RPG Review Cooperative, Inc.

by Karl Brown

For use with Tunnels and Trolls (T&T) core rules version 5.5 by Ken St Andre published by Flying Buffalo and Tunnels & Trolls Bestiary Part I in RPG Review 15. Most of this material will be compatible with other versions of T&T including the Corgi edition (1986) and the free cut down version (2007) still available online from Drive Thru RPG. I have not viewed T&T versions 6 and 7 and cannot comment on the compatibility with these newer versions of the game.

Troll Player Characters

Trolls as described in The City of Terrors (Stackpole 1985) have ST and CON x3 and all other attributes at x1 except CHR. In this article troll CHR is x-2 (i.e. negative) and size and weight are x2 and x4 respectively (as per 2.41.2 of T&T). The maximum ST rule does not apply to trolls. The effects of negative CHR are discussed in RPG Review 15.
Trolls grow sporadically even after reaching adulthood apparently in response to the rigors of their environment. If using the updated character generation rules in this issue, trolls do not have a maximum ST. These rules for troll growth are designed so that players need not worry about them during initial character generation. At second level divide starting height by 5” and starting weight by 1360Lb note these numbers down they are your ‘build modifiers’. When a trolls ST is permanently raised check height and weight meet new minimums as follows: a troll’s height in inches must be at least the square root of ST multiplied by the height build modifier. Similarly mass in pounds must be at least ST squared multiplied by the weight build modifier.

To find the multipliers for equipping the troll with scaled gear after height or weight are raised for the first time divide height by 66 inches and mass by 170 pounds (round both off). The minimum multipliers for height and weight are x2 and x4 respectively, if below this raise to these minimums. Trolls age as per dwarves (see 3.9) and in my games have natural weapons: two clawed hands 1d each, bite 2d. Every time a troll’s ST is raised another 5pt above their first level ST they gain another die to add to one of their natural weapons.

For example a troll begins with 25 ST then gains several levels and reaches 50 ST. Starting height was 10’8 (128”) and mass was 760. Therefore build modifiers for height and weight were 0.56 and 25.6 respectively. Height therefore should be at least square root of 50, (7.07) x25.6 = 181 inches (over 15’) and mass would be (50x50=2500) x 0.56 = 1400Lb. The character gains another 5d to add to her natural weapons, this troll grows claws to 3d each and can now bite for 3d also. The dice could have been distributed differently.
In the After the Fall campaign (RPG Review 19) the spread of trolls as slaves during the era of Dwarf Empire is the reason why trolls are more common than other monsters and can be found working for other kindred. However, most cities are reluctant to let armed, ‘untamed’ looking, or unsupervised trolls within their gates.

Troll NPCs

Trolls are tall but long limbed and so mass less than other creatures of the same height. Older larger trolls have much higher MR’s and most of the additional Adds are devoted to STR. Trolls are a highly variable kin and the extra dice from higher MR’s can be added to any of the natural weapons, one may have enormous tusks and other massive fists etc. Height of older trolls will be at least inches equal to square root of STR times 25, and mass at least ST squared divided by two.

Troll, Young
MR 36, Dice 4, Adds 18
Natural Weapons: Tough clawed hands 1d each, bite 2d
Natural Armour 0
Special Attacks nil
Special Defences nil
ST 30 (x3), IQ 10 (x1), LK 10 (x1), CON 30 (x3), DEX 10 (x1), CHR -20 (x-2), SP10 (x1), Height (11’) x2, Weight (680) x4, Starting Age: 3d+50, Old at: 200
A young troll is still a threat to an armoured human soldier.

Troll, Young Slave
MR 26, Dice 3, Adds 13
Natural Weapons: Tough clawed hands 1d each, bite 1d
Natural Armour 0
Special Attacks nil
Special Defences nil
ST 30 (x3), IQ 5 (-),LK 5 (-),CON 26 (x3), DEX 10 (x1), CHR 0 (-),SP 10 (x1), Height (11’) x2, Weight (680) x4, Starting Age: 3d+50, Old at: 200
The attributes above describe a troll youth born and bred into slavery and ready for market. A troll slave is meek, servile creature compared to the freedom and savagery of ‘wild’ trolls. Such a troll slave is a valuable commodity bringing about 710gp at auction (see auxiliary characters 3.7 of T&T 5.5).

