The Krawl: Rule Book

Introduction

Your Dungeon Master weaves the tale while you forge your legend. The Krawl is an open-world, endless RPG that captures the spirit of classic pen-and-paper adventures. Create heroes defined by race, class, and ever-evolving abilities as you delve into perilous castles, ancient dungeons, forgotten crypts, crumbling ruins, and sprawling kingdoms.

Every action—combat strikes, skill attempts, magical incantations—resolves with a single d20 roll, keeping gameplay swift and decisive. The world is yours to explore, and your choices will shape the story.

Characters

Races

Starting player races include Human, Elf, Dwarf and Orc. Baseline value for all stats is 0 - representing the average human. Starting stat adjustments for player races are as follows:

Race	STR	INT	WIS	DEX	CON	CHA	Racial Traits
Human	0	0	0	0	0	0	None
Elf	-1	+1	0	+1	-1	0	Heightened sense of Hearing
Dwarf	+1	0	0	-1	+1	-1	Low-Light Vision
Orc	+2	-1	-1	0	+1	-1	Heightened sense of Smell

Classes

Each class offers a combinations ability bonuses, special abilities, and weapon restrictions.

Fighter

• +1 STR
• Special: +1 to all weapon damage rolls
• Armor: Any
• Weapons: Any
• Minimum HP gained/Level: 10

Cleric

• +1 WIS
• Special: Prayerbook of learned spells
• Special: Banish Undead (d20 + WIS + Level vs. undead modifiers, flees if higher or equal level, destroyed if lower level)
• Armor: Any
• Weapons: Blunt only (mace, hammer, staff, sling)
• Minimum HP gained/Level: 7

Thief

• +1 DEX
• Special: Sneak Attack (bonus Level modifier to H and D from surprise/hidden)
• Special: +2 lock picking, disarming traps, stealth modifier
• Armor: Light, Medium
• Weapons: Missile and one-handed melee (sword, dagger, club, sling, bow, crossbow)
• Minimum HP gained/Level: 6

Mage

• +1 INT
• Special: Spellbook of learned spells
• Armor: Light
• Weapons: Dagger, staff, sling, bow
• Minimum HP gained/Level: 5

Equipping incompatible armor or weapons for your class enforces a an >Attack and Defense penalty = -1H/-1D * Level * # of incompatible equipped items.

Hit Points

HP gained per level: Roll d20 + CON modifier. If roll is less than the minimum HP gained/Level for their class, the character gains the minimum HP.

Natural Healing: Roll d20 + CON modifier per rest (8 hours minimum).

Leveling

Experience (XP) Requirements

• Level 2 = 2,000 XP
• Level 3 = 5,000 XP
• Level 4 = 12,500 XP
• Each level 2.5x more XP than the previous level thereafter

XP Rewards

• Killing enemies: 100 XP (per level above your level) + 100XP.
• No XP for killing less than your level.
• Treasure: 1 XP per value of gp.

Benefits per Level

• +1 to any ability (no max/min)
• HP = d20 + CON modifier

Skill Checks & Saving Throws

Any action requiring skill or resisting effects uses a d20 + relevant ability modifier + equipment modifiers + Level vs. DM-set Difficulty Level (includes factors like complexity, fatigue, environment, weather, previous attempts, etc.):

Difficulty Levels (Guideline only - DM may set higher or lower)

• 5 = easy
• 10 = normal
• 15 = hard

Natural 20 = auto-success (often with extra benefit). Natural 1 = auto-failure (often with narrative complication).

Repeating failed skill checks become more difficult unless circumstances affecting the attempt have changed.

If skill checks involve NPCs, the DM may roll opposing checks for each to counter to the player's action.

Examples: STR = lift gates, break walls; DEX = dodge traps, balance; CON = resist poison; INT = magic resistance; WIS = lore; CHA = persuade/intimidate.

Weapons & Armor Explained (H/D)

Weapons and armor play an important role in determining the chance to hit/being hit and the damage dealt/taken. A single D20 roll determines both if the attack hits and the damage taken.

Attacks have a base difficulty of 10 (10 or better required to hit).

• Roll required to hit = 10 + Defender's (H) modifiers - Attacker's (H) modifiers.
• Damage taken = Roll from hit result - Roll required to hit + Attacker's (D) modifiers - Defender's (D) modifiers.

Weapons

Weapons provides two stats:

• Hit Modifier (H): affects chance to hit.
• Damage Modifier (D): affects damage dealt.

Weapon	Hit (H)	Damage (D)	2 Handed
Arrow	+3	0	No
Dagger	+1	+1	No
Staff	+3	0	Yes
Long Sword	+2	+2	Yes
Short Sword	+1	+2	No
Mace	0	+3	No
Battle Axe	+1	+4	Yes
Crossbow	+4	+2	Yes
Spear	+3	+1	Yes
War Hammer	0	+3	No
Sling	+2	+1	Yes

Armor

Armor provides two stats:

• Hit Modifier (H): affects chance to be hit.
• Damage Modifier (D): affects damage taken (soak).

Light Armor

Does not affect chance of getting hit, but offers low damage soak. Types: Cloth, Leather.

Medium Armor

Slightly increases chance of being hit and offers moderate damage soak. Types: Studded Leather, Chainmail.

