Game designers have had a long tradition of setting the length of a combat round based on "feel". Rounds range from 1 minute down to 1 second in length. But how long should a round be, in order to make combat have verisimilitude?
In a professional boxing match, a "round" is three minutes long. During an average round, around 70-80 blows are exchanged. That comes to about 1 blow per 2.4 seconds, or roughly 5 seconds per exchange of blows, on average. If you intend to make fighting specialists get more than one attack per non-specialist's attack, perhaps doubling that length would seem appropriate. Or, perhaps, lengthening the round length a little might work, say 6 seconds. If a round might be taken up by non-attack actions, then shortening it would be a good idea, relative to how many rounds would not include an attack.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Religion Of The Black-Blooded Earth
One of these days, I really need to learn what is the name of this world.
I was in Belwick recently, and asked my host about religion in the city, and in the world at large. He explained to me that they recognize several types of beings that we would translate as "gods". There are the Transcendent Gods, which are very few, but whose followers are widespread. This is what most modern Westerners would think of as "religion", and it is only in these religions that there are Clerics. In Belwick, the dominant Transcendent church is the Quaternary Church, which worships four gods: Jin, the Salamander King, Niksa, the Undine Queen, and their children, Ghobe, the Gnome Prince, and Paralda, the Sylph Princess. There is, however, a small temple to another Transcendent god, the Fatalist Church, which worships Arachne, the Weaving Goddess of Fate. The Transcendent Gods don't generally act directly, but instead through their Clerics and their angelic messengers (Solars, Planetars, Devas, Ki-Rin, and so forth).
Next are the Immanent Gods. These are more like the traditional RPG gods, but without the ability to provide spells to Clerics. Their priests are Druids, whose magic comes from the circulation of brí, which is the underlying force of the universe. Like the Force of Star Wars, it surrounds and pervades everything in the universe, binding it together and giving it form. The Druids and their congregations make alliances with the Immanent Gods, rather than gaining the ability to cast spells. In addition to Druids, some magic-users have developed spells to contact Immanent Gods, which they use to forge alliances with these powerful entities. Immanent Gods also include entities like Primus, the Prime Modron, Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, or the like. Basically, like demons, but not actively malicious.
Third are the Demon Gods. These are the demons and devils (and daemons and slaad and so on) of the RPG. They have no priesthood, but interested magic-users can summon them with spells like Cacodemon, and command them by threatening spells like Spiritwrack.
Finally are the terrible cults of the Outer Gods. These are four gods (and numerous demonic lesser Outer Gods) which exhibit an extreme indifference to humanity. The four central Outer Gods may be Transcendent Gods of a sort, but they do not provide powers to Clerics. The only worshipers of these terrible entities are insane magic-users who seek the power they imagine that they can wrench from these forces. Or, at least, that is how it was presented to me by my host. I notice, however, that there are quite a few magic-users highly placed in the city and provincial governments who attempt to make pacts or other deals with the Outer Gods.
(So, what do you think of the conceit that I "visit" Belwick to learn more about the world of the Black Blooded Earth? In a sense, it's exactly what happens - the visit is, of course, in my head, but it happens something like this: I envision what the world looks like and ask questions of one of the people I have come to know in the city. Should I present it that way here, or would you prefer a more traditional presentation? Should I go even further in this sort of presentation, something like Ed Greenwood's visits with Elminster? Let me know!)
I was in Belwick recently, and asked my host about religion in the city, and in the world at large. He explained to me that they recognize several types of beings that we would translate as "gods". There are the Transcendent Gods, which are very few, but whose followers are widespread. This is what most modern Westerners would think of as "religion", and it is only in these religions that there are Clerics. In Belwick, the dominant Transcendent church is the Quaternary Church, which worships four gods: Jin, the Salamander King, Niksa, the Undine Queen, and their children, Ghobe, the Gnome Prince, and Paralda, the Sylph Princess. There is, however, a small temple to another Transcendent god, the Fatalist Church, which worships Arachne, the Weaving Goddess of Fate. The Transcendent Gods don't generally act directly, but instead through their Clerics and their angelic messengers (Solars, Planetars, Devas, Ki-Rin, and so forth).
Next are the Immanent Gods. These are more like the traditional RPG gods, but without the ability to provide spells to Clerics. Their priests are Druids, whose magic comes from the circulation of brí, which is the underlying force of the universe. Like the Force of Star Wars, it surrounds and pervades everything in the universe, binding it together and giving it form. The Druids and their congregations make alliances with the Immanent Gods, rather than gaining the ability to cast spells. In addition to Druids, some magic-users have developed spells to contact Immanent Gods, which they use to forge alliances with these powerful entities. Immanent Gods also include entities like Primus, the Prime Modron, Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, or the like. Basically, like demons, but not actively malicious.
Third are the Demon Gods. These are the demons and devils (and daemons and slaad and so on) of the RPG. They have no priesthood, but interested magic-users can summon them with spells like Cacodemon, and command them by threatening spells like Spiritwrack.
