Simple20

Writing & design

James D. Hargrove

editing & layout

James D. Hargrove

Simple 20 is Copyright © 2006 by James D. Hargrove. All portions of

this document, with the exception of the cover, these credits, and the
section entitled “Final Words” on page 12 are hereby designated Open
Game Content, per the terms of the Open Game License, Version 1.0a
(see attached copy of said license).
Creating Characters will likely cause more damage with a ranged
Think of the imaginary world that you weapon during combat than a character with a
will explore as being a canvas, yourself as low Dexterity rating.
being a painter, and your character as being a
brush. Characters are the most important tools Intelligen ce is reasonably self-explanatory,
that players have at their disposal in Simple although in Simple 20 it is limited to the ability
20. Generally, players other than the Game to think logically and express oneself verbally.
Master each control one character in Simple In Simple 20 Intelligence is not connected with
20, while the Game M aster may control many a character’s ability to work magic.
at one time.
The method of defining PC s in Simple Perception, the complement of Intelligence,
20 is designed to be short and to the point. All is a measure of a character’s spatial
player characters in Simple 20 are defined in perception and awareness of the spiritual or
the manner outlined below. That said, NPCs mystical aspects of the universe. Perception
(characters controlled by the Game Master) governs a character’s ability to wield arcane
and creatures are not the same thing as player energies in a game that utilizes Simple 20.
characters and are defined in a different
manner that is discussed later. Ego measures the mental toughness and
willpower of a character. A character with a
Step 1: Basic Attributes high Ego rating is less likely to give into their
In Simple 20, all characters are initially emotions (such as fear), as well as being less
defined by six different physical and mental susceptible to the effects of madness than a
qualities that all sentient beings are assum ed to character who possesses a low Ego rating.
possess by default. These six Basic Attributes
are outlined below. Distribute sixty-two points amongst your
character’s six basic attributes and note the
Strength is a representation of how physically corresponding modifier from the table below
strong a character is and determines how much on your record sheet.
weight they can lift and carry, what weapons
they are capable of wielding, and how much Attribute Score Modifier
damage one of their melee blows will do to 3 -4
whomever (or whatever) they are fighting.
4-5 -3

Co nstitution is a measure of health and 6-7 -2

endurance -general physical fitness. The higher 8-9 -1

a character’s Constitution rating, the farther a 10-11 0
character is capable of running or swimming
12-13 +1
before collapsing, and the more wounds they
can sustain before dying. 14-15 +2

16-17 +3
Dexterity measures a character’s reflexes and 18+ +4
coordination. Someone with high Dexterity has
an edge in weapons use; he's more likely to hit
what he's aiming at. Likewise, such a character

1
Step 2: Learned Aptitudes Intrusion: You are skilled at opening doors,
` Aptitudes represent learned abilities or vaults and other things that have been secured
skills, areas of expertise that your character is with a mechanical lock (or series of locks).
specialized in. The following is a list of learned
aptitudes that are available to characters. Knowledge: Like Crafting, the Knowledge
aptitude represents a group of skills that must
Appraise: You have a knack for determining be purchased individually (e.g., Cultural
the value of an object by closely examining it. Taboos, Occult Lore, Religious Rites, etc).

Balance: You adept at traversing precarious Lang uage: Like the previous Crafting and
surfaces such as tight ropes, narrow window Knowledge Aptitudes, the Language aptitude
ledges, and the like. also represents a group of specific skills that
much be purchased individually (e.g., English,
Bluffing: You are a skilled liar who knows French, German, Spanish, etc).
how to bestow falsehoods with a ring of truth.
Listen: You have finely tuned ears that allow
Brawling: You are a skilled pugilist and know you to hear things that typically go unheard by
how to negotiate with your fists. those who don’t possess this aptitude.

Climbing: You are adept at climbing cliffs, Mov e Silently: You are adept at moving
ropes, and other vertical surfaces. about without making discernable noise.

Com puters: You know how to both operate Performan ce: Like the Crafting aptitude, the
and troubleshoot most computer systems. Performance aptitude refers to a group of skills
that must be purchased individually (e.g.,
Crafting: Crafting is actually a group of skills Harping, Oratory, and Singing).
that must be purchased individually (e.g.,
Painting, Pottery, Rug Weaving, etc). Ride: You are adept at riding living mounts
(e.g., griffons, horses, etc).
Disguise: You are skilled at altering your true
appearance by applying make-up or carefully Sense Mo tive: You have an uncanny knack
coordinating a costume. for ‘reading’ people, and discerning whether or
not their motives are genuine.
Drive: You are skilled at driving motorized
land vehicles (e.g., cars, motorcycles, etc). Sorcery: Like the Knowledge and Language
aptitudes, the Sorcery aptitude represents a
Forgery: You know how to duplicate things group of specific skills that must be purchased
(signatures, works of art, etc) convincingly. individually (see The Arcane Arts for further
details).
Healing: You know how to clean, bind, and
otherwise treat wounds properly. Spot: You have a keen eye for detail that is
trained to recognize concealed objects (e.g.,
Hiding: You are skilled at avoiding watchful trip wires, laser eyes, etc).
eyes (organic or computerized).

