Swashbuckler: A Game of Swordplay and Derring-do Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Movement Orders
• Action Orders
• Swordplay Orders
• Sword and Dagger Attack Table
  • Sword and Dagger Attack Modifiers
  • Defensible Squares — Swordplay Diagrams
  • Indefensible Situations
  • Broken Weapons Chart (OP)
  • Injury Effects
  • Swing Distances
  • Shoving Match Chart
• Special Attacks and Incidents Table
  • Thrown Chair and Falls From Height
  • Thrown Mug
  • Waved Hat
  • Thrown Sword
  • Thrown Dagger
  • Kick
  • Shoved or Flipped Table
  • Shoved Chair
  • Character Unit on Shoved or Flipped Table
  • Character Unit on Yanked Carpet
  • Shoving Match
  • Topple Shelf
  • Slip on Broken Full Mug Unit (OP)
  • Notes
• Optional Character Determination
• Random Set Up

Movement Orders

Order	Code
Back Step	B-
Climb (Up or Down)	A*
Crawl	C_--
Go Prone	PR-
Jump (Up or Down)	J_-
Left Turn	L
Rest	-
Right Turn	R
Run	RUN(OP)
Side Left	SL
Side Right	SR
Stand Up	UP-
Step Forward	1-
Step Forward & Kick	1K--
Swing	G_--

STUN: Circle notation in Step Column.

Units carrying a Treasure Chest may not Climb, Jump, or Swing.

* Number of rests equals elevation change.

Action Orders

#	Order	Code
1	Throw Dagger	WD
2	Throw Sword	WS-
3	Wave Hat	WH
4	Throw Mug	WM
5	Shove Chair	VC
6	Topple Shelf	WT
7	Shove Table	VT
8	Yank Carpet	Y--
9	Flip Table	FT--
10	Throw Chair	WC--
11	Pick Up Sword	PS-
12	Pick Up Dagger	PD-
13	Pick Up Chest	PC--
—	Block	X-

If a conflict arises for an object to throw, the larger Expertise wins. If a conflict arises for shoving, yanking, or toppling, the larger Strength wins. Prone Characters may not perform Action Orders.

Swordplay Orders

Order	Code
Lunge	N-
Parry	P-
Parry & Lunge	PN-
Running Lunge	1N-
Slash	S-
Stab (Dagger)	SS-

Prone Character units may not Lunge, Slash, or Stab.

Units carrying a Treasure Chest may not execute Swordplay Orders.

Sword and Dagger Attack Table

Cross-index the Dice Roll with the Attacker's Expertise Difference (each range covers two adjacent columns on the printed card, reproduced below in full).

Dice Roll	-10 to -15	-10 to -15	-5 to -9	-5 to -9	-3 to -4	-3 to -4	-1 to -2	-1 to -2	0	0	+1 to +2	+1 to +2	+3 to +4	+3 to +4	+5 to +9	+5 to +9	+10 to +15	+10 to +15
96	5B	7B	8B	8B	9B	9B	10B	10B	11B	11B	12B	12B	13B	13B	14B	14B	15B	15B
76-95	4B	6B	7B	7B	8B	8B	9B	9B	10B	10B	11B	11B	12B	12B	13B	13B	14B	14B
71-75	3B	5B	6B	6B	7B	7B	8B	8B	9B	9B	10B	10B	11B	11B	12B	12B	13B	13B
66	2B	4B	5B	5B	6B	6B	7B	7B	8B	8B	9B	9B	10B	10B	11B	11B	12B	12B
65	2H	2B	4B	4B	5B	5B	6B	6B	7B	7B	8B	8B	9B	9B	10B	10B	11B	11B
64	2L	2H	2B	2B	4B	4B	5B	5B	6B	6B	7B	7B	8B	8B	9B

B: Body injuries. H: Head injuries. R: Right Arm injuries. L: Left Arm injuries.

