Appendix C: ADnD Bowling
I found this on the internet back in the 90s, when the idea of downloading DnD content was fascinating.
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APPENDIX C: THE BLUE BALL BOWLING SYSTEM
FOR ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
BY
DESMOND REID
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@ COPYRIGHT 1993 by DESMOND REID
NOT FOR SALE
The following appendix is the property of its author, who
hereby states that he retains the copyright. You may distribute
it at will, provided that nothing in the appendix, this notice,
or any of the credits are altered in any way; and that you
do not make a profit from it.
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HISTORY
Bowling (BOHL ing) is one of the oldest underground sports. It is
played by rolling a ball down a highly polished wooden runway toward
ten wooden pins set up in the form of a triangle.
The sport was invented by dwarves. They lived deep underground and
needed a good sport that didn't require a large playing field.
Eventually they came up with bowling where they used a rock and wooden
bottles.
Various forms of bowling have been developed by different races
including Head-Bowl by the hill giants, a smaller version of bowling
called Nuts by the gnomes, Bowling-For-Blood by the goblins, and
MagiBowl by some upper-class humans with magical abilities and/or lots
of money.
ALLEYS AND EQUIPMENT
The long wooden runway down which the ball is rolled is called the
alley. Its surface is smooth and polished. The foul line is at the near
end. The bowler must not step beyond this line as he throws the ball.
The approach to the foul line is no less then 10 feet. The distance
from the foul line to the no. 1, or head, pin is 50 feet. In the back
of the pit there is usually a swinging padded cushion to stop the force
of the ball. There is a shallow hollowed groove, or gutter, on each
side of the alley. This gutter runs from the foul line to the pit. The
ball drops into it if they are not correctly rolled down the alley.
THE PINS AND BALLS
Each of the ten pins weighs at least 3 lbs, and generally made of
clear, hard, solid maple; but this isn't always the case. Each pin is
15 inches in height, and 2 1/4 diameter at the bottom. The pins are
arranged in triangle form behind the head pin. The pins are placed 12
inches apart from center to center.
The balls are made of many substances like wood, metal, rubbery
tree sap, and rock. They must not have a circumference of more than 27
inches, and they must not weigh more than 16 lbs. There are two or
three holes in each ball so ball can be gripped.
HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED
The object of the game is to knock down the ten pins with the
ball. A game consists of ten frames, or squares into which the score is
written. A bowler rolls twice in each frame unless he scores a strike
(knocks down all pins) on his first throw. If this happens, he rolls
only once.
SCORING
Every bowler hopes for a strike with the first delivery on each
frame. The score increases quickly if this happens. If the bowler does
not get a strike the next best is a spare, which is knocking down all
the pins on two deliveries.
A strike on the first delivery gives the bowler ten points, plus
all the pins dropped on the next two throws. A spare in the second
delivery gives the bowler ten points plus all the pins he gets on the
first delivery of the next frame.
Failure to strike or spare in a frame means that the bowler counts
only the number of pins dropped.
BOWLING WITH THE DICE
To bowl the player must role a 1d12. For the first delivery in the
bowling frame the following equation must be used:
Dice Roll = 1d12 + Bowling Skill Adj.
After computing the dice roll, the player must consult TABLE A for the
bowling results. If a strike is not attained in the first delivery then
a second delivery is required. The following formula must be used:
Dice Roll = 1d12 + Bowling Skill Adj. -
# of pins knocked down in 1st delivery
After frame is over, score results on sheet.
BOWLING SKILL ADJUSTMENT
BOWLING SKILL ADJ. = (2 * Missile Att. Adj.) + Hit Prob. +
Bowling Proficiency
BOWLING SKILL ADJ. = Dexterity Adj. + Strength Adj. +
(USING TABLE 1) Bowling Proficiency
TABLE 1: ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO ABILITY SCORES
ABILITY SCORE DEXTERITY ADJ. STRENGTH ADJ. 1
-12 - 5
2 - 8 - 3
3 - 6 - 3
4 - 4 - 2
5 - 2 - 1
6 0 - 1
7 0 0
8 0 0
9 0 0
10 0 0
11 0 0
12 0 0
13 0 0
14 0 0
15 0 0
16 + 2 0
17 + 4 + 1
18 + 4 + 1
18/01-50 n/a + 1
18/51-75 n/a + 2
18/76-90 n/a + 2
18/91-99 n/a + 2
18/00 n/a + 3
19 + 6 + 3
20 + 6 + 3
21 + 8 + 4
22 + 8 + 4
23 + 8 + 5
24 +10 + 6
25 +10 + 7
BOWLING PROFICIENCY
RELEVANT ABILITY: DEXTERITY # OF SLOTS REQ: 1
For every proficiency slot given to this proficiency, the bowler
gains a +1 in every bowling attempt. Once in every game, the bowler
may make a proficiency check and if successful gain a +2 on that throw.
