I've been using Arnold's
Underclock since about 5 minutes after that blog post dropped. It's great!
Trouble is I do miss the "oh shit there's something here RIGHT NOW that we have to deal with!" aspect of random encounters. So, as is my way, I've decided to nest other peoples' ideas into one thing and pretend like it's a new thing.
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| This is my Underclock. There are many like it but this one is mine. |
Fusion: Underclock AND Overload
I mean Arnold did say "I like overloaded encounter dice. I like the Underclock more".
In summary:
- The players roll a 1d6 Encounter Die each exploration turn and mark off that many squares on the Underclock (left to right).
- The Encounter Die is overloaded so it always does something, but it's usually some sort of Clue.
- If they land on a monster face it's a classic Random Encounter. The clock keeps ticking.
- If they reach the end they have an Encounter with the local faction. Reset the clock.
Simple enough right? 1 in 6 chance of a Random Encounter every time, plus it eventually builds up to a guaranteed encounter they can prepare for.
Alertness
But what is "Alertness", I hear you ask?
This represents the organised dungeon denizens seeking you out.
The DM rolls the Alertness Die if you did something to attract attention.
Cause a ruckus, let foes escape alive, blow up a door, set off an alarm, knock a skeleton down a big well even though a wizard told you not to, that sort of thing.
The Alertness Die result marks off squares back up the Underclock towards you, reducing the time horizon until you get that guaranteed encounter.
If this overtakes your position on the Underclock, they get the jump on you with a surprise round!
The Alertness Die starts at d2 and increases a die size per encumbrance tier.
The highest encumbrance in the party counts, because stealthily slipping through shadows doesn't matter when Sir Stabbington is stomping close behind in heavy armour and carrying a sackful of jingling treasure.
There's also the fact that sleeping in a monster-infested cave is generally a bad move, but sometimes you've got no other choice.
The Alertness Die permanently increases by one step if you sleep (in modern parlance, take a Long Rest) in a dungeon.
This resets if you leave the dungeon and spend a night on the surface.
The DM can always bump it up a level or two if you're habitually going around making extra noise. Dragging a handcart full of loot around, escorting a gaggle of kids who think it's a museum trip, wielding a singing sword who won't shut up, etc.
Local Faction
As for what the "local faction" is, this is whatever organised foes are mostly likely to be around.
This will be the Goblins in the Goblin Lair, the Necromancers in the Skeletal Hoard, the Magnet Eaters in the Technodungeon, etc etc.
In a Megadungeon you might have different local factions across a dungeon level, like Goblins in the west and Ratmen in the east.
If there is no such group, like it's an abandoned wizard's tower or forgotten tomb, this is the Mythic Underworld itself trying to eject you by means of whatever the most defining beastie is inside it. In the Antediluvian Manse it's Cataclysm Ghosts. In the Cretan Labyrinth, it's the Minotaur.
The main thing is that the players should be able to make an educated guess at what's coming for them so if the Underclock is close to running out they can make plans for ambushes, fortifications, hiding places, or fun rooms to lure their enemies into.
Of course if the PCs are on good terms with said local faction, this could be a perfectly charming little social encounter! Yet another good reason not to murder everyone you meet.
Mêlée à Trois
There is every possibility that the players can land on a square that has a monster face and has already been marked off by the local faction.
In this case there's a random encounter and a faction encounter simultaneously.
Get chaotic! Even the random encounter is Goblins and the faction is Goblins, make up a reason why these Goblins hate each other nearly as much as they hate intruders!
Overloaded Encounter Die
Finally, the Encounter Die itself.
The players always roll a d6 and it goes like so:
- Clue: Spoor
- Clue: Tracks
- Clue: Traces
- Noise
- Special
- Special
Clue
These are all ways of giving the players an idea of what sort of beasties live around here, as in the original overloaded "Percept (clue, spoor)" result or Shadowed encounters on the OG Underclock.
Clue: Spoor means the creature is very close. It could be stalking you. This will be growls, shadows rushing past at the corner of your eye, still-steaming shadow effluent.
Roll a random encounter, describe the spoor, and lock it in. Next time they hit a Random Encounter it will be with that creature. Lasts until they hit the random encounter or roll a different Clue.
Clue: Tracks means the creature isn't close, but it's been here recently. This will be footprints, slime trails, clawmarks, dropped scraps, a recently devoured corpse.
Roll a random encounter, describe the tracks (and decide where it is, within a few rooms). If the players follow the tracks they can find the creature and surprise it! If they ignore the tracks, no further effect.
Clue: Traces is just evidence of the creature being around here somewhere. This will be shed fur, graffiti, a molted exoskeleton, an old nest.
Roll the encounter die and describe the traces. No further effect.
Noise
An errant sneeze, an accidental clang of the shield against a wall, an unseen femur cracked beneath your tread. Whatever it is, you've made enough noise to attract attention.
Everyone checks their current Encumbrance (in case someone has been mysteriously lax), then the DM rolls the Alertness Die.
Special
These are dungeon-specific results to give a pinch of dungeon-specific flavour.
By default (ie. common dungeon and/or if I haven't prepared something in time) these are:
5. Doors: Open doors swing closed, and closed doors become stuck this turn.
6. Lights: Light sources flicker and dim, you can barely see this turn.
In a spoopy dungeon they could be:
5. Fear! Save or drop everything and run screaming back the way you came - Save again in each room, you stop running when you finally succeed.
6. Bats! Swarm of bats puts out all light sources, those without a light Save or take 1d6 damage.
In a crashed spaceship they could be:
5. Magnetic Pulse! All metal objects (including you, if you're in metal armour) are stuck to the ground this turn.
6. Null Gravity! Everyone's floating in zero-G this turn.
Add a couple of fun effects and the dungeon will hopefully be memorable! Especially if you are...
A Victim of a Series of Accidents
If I roll a Special result that triggers an encounter, do both happen?
Can I land on a random encounter and roll a clue simultaneously?
If the Encounter Die hits a random encounter AND a Noise result, resulting in the local faction surprising me, am I fucked?
Yes.
Very very much yes.
It's up to the DM to work out this particular admixture. The more chaotic the better!
Discussion, However Brief
So basically this sub-system retains the time pressure "oh shit let's plan ahead"-ness of the Underclock with the surprising "oh shit ITS HERE!"-ness of the random encounter roll.
When the Underclock is getting close to finishing, it's probably a good idea to be extra super quiet (so they don't get the drop on you) and prepare for whatever's going to turn up (by setting up your ambush and waiting out the last few dots on the Underclock).
This won't always work of course, there's always the risk of a Noise result giving the baddies an ambush opportunity, but most of the time it's reliable...
The intelligent monsters being a guaranteed eventuality and the wandering monsters being an occasional occurrence should give each dungeon its own special flavour and its own sense-memory for my poor benighted players. After all, what's the point of invading the Goblin Caves if you never actually see a Goblin?
Most importantly the systems interlock in a way that will surprise me too!
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| Plus I get to update my Marching Order sheet to make the Underclock a bigger deal. |
