Dungeon: Flaming Swamp Crypt

It's Skeleton Season. Here's a dungeon. Written for Cairn, but easily adaptable for an OSR of your liking. 

Background: In ages past, a great cabal of Necromancers fled the heartland of civilization to the fringes and borderlands of the north. They infested the abandoned crypts and tombs of long-forgotten civilization, desecrating the dead to practice their art. This is one such tomb. 

The Rosesword Knights crusaded against the evil of the Necromancers. Many knights fell in this purge, and their arms are often left as mementos of battle. They slew countless occultists, and sealed off their tombs. But you can never truly kill a Necromancer.  

Hooks: Recover lost weapons of the Rosesword Knights. Recover lost knowledge of the Necromancers. 

Locale: located in a great swamp, sunken down in the mire. The Sealed Door is only accessible by descending a sinkhole. 

 

101 - Sealed Door. Briar vines seal the door, easily burned away. In the center is an inscribed seal: "I, Pellinore, have slain the Necromancer and bound his evil within. No mortal should enter."

 102 Skull. A silvery skull is being licked clean by a toad. Swamp water drips from the stone ceiling. 

• Rorgis, the Skull - a chatty, trouble maker undead. Will feign being inanimate and try to surprise someone at an opportune time as a prank. Just wants his body back (107) so he can do stand up comedy

103 Entrance.  Stinks, but no worse than the swamp outside. Broken bones scattered with some burial shelves on the northern wall. Grave poppies bloom amongst the bones

• Burial shelves - truly ancient bones. Some (1d4) grave goods (10 gp)
• Grave poppies - can be brewed into sleep potions or to empower spirits. 

104 Slide. Wet hallway, slippery from moisture. When 20 lbs or more weighs down the northern corner, the floor falls away, sliding whoever triggers the trap to 205. 

105 Lilypads. Most of the stone floor has fallen away into the swamp water below. Big lily pads have grown through the gaps, large enough for someone to stand on. Something gleams from an elevated landing to the south (111). 

• Lilypads - requires a DEX check. 3 successful checks needed to reach 111. On a failure, there's a 4-in-6 chance to land in 203; otherwise land in this room. 

106 Bridgeway. A narrow stone walkway winds over a pool of fetid water (204), flanked by two alcoves. Statues line the alcoves. 

• 2 Shield Skeletons stand on the bridge, preventing passage. (As Skeletons with 2 armor, and 1d4 Shield bash instead of sword)
• Bow Skeletons - one on each ledge. (As Skeletons)
• Statues - Shepard figures. 2 on the western side and 1 on the eastern side have emerald eyes (50 gp each)

107 Swords.  A headless skeleton bumps into the walls, kicking loose, rusted swords. A banner of roses covers the eastern wall, and a relief is carved into the western wall. 

• Skeleton body - belongs to Rorgis. Under his control, even when separated.
• Weapons - arms of the Rosesword Knights. A Halberd maintains its edge. (Enchanted. Rose blossoms on its blade. If swung rapidly overhead, petals will cover a small area. WIL save or be poisoned by the rose petals. [Poisoned: Gain Fatigue and have disadvantage on rolls until cleared)
• Banner - depicts the knights, triumphant. Covers a tunnel 15 ft up on the wall. 
• Relief - A Shepard guiding a flock through a wood. The Shepard is cut-out secret door to the eastern alcove in 106.

107A Alcove. A horribly twisted skeleton, its bones pockmarked, crowned with a silver band. It still clutches a grimoire.

• Silver Band - prevents dead from rising. If removed, the Necromancer will animate. 
• Grimoire - Spider climb (Warden's Guide)

108 Cookin'. A pile of black bones rest in a large basin filled with oil. A key shines at the bottom. Burial niches line the shelves. 

