Deathtrap Games Rules Cyclopedia

Spellburn Description : Spellcasters may perform some form of self-sacrifice to convert some of their life energy into magic. This translate...

Spell Points A.K.A. Inner Strength Points, Psi Points Description : Characters have a pool of magical energy that they spend to cast their s...

 You, Not Your Gear Description : Characters receive less treasure, especially items that grant special abilities. Instead, they gain more r...

Roll the Body Description : When a character is knocked out of commission (such as at 0hp), their status is unknown unless an ally checks on...

Choose the Unlucky Description : When lacking any other tool for decision making as to which character is attacked, targeted, or hit by a tr...

Lucky Escape Description : Used in TTRPGs that use a Luck Scores . When a party of PCs is attempting to fled a battle they make Luck Checks,...

Survival Economics Description : As well as a standard value in coin, gear is valued based on its survival utility as an abstract trade unit...

Weapon Depletion Description : Through heavy use, a weapon can become damaged, weakened, or harder to use, resulting in lower accuracy or le...

Last Breath Description : As a PC is dying, there is a chance, if they might not otherwise recover of bein approached by Death, a demon, or ...

Wine Recovery / For Medicinal Purposes  Description : Characters may once per day recover from a small amount injury by drinking alcohol. Fo...

Evolving Magic Items Description : Magic items are exceedingly rare. They begin with a single ability, but gain more abilities as their wiel...

Pact Magic Description : Spells are replaced by relationships with spirits that have broad spheres of influence. The spirit may be called on...

Abstract Coin Description : Treasure is abstracted from numbers of coin, gem, jewels, and artifacts into a Wealth statistic that a character...

Panic! Description : Characters trapped without light underground experience extreme terror that can cause confusing, trauma, or even death ...

Timed Initiative Description : Players have a limited time to declare their action. If they do not have one to declare, they default to a de...

Simultaneous Initiative Description : Players declare their actions without establishing initiative; the GM resolves all events in a phase o...

Carousing Description : Characters may spend a randomized amount of treasure to go on a bender, earning XP or other rewards. Causes a roll o...

Depleting Armor Description : Armor is subject to depletion dice or a similar mechanism to become weaker over time as it is used.  Find it i...

Armor Points Description : Used in games that use hot points, wound levels, or damage tracks, Armor adds additional damage to the total the ...

Madness Description : A staple of Lovecraftian Horror, madness rules can be fairly easily ported to other systems.  Some rely on a limited s...