it’s   words rather than swords. The Game Master may
time to get down to the nitty-gritty of playing the determine your roleplaying is sufficient in
game. overcoming the Obstacle and grant you an
immediate success without having to Test;
Roleplaying games are about story-telling, and however, in most situations, a Test will be
Tiny Dungeon is no different. Most of the game is necessary to determine the outcome.
played simply by describing your Adventurer’s  
actions to the Game Master. When describing these
actions, you will want to relay what you want to do, Save Tests
or what   you’re   attempting to try. It is the Game Obstacles may arise that require you
Master’s   job   to   react   to   these   actions and describe to  make  what’s  called  a  Save  Test  in  
the outcome. Simple actions are typically resolved order to prevent something from
just  with  the  Game  Master’s  consent. happening to you. For example, you
need to successfully leap out of the
The core mechanic that runs Tiny Dungeon is way   as   a   trap   springs,   or   you’re  
called a Test, which is a roll of 2d6 from climbing a rope when it snaps and
your Dice Pool. For complex actions, the could potentially fall. Save Tests
Game Master will usually require you are also used to stabilize yourself if
to make a Test to determine if you you begin a turn at 0 Hit Points.
succeed   at   what   you’re   doing.   Save Tests are just like regular
Tests are considered to be Tests, and unless otherwise noted
successful if you roll a 5 or a 6 by the rules or the Game Master,
on any of the dice rolled in you roll 2d6 to resolve your
your Dice Pool, unless Test. A 5 or 6 on any of the
otherwise noted by the Game rolled dice represent a
Master. successful Save.

