TOWER OF DEVILTRY

You walk the remaining stretch after your horse falls to THE ACCURSED d12 WEAPON DAM/TYPE RNG HFT HND
the Poison Moors. Weary and aching, you find renewed The player will roll at random to create a character. 0. Unarmed d4+BUL-2/S 0 - -
vigor as you clear the serpentine pines of the Sullen The accursed starts with 0 experience points (EXP). 1. Axe d10+BUL/C 1 3 1
Forest. The Tower of Deviltry now looms before you. In 2. Dagger d4+BUL/P 0 1 1
ATTRIBUTES
the night sky above the dread constellation burns bright, 3. Flail d8+BUL/S 2 3 1
Roll for attribute scores in order (BUL, VIT, PRE, APT).
a shape familiar to the curse-mark borne upon your 4. Great Axe d12+BUL/C 1 4 2
Add them together for HP. Add BUL + VIT for SPD.
skin. The gates creak open. Your crucible is at hand. 5. Mace d6+BUL/S 1 2 1
d20 SCORE
6. Maul d10+BUL/S 1 4 2
In TOWER OF DEVILTRY the player will take the role 1-5 1
7. Polearm d8+BUL/C, P, S 2 3 2
of an accursed noble fated to fight their way through 6-13 2
8. Spear d6+BUL/P 2 2 1
a gauntlet of curse-bound knights. Ascend the tower, 14-17 3
9. Sword d8+BUL/C, P 1 2 1
defeat the guardians, and break your curse. 18-19 4
10. Warhammer d8+BUL/S 1 3 1
20 5
WHAT IS NEEDED TO PLAY 11. Whip d4/C 3 1 1
BULK (BUL) Size and physical strength
· Polyhedral dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. 12. Zweihander d10+BUL/C, P 1 3 2
VITALITY (VIT) Physical agility and stamina
· Pencils and scratch paper.
PRESENCE (PRE) Force of personality d4 OTHER EFFECTS
MAKING TESTS APTITUDE (APT) Learning and problem-solving 1. Full Helm Crit Protection 2, Alertness -2
Characters roll their CRUX die and add attribute HEALTH POINTS (HP) Tracking damage 2. Helmet Crit Protection 1, Alertness -1
scores (+ skill scores when applicable) as modifiers. SPEED (SPD) Movement distance 3. Elixir Single use (1 action), heals d20 HP
The result is compared against a test made by anoth- 4. Shield +1 to defense tests, HFT 2, HND 1
SKILLS
er character or against a static difficulty value (DV).
Roll a d6 five times; +1 score to each skill rolled EXPERIENCE
ADVANTAGE 1. ALERTNESS (PRE) Initiative rolls The accursed gains 1 EXP for each guardian they
If a character has advantage, increase their die by 2. ATHLETICS (VIT) Feats of athleticism, dodging defeat. Advancements may be used to raise a skill
one step (a d6 becomes a d8, et cetera, max d20). 3. FIGHTING (VIT) Close combat attacks by +1 (max 5) or to select a new skill trait.
Multiple instances stack. 4. MEDICINE (APT) Healing 0 CRUX die d4 22 Advancement
5. STRENGTH (BUL) Wield heavier weapons 2 Advancement 26 Advancement
DISTANCE
6. WILLPOWER (PRE) Mental fortitude 4 CRUX die d6 30 Advancement
Each unit of distance is an “increment,” and is roughly
5 Advancement 34 Advancement
1.5 m or 5’ in the game world. These are denoted by SKILL TRAITS
8 Advancement 39 Advancement
square grid cells. Every other diagonal cell counts as Roll a d12 twice for skill traits. Re-roll any duplicates.
11 Advancement 44 Advancement
two for range/movement costs. Attacks with a range 1. BASH You may move the enemy away 1 cell if
14 Advancement 45 CRUX die d10
of 0 may not be made diagonally. Each character rolling Smash damage higher than their BUL.
18 Advancement 50 Advancement
occupies a single increment/grid cell. 2. DUAL-WIELD Free attack each turn while
20 CRUX die d8 every 10 EXP
equipped with a weapon in each hand.
INITIATIVE
3. FERAL STRIKE Free unarmed attack each turn. TOWER LEVELS
When enemies are encountered, each character
4. HIDDEN STRENGTH +1 to a single attribute. The tower starts at level 1. Each level is a 6x6 grid
makes a PRE + Alertness test. Record the values from
5. JADE RES can’t reduce your damage below 1. map. Use the map generator for each new level.
highest to lowest. If tied, roll off and place the loser
6. LEAD If dodging an adjacent attacker by 5+,
one step lower. Characters take their turns in this GUARDIANS
you may move them to a cell adjacent to you.
order, then a new round begins using the same order. Each level is guarded by an enemy knight who must
7. LIMBER DEFENSE Free brace once per turn if
be defeated before the accursed may ascend the
ACTIONS you use at least one action to move.
stairs. The GM will create a random accursed with EXP
Each character can use 2 actions during their turn. 8. OPPORTUNIST Advantage to opposed CRUX-
equal to the level and control them. Guardian ad-
They may perform two different types of actions or die tests if initiative beats enemy’s by 5+.
