Clay-O-Rama Rules, found at ftp://ftp.trawna.com/pub/rpg/games/clay-o-rama
WARNING: I was given Xerox copies of the rules of Clay-O-Rama at a convention several years ago. I do not know who to credit for it, but whoever you are, credit goes to you.
What is Clay-O-Rama?
A Clay-O-Rama is many things. It is a chance for friends to meet and have a good time. It can be a serious philosophical discussion on the meaning of modeling clay. It is a means of artistic expression. It is a ritualistic gathering of Claydonians to watch the violent destruction of others of their species. But most of all, it is a silly game involving modeling-clay miniatures.
What do I need to have a Clay-O-Rama?
First, you need a group of people willing to be silly and have fun playing with modeling clay. Next, you need these rules or something like them. Then, you need pencils, paper, and numerous 6-sided dice for each player. Finally, you need one can of modeling clay for each player: Utterly unscientific testing has shown that Play-Doh (R) Modeling Compound is well suited for use in Clay-O-Rama. It is easily shaped, comes packaged in the proper amounts, and has pleasing, brilliant colors.
How do I create a Claydonian?
After you have assembled the items listed above, find a large smooth space on which to play. This could be several tables pushed together or a smooth tile floor. Do not play in a place where you do not want to have bits of modeling clay about. After you have found a place to play and have assembled your friends, give each one a can of modeling clay. Try to let each player have the color he or she wants. After giving out the clay, tell the players the following:
“You have 20 minutes in which to make a creature out of your modeling clay. You may create anything you want, so long as it does not collapse at the slightest touch. You do not have to use all of your clay; any clay you do not use may be shaped into missiles of any size and shape you want. You may not trade clay with another player; use your own clay. When you have finished making your Claydonians, let me know.”
After telling the players this, let them go to it. Do not tell them any more about what will happen except that it will be a miniatures game. Encourage creativity. As each player finishes his or her creation, you must assign the creation its powers.
How do I assign powers?
There are 6 categories of power that must be assigned to each Claydonian:
- movement
- number of attacks
- “to hit” number
- damage
- hit points
- special powers.
Each one requires that you make a judgment about the creation of the player.
The following are guidelines for assigning the powers; you may alter them as you see fit.
MOVEMENT: All movement is measured in spans of the player’s outstretched hand (from tip of thumb to tip of little finger). The following table gives the basic movement rate:
0 / 1 span
1-2 / 2 spans
3-4 / 3 spans
5 or more / 4 spans
Note that a “leg” is any type of movement-producing appendage the Claydonian
might have, even if it is a wheel.
NUMBER OF ATTACKS: Look at the creature carefully. How many limbs can it use for attacking? This is the number of attacks it can make each turn. However, this number should never be more than four.
CHANCE TO HIT: A Claydonian’s basic chance to hit is 8 or greater on two 6-sided dice. If the creature has big limbs or a big mouth, the chance to hit is reduced by one. If the creature has real big limbs or mouth, or it uses its entire body in an attack, reduce the chance to hit by two. You decide just how big is “big” or “real big”.
DAMAGE: The base damage done in any attack is one 6-sided die’s worth of points. If the limbs are large, one to two more dice may be added to this. If the limbs are very large, three more dice may be added. If the attack is an absolute killer, up to five dice may be added to the base attack die. As usual, you can decide all final attack values. If you’re getting the idea that this is not a very exact game, you have the right idea. You’re playing with clay monsters, right? Who needs to be exact?
HIT POINTS: Look at the creature and compare it to the amount of clay kept aside to use for missiles. If the entire can of clay was used to form the creature, it has 50 hit points. If half was used for missiles, the creature will have 25 hit points. Assign hit points based on the fraction of clay used to form missiles. If 25% of the clay is used for missiles, knock off 25% off of 50 to find the creature’s hit points. This is another judgment call on your part as the referee.
