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Shotguns
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Saddles
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Old school old west RPG

By David Bezio
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 Contents
Shotguns 1. Introduction
1.1 The “Real” Wild West

-N- 1.2 The Game Rules

1.2.1 You’ve Done This Before
1.2.2 Dice
1.2.3 Miniature Figures

Saddles 1.2.4 Game Time (and Rounds)

1.2.5 Measurement

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1.2.6 Most Important!
2. Character Creation
2.1 Summary of Character Creation
2.2 Starting Level
2.3 Rolling Attributes
Old school old west RPG

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2.4 Background
2.5 Move and Defense
By David Bezio 2.5.1 Move
2.5.2 Defense
2.6 Hit Points
© David Bezio 2013, Creative Commons 2.7 Alignment
BY-NC-SA Some Rights Reserved 2.7.1 White Hat
2.7.2 Brown Hat
2.7.3 Black Hat
2.8 Starting Special Ability
2.9 Roll for Money / Buy Gear

e 2.10 Fill in the Details

3. Attributes
3.1 Attribute Checks (check)
3.1.1 Making the Attribute Check
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3.1.2 Attribute Check Target Number
3.1.3 Opposed Checks
3.1.3 Combat “to hit” rolls
3.1.4 Know When to Roll’em
3.1.5 Secret GM Rolls
3.2 Attribute Descriptions
3.2.1 Athletics
3.2.2 Book Learning
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3.2.3 Fighting
3.2.4 Frontier
3.2.5 Grit
3.2.6 Horsemanship
3.2.7 Perception
3.2.8 Presence
3.2.9 Shooting
3.2.10 Stealth
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3.2.11 Strength
3.2.12 Quickness
4. Special Abilities
4.1 Special Ability Descriptions
4.1.2 Advantage
4.1.3 Alert
4.1.4 Animal Affinity
4.1.5 Born in the Saddle
4.1.6 Doc
4.1.7 Fancy Shootin!
4.1.8 Fast
4.1.9 Fast Healer
4.1.10 Gunslinger
4.1.11 Hard to Kill
4.1.12 Hit em Hard!
4.1.13 Lucky
4.1.14 Marksman
 4.1.15 Mighty Blow 7.8.2.1 Digging in the Spurs
4.1.16 Plum Loco 7.8.3 Catching your Opponent
4.1.17 Quick 7.8.3.1 Jump to the Wagon
4.1.18 Quick Draw 7.8.3.2 Tackle him!
4.1.19 Rapid Reload 8. Damage and Death
4.1.20 Thief 8.1 Taking Damage
4.1.21 Tough Hombre 8.1.1 Weapon Damage
5. Gear 8.1.2 Falling
5.1Carrying Capacity 8.1.3 Poison
5.2 Basic Equipment 8.1.4 Fire
5.2.1 Clothes 8.2 Damage Effects
5.2.2 Food & Drink 8.2.1 Critical Hit Table

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5.2.4 Transportation 8.3 Healing
5.2.5 Gear 8.4 Death
5.3 Weapons 9. Showdown
5.3.1 Weapon Details 9.1 The Showdown isn’t Combat

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6. Improving Characters 9.2 Summary of a Showdown
6.1 Experience Points (XP) 9.3 Showdown Total (ST)
6.1.1 Level 9.3.1 Dividing the ST
6.1.2 Gaining Hit Points 9.3.2 Revealing the ST
6.1.3 Gaining New Special Abilities 9.4 Resolving the Showdown
7. Unpleasant Encounters 9.4.1 Still Alive!?
7.1 Surprise 9.5 Showdown Damage
7.2 Determine Initiative 10. Gambling
7.2.1 Held Initiative 10.1 S-n-S Poker
7.2.2 Hirelings Initiative 10.2 Summary of a hand of poker
7.3 The Combat Round 10.3 Ante Up
7.3.1 Combat Round Actions
7.3.1.1 Free Actions
7.4 Running or Dodging e
7.4.1 Running away from melee
7.5 Attacking
10.4 Roll the Bones
10.5 Cheating and/or Bluffing
10.5.1 Cheating
10.5.2 Bluffing
10.6 Bidding
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7.5.1 Natural 20’s and 1’s 10.6.1 Folding
7.5.1.1 Fumbles and Gun Jams 10.7 Winning
7.5.2 Drawing a Weapon 11. The S-n-S Wild West
7.5.3 Melee or Ranged Attack? 11.1 Cinematic Wild West
7.5.4 Moving and Attacking 11.2 The Boring Reality
7.6 Other Encounter Rules 11.3 The Shotguns & Saddles World
7.6.1 Improvised Weapons 11.4 Bad Girls
7.6.2 Unarmed Opponent
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11.5 Bawdy House

