Axe / Not Axe is a role-playing game about Dwarves. They'll do Dwarf stuff, like hoarding treasures, looting dungeons, fighting a lot of ennemies of various types and sizes, drink beers, sing songs (loudly).
Each Player Character (PC) is a Dwarf. Give him (or her) a Dwarf name, and eventually a surname (Red beard, Black teeth, etc). Try to build a background around this character (family, origin, occupation, motivations, etc).
Dwarves have only one stat: Axe. It is used to hit something / someone
with your Axe.
Assign a score to your stat. The maximum score is +2. The minimum score is -2.
Bear in mind that for any other Move, you'll have to substract your
Axe score instead of adding it.
- No Armor = AC 0
- Leather Armor = AC 1
- Chain Mail = AC 2
- Plate Armor = AC 3
For every Move that implies rapid movement (fighting, running, jumping,
tumbling), and if your character is wearing this armor, substract the AC from
the roll. It applies to both Axe and Not Axe Moves.
Every time an ennemy hits you, substract your AC from the Hits taken.
You can have a shield during the battle. Carrying it gives you +1 to AC. But you have a -1 malus to any of your attacks.
At the beginning of the game, your Hit Points score is 10+Axe. It'll never
be above this level. That's the maximum number of hits you can receive before
dying.
See the Extra moves section when you need to heal.
Your Axe inflicts d10 damage. Eventually add damages if fighting your Nemesis or if your Axe is providing a bonus.
If you try to hit with another weapon, and you succeed, you will inflict less damages:
- Bare hands: d4,
- Dagger, Knife, Short sword, Bow: d6,
- Long sword, Hammer, Spear, Crossbow: d8,
Chose your Nemesis: a specific type of ennemy that you're more motivated to destroy.
Pick one type of ennemy you'll get a +1 bonus with for any action when you
oppose to this type of ennemy. It can be during a Fight with Axe Moves, but
it could be a Not Axe Move, as long as it goes against the designated
Nemesis.
Pick another you'll get a +1 Damage bonus.
These advantages can be cumulative.
Here are a few suggestions: Elves, Trolls, Orcs, Goblins, Elves, Kobolds, Dragons, Elves, Werewolves, Skeletons, Humans, Halflings... or Elves?
Your Axe is your life, you can't even think living without it. It is special. Pick two:
- Sharp: +1 damages,
- Light: Gives +1 to your
AxeorNot Axemove that imply AC malus, - Famous: Gives +1 bonus when trying to influence other Dwarves who know you're holding it,
- Slayer: +2 damages when hitting your Nemesis,
- Enchanted: Glows when your Nemesis is approaching,
- Flying: Once per fight scene, you can perform a double attack on two ennemies simultaneously,
For every move, you roll two six-sided dice (2d6)
You roll+Axe. on 6-: you miss and the GM picks two, on 7-9: you hit, but you
pick one, on 10+: you inflict appropriate damages.
- You take damages,
- You lose your advantage, you cannot attack next turn,
- Your next attack is more difficult: apply a -2 malus,
- Your next attack will be less effective, apply a -4 malus to next damages,
- You're on the defensive side: apply a -2 malus to your next attack, but a -3 damage if you're hit
You roll-Axe. on 6-: You fail, the GM tells what's happening, on 7-9: you
succeed, but there's a cost, on 10+: you succeed and you tell what's happening.
I already see some naughty players trying to: set a negative "Axe" score, and perform every other move (combat or off-combat) with a positive score. Including fighting with a weapon that is not your Axe.
Tsk. You can't cheat with this. Dwarves don't cheat.
Here's the This Is Not Your Main Weapon Rule:
EVERY TIME SOME CHARACTER IS TRYING TO HIT SOMETHING WITH A WEAPON THAT IS NOT HIS/HER MAIN WEAPON, HE/SHE SUFFERS A NEGATIVE SCORE.
That is to say that if your Axe score is +2, you'll have a -2 malus. And if you've set a -2 Axe score, you'll still have a -2 malus.
The "only" way out is to set a +0 Axe score. But you'll not get a big
advantage. You'll still be at +0/-0 for all of your Moves. Your choice.
After the adventure, when you have time, you can try to heal from your wounds.
To regenerate, Dwarves drink beer(s). Each time you drink a beer, you roll 2d6. If it's equal or above your current HP, you gain 1 HP. If it's below, you pick one of the following:
- You gain one more HP, but right after it, you fall drunk dead. Everybody laughs at you, you're shameful.
- You fail to gain one HP, you can still try one more time, but if you fail again, you fall drunk dead, without your extra HP.
Otherwise, you could longer to regain your HPs, at the rate of 1HP/week.
Note: please mind that this game is compatible with the monsters / ennemies in Dungeon World and hacks, just because Hit Points and Damage dice match with it.
Some players may want to use another main weapon. It might be a Mace, a Spear, or a Hammer, for example. Even if it might look like blasphemy from the Orthodox point of view, it could be allowed by the GM.
Simply replace the word "Axe" with your weapon of choice. But remember: the Holy Hit Someone Or Something With A Weapon That Is Not Your Main Weapon Rule will still be valid. Every character can only have one main weapon, and every other weapon will have a negative score applied.
- Lasers & Feelings, by John Harper (just one score, if you're good at something, you're bad for the opposite),
- "I hit it with my axe", by Brian Engard, included in the Rough cuts collection. Just Axe and Not Axe as scores. But the game mechanics didn't fit my needs, to I've tried to build around the concept of having Dwarf-only RPG.
- Dungeon world
To the extent possible under law, Bruno Bord (that's me) has dedicated all
copyright and related and neighboring rights to this game, Axe / Not Axe to
the public domain worldwide.
For more information, browse the Public Domain pages on the Creative Commons site.