Getting Started
While playing the Labyrinths & Liontaurs roleplay game, the game master describes the events that occur in the game world, and the players take turns describing what their characters do in response to those events. Unlike storytelling, however, the actions of the players and the characters controlled by the Game Master (frequently called non-player characters, or NPCs) are not certain. Most actions require dice rolls to determine success, with some tasks being more difficult than others. Each character is better at some things than she is at other things, granting her bonuses based on her skills and abilities.
How to Play an RPG
In a tabletop roleplay game, you describe your characters' actions through speech. You decide what your character says and tries to do based on the personality and background you've created. You succeed or fail according to the rules of the game, the outcome of dice rolls, and the GM's narration of the story. Within the rules, you have the freedom to improvise; your choices shape the direction and outcome of the game.
Here are two examples of what actual play is like. These are examples of roleplay games that are NOT Labyrinths & Liontaurs — but they serve to show you what the experience of sitting down for an RPG is like. Also, these are not examples of great play, rather, they are pretty typical. But they give you a feel for what it is like to sit around a table and just play.
The Most Important Rule
The rules in this book are here to help you breathe life into your characters and the world they explore. While they are designed to make your game easy and exciting, you might find that some of them do not suit the style of play that your gaming group enjoys. Remember that these rules are yours. You can change them to fit your needs. Most Game Masters have a number of “house rules” that they use in their games. The Game Master and players should always discuss any rules changes to make sure that everyone understands how the game will be played. Although the Game Master is the final arbiter of the rules, the Labyrinths & Liontaurs roleplay game is a shared experience, and all of the players should contribute their thoughts when the rules are in doubt.
Note: The L&L RPG uses a number of terms, abbreviations, and definitions in presenting the rules of the game. Please check out the Common Terms listed in the Glossary when you are not sure what a game term means. Whether you are reading these rules online or in a PDF, make good use of your computer's search ability.
Next Steps
Labyrinths & Liontaurs encourages you to play tales of heroes trying to protect the innocent, defeat villians, and travel the world on adventures. This game encourages interacting, exploring, and doing battle with vile enemies. But who are "you"? The hero you wish to play, the character you describe, the protagonist of your story — that's you. If you are truly new to RPGs, the best way to go further is to have a friend talk to you about a game, to watch a session, and to just dive in. Visit the Contents page and start clicking on things that look interesting. Don't worry about the complexity of the rules, just browse and hop from link to link. It will come to you as you play. When you are ready, head on over to the Character Creation page.
Dr. Strangemath, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Arithmetic!
One more thing to think about ... let's say it right off: This game, and indeed, most table-top RPGs generally, are full of math. This is a game about rolling dice, adding dice rolls together, adding modifiers to the numbers you roll, and keeping track of your character's advancement by adding up numbers. I've tried to limit the math, especially for single-class characters, and by using fractions in quarters and halves only ... but it is what it is. The game uses math. A lot. If you love RPGs but cannot deal with math, I suggest playing video game RPGs, like World of Warcraft, in which all the math is handled invisibly by the computer. But my hope is that you will buckle down and learn to love the math. Seeing your numbers advance is part of enjoying the game.
So let's get into it.
Whenever a roll is required, the roll is noted as “d#,” with the “#” representing the number of sides on the die. If you need to roll multiple dice of the same type, there will be a number before the “d.” For example, if you are required to roll 4d6, you should roll four six-sided dice and add the results together. Sometimes there will be a + or – after the notation, meaning that you add that number to, or subtract it from, the total results of the dice (not to each individual die rolled). Most die rolls in the game use a d20 with a number of modifiers based on the character's skills, his or her abilities, and the situation. Generally speaking, rolling high is better than rolling low. Percentile rolls are a special case, indicated as rolling d%. You can generate a random number in this range by rolling two differently colored ten-sided dice (2d10). Pick one color to represent the tens digit, then roll both dice. If the die chosen to be the tens digit rolls a “4” and the other d10 rolls a “2,” then you've generated a 42. A zero on the tens digit die indicates a result from 1 to 9, or 100 if both dice result in a zero. Some d10s are printed with “10,” “20,” “30,” and so on in order to make reading d% rolls easier.
Dice Types: The standard dice used in Labyrinths & Liontaurs are d2, d3, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and d%.
The game sometimes uses fractions. You may have a +2.5 base attack bonus, or a 12.75 caster level. In just about every situation, whenever you are must round a number, always round all fractions down. Even that 12.75 rounds down to 12.
As you go on adventures, you earn gold, magic items, and experience points. Gold can be used to purchase better equipment, while magic items possess powerful abilities that enhance your character. Experience points are awarded for overcoming challenges and completing major storylines. When you have earned enough experience points, you increase your character level by one, granting you one new class ability and one new non-class ability. These allow you to take on even greater challenges.