Thursday, January 13, 2011
Lulu sale
Through Jan 17, you get 20% off if you use the code TREASURE305. I recommend Fight On! and BFRPG.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Spellcasters as NPC only...
I was considering going this route with my homebrew. I'm not sure I will, but it led to some interesting questions. The only big issue it would cause is healing. I do not want my game to be too grim and gritty, where anyone can die from a lonely orc. I'd rather it be real swords & sorcery, where a pissed-off guy with a blade is the equal of ten guards and their necromancer boss.
The two options that occur to me would be to either make healing potions easily acquirable, or add something like the 4e second wind abilities, where you regain your hp at the end of each encounter. Both annoy me for various reasons. Too many healing potions is kind of silly, so I think that would be out. The second wind is kind of appropriate, but I feel I would need to add some kind of injury system to the game. Here's a quick one I'm thinking of:
Injury System: You recover all hit points at the end of each encounter. If you lose 90% of your hp in one encounter, you receive an injury. This injury will cause you to have a -1 to hit penalty until you can go to a healer of some kind and receive magical healing, or you take one month to recover naturally, during which you cannot adventure. Injuries stack, so if you continue on after receiving an injury in combat, and then defeat the necromancer, but get an injury during that fight, all your to hit rolls will be at -2 until you get magically healed or take a month off.
The two options that occur to me would be to either make healing potions easily acquirable, or add something like the 4e second wind abilities, where you regain your hp at the end of each encounter. Both annoy me for various reasons. Too many healing potions is kind of silly, so I think that would be out. The second wind is kind of appropriate, but I feel I would need to add some kind of injury system to the game. Here's a quick one I'm thinking of:
Injury System: You recover all hit points at the end of each encounter. If you lose 90% of your hp in one encounter, you receive an injury. This injury will cause you to have a -1 to hit penalty until you can go to a healer of some kind and receive magical healing, or you take one month to recover naturally, during which you cannot adventure. Injuries stack, so if you continue on after receiving an injury in combat, and then defeat the necromancer, but get an injury during that fight, all your to hit rolls will be at -2 until you get magically healed or take a month off.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Pact Magic Part 3 (Angelic)
Holy Spirit
Armor Class: 19
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 1 Holy Fire (2d6)
Special: Holy fire, regeneration
Move: 20 (flying)
HDE/XP: 8/800
Holy Spirits are minor angels who gift mortals with magical ability. They usually appear as a floating ball of light. If attacked, they blast their opponent with holy fire. Undead and demons automatically take critical hits from this fire. Holy spirits regenerate 1 hit point per round, and cannot be permanently killed. They can be hit only by magical weapons or spells. They will not supply spells that are inherently evil, such as necromancy or demon summoning of any kind.
Holy spirits require mages to donate a tithe to a good church, and often manipulate the mage to either donate time helping the unfortunate or actively fight the forces of evil, such as evil sorcerers. If a mage deliberately desecrates a holy item or holy place, or helps a force for evil, the spirit will immediately leave and the mage will lose access to his spells. The mage can atone for misdeeds, but the atonement will be long and arduous.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The Fighter so far for my homebrew
Heavily based off of S&W WhiteBox
The Fighter
The Fighter is a warrior, trained in battle and in the use of armor and weapons. Your character can be a knight, a mercenary, or a wild barbarian. Whatever his title, his main job is killing stuff.
Table 4: Fighter Advancement
Level | Exp. Points | Hit Dice (d6+1) | Saving Throw |
1 | 0 | 1+1 | 14 |
2 | 2.000 | 2 | 13 |
3 | 4,000 | 3 | 12 |
4 | 8,000 | 4 | 11 |
5 | 16,000 | 5 | 10 |
6 | 32,000 | 6 | 9 |
7 | 64,000 | 7 | 8 |
8 | 128,000 | 8 | 7 |
9 | 256,000 | 9 | 6 |
10 | 512,000 | 10 | 5 |
Fighter Class Abilities
Weapon and Armor Restrictions: Fighters are trained in warfare and, as such, have no weapon or armor restrictions.
High Strength: Fighters can use their Strength Bonus to modify their “to-hit” and damage results when using melee weapons.
Critical Strike: Fighters make critical hits on a natural 20 on an attack roll, unless they needed a 20 to hit. Critical hits automatically do maximum weapon damage.
Saving Throw: Fighters receive a +1 bonus on saving throws vs. death and poison.
Establish Stronghold: At ninth level, a Fighter who chooses to build a castle is considered to have the rank of “Baron” bestowed upon him by the local ruler or monarch. He may choose to attract a body of loyal men-at-arms who will swear fealty to him.
Fighter Profession: A fighter chooses one of the following professions during character creation and gains the associated ability:
Archer/Slinger: The Archer (or Slinger) gains +1 to hit with ranged weapons.
