Attempts at programming: javascript basic Productivity Enterprises my main rpg page The Legendary full rules Monster List Enter Thang
If you are a player in ChatThang it is important to note that these are rules for a tabletop version. In this version there is more preparation but less calculation. The difference is intended to make the game more playable in each environment.
THE RULES
The basic factor by which all tasks and abilities are measured is called RISK rating.
When monsters attack they are assigned a danger rating, and a RISK number. Usually they will use special rules and many times specific terrain problems will be listed on an adventure page.
STARTING THANGIES
Your Thangie starts adventuring with 3 points to distribute among the 4 abilities as the player chooses. Also, each thangie gets +1 RISK whenever using one specific weapon type.

Each starting thangie is given 5 gold coins, (50 silver).

ROLL SYSTEMS

If there is a person or monster trying to stop the task, use the challenge system.
Otherwise, use the test system.

THE TEST SYSTEM

Roll a six sided die and add your thangie's RISK rating. Subtract the RISK rating of the action being attempted. Positive numbers indicate how easily your thangie accomplished the task. Negative results indicate how disastrously the thangie failed. A zero indicates success but with negative side effects.
Specific results will be given on the adventure page

THE CHALLENGE SYSTEM

Roll a six sided die and add the result to the attacking monster's danger rating. If the result is higher than your thangie's RISK number then the difference is the number of damage points done to the thangie, AND the monster is killed. If the result is lower than the thangie's RISK, the monster is killed without causing harm.

DAMAGE

Each damage point reduces one of the thangie's damage reservoirs by one. The first damage points reduce the agility reservoir. Once the agility reservoir is reduced to zero, the physique reservoir is used, (certain monsters can affect physique directly).
If your thangie's physique reservoir falls below zero, it dies.

Agility reservoir is healed to full capacity immediately after battle. Physique only heals in a town/city.

ABILITIES

The four abilities of thangies are:
Physique: muscle mass, bone strength, resistance to pain
Agility: speed, balance, flexibility
Perception: senses, cognitive memory, calm
Mentality: concentration, organization, detail memory

SITUATIONS

When a roll is called for, the allowed abilities will be specified on the adventure page.
Some common situations:
Breaking things uses physique
Feats of balance use agility
Avoiding traps uses perception
Runelore, (reading/writing), uses mentality

EXAMPLES
SPELLS
When your thangie uses magic, the effect depends partly on the target. Add the thangie's mentality minus the target's "magic resistance" rating to the RISK rating of the hand weapon used.

Magic amber can be used to double mentality for spellcasting purposes. Amber costs 1g and only works for 1 battle or skill test.

BOWS

When your thangie uses a bow add perception, terrain rating or the bow rating, (whichever is lowest), to the RISK rating of the hand weapon used.

Your thangie can shoot a bow OR cast spells in each combat, not both. Add the modifier to the hand weapon used: axe, sword, etcetera.

WEAPONS & ARMOR
HAND WEAPONS
Weapon Type Cost RISK calculation
sword 3g agility or physique
axe* 15s physique
spear* 1g 2/3 agility or 2/3 physique
knife (shortsword) 5s unarmed + 1
unarmed 0 1/2 physique + 1/2 agility
* can not be used with shields

Armor:is added to agility or physique reservoir in a fight.
There are five positions of armor. Add fractional values only when they are next to other armor for the same reservoir.
location next to
headbody
armsbody
body all double the effect of armor worn on the body location OR two types of armor can be worn on the body together.
legsbody
ARMOR
Armor type cost Point value - (reservoir)
soft leather 5s 1/4 (agility)
hard leather 1g 1/2 (physique)
chain 25s 1/2 (agility)
plate 25s 1 (physique)
small shield (buckler) 1g 1 agility,
-1 physique
large shield 2g 1 physique

If your thangie removes a piece of armor while wounded, you have two choices.
If current damage points are removed with the armor, (ex. A knight with 2Physique + 2 from a breastplate with 1 point damage removing it can elect to "be healed" of the damage), but the armor is ruined and can never be worn again.
Or the damage can stay with the thangie in which case the armor can be re-used (by the same thangie only).

Usual ranges
terrain range
desert/plains 6
open hills 5
open forest 4
forest edge/road 3
deep forest 2
dense terrain/village/hall 1
in room 0

BOWS
Bow Type Cost Maximum Range
thrown as weapon 1
sling 5s 2
small bow 1g 3
bow 2g 4
longbow 4g 5

LEARNING
When your thangie kills a monster or group of monsters there is a chance to learn. Add the monsters' experience rating to the number of monsters which fought. If the total is higher than the thangie's total ability score, then add 1 point to: physique, agility, or mentality, or 2 points to perception.

Hand weapons and bows must be replaced to get the effect of ability increases, do not calculate RISK using the new physique or agility score until this is done.

CARRYING ITEMS
thangies must stay within the following maximums:
3 weapons
6 pieces of armor, one per location, (2 on body)
2 small items, or 1 large item. A sack counts as a small item - each can carry 2 small items or 1 large item - thus if you have 2 sacks you can carry 2 large items or 4 small items. note: Theoretically you could carry 6 sacks at once, but only the two not containing sacks could actually carry anything, (they would already be full).
TREASURE VALUE
Items which your thangie buys have no resale value, they are considered worn out when the thangie discards them. Only Eldar treasures can be used and then sold.

CAMPAIGN RULES

SKILLS

Thangies in a campaign earn skills instead of attribute bonuses. If desired, one skill point can be converted into one attribute point by the addition of another (new) skill point.
A skill's rating is used as a modifier whenever the specified action is performed. Skills add directly to the attribute total for purposes of expertise advancement.
In campaign settings, thangies do not get a free weapon skill, (see favorite weapons).
Attribute Skills
Suggested Skills
Physique haft weapon(axe/mace/halberd), sword, spear, boxing(unarmed), knife, pressure(crush/bend), physique reservoir
Agility sword, spear, karate(unarmed), knife, acrobatics, agility reservoir
Perception bows, knife, track, disguise, picklock, pickpocket
Mentality runes(read/write), herbalism, magic, etc
A thangie in the campaign game can start with 2 attribute points and 2 skill points.
RANGED ATTACKS

GROUPS
If more than one Thangie is in the group, other players can use their ratings to come to aid the one singled out.
Joining in:
Other thangies in the battle can use their own Physique reservoir points to take damage of the attack upon themselves.
Ranged attacks:
Thangies in the battle can loan their bow or magic modifier to any attacked Thangie
WHO GETS ATTACKED
To purposely try to be attacked, a thangie tests its movement rate Vs the monster's movement rate. If the test succeeds the monster must attack that thangie. Otherwise the monster rolls randomly, (except monsters which have favorite prey).
HEALING
Since a campaign is conducted in calendar turns, the healing system is different.

MAPPING
The scale of the interactive map varies from 300 to 600 miles across for main map squares. Some information isn't entirely accurate, since it is the product of stories and legends itself.

PATRONS
Advanced players can buy an inn at any city. At the inn they can run play by e-mail campaigns, taking a cut of the take for themselves. All play by mail campaigns must be approved by the high council (moi) or advances and treasures will not be put on the Thangies' stat page.