2
Swimming: You are skilled remaining afloat they will be capable of enduring before they
in and traversing bodies of water. succumb to the grip of madness.
A character begins with a total number
Weapon: Like several other aptitudes, the of Composure Points equal to twenty plus their
Weapon Aptitude represents a group of more Ego rating. Note your character’s Composure
specific skills that must be defined individually Points on your record sheet.
(e.g., Dagger, Pistol, Rifle, Sword, etc).
Step 4: equipment
In Simple 20, pieces of equipment are
Note: This aptitude list is by no means all
props – they have no mechanical impact on
inclusive. If you feel that I’ve passed over
the game. For instance, in order to shoot an
a dreadfully important aptitude, by all
opponent with a pistol, your character must
means, expand the list to include it!
have such a weapon in their possession, but
how much damage they do with that pistol is
You have a number of points that you determined solely by their level of skill with the
can distribute among your character’s aptitudes pistol, not by the pistol itself.
equal to their Intelligence rating multiplied by In Simple 20, how well a character can
4. The maximum number of points that you can do something has everything to do with ability,
assign to a given aptitude at this time is equal and nothing to do with the equipment that they
to your characters’s Intelligence rating. carry – even the best pistol in the world can’t
The higher a given aptitude’s rating, the turn somebody who knows nothing about guns
more notable your character’s skill in that area into a crack shot. Record any equipment that
is (e.g., a character with a Forgery rating of 6 your character has in their possession (note that
is much better at forging documents than a the GM may veto anything thing that they find
character with a rating of 3 in the same said to be unreasonable).
aptitude). It is acceptable not to assign any
points to a given aptitude. Step 5: Finishing Touches
Give your character a name (if you have
Step 3: Health Points not done so already), describe their physical
Health Points are a representation of a appearance, their social mannerisms, and (if
character’s ability to endure damage. The more your GM allows you to do so) pen an abridged
Health Points that a character has, the more version of their life history. After you have done
physical damage they will be able to sustain these things, you’ll be ready to play a game
before they take a dirt nap. that utilizes Simple 20.
Characters begin with a number of
initial Health Points equal to twenty plus their The Basic Rules
Constitution rating. Note your character’s All of the basic rules that you will need
Health Points on your record sheet. to know in order to play a game using Simple
20 are presented here.
Step 4: Composure Points
Composure Points are a representation Rolling Dice
of a character's ability to endure psychological Whenever your character attempts to
trauma. The more Composure Points that your perf orm an action under duress, the Game
character has, the more psychological trauma Master will ask you to roll a twenty-sided die

3
and add a number (or numbers) to the result. Aptitude Checks
This process is referred to as ‘making a check’ An aptitude check is called for when a
in Simple 20. character is attempting to perform an action
that directly relates to an aptitude in which they
When to Make Checks possess levels. W hen making an aptitude
Making a check means rolling dice check, the numbers that the player adds to the
and, any time that players are rolling dice, result of the d20 roll are the modifier of the
they're not focusing on their character. The only basic attribute most closely related to the action
time that players should make checks is when being performed and the rating of the single
a character is performing action under duress most relevant aptitude that they possess.
(i.e., when another character, creature, or force
is bearing down upon the character who is Saving Throws
attempting to take action). Finally, a saving throw is a special kind
of attribute check made whenever a character
How to Make Checks is trying to avoid (at least partially) the effects
When making a check, a player rolls of an outside force or condition (disease,
one twenty-sided die (1d20), adds some insanity, etc). When making a saving throw, the
numbers to the result of the die roll, and numbers that a player adds to the result of the
compares the final sum to a Difficulty Class die roll are the modifier of the basic attribute
(DC) that is either assigned or generated by used to resist the force or condition (most
the Game Master. commonly Dexterity, Constitution or Ego) and
If the combined total of the player's die any situation specific modifiers imposed or
roll equals or exceeds the assigned DC , then granted by the Game Master.
their character successfully performs the action
that they were attempting. If the total result of Combat explained
the player’s die roll does not meet or exceed Combat in Simple 20 is an extension of
the DC, then the character has failed to the basic resolution rules discussed previously,
perform the action being attempted. but with a few added complications. Despite
Results of ‘natural’ (i.e., unmodified) 20 the inclusion of said complications, combat
are always a success and results of natural 1 remains quite simple so as to not impede
are always a failure. otherwise heroic action.