Assassin: The Assassin does 2d6 points of damage with a weapon when he attacks a surprised foe.
Berserker: During a fight, Berserkers can choose to gain +1 to hit and +2 to damage, at the cost of a -3 armor class penalty.
Blade Dancer: Blade Dancers gain a +2 AC bonus when fighting unarmored.
Crusader: Crusaders do an extra 2 points of damage on any melee attack against undead or demons.
Duelist: Duelists are skilled with the blade and gain +1 AC while fighting with a sword.
Harrier: Harriers gain a +1 to initiative rolls. They also gain a +1 bonus to hit an opponent who missed them in the preceding or same round of combat. They may not wear armor heavier than mail.
Hoplite: Hoplites may attack with their shield. If they hit, they do 1d3 points of damage and their opponent must make a saving throw or fall down. Creatures larger than the hoplite automatically pass their saving throw.
Noble: Nobles gain a +1 bonus to henchmen loyalty and may have 1d3 additional followers.
Paladin: Paladins are holy warriors that can heal a number of hit points equal to two times their level once per day.
Pugilist: Pugilists cause 1d6 damage with unarmed strikes. They must wear hand protection to fight armored foes.
Rogue: Rogues gain a +1 bonus to find traps, secret doors, or other hidden items.
Scout: Scouts gain a +1 bonus to avoid surprise. They detect ambushes on a 1-3 on 1d6.
Slayer: Slayers can make an attack with a -2 to hit penalty. If successful, they hamstring their opponent, who then suffers a -1 to all attack rolls.
Sniper: Snipers make critical hits on a natural 19 or 20 with ranged weapons.
Soldier: Soldiers gain a +2 AC bonus from shields, instead of the normal +1.
I'm doing this because I want fighters to be bad-ass. The way I'm setting this up, 9 out of 10 players will be Fighters. The only other option is Mage, and Mages are usually evil, demon-worshiping bastards unsuitable for most campaigns.
Some priests are mages, and actually good people, though most priests are normal men. There are no separate Cleric or Thief classes.
With regard to Professions, they should fit into any OSR game. OSR games that go to 20 levels should allow a second profession to be chosen at 10th level.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Ambushes
This is a rule I made for my homebrew, but it should work well in S&W, BFRPG, etc.
Ambushes
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Hidden Door spell
Hidden Door
Spell Level: M1
Range: One door
Duration: 24 hours
This spell causes a door to appear as the surrounding walls. The door can only be found if detected as a secret door. The caster can see the door normally.
Spell Level: M1
Range: One door
Duration: 24 hours
This spell causes a door to appear as the surrounding walls. The door can only be found if detected as a secret door. The caster can see the door normally.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
D&D 4e is getting collectible cards
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/316020000
From the site:
Item Code: 316020000
Release Date: February 8th, 2011
Format: Booster Pack (8 cards)
Price: $3.99
ISBN: 978-0-7869-5795-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd laugh if this wasn't so disappointing. I argued with several people that this was going to happen sooner or later, especially with the changes made in 4e, and now they have come true. I'm glad I got out of that treadmill. I hope it works well for 4e players, but I don't envy them.
From the site:
Shadow Over Nentir Vale
Dungeons & Dragons Fortune Cards
Encounter Fortune.
Dungeons & Dragons Fortune Cards, sold in booster packs of 8 cards, give players fun new ways to survive the challenges of the D&D Encounters in-store play program, as well as their home campaigns. These cards give characters fun, temporary benefits that feel different from the benefits gained from powers and feats, without adding undue complexity to the D&D game.
Item Details Dungeons & Dragons Fortune Cards, sold in booster packs of 8 cards, give players fun new ways to survive the challenges of the D&D Encounters in-store play program, as well as their home campaigns. These cards give characters fun, temporary benefits that feel different from the benefits gained from powers and feats, without adding undue complexity to the D&D game.
Item Code: 316020000
Release Date: February 8th, 2011
Format: Booster Pack (8 cards)
Price: $3.99
ISBN: 978-0-7869-5795-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd laugh if this wasn't so disappointing. I argued with several people that this was going to happen sooner or later, especially with the changes made in 4e, and now they have come true. I'm glad I got out of that treadmill. I hope it works well for 4e players, but I don't envy them.
Dungeon Crawl Classic pre-ordering
Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG
What It Is, And What It Isn’t
(as posted by Joseph Goodman)
What if Gygax and Arneson had access to the Open Game License when they created D&D? What if they spent their time adapting thirty years of game design principles to their stated inspirations -- rather than creating the building blocks from scratch? What if someone were to attempt just that: to immerse himself in the game’s inspirations and re-envision the output using modern game design principles?
