A role-playing game to play while hiking in the mountains, strolling in a park, walking on the beach, sitting by a pool or lake, floating down a river on a raft, as a passenger in a car or space shuttle, waiting in a long line, etc.
Copyright 1995, 1997 by Steffan O'Sullivan
Sherpa is a trademark of Steffan O'Sullivan for his outdoor roleplaying game
This document may not be published without written permission of the author. Do not even post it elsewhere on the internet - instead, you should link to this file from your web page, if desired (http://www.panix.com/~sos/rpg/sherpa.html).
Sherpa may be copied and printed for personal use only.
This page last updated August 21, 1997
It's a glorious day, too nice to be inside. Gamers already scheduled to come over, though - what to do? Easy: play a game while hiking in a park or the country!
Sherpa is an easy game system designed to allow playing in "difficult" gaming situations. It is necessarily rules-light, and the Sherpa Guide (called GM for familiarity) is expected to use common sense throughout the game - no rules to fall back on, sorry. Those in need of advice on running a freeform game should read Fudge from Grey Ghost Games.
These rules may seem lengthy to be carrying around hiking, but you don't need to bring them; reading them beforehand should be sufficient. The core rules (found in the GM Aid Sheet) fit on the back of a business card, and you can leave the rest at home!
The name Sherpa is derived partly from the fact you can play it while hiking up mountains (tested in the White Mountains of New Hampshire), and partly from the first letters of the attributes, which, oddly enough, spell SHERPA.
1a. Equipment Needed
Each player should have a "character sheet" (see Character Creation), and the GM should have a digital
watch with a stopwatch feature. Also, each player and the GM need a
number of "luck tokens" - colored stones, poker chips, bingo chits,
tiddlywinks, what have you. The number will vary from zero to five,
depending on how cinematic the game setting is. These slip easily into
a pocket or belt pouch.
In the "diceless" version, each player needs perhaps ten tokens. This number may vary from GM to GM. You can leave the watch at home.
2. Attributes
In Sherpa there are six character attributes:
Strength (Str)In brief, the attributes are defined as:
Health (Hlth)
Experience (Exp)
Reasoning (Rsn)
Profession (Prof)
Agility (Agil)Note: the attributes are listed in the order above to spell the name of the game. As exciting as this is to the author, it is not the optimum order to consider them. All further discussion and sample characters will list the attributes as:
ProfessionThis order makes more sense, really: Profession first, to get a handle on what the character does, then mental attributes, and finally physical attributes, ending with Health so you can easily check how wounds affect you. Unfortunately, PERASH makes a lousy game name.
Experience
Reasoning
Agility
Strength
Health
To illustrate character creation, we'll create a fantasy character: Brogo the Halfling, a Scout. Each attribute starts at a base allowance of four:
Brogo the Halfling
Prof: Scout 4
Exp 4
Rsn 4
Agil 4
Str 4
Hlth 4
The GM allots a number of points to each player to improve the
attributes with. As a general guide, use:
0 to 5 points for a game with "average folk" PCs,Another way to allow for more powerful PCs is to permit powerful Gifts - see Supernormal Powers
6 to 10 points for Potential Heroes, and
11+ points for True Heroes.
Each player then distributes the GM-allotted points, raising or lowering attributes as they wish according to three simple rules:
Example: the GM has allotted the sample character, Brogo, 9 points to spend on character creation. The player wishes to raise Brogo's Agility from 4 to 6. There are four possible ways to do this:
- One other attribute is lowered from 4 to 2; or
- Two other attributes are each lowered from 4 to 3; or
- Two GM-allotted points are spent; or
- One attribute is lowered from 4 to 3 and one GM-allotted point is spent.
In Brogo's case, option (4) is chosen: Strength is lowered from 4 to 3 since Brogo's a Halfling and low Strength fits his character concept. So the player spends only one of his nine allotted points, and the character sheet now looks like:
Brogo the Halfling Prof: Scout 4 Exp 4 Rsn 4 Agil 6 Str 3 Hlth 4
Example: Brogo spends four of his remaining eight points to get
his Profession (Scout) at level 8. This is the only way to get it at
level 8.