Attribute Checks The Combat Turn

An attribute check is called for when a During combat, time in Simple 20 is
character is attempting to perform an action divided into Combat Turns. During any given
that directly relates to one of the six basic combat turn, a given character may attempt to
attributes (e.g., lifting a heavy object) or when perform one action. To determine the order in
they are attempting to perform an action for which characters can take those actions, at the
which they have no relevant aptitude. start of a given battle, each combatant rolls
W hen making an attribute check, the 1d20 for Initiative.
number that the player adds to the result of the To determine initiative, each player with
d20 roll is the modifier of the single basic a character is involved in the combat makes a
attribute most closely related to the action Dexterity attribute check. Characters act in the
being performed. order of these check results during a combat,

4
counting down from the highest check result to perform it out of initiative order, but doing so
the lowest. In every combat turn that follows, counts as their one action for the combat turn,
the characters act in the same order. which will leave them open to any subsequent
If two or more combatants have the incoming attacks in that turn.
same initiative check result, the combatants When making a defense check, the
who are tied act in order of their Dexterity numbers that a player adds to the result of the
modifiers (again, highest to lowest). If there is d20 roll are the rating of the single most
still a tie, the tied characters should make relevant aptitude that their character possesses,
another check to determine which one of them any situational modifiers that have been
goes before the other. imposed by the GM, and their Dexterity
modifier, For exam ple:
Attack Checks
An Attack Check is called for when a Your character is a swordsman locked in
character attempts to attack an opponent. mortal combat with his archenemy, who has just
When making an attack check, the numbers delivered a m asterful sword blow aimed at your
that a player adds to the result of the d20 roll character. You choose to parry the blow, so you
are the rating of the single most relevant make a defensive check, adding both your
aptitude that they possess, any situational character's Long Sword aptitude rating and his
modifiers that have been imposed by the Dexterity modifier to the d20 result.
Game Master, and their Dexterity modifier (for
melee and ranged attacks). For example: The DC that a player must meet or
exceed for a defense check to be successful is,
Your character is engaged in a few as mentioned previously, the result of the
rounds of fisticuffs with a street tough in the aggressor’s attack check. Should a defense
city’s red lantern district. You decide to swing a check be successful, then the target of the
haymaker at the scoundrel, so you roll 1d20 attack has either successfully parried or dodged
and add both your character’s Strength modifier the incoming blow and avoided any damage
and their Brawling ra ting to the result. that it had the potential to inflict.

A character’s attempt to inflict harm ending Combat

upon another living being will often be resisted. A combat is considered to be over when
This being the case, the result of your attack all opponents have been dispatched by way of
check will set the DC for a resisting target’s violence, fled for their lives, or ceased to attack
Defense Check (see below). Should a target for any number of other reasons (not limited to
either choose not to defend themselves or be being knocked unconscious or being physically
incapable of doing so, a player’s attack check restrained).
need only meet or exceed a DC of 10 in order
for an attack to succeed. Death and Dying
Whenever a character or creature is hit
Defense Checks by a successful attack in combat, chances are
A Defense Check is called for whenever that they will be damaged. Successful attacks
a character attempts to pa rry or dodge an in combat inflict damage equal to the amount
attack during combat. Given the spontaneous by which a player’s attack check exceeded the
nature of such a maneuver, a character may intended target’s defense check (as you can

5
imagine, an undefended attack can be quite of damage sustained by half, representing a
nasty) and the Strength (for melee attacks) or fortuitously soft landing.
Dexterity (for ranged attacks) modifier of the
attacking character. Fire: A character that is covered in flames,
sustains 6 points of damage every turn or
Non-Combat Damage portion of a turn that they remain exposed to
Although the majority of physical open flame.
damage that characters sustain will arise as a
direct result of combat, there are several things Tracking Damage
outside of combat that have the potential to All damage sustained in this manner is
injure characters, as well (falling from atop a subtracted from the health point total of the
steep cliff, for instance). What follow are the character who was successfully struck. Once a
most common examples of non-combat character or creature’s health points are
damage that characters will encounter, as well reduced to zero, they are disabled (not
as rules for how to utilize these types of non- unconscious, but close to it); if their health
combat damage during actual play. points are reduced to less than zero, but not
less than -10, they are unconscious; and when
Drowning and Suffocation: Any character their hit points have been reduced to less than
trapped in a situation where they are forced to -10, they are dead.
hold their breath may do so for as long as they
continue to successfully make a Constitution Natural Healing
saving throw against a DC of 15 every turn. Resting for an extended period of time
Once a character fails this check, they sustain is usually the easiest way to heal injuries and
6 points of damage every turn or portion of a regain lost health points in Simple 20. Injured
turn that passes until they are again capable of characters recover 2 lost health points per 8
breathing normally – or they die. hours of uninterrupted rest (not necessarily
sleep) that they get. The more uninterrupted rest
Exposure: A character that is exposed to that a character receives in blocks of 8 hours,
freezing cold or burning hot temperatures the more lost health points they regain. O f all
without the proper protective garb for more the healing methods available to a character,
than ten minutes at a tim e, will sustain 3 points natural healing is usually the least desirable
of damage per hour or portion thereof that they due to its requirement of bed rest.
remain exposed to the elements, until they are
either rescued or killed. Medicinal Healing
In many instances, due to either time
Falling: For every three meters of distance constraints or travel conditions, medicinal
that a character falls, they sustain 4 points of healing is the preferred method of treating
damage when they hit the ground. While lots of wounds as it provides more immediate relief
soft padding may reduce the damage that a than natural healing and more reliable relief
character sustains as the result of a fall, metal than magic healing. Administering medical
armor in no way cushions the impact. That treatment requires that a Healing aptitude
said, a player may make a Constitution saving check be made versus a DC assigned by the
throw versus a DC of 12 to reduce the amount Game Master (said DC reflecting the severity of
the injury being treated).