That, in short, is the goal of the Dungeon Crawl Classics role playing game: to create a modern RPG that reflects D&D’s origin-point concepts with decades-later rules editions. For many years I have been a fan of old-school gaming, the history of TSR, and the lore of Appendix N, as reflected in many of the products I’ve published. When Dungeon Crawl Classics #1 appeared on shelves way back in 2003, Goodman Games and Kenzer & Company were the only publishers of “old-school” products. Over the eight years since, the “Old School Renaissance” has blossomed, and now a host of high-quality product lines and thriving communities offer “old-school” products. A subject of some controversy has been the proliferation and originality of “retro-clones”: is it enough to simply re-hash the past? Where my DCC modules once did just that -- dwell in a rosy-toned version of early-era D&D game style and art direction -- the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game goes much further. This is not a retro-clone: this is a re-imagining.
There is a lot to cover regarding DCC RPG, and in the next eleven months we’ll cover all of it. But let’s start with the basics. For those of you who have not read the various con reports and blog commentaries over the last year, this diary entry may be your first exposure to the game. Therefore, for this first designer’s diary, I’d like to establish the record on a couple basic facts. Here’s what the DCC RPG is, and is not:
It is not a retro-clone.
It is an OGL game.
It uses a rules engine derived from the 3E d20 system.
It is not compatible with 1970s/1980s D&D rules.
It plays like a 1970s OD&D session.
It is generally compatible with other d20-derived systems.
It does not include complexities like attacks of opportunity, prestige classes, feats, or skill points.
It does not utilize miniatures or a grid-based combat system.
It utilizes races as classes -- you can be a warrior, or an elf.
It utilizes six ability scores, including one called Luck.
It is built on the assumption that some characters will die.
It is built on the assumption that the strongest characters will provide long-term campaigns.
It is built for low-level, mid-level, and high-level play.
It does not require that you start at 0-level (though doing so is fun).
It does not use the traditional D&D spell system associated with memorizing spells.
It uses spellcasting rules influenced by the foundational authors of swords & sorcery.
It uses a Vancian magic system…if you use the term “Vancian” to mean “based on a reading of Vance’s original works,” not “what D&D does.”
It is grounded in the fundamentals of Appendix N.
It is a proud descendant of a long tradition.
It is an opportunity to showcase outstanding art in a classic fantasy style.
It is lots of fun to play.
It primarily uses the conventional dice suite: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. Most combat and spell checks are resolved with a d20 roll.
It also utilizes Zocchi dice. All of them. Including the d5, d7 and d24.
It is, in my humble opinion, a version of what D&D could have been, if the early pioneers had access to an existing, robust rules engine to which to adapt their Appendix N inspirations, instead of dedicating their energies to building the foundational blocks from scratch.
It is, as Harley described it early on, “pre-D&D swords & sorcery.”
That’s all for now. Next time: more on, pre-D&D swords & sorcery -- or, Brought to You by Appendix N…
(as posted by Joseph Goodman)
What if Gygax and Arneson had access to the Open Game License when they created D&D? What if they spent their time adapting thirty years of game design principles to their stated inspirations -- rather than creating the building blocks from scratch? What if someone were to attempt just that: to immerse himself in the game’s inspirations and re-envision the output using modern game design principles?
That, in short, is the goal of the Dungeon Crawl Classics role playing game: to create a modern RPG that reflects D&D’s origin-point concepts with decades-later rules editions. For many years I have been a fan of old-school gaming, the history of TSR, and the lore of Appendix N, as reflected in many of the products I’ve published. When Dungeon Crawl Classics #1 appeared on shelves way back in 2003, Goodman Games and Kenzer & Company were the only publishers of “old-school” products. Over the eight years since, the “Old School Renaissance” has blossomed, and now a host of high-quality product lines and thriving communities offer “old-school” products. A subject of some controversy has been the proliferation and originality of “retro-clones”: is it enough to simply re-hash the past? Where my DCC modules once did just that -- dwell in a rosy-toned version of early-era D&D game style and art direction -- the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game goes much further. This is not a retro-clone: this is a re-imagining.
There is a lot to cover regarding DCC RPG, and in the next eleven months we’ll cover all of it. But let’s start with the basics. For those of you who have not read the various con reports and blog commentaries over the last year, this diary entry may be your first exposure to the game. Therefore, for this first designer’s diary, I’d like to establish the record on a couple basic facts. Here’s what the DCC RPG is, and is not:
It is not a retro-clone.
It is an OGL game.
It uses a rules engine derived from the 3E d20 system.
It is not compatible with 1970s/1980s D&D rules.
It plays like a 1970s OD&D session.
It is generally compatible with other d20-derived systems.
It does not include complexities like attacks of opportunity, prestige classes, feats, or skill points.