• Key - to the cage in 206. Grabbing it disturbs the skeletons. 
• Black-bone Skeletons - 6 total, but clamber out of the oil basin in waves (3, then 2, then 1). They will try to light themselves on fire and hug foes. (Stats as Skeletons but with extremely flammable limbs)
• Niche - A rotting hand tattooed with twin spiral circles, the symbol of Necromancers. Cursed item. Causes nearby dead to animate. Removing it will prevent more dead from rising.  

109 Dead Door. A grinning skull set above an ornate gravestone with a handle. Inscribed above: "This door cannot be opened by the living.

• 2d6 necrotic damage if a mortal tries to open the door. 
• Only openable by a non-living thing (skeleton, rope, etc) 

 110 Lab. Upturned tables, desk, and arcane baubles, most smashed and burned. A single rose-like flower blooms in the ground. 

• Flower - Contains the soul of a Rosesword Knight (Syr Allen)
• Loot - A grimoire labeled "Transmute Scungler," the interior pages are missing. An imp in a jar of formaldehyde (200 gp)
• Transmute Scungler: Needs to be researched. Transforms a humanoid corpse into a 4-legged rotund-plant. It can carry items efficiently into its center pod, but is often hunrgy.  

111 Landing. A bulbous, insect covered corpse lies in front of a huge door, barred with a hefty wood bar.

• Corpse - features ruined. Clutches a Scroll of Bloodflame Art and 120 gp.  
• Bloodflame Art. You can magically cause any bloodied weapon to catch on fire.  
• Door - requires 30 combined STR to lift the bar. Opens to the bottom of the swamp. If opened, swamp water will start to flood in, quickly filling 203 & 105 and slowly filling the rest of the crypt.

201 Gas. Reeks horribly of swamp gas. Lit torches flicker blue before quickly igniting. Visible to 202.

202 Flaming Bone Skeletons stand around. They'll rush into 201 and swing their flaming swords around to cause more chaos. (Skeletons with rusted flaming swords (d6 + d6))

203 Lily pad pool. A pool, filled with stagnant swamp water, and encircled with small walkway. The door south is bared and chained (requires 2 people to open)

• Swamp water - sickening. STR save each round in the water or gain 1 fatigue. 

204 Filthy Swamp Water. A smashed stone statue sticks out of this stinking soup. Skeletons from 106 can fire down;  swamp water same effect as 203.  There's a small sewer tunnel, hidden, that leads to 205. 

205 Another Pool. Undead crocodiles hid in this putrid pool. The very air reeks, and flies buzz around the top of a small mound of dirt. 

• Crocodile - Stats as Boar.  
• Dirt - buried within is a rotting hand tattooed with twin spirals. (See 108). 
• Air - gag induces. Speaking or casting spells requires a STR save. 

206 Treasure & Toad. Atop a pile of gold (500 gp), a huge undead frog "sleeps." 

•  Frog monster - three giant frogs stitched together and stacked. Three tongues loll out of three mouths. Stats as Ogre with Critical Damage: Target is swallowed. 

207 Basement Landing. Burial niches in the walls (1d4 grave goods worth 10 gp), A winding staircase leads to the Dead Door in 109, which is easily opened from this side.  

 

 Appendix N

•  d10 Special Doors by Rise Up Comus
• Rating Every Room in White Pume Mountain by Prismatic Wasteland
• Derelict Armies: Rose Army of Dzorum by GoblinPunch

 

 

My Ideal TTRPG would be JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is probably my favorite anime of all time, and with its 7th season, Steel Ball Run, finally airing, I want to gush about it. I'll talk about TTRPGs too, I guess. 

  

Succiently describing JoJo's is difficult. The series follows the descendant's of the Joestar family through a variety of times and places. Along the way they fight vampires, Aztec Gods, Patrick Bateman, that vampire's Catholic boyfriend, etc. You've probably seen memes about it. 

 But I'm really here to sell you on the "magic" system[1] of JoJo's: Stands. 