7.6.3 Advantageous Position 11.6 Bounty Hunters
7.6.4 Ganging Up 11.7 Buffalo
7.6.5 Using Two Weapons 11.8 Cattle Kingdom
7.6.6 Defensive Melee Fighting 11.9 Chuck Wagon
7.6.7 Shooting into Melee 11.10 Civil War
7.6.8 Called Shots 11.11 Frontier Town
7.6.9 Reloading 11.12 Fur Trade
7.6.10 Line of Sight
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11.13 Going West

7.6.11 Aim 11.14 Gold Fever
7.6.12 Range 11.15 Hotel
7.6.13 Cover 11.16 Indians
7.6.13.1 Soft Cover 11.17 Lawmen
7.6.13.2 Hard Cover 11.18 Long Drive
7.6.13.3 Total Cover 11.19 Longhorns
7.6.14 Shooter Unstable 11.20 Mexicans
7.6.15 Knocked Back or Prone 11.21 Nighthawks
7.6.16 What in Tarnation!? (The Rule of 2) 11.22 Outlaws
7.7 Dynamite 11.23 Pony Express
7.7.1 Dynamite Miss Diagram 11.24 Presidents
7.7.2 Dynamite Blast Area 11.25 Saloon
7.7.3 Dynamite is Fun! (And dangerous) 11.26 Silver Mines
7.8 Horse Chases 11.27 Stagecoach
7.8.1 Keeping Track of Distance 11.28 Ranches
7.8.2 Horse and Wagon Movement 11.29 Railroad
 11.30 Telegraph 14.12 Scorpion
11.31 Trains 14.13 Wolf
12. Folks & Critters 15. Legends of the West
12.1 Creating Folks & Critters 15.1 Bat Masterson
12.1.1 Choose a Level 15.2 Belle Starr
12.1.2 Assign Attribute Values 15.3 Bill Tilghman
12.1.3 Calculate Hit Dice, Move, and Defense 15.4 Billy the Kid
12.1.4 Assign Special Abilities 15.5 Black Bart
12.1.5 Assign Gear 15.6 Butch Cassidy
13. Folks 15.7 Calamity Jane
13.1 Army Officer 15.8 Clay Allison
15.9 Cole Younger

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13.2 Army Sergeant
13.3 Army Soldier 15.10 Crazy Horse
13.4 Bad Girl 15.11 Cochise
13.5 Bartender 15.12 Doc Holliday
13.6 Blacksmith 15.13 Frank Canton

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13.7 Bounty Man 15.14 Geronimo
13.8 Buffalo Hunter 15.15 Heck Thomas
13.9 Cattle Baron 15.16 Henry Starr
13.10 Citizen (Townsfolk) 15.17 Jesse & Frank James
13.11 Cowboy / Cowgirl 15.18 Johnny Ringo
13.12 Deputy 15.19 John Wesley Hardin
13.13 Drunk 15.20 Sitting Bull
13.14 Express Car Guard 15.21 Texas John Slaughter
13.15 Federal Marshal 15.22 Tom Horn
13.16 Gambler 15.23 Wild Bill Hickok
13.17 Grub Slinger 15.24 Wyatt Earp
13.18 Gun Fighter
13.19 Indian Chief
13.20 Indian Brave
13.21 Kung Fu Wanderer
13.22 Madam
e 16. Tumbleweed Valley
16.1 Adventure Background
16.2 Referee information
16.3 Adventure Summary
16.4 Players Introduction
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13.23 Mexican Bandito 16.5 Scene One: The Saloon
13.24 Mexican Boss 16.5.1 The Door Guard
13.25 Mexican Peasant 16.5.2 The Drunk Mexican
13.26 Mountain Man 16.5.3 The Job Offer
13.27 Outlaw Boss 16.5.4 Gunfire in the Saloon
13.28 Outlaw Gang Member 16.6 Scene Two: Tumbleweed Valley
13.29 Pinkerton Man 16.6.1 The New Morning Ranch (El Rancho de
13.30 Pony Express Postman nuevo mañana)
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13.31 Posse Member 16.6.2 Approaching by day