It does not utilize miniatures or a grid-based combat system.
It utilizes races as classes -- you can be a warrior, or an elf.
It utilizes six ability scores, including one called Luck.
It is built on the assumption that some characters will die.
It is built on the assumption that the strongest characters will provide long-term campaigns.
It is built for low-level, mid-level, and high-level play.
It does not require that you start at 0-level (though doing so is fun).
It does not use the traditional D&D spell system associated with memorizing spells.
It uses spellcasting rules influenced by the foundational authors of swords & sorcery.
It uses a Vancian magic system…if you use the term “Vancian” to mean “based on a reading of Vance’s original works,” not “what D&D does.”
It is grounded in the fundamentals of Appendix N.
It is a proud descendant of a long tradition.
It is an opportunity to showcase outstanding art in a classic fantasy style.
It is lots of fun to play.
It primarily uses the conventional dice suite: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. Most combat and spell checks are resolved with a d20 roll.
It also utilizes Zocchi dice. All of them. Including the d5, d7 and d24.
It is, in my humble opinion, a version of what D&D could have been, if the early pioneers had access to an existing, robust rules engine to which to adapt their Appendix N inspirations, instead of dedicating their energies to building the foundational blocks from scratch.
It is, as Harley described it early on, “pre-D&D swords & sorcery.”
That’s all for now. Next time: more on, pre-D&D swords & sorcery -- or, Brought to You by Appendix N…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sounds pretty cool. The only hiccup is the Zocchi dice. I can't see a good reason to require them to play. I think this is a mistake on Goodman's part. Which is too bad, because I know he will release a ton of modules for the game.
Pact Magic Part 2 (Faeries)
Faerie
Armor Class: 8 [12]
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: Magic Missile (1d6)
Special: None
Move: 9/14 (flying)
HDE/XP: 4/120
Faeries are woodland spirits, and often appear to others as tiny, winged elves. They can shapeshift at will, and are very magical. If attacked, they cast magic missile (as an innate ability) every round, and do not need to roll to hit. Faeries gain a +4 to Save vs. Magic.
Faeries can grant spell access to Mages. They usually grant spells related to charms or wilderness adenturing. They will not offer access to necromancy or demon summoning. Faeries require that food be left out for them every night, but this should never be mentioned in conversation. Thanking them will cause them to leave the caster forever.
Armor Class: 8 [12]
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: Magic Missile (1d6)
Special: None
Move: 9/14 (flying)
HDE/XP: 4/120
Faeries are woodland spirits, and often appear to others as tiny, winged elves. They can shapeshift at will, and are very magical. If attacked, they cast magic missile (as an innate ability) every round, and do not need to roll to hit. Faeries gain a +4 to Save vs. Magic.
Faeries can grant spell access to Mages. They usually grant spells related to charms or wilderness adenturing. They will not offer access to necromancy or demon summoning. Faeries require that food be left out for them every night, but this should never be mentioned in conversation. Thanking them will cause them to leave the caster forever.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Pillar of Madness
A pillar, about 30 feet high and 10 feet in diameter, is situated on a plain, hill, or large clearing in woodlands. It has been there for centuries. No one knows where it came from. It is inscribed with strange runes, that match no known language. Anyone who comes within 100 feet of it must make a saving throw vs. magic, or be compelled to approach the pillar. This saving throw must be made each round that the person is within 100 feet of the pillar. The pillar also affects animals, monsters, and even insects.
When the creature touches the pillar, it immediately goes berserk. It will attack anyone nearby, friend or enemy, with whatever is at hand. Affected people may not use spells, only melee combat. The berserker will continue to attack any living creature nearby until it dies. The berserker will not eat or drink, just wander out from the pillar, killing as it goes. A Remove Curse spell will grant the affected person or creature another Saving Throw.
No known magic has been able to destroy the pillar. Even wishes fail. It is a powerful artifact, that is truly too dangerous to use.
In some worlds, a paladin order or similar organization sets up a perimeter to prevent creatures from being affected. Unfortunately for them, birds, ants, bees, and other such creatures still reach the pillar, and then end up attacking the guardians.
When the creature touches the pillar, it immediately goes berserk. It will attack anyone nearby, friend or enemy, with whatever is at hand. Affected people may not use spells, only melee combat. The berserker will continue to attack any living creature nearby until it dies. The berserker will not eat or drink, just wander out from the pillar, killing as it goes. A Remove Curse spell will grant the affected person or creature another Saving Throw.
No known magic has been able to destroy the pillar. Even wishes fail. It is a powerful artifact, that is truly too dangerous to use.
In some worlds, a paladin order or similar organization sets up a perimeter to prevent creatures from being affected. Unfortunately for them, birds, ants, bees, and other such creatures still reach the pillar, and then end up attacking the guardians.
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