The Stand: Sticky Fingers 

What's a Stand?  They're basically superpowers in the form of a fashionably erotic ghost/spirit/guy. Each stand has a unique ability, but have some trends. High power stands are close ranged; long range stands are generally weaker. Automatic stands can have both high power and long range but cannot be directly controlled by the user. Sticky Fingers can put zippers on anything - jump through a wall, hide gold in a toilet, unzip your arm to extend your punching range, etc.[2] 

 Since every ability is zany, this makes Stand battles closer like combat puzzles than contests of strength. 

This means a lot of stand fights are a ton of bullshit that I absolutely love. 

Bruno, the user of Sticky Fingers, uses its zippers to hide in the roof of a train and then drops down to unzip the side of the train to hurl someone out. He gets dragged out too, and when the villain (who can hear heartbeats) tries to find him, Bruno's got to unzip his body into pieces to fake his death. I promise it plays much better than I'm describing.  

It's all nonsense.

Actually, it's nonsense stacked on nonsense. To a degree, it's kids one-uping each other on the playground. On the other, this is a continuation of one of the oldest games - a transformation chase, or wizard duel where each side attempts to outwit the other. Regardless, it rules. JJBA is great because nothing is a raw numbers check ("Oh, that's guy's stronger because he's lifts more at the gym). JJBA is like rock-paper-scissors on steroids where you can twist your paper into a gun after your opponent threw rock. 

 

But what does this have to do with TTRPGs, which this blog is ostensibly about? Surprise: it's toolbox design. Give your players wacky abilities. Don't give them static +1 bonuses. Adventuring success should not be determined by how big the players' numbers are. There is joy in optimizing for big numbers, but I personally find greater joy and better stories in using creative people use tools that let them be creative. 

 Rarely in JoJo's the solution is to punch the guy harder. If Star Platinum is in punching range, you have already lost. The interesting part comes in "how can I get close safely so I can punch this guy into oblivion?"

What I remember most are how my players opened a hole above a locked crypt with "Shape Stone," dropped a teleporting rug inside, teleported in, and looted the place. This is a rehash of the OSR principle "The answer is not on your character sheet."  

To ground this more clearly, here are some magic items / abilities inspired by JoJo's. Give them to your players during character creation so the hijinks can begin early. 

 

1. Crazy Diamond Hammer - a diamond headed hammer with a button on the bottom of its shaft. When the button is pressed, the last thing the hammer destroyed is repaired. 

2. Bouncing Bullets - when firing these rubber bullets, you can ricochet them off of up to two walls/ceilings/floors, etc. to aim around corners, in a blind spot, etc. 

3. Void Zone Zipper - A large zipper you can affix onto anything. Unzipping the zipper opens whatever you've attached it if it's less than 5 ft thick. Otherwise creates an inter dimensional space similar to Portable Hole. 

4. Sword of Silent Sound - You can store the sounds made with this sword in objects. You can unleash the sound to unleash the action (e.g. you can store a "chop!" sound, which when released produces a "chopping" effect). 

5. Tattoo Us - You and your buddies have matching tattoos. Anyone with a tattoo can switch places with another person with a matching tattoo. 

 6. Bastet's Blessing - You can turn object and people into magnets. The longer they are magnetic, the stronger they become. You must be able to see your target. 

7. Wrench of Nuts & Bolts - You can place nuts & bolts into object or person and unscrew them to dislocate that object into two parts (e.g. place a nut on someone's wrist and unscrew to dislocate their hand). Does not damage. 

8. Belt of Hustlin' Muscle -You can control your muscles like nobody else. They have extra grip, can catch things, and can shuffle around to minimize damage from blows. You can use your back muscles to climb up walls or hold onto them. 

---

I'm really excited for Steel Ball Run to air. It's my favorite part with cowboys, dinosaurs, balls, etc. Johnny, the best sidekick main character, is my favorite Joestar and he makes a particularly poignant political message at the finale that I think we can all agree with. 

 

 [1] After Hamon is ditched. 

[2] Yes, all the stands past Part 3 are named after musical references.  

