Free RPGs

Welcome to the RPG section of 1KM1KT. Here you’ll find member submissions of tabletop pen and paper role-playing games. All of the RPGs available in this section are free for download and are generally in .pdf format. If you’re interested in submitting your own RPG for publication, please visit our submissions page for details or send it to us using our contact form.

In Santa versus the Hippies, you play an elf charged with the job of reinstating the Christmas Spirit of a commune of Hippies. It uses a non-traditional system for combat, which is actually quite non-violent. Despite the apparent ridiculousness of the game, it does include some adult themes. This game was originally planned to be a 24 hour rpg, and it may or may not be one. This is also my first attempt at a completed game. I realize having completed the game, that it would probably make a better goofy war game than a goofy rpg, but regardless, here it is. So, if you are looking for a quality rpg, try again. If you are looking for a goofy, novelty Christmas themed game, come on in.

An emergency decree has been issued by Santa. Hippies have formed a commune in South Dakota and began amassing followers. This particular group of Hippies has become so anti-establishment, they no longer celebrate Christmas. Your mission is to sneak into the commune and remind the Hippies of the joy of Christmas.

The Elves

You are an elite tactical elf trained in the arts of Merry and Cheer. You have 4 joy bringing attacks in your arsenal. Elves move exceptionally quickly and can always escape from Hippies.

Your stats are: Cheer, Merry and Christmas Spirit

Starting points: 8 in Christmas Spirit, 5 to be used however between Cheer and Merry

Your attacks are: Toys, Candy Cane Gun, Dancing and Caroling (group attack)

The Hippies

Hippies have 4 hippie attacks. Hippies will always attack an Elf, when they see one.

Hippie stats: Buzz, Rebellion, Christmas Spirit

Starting points: 3 in Buzz, 4 in Rebellion, 200 in Christmas Spirit

Hippies? attacks: Mumbling, Ranting, Daze and Chanting (group attack)

Knights of Camelot is a card – based tabletop rpg. Other rpgs like Dungeons and Dragons have all the expensive books and materials that you need to have to play. Not KOC. When I was thinking of an rpg to create I thought to myself, what games do I like? Well KOC might not be a super famous rpg like D&D, but it is still an awesome adventure that you can get with only a few bucks. It may be cheap to buy, but it is not cheaply made. I have devoted endless hours thinking about the features of this game. Well, I hope you enjoy this majestic game.

Statistics

In KOC there are five “statistics” (also known as stats or even attributes) which every player character has. These are:

• Body – this represents the toughness, endurance, stamina, and strength of the character. A character with a high Body will have greater resistance to poison, starvation, and physical damage. It does not necessarily imply physical bulk. Many crafts are covered here.
• Dexterity – the characters hand-eye co-ordination, agility, balance, and speed of reaction. In short, anything physical that is not covered by Body.
• Knowledge – how much the character knows, both general knowledge and specific. Usually, but not necessarily, implies a measure of intelligence.
• Aura – the strength of the character’s will and personality. Characters with high aura can be commanding, charming, intimidating, any / all of the above. Used in many social situations.
• Weapon Skill – the characters general ability in combat, be it close-combat, unarmed or accuracy with a ranged weapon.

You choose your stats by dividing 2 points between them. All stats must be at least 2 and no more than 6.

This is a playing card based rpg. All you need is a notebook, pencil, cards, and this rulebook. This is pretty much a never ending game… well only if you don’t die. In Round Table, every skill is based upon a stat, and replaces it when making checks. If you do not have the skill, use the basic attribute score instead. For example if I have Knowledge 4 and Herb Lore 6, then I can test my herbal knowledge at level 6 but other subjects at level 4.

Statistics

In Round Table there are five “statistics” (also known as stats or even attributes) which every player character has. These are:

• Body – this represents the toughness, endurance, stamina, and strength of the character. A character with a high Body will have greater resistance to poison, starvation, and physical damage. It does not necessarily imply physical bulk. Many crafts are covered here.
• Dexterity- the characters hand-eye co-ordination, agility, balance, and speed of reaction. In short, anything physical that is not covered by Body.
• Knowledge- how much the character knows, both general knowledge and specific. Usually, but not necessarily, implies a measure of intelligence.
• Aura – the strength of the character’s will and personality. Characters with high aura can be commanding, charming, intimidating, any / all of the above. Used in many social situations.
• Weapon Skill (no suit) – the characters general ability in combat, be it close-combat, unarmed or accuracy with a ranged weapon.

