3e Basics

This page discusses the basics of Drunken Dwarves 3e.

General structure
Drunken Dwarves is a TTRPG (tabletop RPG). It is traditionally played around a table, but can be played over a digital medium as well. To play it, you need one GM (game master) and one or more players.

The GM (sometimes called DM, for dungeon master) is in charge of running the game. They design the setting in which the game takes place, control the people and creatures with which the players interact, and set the challenges that the players must overcome. The GM usually determines the game's story, though they should never aim to have complete control. In an ideal roleplaying game, the GM sets the parameters of the setting and story, but the players' actions are what shape the eventual outcome.

Players do not interact with the GM's setting directly, but through a PC (player character) of their choice and design. You have full control over the actions of your own PC, but you cannot directly control the actions of others. See 3e PC creation for a detailed guide to creating your PC.

Interaction between the GM and the players usually goes as follows: The GM sets the scene, by describing the location the PCs are at, who or what is there and what is going on. The players can then interact with the scene by declaring their actions. Because the GM is a human being and not a computer, you can do just about anything that is physically possible. If multiple players want to do something, the GM lets them take turns one by one in a clockwise circle.

If you want to know a detail that the GM has not mentioned, but that your PC would be able to see, you can simply ask. For example, if the GM mentions a building, you could ask them how tall it is. You can also ask the GM for information that you think your PC might know, in which case you might need to make a knowledge check (see below, under rolls) to find out.

When playing, it is important to note the difference between speaking IC (in-character) and OOC (out-of-character). When speaking IC, you are impersonating your character, so you might say something like "I try to break down the door!". When speaking OOC, you are speaking as yourself, so in the same situation you might say "Rion tries to break down the door!" (where Rion is the name of your PC). Some people prefer to speak IC all the time while playing, while others prefer to use a mix of both. It is up to you and your group to determine how much roleplaying you want to do.

Interacting with regular scenes is rather free-form, as described above. But if combat ensues, a more organized structure is followed, as described in 3e Combat.

Rolls
Whenever you try to do something of which success is uncertain, you have to make a check for it. When you make a check, the GM sets the DC (difficulty class) of the action you are attempting. You then roll a d20 (20-sided die) and add the appropriate stat (see 3e Stats. If the result equals or exceeds the DC, the action succeeds.

Attacks and similar actions performed in combat function similar to checks, but the DC is determined by the target's stats, not by the DM directly (see 3e Combat).

Knowledge checks Considering that your PC lives inside the game's setting and you do not, it is likely that they know various things that you do not. When it comes to common knowledge, which most people in the setting are expected to know, the GM will simply tell you the information when it becomes relevant. By default, this is the only knowledge you get access to. However, certain skills on the 3e Skills page allow you to make so-called knowledge checks.

To make a knowledge check, you roll d20 + int. The GM sets the DC for the check, with a higher DC for more obscure knowledge. If you succeed at the check, the GM tells you the information you are looking for. Keep in mind, someone without the appropriate skill cannot make knowledge checks about that subject.

Taking 10 If you are not in combat and not otherwise threatened or rushed, you can take 10 on a check, meaning you treat the die roll as 10 without rolling. This is useful for easy checks that still have a small chance of failure.

Advantage and disadvantage
When making an attack or check under hindering circumstances, you have disadvantage (disadv), meaning you roll two d20s and must use the lower roll. If the circumstances work in your favour, you have advantage (adv), meaning you roll two d20s and use the higher roll. Adv and disadv cancel each other out, causing you to roll normally again. If more than one case of the same applies, it stacks, causing you to roll up to three dice and take the highest/lowest one. This is called double (dis)adv.

In situations where adv/disadv would be too large a bonus/penalty, the GM can instead grant minor adv or minor disadv, which grant a +2 bonus or -2 penalty to the roll respectively.

Injury
If your HP (see 3e Stats) falls to 0, you are knocked unconscious and are dying. While dying, you gain one death point at the start of each of your turns. Taking additional damage while already at 0 HP also inflicts a death point. When you get your third death point, you die. Extreme damage, such as having a mountain collapse on you, might instead kill you instantly, at the GM's discretion.

On their turn, an ally can spend an action (see 3e Combat) to stabilize you. When stabilized, you remain at 0 HP, but no longer gain death points. Taking any damage when stabilized causes you to resume dying, in addition to inflicting a death point. You regain consciousness when your HP is healed back to 1 or higher.

In addition to all this, upon dropping to 0 HP, you become "wounded". Being wounded means you have taken an injury large enough to debilitate you. When wounded, you take a -4 penalty on all rolls.

Recovery
You can recover from your injuries by resting. There are two types of rests: short rests and long rests.

To take a short rest, you must spend 1 hour in a safe location while undertaking no strenuous activity. At the end of a short rest, you regain an amount of HP equal to three times your stamina stat.

A long rest is like a short rest, except eight hours long. Essentially, a long rest is getting a night's sleep. At the end of a long rest, you regain all of your HP, remove all your death points, cure the wounded condition, and regain all your mana, if any (see 3e Magic).