Two-Player Head-to-Head D&D

Unfortunately for my wizard, Game 1
ended exactly the way this looks

1. Both players generate a 1st-level magic-user in any system.

-You each get a single 1st level spell

-You each get 12 hit points modified by Constitution modifier

-You have a maximum of 5 minions (see below for how you get minions), modified up or down by your Charisma modifier

-You get money and equipment as usual for your system

-Assume that Sleep and Charm don't work on your main wizards, so you could say they're elf magic-users if you like

2. Set up a board something like this:

Click to enlarge

-There are rectangular or square blocks which are spaced apart all the same width, one to two inches. (In our case, a width of one of the lettered building blocks, but it can be any size wide enough for a standard miniature to fit through.)

-Characters will not climb on top of the blocks, the blocks just mark paths between that creatures can use. (We used rectangular marker cases and wood building blocks but you can use whatever rectangles you've got that will fill your table.)

-There are starting places at opposite ends for each wizard.

-There are "mystery markers"--these can be indicated by any object that will fit in the maze paths, we used big dice. The markers are placed approximately evenly around the maze and none are in either starting wizard's position's line-of-sight. Although only three are circled on the picture in yellow, all the dice in the picture above are mystery markers.

-We have a pool with an octopus in it, that's a hazard and that's optional.

This one had 2 hazards: an octopus
pool and a undead spider pit

3. Each player rolls a d20. High roll gets to either:

-Pick which of the two starting places they start at.

or

-Go first.

The other player gets to do the other thing.

4. Turns alternate

-One player moves their wizard--and any other minion creatures they pick up--then the other player does. There are no initiative rolls.

5. On your turn your wizard may:

-Walk up to 6 inches and take any action they could do in D&D

or

-Run up to 12 inches

or

-Move up to 6 inches and teleport to a random location. There are lots of ways to pick a random location--we did this by rolling an alphabet die and then teleporting the wizard to a random location adjacent to the block with that letter on it.

or

-Walk up to 6 inches and shift any block in line-of sight the width of the dungeon path. Like so:

Or like so:

--You cannot shift multiple blocks at once.

--You cannot shift a block into an area occupied by anything--a creature or mystery marker or another block, etc.

-You cannot teleport on two of your turns in a row or move a block on two of your turns in a row.

-Remember, though, that the creatures can only go through the paths, not stand on top of the blocks.

6. As soon as either wizard is in line-of-sight to a mystery marker, something happens:

-The mystery marker "activates",

-This means you roll a die on a table to determine what the mystery marker represents.

-The table includes:

• 1. Trap (save or take d6 damage)
• 2. Random magic item (roll on whatever random magic item table you have)
• 3. A different random magic item from a different table (If you have more than one magic item table, otherwise treat as #2)
• 4. 1st level human with a sword and a bow (wizard picks class)
• 5. 1st level dwarf with a sword and a bow (wizard picks class)
• 6. 1st level elf with a sword and a bow (wizard picks class)
• 7. 1st level halfling with a sword and a bow (wizard picks class)
• The other results on the table randomize across every other miniature in the house. Do you have to number every mini you have? No. We did it like this:
• 8. Sandalwood box, top drawer
• 9. Sandalwood box, middle drawer
• 10. Sandalwood box, bottom drawer
• 11.Tackle box, top drawer, left compartment
• 12. Tackle box, top drawer, middle compartment
• etc.

If there's more than one miniature in a location, you take them all out and roll a die to randomly choose which miniature is placed on the table

For example--there are ten kinds of miniatures in my sandalwood box middle drawer--roll a d10 to decide which you get.

Note that I said "kinds"--if a location has, say, 15 wolves, one ghost, one goblin and a giant spider, just roll a d4--you don't have an increased chance of wolves.

-If it's a trap, resolve it. (The trap is where the wizard is even if the mystery marker itself is down the hall.)

-It it's an item, it is now sitting there, ripe for the taking or use in any way you might use a D&D item.

-If it's a creature then place that miniature there--it is now a minion of the wizard who found it.

7. Minions!

-Minions may begin to act on the next turn after they are discovered.

-They heed the bidding of the player whose wizard discovered them.

-Minions move a maximum of 6" no matter what.

-Otherwise they can act as the monster in the Manual or whatever standard monster book you're using. If it's a hydra, it has hydra stats.

-If the minion is a character model (like a little fighter) and the table doesn't say their level then roll d4+1 to determine their level.

-If there's ambiguity or the monster's unlisted, the players need to agree what it is and what powers it has. 

-When in doubt: 4hd, d6 damage, AC 15.

-Minions (even wizard minions) don't have the wizard's power to move blocks or teleport randomly.

8. Hazards

-Hazards (like the pool above) are optional.

-Line of sight doesn't cross hazards.

-You have to deal with some creature or thing to get across them.

-In our first game this was an octopus with 4hd that attacked any foe in the pool for d6.

9. Play until one team kills the other team's wizard!

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The games we've played so far all ended in funny ways.

In one, I stymied a hydra with a darkness spell it was too stupid to easily navigate out of for several rounds but then I tried a teleport and ended up between it and a backstabby thief, after a rounds of everyone bumping around in the dark they massacred me.

In another, I managed to score a higher level wizard as a minion (I got a wizard mini and we randomly rolled he was Level d4+1, so: 5). The enemy's main wizard managed to run up and Sleep him, though. However, in the next round my goblin threw a spear blunt-end-first at my own sleepy wizard, conking him for 4 points of damage but waking him up so he could barbecue the enemy with a 5th level magic missile. 

 Game 2 ended better for me

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