1e

Lisence
1e © 2023 by Mitchell Daily is
licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0
International License.

All pieces of art in this

document are public domain
images from pixabay.com.
Forward
I found it! The first ever fantasy
roleplaying game, 1e! It was
lying at the bottom of a locked
chest in the dusty basement of a
house that was abandoned in
the 70s. I have edited it, slapped
on some public domain art, and
re-packaged it for your pleasure
so you can easily play it with
your friends. I definitely did not
just write my own thing
inspired by games like 6e by
Batts, 5E: The Roleplaying Game
by Lyme, or A Dragon Game or
a d u n g e o n g a m e by Chris
Bissette. Nope. This is totally
real treasure from roleplaying’s
past. Check out the original
document on the next page.
Introduction
Welcome to 1e, the first fantasy roleplaying game.
Inside these pages and your imagination (mostly
your imagination) is a vast world full of
adventure, magic, horror, romance, swordplay,
When doing something against something else
(like attacking them), subtract their level from
yours and add that to your roll. If they are doing
something to you, they do the same. So if you’re
level 1 and trying to stab a level 4 bear, you
Bad Guys and Monsters
Goblin level 0, weak to everything
Zombie level 0, weak to everything
1e
Skeleton level 0, weak to everything but stabbing
and slashing
and shenanigans. Just pick up this book, read ALL subtract 3 from your rolls against it, and it adds 3
to its rolls against you. Bandit level 1, weak to everything
the rules, argue with your friends over
interpretation, and have fun! When order matters, higher levels go first. Giant Spider level 1, weak to everything
Playing the Game Character Creation Wolf level 2, weak to everything
Get 2-5 people together. I know this might seem Your character starts at level 0. Give them a name. Bandit Leader level 3, weak to everything
daunting, but trust me, there are definitely people Come up with their day job, like farmer or pooper Chupacabra level 3, weak to everything
out there who will be into this. scooper or orphan or something. They can’t do Ghoul level 4, weak to religion, slashing, and fire
One of you will control the world, monsters, anything special. They don’t have any weapons. Bear level 4, weak to everything
shopkeepers, weather, and stuff like that. If that all Send them on an adventure for them to “find
Troll level 5, weak to fire
sounds stressful, it is. Get ready to WORK and take themselves” if you want, or just level them up
right away and start at level 1. Ghost level 5, weak to religion and magic
this all VERY SERIOUSLY. We call you the Game
Mommy (GM). If you’re really uncomfortable At level 1 you’ll pick a schtick: Soldier, Thief, Witch level 5, weak to everything, knows 5 magic
being referred to as a Mommy, you can instead be Wizard, or Saint. words
a Game Daddy, but we’ll still shorten it to GM. Soldier You get a sword AND a mace. Both these Ogre level 6, weak to everything
The rest of you we call players, because while the things can kill things. You can attack twice a turn. Golem level 6, weak to acid and smashing
GM has to WORK, you get to play! You will create You get another attack every 5th level. Get killing! DRAGON! No wait, just a Drake level 7, weak to
just one character who you will describe, voice, Thief You get a dagger and lockpicks. The dagger stabbing, slashing, and acid
and control. We call this character an Adventurer is kind of small, so will only definitely kill Gryphon level 8, weak to everything
(or PC for no discernible reason). They will have something if you roll a 20. Otherwise, you have to Vampire level 9, weak to fire, sunlight, religion,
some stuff they’re good at and level up sometimes stab it at least a number of times equal to its level garlic, running water, and wooden stakes; might
when you play. (hmmm… maybe there’s an idea here for a future turn you into a vampire
Anytime you want to do something that has an game). Your thing is pickpocketing, sneaking, and
Demon level 10, weak to religion and ice
interesting chance of success or failure, roll a picking locks. If someone else tries to do your
twenty-sided die (you can find them… somewhere thing without you, yell at them. Giant level 11, weak to big attacks and being
surely) and add your level. When bad guys and brought low
Wizard You get a spellbook. This spellbook has
randos do this, the GM rolls. The GM will hem and one magic word in it. It can be anything except Werewolf level 12, weak to silver and wolfsbane,