The Game Master, and Some Save Tests can be a

certain Traits selected at life or death scenario –
Adventurer Creation, these are called Save
can grant you or Die Tests. Should
Advantage in you fail the Save Test,
situations. This will your character is killed.
allow you to roll Period. There is no
3d6 from your preventing it. Hopefully
Dice Pool these situations will be
instead of 2d6 few and far between.
for that
particular Test,
increasing the
odds of success!
Combat rule of thumb is to assume your character can move
approximately 25 feet in-game with a single
The Game Master will usually announce when Action,   so   long   as   there   isn’t   anything   hindering  
Combat is about to begin by requesting an their movement.
Initiative Test. Adventurers will roll a standard
2d6 Test and add up the total of their rolls. Attacking is the most important aspect of Combat.
Likewise, the Game Master will roll Initiative for First and foremost, if you are attacking an enemy,
any enemy combatants the Adventurers will be you must be within range of your enemy to do so.
facing. The highest roller will have the first turn in Your  broadsword  may  be  long,  but  it  isn’t  going  to  
the Initiative Order, followed by the next highest, hit   that   orc   that’s 25 feet away from you. Getting
and so on. If there is a tie between an Adventurer within range will require you to move if you are
and an enemy, the Adventurer always goes first. If using a melee weapon.
there is a tie between two or more Adventurers, the
tying Adventurers reroll for that position until the Once  you’re  in  range,  you  can  attack! Attacking is
tie is broken. just another type of Test, and the Obstacle is your
enemy. Usually,   you’re   going   to   be   using   the  
Combat is strictly turn-based in order to keep weapon you have Mastered in to attack. Any
things running smoothly. A round of combat begins weapon type you are Mastered in allows you to roll
at the top of the Initiative Order, and ends at the an Attack Test with Advantage, or 3d6. If you are
bottom. The next round of combat then begins, simply Proficient with  the  weapon  you’re  wielding,
starting again at the top of the Initiative Order. This your Attack Test is a standard 2d6 Test. You are
continues until the Adventurers have defeated their considered to be at a Disadvantage for Attack Tests
enemies, completed some objective determined by while wielding weapons you are not Proficient with
the Game Master, or until the Adventurers have – this includes unarmed combat and improvised
been killed or routed. While it can take some time weapons.
to get through an entire round of combat, in-game,
a full round of combat is equal to roughly five or On a successful Attack Test, you deal 1 point
six seconds. damage to your enemy, regardless of your weapon,
unless your Game Master says otherwise. Game
During your turn in the Initiative Order, you Masters are encouraged to reward roleplaying
have two Actions. You can choose to at all times, so a particularly detailed
move, attack, and generally not be useless description of an attack may score more
with these Actions. If you move, that is than 1 point of damage to your enemy,
one Action. If you attack, that is one if the Game Master so decides.
Action. You can use both Actions
to move, or use both Actions to Two special Actions you can
Attack if you wish. Other perform in Combat are Focus and
Actions include Evade. When you choose to
sheathing or unsheathing Focus, the next time you attack,
a weapon, grabbing an your Test is successful on a
item, and giving an item roll of 4, 5, or 6, increasing
to an ally. your chances of hitting the
enemy. Your Focus Action
Movement is defined by remains in effect until you
announcing your choose to attack, so the
intentions to move from one Action can carry over to
location to another; the other turns. There is no
Game Master determines benefit to stacking
whether or not you can Focus Actions.
cover enough ground
to get there with that When you choose to
Action. This is where Evade, until the start
miniatures and maps of your next turn, you
come in handy, as they can Test 1d6 when
will assist in determining you are successfully
distance. It is also assumed hit by an enemy. If
that each Adventurer can your Test is
move just as far as any successful, you
other Adventurer with a evade the attack
single Action, unless the and do not take
Game Master says damage.
otherwise. A good
As mentioned earlier, there are three categories of
weapons in Tiny Dungeon – Light Melee, Heavy Sleeping
Melee, and Ranged. You can still attack while You need at least 6 in-game hours of uninterrupted
unarmed, or even with improvised weapons such as sleep every day to regain your strength. If you
a barstool or a rock, but these are not classified as manage to obtain 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep,
weapons. you will fully restore any lost Hit Points to your
Light Melee Weapons have the benefit of only maximum. You otherwise regain 1 Hit Point for
requiring one hand to wield. This frees you up to every hour of sleep.
do other things with your freehand, such as grab a
potion. You must be adjacent to an enemy, or When asleep, Adventurers are unconscious. If
within 5 feet, to attack with a Light Melee Weapon. something is going on around them, they are less
likely to be aware of it, and are at a Disadvantage
Examples of Light Melee Weapons include when making a Test to see if something wakes
daggers, short swords, rapiers, small maces, hand them up.
axes, hammers, staves, and clubs. Basically, if you
can   swing   it   effectively   with   one   hand,   it’s  
considered to be a Light Melee Weapon. Death
The dying process begins when you’ve   taken  
Heavy Melee Weapons require you to wield them enough damage to reduce your Hit Points to 0. At
with both hands due to them being cumbersome or this point, you’re knocked unconscious, and
just so…   heavy. There is a benefit of this is that without further assistance, you could succumb to
you can attack your enemies with these weapons your wounds and die. If you are at 0 Hit Points at
from 10 feet away, as they have a longer reach than the start of your turn in Combat, you can only make
Light Melee Weapons. a Save Test to stabilize yourself. A successful Save
Test will bring your Hit Points up to 1 and this will
Examples of Heavy Melee Weapons include great end your turn. If you fail this Save Test, you get
swords, warhammers, polearms, spears, and two- one last chance at surviving on your own – at the
handed flails. start of your next turn, make one last Save Test, at a
Disadvantage. If you fail this final Save Test, your
Ranged Weapons require one hand to hold, but Adventurer dies.
two to operate. Ranged Weapons treat all targets on
the field as being within range for attack, unless the While you are unconscious, any ally can attempt to
Game Master declares they are being protected by stabilize you by making a Save Test as an Action
some form of cover. The downside to this is that on their turn, providing they are adjacent to you.
they require one Action to load, and one Action to On a success, you are restored to 1 Hit Point and
fire. In Tiny Dungeon, unless otherwise noted by your next turn would start as a normal turn.
the   Game   Master,   it’s   assumed   you’re   always   Additionally, any items or abilities that could
carrying enough ammunition for your Ranged potentially heal you while you are unconscious –
Weapon for the sake of simplicity. And we love such as the Healer Trait or healing potions – can be
simplicity. used by allies to bring you back from the brink.

Examples of ranged weapons are slings, bows, and Should   you   die,   don’t   worry   too   much. There are
crossbows. usually ways for the dead to be brought back to life,
and hopefully one of your companions will be
Hit Points willing to drag your useless corpse to a temple
where you can be resurrected. Of course, this
Now that you know your way around the basics of probably  won’t  be cheap.
Combat,   it’s   time   to   discuss   Hit Points. Hit Points
are determined by your selected Race, and they
reflect the punishment your body can take before Hiding & Sneaking
you lose consciousness. In Combat, every Attempting to hide or sneak around is performed
successful hit deals 1 point of damage unless simply by making a standard Test with 2d6. If the
otherwise noted by the Game Master. Your choice Test is successful, you are hidden, or your actions
of weaponry does not alter this. Other game went unnoticed.
systems generally have you roll for the damage you
deal or have different weapons deal different Note   that   you   can’t   simply   hide   in   plain   sight,   so
amounts of damage. Tiny Dungeon does away with you need some sort of cover or concealment to
this, because a well-placed dagger can be just as hide. It is up to the Game Master to determine if
deadly as getting hacked by a broadsword. you are in a situation where you could potentially
Ultimately, the final blow is the one that counts. hide.
Allies and enemies alike can also make a standard are also able to sense magic around them or in
2d6 Test to locate someone – or something – that is items.
hidden.
To use this ability, simply describe in detail what
Hiding during Combat uses an Action, as does you are trying to do, and perform a standard 2d6
searching during Combat. These Tests can only be Test. If you are trying to manipulate an object, you
done during your Turn while in Combat. must have eye contact with it. You can also
perform a simple Ranged attack with magic, such

