Core Mechanics

Types of Dice Rolls

The Four Roll Types

There are four main types of Rolls in Against the Darkmaster:

Skill Rolls are used when a character is trying to accomplish a task of some kind, using their own skills and capabilities.

Save Rolls permit characters to resist the nefarious effects of Spells, poisons, and other perils they may encounter in their adventures.

Attack Rolls are made when a character assaults another with a weapon, an unarmed attack, or by casting a Spell.

Spell Casting Rolls are called when a character channels the mystical energies necessary to weave a Spell.

Unmodified Rolls

Sometimes, when rolling the dice, the rules will state that something happens on a particular Unmodified Roll. This means the numbers shown on the dice rolled, without applying any bonus or modifier.

The effects of Unmodified Rolls must be applied first and precede any other result or effect during a dice roll resolution.

Open-Ended Rolls

When the game rules call for an Open-Ended Roll, it means that if you obtain an Unmodified Roll between 96 and 100 on your d100, you must pick up the dice and roll again, adding the new result to the first. If this roll is 96 or more too, you must keep on rolling and adding together the results until your dice land on a result of 95 or less.

On the other hand, if your dice come up with an Unmodified Roll between 01 and 05, you'll have to roll again and subtract the new roll from the first. If this second roll is 96 or more, you'll have to roll a third time, again subtracting the result from the first two, repeating this process until you get a result of 95 or less.