Tunnels & Trolls

Shares of Melee Damage for Tunnels & Trolls

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© Daniel S. Wall, October 17, 2026.

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This house-rule is designed for Tunnels and Trolls. It is intended to accomplish 2 things; 1) to randomize the proportion of damage taken by characters on the losing side of melee combat, and 2) enable tactical options to focus damage on specific opponents or protect others.

Random Shares: Instead of distributing the damage proportionately to those on the losing side of a melee round, he proportion of damage going to each character is semi-randomized before the actual combat rolls are made. Each character will roll a die 6 every round. On roll of 1-3, they get 1 share of damage. On a roll of 4-5, they get 2 shares of damage. On a roll of 6, they get 3 shares of damage.

Focus: Characters in melee combat may influence proportions of damage by targeting enemies or defending allies, but doing so always increases their own share of damage in the event of a loss. In effect, the character is declaring a focus that will influence the proportion of damage suffered by those in combat. The GM may veto any of these decisions, if she feels for any reason that the character declaring a given focus of attention is unable to affect combat in the manner chosen by the player.

Players should make these decisions before random shares are rolled and without knowledge of enemy preferences. It is up to the GM to decide whether or not players may discuss the decisions among themselves. Either way, a player can choose between five different options for their focus in the coming melee combat; attackin recklessly, defending, fighting straight up: and targeting. These work as follows:

Attacking Recklessly: This adds 1 point of damage to any Spite rolls made by the character in question, but it also adds 1 share to her own damage in the event of a lost combat round.

Defending: A Character may declare themselves to be protecting a given ally. Doing so reduces the shares going to that character by 1. It also means the character declaring this focus will add 1 to their own shares of potential damage.

Fighting Straight Up: The character makes no adjustments to their shares or that of anyone else.

Playing it Safe: A Character may declare themselves to be playing it safe in which case they reduce their own shares of damage by 1, but they also halve their own contribution to the fight (rounding their total attack contribution high).

Targeting: A Character may declare themselves to be directing their attacks on a single enemy. Doing so adds 1 to the shares of potential damage for that enemy. It also means the character declaring this focus will add 1 to their own shares of potential damage.

Any Spite damage rolled by a targeting character is automatically applied to their target.

Melee Combat: When using these roles, the general order of combat is as follows: Players first choose a focus for each of their characters before a round of melee combat, and the GM decides for the enemy. All should be written down before proceeding to the combat rolls. Next, random shares are rolled and added to the shares of any given character. The melee combat is then rolled according to the normal rules. When damage is assessed, it is divided by the total shares of the losing side, and the result is rounded high, then multiplied by the shares of each character to determine the total damage taken by that character. Damage is reduced by armor in the usual manner.

The first point of spite damage not otherwise committed to a specific target is assigned first to the enemy with the highest shares, then to others in descending order, repeating as necessary.

Viglili (Tunnels & Trolls)

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A General narrative about Viglili can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

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Str: .9, Con: .9, Dex: 2, Lk: 1, IQ: .9, Wiz: .1, SP: 1, Chr: 1.25.

Height: .5, Weight: .5.

Language(s): Simian.

A Viglili has the following special qualities:

  • Viglili can climb any surface with hand-holds, branches, etc. at normal speed.
  • A Viglili can turn the light of its face on to create torchlight lasting 1 minute per level. Doing so costs 1 point of Wiz.
  • Viglili automatically get a +3 bonus on save against surprise or to find something. Thy get this same bonus on any save for sleight of hand.
  • Viglili do not use weapons, wear armor, or cast spells, but they get 1d6 per level in melee combat.
  • A Viglili can make a special Luck Save to avoid damage versus 1 missile or the damage from general combat. To do so it makes a Luck Save against the total damage it would take from the source of damage. Success reduces the damage taken by the Viglili by 1 for every time its total roll can be divided by the damage in question.

Standard Monster Rating: 20.

Riaspa (Tunnels & Trolls)

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          A General narrative about Riaspa can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

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              Riaspa: Str: 1, Con: 1, Dex: 1, Lk: 1, IQ: 1, Wiz: 1.25, SP: 1, Chr: 2.

Height: .1 (on all fours), Weight: 1

Language(s): A Riaspa can speak Ursine and the Light Tongue.

A Riaspa has the following special qualities:

  • A Riaspa can choose to mirror one ability belonging to one character in her presence. This can be a language it speaks, a single stat score, or a special ability of any kind. The effect lasts for up to 1 minute per level of the character, but it ends immediately if the mirrored character dies or leaves her presence. Triggering the ability costs 1 point of Wiz per level of the mirrored, 2 if the mirrored character is higher level than the Riaspa, 3 if the mirrored character is twice the level of the Riaspa or more.
  • If a Riaspa is affected by a spell, it can choose one character within 3” to receive the same effect. If the new recipient wishes to resist, them opposing Luck saves determine the result. Triggering this effect costs 2 point of Wiz, 4 if the target is higher level than the Riaspa.

Standard Monster Rating: 50.

Devil Dog (Tunnels & Trolls)

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A General narrative about Devil Dogs can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

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Devil Dog: Str: 1, Con: 1, Dex: .75, Lk: 1.5, IQ: 1.25, Wiz: .75, SP: 1, Chr: 1.25.

Height: 1, Weight: 1

Language(s): Devil Dogs speak Canis.

Devil Dogs have the following special qualities:

  • Devil Dogs get +1 add per ally fighting in the same group to a maximum equal to their level.
  • Devil Dogs run at twice the normal rate of movement.
  • Any wounded characters suffer 1 extra point of damage for every point of spite damage inflicted upon them in combat with Devil Dogs.

Standard Monster Rating: 40.