SPECIAL POWERS: Each creation gets one special power. It may be from the list below, or it can be one you make up. If you make it up, it is recommended that you create a power that will affect modeling clay in a harmless way. The following powers may be assigned randomly by rolling a die or may be chosen by you to match the creature in some way.
1. The Drop: Made in place of one normal attack. If a hit is successfully made, you lift the target into the air and drop it 3 feet. Afterwards, you can decide the amount of damage caused based on what happened.
2. The Bowl: This power works like the drop, except that you roll the target across the battlefield.
3. The Poke: When a hit is made, you poke the target hard with your finger, making a nice hole in it. Then you decide the amount of damage.
4. Reshape One Limb: This power is used in place of a normal attack. If it hits successfully, the attacking player may alter the shape of any one limb of the target as (s)he pleases. As referee, you should be ready to assign damage or altered powers because of this change.
5. The Blob of Death: This power may only be used by a creature with missiles. The player may designate one of the missiles to be his Blob of Death. It is fired like a normal missile (see “How does my claydonian shoot?”). If it scores a hit, you should take your fist and give the target one solid smash to show the effects of the missile. After doing this, assign damage based on the consequences. Only one Blob of Death per game is allowed.
6. Rip Limbs Off: When a creature rolls an 11 or 12 on a normal attack, the player may tear one of his opponents limbs off (make that one of his Claydonian’s opponent’s limbs). Though this attack causes no damage to the target in terms of lost hit points, you should be ready to note any changes to the target’s powers.
7. Change Places: In addition to a normal attack on a successful hit, creatures with this power may change places with any opponent on the board, or may change the places of any two other creatures on the board. The creature may not move in the same turn it uses this power.
8. Move Out of Turn: Creatures with this power may move at any initiative point in the turn. They simply announce that they wish to move. They may not move in the middle of another player’s move.
9. Use Opponent as Missile: If all of an attacker’s limbs hit a target, he may pick his target up and use it as a missile against a third opponent. The “missile” is fired normally, and you as referee should assess damage to both the “missile” and the target.
10. Divide Self: This power should only be given to creatures that can easily divide into two sections. Each half has half the normal powers of the normal creature at the time of division.
11. Borrow Power: In addition to all normal attacks, a successful hit by creature allows it to use the special power belonging to the creature it hit, if the attacker wants to do so. The decision must be made immediately or the borrowed power will be lost until another successful hit is made. NOTE: The player with this power should not be told what the powers of other creatures are; he can only learn this by observation.
You can create any other powers you can think of. However, be sure that none of them are dangerous to the players or any spectators watching the game.
How do I play the game?
Once all the players have created their Claydonians and have had powers assigned to them, have them gather around the playing area. Have the players space themselves at equal distances from each other. Each player should then roll three 6-sided dice to find his or her initiative number. Ties should be rolled off. Be sure each player notes his initiative number. After this is done, explain the What Do I Do, How Do I Move, How Do I Shoot, How Do I Attack, and How Do I Win rules to the players. Once everyone understands what is going on, begin the game.
What Do I Do?
The Clay-O-Rama is played in turns. A player gets to move his creation once during each turn. At several points during a turn, a player may have the opportunity to attack. Each player takes his move in the order of the initiative rolls, going from highest to lowest. The sequence of a player’s move is as follows:
1. Move your creation up to its full movement.
2. Fire up to three missiles at the targets of you choice.
3. Attack any creature to which your Claydonian is adjacent, provided you have attacks left to do so.
4. The other player (or players) may counterattack against your creature, provided they have any attacks left.
Each player follows this sequence, in order of initiative, until the player is out of the game or the game is over.
How Do I Move?
To move your creation, use your hand to measure the distance the Claydonian moves, starting from the front of the creature. If there is no discernible front, begin measuring in the direction the creature last moved. There is no terrain in the game (though you can add some if you like). Thus, except when turning, a creature will always be able to move up to its full movement.