You choose your stats by dividing 2 points between them. All stats must be at least 2 and no more than 6.

Dead and Back is a game of survival in the face of the supernatural. It uses a dice pool system of resolution, a wound chart tracking how quickly you can run, and lets you push yourself to the limit – at the risk of turning on the other survivors. Combat is based on the power of your weapon versus the resistance of the enemy. Single zombies will go down with one or two shots, but there are rules for entire hordes as well. Furthermore, a simple set of guidelines are in place for designing your own creatures and running horror in general.

This first PDF contains only the rules. Additions to be released at a later date (hopefully soon), but until then, these rules should be flexible enough to handle whatever horror your care to throw at your players.

My envisioned setting revolves around a movement project to create undead super-soldiers to combat an alien invasion that goes horribly wrong. The players will be stuck between fundamentalist government enclaves, wastelands full of nano-tech zombies, and alien controlled zones patrolled by demonic power-armor.

Don’t forget: aim for the head.

A Lesson In Zombie Psychology

“We’ll be safe here for a few minutes. At least long enough to catch our breath.”

For a long while, we said nothing, the only sound our breathing, and then even that seemed to subside. It was as quiet as death, except for the fact that death itself was moaning and crawling around out there, somewhere beyond the door we were hiding behind. I tried for some conversation, my voice weak against the silence. “So what did you do before all this?”

“Painted houses.”

“Just houses?”

“Yeah.”

“Was business good?”

“It was getting better, now its getting worse.”

“Supernatural infestation tends to do that.” I replied with a weak smile.

“I just wish I knew what type of zombies they were?”

“There’s different types? What is this- Caskin’ Robins- 31 flavors of undead?

“No, no, its just a matter of where did they come from, and why are we so scared?”

“Were scared because a few hundred corpses are roaming the city trying to be come acquainted with our vital organs ? and as for me, I not quite done using them.’

‘Is that really it? They’re slow, dumb ? flammable. We can out think them, out run them and easily destroy them. If you watch they’re stiff jointed gait for a while, they’re almost comical.’

‘Zombies are something deeper than just trying to kill us. They are man’s pathos, our shadow. A necromantic curse that robs someone of their individuality and free thought shows just how much we value our minds, the only thing truly unique about us. Or perhaps they’re a reflection of us grasping something in sciences best left untouched, and showing how truly susceptible we are to folly. An unknown disease shows how a species that can touch the heavens with rockets is still not untouchable’

We’ve got brains, something they can only crave.’

Every endeavor of man is based on his brain ? memory really, and the lessons we have picked up over life, and through books, the centuries. Zombies are entropy, the antibrain. They’re inevitable. Empires fall, places change.’

Ultimately they are relentless. Demons can be excised with prayer and a little holy water, vampires are held at bay with a cross, the sphinx destroys itself if you guess it’s riddle. Given a lull in the fighting, soldiers of opposing armies would gladly swap cigarettes, and when the battle is on, a 6 ton tank can be stopped with a well placed beer bottle full of gasoline. Zombies, can not be stopped, a nightmare we can not awaken from and thus the downfall of all dreamers.”

“Wow. Thats really deep. I mean college dissertation material.”

“Unless of course they really are just nothing more than walking corpses. Then they can just be stopped with a shotgun to the head.”

“Could you take your hat off for a moment. I want to see if any chunks are missing from your cranium.”

A simple system of a percentile roll against the combination of a stat and skill is used. You can design your own guns, cars are free form, and a number of optional rules are provided. There is no setting per say, but there are a few suggestions in the added work.

Please, give me some feedback! The original version of the rules have been sitting on my website for three years and I still don’t know if they’re any good. Admittedly, they are more of a test of my page layout skills than of an original system, but this is a format I want to use more in the future. Its my hope to do this professionally sometime in the near future, so its your chance to help an aspiring author. Even if you don’t have any suggestions I am always interested to hear about others experience with my games.