Class: The Hound

The Hound

You were found on the battlefield, buried under the bleeding and broken bodies of your parents. The warrior who rescued you raised you in his hall, where you played with other foster children, who are filled with your same emptiness. Sticks shatter, cries resound, and you stand triumphant over the other children. Your seven pupils gleam as the warrior, your lord, congratulates you.

His platitudes fill that emptiness within.

You take to the sword quickly. You were born on the battlefield after all, your new life under your lord’s care. The wisemen whisper to you that your seven pupils are signs of otherworldly favor. They promise fame heaped upon your chariot, your name sung throughout the land. Your ego would get the better of you if you didn’t remember your lord’s kindness.  

And you do, guarding your lord in his hall, lapping at his feet. There is no greater love than a dog for his master, and you are his Hound. 

 

The first day you take to the battlefield, the gleam of heroism showers you. You curse another dozen boys with your fate.

Starting Skill: Sports, and 1) Chariots 2) Intimidation 3) Weapons 4) Otherworldly

A – Loyalty, Feats I

B – Feats II

C- Feats III, Heroism

D – Feats IV, The Mortal Spear

Loyalty: You have a master who you love without err. You cannot disobey their commands and must seek total revenge if they are slain.

Heroism: Your ego has swelled with your deeds. You can act out against your masters wishes in the pursuit of glory. Your nights are filled with nightmares.

The Mortal Spear: Slay a sea monster and fashion its bones into a spear with 7 points and 7 barbs. The Mortal Spear fills its targets veins with barbs, dealing an additional 2d6 damage and 1d6 each round. It can only be removed by hacking out the flesh that holds it.

Whenever you draw the Mortal Spear, you permanently lose 1d4 HP.

Feats: At each template, you gain a feat from the list below. You can take two feats if this is your first template. It’s a skill tree, so you must take a feat before you can take a sub-feat (e.g. you must take Salmon’s Leap before you can take Waterfall Leap).

1.        A. Salmon Leap. You can leap over men and their bristling spears, vaunting over barriers of shields with ease.

a.        Waterfall Leap. Like a fish climbing up a waterfall, you can jump atop high walls and the like. If you leap onto someone atop a wall, they are knocked down (STR to avoid).

2.        B. The Apple Feat. You can juggle up to nine apples. When you throw one at a foe, they are taken by surprise.

a.        The Blade Feat. You can juggle nine swords or spears and throw them in the same manner.

3.        C. The Feat of Clashing Spears. When a foe strikes you with a normal weapon, you can use a shield to deflect the blow, shattering both weapon & shield.

a.        The Shaving Strike. Instead of slaying a foe, you can shave them bald in one stroke, humiliating them.

b.       The Feat of Cutting Sod. Your sword arm can cleave through earth itself. A large boulder, but not a dungeon wall.

4.        D. Thunderclap. When making a ranged attack from a mount (horse, chariot, etc), your strike becomes devastating to armies. Your attack inflicts Blast damage (damage in an area, 20ft), like a boom of thunder. 

5.        E. Bruising Shout.  “Is it the sky that cracks […] or is it the loud cry of my son fighting against the odds?”[1] If you are not actively engaged in combat, you can make a battle cry. Foes and allies alike make Morale saves.

6.        F. Challenger’s Welcome. An alarm enchantment. Preform a physical deed and write a challenge boasting of it. Those who pass by must accomplish the same task, otherwise the enchantment alerts you of their passing.

7.        G. Mutant. Your body warps and spasms in a horrible way. Once per day, your strength score increases by 3 and weapon damage done to you is reduced by half.

a.        Ríastrad. When you warp, your hair stands on end. It bristles yellow with lightning. Whenever you strike, you deal 1d8 lightning damage to those around you.

                                                                                            i.   Hero & Monster. When you mutant, you cannot die. Leave a wall of corpses in your wake.  

Your lord fears you. He sees the destiny in your eyes. If you are not leashed, you will outstrip him entirely. Who will remember his name is the radiance of your fame? Better to keep you in his shadow. 

