The deerstalker cap and cape-backed overcoat. The pipe. The grace of gaslit Victoriana. The clop clop of carriage and cobblestone. The fog rolling in from England's imperial seas. Baker Street.

Sherlock Holmes Roleplaying

Running a Sherlock Holmes game using the James Bond 007 RPG is both a rewarding experience and great fun. There are no rules modifications required.

Where players will notice the difference is in the setting, atmosphere and equipment. Elegant gentleman’s clubs, tall ships clustered along wooden docklands, horse drawn cabs. Steam trains and majestic ocean liners replace air travel. Horses and carriages replace cars.

A steam launch, such as used by the police and kept by Jack Brady down on the Thames, has the following stats:

Animals come to play a more prominent role in these adventures, providing both transportation and obstacles. I highly recommend the excellent article 'Lions, Tigers and Bears - Animals in the 007 RPG' for additional background in this area. It can be found here.

'Lions, Tigers and Bears - Animals in the 007 RPG

Weaponry is more limited that in the standard RPG.

From the Q Manual the following are available, although the more exotic weapons are quite rare. British Number 4 Rifle (representing the cutting edge of lever-action with tubular magazine and bolt-action with box magazine military rifles), Holland and Holland Royal Double Rifle, NATO Push Button Knife (representing the near universal clasp knife that most tradesmen and criminals carry), Katar, Skean Dhu, Stiletto, Bolas, Chakram, Mongwanga, Shuriken, War Boomerang, Bagh Nakh, Claymore and Broadsword, various Japanese Swords, Rapier and Smallsword (also covers sword canes), Mace, Nunchaku, Quarter Staff (also covers single sticks), Cho-No-Ku, Crossbow, Long Bow, Blunderbuss, British 'Brown Bess' Musket (can be readily found in the colonies), English Flintlock Duelling Pistol.

From the online article 'Q Manual - Section 1: Weapons & Body Armour' you can add the following weapons. American Derringer Model 1, Mauser "Broomhandle" M1895 7.65mm (this and similar early auto-loading designs are very rare) and the Webley Mk VI revolver (and all it's many variants).

Q Manual - Section 1: Weapons & Body Armour

One optional weapon is the Loaded Riding Crop:

Game Information: The nature of this weapon is such that it is ideally suited to subduing and cowing foes. Decrease the Pain Resistance EF by 2 at every Wound Level. A person receiving a Light Wound would therefore have to make an EF 5 Willpower roll instead of the normal EF 7 roll.

The Drover's Whip is invariably employed by the large numbers of men who earn their livelihood driving horse-drawn cabs, beer wagons and the like. Millions traverse the streets of London during an average day. Although a formidable weapon, the driver rarely uses it on his team in such a way as to cause damage.

Game Information: Treat as a Bolas (Q Manual, Page 35). A whip cannot be thrown, but it is excellent for entangling.

The garrotte is a tool of assassination. Although a belt or a length of rope may serve in a pinch, the garrotte is typically a length of waxed cord or, more rarely, wire. Garrottes may be easily concealed in, or as part of, clothing.

Game Information: If the attacker is successful on a Hand-to-Hand Combat roll, the victim sustains Class E damage. The victim must execute a successful release, or sustain Class E damage each Action Round at a Success Chance of 100 or the attacker's Hand-to-Hand Primary Chance at EF 5, whichever is greater.

Most people think of the 'BB' gun as the classic airgun, but far more powerful weapons employing this principle are possible. See the classic Sherlock Holmes tale 'The Adventure of the Empty House' for more details. Airguns are primarily employed as sniping weapons due to their long range, silent operation and complete lack of muzzle flash. Sniping airguns usually employ a soft-nosed revolver bullet as the projectile.

The shotgun is common in rural England, especially with groundskeepers and poachers. It is a break firearm, usually with a single barrel, although double-barrel models are avalible. Most shotguns are sturdy weapons, but occasionally one will be embellished with gilt scrollwork and precious materials such as rare woods and even mother-of-pearl. These latter weapons are the preserve of the landed gentry.

Game Information: If a double-barrel shotgun has both barrels fired at once, increase the Damage Class from G to I. Various types of shot are available for shotguns. The above statistics are indicative of buckshot. Birdshot will increase the PM to +2, but will reduce the damage class to E (or G if a double-barreled weapon and both barrels are discharged). A solid slug reduces the PM to 0, but will inflict damage class H wounds (or J if a double-barreled weapon and both barrels are discharged).