Finally are the terrible cults of the Outer Gods. These are four gods (and numerous demonic lesser Outer Gods) which exhibit an extreme indifference to humanity. The four central Outer Gods may be Transcendent Gods of a sort, but they do not provide powers to Clerics. The only worshipers of these terrible entities are insane magic-users who seek the power they imagine that they can wrench from these forces. Or, at least, that is how it was presented to me by my host. I notice, however, that there are quite a few magic-users highly placed in the city and provincial governments who attempt to make pacts or other deals with the Outer Gods.
(So, what do you think of the conceit that I "visit" Belwick to learn more about the world of the Black Blooded Earth? In a sense, it's exactly what happens - the visit is, of course, in my head, but it happens something like this: I envision what the world looks like and ask questions of one of the people I have come to know in the city. Should I present it that way here, or would you prefer a more traditional presentation? Should I go even further in this sort of presentation, something like Ed Greenwood's visits with Elminster? Let me know!)
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Belwick
So, after too much time thinking about doing it (and doing too much worldbuilding while doing all that thinking), I have finally started to actually put lines to paper in the Black Blood of the Earth game. The starting location for the players will be the small, walled city of Belwick, on the edge of the empire (which is still unnamed). Belwick lies on a fairly large river (about 150 feet across where the town lies, I don't yet know what it is called), and has a population somewhere in the range of 6000-8000 people - I'll know better when I finish the map. The main part of the city is surrounded by a wall about 50' high and 20' thick, with 60' tall towers about every 200 feet or so. The most dominating feature of Belwick is the Tower of Grond, which is the location of the ruler of the province of which the city is the capital (there is also a city government). The Tower is about 300 feet across at the octagonal base, narrowing to a square about 100 feet across at the top, and rises a stunning 450 feet into the sky (about 30 stories).
Underneath the city is a sewer system consisting of underground passages that connect to each other and to some of the sub-basements in the city's buildings. There are also mysterious tunnels that connect to the sewers but are not a part of them. The players will start the game with a map to one of these tunnel systems, with rumors of treasures to be found in them.
And that's all I know for sure right now.
Underneath the city is a sewer system consisting of underground passages that connect to each other and to some of the sub-basements in the city's buildings. There are also mysterious tunnels that connect to the sewers but are not a part of them. The players will start the game with a map to one of these tunnel systems, with rumors of treasures to be found in them.
And that's all I know for sure right now.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Dragon Magazine Articles
As I prepare for running the Black Blood of the Earth game using 1E AD&D, I have been looking through issues of Dragon magazine for articles that will be useful to me. These include house rules, minor subsystems that govern particular aspects of the game, and so on. Here's a list of some that I think will be useful to me:
"Living in a Material World", #81. A way of making use of the material component rules in spellcasting. Gives the likelihood of finding the components, the cost, and so on.
"Fighters for a Price", #109. Extensive notes on mercenaries and how to hire them.
"Giant-sized Weapons", #109. Weapons for people who are bigger than humans.
"For King and Country", #101. The best alignment system for D&D-type games, possibly excepting the original Law/Neutral/Chaos system.
"Tables and Tables of Troops", #99. Expansions for determining the troops that are attracted to high-level fighters.
"When It Gets Hit, It Gets Hurt", #73. The only crit system I've ever liked for D&D-type games.
"The Mystic College", #123. Some notes on institutions for magic-users, instead of a simple tower.
"Weathering the Storms", #137. Simple tables for random weather.
"Treasures of the Wilds", #137. The values of various animal parts.
"What's for Lunch?", #137. A hunting system.
"Weapons Wear Out, Skills Don't", #65. An alternate proficiency system.
"The Natural Order", #122. More druid spells.
"A Capital Idea", #113. Businesses for PCs to run.
"Clout for Clerics", #113. Expanded rules for running clerical domains.
"The Role of Nature", #108. How to make use of weather.
"Sticks, Stones, and Bones", #97. Guidelines for nonstandard weapon use.
"Short Hops and Big Drops", #93. Ideas for setting limits on jumping for characters.
"Living in a Material World", #81. A way of making use of the material component rules in spellcasting. Gives the likelihood of finding the components, the cost, and so on.
"Fighters for a Price", #109. Extensive notes on mercenaries and how to hire them.
"Giant-sized Weapons", #109. Weapons for people who are bigger than humans.
"For King and Country", #101. The best alignment system for D&D-type games, possibly excepting the original Law/Neutral/Chaos system.
"Tables and Tables of Troops", #99. Expansions for determining the troops that are attracted to high-level fighters.
"When It Gets Hit, It Gets Hurt", #73. The only crit system I've ever liked for D&D-type games.
"The Mystic College", #123. Some notes on institutions for magic-users, instead of a simple tower.
"Weathering the Storms", #137. Simple tables for random weather.
"Treasures of the Wilds", #137. The values of various animal parts.
"What's for Lunch?", #137. A hunting system.
"Weapons Wear Out, Skills Don't", #65. An alternate proficiency system.
"The Natural Order", #122. More druid spells.
"A Capital Idea", #113. Businesses for PCs to run.
"Clout for Clerics", #113. Expanded rules for running clerical domains.
"The Role of Nature", #108. How to make use of weather.