haw about how high the roll needs to be to “heal” or “holy” or “god” or “bless” or “revive” might turn you into a werewolf
succeed, pretending to know a bunch of rules the because those are someone else’s thing. You have Akhlut level 13, weak to lots of fire
rest of you could never figure out. If the GM to look at your spellbook to remember it. You get a Wendigo level 14, weak to its legs getting cut off
decides the roll is high enough, you succeed. new magic word each level. Lich level 15, weak to religion, summons undead
If you roll a 1 on the die, you definitely fail and Saint Your god lets you heal your friends. Oh wait, things
should feel bad about yourself, you loser. everything just kills you and your friends… um… Hyrdra level 16, weak to body blows
If you roll a 20 on the die, you definitely succeed you can reverse death on someone, getting them
Lusca level 17, weak to slashing and electricity
and should feel like you get to do whatever you back on their feet, once a day per level. And you
want for a little bit, both in and outside of the can blast evil things (like zombies, demons, Feyking level 18, weak to iron and fire
game. Hump the air, punch a salmon, spit in the vampires, and witches) with holy magic. And bless Big Bad Robot level 19, weak to electricity and
GM’s drink, whatever. You earned it. your friends so they can be one level higher for a water
If you’re trying to kill something or something is single roll. And take a mace that can kill stuff DRAGON! level 20, weak to stabbing in its weak
trying to kill you, the roll needs to be at least a 15. because why not. spot and getting sliced open from the inside
If you succeed and your attack exploits the Leveling Up GM Advice
enemy’s weakness, you kill it. If it doesn’t, you The GM tells players to increase their levels after Maybe start with a story about a card-playing Troll
don’t. Anything can kill you if it manages to hit they do something important. under a bridge.
you.
Introduction
Welcome to 1e, the first fantasy
roleplaying game. Inside these
pages and your imagination
(mostly your imagination) is a
vast world full of adventure,
magic, romance, swordplay,
horror, and shenanigans. Just
pick up this book, read ALL the
rules, argue with your friends
over interpretation, and have
fun!
 The rest of you we call players,
Playing the Game because while the GM has to
WORK, you get to play! You will
Get 2-5 people together. I know create just one character who
this might seem daunting, but you will describe, voice, and
trust me, there are definitely control. We call this character
people out there who will be an Adventurer (or PC for no
into this. discernible reason). They will
have some stuff they’re good at
One of you will control the and level up sometimes when
world, monsters, shopkeepers, you play.
weather, and stuff like that. If
that all sounds stressful, it is.
Get ready to WORK and take
this all VERY SERIOUSLY. We
call you the Game Mommy
(GM). If you’re really un-
comfortable being referred to
as a Mommy, you can instead be
a Game Daddy, but we’ll still
shorten it to GM.
Anytime you want to do some- and outside of the game. Hump
thing that has an interesting the air, punch a salmon, spit in
chance of success or failure, roll the GM’s drink, whatever. You
a twenty-sided die (you can find earned it.*
them… somewhere surely) and
add your level. When bad guys *Editor’s Note: Don’t spit in
and randos do this, the GM anyone’s drink. When playing
rolls. The GM will hem and haw in the modern era, be kind to
about how high the roll needs each other, honor consent, and
to be to succeed, pretending to generally treat everyone with
know a bunch of rules the rest dignity and respect. The TTRPG
of you could never figure out. If Safety Toolkit is a resource co-
the GM decides the roll is high curated by Kienna Shaw and
enough, you succeed. Lauren Bryant-Monk. The
TTRPG Safety Toolkit is a
If you roll a 1 on the die, you compilation of safety tools that
definitely fail and should feel have been designed by mem-
bad about yourself, you loser. bers of the tabletop roleplaying
If you roll a 20 on the die, you games community for use by
definitely succeed and should players and GMs at the table.
feel like you get to do whatever Yo u c a n f i n d i t a t b i t . l y /
you want for a little bit, both in ttrpgsafetytoolkit.
If you’re trying to kill some-
thing or something is trying to
kill you, the roll needs to be at
least a 15. If you succeed and
your attack exploits the enemy’s
weakness, you kill it. If it
doesn’t, you don’t. Anything can
kill you if it manages to hit you.