---

[1] from the "Táin Bó Cúailnge" translated by Mattheiu Boyd

 

Into the Oddish: Starter Pokemon Gen 4

 New moves are denoted with an asterisk. Dark & Steel types are introduced.

   

Turtwig

Type: Grass

Resist: Water, Electric, Ground, Grass

Vulnerabilities: Fire, Flying, Poison, Bug, Ice 

 

Start with:1d6 HP, Tackle, Withdraw, and:

    $1: Body Slam

    $2-3: Cut

    $4-5: Potion

    $6: X Defense

 

List of moves:

1-3: Absorb 

4-6: Curse*

7-9: Bite

10-13: Mega Drain

14-16: Leech Seed

17-19: Giga Drain*

20: Earthquake

 

Grotle

Type: Grass

Resist: Water, Electric, Ground, Grass

Vulnerabilities: Fire, Flying, Poison, Bug, Ice

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Grotle, you gain 2d4 HP, gain 1 armor, increase your Strength by 1d4, your Dexterity by 1, and your Willpower by 1 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

Torterra

Resist: Ground, Rock

Vulnerabilities: Fire, Flying, Bug, Ice (x2)

Immunity: Electric

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Torterra, you gain 2d6 HP, 1 Armor, increase your Strength by 1d6, your Dexterity by 1d4, and your Willpower by 1d4 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

 

Chimchar

Type: Fire

Resist: Fire, Grass, Bug

Vulnerabilities: Water, Ground, Rock

 

Start with:1d6 HP, Scratch, Leer, and:

    $1: Brick Break*

    $2-3: Strength

    $4-5 Potion

    $6: X Attack

 

List of moves:

1-3: Ember

4-6: Taunt*

7-9: Fury Swipes

10-13: Mach Punch*

14-16: Flame Wheel*

17-19: Fire Spin

20: Flare Blitz*

---

Monferno

Type: Fire, Fighting 

Resist: Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug (x2), Dark, Steel

Vulnerabilities: Water, Ground, Flying, Psychic

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Monferno, you gain 2d4 HP, increase your Strength by 1d4, your Dexterity by 1d4, and your Willpower by 1 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

Infernape

Type: Fire, Fighting 

Resist: Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug (x2), Dark, Steel

Vulnerabilities: Water, Ground, Flying, Psychic

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Infernape, you gain 2d6 HP, 1 Armor, increase your Strength by 1d6, your Dexterity by 1d8, and your Willpower by 1d4 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

 

Piplup

Type: Water

Resist:Fire, Water, Ice

Vulnerabilities: Electric, Grass

 

Start with:1d6 HP, Tackle, Growl, and:

    $1: Bide

    $2-3: Surf

    $4-5: Potion

    $6: X Defense

 

List of moves:

1-3: Bubble

4-6: Peck*

7-9: Bide

10-13: Metal Claw*

14-16: Whirlpool*

17-19: Drill Peck*

20: Hydro Pump

---

Prinplup

Type: Water

Resist:Fire, Water, Ice

Vulnerabilities: Electric, Grass

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Prinplup, you gain 2d4 HP, increase your Strength by 1d4, your Dexterity by 1, and your Willpower by 1d4 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

Empoleon

Type: Water, Steel

Resist: Normal, Water, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Steel (x2), Fairy

Vulnerabilities: Electric, Fighting, Ground

Immunity: Poison

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Empoleon, you gain 2d6 HP, 1 Armor, increase your Strength by 1d6, your Dexterity by 1d4, and your Willpower by 1d8 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

New Moves

 

·       Curse. (Ghost) If used by a non-Ghost pokemon, the User’s Armor increases by 1, their attacks are Enhanced, and they have disadvantage on DEX saves for the remainder of the encounter. If a Ghost pokemon uses this move, they lose half of their STR and inflict a Curse on a target. Each round, the target loses a quarter of their STR score, rounded up. [Usage: 1 x day]