"Sticks, Stones, and Bones", #97. Guidelines for nonstandard weapon use.
"Short Hops and Big Drops", #93. Ideas for setting limits on jumping for characters.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Obscure Games - Swordbearer
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| It wasn't the cover that attracted me to this game. |
First up, one of my favorite games that I've never played, Swordbearer. This was a fun little thing published by Heritage USA (normally a miniatures company) in odd books 7" high by 8.25" wide. These were designed to fit the box - a box of the same design that Heritage USA's miniatures sets came in! Later, it was reprinted by FGU in a book of more normal dimensions. It's still available from the latter publisher, too, as both a PDF and print book. FGU also made a supplement (same link), which was a campaign setting for the game. Most of the rules are standard, old-school design. There aren't any character classes, per se, but players choose specialization in skill categories (either two different categories or only one but gain bonus skills) and a previous occupation. Wealth is measured not in accounting, but by a wealth rating (a mechanic that has been copied by many games since then, from The Burning Wheel and Reign to Epiphany). The magic system, though, was something special. Spells (most spells, anyway; there is a second magic system based around spirits, which I will get to) are divided among 8 elements, which is a pretty standard idea, but the neat part is how they are powered. A spell-user will collect "nodes" of various sizes (usually power 1 to 3, but nodes of up to 9 power exist). The nodes can be "aligned" to a particular spell or left unaligned. Alignment can be done to any spell the spell-user knows, or he can allow the node to align randomly. Spells are rated in the power of node that they require, and a large enough node can align multiple spells up to its total power. The success of alignment is based, largely, on the number of unaligned nodes that the spell-user commands.
Now comes the fun part. The success chance of using the spell without destroying the node and the speed of casting is based on chaining nodes through a sequence of dominance. Don't you love that the technical language of the game sounds like the sort of thing that a spell-user might say? "Dominance" refers to the fact that each element dominates one element, and is dominated by another one. Thus, Wood dominates Wind, and is dominated by Water. This is similar to the elemental system of real-world Chinese Taoist alchemy. An oddity of the elemental system of Swordbearer is that Light and Darkness are different elements, but are treated as the same element on the sequence of dominance. The longer the dominance chain, the faster the spell, and the less likely that the node will exhaust itself and vanish.
There's a method of determining how often a spell-user finds a node when searching, a percent chance of finding one by accident, plus the Referee is encouraged to place particular nodes where they seem appropriate.
As I said above, there is also a second magic system, Spirit Magic. This also is based around nodes, but Spirit nodes are found in living creatures. There are two ways to use these: either kill the creature and take its Spirit nodes, or align one's own living Spirit nodes. There are four types, based on the four Humors of early medical theory (Vitriolic, Phlegmatic, Choleric, and Melancholy). Each Humor includes six spells, such as Charm, Familiar, Resurrection, or the various Undead spells (including Lich). Spirit magic doesn't have the advantages of the sequence of dominance, and is more powerful but more risky. Since it is rare for an animal to have Spirit nodes at all (for instance, a horse has only 3% chance of having one, and even a winged horse has only a 10% chance), while sapient beings always have at least one (and usually 3), Spirit magicians are usually seen as unwholesome at best.
The combat system is based on the pace of 2 1/2 feet and the instant of 4 seconds. It's a fairly tactical subsystem that is designed to be easily streamlined to description. Kinda like GURPS with less available complexity.
Overland travel is based on the league of 15,000 feet (6000 paces). There's a fairly large table that compares terrain roughness (or altitude) and vegetation cover, plus available roads, and gives the time in hours required to cross each league (rounded to the nearest quarter-hour). For instance, crossing a league of Lightly Rolling Brushland on a Trail takes 1 3/4 hours on foot, or 1 1/4 hours on a horse. There's also a listing of visibility distances for each terrain category (Lightly Rolling Brushland has a listed Visibility of 4 leagues), though this is modified for intervening terrain and altitude so that someone looking over lower terrain might see 12 or even 20 leagues in good weather. There are modifications made for traveling parties that are ill, wounded, exhausted, traveling in bad weather, and so forth. It sounds complex as I write it out, but the actual system seems like it would actually be pretty easy to use in play, so long as the travel table were available and the Referee had maps that included the necessary information - and of course it is not intended as a straitjacket anyway, but rather as a resource that is available to the Referee to gain verisimilitude.
There are a lot of nonhuman races in the game, from standard ones like elves, dwarves, and halflings to unusual choices like harpies, centaurs, and even dragons and giants! In addition, there are races unique to this game, such as bunrabs (like humanoid rabbits - perhaps not surprising since B. Dennis Sustare was also the author of Bunnies & Burrows) or moonspiders (intelligent giant spiders). I'd probably cut the available races down a bit, getting rid of some and emphasizing others (I really like bunrabs, and would like to use them to completely replace halflings - which is something that I will probably do in some of my D&D games, too! I mean, rabbits live in cozy subterranean warrens, they spend their lives thinking mostly about food and mating, and they are stealthy and elusive, but tough when backed into a corner - sounds like halflings to me).