6
 The number of health points regained 20 are not most people, however – they are the
by a character whose injuries are treated using exception, not the rule. They are heroes!
medicine is directly proportionate to the As noted in the Character Creation
amount by which the administering character’s section of these rules, a character’s ability to
aptitude check exceeds the DC assigned to the endure psychological trauma is represented by
healing attempt by the Game Master. For Composure Points. M ore precisely, these points
exam ple: represent a character’s ability to stare madness
straight in the eye without flinching. When a
Doug’s character, Darius Thorne, has character’s composure points are depleted,
been injured in com bat to the tune of ten lost however, their cool demeanor is shattered (at
hea lth points and a nasty laceration across his least temporarily).
belly. Luckily, Darius’ friend Mortim er is a
mem ber of the clergy with a knowledge of Composure Checks
medicine. The Game Master decides that the A Composure Check is a special saving
treatment of Darius’ wound will require an throw made whenever a character is trying to
Aptitude Check and assigns it a difficulty rating avoid being overwhelmed by fear or madness
of 12, due to the wound’s severity. that comes about as the result of confronting
Mortimer has an Intelligence modifier of horrible truths or eldritch horror. When making
+2 and a Healing rating of 4. Mortim er’s a composure check, the numbers that a player
player rolls 1d20 and achieves a total check adds to the result of the die roll are their Ego
result of 18, thus, Mortimer’s healing attempt modifier and any situational modifiers that the
restores six lost health points to Darius (18- Game Master assigns to the check.
12=6), significantly reducing the discomfort The DC of a Composure Check is
that his wound has caused. largely dependent upon the exact nature of the
horrifying situation with that a character is
Magical Healing confronted with, being determined in the same
The last healing option available to a manner as the DC for an action that isn’t being
character is that provided by magic. Unlike actively opposed (see Gam e Master Advice).
natural healing, magical occurs instantly and The following table presents examples of some
can heal a great deal more damage at one horrific situations and suggested DCs.
time than medicinal healing can. That having
been said, any use of magic (including the Horrifying Situation DC
healing of the injured or sick), has its own Disco vering a C orp se 3
drawbacks. For this reason magical healing is
Encountering an Inhum an C reature 6
covered elsewhere in this document (see The
Arcane Arts, Healing Ma gic). Disco vering a M utilate d C orp se 8

Rea ding a To me of F orbidde n Lore 10-15

Mental Anguish Encountering The U nname able O ne 16+

When confronted with unimaginable

horrors of an utterly alien variety, most people One thing that the Game M aster should
typically react in a manner that is completely keep in mind while assigning a DC for
irrational and frenzied (i.e., they’re frightened composure checks (and one thing that is
out of their skull). Player characters in Simple reflected on the table above), is that the kind of
things that would scare a normal person silly

7
have significantly less impact on those cut from distance between themselves and the source of
heroic cloth... which brings us to what the their discomfort.
results of a composure check entail. The good news here is that, most of the
If the result of a composure check time, a loss of composure is temporary at
equals or exceeds the DC assigned by the GM, worst. Only if a character’s composure point
then nothing discernable happens. If, on the total is reduced to less than -10 are they driven
other hand, the result of a composure check forever mad. When this happens, you might as
fails to equal or exceed the assigned DC, the well flip back to pag e one of this document.
amount by which it failed to do so is subtracted Unlike death, madness is very permanent in
from the composure point total of the character games that utilize Simple 20.
on whose behalf the check was made. For
instance: Recovering Composure
Unlike health points, composure points
Tim’s character, Sidhain, comes face to can be regained in only one way (unless a
face with a hideous, alien, monstrosity while character has been driven permanently insane,
exploring the catacombs of ancient Rome. The in which case they can never be regained).
Game Master calls for a Composure Check Characters regain lost composure points at the
versus a D C of 6. Tim rolls 1d20 and adds rate of two per day that passes without them
Sihain’s Ego modifier to the result, obtaining a failing another composure check.
total check result of four. Thus, Tim would If a character’s composure points have
subtract two points from Sidhain’s com posure been reduced to less than zero, said character
point total (6-4=2). will remain deathly afraid of whatever horrible
thing it was that drove their composure point
Losing Your Composure total into negative numbers until such time as
When a character’s composure points they regain enough points to return that point
have been reduced to zero, as the result of a to total to more than zero.
failed composure check (or series of such
checks), they are no longer able to maintain a The Arcane Arts
calm countenance in the face of terror and they Arcane energies are both invoked and
do what any normal person would do in a commanded by audibly reciting syllables that
unspeakably horrifying situation – they scream have been chained together to form words.
loudly and do whatever they can to flee from These words have themselves been chained
the fear inducing spectacle that has unfurled together to form languages over the centuries,
itself before their eyes. the end result of this linguistic evolution being
It probably goers without saying that this that audibly emphasizing certain syllables, that
panic response makes a character who has lost are found in certain words, that appear in
their composure extremely dangerous and certain tongues can both invoke and control
unpredictable. Often such characters will lie to magical energy. Unsurprisingly, it isn’t by
others in an effort to flee from the source of random chance that such invocations are
their fear, and may even attack friends who referred to as “spells” by the uninitiated.
attempt to block their avenue of retreat. These incantations may be recited
Remember, a character who has lost their extemporaneously or read aloud from a written
composure will do whatever it takes to put text to produce the desired results. That said,
even very experienced practitioners of magic

