Using T&T rules in Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks

[Billiam Babble]

(Almost posted on Vin's Trollbridge http://trollbridge.proboards.com/ )

Okay these are untested and I'm mainly thinking of Tunnels & Trolls 5 with a few nods towards T&T7.5

Although Fighting Fantasy gamebooks can be a little restrictive with regards to choices (there's very little doubling back or visiting the same location twice) I like the intense description-rich narrative style.

I certainly can't be the first to have suggested this, but the simpler FF books can be easily adapted for a T&T delver.

I'm mainly thinking of low level character play (first to third level) Warriors mainly.

T&T in FF - Game Mechanics

Testing Your Luck
- An idea which much have been borrowed from T&T in the first place is simply replaced with a L1SR with LUCK (may need to be L2SR if it's too easy in testing). Alternatively the player may use an SR using Talent or Ability - if applicable - i.e. with bluffing guards, a player may choose to use Charisma or a "Fast Talk" talent (or something similar). When the text isn't clear on what's happening use LUCK instead.
Luck in FF is a very fluid. I wouldn't recommend reducing LUCK every time an SR is made (as with Testing Luck in FF) but apply temporary bonuses and penalties when the text directs. It's up to player whether or not they decide to incorporate this in their personal adds (7.5)

Skill bonuses and bonuses to "attack strength" can be added to Personal Adds.

Damage awarded in the text (traps, effects etc.)
If in a paragraph a reduction to Stamina is stated, simply deduct the amount from Constitution. For simplicity sake all text-based-damage ignores armour reduction. (A player could fairly argue that certain situations armour points may be used where damage is inertia- or puncture-based, and is higher than 4, since most described damage is under this amount... perhaps)

Text based death -
Failure of a mission or just a wrong turn can equal instant death in FF. A word of warning to players taking any campaign characters in.

Healing
In some of the earlier books provisions heal 4 points of Stamina. Perhaps treat provisions as magic potions which heal the same amount of CON up to starting level. In books without provisions, or if provisions are ignored, players would be forgiven for taking with themselves a couple of healing potions CON 1-6 points. Perhaps one potion for every level below four (I.e. 1st Level warrior carries 3 potions, a 2nd level warrior carries 2 and so on).
Note: Stamina can be higher at the start of an FF book (13-24) than an average 1st level character (3-18 before modifiers and roll overs), so a little extra help wouldn't imbalance the game too much.


Combat and Monster Ratings
The trick here is to sensibly convert Skill and Stamina into a Monster Rating.
Initially I thought of a simple formula like (Skill+Stamina x4)=MR. However, the Skill rating is much more significant in winning an attack round. So I suggest (Skill x3 + Stamina)=MR

The orcs in Warlock of Firetop Mountain are fairly weedy when compared with other FF Monsters. The first sleeping orc provides a nice example:

ORC Skill 6 Stamina 5

MR= 6x3 +5 = 23

Mind you with a tough Warrior, playing a gamebook like WofFM you might want to add 10 on top of that.

Also from Warlock' is a Vampire:

VAMPIRE Skill 10 Stamina 10

MR=10x3 +10 = 40

Sometimes the text will provide special attack rules, sometimes this may involve a Luck Test (SR), but often it is based upon a number of attack rounds fought, before a text lead situation develops - i.e. a transformation or poison, or an opportunity to flee.

I rarely run from combat, but if you need to either use the standard T&T rules or make an Attack but score no damage and if receiving damage - ignore protection from shields (maybe).

Multiple opponents - Some FF books tell you to "fight one monster at a time" - others can be crueller. In the case of the latter it might be acceptable to sometimes combine multiple MRs, or play "FF-T&T hybrid fighting" which would involve defending against a second or third Monster but higher attack results in merely a defended parry (if that makes sense).


Magical effects and items. Use common sense with active treasures and items, let the text game mechanics take precedence with instant damage or missile weapons (magical throwing daggers which hit on a 1 to 4) Skill and Attack Strength bonuses are temporarily applied to ADDS. Interpretation of armour or conversion is acceptable.

Spells- I haven't really thought how to import T&T magic into FF or the Sorcery books, but FF to T&T is fairly simple - i.e. either it directly effects the situation or an easily converted stat bonus.

Forest of Doom uses potions and equipment instead of spells. Apart from basic armour and weapons, let the text guide you as to whatever other equipment is available. Perhaps assume that your other equipment (like bows and rope) is in transit - if playing with a campaign character.

I haven't thoroughly tested these rules yet.

AP - Any thoughts on how to award AP in FF? - If applicable.

[Billiam Babble]

Update

Some of my thoughts have just bit the dust:

Fang (from T&T 5) just got totally pasted by that first 3d+12 Orc guard which I thought was "weedy".  Clumsy dead Fang.
 
Formula revision
MR = Skill x 2 ? + Stamina

Perhaps the reader should be  granted a full leather armour, as described in FF?

[Fenryz]

Any starting adventurer that hops off to the nearest dungeon without either a sturdy shield or at least some leather armor deserves to get a whooping. :p

[Fenryz]

Oh, and guess who got the really old T&T Rulebook ?
Snap..My bad, seems it wasnt that old.

[Billiam Babble]

Fenryz wrote

Any starting adventurer that hops off to the nearest dungeon without either a sturdy shield or at least some leather armor deserves to get a whooping. :p

Yup, you said it.  He basically hid behind his buckler as the Orc repeatedly slammed into him.  

I'm using T&T 5th edition, and "Fang" is a fairly weak sample character with a short sabre with negative adds.  I'll be taking in my own character next time around and the monsters are only going to get Adds equal to quarter MR.  

[MortiS-the-Lost]

This reminds me, I've got an article from Warlock about converting other systems (including T&T and D&D) to FF, must get around to uploading it some time soon!  

[Billiam Babble]

Gosh that takes me back.  I think I may have that article (I have Warlocks 1 through to 8, I think).

It turns out that there's a quite a long tradition of taking T&T characters into FF books.  I've since discovered that on the Trollbridge forum there's a few aging threads on the subject and nearly everyone has their own Skill-Stamina Monster Rating formula.  I used to be nervous talking about Fighting Fantasy around role players because they were sometimes looked down upon, but T&Ters accept "solos" as legitimate adult game form.

In T&T 7.5 characters (delvers) get more "adds" from their attributes; so a half decent character might perform a lot more successfully in combat.

Now I'm thinking about writing solo gamebooks, with multiple systems, but I'll keep these ideas back until they've matured a little... ;)