Anyway, Swordbearer is a really neat game. I'd love to play. Who knows, maybe I'll run it one of these days.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Stupid Idea For A Magic System
Some of the comments in this post gave me a stupid idea. Using hit points as magic points seems like a neat idea. It plays into the idea of hit points as luck, divine favor, and so on. It gives magic using types a resource to manage that is non-trivial to balance against other considerations. It's just that, as others noted, creating a whole new magic system is a pain in the ass.
Fortunately, there already exists a magic system written for a version of D&D that uses hit points as the magic points of the system. In the D20 version of Star Wars, the Jedi and other Force users use hit points to power their abilities. Now, it would need some conversion to go from D20's skills and feats (which is what the Force system in D20 Star Wars is built around) to regular D&D terms, but at least the conversion is possible. Instead of spell books and spell slots, these sorcerers (we might as well call them that) would learn things at each level that are analogues to the skills and feats of D20 Star Wars.
Not something I'm going to do right now, but just thinking about it. Another magic system that I'd like to write up one of these days is also inspired by those comments, but it would be even easier since The Palladium RPG did a version of it, and that's the magic user who gains powers from pacts with demons and other spirits.
Fortunately, there already exists a magic system written for a version of D&D that uses hit points as the magic points of the system. In the D20 version of Star Wars, the Jedi and other Force users use hit points to power their abilities. Now, it would need some conversion to go from D20's skills and feats (which is what the Force system in D20 Star Wars is built around) to regular D&D terms, but at least the conversion is possible. Instead of spell books and spell slots, these sorcerers (we might as well call them that) would learn things at each level that are analogues to the skills and feats of D20 Star Wars.
Not something I'm going to do right now, but just thinking about it. Another magic system that I'd like to write up one of these days is also inspired by those comments, but it would be even easier since The Palladium RPG did a version of it, and that's the magic user who gains powers from pacts with demons and other spirits.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Portals And Skyships Of The Black-Blooded Earth
One thing that I can't help doing is worldbuilding. It's like breathing for me. As a result, there are some things I already know about the world of the Black Blood of the Earth, even though play has not yet started.
One of those things that I know about is the Portals. No one is entirely sure where the Portals came from, though legends speak of strange men with grey skin and powerful magic the likes of which has not even been matched by the Blood Sorcerers. Not all of them seem to work any more (though some can be induced to work through the power of the Black Blood of the Earth), but the ones that do work reliably allow instantaneous travel across the continents. It's said that some Portals, hidden in caves, underground cities buried by the passage of millennia, on uninhabited islands, or deep in trackless swamps, travel to different worlds entirely. Perhaps a Portal can be found that leads to a fabled land beyond the sky like lizard-filled Torsh, Oerth, modern Earth, the Majestic Wilderlands, ancient Barsoom, maybe even the Dreamlands or dread Carcosa.
Of course, there are other ways to get to the worlds beyond the sky, such as the Skyships. Powered by magic and the Earth's Black Blood, these ships can fly into the sky and beyond, to the edges of the crystal sphere and through the mysterious, fiery phlogiston to other crystal spheres containing other worlds. The phlogiston flow to Oerth is particularly well-traveled, but other spheres have contact with the Black-Blooded Earth.
[EDIT 17 AUGUST 2012] None of this will be included in the final world. The themes involved can't include other worlds to which the people can escape. I may move these ideas to the Terra Ultima setting instead - or I may have to make a new world setting to use these ideas.
One of those things that I know about is the Portals. No one is entirely sure where the Portals came from, though legends speak of strange men with grey skin and powerful magic the likes of which has not even been matched by the Blood Sorcerers. Not all of them seem to work any more (though some can be induced to work through the power of the Black Blood of the Earth), but the ones that do work reliably allow instantaneous travel across the continents. It's said that some Portals, hidden in caves, underground cities buried by the passage of millennia, on uninhabited islands, or deep in trackless swamps, travel to different worlds entirely. Perhaps a Portal can be found that leads to a fabled land beyond the sky like lizard-filled Torsh, Oerth, modern Earth, the Majestic Wilderlands, ancient Barsoom, maybe even the Dreamlands or dread Carcosa.
Of course, there are other ways to get to the worlds beyond the sky, such as the Skyships. Powered by magic and the Earth's Black Blood, these ships can fly into the sky and beyond, to the edges of the crystal sphere and through the mysterious, fiery phlogiston to other crystal spheres containing other worlds. The phlogiston flow to Oerth is particularly well-traveled, but other spheres have contact with the Black-Blooded Earth.
[EDIT 17 AUGUST 2012] None of this will be included in the final world. The themes involved can't include other worlds to which the people can escape. I may move these ideas to the Terra Ultima setting instead - or I may have to make a new world setting to use these ideas.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Zines!
There are now two print zines out there, plus a one-shot zine/module. This is a good thing.
There's Loviatar, of course. Christian's zine is excellent. Currently, much of the space is being taken up with a hex-by-hex publication of a hexcrawl for D&D type games (specifically statted for B/X, and so directly compatible with Labyrinth Lord and BECMI, but also good for most other D&D-based games with more or less conversion).
