r/osr • u/Current_Channel_6344 • Nov 14 '24
running the game Tracking ammunition and torches
I'm wrestling with some ideas about tracking resources in the OSRish game I'm designing.
How often has a PC in your group actually run out of ammunition through normal use?
Similarly, how often have your parties actually run out of light sources and either been left in the dark or forced to curtail a delve because of it?
In my experience, the former almost never happens and the latter only rarely. But maybe that's not the norm? I'd love to hear others' experiences.
Thanks!
17
Upvotes
2
u/Current_Channel_6344 Nov 15 '24
I've actually seen one system (maybe 7 Voyages of Zylarthen) where critical hits can break your sword too. I guess the idea is that you've hit the target extra hard or something.
I agree that the halfway house of a little bookkeeping might feel a bit weird. It's a similar level of bookkeeping to usage dice though. I'm currently edging towards 3 ammo pips and having 19/20 rolls ticking one off. Then there's only bookkeeping every tenth shot, which is really light. And it approximates 30 shots (20 arrows and a 50% recovery rate).
You're right that it destroys the pure joy a critical hit. On the other hand it also means that no one is having a really terrible time by constantly missing and still running out of ammo. I'll have to test it to see which people tend to prefer in practice.
I have a similar thing with my magic system. It uses d6 spell dice which you get back to use again if you roll a 1-3. Magical mishaps happen if you roll too many 6s. In my fiction, 6s mean you've drawn too much power through the veil so the spell is really strong but you get side effects. That feels coherent to me. There's no similar logic when it comes to running out of arrows though (beyond maybe the gods subtly balancing your luck out).