BOWLING WITH THE DICE (REVIEW)
To bowl the player must role a 1d12. For the first delivery in the
bowling frame the following equation must be used:
Dice Roll = 1d12 + Bowling Skill Adj.
After computing the dice roll, the player must consult TABLE A for the
bowling results. If a strike is not attained in the first delivery then
a second delivery is required. The following formula must be used:
Dice Roll = 1d12 + Bowling Skill Adj. -
# of pins knocked down in 1st delivery
In the second delivery, all rolls above 12 are rounded down to 12.
After frame is over, score results on sheet.
BOWLING RESULTS
TABLE A
DICE ROLL RESULT
-0 Roll On Table B
1 Gutter Ball Left
2 Gutter Ball Right
3 1 pin knocked down
4 2 pins knocked down
5 3 pins knocked down
6 4 pins knocked down
7 5 pins knocked down
8 6 pins knocked down
9 7 pins knocked down
10 8 pins knocked down
11 9 pins knocked down
12 STRIKE!
13- STRIKE! ROLL On Table C
TABLE B
DICE ROLL RESULT
01-30 Audience boos and hisses the bowler.
31-40 Somebody takes pity on the bowler and buys him a drink.
41-60 Bowler crosses foul line: No Score.
61-65 Bad delivery causes ball to crack: No Score.
66-70 Bowler throws ball down neighboring lane. DM may
improvise the ramifications.
71-74 Ball slips. All people within 10 ft. radius must save
vs. rods or take 1d4-1 damage.
75-77 Bowler goes with ball down the lane: No Score.
78-79 A curse from Stickpin for bad bowling. Roll on Table D.
80-80 A reward from Stickpin hopefully to inspire. Roll on
Table E.
81-90 OTHER. DM's discretion advised.
91-00 Nothing.
TABLE C
DICE ROLL RESULT
01-30 Audience cheers and applauds the bowler.
31-40 Somebody is impressed with the bowler and buys him a
drink.
41-60 Bowler crosses foul line: No Score.
61-65 To much power causes ball to crack.
66-70 To much power causes pins in neighboring lanes to fall
as well. DM may improvise the ramifications.
71-74 A position in a bowling league is offered.
75-77 A member of the opposite sex approaches the bowler. DM
may improvise.
78-79 A curse from Stickpin to put things in perspective for
the bowler. Roll on Table D.
80-80 A reward from Stickpin. Roll on Table E.
81-90 OTHER. DM's discretion advised.
91-00 Nothing.
TABLE D: CURSES
DICE ROLL RESULT
01-30 For remainder of game the bowler receives a -1 on his
bowling skill adj.
31-60 For remainder of game the bowler receives a -2 on his
bowling skill adj.
61-70 For remainder of the night the bowler receives a -1 on
his bowling skill adj.
71-76 Ball explodes causing 1d6 to all within 15 ft. All but
the bowler get a saving throw.
77-79 Bowler becomes unconscious for 1-7 days.
80-84 Bowler recieves 7-10 split on every first delivery for
eternity. Remove curse is the only cure.
85-87 Stickpin sends a servant to punish bowler. DM may decide
punishment.
88-89 Stickpin takes bowler to lair for a very gruesome
lesson.
90-90 Stickpin appears and fights bowler with intent to kill.
91-00 OTHER. DM may improvise.
TABLE E: REWARDS
DICE ROLL RESULT
01-30 For remainder of game the bowler receives a +1 on his
bowling skill adj.
31-60 For remainder of game the bowler receives a +2 on his
bowling skill adj.
61-70 For remainder of the night the bowler receives a +1 on
his bowling skill adj.
71-76 Ball turns into silver (VALUE: 100-500 GP).
77-79 Bowler becomes unconscious for 1-7 days.
80-84 Bowler gets a +4 when attempting a 7-10 split for 1-4
years unless dispel magic is cast upon him.