Sword and Dagger Attack Modifiers

• +4 Col: For a Parry & Lunge (Must Parry First)
• +3 Col: For a running Lunge
• +3 Col: If Defender has 1/2 Body injuries
• -3 Col: If Attacker has 1/2 Body injuries
• -2 Col: For a Slash
• -2 Col: For Lunge with Higher Defender
• -4 Col: For Slash with Higher Defender

Strength Modifiers (OP):

• +3 Col: Strength of "18+"
• +2 Col: Strength of "16-17"
• +1 Col: Strength of "14-15"
• -1 Col: Strength of "4-5"
• -2 Col: Strength of "3"

Strange Weapons (OP):

• -3 Col: Pirates with Rapiers or Musketeers with Cutlasses

Defensible Squares — Swordplay Diagrams

Right Handed (Basic) and Left Handed (OP) diagrams mark which squares around a fighter are Defensible (S) versus which allow only a Lunge or Stab with no defense (blank) — the printed card shows this as an arrow diagram around each fighter; the squares marked S are Defensible Squares.

L: Lunge or Stab (Rapier or Dagger). S: Slash (Rapier or Cutlass).

Indefensible Situations

+30 to Dice Roll: "0" Expertise for Defender.

Indefensible when the Attacker is in an Indefensible square, Throwing, Standing Up, Going Prone, Climbing, Shoving, Yanking, Stunned, Swinging, Flipping, Toppling, or with no Weapon.

If a Dagger defends against a Sword, the result is Indefensible if "4-6" is rolled.

Broken Weapons Chart (OP)

Die Roll	Parry Situation	Results
1	Rapier vs. Dagger	Dagger Broken
1-2	Cutlass vs. Rapier	Rapier Broken
1-3	Cutlass vs. Dagger	Dagger Broken

Injury Effects

• All Body or Head Gone: Eliminated
• 1/2 Body Gone: Move only one Square per Turn. No Jumping, Climbing, or Swinging.
• Right Arm Gone: May no longer use Sword (Dagger if left-handed) or Throw
• Left Arm Gone: May no longer use Dagger (Sword if left-handed).
• Additional Arm injuries become Head injuries.

Swing Distances

• Equal Heights: 2 or 3 Squares.
• Lower to Higher: 2 squares
• Higher to Lower: 3, 4, or 5 squares
• Swinging into a Square with an opponent is an automatic Kick.

Shoving Match Chart

Difference in Strength	-3+	-1-2	0	+1+2	+3+4	+5+
(D) Roll to Succeed	1	1-2	1-3	1-4	1-5	Auto

Special Attacks and Incidents Table

Thrown Chair and Falls From Height

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1	Avoids	1B (A)	1	Falls	1 (A)
2	Avoids	1H (A)	2	Falls	1 (A)
3	Hit	1R (A)	2	Falls	1 (A)
4	Hit	2B (A)	3	No Fall	2 (A)
5	Hit	2H (A)	3	No Fall	2 (A)
6	Hit	2L (A)	4	No Fall	2 (A)

The Character unit must be in the same square to Throw a Chair unit. A Thrown Chair unit moves a maximum of six squares.

Thrown Mug

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-2	Avoids	1L	1	Falls	1
3	Avoids	1B	1	Falls	1
4	Hit	1H	2	No Fall	2
5-6	Hit	1R	2	No Fall	2

May be Thrown from the same or an adjacent square. A Thrown Mug unit moves until something is hit.

Waved Hat

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-3	Avoids	0	1	No Fall	0
4	Avoids	0	2	No Fall	0
5-6	Hit	0	2	No Fall	0

Affects all Character units in Defensible squares.

Thrown Sword

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-3	Avoids	0	1	Falls	1
4	Hit	1R	2	No Fall	2
5	Hit	3B	2	No Fall	2
6	Hit	4B	2	No Fall	2

A Thrown Sword unit moves until something is hit.

Thrown Dagger

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-2	Avoids	0	1	Falls	1
3	Avoids	1R	1	Falls	1
4	Hit	4B	2	No Fall	2
5	Hit	5B	2	No Fall	2
6	Hit	6B	2	No Fall	2

A Thrown Dagger unit moves until something is hit.

Kick

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-2	Avoids	1B	1	Falls	1
3	Hit	1B	2	Falls	1
4-6	Hit	1B	2	No Fall	2

Must be in the same square to Kick. Kicked Character unit is moved back one square.