13.32 Prairie Nymph 16.6.3 Approaching by night
13.33 Prospector 16.6.4 Fighting for Their Home!
13.34 Rail Boss 16.6.5 Something’s Not Right
13.35 Rail Worker 16.7 Scene Three: Dry Gulch!
13.36 Roughneck 16.7.1 The Lone Horseman
13.37 Settler 16.7.2 Bush Wack!
13.38 Sheriff 16.8 Scene Four: Showdown at Tarnal Diggins
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13.39 Shotgun 16.8.1 Showdown with Sasha

13.40 Soiled Dove 16.9 Concluding the Adventure
13.41 Stagecoach Driver 16.9.1 Awarding Experience
13.42 Texas Ranger 16.9.2 Further Adventures
14. Critters Last Chance Saloon Map
14.1 Bear Rattlesnake Gorge Map
14.2 Bobcat El Rancho de nuevo mañana Map
14.3 Buffalo
14.4 Cougar Character Sheet
14.5 Coyote Tables and Summary Sheets
14.6 Dog
14.7 Gila Monster
14.8 Horse
14.9 Jackalope
14.10 Longhorn
14.11 Rattle Snake
 1.2.2 Dice
1. Introduction
The referee and each player should have a set of
Shotguns & Saddles (S-n-S) is a cinematic role six standard polyhedral dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12,
playing game set in the American wild west. The and d20. When referring to dice the first number
player characters take the role of cowboys, given will be the number of dice to be rolled
drifters, the town sheriff, or other desperados. The followed by the letter “d” (die or dice) followed by
referee creates adventures for these characters the die type. Sometimes there may be a modifier
full of fast paced action, nail biting showdowns, listed after the dice. This is simply added or
and barroom shootouts! subtracted from the die roll total. For example,

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2d6+2 means to roll 2 six sided dice then add 2.
1.1 The “Real” Wild West
1.2.3 Miniature Figures
The American wild west is a period in history that
Miniatures are not needed to play S-n-S. However,

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only ran about 20 years (1865-1885). However,
many of the elements that people associate with the tactical combat system rules are designed to
this genre actually happened in the decades just be used easily with miniatures in the 25-28mm
before or after. Many of these specific elements, range. The choice to use them or not is yours.
occurrences, and people only crossed paths
briefly, and some, never at all. 1.2.4 Game Time (and Rounds)

S-n-S takes its cue from the movies, books, and TV Time isn’t important unless the referee determines
shows that dramatized this period. It downplays it is. If the PCs are waiting for a train that will arrive
the importance of specific dates and continuity the next day, and nothing of importance is going

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while focusing on the romance, drama, action,
and adventure of a good western tale. This allows
the referee to include any of the trappings of the
genre, whether historically accurate or not.
to happen till it arrives, then just skip forward in
time to the train’s arrival. Control time abstractly
as needed. The Only instance that game time
becomes very important is during combat, or
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other intense action sequences. When these
action sequences take place you will need to
1.2 The Game Rules know how long things take, and who gets to do
things first. When this happens, the game time
S-n-S uses old school type mechanics inspired by breaks down into Rounds. Rounds are 3 second
the earliest role playing game. The goal was to periods of time during which individual character
develop a familiar, simple, yet comprehensive set can usually take a single action.
of rules that can be learned very quickly. While
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concise, you will find them extremely versatile and

able to satisfactorily handle most situations with a
1.2.5 Measurement
minimum of confusion or guesswork.
Measurements are usually used to tell how far a
The game system is designed to fade into the person can move in a round, or the distance a
background for most of the actual role playing, weapon can be thrown or shot. All of these
delivering quick resolution when needed. During ranges are given in inches for ease of use with
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combat, the rules are more specific, designed to miniatures on the tabletop. 1” is equal to 5 feet
provide answers for most situations that might arise real distance if not using miniatures.
and handle them in the simplest way, wile
maintaining a high level of strategically choices. 1.2.6 Most Important!