Magic as a magic bolt. This is treated just like any other

Ranged attack in Combat and requires an Action
Magic abilities are handled through several specific and a successful 2d6 Test.
Traits an Adventurer can select at Adventurer
Creation, as well as through magical items obtained Please note the Game Master reserves the right to
during your adventures. The magic Traits are declare what you are attempting to do is beyond
primarily Spell Reader and Spell-Touched, but to your capability; subtle effects are the name of the
a lesser extent, Beastspeaker, Familiar, and game when it comes to the Spell-Touched Trait. So
Healer can also fall into the magical category. don’t  expect  to  be  summoning the dead, or hailing
meteors on your foes.
Spell Readers may find magic scrolls out on their
adventures, and sometimes shops may carry magic Beastspeakers are also somewhat magical in
scrolls  for  purchase.  Tiny  Dungeon  doesn’t  have  a   nature, as they can somehow speak to and
preset list of magic scrolls that can be purchased, understand animals just as though they were talking
and it is up to the Game Master to be creative and to a person.
supply these items, or work with their Spell Reader
Adventurers when they are looking to procure a Familiars are usually benevolent spirits that have
spell in a shop. attached themselves to another living spirit.
Familiars are umbral, but take the shape of a
Because scrolls tend to be rare, the effects of a particular animal – typically no larger than a
scroll are often quite medium-sized dog – that is visible to
powerful. Some example anyone. Despite being able to be seen
scrolls could be a scroll to by anyone, familiars cannot speak,
resurrect a dead ally, a and instead communicate
scroll to transform an telepathically with their master.
enemy into a harmless They are able to remain manifested
woodland creature, or a so long as they are within a 50
scroll to heal all of your foot radius of their master, and
allies simultaneously. have a movement of 30 feet.
Familiars are incorporeal to
For a Spell Reader to use a everything but their master,
magic scroll, they must be and as such, are unable to
holding it and then simply physically interact with other
perform a standard 2d6 Test. A objects or individuals.
success results in the casting of That does not mean
the   scroll’s   ability, but it also they are impervious to
destroys the scroll. If you fail your damage; when
Test, the scroll is not destroyed, but summoned, a familiar has 1
you obviously do not successfully Hit Point, and can be
cast the spell. damaged by magical
effects. If a familiar’s  
Hit Points are reduced
Spell-Touched individuals won’t   be   to 0, the familiar
able to do some of the grander spells a disappears and its master
Spell Reader can cast by reading a scroll, takes 1 point of damage.
but they make up for that in versatility. Summoning and
Spell-Touched are able to subtly affect their unsummoning a familiar
surroundings; they can produce small is considered a free
illusory objects, make small objects turn Action and does not
invisible, conjure light sources or phantom require a Test. When
sounds from nowhere, manipulate and summoned, the familiar
move small objects, or even ignite or will appear on or within 5
douse small flames, just to name a few feet of its master.
examples. Spell-Touched individuals
Healers can be magical or divine healers such as a
druid or a cleric, or simply an individual well- The Rules Don’t
versed in real medicine. It is up to you to determine
how you want to flavor your healing art if you Cover That!
select this Trait. In order to heal, you must be Tiny Dungeon is a minimalist rule set and it
adjacent to your target and perform a standard 2d6 provides only a framework for gameplay. There are
Test. a lot of scenarios that could happen in a game that
these   rules   don’t   cover, and neither do the epic
Magic Items such as weapons, armor, clothing, tomes that other game systems use.
jewelry, and other objects may be acquired during
adventures. It is up to the Game Master to If a situation arises where an Adventurer is asking
determine exactly what these items do and what for a ruling that  these  rules  don’t  provide  an answer
sort of benefit, if any, they provide. Remember, not to, it is up to the Game Master to provide a ruling.
all magic is good, and some items that seem This is known as Game Master Fiat. Ultimately
harmless could potentially be cursed. the Game Master has final say on how the game is
played and how the rules are enforced. The key is
simply to be consistent.
Race List

Human
Humans are the most prolific
race due to their extreme
adaptability and determination.
Humans are capable of living in
punishing conditions, from icy
tundra to blistering deserts.
They can produce glorious
cities or live simple lives as
nomads.

Humans are just as varied as the

places you can find them in.
They come in all shapes and
sizes and temperaments.
On average, they are
between 5 and 6 feet tall,
with males tending to be
taller than females.