Note that if some people feel that the hand-span measuring system is unfair or grossly inaccurate, you may then enforce the Uniformity Rule. The Uniformity Rule states that all distances will be measured by the referee’s hand. However, this will slow down the play of the game and place a great deal of work in the hands of the referee. If a part of a creation comes off during movement, the player is allowed to put that piece back on his creation at no penalty. Falling apart is best done under combat conditions.
How Do I Shoot?
At the end of movement, each player is allowed to shoot up to three of his missiles. A missile may only be used once. After it is fired, it is removed from play. If a player does not have any missiles, he may not fire any.
To fire a missile, the player stands anywhere within 3 to 4 feet of his own position at the table. The player may not move to a different area of the battlefield; he must fire his missiles from the point where his creation began the game. After the player has his position, have him name his target (a specific Claydonian creation on the table). Players cannot attack a group of monsters; only one will do.
Have the player throw his missile, attempting to hit the target. Make it clear to the thrower that how hard the missile is thrown has NO effect on the amount of damage done. It is only the SIZE of the missile that matters. It is a wise idea to have someone stand directly opposite the thrower to catch long shots and bounces. If the thrower manages to hit his declare target, the missile has hit. If the thrower hits a different creature, the shot is a miss, no matter what happens. The attacked player is allowed to reattach any parts of his Claydonian that come off due to the missile’s hits, unless a special power dictates otherwise. If the missile missed, the shot is no good.
If a missile hits a target, you must determine the amount of damage done by the missile. The base damage for a missile is one 6-sided die for something about the size of a marble. Missiles smaller than this may do less damage. Missiles larger than this should do proportionately greater damage (up to five dice).
How Do I Attack?
Each Claydonian is assigned a number of attacks it can make in one turn, based upon the number of manipulative limbs it has. These attacks can be used as attacks or counterattacks. If a creation has used all its attacks, it may not make any more attacks (or counterattacks) for the rest of the turn.
If your creation is adjacent to an enemy creation, you may decide to attack. “Adjacent” is defined as being within the reach of your creation’s arms. You may attack as many times as you have attacks, provided you have not used any attacks to make counterattacks (see below).
To make an attack, you must announce your target and the dice of damage done by the attack (unless all of your attacks do the same amount of damage). Then roll two dice. If the dice roll is equal to or greater than your “to hit” number, you have hit your target with that attack.
After all attacks have been resolved against one target, count the number of dice of damage from all those successful attacks. Roll the dice and add them together to find the total amount of damage caused. The player whose creature was the target of the attack should subtract this amount from his creation’s hit points. If the creation’s hit points reach zero, the creation is dead (see below on what happens then).
How Do I Counterattack?
A Claydonian may counterattack if it is attacked by another creation during the combat phase. To counterattack, the Claydonian must have a few attacks left and must survive the attacks of its opponent. It may only make attacks against the creation that just attacked it. The counterattacks are handled as if they were normal attacks. A Claydonian may use its special powers in a counterattack.
What Happens When My Claydonian Dies?
Ah, this particular question has plagued the Claydonian philosophers for centuries. Several scurrilous theories have been presented, including the concepts of drying out or being eaten by small children and dogs. However, in watching the deaths of several Claydonians on the field of battle, a common belief has arisen. Most Claydonians feel that when one of their kind dies, a large hand reaches from the heavens and squeezes the Claydonian through its fingers. This act is almost always accompanied by a horrible scream that echoes through the heavens.
How Do I Win?
This depends on why you are playing this game in the first place. If you are playing to have fun, you win if you get really silly. If you are playing to be competitive and to beat out everyone else, you win if your creation is the last surviving Claydonian on the battlefield. Since only one person can win the second way, it’s a lot nicer to play for the first reason.
These are the rules for the Clay-O-Rama. Take them, have fun with them, be inspired to the heights of silliness, or feed them to your dog. Enjoy !