1.2.1 You’ve Done This Before Anything in this book should be thought of as
changeable! This book should simply be thought
This game assumes that the reader is familiar with of as guidelines for you to create the type of
what a role playing game is, standard game game you desire. Remember, S-N-S is an “old
terms, how to referee (game master), and how to school” style game. It doesn’t include rules and
design adventures. There is little space used modifiers for every single possible situation. It is
defining and describing things you already know. purposely designed like this to allow you to
customize and create your own style of play and
house rules, like in the “good old days”.
 2.3 Rolling Attributes
2. Character Creation
Each character has 12 attributes: Athletics, Book
The first step in playing the game is to create a Learning, Fighting, Frontier, Grit, Horsemanship,
character. This is a simple matter of rolling some Perception, Presence, Shooting, Stealth, Strength,
dice, doing a few calculations, and making a few and Quickness. These are described in section 3.
choices. Before you start, print out, or photocopy
the character sheet included in the back of this For each of the 12 attributes roll 3D6, add the
book and record your (players) name. result, and record the score listed on the Attribute
table below.

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2.1 Summary of Character Creation
Attribute Table

Grab a character sheet, record level (0)

Roll for each attribute 3D6 Description Score

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Roll for background (modify attributes) 3-4 Poor -2

Calculate move and defense 5-8 Below Average -1

Roll for Hit Points 9-12 Average 0

Choose alignment 13-16 Above Average +1

Roll a special ability
17-18 Great +2

Roll for money / Buy gear

Fill in the details
2.4 Background
2.2 Starting Level

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All characters start out at level zero (0). Level is a
simple way of defining how competent your
character is. Your character level will be used as
a modifier to many rolls reflecting his experience.
Despite your characters current position in life,
they didn’t just come into being. Roll 1D20 and
consult Background Table below to determine
your characters past role. Each background has
2 - 4 Attributes listed; add +1 to these attributes.
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Background Table

1D20 Background Attributes +1

1 Lawman Fighting, Frontier, Grit, Shooting
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2 Preacher Book Learning, Perception, Presence,

3 Soiled Dove Frontier, Grit, Perception, Presence
4 Outlaw Fighting, Grit, Horsemanship, Stealth
5 Kid Athletics, Horsemanship, Quickness
6 Gambler Frontier, Perception, Presence, Stealth
7 Sod Buster Frontier, Grit, Shooting, Strength
8 Frontier Widow Frontier, Perception, Shooting, Quickness
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9 Scout Fighting, Frontier, Grit, Stealth

10 Mountain Man Fighting, Frontier, Shooting, Strength
11 Indian Outcast Athletics, Frontier, Horsemanship, Stealth
12 Buffalo Hunter Fighting, Frontier, Shooting, Stealth
13 Teacher Book Learning, Perception,
14 Medicine Man Perception, Presence, Stealth, Quickness
15 Cowboy Fighting, Frontier, Grit, Horsemanship,
16 Shopkeeper Perception, Stealth, Quickness
17 Railroad Worker Frontier, Grit, Strength,
18 Launderer Athletics, Fighting, Stealth, Quickness
19 Tender-foot Book Learning, Stealth,
20 Immigrant Fighting, Horsemanship, Shooting, Strength
 2.5 Move and Defense
Next you will calculate your movement and
defense scores. Use the table and formula below
to calculate movement and defense and add the
result to your character sheet.

2.5.1 Move

Move is how far your character can move, it is

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used primarily during combat. Movement is
measured in inches per 3 second round. To
determine your move score look at your athletics
attribute and check the table below

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Athletics Move
-2 2”
-1 3”
0 4”
+1 5”
+2 6”
+3 7”

2.5.2 Defense

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Defense is used during combat and tells how hard
it is to hit you with weapons or fists. It reflects a
combination of dodging, weaving, toughness,
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and luck. Defense is equal to 10 plus the
characters quickness attribute plus the characters
level (remember, all characters start out at level 0,
but that will go up with time).