6 Hit Points
Humans select an
additional Trait from
the Trait List.
Fey
Known as elves to humans, Fey Fey are slightly shorter than the
build their cities secluded deep average human, with slender,
within forests. They are graceful frames and elongated
renowned for their talent with ears that taper to a point. They
archery, which they use to have a tendency to be
deadly effect to protect their androgynous in appearance and
territories, while remaining are considered to be incredibly
hidden in the treetops. They are beautiful even by members of
by nature a secretive people, and other races.
it can be difficult to earn their
trust.

6 Hit Points
Fey start with the
Racial Trait Bow
Mastery.
Bow Mastery: You
have Mastered bows
and have Advantage
when using them.
This is in addition to
the Mastered
weapon chosen at
Adventurer
Creation.
Dwarf
Dwarves are stocky and gruff On average, both male and
creatures that hail from female dwarves stand 4 feet tall,
magnificent cities hewn into and have broad, muscular
mountains. They pride bodies. It is highly suspect to
themselves on their drinking, find an adult male dwarf without
craftsmanship, and fighting a long, braided beard. Beard
prowess. Dwarven society is growth is a rite of passage for
heavily influenced by a strong dwarven men, and once they
sense of honor and justice. start growing their beard, they
Because of this, they are viewed never shave it off.
as being trustworthy individuals,
but also stubborn and set in their
ways.

8 Hit Points
Dwarves start with the Racial
Trait Dark Vision.
Dark Vision: You
are able to see 30
feet around you in
total darkness.
Goblin
Goblins are a diminutive, green- Standing just over 3 feet tall,
skinned people that eke out a goblins are on average very
living wherever they can – scrawny and have wide, oblong
usually living in small tribes or heads with protruding, bat-like
as solitary individuals. Their ears. They are notoriously quick,
behavior, even in adulthood, is and due to their compulsive
childlike. They are inquisitive by fascination with gold, they have
nature and somewhat gained notoriety as being
mischievous, although their thieves. Despite their appearance
antics are rarely malicious. and impish nature, goblins are
Goblins are also easily distracted usually good-natured creatures
by shiny objects, and they have a that enjoy the company of
particular affection for gold. anyone who can tolerate them.

4 Hit Points
Goblins start with the Racial
Trait Goblin Agility.
Goblin Agility: You can Test
1d6 whenever you are
successfully hit by an
enemy. If your Test is
successful, you evade
the attack and do not
take damage. Declaring
Evade as an Action has
no additional
benefit.
Salimar
Salimar have earned a reputation On average, Salimar stand
for being hard-nosed, but fair roughly 4 and half feet tall; they
merchants, living by waterways have elongated bodies with
and port cities to conduct somewhat stumpy legs and thick
business. They are highly tails. It is widely known that
intelligent and dignified Salimar are not only immune to
creatures with a great respect for fire, but are actually healed by it.
- and interest in - culture. In
Salimar culture, being well-
dressed is an absolute must, as it
is symbolic of their wealth and
stature. Their skin is glossy
black and smooth with patches
from their head to their tail that
range from snow white, to silver,
to dark grey.

5 Hit Points
Salimar start with the
Racial Trait Pyrothermic
Healing.
Pyrothermic Healing:
Any amount damage that
would be dealt to you by a
source of fire instead heals
you for that amount.
Trait List
Acrobat: It’s  up  there?  No  problem! You Educated: I  didn’t  go  to  academy  for  four  
gain Advantage when Testing to do years for nothing. You gain Advantage
acrobatic tricks such as tumbling, long- when checking to see if you know
distance jumps, climbing, and maintaining specific information.
balance.
Eidetic Memory: You remember that guy
Alchemist: Dragon’s   blood   has   many   in that city? Who did that thing? What did
uses.   It’s   also   great   on   salads.   Provided he say? When Testing to recall
the right reagents and recipes, you can information you have seen or heard
mix potions, elixirs, and poisons. You previously – even in passing – you
also gain Advantage when identifying succeed on a roll of 4, 5, or 6.
unknown liquids.
Familiar: Your faceless shadow cat is
Beastspeaker: What is it, boy?! The king really freaking me out, man. For as long
fell down a well?! You are able to as you can remember, you have never
communicate with animals. This form of truly been alone. Another spirit has linked
communication is primitive and very itself to yours, accepting you as its friend
simplistic. and master. (See Magic)