For an unofficial variation of these rules, check out “The Chosen” by Alex Windsor.

Basic Mechanics

This game relies on the use of 1 sided dice ? up to a half dozen at a time for some weapon damage rolls ? though only two per player are truly needed. Optionally, a number of d6s can be used for the damage of weapons to reduce the lethality of the game.

Most of the actions in the game are accomplished by rolling percentile dice (D%). This is done by rolling 2d1 (two ten sided dice), counting one as the tens column, and the other as the ones column. For example, if I roll a red die, and a blue die, calling the red one the tens, and get outcomes of 4 and 5 respectively, the end result is 45%. If both dice come up zero, then the result is 1%.

ADVENTURER is my first entry here. These rules originally were designed for a Fighting Fantasy style game book that it turned out I was too lazy to write. The idea here is for a 1-page RPG that covered all the bases of a typical fantasy RPG. It is meant as a tool for an experienced GM to introduce newcomers to the hobby with all the common trappings of fantasy they may be familiar with, or as a fun, light romp for experienced players looking to kill some time with a quick pick-up game.

What’s it about? Generic, vanilla fantasy, pure and simple. Magical, mysterious, forest-dwelling Elves, stout and sturdy Dwarves in their underground halls, cunning and crafty Goblins from fetid swamps and bogs, and of course brave, determined Men defending their kingdoms. Fighter, rogues, and wizards wander the land in search of adventure.

It contains a fairly complete semi-freeform magic system, rules for combat (naturally), unconsciousness, death, and pretty much every kind of damage I could think of. The character sheet is included on the single page that contains all the rules. The only big things I left off are an equipment list (but there are enough of those around that you shouldn?t have any trouble in that area) and a bestiary (as it would take up too much of my one page, and any creature can be made on the fly with the same basic stats as a Player Character).

Well, here is my humble submission. Enjoy (or not) as you see fit. I?d love to hear any feedback or answer any questions, either on the message board here or by email at josephpruitt@hotmail.com.

Joe Pruitt

P.S. Thanks to Tad for helping with the format, and Jeff for the weapon rating idea I stole from his RPG Gothic Worlds.

Ever wanted to write your own RPG but not known how to start? Myriad is a rules-light modular role-playing system that can be adapted to any genre and setting. Myriad is not an RPG in its own right, moreover it is a toolbox with which to construct the game of your dreams. Inside you will find a complete simple system that, in its purest form, can be picked up and played in a matter of minutes and a whole host of tips and tricks to help you twist it to your own evil schemes. You will also find a veritable cornucopia of optional rules, resources and modules to slot in as you require them. Just select the ingredients you like and discard the ones you don’t. Best of all, you can use Myriad in your own projects free of charge!

What IS Myriad?

Myriad is a free-usage RPG system. By free usage, we mean that anyone is free not only to play the game but also to write additional material for it, create their own games based around it, even to reprint the text included herein to your heart’s delight. You can give your products away for free or sell them in whatever form you desire, it really is that open. However Myriad is not a complete RPG in its own right; some assembly is required. We’ve made this very easy for you with plenty of notes and examples but if you are new to the hobby Myriad may not be for you.

In The Zombie Plan, you play normal people dealing with a zombie attack. After the first turn, the group will have found shelter from the zombies – and one of you will be dead.

Death means you keep playing – only now you’re a zombie and your goal is to turn everyone else into zombies while the survivors try to kill you.

It’s based on the Romero rules of zombies: If you die (in any way), you’ll turn into a zombie. If you’re bitten, you’ll turn into one. If you’re bitten and die, you’ll turn into one that much faster. Your characters don’t know any of this at the start of the game.

All you need to decide before the game starts is whether the zombies are fast or slow.

The game’s set wherever you’re playing the game – and whatever you can see around you right now is allowed to be described as being in the game.

Your character has the same first name as you. Your character’s occupation is something that you have done at some point in your life. Aside from that, your character doesn’t need to have any similarities to you at all. You don’t need to tell any of the other players this information until it comes up in the game.