Brogo the Halfling
Prof: Scout 8
Exp 4
Rsn 4
Agil 6
Str 3
Hlth 4
Brogo has four more points to spend. He raises Health to 7 with three of them, and Reasoning to 5 with the last point. Experience remains at level 4.Characters now need a GM-approved Gift - anything outside of the attributes which benefits the character. The ability to see well at night, a high-pain threshold, wealth, good looks, contacts in the police force, ambidexterity, lucky (e.g., "reroll" once per hour), etc., are all Gifts. You also might include one very specific skill as a Gift - see the sample character Jack Smith. See also Supernormal Powers, which are simply powerful Gifts.
Brogo the Halfling Prof: Scout 8 Exp 4 Rsn 5 Agil 6 Str 3 Hlth 7
Characters also need one or more GM-approved Faults - anything
that will limit their actions. Faults can be physical problems,
societal prejudices, psychological disturbances, attitudes, a
specific skill lower than an attribute would suggest, an enemy,
bad reputation, etc. Note that a fault is not necessarily the sign
of a flawed personality: a Vow of Poverty limits your actions,
but doesn't mean you're flawed.
3a. Sample Characters
Brogo is from a fantasy game (9 points: Potential Hero) and Marie is
from a setting similar to The Three Musketeers, but with
female Musketeers a possibility (14 points: True Hero).
Brogo the Halfling Marie de la Croix
Prof: Scout 8 Prof: Musketeer 7
Exp 4 Exp 5
Rsn 5 Rsn 4
Agil 6 Agil 7
Str 3 Str 7
Hlth 7 Hlth 8
Gift: Always knows Gift: Patron: Captain of
which way is north the Musketeers
Fault: Helps those in Fault: Code of Honor;
need for no pay very proud; a bit vain
A Profession should also include any equipment that an individual is likely to own, or have access to, if appropriate for the situation. For example, a Musketeer would have a rapier, dagger, pistol, musket, ammo, horse & tack, appropriate clothing, and a little wine money. But if he's caught in an adventure while out for a glass of wine after guard duty, he'll only have the rapier, dagger, whatever's left of his wine money, and the clothes he's wearing. Likewise, a Road Construction Worker doesn't automatically have a bulldozer - it may not be appropriate for the situation.
Players can design their own Professions, but the GM has the final say on what a Profession includes and doesn't include.
Some sample Professions and what they might cover are given in
Appendix B.
4a. Dual Professions
What do you do when all the PCs are the same Profession? How do
you differentiate them? Or what if you simply want characters who
are a little more clearly defined? In these cases, use dual
Professions. For example:
Athos Porthos
Prof: Musketeer 7 Prof: Musketeer 7
Nobleman Gigolo
Exp 8 Exp 5
Rsn 7 Rsn 4
Agil 6 Agil 7
Str 5 Str 8
Hlth 6 Hlth 8
Gift: Immune to feminine wiles Gift: Good looks
Fault: Shameful secret, moody, Fault: Boaster, womanizer,
immune to feminine charms overconfident
So Athos has all the skills, knowledge, and contacts apropos to a
nobleman at level 7, while Porthos is a smooth operator with women and
expert at wheedling money out of them.
Aramis D'Artagnan
Prof: Musketeer 7 Prof: Musketeer 6
Theologist Envoy
Exp 7 Exp 4
Rsn 8 Rsn 6
Agil 6 Agil 8
Str 6 Str 6
Hlth 5 Hlth 7
Gift: Important Church Contacts Gift: Fencing is at level 8
Fault: Poor liar about his Fault: Impulsive, stubborn
lechery, loves conspiracies very proud & chivalrous
Aramis has influential contacts in the Church and is good at
behind-the-scenes manipulation, while D'Artagnan excels at traveling
long, hard and well - knowledge of geography, diplomatic skills,
etc. Note: D'Artagnan's Gift is the only way to have a
combat skill higher than Profession.All have the usual Musketeer skills, also. In fact, they all have the basic Musketeer Gifts (Rank in the King's Service, Patron: Captain of the Musketeers, Status: Gentleman) and Faults (Gentleman's Code of Honor, Duty to the King, Sense of Duty to each other). No need to write these things down - but be sure they are understood by all.