Berserker: YAAAARRRRRGHHH! When Fleet of Foot: Running away is always a

making a melee attack, you can choose to valid option. Your speed increases from
attack at a Disadvantage. If the attack is 25 feet to 30 feet.
successful, it deals 2 points of damage.
Healer: I’ve  seen  worse,  son.  You’ll  pull  
Brawler: Everybody has a plan until they through. As an Action, you can Test 2d6
get punched in the face. You gain to heal a creature other than yourself. If
Advantage when making unarmed the Test is successful, the target creature
attacks. is healed for 2 Hit Points. This Trait can
also be used to cure poison, disease, and
Diehard: I’m   not   going   down   that   easy.   other physical ailments that are non-
When an attack would reduce you to 0 Hit magical. You must be next to the creature
Points, it instead reduces you to 1 Hit to heal it.
Point. You can do this once per day.
Insightful: Not  sure  if  serious…  You gain
Charismatic: I can get what I want Advantage when Testing to discern
without even asking. You gain Advantage whether or not someone is telling the truth
when attempting to convince someone of or lying.
something or otherwise influence them.
Marksman: The odds of hitting your
Dungeoneer: We go left. I can tell by target increase dramatically when you
some of the moss and from seeing a lot of aim at it. When you Focus, your next
dungeons in my time. You gain attack with a ranged weapon is successful
Advantage when attempting to find your on a Test of 3, 4, 5, or 6.
way through a dungeon or cave system,
and when attempting to identify creatures Nimble Fingers: I could have sworn I left
native to dungeons or caves. it right here! You gain Advantage when
Testing to pick locks, pick pockets, or
steal.
Opportunist: One   man’s   failure   is   Spell-Touched: It runs in the family. You
another   man’s   opening   to   stab   the   idiot   were born with an arcane heritage, and
who failed. If an enemy within range fails while the centuries have diluted the
to hit with an attack against you, you may power, you are still able to subtly
immediately make an attack with influence the world around you by merely
Disadvantage against that enemy. willing it to happen. (See Magic)

Perceptive: What has been seen cannot Strong: Forget the doorknob! Stand back,
be unseen. You gain Advantage when I’ll   kick   it   in! You gain Advantage when
Testing to gain information about your Testing to do something with brute force.
surroundings or find things which may be
hidden. You gain this even while asleep. Survivalist: These berries are safe to
eat…   I   think. You gain Advantage when
Quick Shot: Pew, pew, pew! You are able Testing to forage for food, find water,
to reload a Ranged Weapon and fire it in seek shelter, or create shelter in the wild.
one Action.
Tough: I have not journeyed all this way
Resolute: I will not be a casualty of fear. because I am made of sugar candy. You
You gain Advantage on all Save Tests. gain 1 additional Hit Point.

Shield Bearer: I’ve   got   you   covered. Tracker: These prints are fresh. He went
While wielding a shield, Test with 2d6 on that way. You gain Advantage when
Evade or Goblin Agility Actions instead Testing to track someone or an animal in
of 1d6. If you choose this Trait, your the wilderness. While outside, you can
Adventurer gains a shield at Adventurer also locate true north without Testing.
creation.
Trapmaster: It’s   a   trap!   You gain
Sneaky: Silent, but deadly. You gain Advantage when Testing to create, locate,
Advantage when Testing to hide or sneak and disarm traps.
around without others noticing you.
Vigilant: Better to stay ready than to get
Spell Reader: P as in phylactery. You ready. You gain Advantage on Initiative
have spent years learning the sacred Tests.
language of the arcane, allowing you to
read power-laced words from magic
scrolls. (See Magic)
Weapons Items and Equipment
There are three weapon categories: Light Melee, An assortment of additional items and equipment
Heavy Melee, and Range. These categories include can usually be purchased at local shops in towns.
a variety of individual weapons, and the listed This list is not an exhaustive list of every item you
weapons provided can be supplemented with can procure, but is meant to act as a general guide.
additional weapons with approval from your Game The list divides items and equipment by rarity.
Master.
Prices are suggestions and represent an average
Prices are suggestions and represent an average cost.
cost for basic weaponnry.

The Adventurer’s Kit

As an Adventurer, you start with a basic kit of
items from the Items and Equipment list to help
get you going.

