That Randy Brown

Mausritter Mechanics

Characters #

Creation #

In order to create a character, roll:

HP and pips together give the mouse a background, which gives them two pieces of equipment. If they don't have an attribute above 9, they can roll a second background and pick one item from it--if they don't have an attribute above 7, they get both items from said background.

I've seen a few recommendations on this:

It is also worth noting that the handicap application can be both a blessing and a curse--leaving with a bunch of gear might be a burden.

Inventory Management #

A mouse has four body slots (two hands and two 'body') and six slots for gear. These numbers make it easy to determine inventory effects.

All items must fit in the squares of the mouse's body and pack. If they do not, the mouse becomes encumbered.

Some people allow tilting light armor to free a hand--this represented the shield being put away. Some also allow having an item on the person for accessing it with a free action instead of it costing an action to get out of the pack.

Some variant rules that allowed a dexterity save to get an item from the pack as a free action, with the cost of 'not getting the item and losing the action', so the player has a choice--guarantee getting the item or chance it and get a free action.

Grit #

At higher levels, mice adventurers get grit, which allows them to ignore some status conditions.

At higher levels, instead of placing an item in their pack, some people allow mice to put them under 'grit', which risks them not being able to ignore a condition (by placing it under grit), but enables them to access the item for free and avoid encumbrance.

Encumbrance #

Because inventory plays a heavy role, encumbrance is a core mechanic. A mouse is encumbered if they carry more than their inventory slots allow. When encumbered, a mouse makes all saves at disadvantage and cannot run.

A mouse's inventory must fit all of their items and their status conditions.

Some variant rules recommend making only strength and dexterity saves at disadvantage. It would have been nice for encumbrance to also be a condition--it feels inconsistent that it is not. It has a clear clearing condition: all items and conditions, including encumbrance, have an assigned inventory slot. This also means that there's an opportunity to 'stack' encumbrance.

Another alternative rule might be allowing a mouse to 'drop' their pack to make saves without disadvantage, but with the cost of not having their gear at hand.

Pip Purse #

A pip purse can carry up to 250 pips. Additional pips take additional inventory slots in the form of another pip purse. I wish the pip purse were represented on the mouse as an equipment slot, so that it could be discarded if chosen.

Time #

Measuring Time #

Mausritter is a strictly timed game. It is measured in turns.

A turn is about 10 minutes. It encapsulates exploring an area in an adventure site, like a room, and most combat.

Inside combat, the game takes place in rounds--rounds are enough time for a player to move and act. A round is less than a minute.

A watch is thirty-six turns, or about six hours. There are four watches a day. It is enough time for a mouse to travel one hex.

The GM will have a sheet for marking turns and watches.

Resting #

There are similarly three rests styles:

It is implied that a full rest can only take place in a settlement, and usually costs some money.[1]

If mice do not rest at least one watch per day, they get the exhausted condition.[2]

If mice do not eat once per day, they get the hungry condition.[3]

Encounters #

To determine if an encounter happens, roll a d6. On a 1, an encounter occurs; the GM can roll a d6 or improvise an encounter. On a 2, an omen happens--a sign or hint of an encounter.

In a site exploration, an encounter roll happens once every three turns (every half hour).

In exploration, encounters are rolled at the start of the morning and evening watch. If an encounter occurs, roll a d12 for the hour it will occur in.

Travel #

When traveling, mice can travel one hex per watch. If the terrain is difficult or unfamiliar, it might take two watches.

Weather #

Roll 2d6 for weather every day. Based on season, the weather might be bad. If it is, mice must make a strength save or gain the exhausted condition.

It is unclear what exhaustion does, and strength might not be the best save here--perhaps will is.

Rolling Dice #

Mice roll dice in the following situations:

Luck: If the outcome of an event is unclear, assign a probability to it, and roll a luck roll. If the outcome is less than or equal to the chance, the thing happens / succeeds.

Mausritter recommends a d6 for this, but the math of a 20 sided dice is much easier to deal with. Using the challenge rating, one can say that something is very unlikely at 5, probable at 10, and likely at 15.

There isn't an apparent way to make a mouse more or less lucky, but there's definitely an opportunity there for magical items and mechanics.

Failing Saves #

If there is no apparent consequence for failing a save, then it shouldn't be made. Some optional consequences to frame whether a save should be made or not:

For instance, a mouse tries to leap over a chasm. If they fail their saving throw, they might:

  1. Fall and take some minor damage
  2. Make it but barely and be frightened of large chasms
  3. Fall into the chasm, and have to burn a turn or more getting back out
  4. Drop an item as they jump
  5. Land ungracefully and have to mark usage on a body item (including armor)

If, for instance, item 3 happens--perhaps the best approach is to narrate the falling and getting back out, putting the mouse at their intended destination, and having marked some time, rather than having them fall and then attempt to get out, creating a cycle where a mouse can continuously suffer consequences.

Losing or Marking Items #

Damage #

Mouse Damage #

When taking damage, first, HP are depleted, then the attribute of the damage type. Physical damage depletes strength. When taking strength damage, the mouse must make a strength saving throw to continue to fight. If the saving throw fails, they take the injured condition and are incapacitated.

If a mouse is left incapacitated for six exploration turns, they die.

Some variant rules issue these two conditions as sequential--first, a mouse is injured. If an injured mouse takes strength damage, and fails the saving throw, they are incapacitated.

Game masters should leverage incapacitation very carefully for solo adventurers.

Damage Scales #

Attribute Damage #

None of these are represented as conditions, though they probably should be.

Equipment Usage #

Each piece of inventory has a designated number of uses--most of them seem to be three.

Usage dots can be cleared for 10% of the cost of the item.

Some variant rules recommend four dots, with each dot costing 10% * the number of dots (meaning removing the third dot will be 30%), for the dots representing the percentage depletion of the item.

The above rule works well for weapons, armore, and things that are meant to 'last', but less well for rations and torches and things that are meant to have a fixed number of uses.

Morale #

When an antagonist takes attribute damage, sees an opponent flee or fall, or is obviously outmatched, they must make a will saving throw. On failure, they must flee or surrender.

This can trigger a cascade of will checks, as anyone seeing an ally flee must make a will saving throw and potentially themselves flee.

If over a quarter of the party flee, the remaining checks should be done at disadvantage.

Footnotes #

  1. There is a tent inventory item, but it is unclear what it can do. ↩︎

  2. It is unclear, what, other than taking an inventory slot, exhaustion does. ↩︎

  3. It is unclear, what, other than taking an inventory slot, hunger does. ↩︎

  4. What is a gambit in Mausritter? ↩︎

  5. What is insensible? ↩︎