And there's now Dungeon Crawl. I don't know what this one is like yet, as I've only just ordered the first issue. Looking forward to it!
There's also the estimable Zogorion, Lord of the Hippogriffs. A one-shot zine/module, I highly recommend this short adventure, statted for Swords & Wizardry, but obviously an easy conversion to any similar rules. Nominally for levels 3-7, I don't recommend that any players approach it as a hack-n-slay opportunity.
There's Loviatar, of course. Christian's zine is excellent. Currently, much of the space is being taken up with a hex-by-hex publication of a hexcrawl for D&D type games (specifically statted for B/X, and so directly compatible with Labyrinth Lord and BECMI, but also good for most other D&D-based games with more or less conversion).
And there's now Dungeon Crawl. I don't know what this one is like yet, as I've only just ordered the first issue. Looking forward to it!
There's also the estimable Zogorion, Lord of the Hippogriffs. A one-shot zine/module, I highly recommend this short adventure, statted for Swords & Wizardry, but obviously an easy conversion to any similar rules. Nominally for levels 3-7, I don't recommend that any players approach it as a hack-n-slay opportunity.
Friday, February 24, 2012
"This Sort Of War Can Be Fun"
It's brief, but there's a quick overview of wargaming with miniature soldiers in this video. There are other hobbies included, as well, such as building toy steamships, slot car racing, and model trains. Men will be boys, indeed!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Getting Ready To Run AD&D - Current Thoughts
Since WotC has seen fit to reprint one of the better editions of D&D (sure, it's limited, and sure, you can only get it in North America [UPDATE: Turns out that's not true], but it's a start), I'm preparing myself to run a campaign using those rules. I'll be using the Black Blood of the Earth setting assumptions, building most of the details during play. Because I am masochistic, I guess, I'll be trying to use as many of the rules straight from the books as possible. I figure that most players, at this point (including myself), have played more complex games, everything from Shadowrun to GURPS, and much more besides, so this shouldn't be too difficult in comparison.
Nevertheless, I'm going to have to house rule some things. Unarmed combat? Using System I from Unearthed Arcana, which was Gary's preferred method, anyway (though no other rules from that supplement; magic items and spells, however, may show up, and I'll take anything from the extended weapon list that I feel like). Encumbrance? I'm not sure, but I may go to Encumbrance by Stone, since Delta is right, and very few people enjoy calculating encumbrance by coin weight.
Weapon speed factors? I want to use these, but even Gary decried them (thanks, Beedo, for that link). I'm still mulling this one over. I've heard a number of options which make them useful, but not overwhelming. On the other hand, I will definitely be using weapon AC "to hit" adjustments. They're really not that complicated in practice (though as a Referee, I'd have to rule on the AC type of monsters or just use the overarching ruling that there is no adjustment for natural armor, which latter I'd feel uncomfortable with, personally), and even easier if the character sheet has space to record them. In both cases, these are elements that make one weapon different than another, forcing trade-offs when choosing between them. This is a good thing in my book. Similarly, weapon length is valuable for charges (and, oh yes, I will be using the charging rules), and space required is also necessary in those narrow dungeon corridors. No way will two halbardiers or doppelsoldners fit in a 10' corridor! Firing weapons into melee and helmets are definitely going to be used. I'm on the fence about random melee targets, though. Also on the fence about morale: I'm going to use it in some form, but whether to use the one in AD&D, the version in Battlesystem, or move to the version in BECMI/Cyclopedia is still an open question.
I'm basically going to stick with segments in some form (we'll see how those weapon speed factors turn out), so spell casting times will be in force. Material components? Track that resource, mages!
Gender-based stat limits are going away. They had some funny ideas of how to do things in the '70s, but that one is kinda offensive in retrospect. Level limits and racial stat limits, though, will be enforced because I like humans and want them at the center of the game. Don't like it? Don't play a nonhuman. I might, depending on how I feel at the time, even disallow nonhuman PCs. That's actually a tempting idea. It would allow me to take the faery races and make them more… fey or whatever. Unhuman. Alignment, on the other hand, sucks rocks as written, and will be definitely jettisoned in favor of a system based on the article "For King And Country" from Dragon #101, or possibly a simple Law/Neutral/Chaos version like the one from classic D&D.
Training times for leveling up will be in force, but the costs will be substantially revised. XP for magic items is definitely one to use.
Psionics and the Monk don't need much modification (well, I might use -C's psionics rules, or perhaps the minor changes in Dragon #78; either way, I'll be adding a Psionicist class). The Bard, on the other hand, will be completely revised as a normal class instead of a proto-prestige class, based on information in Dragon #56 (with the "Songs Instead of Spells" article and original spell progression replacing the spell list in that article).
So, the list of classes will include: Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Magic User, Illusionist, Thief, Assassin, Monk, Bard, Psionicist. I may include some other classes from Dragon magazine (The Bandit from Dragon #63 is high on my list of consideration), but probably not many.
So, my main area of concern still is the use of weapon speeds. Suggestions for ways to make use of them would be appreciated.