The Adventurer’s   Kit includes

the following items: a
bedroll, flint & steel, a
belt pouch, a rucksack, a
lantern, an empty
waterskin, 3 pints of
oil, a rope (50 feet),
rations (7 days), a
torch, and a cloak.
For the Game Master Adventurers. Obviously if this person is a bad guy,
he  or  she  isn’t  going  to  reveal  that  initially. Your
Do you think being an Adventurer is hard? Well, goal is make sure the Adventurers take the job on,
the  life  of  a  Game  Master  isn’t  easy,  either.  You’re   otherwise  you  don’t  have  much  of  a  game  session.
expected to tell a compelling story, play the roles of
multiple non-player characters, create enemies, run Now what Adventurer  doesn’t  want  gold?  Your  
combat,  be  an  arbitrator  of  the  rules…  the  list  goes   baddy has convinced the adventurers to take on the
on.  But  don’t  sweat  it.  Tiny  Dungeon  is  here  to   job of finding this relic for a large reward. Now
help. your job is to plot the course of the Adventurers to
the abandoned tower. Perhaps on the way, they are
The sections that follow are dedicated to you, the attacked by some bandits, or they are presented
Game Master! They provide additional information with a side-quest. Maybe things go smoothly and
to assist you in running a game, such as building an they  end  up  at  the  tower  with  little  to  no  issues.  It’s  
adventure, crafting enemies, and other useful tips. really up to you and how much time you wish to
spend. Keep in mind, one-off sessions may last as
Running Adventures little as a couple hours, or as long as an all-day
event.
This is undoubtedly the hardest part of being the
Game Master, but luckily, you have options. Tiny So where were we? Right. Your adventurers find
Dungeon is a setting-neutral, fantasy game system the tower! You will need to have planned out the
– meaning that you generally should be able to take inside of this tower a bit beforehand. How many
the fluff and story of an already established setting, levels are in the tower? Are there traps or puzzles
even from another game system, and run the Tiny that need to be solved? Are there enemies lying in
Dungeon rules within it. This may require you to wait?
make some changes to the rules to ensure
everything  fits,  but  it’s  the  quickest  way  to  get   Whatever you plan, the Adventurers need to make
things started. There is an unending list of their way through to their final destination and
supplemental gaming material out there for pre- retrieve the relic. This is a good spot to point
made adventurers and campaign settings. something out about players: they will rarely do
what you expect them to do.
But before we get too deep, ask yourself this
question: is this going to be a one-off adventure Having found the relic, the Adventurers may decide
that just lasts for one game session, or do you have they don’t  want  to  return  the  relic  to  their  client,  
a larger campaign in mind? and would rather keep it for themselves. Hopefully
they  won’t,  and  they’ll  bring  the  relic  to  their  seedy  
If you are planning a one-off session, then things client.  But  you  can’t  expect  them  to  do  what  you  
aren’t  going  to  be  too  difficult,  even  if  you  plan  to   want!  That  can’t  be  stressed  enough.  If  the  
create the adventure yourself. One-off adventures Adventurers  aren’t  acting  according  to  your  plan,  
generally do not require a significant amount of it’s  your  job  to  go  with  the  flow  and  see  where  they  
world-building, meaning you do not need to spend take you. Try not to railroad players into making
time creating the rich history that larger campaigns their  Adventurers  do  things  they  don’t  want  to  do.  
require. One-off adventures present your players They are just as much of the storyteller as you are,
with a single quest, or main objective, to complete and the story is all about them.
in the game session.
Assuming  they’ve  true  to  their  word,  the  
For example, perhaps you plan to have your Adventurers return to their client with the relic in
players’ Adventurers approached by an individual hand, and now you can decide whether or not this
who wants them to retrieve a magical relic from an individual is an enemy. Once given the relic,
abandoned tower. Your job is to create a motive for perhaps the maniacal meanie reveals him or herself
this individual. Who is this person? Why do they to be a necromancer, and the relic is a powerful tool
want  the  relic?  Let’s  assume  it’s  for  some  nefarious   that helps the necromancer summon the undead.
purposes. You should engage your players in a bit Now the final battle can begin!
of roleplaying where you are playing the role of
this prospective client trying to hire the
Your other option is building a campaign setting. game’s  world,  such  as  killing  someone  they  were  
This basically strings a bunch of adventures meant to protect, or even accidentally destroying an
together into an overarching plotline, where there is item they were meant to retrieve, the Adventurers
a main goal to achieve, but smaller challenges must should potentially face in-game consequences for
be overcome first across multiple sessions. those actions.
Campaigns will require more thought be put into
the world the Adventurers occupy; this means you
will have to create numerous locations such as Enemies
towns and cities, name them, and create the history The enemy chart is to assist the Game Master in
of the world itself. crafting challenging fights. As a Game Master, you
want to be sure your Adventurers feel threatened.
The  goal  isn’t  necessarily  to  kill  your  Adventurers,  
This is a big challenge, and it is recommended to but the danger of death should always be present
work at it slowly. If your aim is to create a and possible. Adventurers should never feel as
campaign,  it’s  best  to  create  a  general  history,  and   though they are above running to save their hides if
then describe the first town the Adventurers find need be.
themselves  in.  From  there,  it’s  a  matter  of  building  
upon  what  you’ve  already  established,  and  this   Enemies can also have unique abilities, either
selected from the Traits List just like an
really lessens the burden of trying to write a vivid,
Adventurer, or something else
living world before entirely. They often do not play
your game even by the same rules as
gets started. Adventurers, and through
Game Master Fiat, may be
It sounds like a lot able to take additional
Actions, move
of work, and it is, but
further, have
creating an enjoyable immunities, or
campaign setting of your even require
own is one of the most special
rewarding things a Game conditions to
Master can do. defeat. Your
imagination
is the limit.
Just remember, whether you are
running a one-off session or a
campaign, be flexible, but be
consistent. Let your players work with you
to tell the story, but never forget their
actions. If they deviate in an unexpected
way, go with it. But if they do something
that  wouldn’t  make  sense  within  the  
Example Enemies Necromancer
HP: 6 (High) Move: 25 feet
Spiderling Description: Necromancers are
HP: 1 (Fodder) Move: 25 feet individuals who have dabbled in dark
Description: Approximately the size of a rituals to gain power over the dead. By
house cat, spiderlings hatch from large the time they are discovered, they usually
clutches of eggs when disturbed and have already raised small army of undead
swarm  their  enemies.  They’re  squishy  and   to protect them.
easily killed, but they have been known to Traits:
overrun adventurers through sheer Spell Reader
numbers. Spell-Touched
Raise Dead: As an Action, you can
summon a fodder skeleton with 1 Hit
Highwayman Point within a 30 foot radius of
HP: 2 (Low) Move: 25 feet yourself. The skeleton begins its turn
Description: Some unsavory humans are at the end of your turn.
known for robbing people along long,
unguarded stretches of road between Giant Spider
cities or through woods. They’re  usually   HP: 12 (Heroic) Move: 40 feet
nothing more than a few men who Description: Found deep underground in
managed to arm themselves, and then lie earthen lairs, Giant Spiders can grow to
in wait for travelers to rob. be 8 to 10 feet tall. They intelligent
Traits: creatures capable of speech, and are rarely
Vigilant found without a clutch of eggs. If
disturbed, the eggs will hatch and release
Gnoll swarms of Spiderlings.
HP: 4 (Medium) Move: 35 feet Traits:
Description: Gnolls are aggressive Web Slinger (Ranged Attack): Test
creatures that resemble humanoid hyenas. 2d6 against an enemy. On a success,
They are feral beasts that attack in small that enemy is hit by your web and
packs, wielding crude weapons. They are cannot move until it rolls a successful
known for being extremely fast and Save Test to break free.
Poisoned Bite (Melee Attack): Test
ruthless.
2d6 against an enemy within 10 feet
Traits:
of you. On a successful hit, the
Berserker enemy must rolls a Save Test to
avoid being poisoned. If the enemy
fails, they are poisoned. While
poisoned, all Tests performed by the
enemy are at a Disadvantage. The
poison effect lasts until the enemy
rolls a successful Save Test on their
turn.
Red Dragon
HP: 20 (Epic) Move: 50 feet
Description: Red dragons, though rare,
are some of the largest, most aggressive
dragons that exist. They are capable of
swallowing a cow whole, and are
extremely intelligent and crafty. They
hoard massive amounts of treasure deep
within  mountains  that  they’ve  hollowed
out for nests.
Traits:
Charismatic
Insightful
Educated
Eidetic Memory
Fire Breath (Ranged Attack): Test
2d6 against an enemy. On a success,
any enemies adjacent to your target
also take 1 point of damage.
Bite (Melee Attack): Test 3d6
against an enemy within 10 feet of
you.
Tail Swipe: Test 2d6. On a success,
all enemies adjacent to you are
knocked back 15 feet.
 The  Necromancer’s  Lair
You and your associates have been hired to investigate a number of disappearances
along the North Road, a main trade route leading toward the town of Ashenvale. Most
recently, a caravan which was supposed to arrive in town a day prior has not been
heard from. Gathering your supplies, you greet each other where the road leaves town,
and after an uneventful day of travel, you see smoke rising in the distance.

