There are many ways to add Steampunk elements to your game of Dungeons & Dragons, or not. While we do live and breathe Steampunk at the Exposition, we are also avid gamers and lifelong D&D fans, so this page is devoted to resources that we have made and gathered that can be used with the world’s most popular role-playing game; enjoy 🙂
Initiative
There are many ways to organize initiative order (and some do away with it altogether), but here we offer you “Chicago Style” Initiative for D&D.
- This method requires that all players and NPCs have distinctly different color dice from each other.
- Initiative Dice are determined from DEX modifiers:
+4 = 1d4
+3 = 1d6
+2 = 1d8
+1 = 1d10
0 = 1d12
All penalties = 1d20 - At the start of each combat round players and NPCs roll their Initiative Die into a dice tray.
- The DM uses the results in the tray to determine order, starting with the lowest number and working up to the last.
- The DM returns the die to the player when it is their turn and runs NPCs when it is their turn in the number order..
In the case of ties, players go before NPCs. - Repeat, enjoy, and may victory be yours!
To clarify some details . . .
- DEX modifiers are used to determine the die used, but are NOT then added the die roll.
- Dice are all rolled into the (deep dish) tray at the same time and are “plucked” by the player or DM when it is their turn; when the tray is empty, it’s time for the next round.
- No one is forcing you to use this idea; we were rather surprised by the naysayers on social media who were very vocal about rejecting this idea . . . but “naysayer’s goin’ to naysay.”
Combat Hit Locations
Think of a clock face, roll 1d12 with your 1d20 attack roll (and your damage dice) all at the same time. Did you hit (d20)? Cool! Where did you hit (d12)? How much damage did you do?
The hit location chart can be used for use narrative purposes, but you can also house rule damage modifiers based on where the hit took landed.
Examples:
- A critical hit to the right hand might result in it being severed.
- A critical hit to the head with max damaged rolled might result in an instant kill (for rolling max on all three dice at the same time)
- It slows combat down, but it is also possible to have individual armor classes (AC) for each location depending on the armor worn, or rather NOT worn; that paladin in full plate who refuses to wear a helmet because it will mess with his fabulous hair . . . does that mean a hit to the head would only be AC 10 plus DEX modifier?
Or alternatively . . .
Specific hit location dice are available from various gaming stores, and then there’s Amazon.
Spells
To help you keep better track of your spells, we offer you individual printable pages that can be kept in your own immersive spell book (or three ring binder).
For full downloadable PDFs of all the spells, please follow these links:
Higher level spells will be added in the near future.
Spell Slots
Inspired by Paul Weber’s amazing D&D equipment cards, we offer you free printable cards that can be used to track spell slots.
Click here for the free PDF of all the Spell Slot cards.
More to come . . .
- There are more D&D resources that we shall be adding to this page, please check back from time to time to see what we have added.
- Page last update – 6/27/22