Edit to add: Here's a thought for weapon speed and initiative. Roll initiative by side, but individuals act on a segment equal to their weapon speed modified by the losing initiative roll (alternately, the difference between the initiative rolls) and Dex reaction adjustment. Add segments if on the losing side, subtract them for those who win initiative. So, if the two sides roll 4 and 2, the side rolling 2 adds 2 to weapon speeds to determine segment of action (natural weapons are mostly speed 1), the side rolling 4 subtracts 2 from weapon speed. Results below 1 act on segment 1, above 10 on segment 10. Casting time in segments is the "weapon speed" of spellcasting (and is not modified by Dex reaction adjustment [edit] or winning initiative roll, only modified when initiative is lost [end edit]). Tied initiative rolls act on weapon speed modified only by Dex reaction adjustment. Missile weapons are treated as speed 5 for those which get a single attack in the round; 3 and 7 for two attacks; 2, 6, and 8 for 3 attacks. All attacks from an attack routine go off at the same time. Multiple attack routines happen after a two segment wait (so, if two attack routines start on segment 7, the second will be on segment 9; if one is on segment 9 or 10, the next will go off at segment 10). If two attacks happen on the same segment, the winning initiative side goes first (if also tied, the attacks go off simultaneously). The Dex reaction adjustment is always subtracted (so a Dex 16 subtracts one segment, a Dex 4 adds 2 segments).
Further Edit: I forgot to mention that I am also thinking about modifying the weapon proficiency rules along the lines of the article "Weapons Wear Out, Skills Don't" in Dragon #65. Basically, this groups similar weapons into a single proficiency and adds some formation and special skills (similar in some ways to Feats). Also, I plan on allowing any character to use any weapon at any time, but they can only take proficiency in the listed weapons.
Nevertheless, I'm going to have to house rule some things. Unarmed combat? Using System I from Unearthed Arcana, which was Gary's preferred method, anyway (though no other rules from that supplement; magic items and spells, however, may show up, and I'll take anything from the extended weapon list that I feel like). Encumbrance? I'm not sure, but I may go to Encumbrance by Stone, since Delta is right, and very few people enjoy calculating encumbrance by coin weight.
Weapon speed factors? I want to use these, but even Gary decried them (thanks, Beedo, for that link). I'm still mulling this one over. I've heard a number of options which make them useful, but not overwhelming. On the other hand, I will definitely be using weapon AC "to hit" adjustments. They're really not that complicated in practice (though as a Referee, I'd have to rule on the AC type of monsters or just use the overarching ruling that there is no adjustment for natural armor, which latter I'd feel uncomfortable with, personally), and even easier if the character sheet has space to record them. In both cases, these are elements that make one weapon different than another, forcing trade-offs when choosing between them. This is a good thing in my book. Similarly, weapon length is valuable for charges (and, oh yes, I will be using the charging rules), and space required is also necessary in those narrow dungeon corridors. No way will two halbardiers or doppelsoldners fit in a 10' corridor! Firing weapons into melee and helmets are definitely going to be used. I'm on the fence about random melee targets, though. Also on the fence about morale: I'm going to use it in some form, but whether to use the one in AD&D, the version in Battlesystem, or move to the version in BECMI/Cyclopedia is still an open question.
I'm basically going to stick with segments in some form (we'll see how those weapon speed factors turn out), so spell casting times will be in force. Material components? Track that resource, mages!
Gender-based stat limits are going away. They had some funny ideas of how to do things in the '70s, but that one is kinda offensive in retrospect. Level limits and racial stat limits, though, will be enforced because I like humans and want them at the center of the game. Don't like it? Don't play a nonhuman. I might, depending on how I feel at the time, even disallow nonhuman PCs. That's actually a tempting idea. It would allow me to take the faery races and make them more… fey or whatever. Unhuman. Alignment, on the other hand, sucks rocks as written, and will be definitely jettisoned in favor of a system based on the article "For King And Country" from Dragon #101, or possibly a simple Law/Neutral/Chaos version like the one from classic D&D.
Training times for leveling up will be in force, but the costs will be substantially revised. XP for magic items is definitely one to use.
Psionics and the Monk don't need much modification (well, I might use -C's psionics rules, or perhaps the minor changes in Dragon #78; either way, I'll be adding a Psionicist class). The Bard, on the other hand, will be completely revised as a normal class instead of a proto-prestige class, based on information in Dragon #56 (with the "Songs Instead of Spells" article and original spell progression replacing the spell list in that article).
So, the list of classes will include: Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Magic User, Illusionist, Thief, Assassin, Monk, Bard, Psionicist. I may include some other classes from Dragon magazine (The Bandit from Dragon #63 is high on my list of consideration), but probably not many.
So, my main area of concern still is the use of weapon speeds. Suggestions for ways to make use of them would be appreciated.