8
eschew extemporaneous spell casting unless Enchantm ent: Enchantment magic endows
absolutely necessary, as the proper recital of magical properties upon a character, creature
the many arcane syllables that compose a spell or object that does not usually possess such
is very important. As several rather unfortunate properties. Magic swords, armor, and cursed
incidents have demonstrated, mispronounced objects are all end products of such magic.
syllables can alter the desired outcome of an
incantation drastically, causing great harm to M a n ip u la t io n : Manipulation magic
the individual performing the recital. physically manipulates items or elements. For
As for the nature and origin of magical example, causing a flying arrow to stop in mid-
energy itself, many theories have been put flight or drawing shadows to oneself are both
forth, but the most widely accepted theory is examples of Manipulation magic at work.
that magic is a singular energy that flows from
a similarly singular source, with any differences Summoning: Summoning magic calls to the
in application or mode of operation being caster creatures, characters, or elements that
defined entirely by the practitioner. Magic has already exist but are not in the immediate area.
no discernable form of its own – it is not good Commonly summoned things include demons
or evil, black or white, necromantic or holy, and alien gods.
elemental or formulaic. M agic simply is.
Each of these aptitudes is purchased
Magical Aptitudes individually as outlined in these section of these
In Simple 20 there are five default rules detailing character creation (see Step 2:
magical aptitudes. Should the Game M aster Learned Aptitudes).
decide to include them, there may well be other
magical aptitudes in a given campaign, but extemporaneous Recital
these rules focus only on the five aptitudes When a character recites an incantation
described below. extemporaneously, their player states the
intended effect of the spell that they are casting
Alteration: Alteration magic changes the and makes a Sorcery aptitude check versus a
physical properties of a character, creature or base DC of 16 (naturally, the GM may alter
object; altering their body. Magical healing this difficulty class as they see fit). Characters
and shape changing, for example, fall under add their Perception modifier to spell casting
this category of magic. checks made on their behalf.
If the total check result generated by the
Banishm ent: Banishm ent magic com pels player of the casting character either meets or
forces, items, or characters in the caster’s exceeds the DC assigned to the casting by the
immediate vicinity to depart. Examples of GM, the spell effect occurs as it has been
Banishment magic at work include dispelling a described by the player. If the total roll result
curse or turning undead. obtained by the player of the casting character
fails to meet or exceed the assigned DC of the
Conjuration: Conjuration magic creates casting, the spell effect varies wildly from the
items or elements (magical or mundane in intended result, as described by the Game
nature) where none previously existed. The Master (yes, the exact effect is entirely up to
creation of magical fire, for instance, falls them, should a spell m isfire).
under this category of magic.