The GM may charge double points for dual Professions, but shouldn't bother if all PCs have them. Or you could set each Profession's level independently of the other.
4b. Other Traits
Any other attribute or skill in the game will have to be derived
from one of the six attributes or Gift or Fault. If you want to
fit a character sheet on the back of a business card, you have to
simplify, honest ...
The same physical skill might be governed by Agility for one character, but by Profession for another. Most mental skills will fall under Experience or Profession, but some might come under Reasoning. The GM has the final say about which attribute governs which skills for which characters.
Note there are no Charisma or Willpower attributes: role-play them. Brogo's a charming little fellow with a strong will, but that will only come across in the way he's played. Likewise, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan are all much more charming than reading their Faults would leave you to believe!
Perception is based on Profession for things relating to Profession, but on Reasoning or Experience for other things - a case can sometimes be made for one and sometimes for the other. Of course, there are penalties to notice some things: an accounting error for non-accountants, for example, or a needle in the proverbial camel's eye or haystack or whatever it is. Stating that a character is on the lookout for something in particular gives a bonus to notice it - possibly even automatic success.
5. Supernormal Powers
Any player wishing magic, psi, or super powers, should define such
powers into a Gift. This may only be done with permission
of the GM. Sample supernormal Gifts might be: "Flying Superhero
with Super-speed," or "Earth and Air Witch." Some supernormal
Gifts have an associated attribute. Any attribute associated
with a supernormal Gift costs double points to raise above the base
level of 4. There is no other point cost associated with a
supernormal Gift.
The player and GM need to define a supernormal power as precisely as possible. How potent is it? How wide is the range of effects? How frequently may it be used? Are there any drawbacks to using it? And so on. Once those questions are answered (and they don't really have to be written down), mechanics for running the power may suggest themselves - or the GM may wish to translate rules for such powers from another game. Uses per day might equal Profession, Reasoning or Health, or the power might lower an attribute each time it is used. (A full night's sleep restores the attribute.) Modifiers for range, size of target, potency of effect, etc., may also apply.
Here are two sample characters with supernormal powers. Both are True Heroes: Katina is 16 points and Lt. Hall 20. *Attributes associated with supernormal Gifts are marked with an asterisk, and cost double points to raise above level four.
Katina, Elven Maid Lt. Vespasian Hall
*Prof: Nature Mage 8 Prof: Space navigator 7
Exp 7 Exp 6
Rsn 8 *Rsn 8
Agil 4 Agil 8
Str 4 Str 5
Hlth 5 Hlth 6
Gift: Can work Nature Magic Gift: Telepathy
Fault: Pacifist - must try Fault: Prejudiced against
diplomacy before fighting earth's alien allies
Example of psionic power definition and game mechanics: Lt. Hall's Telepathy skill is based on his Reasoning, which therefore costs double. He is at -1 for each 3 yards (meters) between himself and his target to establish contact. He is at -1 for each additional link if contacting multiple targets, and is at -2 or worse for non-humans. Each attempted use lowers his Health attribute by one, regained by sleep. Once mind-linked he can read surface thoughts, send mental messages, or cause distracting headaches. He can maintain a link over great distances if he concentrates on it. His spaceship has a hyperspace telepathy amplifier, allowing telepathy use over vast distances.See Appendix B for more sample supernormal Gifts.
6. Luck Points
The tokens mentioned in Equipment Needed
represent luck points. The GM should decide before the game begins
how many each player starts with. Use zero to two tokens for fairly
realistic games, three to five tokens for more cinematic games.
The GM may also award a player a token during a session for some particularly clever and entertaining action.
