BOOT HILLINTRODUCTION: Boot Hill™ is a set of easily modifable role-playing game rules, suitable for Western Adventures. It is a minimalist game in the spirit of Risus and Searchers of the Unknown and is heavily infuenced by Fate and Dungeon World mechanics.

In the game, a referee called a Producer works with players to create collaborative stories called Episodes, very much like a TV series or movie.

CHARACTERS

CHARACTER STORYTo create a new character, start with building a story.

SELECT A NAME: Pick a name that suits your setting. You may want to have each player's character name have a unique frst letter to reduce confusion and make mapping easier.

SELECT A HIGH CONCEPT: Write a short description of your archetype or career, such as 'Ex-Boxer' or 'Lonely Hacker'.

(OPTIONAL) CREATE 3 SENTENCE BACKSTORY : Optionally you can create a 3 Sentence Backstory™ — see http://goo.gl/LljaT8 for details.

CHARACTER STATSNow that your story is built, select some statistics to fesh out your character.

SELECT ABILITY STATS: Characters have six Ability Statistics: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. For new characters, assign Ability Scores from this list and assign to Stats in any order: +2, +1, +1, 0, 0, -1.

CHOOSE ARMOR (OPTIONAL): Many settings may choose not to use any armor rules. If your Producer wants, choose an armor. Each type of armor has an Armor Class (AC). Even if characters use no armor, the Producer may use NPCs or creatures with an armor class. The AC reduces damage. A normal person with no armor has AC 0. A knight with Chainmail (AC 3) and a Shield (AC 1) has a total AC of 4. If the knight sufers 5 hit points of damage, the AC of 4 is subtracted, giving a total of 1 HP damage.

Armor Examples AC Dmg None — 0 0

Light Leather, Duster 1 -1

Medium Chainmail, Kevlar 2 -2

Heavy Plate mail, Battlesuit 3 -3

Shield — 1 -1

SELECT WEAPONS: Choose two weapons. Weapons do damage (Dmg) based on weapon class (light, normal, heavy, elite or artillery). A

1d6-1 weapon always does at least 1 damage. Unarmed combat and improvised weapons such as wrenches are considered light weapons.

Weapon Examples DmgLight1 Dagger, Sling, Unarmed 1d6-1

Normal Sword, Pistol, Rife, Bow 1d6

Heavy2 2-Handed Sword, Pole-arm, Elephant Gun

1d6+1

Elite Magic Sword, Alien Rife, Weird Science Gun

1d6+3

Artillery3

Ballista, Catapult, Cannons, Gatling Gun

1d6 to 3d6

1 Light weapons are easily concealable. 2 Takes longer to use or requires both hands. 3 Damage follows the Hazard rules.

DETERMINE HIT POINTS (HP): Player Characters start with Hit Points (HP) equal to your Constitution modifer plus 10.

CHARACTER EDGESThe Producer may optionally ask you to create 3 Edges for your character using the templates below. Give each move a title, fll in the blanks, and record on your character sheet. Specialties are special skills, powers or trademark actions of your character. The six Ability Stats are abbreviated The six abilities are STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, and CHA. Depending on the setting, the Producer may group Edges in packages called 'classes'.

Edge Templates:Stat Bonus: Add +1 to [ability].Thing: You have a [thing]. When applicable, it

adds +1 to [ability] and [ability].Specialty +1: When you do something related

to [specialty], add +1.Specialty XP: When you [do a specialty], earn

1 XP.Passive Power: You have [some passive

special power that has a constant efect].Active Power: You have the ability to [do

some sort of active special power]. It counts as a basic action using [ability].

Critical Damage: Once per session when you [do a specialty] during a successful attack, deal damage plus an addition normal damage roll for that type of attack.

+2 Damage: Once per scene when you [do a specialty] during a successful attack, add +2 to damage.

EDGE ABILITY LIMITSThe highest modifed Ability Stat is +3. So if you have a +2 STR, and a +1 Stat Bonus edge, you cannot use another +1 Stat Bonus edge to get a +4 or higher bonus. +3 is the limit.

SAMPLE WILD WEST EDGESAlthough you can make your own, here are some samples Edges from a Wild West setting for inspiration:

CARD SHARK: When you do something related to [gambling], add +1.

DISGUISE: You have the ability to [create believable disguises]. It counts as a basic action using [INT].