85-87 Stickpin sends a servant to congratulate bowler. DM may
decide the congratulations.
88-89 Stickpin takes bowler to lair for a very useful lesson.
90-90 Stickpin appears for personal congratulations.
91-00 OTHER. DM may improvise.
Stickpin: The Guardian Of Bowling
RACE: Xvart
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
HIT DICE: 3+6
HIT POINTS: 30
STRENGTH: 10
DEXTERITY: 18
CONSTITUTION: 8
INTELLIGENCE: 17
WISDOM: 17
CHARISMA: 13
Stickpin is The Guardian of Bowling. He is the ideal bowler. He
can bowl a 300 game, do any trick shot desirable, judge whether the
bowling area is regulation and if not he can adjust to the conditions,
even juggle ten pins, if it involves bowling then Stickpin is the
expert.
Stickpin is a typical Xvart. He is 3 feet high with bright blue
skin and orange eyes. Unlike his race, Stickpin has no fear of humans
an in fact likes to socialize with them because humans have a uncanny
knack for bowling. Since he is superior at bowling then anybody
(except maybe a few gods), he fears very few races.
Because of his superiority complex, Stickpin is arrogant, cocky,
and a practical jokester. Because of his chaotic nature, he is
unpredictable. He could reward an outstanding bowler or punish a bowler
for being to good. In the same way, he could give a poor bowler some
pointers or very well punish him for being terrible at the sport.
One must also remember his evil nature. He has no problem with
enslaving a person, stealing from a person, or killing a person.
However, his love of bowling generally keeps him from destroying
bowling alleys or its people (with some exceptions, of course).
Stickpin speaks his racial language, Xvart, and is fluent in The
Common Tongue, Koboldian, Goblin, Dwarven, Hill Giantic, Gnomish, and
Elfish. He, also, dabbles in a little Ogre, Orchish, and Gnoll. After
all, he must know the language to wager a little bit o'money.
Stickpin has the ability to polymorph himself into the following
forms: Human, Dwarf, Hill Giant, Kobold. Stickpin maintains the same
abilities in all forms; his size is about all that changes. There is
nothing more exciting for Stickpin then polymorphing into one of the
forms, entering into a bowling alley, placing a few bets, and
destroying his opponent at bowling.
SOME OF STICKPIN'S BOWLING ITEMS
Stickpin Bowling Bag
A sleek black leather bowling bag with a purple SP inscribed on
the side. This bag is an extra-dimensional hole 3' wide 6' deep. The
bag does not accumulate weight no matter how heavy the contents are.
When open Stickpin can call forth the object he desires and it will
appear at the top of the bag.
Mood Ball
This bowling ball is regulation size and one of Stickpin
favorites. When touched the ball turns a color representing the mood of
the bowler. For example, a blue ball represents sadness, a red ball
represents madness, a green ball represents an uneasiness.
The Lucky Blue Ball
When challenged by somebody important, Stickpin always uses this
ball. The ball has no magical qualities, but Stickpin feels that this
ball is lucky.
Bowling Glove Of Defense
This bowling glove does not add to bowling skill (Stickpin needs
no help). Except for its cool silky black look it has only one purpose:
when worn it gives the wearer an armor class of 2. The glove will also
adjust to the form Stickpin is in.
Bag O'Chalk
What better way to dry up those wet sweaty hands. The best part is
that this bag never runs out and the chalk doesn't leave an odor.
"One Size Fits All" Bowling Shoes
Bright Red shoes specially made for the surface of a bowling alley
so as not to scuff it. As in the name, this shoe will conform to fit
any size shoe (max. 2 ft.). On the back of one shoe there is a "R" and
on the other is a "L".
Ring Of Invisibility
The wearer is able to become invisible at will, instantly. This
non-visible state is exactly the same as the magic-user spell
invisibility, except it is inaudible as well, making the wearer
absolutely silent. If the wear wishes to speak, he breaks all silence
features to do so.
This particular ring is silver and has a bowling pin engraved on
it.
Personalized T-Shirt
This orange T-shirt has written on it in blue letters "Stickpin
does it with balls". The shirt can not be destroyed by any forms of
fire, electricity, cold, and water.
The Crystal Bowling Ball
This scrying device is about 1/2' in diameter. Stickpin can use
this device to see over virtually any place containing a bowling game.
This crystal bowl will not cause ill affects to Stickpin and is merely
a device to keep taps on the bowling scene.
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