·       Giga Drain. (Grass) The User deals 1d10 damage to the target and restores their own HP by half the damage inflicted. [Usage: 1 x day]

·       Brick Break. (Fighting) This move destroys any Light Screen or Reflect active. The user deals 1d8 damage to the target. [Usage: 2 x per encounter]

·       Taunt. (Dark) The target must only use damaging moves. At the end of each round, the target can make a WIL save to stop this effect. [Usage: 3 x per day]

·       Mach Punch. (Fighting) User moves first in this combat regardless of DEX save results. User deals 1d4 damage to the target. [Usage: 3 x per encounter]

·       Flame Wheel. (Fire) User deals 1d4 damage to the target. If rolling multiple damage dice and any match, the target suffers the Burn Status. [Usage: 2 x per encounter]

·       Flare Blitz. (Fire) User deals 1d12 damage to the target. If rolling multiple damage dice and any match, the target suffers the Burn Status. The user takes 1/3 of the inflicted damage, rounded up, as recoil. [Usage: 1 x per day]

·       Peck. (Flying). User deals 1d4 damage to the target. [Usage: Unlimited]

·       Metal Claw. (Steel) User deals 1d6 damage to the target. If rolling multiple damage dice and any match, the User’s attacks are Enhanced. [Usage: 3 x per encounter]

·       Whirlpool. (Water) User must spend its turn attacking the same target for the next 1d4 rounds (unless the target faints earlier). On each turn, the user deals 1d4 damage to the target, and the target is immobilized and does not act on those turns. [Usage: 1 x per encounter]

·       Drill Peck. (Flying) User deals 1d8 damage to the target. [Usage: 2 x per encounter].

 Post Script 

Lots of moves in this set! And by and large, these movesets are a lot better than the Gen 1 & Gen 2 starters. I've also cut some redundant moves like Pound, which is the same as Tackle. Shouldn't matter unless you put in Imprison for some sick reason.  

 

For now, this is where I'll stop. Gen 4 are the games I grew up with and where my knowledge of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon caps out. 

 

 

Into the Oddish: Starter Pokemon Gen 3

   New moves are denoted with an asterisk and detailed at the bottom. 

Treecko

Type: Grass

Resist: Water, Electric, Ground, Grass

Vulnerabilities: Fire, Flying, Poison, Bug, Ice

 

Start with:1d6 HP, Tackle, Leer, and:

    $1: Leech Seed

    $2-3: Cut

    $4-5 Potion

    $6: X Speed

 

List of moves:

1-3: Absorb

4-6: Quick Attack

7-9: Fury Cutter*

10-13: Screech

14-16: Mega Drain

17-19: Agility

20: Leaf Blade*

---

Grovyle

Type: Grass

Resist: Water, Electric, Ground, Grass

Vulnerabilities: Fire, Flying, Poison, Bug, Ice

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Grovyle, you gain 2d4 HP, increase your Strength by 1, your Dexterity by 1d4, and your Willpower by 1d4 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

Sceptile

Type: Grass

Resist: Water, Electric, Ground, Grass

Vulnerabilities: Fire, Flying, Poison, Bug, Ice

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Sceptile, you gain 2d6 HP, 1 Armor, increase your Strength by 1d4, your Dexterity by 1d8, and your Willpower by 1d6 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

Torchic

Type: Fire

Resist: Fire, Grass, Bug

Vulnerabilities: Water, Ground, Rock

 

Start with:1d6 HP, Scratch, Growl, and:

    $1: Double Team

    $2-3: Strength

    $4-5 Potion

    $6: X Attack

 

List of moves:

1-3: Ember

4-6: Peck

7-9: Sand Attack

10-13: Double Kick

14-16: Bulk Up*

17-19: Blaze Kick*

20: Sky Uppercut*

---

Combusken

Type: Fire, Fighting 

Resist: Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug (x2), Dark, Steel

Vulnerabilities: Water, Ground, Flying, Psychic

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Combusken, you gain 2d4 HP, increase your Strength by 1, your Dexterity by 1d4, and your Willpower by 1d4 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