9
Reciting from Inscription that is successfully cas t causes an amount of
As a rule, an incantation inscribed upon damage to the intended target equal to the
a piece of parchment or in a book is always amount by which the player’s check result
more reliable than even the most experienced exceeded the assigned D C for casting the
sorcerer’s mastery of improm ptu spell casting. spell, plus both their Intelligence and
Whenever a character attempts to recite a Perception modifiers.
written incantation, their player makes a That said, if such a damage causing
Sorcery aptitude check against a base DC of spell is not successfully cast, it inflicts damage
10 and adds the character’s Perception to the caster equal to the amount by which the
modifier to the die roll result. DC exceeded the player’s check result (again,
If the total check result generated by the after modifiers have been applied), minus the
player of the casting character either meets or caster’s Ego modifier. C ombat magic is
exceeds the final DC assigned to the casting by dangerous and unpredictable stuff.
the Game Master, the spell effect occurs as it
has been described by the player. If the total Healing Magic
check result obtained by the player of the In many fantasy games, m agic fills the
casting character fails to meet or exceed the niche typically occupied by medicine in the real
assigned difficulty class of the casting, the spell world. Often this magic takes the form of
effect deviates from the intended result and is ‘healing spells’ or ‘miracles’ in a given setting.
described by the Game Master. In Simple 20, a spell designed to heal damage
that is successfully cast restores a number of
About Spell effects health points to the intended target equal to the
Maybe you’re still wondering “What amount by which the casting player’s check
exactly happens when a character recites an result exceeds the spell’s assigned DC, plus
incantation?”. The answer is that, if invoked their Intelligence and Perception modifiers.
correctly, the desired effect of the incantation Like combat spells that are not cast
as described by the player of the casting successfully, healing spells unsuccessfully cast
character is produced without negative have dire consequences. A healing spell that is
incident. If invoked incorrectly, the effect of a unsuccessfully cast actually causes damage to
given invocation is a completely undesirable its target equal to the amount b y which the
circumstance as described by the Game Master spell’s assigned DC exceeded the player’s
(a very bad thing). check result (again, after modifiers have been
Whether good or bad, the most applied), minus the unfortunate targets’s Ego
important thing about spell effects is that they modifier. As has been stated elsewhere, a
should always be magical . Whether you’re a single mispronounced syllable can cause a dire
Game Master or a player, when describing the magical backlash.
effects of an incantation, get creative, get
detailed, and get weird. Take this opportunity Unskilled Casting
to flex your creative muscle!
Like, other learned aptitudes, casting a
spell may be attempted by an unskilled
Magical Combat
individual, but special circumstances attach.
Spell effects that inflict damage to a
Unskilled spell casting always defaults to a
targ et work a wee bit differently than physical
Perception Attribute Check versus a DC of 21
attacks do. Any spell designed to cause injury
if casting from inscription and versus a DC of

10
26 if casting from memory or attempting to characters or creatures controlled by the Game
weave a spell extemporaneously. Master. There are three different types of NPCs
Calling upon energies that one does utilized in games of Simple 20, as explained
not understand is very risky. If an unskilled directly below.
casting attempt fails, the casting character’s
player must make a composure check versus a Principle NPCs
DC equal to 10, plus the amount by which the A principle non-player character is a
initial attribute check fell short meeting the character controlled by the Game Master that
casting attempt’s DC (see Mental Anguish, plays an important role in the campaign,
Composure Checks). roughly the equal of player characters where
level of skill is concerned. The main villain of a
Game Master Advice given campaign is, perhaps, the most common
This section of Simple 20 includes rules example of a principle non-player character.
for assigning Difficulty Classes, creating NPCs Principle non-player characters are
(including creatures), implementing skill-based created exactly as player characters are (see
character growth, and tweaking Simple 20 for the character creation process outlined on
use with any genre. pages 1-3). That said, Gam e Masters may
take some liberties with such NPC s to shake
Difficulty Classes things up – and this is perfectly acceptable so
Assigning DCs is a sim ple affair. The long as said characters don’t overshadow the
rule of thumb is that the easier an action is, the PCs on a regular basis.
lower its DC should be, while more difficult
actions are assigned a higher DC. The table Supporting NPCs
below provides some sample DCs. Supporting non-player characters exist
to lend external definition to a principle NPC or
one of the player characters. For example, the
Perceived Difficulty Recommended
dependent sibling of a protagonist and the vast
of Action Difficulty Class
majority of monsters that heroes fight serve as
Sim ple 2 common examples of supporting NPCs in both
Easy 5 film and literature.
Average 10
Supporting non-player characters are
less skilled than those characters that they exist
Hard 15
to provide external definition for. A supporting
Ne ar Im po ssible 20 NPC has only basic attributes ratings and
health points. By default, supporting NPCs do
Naturally, a given Game M aster is free not have aptitude ratings or composure points,
to alter these sample DC s however they see fit, although a Game M aster should feel free to
but I recommend using these defaults for at bestow these things upon a supporting NPC if
least a few sessions in order to gain familiarity they feel that it makes sense to do so.
with how the systems work during play.
Incidental NPCs
Non-Player Characters Incidental non-protagonist characters
The term “Non-Player Character” is a exist purely as scenery for a given locale and
catch-all term in Simple 20, used to denote all play no significant role in the larger campaign.