When doing something against

something else (like attacking
them), subtract their level from
yours and add that to your roll.
If they are doing something to
you, they do the same. So if
you’re level 1 and trying to stab
a level 4 bear, you subtract 3
from your rolls against it, and it
adds 3 to its rolls against you.

When order matters, higher

levels go first.
Character Creation
Soldier
Your character starts at level 0. You get a sword AND a mace.
Give them a name. Come up Both these things can kill
with their day job, like farmer things. You can attack twice a
or pooper scooper or orphan or turn. You get another attack
something. They can’t do every 5th level. Get killing!
anything special. They don’t
have any weapons. Send them Thief
on an adventure for them to You get a dagger and lockpicks.
“find themselves” if you want, The dagger is kind of small, so it
or just level them up right away will only definitely kill some-
and start at level 1. thing if you roll a 20. Otherwise,
you have to stab it at least a
At level 1 you’ll pick a schtick: number of times equal to its
Soldier, Thief, Wizard, or Saint. level (hmmm… maybe there’s
an idea here for a future game).
Your thing is pick-pocketing,
sneaking, and picking locks. If
someone else tries to do your
thing without you, yell at them.
Wizard Saint
You get a spellbook. This Your god lets you heal your
spellbook has one magic word friends. Oh wait, everything just
in it. It can be anything except kills you and your friends…
“heal” or “holy” or “god” or um… you can reverse death on
“bless” or “revive” because someone, getting them back on
those are someone else’s thing. their feet, once a day per level.
You have to look at your spell- And you can blast evil things
book to remember it. You get a (like zombies, demons,
new magic word each level. vampires, and witches) with
holy magic. And bless your
friends so they can be one level
higher for a single roll. And
take a mace that can kill stuff
because why not.

Leveling Up
The GM tells players to increase
their levels after they do some-
thing important.
Bad Guys and Monsters
Goblin Ghoul
level 0, weak to everything level 4, weak to religion,
Zombie slashing, and fire
level 0, weak to everything Bear
Skeleton level 4, weak to everything
level 0, weak to everything but Troll
stabbing and slashing level 5, weak to fire
Bandit Ghost
level 1, weak to everything level 5, weak to religion
Giant Spider and magic
level 1, weak to everything Witch
Wolf level 5, weak to everything,
level 2, weak to everything knows 5 magic words
Bandit Leader Ogre
level 3, weak to everything level 6, weak to everything
Chupacabra Golem
level 3, weak to everything level 6, weak to acid
and smashing
DRAGON! No wait, just a Akhlut
Drake level 13, weak to lots of fire
level 7, weak to stabbing, Wendigo
slashing, and acid level 14, weak to its legs getting
Gryphon cut off
level 8, weak to everything Lich
Vampire level 15, weak to religion;
level 9, weak to fire, sunlight, summons undead things
religion, garlic, running Hydra
water, and wooden level 16, weak to body blows
stakes; might turn you
into a vampire
Demon
level 10, weak to religion
and ice
Giant
level 11, weak to big attacks and
being brought low
Werewolf
level 12, weak to silver and
wolfsbane; might turn
you into a werewolf
Lusca
level 17, weak to slashing
and electricity
Feyking
level 18, weak to iron
and fire
Big Bad Robot
level 19, weak to electricity
and water
DRAGON!
level 20, weak to stabbing in its
weak spot and getting
sliced open from the
inside
GM Advice
Maybe start with a story about
a card-playing Troll under a
bridge.