Blaziken

Type: Fire, Fighting 

Resist: Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug (x2), Dark, Steel

Vulnerabilities: Water, Ground, Flying, Psychic

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Blaziken, you gain 2d6 HP, 1 Armor, increase your Strength by 1d4, your Dexterity by 1d6, and your Willpower by 1d8 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

 

Mudkip

Type: Water

Resist: Fire, Water, Ice

Vulnerabilities: Electric, Grass

 

Start with:1d6 HP, Tackle, Growl, and:

    $1: Dig

    $2-3: Surf

    $4-5 Potion

    $6: Awakening

 

List of moves:

1-3: Mud-Slap*

4-6: Water Gun

7-9: Bide

10-13: Mud Shot*

14-16: Take Down

17-19: Muddy Water*

20: Earthquake

---

Marshtomp

Type: Water, Ground

Resist: Fire, Poison, Rock, Steel

Vulnerabilities: Grass (x2)

Immunity: Electric

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Marshtomp, you gain 2d4 HP, 1 Armor, increase your Strength by 1d4, your Dexterity by 1, and your Willpower by 1 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

Swampert

Type: Water, Ground

Resist: Fire, Poison, Rock, Steel

Vulnerabilities: Grass (x2)

Immunity: Electric

 

Benefit: When you evolve to Swampert, you gain 2d6 HP, 1 Armor, increase your Strength by 1d6, your Dexterity by 1d4, and your Willpower by 1d4 (up to a maximum of 20 for each). 

---

New Moves

·      Fury Cutter. (Bug) User deals 1d4 damage to the target. Each time this move is used, the damage die increases in size (1d4  1d6  1d8). [Usage: 3 x per encounter]

·      Leaf Blade. (Grass) User deals 1d10 to the target. The attack is a critical hit if it rolls a 9 or 10. [Usage: 1 x per encounter]

·      Bulk Up. (Fighting) User’s Armor increases by 1 and their attacks are Enhanced for the remainder of the encounter. [Usage: 3 x per day]

·      Blaze Kick. (Fire) User deals 1d6 damage to the target. If rolling multiple damage dice and any match, the target suffers the Burn Status. Also, the attack is a critical hit if it rolls a 5 or a 6. [Usage: 2 x per encounter]

·      Sky Uppercut. (Fighting) User deals 1d8 damage to the target. This move can hit airborne targets such as those using Fly or Bounce. [Usage: 2 x per encounter]

·      Mudslap. (Ground) User deals 1d4 damage to the target and lowers the target’s Accuracy by one stage. [Usage: 1 x per encounter]

·      Mud Shot. (Ground) User deals 1d6 damage to the target. If rolling multiple damage dice and any match, target has disadvantage on DEX saves until they pass a DEX save. [Usage: 2 x per encounter]

·      Muddy Water. (Water) User rolls 1d20. On a 4 or higher, this moves deals 1d10 damage to the target(s) (Blast damage). If any damage dice match, the target(s) Accuracy is lowered by one stage. [Usage: 1 per day]

 

 Post Script (Same as Gen 2 P.S.)

As I mentioned in my review, there are a few "bugs" from Gen 1 such as Psychic types being immune to Ghost moves. I am treating these 'mons as if these bugs have been removed and the rules are in line with more modern Pokemon games. While it doesn't come up here, except Dark and Steel types in the future. 

 

As the Generations pass, starter movesets become much better.[1]

 

I also wrote this before Warren published his Conversion guide, though it applies more for enemy Pokemon. I tried to follow the logic of the original Into the Oddish starters. 

 

How do you adjudicate what Starter players get? You can easily sub these starters for the Gen 1 starters. Alternatively, have your players take this quiz from Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.[2]

 

 

[1] The Squirtle line learns Withdraw at level 31. Turtwig starts with this mediocre move.  

[2] Get a Pokemon from a later Gen? Come back here later!