7. Action Resolution
The GM and players need to be very descriptive in their play. The more
thoroughly a situation or an action is described, the more smoothly the
game will proceed. Ideally, a player will describe a character's
actions so that there is no doubt of the outcome of the action, given
the situation at hand and the character's level in the relevant
attribute. In such a case, the only action resolution is for the GM to
announce the outcome of the action.
However, if the outcome is one the player isn't happy with - failure, or merely partial success, when the player had hoped for complete success - the player can attempt to influence the GM's decision. There are two ways to handle this, depending on the GM: randomized or "diceless." Some GMs may use both methods, others only one.
7a. Modifiers
Basically, the GM assigns a modifier to a task depending on the
situation and what the player has described the character as doing.
The following modifiers are recommended:
Very favorable situation: +3 or better
Advantageous situation: +2
Slight edge: +1
Average situation: 0
Uncomfortable situation: -1
Difficult situation: -2
Very unfavorable situation: -3 or worse
The player then adds the modifier to the relevant attribute (decided by
the GM), and the GM consults the randomizer, if necessary.
For an unopposed action, a modified attribute of 10 or higher is
automatic success - you don't need to consult the randomizer.
Likewise, a modified attribute of zero or less is automatic failure.
Example: Brogo needs to leap over a chair quickly to get to the magic wand before the evil mage can grab it. For a human, this might be a trivial task - no randomization would be necessary. But Brogo is a four-foot tall Halfling, and a human-sized chair is a significant obstacle when speed is critical. The GM rules that this action is governed by Agility in Brogo's case. The GM also rules that this is an uncomfortable situation for Brogo: he's at -1. Brogo's Agility level is 6, which is modified down to a 5 for this action.Before (but not after!) the randomizer is used, the player may spend luck tokens to increase the odds of success - even to certainty. Each luck token spent gives a +3 modifier.Another Example: The GM states Marie notices a vaguely familiar, sinister-looking man tailing her. Marie tries to remember where she saw him. The GM asks the player to be more specific about this attempt to remember - in which situations is Marie trying to place this man? The player, noting that Marie's Profession is better than her general Experience, hopes that she knows this man from some professional duty. She reviews events at the palace, the parade grounds, the favorite bar that off-duty musketeers patronize, etc. Marie's level in her Profession is 7. Secretly the GM assigns a modifier of +1 because Marie's on the right track: a modified level of 8. If she succeeds at this, she will remember having seen the man in the Cardinal's retinue at one point in time. If the attempt is a failure, however, the GM will simply say Marie can't remember where she saw him, and the player won't know about the +1 modifier ...
Example: the final modified level for Brogo to succeed at following a difficult trail is a 5. The player can spend zero luck tokens and let the randomizer decide it at 5, or spend one luck token and let the randomizer decide it at 8, or spend two luck tokens for a sure thing without having to check the randomizer. In this case, he doesn't want to spend a luck token yet - he's holding on to both of them in case of combat.A luck token may also be used to affect an action by an NPC against the PC, giving a -3 modifier to such an action. You might, for example, wish to give a -3 modifier to an enemy magician casting a spell at you ...
7b. Randomizer
The randomizer is the stopwatch mentioned in the Equipment Needed section. This should be one of those
digital types that measures in hundredths or tenths of a second. The GM
should let the stopwatch run the whole game. When a randomizer is
called for, the GM, without looking at the watch face, simply presses
the "lap" or stop button, and then consults the final digit -
hundredths of a second or tenths of a second, depending on the watch.
For an unopposed action, if the number is less than or equal
to the modified attribute level for the action, the action succeeds
- the greater the amount succeeded by, the better, if it matters.
Players familiar with ten-sided dice will recognize this as simply
an electronic version of such a die. A result of "0" on the
randomizer equals 10 - for an unopposed action, always a failure
if the stopwatch is used at all.
Example: Katina, the Elven mage, is trying to cause some plants to entwine magically around the ankles of a threatening brigand. The GM rules that there are some suitable plants, but that the brigand looks strong enough to require a lot of plants. This is a difficult situation: -2 modifier. Katina's Profession 8 is down to a 6 for this attempt. The GM stops the watch, reads the result of 3, and declares that many vines entangle the brigand just as he is about to leap forward with his sword. He finds himself unable to move, and stares stupidly at the vines as Katina begins a spell to turn his sword into a pumpkin vine ...