Shoved or Flipped Table

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-2	Hit (B)	0	1	Falls	1 (C)
3	Hit (B)	0	2	Falls	1 (C)
4	Hit (B)	0	2	Falls	2 (C)
5-6	Hit (B)	0	3	Falls	2 (C)

A Shoved Table unit moves one square. A Flipped Table unit moves its length.

Shoved Chair

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-2	Avoids	0	1	Falls	1
3	Hit	0	1	Falls	1
4-6	Hit	0	2	No Fall	2

A shoved Chair unit moves one square.

Character Unit on Shoved or Flipped Table

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1	Hit	0	1	Falls	1
2	Hit	0	1	Falls	2
3	Hit	0	1	No Fall	2
4-5	Hit	0	2	No Fall	3
6	Hit	0	2	No Fall	4

A Character unit moves with the Table unit. (OP) The Character unit Flipping or Shoving must have a Strength Factor equal to or greater than those on the Table.

Character Unit on Yanked Carpet

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-3	Hit	0	1	Falls	1
4-5	Hit	0	2	No Fall	2
6	Hit	0	2	No Fall	3

Move Carpet unit one square in the direction of the Yank.

Shoving Match

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-2	(D)	0	1	Falls	1
3	(D)	0	1	No Fall	1
4-6	(D)	0	2	No Fall	2

Occurs if Character units are in the same square.

Topple Shelf

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-2	Avoids	1L	1	Falls	1
3	Avoids	1H	2	Falls	1
4	Hit	1B	2	No Fall	2
5-6	Hit	1R	3	No Fall	2

All Mug units on Shelves will break. Shelves will fall into a number of squares equal to the number of Shelves.

Slip on Broken Full Mug Unit (OP)

Die Roll	Chance to Avoid	Injuries if not Avoided	Not Avoided Steps of Stun	Chances to Fall	Steps of Stun if Falls
1-2	Avoids	1R	1	Falls	1
3-4	Avoids	1L	1	No Fall	1
5-6	Hit	0	1	No Fall	2

If Falls, will automatically have 1 body injury due to broken glass.

Notes

• B: Body Injury. H: Head Injury. R: Right Arm Injury. L: Left Arm Injury. 0: No Injury.
• (A): Use to resolve Falls from Height.
• (B): Prone unit always avoids a Shoved Table. Standing units are always Hit by a Shoved Table. Prone and Standing units are always Hit by a Flipped Table.
• (C): Use if a Character unit tries to Stand Up under an Upright Table unit.
• (D): Use the Shoving Match Chart to resolve.

Optional Character Determination

1. Strength Factor: Roll one die three times, and add together the numbers rolled. For Pirate units, add "3" to this number.
2. Endurance Factor: Roll one die three times, and add together the numbers rolled.
3. Constitution Factor: Add together the Strength and Endurance factor.
4. Expertise Factor: Roll one die three times, and add together the numbers rolled.
5. Dexterity: Roll the two dice and consult the Dexterity Table, below:

Dice Roll	Result
11-61	Right-handed
62-65	Left-handed
66	Ambidextrous

6. Profile: The Constitution Factor is divided between the parts of the body. At least "1" must be assigned to each part.

Random Set Up

A Character unit is always placed on its own ship.

Dice Roll	Tavern	Ship
11	B2	A5
12	B5	A5
13	B8	B3
14	B11	B3
15	B14	B7
16	D1	B7
21	D4	B11
22	D7	B11
23	D10	B13
24	D13	B13
25	F3	C5
26	F6	C5
31	F9	C9
32	F12	C9
33	F14	C14
34	H1	C14
35	H4	D3
36	H7	D3
41	H10	D7
42	H13	D7
43	J2	D11
44	J5	D11
45	J8	D13
46	J11	D13
51	J14	E5
52	L3	E5
53	L6	E9
54	L9	E9
55	L12	F3
56	L14	F3
61	N2	F7
62	N5	F7
63	N7	F11
64	N10	F11
65	N12	F13
66	N14	F13