Draugr (Tunnels & Trolls)

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A General narrative about Draugr can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

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Draugr: Str: 1.1, Con: 1.1, Dex: .75, Lk: 1, IQ: 1, Wiz: .1.25, SP: 1 Chr: 1.25.

Height: 1, Weight: 1

Language(s): Draugr speak Necrotic in addition to their native language in life (usually a local human tongue).

Draugr have the following special qualities:

  • Draugr suffer a penalty of -2 on all die rolls in bright light, -4 in direct sunlight.
  • If Draugr inflict damage on an opponent for any reason other than spite damage, they add a bonus to damage equal to the malaise of the target.
  • Draugr add 1d6 to rolls for melee combat in a graveyard or within 3” of a grave.

Standard Monster Rating: 40.

 

Vox Hound (Tunnels & Trolls)

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A General narrative about Vox Hounds can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

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Str: 1.1, Con: 1.1, Dex: 1, Lk: 1, IQ: 1.1, Wiz: 1.1, SP: 1, Chr: 1.1.

Height: .6, Weight : .1.25.

Language(s): Vox Hounds speak Canis.

Vox Hounds have the following special qualities.

  • A Vox Hound rolls an extra die 6 when fighting any character that casts a spell on that same round, 2d6 if the spell was cast on the Vox Hound.
  • A Vox Hound has 2 points of natural armor.
  • If a Vox Hound wishes to focus their attacks on a spell caster, she scores all spite damage against that character, adding 1 extra point for each 6 rolled on that round.

Standard Monster Rating: 35.

 

Volozule (Tunnels & Trolls)

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A General narrative about Volozule can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

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Str: .75, Con: .75, Dex: .75, Lk: 1, IQ: 1.5, Wiz: 1.5, SP: 1 Chr: 1

Height: 1, Weight: 1

Language(s): Volozule speak The Ur Tongue (or its closest equivalent).

Special Qualities: All Volozule possess the following special abilities:

1) Terrain Morale (Built Environments): Once per game session, a Volozule may choose to add 2 points to a die roll for an action taken within a city, and once more per game session, they can add 2 points to a die roll made in a built environment (e.g. building, a ship, or a dungeon carved and shaped by sentient creatures). Yes, these bonuses can be taken on the same roll.
2) A Volozule counts as if their Dexterity was 3 points higher for purposes of spell casting.
3) Volozule automatically begin with the talents, Architect and Engineer.
4) A Volozule can use a magic effect to temporarily alter the architecture of a building. They must spend an entire turn doing so and spend a variable number of points of Wiz.
– They can alter the size of any non-magical window or door, shrinking it to as little as half its normal size or expanding it to twice its normal size, provided this still fits the building in question. This does not open, close, lock, or unlock the door or window in question. It remains as it was before except for the size. The effect lasts 1 turn per level of the Volozule. This costs 1 point of Wiz +1 per inch of range necessary to include the full effect.
– They can move a non-magical window or door up to 1” per level, providing this does not change the room on either side of the porthole in question. If they attempt to move a porthole too far, it moves only as far as it can without leaving the room in question. This does not open, close, lock, or unlock the door or window in question. It remains as it was before, except for its size. The effect lasts 1 turn per level of the Volozule. This costs 2 points of Wiz +1 per inch of range necessary to include the full effect +1 per inch of movement.
– They can build a staircase or an fixed ladder to any window, doorway, or rooftop on a built structure. The maximum height, width, and length of this new feature is equal to 1” per level of the Volozule. It will be made of the same material as the building itself, or at least one that would fit within the overall structure. The effect lasts 1 turn per level of the Volozule. This costs 3 points of Wiz +1 per inch of range necessary to include the full effect +1 inch of width +1 per inch of height +1 more per inch of length on the ground.
Note that all of these changes happen slowly and harmlessly. Living creatures may easily escape any hazards cause by the changes themselves. How they effect tactical combat is another matter.

Standard Monster Rating: 35.

Mucky Loon (Tunnels & Trolls)

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A General narrative about Mucky Loons can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

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Mucky Loon: Str: .25, Con: .5, Dex: 2, Lk: 1.5, IQ: .75, Wiz: .75, SP: 2, Chr: 1.5.

Height: .2, Weight : .2.

Language(s): Mucky Loons speak Avian. They can understand but not speak, Sylvan.

Mucky Loons have the following special qualities.

  • A Mucky Loon has a natural missile attack in the form of an acidic spit. Each time a Mucky Loon does this, a Mucky Loon spends 1 point of her Wizardry, just as if it had cast a spell. It’s range is equal to 1” per point of the creature’s Constitution. The spit does 1d6 in initial damage +1 per level of the Mucky Loon (subject to the normal effects of armor). Note that Mucky Loons of 2nd level or higher can choose to spend extra Wiz points up to their level to increase the number of 6 sided dice they roll for this damage). So, a 4th level Mucky Loon could theoretically spend 5 Wiz points to generate 4d6+4 in initial damage. As this is acidic damage, it continues to burn for 1 round afterwards per point of the Mucky Loon’s Strength, doing 1 point of damage on each of these rounds. Any one trying to stamp out the acid must make a Luck Save at a target equal to the initial attack roll. Doing so without a rag or water, or something else to help remove the acid inflicts a penalty of -3 on the roll.
  • A Mucky Loon can travel at three times the normal rate of speed.
  • A Mucky Loon can make a special Luck Save to avoid damage versus 1 missile or the damage from general combat. To do so it makes a Luck Save against the total damage it would take from the source of damage. Success reduces the damage taken by the Mucky Loon by 2 points + 1 more for every time its total roll can be divided by the damage in question.

Standard Monster Rating: 20.