Example: Marie's fencing level is the same as her Profession, Musketeer: 7. She's facing Michelle, a Cardinal's Guard, whose fencing skill is 6. The player describes Marie's actions very well: a feint to bring Michelle to her left, then a series of vicious attacks calculated to push her back into a chair. Once Michelle has hit the chair, Marie will try to drive her point home.Ranged combat is more likely to be handled as an unopposed action, with a positive modifier for an easy target or negative modifier for a hard-to-hit target.The GM decides this plan is worth a +1, so Marie is at 8 this round, and Michelle still at 6. The GM stops the watch for Marie: a 4. Added to her 8, this is a score of 12 this round. The watch is then started, and a random amount of time later it is stopped again to read for Michelle: a 6. This round is a standoff - both fencers scored 12. So the fight continues, and on the next round Michelle manages to get away from the chair she was pushed up against ...
Marie's player could have spent a luck token before consulting the watch to give her a +3 that round, but felt Marie could beat Michelle without it.
Combat skill cannot be higher than Profession - see Attributes.
7d. Wounds
When a character takes a wound, the GM must assess how serious the
damage is, and compare any damage or stun points received
with the character's Health attribute. (Some weapons and situations
might call for stunning rather than wounding.) Considering how
much the attacker won the opposed action by, the deadliness of the
weapon, the Strength of the character delivering the blow, the
armor worn by the target, etc., the GM announces whether there is:
no effect,There is no way, in a simple game, to make this more objective. The only solid advice is:
a light wound (1 to 2 stun or damage points),
a moderate wound (3 to 4 stun or damage points),
a severe wound (5+ stun or damage points), or
instant death.
The fight is over if one combatant's total of [attribute + random number] is at least twice the other's.Wounds are cumulative: PCs fall unconscious when they take damage points greater than their Health. So a PC of Health 8, can take eight damage points and still be (barely) conscious, while a PC of Health 2 falls unconscious after three points of damage. (The GM may rule that seriously wounded characters are at a penalty in further actions.) Characters who take hits equal to twice their Health may die - make a check on the stopwatch vs. original Health: failure = death.
Characters heal in proportion to their Health level. That is, a given period of time heals 1/4 of the damage, or 1/2 the damage, etc. Thus a character of Health 8 with four damage points will heal as fast as a character of Health 4 with two damage points.
To denote wounds while hiking (where it's awkward to write things down), simply give the player a pebble for each damage point. Players can store pebbles in a pocket or pouch, and throw them away as they are healed.
A luck token may also be used to reduce the severity of a wound by three damage points. Unlike other uses of luck tokens, this may be done after the fact.
Since assigning a wound level is very subjective, the GM must be careful to be impartial - or even lean a little in the PCs' favor. Better to have happy players than realistically dead PCs.
Example of wound determination: Before the evil mage can reach his wand, Brogo manages to bound over the chair, grab the wand, and break it. Enraged, the mage lashes out with his staff at Brogo. This is an opposed action, and the GM rules it's against Brogo's Agility (combat isn't covered by a Scout's Profession). Brogo is in a very unfavorable position: no weapon in hand and focused on breaking the wand. Brogo's Agility is 6, modified down to 3 for this situation. The mage has Agility 5.The stopwatch gives a 5 for the mage: total of 10. A little later, the GM stops it for Brogo: a 6, for a total of 9. The mage wins, but just barely. Even so, the GM decides that Brogo's preoccupation with the wand, the leverage of the hardwood staff, and the human Strength (compared with Brogo's Halfling size) means that Brogo is hit moderately: 3 wound points. Since Brogo's Health is 7, he's still okay, but decides it's time to retreat quickly!
However, there will be some critical actions in which players will want more input. In those cases, figure a character's score of attribute + modifier, as above. If it's below ten, the player must turn in a number of tokens (at +3 each) equal to the difference in order for the action to succeed. Each player begins the game with ten tokens - or more, for a very cinematic game.