Heavy Armor

Increases chance of being hit but offers high damage soak. Types: Plate mail.

Heavier armor makes character easier to hit, but harder to damage. Rare discoveries of magic armor have been rumored to offset these negative effects.

Magic

There are two types of magic known to exist in the world of The Krawl.

Arcane magic is the magic of the mages, and is based on the study of the arcane, the study of the universe and the laws of the universe.

Divine magic is the magic of the clerics, and is based on the study of the divine, the study of the gods and the laws of the gods.

Spells Per Combat

Clerics and Mages: 1 spell per level (resets each combat).

Learning Spells

Mages and Clerics learn via scrolls or teachers, recorded in spellbooks/prayer lists.

Both Mage and Cleric spells may offer Offensive or Defensive H and D modifiers depending on the effect and power of the spell.

Casting Spells

• A Natural roll of 20 = auto-success (extraordinary success); a natural roll of 1 = auto-fail (disastrous mishap)
• Casting higher-level spells of your profession than your level requires a save vs. (10 + level difference) or the spell fizzles.

Scrolls & Cross-Casting

• Anyone may use a scroll once (consumes it). Save: INT (mage spell) or WIS (cleric spell) vs. 10 + spell level.
• Cross-class, e.g. a mage casting a cleric spell, must also save. Failure means the spell is lost and the scroll is destroyed.

Combat System

Combat is turn-based and resolved with a single d20 mechanic. Armor grants both (H)it avoidance and (D)amage Soak (mitigation). Heavy armor makes you easier to hit but reduces incoming damage. Light armor makes you harder to hit but leaves you vulnerable.

Death & Resurrection

Death is not always the end—if you've bound yourself to a deity. Your actions determine what is lost or protected upon returning.

Death Threshold

0 HP = unconscious, -10 HP = death. (See player resurrection below)

Altar Binding

• You may be bound to one Deity's Altar at a time. You only unbind by dying.
• Alignment limits:
  • Lawful → may bind to Lawful or Neutral.
  • Neutral → may bind to Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic.
  • Chaotic → may bind to Chaotic or Neutral.
• Binding check: Roll a saving throw (DC set by deity's power).
  • Natural 1 → catastrophic failure: gain an Affliction (DM-determined; may be permanent).
  • Natural 20 → receive a Boon (DM-determined; may be permanent).
• Divine expectations: The DM may declare tasks owed to the deity after binding; failure risks the deity's wrath.

Resurrection

Player Resurrection

• On death...
• If bound to an Altar you will resurrect at your bound Altar.
• If not bound to an Altar your character will be permanently lost, however you will be reincarnated as a new character into a world that has been shaped by the life of your previous character.
• XP Loss (by default): lose 1 level's worth of XP (XP required for current level minus the previous level's requirement).
• Offerings (must be made before death):
  • At your bound altar, you may offer Gold to your deity to reduce the XP loss on your next resurrection.
  • 1 Gold = 1 XP protected from the loss.

NPC Resurrection

Players may choose to resurrect NPCs at any alter that aligns with the NPC's alignment, but at a significant cost. The player must offer an amount of gold equal to the NPC's experience points. This act of loyalty will fully restore the NPC without XP loss. After the donation is received, the NPC will return to the world with no penalty to their level. Deities can be fickle however, so the player must make a Normal difficulty savings throw to be successful. If the player rolls a natural 1, the NPC will be lost to the world forever. A natural 20 will restore the NPC with a permanent boon or other benefit (DM's discretion).

The Adventure Begins

In The Krawl the world unfurls before you as a boundless tapestry of possibility, where every choice you make weaves the threads of your destiny. From sprawling towns to majestic kingdoms, across vast oceans and into realms beyond imagination, you are the architect of your journey. Forge unbreakable bonds or topple mighty foes; serve with loyalty or command with authority. In this endless expanse, your path is yours alone to carve, limited only by the fire of your will.

And so the story begins...

Appendix – Full Weapon List

Weapons provide two stats: H (bonus to the attacker’s hit roll) and D (damage bonus). Faster, lighter weapons generally offer higher H but lower D, while heavier, slower weapons offer higher D at the cost of H. Two-handed weapons trade the use of a shield for greater reach and damage potential.

Class rules used: Fighter – any; Cleric – blunt only (& sling); Thief – missile and one-handed melee (e.g., sword, dagger, club, sling, bow, crossbow); Mage – dagger, staff, sling, bow. Two-handed weapons can’t be used with shields.

Appendix – Full Armor List

Armor provides two stats: H (penalty to attackers’ hit rolls) and D (damage soak). Heavier armor offers more soak but makes you easier to hit; shields add extra soak at the cost of H.

Class equipment rules: Fighter – Any; Cleric – Any; Thief – Light, Medium; Mage – Light. Equipping incompatible items imposes -1H/-1D × Level × # of incompatible items.

Armor Set Reference (Totals)

Appendix – Common Traps & Tricks

Classic dungeon hazards with standardized (H/D) attack values and on-fail Afflictions. Traps make an attack using their H vs. the target’s required roll (base 10, modified as usual). On a hit, apply damage using the trap’s D and then apply the listed Afflictions/saves. Refer to the Afflictions Manual for details on Burning, Chilled, Electrified, Poisoned, Bleeding, Crippled, Prone, Restrained, Exhausted, and Asleep.