IMPROVISED WEAPON: Once per session when you [use an improvised weapon] during a successful attack, deal max damage plus an additional damage roll.

SHOWDOWN: When you [engage in a dramatic one-on-one duel], earn 1 XP.

TWO GUN TERROR: When you do something related to [shooting with two guns], add +1.

TRADEMARK WEAPON: You have a [trademark weapon]. When applicable, it adds +1 to [STR] and [DEX] rolls.

HAIR-TRIGGER REFLEXES: Add +1 to [DEX].HORSE WHISPERER: You have [the ability to

calm horses and summon any horse within earshot to come to you as a mount].

COMBAT REFLEXES: Once per scene, when you make a successful attack, add +2 to damage.

HORSEMANSHIP: When you do something related to [horsemanship], add +1.

LASSO: You have a [lasso]. When applicable, it adds +1 to [DEX] and [STR].

CALLED SHOT: Once per scene on a successful ranged attack attack, you can hit a specifc, hard-to-hit inanimate target.

TWO FISTED: When fghting unarmed add +1.

GAMEPLAY

GEAR AVAILABILITYBy default, don’t track gear except for yourweapons. If you need a specifc object, ask theProducer. The Producer will tell you if you havethat item, or, if it is in doubt, the Producer can roll the Die of Fate to determine if you have the item.

ADVANCEMENTIn short-term games, don’t track experience. In an ongoing campaign, Characters start with 0 XP. Each time you attempt something and fail (getting a 6 or less) you gain 3 XP. You can spend XP to raise an Ability statistic or increase your HP.

The cost to raise an Ability score is 15 XP. The maximum Ability score is +3.

The cost to increase HP is equal to the new score (e.g. raising HP from 8 to 9 costs 9 XP). HP can only be raised once point at a time.

RULINGS NOT RULESThe story trumps rules. Players should trust the Producer to make judgment calls, and defer to the Producer to make a table ruling on a particular game situation.

THE DIE OF FATEA Producer may wish to roll the Die of Fate to determine narrative facts: a non-Player Character's disposition toward you, the weather, or if there is treasure inside a box.A high number means good fortune but a lowroll means you're out of luck.

TASK RESOLUTION

Boot Hill Roleplaying Game™

The Producer will call for a roll announcing the Ability (e.g. “Roll+STR”). Here are the typical Abilities used for specifc task resolution:

Ability Used ForStrength Athletics, Breaking, Pushing

Dexterity Acrobatics, Stealth, Burglary

Constitution Marching, Holding Breath

Intelligence Search, Investigation, Puzzles

Wisdom Perception, Healing, Survival

Charisma Deception, Charm, Persuasion

TURN ORDERThere isn't a specifed turn order. People organically act in the order that makes sense, with the Producer managing the fow of events.

ACTION ROLLS

When you attempt something where the outcome is in doubt, roll 2d6 and add a relevant Ability stat, based on the action you’re taking. The Producer will announce some of the possible consequences before you roll, so you can decide if it’s worth the risk to attempt that action.

Dice rolls results in 3 outcomes: 10+ is a Success. You get what you want

(maybe even more). If attacking, you deal damage to the enemy and avoid their attack.

7-9 is a Partial Success. You get what you want and something you didn't want. If attacking, typically you trade damage (you deal damage to the enemy but the enemy deals damage to you).

6 or less is a Failure. Something bad happens but you get 1 point of XP . If attacking, you probably miss and receive damage in return. But that's not all: maybe your weapon fumbles, enemies appear or something worse.

Roll Results XP10 Success.

If attacking, deal damage.—

7-9 Success with Minor Complications. If attacking, trade damage.

—

6- Failure with Major Complications. If attacking, receive damage.

1 XP

ADVANTAGE When the Producer determines a character has a tactical Advantage the player rolls a third d6 and takes the two highest dice scores. If they have Disadvantage, roll a third d6 and take the lowest two dice scores. If there are multiple Advantages or Disadvantages, add them up and determine the net Advantage or Disadvantage.

Whoever has more simply has Advantage. If one side has Advantage and the other Disadvantage then they cancel each other out — and you have neither.

Advantages do not stack — if you have three factors giving you Advantage you still simply have Advantage.