11
Barkeeps, serving wenches, and other similar attribute or aptitude that the checkmark is next
characters serve as examples of incidental to, then the player may raise the rating of that
NPC s. Incidental non-player characters are, attribute or aptitude by 1 point.
simply put, not very important. Finally, new aptitudes are earned via
Incidental non-protagonist characters actual play, a character actually studying them
are defined by a name and the function that in-character. New aptitudes pursued in this
they fulfil in society (e.g., W illy, the Burger manner always begin with a default rating of 1,
Flipper). All it takes is a single successfully with this rating being raised in the manner
placed blow to fell an incidental non-player discussed above.
character in combat.
Tweaking the System
None of the NPC categories is static – Adapting Simple 20 to be used with a
a principle NPC is only one plot twist away given genre or setting is, for the most part, a
from becoming a supporting NPC for the real matter of ignoring certain rules. For instance, if
villain, and the lowly barkeep is one burning you want to use Simple 20 to play a game set
resentment away from becoming the next major in the world of Howard Lovecraft’s ‘Cthulhu
villain to orchestrate the downfall of the Mythos’, you’ll likely want to ignore the rules
protagonists. provided herein for recovering lost composure
Game Masters are encouraged to points in the face of madness.
exploit the dynamic nature of non-protagonist Naturally, a GM may also want to add
characters, closely monitoring the interaction to these rules in order to facilitate certain
between these denizens of the campaign setting genres. Most of the time, you’ll only need to
and the PCs, twisting perceived NPC status as add aptitudes to the pre-existing list (e.g., if
drama demands it. you’re playing in a space opera campaign, you
may want an Astrogation aptitude). As you can
Character Growth see, expanding the core Simple 20 rule set is...
C haracters in Simple 20 grow, not by well... sim ple.
virtue of arbitrary experience awards, but by
virtue of the deeds that they actually perform Final Words
during a given gam e. Specifically, whenever a This set of rules was inspired by several
character either botches an action attempt or pre-existing works, including the World’s Most
succeeds brilliantly, they learn something. Popular Roleplaying Game (now in its third
Any time that a player rolls a ‘natural’ edition), the World’s M ost Popular Percentile-
(i.e., unmodified) result of either 1 or 20 when Based Roleplaying Game (recently released
making an attribute check, they need to place under the OGL), Core Elements, and Scott
a checkm ark next to the attribute involved. Lininger’s The Window (no kidding).
Similarly, should a player roll a natural result of If you use Simple 20 to run a game (as
1 or 20 when making an aptitude check, they I will be doing very soon), or simply have some
need to place a checkmark next to the aptitude question about the system that you would like
that was being tested. to have answered, feel free to drop me a line
At the end of a gam e session, a player via email (please place the words “Simple 20"
needs to roll 1d20 for each checkmark on their in the subject line of your email so that my very
record sheet, one at a time. If they roll a result efficient spam filter doesn’t block it).
that either equals or exceeds the rating of the

12
O P E N G A M E L IC E N S E, V er s io n 1 .0 a Content You are copying, modifyin g or distributing, and You
The follow ing tex t is t he pro pe rty of W izard s of the C oa st, Inc. and is mu st ad d th e title , the co py rig ht da te, a nd the copyright
Cop yright 200 0 W izards of the C oa st, Inc ("W iza rd s"). A ll R ights holder 's name to the COPYRIGHT NO TIC E of any original
Re served . O pe n G am e C onte nt yo u D istribu te.