When out of tokens, the character is out of luck, and had best stick to safe actions, or settle for partial success. Of course, the best way to do this is to describe actions so well and cleverly that the GM never even asks for tokens to begin with.
8. Character Development
There are a number of ways to improve a character after a given playing
session. The GM can increase the number of luck tokens for the next
session as a means of character development. Rewarding
characters (not players!) with money, equipment, patrons,
reputation, status, etc., is another way to help them in future
sessions.
The GM can also occasionally award one point for the players to raise an attribute with. Although a beginning attribute level cannot be above 8, players may raise an attribute to a maximum of 9 through development. However, raising an attribute is a generous bonus in Sherpa, where the range is so small, and so should not be granted every session or even every other session. The GM may wish to charge double to raise Profession, and players may save a point for this purpose.
However, Sherpa is not really intended as a campaign gaming system. Instead of setting up a long-term campaign, try to complete a single adventure each outing - everyone will probably enjoy it more.
Appendix A: GM Aid to Bring Hiking
You may wish to copy some of this information onto the back of a
business card before leaving home.
Actions:
Unopposed: Attribute >= random number [low "roll" is better]
Opposed: Attribute + random number [high "roll" is better]
Modifiers:
Very favorable: +3 or better
Advantageous: +2
Slight edge: +1
Average: 0
Uncomfortable: -1
Difficult: -2
Very unfavorable: -3 or worse
One luck token spent: +/-3
Wounds:
Light: 1 to 2 damage or stun points
Moderate: 3 to 4 damage or stun points
Severe: 5+ damage or stun points
Praxilites (Mythic Greece) Father F. X. O'Donnell
Prof: Messenger/ 7 Prof: Modern Occult 8
Boxer Investigator
Exp 7 Exp 7
Rsn 5 Rsn 7
Agil 6 Agil 4
Str 4 Str 4
Hlth 5 Hlth 4
Gift: Can call for a favor from Gift: Erratic ability to detect
his patron Deity: Hermes psi use or a paranormal being
Fault: Enemy: Athena (he boasted Fault: Vow of Duty to his
he was wiser than she ...) superior (disagrees w/him)
Praxilites' Gift can only work after he's tried to help himself
first - don't frivolously ask the gods for favors! Success for major
request = 1; moderate request <= 2; minor request <= 3. No
attribute costs double as it is rarely successful.Father O'Donnell's power may be attempted once per hour, real time. Ability is equal to [random number -1]. Then randomize again, to test against it. No attribute costs double for this as it is so unreliable.
The following two characters are five points each: An "average" human
wandering Jack-of-all-trades - the genre could be
fantasy, historical, modern or even SF; and an average bunny, from a
Bunnies & Burrows (or Watership Down)
setting. (*Prof means it costs double to raise Profession because of
her supernormal Gift.)
Jack Smith Sagebrush
Prof: Jack of 5 *Prof: Seer Rabbit 6
All Trades
Exp 6 Exp 5
Rsn 5 Rsn 6
Agil 4 Agil 3
Str 4 Str 3
Hlth 5 Hlth 4
Gift: Plays the fiddle Gift: ESP: precog visions,
at level 8 psychometry, seeker sense
Fault: Unlucky with money, Fault: Very nervous: check
it always seems to Health before any combat:
melt away ... on failure, she faints!
1. Introduction
. . . 1a. Equipment Needed
2. Attributes
3. Character Creation
. . . 3a. Sample Characters
4. Professions
. . . 4a. Dual Professions
. . . 4b. Other Traits
5. Supernormal Powers
6. Luck Points
7. Action Resolution
. . . 7a. Modifiers
. . . 7b. Randomizer
. . . 7c. Combat
. . . 7d. Wounds
. . . 7e. Diceless
8. Character Development
Appendix A: GM Aid to Bring Hiking
Appendix B: Sample Professions, Supernormal Gifts, & Characters
Index (separate file)