DAMAGE ROLLS

When someone successfully hits an opponent, roll damage based on the weapon. Subtract the result from the opponent’s hit points (HP). Foes reduced to 0 (or fewer) HP are taken out. What 'taken out' means varies by genre. In gritty games it may mean death and you have to roll up another character. In pulp games, characters who are take out are alive but incapacitated and will be dragged away (and later eaten) by monstrous foes or captured and tormented by intelligent foes. The Producer should announce before a game series what Taken Out will mean.

COVERCharacters can increase their chances of survival by using Cover, which has two types:

Simple Cover includes things such as barrels, horses, gun-smoke, poor weather, and provides Armor 1 (a +1 AC bonus). Simple Cover does not signifcantly impede movement.

Complex Cover includes walls, forts, running room to room while ducking behind furniture, foul weather, battlefeld chaos, and multiple layers of cover (such as hiding behind a bar which is behind a wooden store front).

Complex Cover provides Armor 2 (a +2 AC bonus). It also greatly impedes movement and may give you Disadvantage performing move actions related to the cover such navigating tight turns.

Cover Examples AC DmgSimple Barrels, Smoke, Rain,

Knocked over chair1 -1

Complex Wall, Monsoon, Fast moving target

2 -2

HAZARDS & ARTILLERYIf something could kill a human, like a fall, a fre or a trap, it does 1d6 points of damage. If it could kill a horse, 2d6. If it could kill an elephant, 3d6. No more.

Condition Examples DmgCould kill a human Fall, Fire, Trap 1d6

Could kill a horse Bomb, Lightning 2d6

Could kill an elephant Tornado, Bomb 3d6

CONDITIONSSome situations will results in conditions such

as 'Poisoned' or 'Going insane'. Special wound conditions may require a healing Interludes with an appropriate story development to remedy the condition. Other conditions (such as 'mind control') can potentially be overcome by a successful roll, provided it makes narrative sense.

INTERLUDE SCENES & HEALINGYou can regain HP or remove conditions by having a roleplaying scene with another character called an Interlude. An Interlude can:

Restore HP: Regain all your HP back to normal by having a roleplaying scene with another character.

Remove Conditions: You can also remove a condition if it would make narrative sense within the scene. Note that you can regain all HP but still have a condition such as 'broken leg' which may impose game consequences (for example, making any DEX Action Rolls would have Disadvantage).

How to Run The Scene Ask Questions: An Interlude Scene is a

good time to have your character ask questions of the other characters: “What made you choose this life?”, “Who are what is preventing you from getting what you want?” or “Is there some tragedy behind why you can't sleep?” Interlude Scenes can be fashbacks, too (although this will not allow healing or remove conditions).

Dice Roll Determines Interlude TopicRoll a d6 and use the resulting topic to

roleplay a scene with your fellow characters, using your character's voice in frst person.

1. Secrets. Reveal some never-revealed secret from your character's past or present. 2. Desire. What need motivates your character? This could be an object, status, revenge, or many other things. What are you willing to do to achieve your goal? 3. Triumph. Describe some personal victory from your past. What reward did you get afterwards? How did this efect your character's personality? 4. Tragedy. Discuss some woe from your past. How did these events efect you? What personality traits do you have today resulting from this event? 5. Love. Is your long lost love still waiting for you? Are they alive? Do they love you back? Or perhaps it's a friend needing help? Or a mentor needing to be avenged? 6. Hate. Tell the group something you hate. Maybe it's related to your current injury; if you're snake-bit, maybe it's all the worse since you have a historic hatred of snakes.

ODDS

Odds on a roll with a given total modifer of getting one of the three results. Note that the

2

Boot Hill Roleplaying Game™

maximum you could ever roll is 2d6+3 (2d6 plus the highest possible Ability modifer of +3).

Roll 6- 7-9 10+2d6-1 58% 33% 9%

2d6 42% 42% 16%

2d6+1 28% 44% 28%

2d6+2 17% 42% 41%

2d6+3 8% 33% 59%

3 SENTENCE BACKSTORY

DEVELOP A BACKSTORY: Create a 3 Sentence Backstory™ for your character.

The frst sentence is the character concept and motivation — this may include the character's background, archetype and other information which quickly gives other players a simple summary of the character.