Troll, Large
MR 110, Dice 12, Adds 55
Natural Weapons: Tough clawed hands 4d each, bite 4d. Distribution of dice between claws and bite can vary.
Natural Armour 0
Special Attacks nil
Special Defences nil
ST 62 (x6), IQ 10 (x1), LK 14 (x1.5), CON 110 (x11), DEX 14 (x1.5), CHR -30 (x-3), SP 10 (x1), Height (16’5”) x3, Weight (1922) x11, Starting Age: 3d+50, Old at: 200
Full grown and fierce, this troll is a serious threat.

Troll, Huge
MR 150, Dice 16, Adds 75
Natural Weapons: Tough clawed hands 6d each, bite 4d. Distribution of dice between claws and bite can vary.
Natural Armour 0
Special Attacks nil
Special Defences nil
ST 80 (x8), IQ 10 (x1), LK 15 (x1.5), CON 150 (x12.5), DEX 16 (x1.5), CHR -40 (x-4), SP 10 (x1), Height (18’7”) x3.5, Weight (3200) x19, Starting Age: 3d+50, Old at: 200
An older larger and meaner troll.

Troll, Gigantic
MR 250, Dice 26, Adds 125
Natural Weapons: Tough clawed hands 8d each, bite 10d. Distribution of dice between claws and bite can vary.
Natural Armour 0
Special Attacks nil
Special Defences nil
ST 130 (x13), IQ 10 (x1), LK 15 (x1.5), CON 250 (x25), DEX 16 (x1.5), CHR -70 (x-7), SP 12 (x1), Height (23’8”) x4.25, Weight (8450) x50, Starting Age: 3d+50, Old at: 200
Trolls grow in response to their environment, a life of unending warfare in harsh lands have made this creature a terrifying foe.

Troll, Wizard
MR 90 Dice 9, Adds 45
Natural Weapons: Tough clawed hands 3d each, bite 3d. Distribution of dice between claws and bite can vary.
Natural Armour 0
Special Attacks: Spells as per a Wizard. All 1st level spells and a few spells at every level to 8th chosen by the referee.
Special Defences nil
ST 52 (x5), IQ 25 (x2.5), LK 14 (x1.5), CON 90 (x9), DEX 15 (x1.5), CHR -30 (x-3), SP 10 (x1), Height (16’5”) x3, Weight (1922) x11, Starting Age: 3d+50, Old at: 200
One of the more terrifying facts about trolls is that they are sufficiently intelligent that some of their number become wizards. Steadfastly neutral, the Wizard’s Guild will train trolls.

Merrows & Fomorians
Merrows and Fomorians are aquatic and marine trolls respectively. Both are able breathe air and water. They are also fearsome and ugly (raise CHR by a further x-1, for example a typical Large Merrow is CHR-40 (x-4)). Otherwise they have the same characteristics as trolls.

Merrows are savage brutes (IQ 8, x4/5) that most often become a problem when they threaten trade routes across lakes, or along rivers. Where a busy road bridges a navigable river is a particularly tempting location for merrow bandits.
Fomorians are cunning and as skilled in warfare and magic as humans (IQ10 x1). Clans of fomorian raiders range the coasts during warmer months and in some cases have even subjugated whole island communities. Though marine themselves the fomorians keep swift longships with monstrous figureheads to transport themselves, weapons, and loot quickly along the coast. A cunning fomorian sorcerer leads most raiding parties.

Fomorians have their own tradition of magic independent of the Wizard’s Guild. These sorcerers pay for spells with their own spilt blood (spells cost twice the usual amount but can be drawn from CON or STR, keep track of CON lost from spell casting since it returns as per the rules for lost ST (1 per full turn, faster than wounds).). Fomorian sorcery gradually warps both soul and flesh. Instead of a DEX minimum every level of spells has a negative CHA requirement instead (for example to cast 1st level spells a fomorian sorceror needs IQ10 and CHA -8 or worse but does not have to meet any DEX requirement). Powerful sorcerers can be easily spotted by their hideous visages sporting bulging eyes, gnarled skin, twisted skulls, or worse. Finally, fomorian sorcerors cannot learn spells in the usual way, instead they must eat the fresh-killed brain of another spellcaster and in doing so absorb the knowledge of any spell known to the deceased caster that the fomorian has the sufficient IQ and negative CHA to cast.