With rules for betrayal, solo heroics, and player vs. player conflict, The Zombie Plan is a 3 page RPG designed to played wherever you are with just the coins in your pockets.

Describing what happens

The game?s set wherever we?re playing the game – and whatever you can see around you right now is allowed to be described as being in the game. Choose the player to start describing things.

Women go before men, characters with more Life goes before ones with less. If there?s a tie, the younger person goes first. Starting player, take hold of that “Ball”. You explain why your character is here, describe the arrival of the first zombie(s) and describes how you react to that. Then flip all of your Life coins, and pass the Ball (and the turn) to the person on your left.

NB: For this first phase, every time the Ball passes hands, the person who was just speaking flips all their Life coins.

Next player, describe how your character reacts to the situation and then pass their turn to the person on your left – unless… … Other players, at any time you can point your finger at the talking player, and take the Ball (and the right to speak) from them. Just remember that everyone has to have a turn in this first phase before you can have a second go.

Once everyone?s flipped all their coins, look at who has Heads on the coin with the highest value. They become the first zombie. If there?s a tie, only the tying players keep narrating (and flipping their coins at the end of their narration) until one player is left.

NB: All that coin flipping was just for this set-up phase. You won?t need to do that again as you keep on describing stuff.

“Let it ride”: The key to this is that everyone?s got to abide by the stuff people have previously described. If the place you?re sheltering in has been completely cleared of zombies, for instance, then no-one should narrate a zombie ‘just happening’ to pop up to bite someone inside the shelter. What?s done is done.

This work is meant as a salute to the computer game upon which it is based. It is an unsanctioned, unauthorized homage, a parody of Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst. This work was begun as a result of a forum discussion at http://www.1km1kt.net/community/ I had observed that the forums had on more than one occasion received posts from browsers who arrived at the site looking for computer games. I became aware that there may be people in today’s world who may have played computer RPGs, but who knew nothing of the original tabletop RPGs that inspired the genre. I purposed the “Adapt A Computer Game Into A Tabletop RPG” challenge as an attempt to bridge this divide. The idea is that computer game players might recognize familiar concepts, settings, whatever, and be more willing to give the tabletop game a try. The competition was purposed as part of the “24 Hour RPG” challenge. What I wanted to do with PSO would require more from me than I felt the 24 hour time constraint could possibly allow, but I wanted to do it anyway. I did not attempt a 24 Hour Game for the competition, but I did set to work on what you have in your hands (or on your screen.) My congratulations to the winner of the challenge, Errin Famiglia, for “Quiz and Dungeons,” and to everyone who completed the challenge. You can see all the entries here. In the meantime I hope that you enjoy “Phantasy Star: Ragol’s Curse.”

Phantasy Star: Ragol’s Curse

The Pioneer Project:

A plan born of desperation, conceived in response to the imminent destruction of their home worlds.

As plans for the evacuation began, unmanned probes were sent into deep space to find a habitable planet.

When a potential site was discovered, the first interstellar transport ship, Pioneer 1 was sent to establish a colony. Pioneer 1 confirmed that the Planet Ragol was a suitable location, and the initial colonists started preparing the planet for the main wave of refugees, beginning with the construction of the Central Dome.

7 years later…

Pioneer 2 completed its long voyage with the main wave of refugees aboard. But as Pioneer 2 entered orbit and opened a communications link with the Central Dome, an enormous explosion shook the entire planet.

All contact with the thousands of men and women of Pioneer 1 was lost…

by Ronald Pehr

Terror Town RPG is a simple solo game wherein all rules of gameplay are included in a single character sheet. In the game, the player takes the role of a person trapped in the evil Terror Town, a ghost town whose legend claims a corrupt mayor sacrificed the souls of his entire town in order to gain power and eternal life in a dark dimension of pure evil. Now, the town exists in three different worlds at once: Our World, Grey World, and Dark World. In our world, you will find weapons and other useful items. In Dark World, you will find twisted monsters out to kill you. In Grey World, you will find both. Can you survive the survival horror challenge of Terror Town? Will you escape the doomed town, defeat it’s diabolical mayor, or just end up falling victim to it’s many monsters? The answer awaits you… in Terror Town.