Edit to add: Here's a thought for weapon speed and initiative. Roll initiative by side, but individuals act on a segment equal to their weapon speed modified by the losing initiative roll (alternately, the difference between the initiative rolls) and Dex reaction adjustment. Add segments if on the losing side, subtract them for those who win initiative. So, if the two sides roll 4 and 2, the side rolling 2 adds 2 to weapon speeds to determine segment of action (natural weapons are mostly speed 1), the side rolling 4 subtracts 2 from weapon speed. Results below 1 act on segment 1, above 10 on segment 10. Casting time in segments is the "weapon speed" of spellcasting (and is not modified by Dex reaction adjustment [edit] or winning initiative roll, only modified when initiative is lost [end edit]). Tied initiative rolls act on weapon speed modified only by Dex reaction adjustment. Missile weapons are treated as speed 5 for those which get a single attack in the round; 3 and 7 for two attacks; 2, 6, and 8 for 3 attacks. All attacks from an attack routine go off at the same time. Multiple attack routines happen after a two segment wait (so, if two attack routines start on segment 7, the second will be on segment 9; if one is on segment 9 or 10, the next will go off at segment 10). If two attacks happen on the same segment, the winning initiative side goes first (if also tied, the attacks go off simultaneously). The Dex reaction adjustment is always subtracted (so a Dex 16 subtracts one segment, a Dex 4 adds 2 segments).
Further Edit: I forgot to mention that I am also thinking about modifying the weapon proficiency rules along the lines of the article "Weapons Wear Out, Skills Don't" in Dragon #65. Basically, this groups similar weapons into a single proficiency and adds some formation and special skills (similar in some ways to Feats). Also, I plan on allowing any character to use any weapon at any time, but they can only take proficiency in the listed weapons.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Heave To And Prepare To Be Boarded!
While that is also my favorite pirate pick-up line, this post is about pointing out the latest offering from The Oatmeal.
More specifically, this is an exhortation to WotC/Hasbro to learn from it. Learn from it, or heave to. Because that's what artificially limiting access will lead to every time. The world has changed. You don't get to play the game that way anymore.
That is to say, we want to pay you money. We want the money in our pockets or bank accounts or credit unions to transfer into your bank account in exchange for the things we want. We think that such an exchange is fair for those things, and we truly believe that it encourages you to make more of the things that we want. When you don't let us give you money, though, we will find a way to get the things we want, and we will give the money to the people who will make that happen. That isn't a threat, it is a description of what is going on right now, all over the world. If you want that money, you have to make the things we want available to us. Welcome to the 21st century.
More specifically, this is an exhortation to WotC/Hasbro to learn from it. Learn from it, or heave to. Because that's what artificially limiting access will lead to every time. The world has changed. You don't get to play the game that way anymore.
That is to say, we want to pay you money. We want the money in our pockets or bank accounts or credit unions to transfer into your bank account in exchange for the things we want. We think that such an exchange is fair for those things, and we truly believe that it encourages you to make more of the things that we want. When you don't let us give you money, though, we will find a way to get the things we want, and we will give the money to the people who will make that happen. That isn't a threat, it is a description of what is going on right now, all over the world. If you want that money, you have to make the things we want available to us. Welcome to the 21st century.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Just Checking In
I've been quiet here, and most places on the internet, for a little bit now. I figured that it would be worth my time to make a quick check-in.
I've been re-reading AD&D, with an eye toward running it later this year. I'm planning on using the Black Blood of the Earth setting that I mentioned previously. That will be pretty much the extent of the wider worldbuilding that I'm going to do to start with (I'm also going to set up a religious system based on the "Elemental Gods" article in Dragon #77). The rest will be created in play. I'm working up a plan of a small town of about 2000 people where the players will start. They'll have information about a secret entrance in the sewers that leads to a mysterious tunnel where their informant found a few gold coins, but got scared before exploring much further. 0-levels, amirite? I'll have a couple of small modifications to the rules (notably, completely revamping Bards based on Dragon #56, psionics based on Dragon #78, unarmed combat from Unearthed Arcana, level training, and removing gender-based stat limits), but largely will use the rules straight (even hated things like weapon vs. armor type or racial level limits, and I'll have some sort of level training).
I've also been reading Battlesystem, in part because I'm intending that it will be the mass combat system I will use (still deciding between 1st and 2nd edition, but leaning toward 1st).
Other than that, though, I've been doing very little. I haven't even been keeping up with my reading outside of gaming. How are you doing?
I've been re-reading AD&D, with an eye toward running it later this year. I'm planning on using the Black Blood of the Earth setting that I mentioned previously. That will be pretty much the extent of the wider worldbuilding that I'm going to do to start with (I'm also going to set up a religious system based on the "Elemental Gods" article in Dragon #77). The rest will be created in play. I'm working up a plan of a small town of about 2000 people where the players will start. They'll have information about a secret entrance in the sewers that leads to a mysterious tunnel where their informant found a few gold coins, but got scared before exploring much further. 0-levels, amirite? I'll have a couple of small modifications to the rules (notably, completely revamping Bards based on Dragon #56, psionics based on Dragon #78, unarmed combat from Unearthed Arcana, level training, and removing gender-based stat limits), but largely will use the rules straight (even hated things like weapon vs. armor type or racial level limits, and I'll have some sort of level training).
I've also been reading Battlesystem, in part because I'm intending that it will be the mass combat system I will use (still deciding between 1st and 2nd edition, but leaning toward 1st).