vancements should be determined at random as well:
use the same type of action twice in a row. 9. RESILIENT Add BUL again when calculating HP.
d6: 1-3 random skill, 4-5 random skill trait, 6 extra
10. RIPOSTE Free attack when you block by 5+.
· ATTACK (ACTION) Curse Boon (see below). The accursed will exit the
11. WALLOP Add HFT to damage if attack is aimed.
A character may use an action to attack, choosing a stairs at one corner of the room and the guardian will
12. WARDANCER Move a single increment either
target within range and testing VIT + Fighting. start at the opposing corner. Roll for initiative and
before or after making an attack.
battle it out. The stairs up will be obscured by dark
An attacker gains advantage when:
EQUIPMENT magic until the guardian is defeated. Once defeated,
· they are on elevation and their enemy is not.
The accursed will begin with three equipment rolls. the accursed may loot the guardian’s equipment
· they attack in succession, stacking advantage with
They may choose any table for each roll and may (included Enchanted items). After rolling guardian stats
each attack after the first in the same turn.
carry up to BUL + Strength + 2 unequipped items in and equipment, roll a d8 below for Curse Boons:
Defense: The target tests VIT + Athletics to dodge. If their inventory. Some additional considerations:
1. Bonus equipment roll
they meet or exceed the attack, they avoid it. A char-
Crit Protection increases the differential needed to 2. Increase HP by a CRUX die roll
acter may use the Fighting skill to defend against a
score a critical hit. 3. +2 Strength score, raises score limit (normally 5)
melee attack (instead of Athletics) unless the attacker’s
· Only one helm may be worn. 4. Enchanted item (choose at random), grants +1
Strength modifier or weapon Heft exceeds their own.
· Equipped helms may be swapped for 1 action. bonus to use (attack, damage, RES, et cetera)
A defender gains advantage when: Damage (DAM) is how much HP is lost per strike. 5. DREAD WHISPERS Spend 1 HP at end of your
· they have cover from a pillar (or similar terrain). · Damage types (Cut, Pierce, or Smash) may affect turn to make opposed Willpower test with adja-
· attacked with a range 2+ weapon while adjacent. armor RES or other effects. Multiple types allow you cent enemy, moving them 1 increment if you win.
to choose one when attacking. 6. PROFANE REMEDY Spend 2 actions and make
Damage: If an attack hits, test for damage based on
Heft (HFT) is the minimum BUL (+ Strength) needed to a Medicine test to heal lost HP up to the result.
the weapon. The defender subtracts the value from
wield the weapon. 7. SHADOW STEP Spend 1 action/HP to move and
HP. Take one less action per turn if at 0 HP. A charac-
Hands (HND) is hands needed to wield a weapon. make an attack. You may move through a single
ter is defeated if brought below 0 HP. If an attack
· Wielding a one-handed weapon in two hands grants enemy. If you do, gain advantage to the attack.
beats defense by 5 or more it is a critical hit and the
a +1 bonus to effective Strength score. 8. Roll twice more and combine (only 2-4 will stack)
damage test result is doubled.
· Hand items may be swapped freely at the start of
THE CURSE
· MOVE (ACTION) your turn, or as 1 action during it.
The accursed will begin with a Curse value of 0. After
A character may use an action to move, traveling an Range (RNG) is distance for attacking. RNG 0 re-
defeating a guardian, the accursed may rest before
increment per point of SPD. They may rush once per quires an adjacent cell (like RNG 1), but may not
ascending to the next level, testing Medicine and
turn, adding +d4 SPD. If two actions are used to attack diagonally.
healing lost HP by the result. They must then test Will-
move, a free melee attack may be made at the end Resistance (RES) reduces damage from attacks.
power against a d20 DV. On failure, increase curse
as a charge. You can’t move through enemies. Diago- · Only one suit of armor may be worn.
value by the differential. The accursed may also
nal moves between two cells with special properties · Armor may only be swapped during rest.
choose to increase Curse by d6 to re-roll any test
will trigger those effects.
d4 ARMOR RES/PENALTIES made during combat. If Curse ever reaches 100, they
· AIM/BRACE (ACTION) 1. Leather 2 (Smash +2) will perish, becoming the new guardian of that level
A character may spend an action to aim or brace. 2. Mail 4 (Cut +2, Smash -2)/Athletics/SPD -1 forevermore. Only the player uses Curse rules.
Aiming grants advantage to the next attack made. 3. Piecemeal d4/Athletics -1
VICTORY
Bracing grants advantage to defense tests. Multiple 4. Plate 5 (Cut & Pierce +2)/Athletics/SPD -2
If the accursed ascends to the 51st level they may ring
uses stack, but will be lost at the end of the next turn
the sacred bell atop the tower to break the curse.
or after a non-aim or brace action is used.

Version 1.1 Tower of Deviltry © Ill Gotten Games, 2025 by Dutchmogul CRUX: Universal Roleplaying © Ill Gotten Games, 2020