Optional Ideas for Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery

Starting to want to write again. This has got me looking at my USR products, especially Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery. I am about to start another campaign in the world of Xoth, and improving the total three-book gaming kit is starting to fester.

Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery is a fantastic, lightweight engine, but its "Unbelievably Simple" nature can sometimes feel a bit too abstract for a gritty pulp fantasy campaign.

To improve the game while keeping its minimalist spirit, I’ve brainstormed the following ideas: Streamlining the Janky Bits, Deepening the Pulp Flavor, and The "Blood & Grime" Combat Patch.

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1. Streamlining the "Janky" Mechanics

The Deluxe edition adds layers (like hit locations) that some believe clash with the core system's elegance.

• Ditch Hit Locations for "Wound Descriptions": Instead of rolling a d20 for a hit location (which slows down the flow), use a Damage Delta (the difference between rolls) to describe the wound.
• 1–2 Damage: A shallow cut or bruise.
• 5+ Damage: A "maiming" hit—the Crypt Keeper (CK) applies a temporary penalty to a relevant attribute based on the narrative.
• The "Undefended" Rule Fix: The RAW (Rules as Written) says once you use your actions, you are "undefended" and hit on a 4+. This can lead to "gang-piling" where a hero dies instantly.
• Improvement: Allow a "Desperate Defense." If attacked while undefended, the hero can still roll their Action die, but it is halved (rounded down). This keeps the tension without making death a mathematical certainty.

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2. Deepening the Pulp Flavor

Sword & Sorcery is about high stakes and temporary riches. These rules reinforce that "Conan-esque" cycle.

• "Loot for Life" (Carousing Improvement): In S&S, heroes are often broke by the next adventure.
• Rule: To level up or increase Hits, players must spend their gold on carousing. 100 Silver spent = 1 XP. If they don't spend it, they don't grow. This solves the "hoarding" problem and keeps them hungry for the next quest.
• Corruption & Dark Sorcery: Magic should feel dangerous.
• Rule: Every time a Sorcery test is failed, the caster gains 1 Corruption Point. At 5 points, they gain a physical or mental deformity (milky eye, withered hand, paranoia). This makes magic a "nuclear option" rather than a reliable tool.

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3. The "Blood & Grime" Combat Patch

If you want combat to feel more tactical without adding a 300-page manual:

Fighting Styles (Bonus Specialisms)

Instead of generic specialisms, allow players to pick a Stance that modifies their dice:

| Stance | Benefit | Drawback |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Berserk | +2 to Damage Delta on a win. | -2 to your roll if you lose (take more damage). |

| Defensive | Win ties automatically. | You cannot deal damage this round. |

| Precise | Crit on a "Max Die Roll" even if the enemy doesn't roll a 1. | -1 to total roll result. |

The "Shields Shall Be Splintered" Rule

• Rule: If a player takes a hit that would kill them or knock them unconscious, they can choose to have their shield shatter. The damage is reduced to 0, but the shield is gone forever. This adds a dramatic "last stand" moment.

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4. Summary Table of Action Difficulties

If you find yourself stalling to think of Target Numbers (TN), use this "Pulp Standard" scale:

Difficulty	TN	Example
Pulp Heroic	4+	Climbing a rough wall, intimidating a guard.
Legendary	7+	Deciphering a cursed scroll, jumping a 15ft gap.
God-Slaying	10+	Resisting a Sorcerer Supreme’s mind control.