1 . De finitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or 7 . Use of Product Iden t it y : You agree not to Use any Product
tradema rk own ers w h o hav e c ontrib uted O pe n G am e C ontent; Identity, inclu ding as a n indic atio n as to compatibility, except
(b)"De rivative Ma terial" m ea ns cop yrig hted ma terial inclu ding as expressly lice nse d in an othe r, inde pe nd en t Ag re em en t with
deriva tive w o r k s and tran s l a t io n s ( i n c l u d i n g i n t o o th e r the owner of ea ch e l e m e n t of that Product Identity. You agree
c o m p u t er lan gu ag es), p ota tion, modificat io n , c o r r e c ti o n, not to indicate c ompatibility or conada ptability with any
a d d i t io n , e x tension, u p g r a d e , i m p r o v e m e n t, c o m p il a ti o n, Trade mark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a
abridg ment or other form in w hic h an existing work may be w o r k conta ining O pe n G am e C ontent e xce pt as e xp ressly
re ca st, transform ed o r ad ap ted; (c) "D istribute" m e a n s to licensed in ano ther, ind ependent Agreement with the owner of
repro d u c e , l ic e ns e , r e nt, le a se, sell, b roa dc ast, pu blicly such Trad em ar k o r R eg ister e d T rade mark. The use of any
di sp l a y , transm it or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Product Ide ntity in O pe n G am e C ontent do e s n o t constitute a
C o n tent" means the game mecha nic an d in clu de s th e challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The o w ner
me thods, procedures, processes and routi ne s to the extent of any Prod uc t Identity u sed in O pe n G am e C ontent sha ll
such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an retain all rig hts, title an d in terest in an d to tha t Pro du ct Id e n tity.
enhancem ent over the prior art and any ad ditional content
clea rly identified as Ope n Ga me C ontent by the Contributor, 8 . Identification: If you distribute Open Game C ontent You
and means any work covered by this License, including mu st clearly indicate whic h portions of the work that you a re
translations and derivative works under copyright law, but distrib utin g a re O pe n G am e C onte nt.
spe cif ically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity"
mea ns product and p rodu ct line nam es, logos and identifying 9 . Updating the License: Wizards or its des i g n a ted Agents may
marks including trade dress; artifacts; anim als ch ara cters; pu blish upd ated versions of this License. You ma y use a ny
s to r ie s, s t o r y l i n e s, p lo ts , th e ma ti c e le m e nts , d ia lo g u e, authorized ver s i o n of this License to copy, modify a nd
incid ents, language, artwork, symbols, de sign s, de piction s, di str ibute any O pen G ame Content originally distributed u nde r
likene sses, form ats, po ses , co ncep ts, the m e s and graphic, an y ve rsion of this L ice nse .
pho togra phic an d o ther visual or a udio re pr ese nta tio n s ; names
a n d d e s c ri p t i o n s o f c h a r a cte rs, sp ell s, en ch an tme nts , 1 0 . Copy of this Licen s e : You MU ST inclu de a co py of this
p e r so n a li ti e s, t e a m s, per sona s, likene sses an d sp ecia l L ic e nse with every copy of the Open Game Content You
ab ilities; pla ce s, locatio ns, e n v iro nm en ts, anim als, eq uipmen t, Distrib ute .
magical or superna tural abilities or e f f ects, logos, symbols, or
gra phic designs; and any other tradema r k o r registered 1 1 . Use of Contributor Credits: You may no t m a r k e t or
tradema rk clea rly ide ntifi e d a s Product identity by the owner of ad vertise the O p e n Ga me C ontent using the nam e of any
the Produ ct Identity, and whic h specifically excludes the Open Contributor unless You have written permission from the
Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means t he log os, nam es, C ontrib uto r to d o so .
mark , sig n, m otto, de sig ns tha t are u sed by a C ontrib utor to
identify itself or its p rodu cts o r the assoc iated pr od ucts 1 2. In a b ility to C om ply: If it is im po ssib le f or Yo u to com ply w ith
contributed to the O p e n G ame License by the Contributor (g) any of the te rms o f this License with respect to some or all of
"Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use , Distrib ute, c op y, e dit, the O p en Game C ontent due to statute, judicial order, or
format, m o d i f y , tr a nslate and otherwise c reate D erivative governmental regulation then You may no t Use any Open
Ma terial of Op en G ame Content. (h) "You " or "Your" m eans G am e M ate ria l so a ffe cted .
the l ic e n se e in t erm s of t hi s a g r e e m ent.
1 3 . Termina tion: This License will term i na t e au toma tically if
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game You fail to co mp ly with a ll term s herein and fail to cure such
Content that contains a notice indicating that the Op en G a me breach within 30 days of b e c o m i n g aw are of the b rea ch. All
Content ma y only be Use d under and in terms of this License. sublic ens es sh all su rvive the te rm ina tion o f this Lic ens e.
You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that
you Use. N o te rm s m ay be ad de d to or s ubtr a c te d from this 1 4 . Reform ation: If any provision o f t hi s L icense is held to be
Lice nse exc e p t as described by the License itself. No other unenforceable, such provision sh a ll b e reforme d only to the
terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game ex tent ne ce ssar y to m ak e it enfo rce ab le.
C onte nt distri bu ted using this Licens e.
15 CO PYRIGH T NO TICE
3 . Offe r an d A c c e ptance: By Using the Op en G ame Content
You indica te Yo ur a cce ptan ce o f the term s of this Lice n se. Open G am e Lic ense v 1.0a Copyright 200 0, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

4 . G rant a nd C onsid era tion: In co nside ration for a gr ee ing to System R e fe re nc e D o cu m e nt C o p yr ig ht 2 0 0 0 n2003, Wizards
use this License, the Contributors grant You a pe r p etua l, of the C oa st, Inc.; A utho rs Jona than T we et, Mo nte C ook , Skip
worl d w ide, roy alty nfree, nonnexclusive license with the exact W illiam s, Rich Bake r, Andy C ollins, David Noona n, Rich Re dma n, Bruce
terms of this Lice nse to U se, the O pe n G am e C ontent. R. C ord ell, ba sed on or iginal ma terial by E. G ary G yga x and Dave
Arn eso n.
5 . Rep resentation of Authority to Contribute: If You a re
contributing original material as Open Game C o ntent, You Core E le m en ts - C o py rig ht 2 0 05 , Bu tc h Curry; author James D.
represent that Your Contributions are Your orig inal creation Hargrove.
and / o r You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed
by this License. Strange Aeons - Copyright 2005, Butch Curry; auth o r J a mes D.
Hargrove.
6 . N o t ic e of Lic en se C op yright: Y ou mu st upd ate the
COPYRIGHT NO TIC E p ortion of this License to include the S im p le 2 0 – C op yrig h t 2 0 0 6 , James D. Hargrove; author James D.
e x a ct text of the C OP YRIG HT N OT ICE of any O pen G a m e Ha rgrove