A successful Test leads the party to a clearing, containing what was presumably the
missing caravan’s campsite.

The smoke is coming from the smoldering remains of the two wagons. There are obvious
signs of a struggle, but only two lay dead on the ground.

A successful Test will reveal there are tracks leading away from the campsite and into
the surrounding hills.

After another two hours of travel into the foothills. As you come around a bend in the
path you are travelling, you are able to see a crude door on your left leading into a hill.
The footprints you have followed lead to the door.

The door is magically sealed; a successful Spell-Touched Test will be required

to unlock the door.
The door can be broken own after delivering 2 points of damage to it.
The door is not trapped.
The door will be on the east wall of the room beyond.

The Entrance

When opening the door, you realize very little light gets into the room beyond.

When the room is able to be revealed (Dark Vision/Light Source):

Inside you find a roughly hewn room that is approximately twenty-five feet long and
twenty-five feet wide. The ceiling hangs low, only eight feet from the floor. Above you
are remnants of mining support beams, but the room appears to be sealed off from any
mine shafts. The air is dry and stale. Piled on the stone floor is a jumbled heap of bones,
lying in the dusty remains of flesh.

A successful Test reveals a trail of fresh blood on the ground that seems to disappear
under the wall opposite the entrance. A second Test to inspect the wall reveals this
inscription.