Defense = 10 + Quickness + Level

2.7 Alignment
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2.6 Hit Points Your characters alignment is an outline of his

moral code. The character you play has his own
Hit Points (HP) are an abstract measurement of personality, motivations, or reasons for doing the
how much punishment you can take when hurt. things he does. On occasion, with good reason,
Subtracting HP for any damage taken represents he may act outside his alignment, but he will
scratches, near misses, and luck. When you run usually go with his gut and do the right thing in his
out of HP you are really hurt and may die. mind. There are 3 alignments to choose from,
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White Hat, Brown Hat, and Black Hat.

To determine your HP you roll what is referred to as
your “hit die”. A starting character rolls his hit die 2.7.1 White Hat
once and records the result (your referee may
allow starting characters to take the maximum White hats are the good guys of the wild west.
number of HP). To see what type of hit die your They seek justice and fairness for all. They believe
character has look at your Grit attribute and in order, law, honesty, and honor. A White Hat
check on the table below. puts others before himself and always does the
right thing.
Grit Hit Die
-2,-1 D4
2.7.2 Brown Hat
0 D6
+1,+2 D8
Brown hats are generally good people. However,
+3 D10
they are more concerned with the well being of
 themselves and their loved ones than they are 2.8 Starting Special Ability
with always doing the right thing. A brown hat
weighs out a situation, and then does what he Special abilities, unlike attributes, are things not
thinks is best in that particular circumstance. every character has. Each player character starts
the game with 1 randomly determined special
2.7.3 Black Hat ability. Roll 1D20 and consult the chart below.
Special abilities are detailed in section 4.
Black Hats are generally self centered and selfish.
They worry about themselves first, and don’t much
care about anyone else unless they directly affect
2.9 Roll for Money / Buy Gear

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their own life. A black hat will shoot someone in
the back and steal his nugget of gold without any Money comes in two forms, coins and paper.
though beyond how he is going to spend his new Paper money isn’t given much value by most
found wealth. people as it is printed up by individual banks, and
they won’t redeem other banks notes most of the

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time. Coins are the most common currency. To
keep things simple we will stick to 3 coins.

$0.01 = Penny (copper)

$1.00 = Silver Dollar (Silver)
$10.00 = Gold Eagle (Gold)

Starting characters begin play with 3D6 x 10

dollars and a set of clothes. Use this money to
equip your character from the lists in section 5.

e 2.10 Fill in the Details

Name your character and create their
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background story. Add any details you like or will
help you role play, such as height, weight, age,
and a physical description. Draw a portrait if you
have the talent.

Special Ability Table

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D20 Special Ability Summary

1 Advantage Draw stingy pistol as a free action; +3 to initiative and to hit first round
2 Alert Never surprised in combat; +1 to perception checks
3 Animal Affinity Avoids animal attacks; Animal companion; +1 horsemanship
4 Born in the Saddle +2 to all horsemanship; Can shoot while riding with no penalty
5 Doc Can heal 1-3 D4 HP; Within 1 hour of damage; 10 minutes to perform
6 Fancy Shootin! 2 attacks at -2 penalty; If taken twice -1; 3rd time, no penalty
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7 Fast +2 “ to move score; Can be taken up to 3 times

8 Fast Healer +2 to his natural healing roll every day; +4 if taken twice
9 Gunslinger In a showdown, +2 to ST, +4 if taken a second time
10 Hard to Kill +1 to any roll made on the critical hit table
11 Hit em Hard! +1 to all damage rolls; + 2 If taken a second time
12 Lucky Can reroll once per game session; Can be taken up to 3 times
13 Marksman No penalty at long range; +4 instead of +2 from a round of aiming
14 Mighty Blow -2 from his attack roll, +3 to his damage roll
15 Plum Loco 2 fighting attacks at -1 to hit; Defense drops -2 until his next turn
16 Quick +2 to his Initiative roll
17 Quick Draw Draw as free action; High initiative = bonus attack at -2; +1 ST
18 Rapid Reload reloads any weapons as a free action
19 Thief Knows how to pick locks and pockets
20 Tough Hombre +2 HP per hit die rolled after special ability is chosen