Space-Loop Hammer-Time, or SL-HT, is a ruleset for an casual improv roleplay. It's somewhat short, absolutely chaotic, and is entirely controlled by a single D12. Which is also the only thing you need. (maybe some paper too if you want to take notes)
things needed to play : a D12 and maybe some paper (if you want to take notes)
First of all, how many players ?
A GM (game master) is necessary, to keep tabs on stuff. The number of players ranges from 1 to however many the GM can handle at once.
Note that if the players agree, or think there aren't enough players, they can absolutely discard the GM role. This would mean they will all keep tabs on the world together, and build it with each other, as equals, as well as moderate each other as a group, as equals.
The GM sets up the scene. Each player's character is undefined at the start, and will get more and more defined as the game goes on.
During their turn, each player can do whatever they want. There are no stats, though. They can have their character say whatever they want. If a discussion is happening, the other characters can reply.
At the end of their turn, players HAVE to roll the Dice. The action corresponding to the number they rolled will happen.
Rolling the dice is mandatory, unless the player decides to use Imp magic. More on imps later.
The game ends whenever someone taps out or most players agree it's time. This isn't a really serious thing dw
the Dice is a d12. The Dice is always referred to with a capital D.
Here are the various actions dictated by the Dice. These happen IMMEDIATELY after rolling it. If you're talking to someone and then fireball then too bad.
| 1. Fireball ! | The player sends a small fireball in the direction they are looking at |
| 2. Ghost ! | A ghost is summoned. The player can give it one order. The player then rolls the Dice : if 6 or lower, the ghost carries out the order as asked. If 7 or higher, the ghost does the exact opposite. |
| 3. Rain ! | It starts, or stops raining. If inside, the effect still happens. Depending on the weather, the rain can be hail or snow or anything like that. |
| 4. Liberate ! | A lock opens. If there are multiple locks, it's the one closest to the player |
| 5. Imp ! | The player gets one imp. (see below) |
| 6. Rad ! | The player emits a wave of nuclear radiation |
| 7. Houses ! | An architectural anomlay starts existing in the current building, or in the closest one. If there is already one : the players are inside the anomaly : The anomaly intensifies, otherwise, it disappears. The first one starts out small, but the following ones get bigger and bigger |
| 8. Manifest ! | The player gets an item of their choice. Limitations up to the GM's discretion |
| 9. Decay ! | The player chooses whether their current environment decays more or undecays. |
| 10. Temperature ! | The player rolls the Dice. If 6 or lower, the temperature gets colder. If 7 or higher, the temperature gets hotter. |
| 11. Tubular ! | The player teleports wherever they want in a 2 meter radius. |
| 12. Gnarly ! | The player rerolls. If they roll a 1 : everything is reset to how it was at the beggining of the game, and the characters keep their memory of the previous universe. If they roll a 12 : everything is reset to how it was at the beggining. The characters do not remember the previous universe, but do remember glimpses, such as what would be behind a door, and so on. |
If a player has imps, they can do Imp magic instead of rolling the Dice. Imps are not small little creatures with horns, but instead are small, colorful plastic trinkets. Their shape and color is varied but ultimately irrelevent and somewhat unparseable.
Which of the imp magic will be enacted by the player depends on how many they have. If, for exemple, you have 5 imps, you can only do the 5th imps magic, and no other. After attempting an imp magic, the player looses all their imps, whether they fail or succeed.
When attempting an imp magic, the player must roll the Dice. If the result of the roll is the number of imps they have or less, then the magic is successful. If it is above, then consult the Dice chart above. For exemple, if I have 5 imps but roll a 6, the Rad ! effect happens as it is the 6th effect.
A player cannot have more than 12 imps.
| 1. Freeze ? | Time stops for a whole minute. Only the player and what they touch can move in stopped time. |
| 2. Door ? | A door appears near the player. This door leads to what i beyond the wall. If the door is within an anomaly, it leads outside. |
| 3. X-Ray ? | The player can see through walls until the end of their next turn. |
| 4. Gravity ? | Gravity is permanently 10% weaker or stronger, as per the player's choice. |
| 5. Flood ? | A flood begins. It will end upon reaching the ceiling of the room it started in. |
| 6. Recollect ? | The player remembers the previous time loops. |
| 7. Telekinesis ? | Until the end of their next turn, the player has telekinetic powers. Their strength is left to the GM's whims. |
| 8. Soap ? | The player is now clean. |
| 9. Ripple ? | A ripple in space-time emanates from the player. |
| 10. Slow ? | Until the end of the player's next turn, time is slowed down by half. All players can move normally. |
| 11. Heal ? | All the players are completely healed of all the damage they received since the start of the events. |
| 12. Continuous ? | The player can melt all their imps into one item. This item will always stay with them, even if the Gnarly ! effect happens. |
At the start of the session, the GM can decide to change the effects of the Dice and of imp magics. However, unless ALL PLAYERS are ok with it, they cannot change them during the session.
At any point, if someone at the table says they are feeling uncomfortable about where this is going : slow it down, bud. Take a breath. I'm saying that to the others. Try to be understanding of such things, don't be a jerk.
That said, if a player is uncomfortable and says it, but still wants to continue with the game, then no problem. Just be prepared for after care if need be.
This is a 'yes, and' kind of thing : don't outright deny something someone else is saying. This is also true of the GM, unless in some extreme cases. The GM's veto is only to be used in extreme situations, such as a player deciding to kill every other player for the 7th time in a row. They can also kick a player from the table if they are being a jackass. The physicality of this kick is left to the GM's decision.