"From this have you come, to this you will return."

A successful Test to inspect the inscription will reveal that there appears to be dust or
dirt rubbed into the chiseled inscription.
A successful Test to further inspect the remains on the floor will reveal there is a large
pile of dust under the bones, and one of the skeletal hands has a ring on it.

If a player attempts to retrieve the ring, a skeleton will animate.

As you reach down and attempt to remove the ring from the bone, you suddenly hear a
rustling sound and the bone leaps from your grasp. The bones link together and form a
frightening skeleton, ready to attack!

Initiative Test!

Skeleton
HP: 1 Move: 20 feet
Description: Skeletons are weak creatures, but are held together by powerful
dark magic.
Traits:
Rise Again: At 0 HP the skeleton makes a Save Test, if successful, it
reforms with 1 HP.

Treasure: The ring is fashioned from gold and topped by a clear quartz
crystal in the shape of an eye. A successful Test will reveal this is a Ring
of Focus. This ring allows the bearer to Focus as a free Action once per
day.

When the party rubs dust onto the inscription:

As your palm smears the dust into the engraved letters on the wall, they begin to glow. A
faint rumbling sound can be heard from behind the wall, and slowly the wall descends
into the ground, revealing a dark hallway.

The Hallway:

The hallway beyond is ten feet wide and stretches for thirty feet before ending at a heavy
wooden door, bound with iron. You can hear some muffled sounds coming from the
room beyond. The air feels warm and very dry, and you catch the faint scent of
something in the air.

Fifteen feet down the corridor, on the floor, is a pressure plate.

A successful Test to inspect the walls reveals that there are odd holes placed five feet
apart, roughly four feet off the ground.

A successful Test for traps can locate the plate. A second successful Test is required to
disable the trap.

If not disabled, when the first Adventurer applies any pressure to the plate (directly or
indirectly), all Adventurers in the hallway should make a Test. Should any pass:
Your foot presses down on the stone and it seems to give slightly under your weight. You
begin to hear a faint hissing noise, and the faint odor you caught upon entering the
hallway becomes much stronger.

For all Adventurers:

You hear a grinding sound behind you and realize that the secret door has closed behind
you!

Each time pressure is applied to the plate again, or each time an attempt to disarm it
fails:

The room erupts as jets of fire spew from holes in the walls of the hallway!

A Save Test can be performed. On a success, the damage is prevented. On a failure, the
individual takes 2 points of fire damage.
The door at the end of the hall is not trapped but is locked and will require a
successful Test to unlock.
The door can be broken own after delivering 2 points of damage to it.

The Lair of the Necromancer:

As you open the door you find the chamber beyond appears to have actually been
carefully crafted. It is forty-five feet wide and thirty-five feet long. The ceiling is
approximately 15 feet above you, making this room feel spacious compared to the
previous two. Piles of bones litter the floor.

Toward the back of the room is an imposing alter with a pool of blood surrounding it.
Chained to the top is a mostly naked human, whose shrieks of pain have become raspy,
as though he has been doing so for quite some time. Standing above the table, facing
you, is a robed male human. He is chanting passages from a book while using a knife to
flay the slowly dying man’s   skin   and   muscle   away   from   his   bones. His right leg is
completely devoid of flesh and there is a pile of gore at the feet of the chanting figure.
The chanting human stops abruptly at your entry.

“Ah,  I knew it wouldn’t  be  long  before  some  rag-tag band of heroes would show up at
my door.”  He  unceremoniously slits the throat of the gasping man still lingering on the
alter. “I  am Novok the Animator!”  he  states  proudly as he gestures to himself. “I have
become far too powerful for the likes of you!” Novok begins to chant and four skeletons
assemble themselves from the piles of bones in the room, ready to protect Novok!

Initiative Test!

Novok’s first action will be to summon another skeleton and fire a magic bolt at the
nearest enemy. No more than five skeletons should be on the field. Novok’s  priority  will  
be to retreat if possible, resummon skeletons that have fallen, and then attack with magic
bolts.
Novok the Animator
HP: 6 Move: 25 Feet
Description: Necromancers are individuals who have dabbled in dark rituals to
gain power over the dead. By the time they are discovered, they usually have
already raised small army of undead to protect them.
Inventory: Minor Healing Potion ( Heals for 2 HP), Dagger (Mastery), Scroll of
Torment (When successfully read with a 2d6 Test, all enemies make a Save
Test. If they fail, they take 1 point of damage and are at a Disadvantage until the
end of their next turn.)

Traits:
Spell Reader
Spell-Touched
Raise Dead: As an Action, you can summon a simple fodder skeleton
with 1 Hit Point and a movement of 20 feet within a 30 foot radius of
yourself. The skeleton begins its turn at the end of your turn.
Text