The second sentence defnes the character's connections. Each player must come up with a connection between their character and the player character to their right. If doing this by email before a game session, the players player's make the connection alphabetically (a player with last name Smith makes a character background connection with the player Thoreau). The Producer may do this at the frst game of a new campaign, and incrementally for new players who join later.

The third sentence lists the player's biggest enemy. Usually this is an NPC or perhaps a gang, mob or something else which the Producer can bring into the game as a foil to your character.

Here's an example of the Three Sentence Backstory™ in action, using Mal Reynolds from Firefy:

Sentence 1: Concept & Motivation“Mal is a Leader who fought for the losing

side in the Unifcation War and now fnds ways to keep his ship fying while taking pot shots at the Alliance.”

Sentence 2: Connections“His current crew-member Zoe served with

him in the war, and fought in one of the war's bloodiest battles, Serenity Valley.”

Sentence 3: Enemies“Taking barely legal odd-jobs to stay out of

poverty, Mal has had multiple run-ins with the sadistic crime lord Adelai Niska who remains Mal's chief enemy.”

ESCALATIONS

To make players life complicated, when they roll 6-, have the player roll another two dice and tell you the results. Note that it is possible to get

higher than a 6- with bonuses while still invoking a Critical Failure.

The Producer should consult the matrix for the letter of the plot escalation. If the result doesn't ft the scene, drop down the list until you fnd one that does. The threat could be present or just a sign of the approaching threat.

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 A B C D E M

2 G H I J K D

3 M N O P Q G

4 Q B C D E A

5 G H I J K N

6 M N O P A E

ResultsA secret weapon is revealed such as a ticking time bombaThe characters' actions backfre with dire resultsBA natural hazard like fre, foor or meteor storm eruptsCA double cross by an ally turned traitor, mole or turncoatDEnemy reinforcements arrive to fght or capture youEA new enemy appears to confront or attack youFEquipment Malfunctions such as a ship's engines or weapon fumbleGA possession becomes worthless such as plot goalHYou are framed for something like a crime or indiscretionISomething was stolen from you and you now realizes itJAn ally is imperiled, held hostage or betrays youKAn enemy thought dead (or his ally) resurfacesLFriendly fre hits a player character or bystanderMA resource is depleted such as money or oxygenNParty is separated by combat, disaster or confusionOMass damage from a discharged weapon or hazardPA character's secret is exposed with chilling efectQ

BESTIARY

STAT BLOCK TEMPLATESCreatures and NPCs stats follow this format. Creature may have special features like two or

more attacks, Edges, or special powers which activate on a 6-.

Type HD HP DMinion 1 1 1d6-1

Common Person 1 3 1d6-1

Soldier 2 7 1d6

Elite Warrior 3 10 1d6+1

Dire Creature 5+ 17+ 1d6+3

USING DICE AS HIT POINT COUNTERSAs an option, roll Hit Dice to determine the hit points for each adversary. Decrement the dice to track lost HP, removing the need to write the numbers down.

USING DICE AS DAMAGE COUNTERSAn alternative use of using dice as Hit Point counters is to use the dice to track damage taken, not HP remaining. This way players can see how much damage they've dealt but they don't know how many HP remain for that creature.

HIT LOCATIONS

HIT LOCATIONS (CONVERT TO D6)If you're running a game where you want to describe hit locations, roll a d20 when a character or creature is wounded. Producer may impose a Disadvantage for certain outcomes — for example, a gunfghter hit in the main-hand has to use his of-hand and shoots at a Disadvantage (in addition to their -2D Wound penalty).

1D20 DESCRIPTION 1 Left thigh 2 Right thigh 3 Abdomen 4 Left-side hip 5 Right-side hip 6 Lower back 7 Left-side ribs 8 Right-side ribs 9 Main-hand 10 Of-hand 11 Lower main-hand arm 12 Lower of-hand arm 13 Upper main-hand arm 14 Upper of-hand arm 15 Chest 16 Upper back 17 Upper main-hand shoulder

3

Boot Hill Roleplaying Game™

18 Upper of-hand shoulder 19 Neck 20 Head

Monsters roll a second d20; take the more interesting result.

1D20 DESCRIPTION 1-4 Tail 5-8 Tentacle 9-12 Additional Of-Hand 13-16 Right-side wing 17-20 Left-side wing

If you roll a result that the monster doesn't have, roll again till you get a suitable hit location.

© Rogue Comet, LLC.

4