Other than that, though, I've been doing very little. I haven't even been keeping up with my reading outside of gaming. How are you doing?
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Miniatures Companies: A Request To You Readers
I am wanting to make a list here (for my use and yours) of companies which currently exist and which make miniatures suitable for fantasy gaming. I would prefer to avoid companies which traffic exclusively in the "heroic" style (super-buff warriors with spiky bits and whatnot) or companies that produce miniatures entirely for their own game settings (Games Workshop and Privateer, I'm looking at you). Mostly, I'm interested in classic fantasy figure styles, historical medieval and ancients, and so forth. Pig-faced orcs! Stuff from the old Grenadier and Ral Partha lines! That sort of thing. (I mean, it doesn't have to be specifically pig-faced orcs, or classic figure lines. Just in that style.)
If you can, include a link to the company's website or an address to write to them if they don't have a web presence (as if that would happen).
Edit to add: Right on schedule, ckutalik over at Hill Cantons posted about plastic minis.
If you can, include a link to the company's website or an address to write to them if they don't have a web presence (as if that would happen).
Edit to add: Right on schedule, ckutalik over at Hill Cantons posted about plastic minis.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
AD&D 1E Adventures And Stuff
So, WotC is reprinting the 1st edition of AD&D. That's pretty cool, but what do you do with it? Adventures are very helpful to the Referee, and there exists a list of adventures for AD&D 1E that are in print. You can see that list, with links, here. You should get the word on this list to everyone you know. They'll thank you. Even if they aren't a gamer. Don't bother linking back to me, unless you really, really want to (but if you want to link back to me that much, you should do it for something that I actually did, not a pointer).
Um, I found a place that sells pads of 17"x22" graph paper, from 4 squares/inch to 10 squares/inch. A pad of 50 sheets is less than $20, a pad of 100 less than $35. They have all sorts of other useful tools, too, like mechanical pencils and other sizes of graph paper, and they ship by UPS. (One downside: they require orders of a minimum $20 before shipping.) Check 'em out.
Hopefully, I'll have some actual content soon. I've been working on some templates for the GURPS Greyhawk project, which I should be putting up in the next couple of days.
Um, I found a place that sells pads of 17"x22" graph paper, from 4 squares/inch to 10 squares/inch. A pad of 50 sheets is less than $20, a pad of 100 less than $35. They have all sorts of other useful tools, too, like mechanical pencils and other sizes of graph paper, and they ship by UPS. (One downside: they require orders of a minimum $20 before shipping.) Check 'em out.
Hopefully, I'll have some actual content soon. I've been working on some templates for the GURPS Greyhawk project, which I should be putting up in the next couple of days.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Rock And Rules
If you don't already hang on Jeff Rients's every word (and why don't you?), you owe it to yourself to get on over and read the secret history of that great band, Dungeons & Dragons. Surgeon of the Underworld was truly a great album.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
More On Type V
Apparently, over on the "DnDNext" boards on the WotC website, there is a poll on what people want from the new edition. Crazy ideas like "healing surges" and "encounter powers" are winning in those polls, from what I hear. That's neat, but I wonder how WotC expected any other result on boards that have been colonized by 4E as a result of the marketing strategy that Hasbro/WotC has been pursuing.
So, if these polls are taken seriously at all, what we'll end up seeing is just another 4E. If that's a sound marketing move, then why is WotC even embarking in this direction in the first place? If D&D 5E looks like just another iteration of "computer rpg on the tabletop", why would they expect that to go over any better than 4E did? On the one hand, that should make Paizo happy (Pathfinder wouldn't lose any business that way), but on the other hand, WotC wouldn't regain any market share. On the gripping hand, there's OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord, Lamentations of the Flame Princess: Weird Fantasy Roleplaying, and so on, so who cares what happens with WotC? I mean, I'd like to have "D&D" back as a name, but ultimately names are just what we call things, not the things themselves.
I've been thinking about this matter, and here's still what I want from WotC that they haven't already given us: a reprint of Chainmail, the White Box, and the four supplements. That's it. They're already giving us reprints of 1E, now give us 0E.
Not that WotC is going to listen to a little blog like this one.
So, if these polls are taken seriously at all, what we'll end up seeing is just another 4E. If that's a sound marketing move, then why is WotC even embarking in this direction in the first place? If D&D 5E looks like just another iteration of "computer rpg on the tabletop", why would they expect that to go over any better than 4E did? On the one hand, that should make Paizo happy (Pathfinder wouldn't lose any business that way), but on the other hand, WotC wouldn't regain any market share. On the gripping hand, there's OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord, Lamentations of the Flame Princess: Weird Fantasy Roleplaying, and so on, so who cares what happens with WotC? I mean, I'd like to have "D&D" back as a name, but ultimately names are just what we call things, not the things themselves.
I've been thinking about this matter, and here's still what I want from WotC that they haven't already given us: a reprint of Chainmail, the White Box, and the four supplements. That's it. They're already giving us reprints of 1E, now give us 0E.
Not that WotC is going to listen to a little blog like this one.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Pimping Ponies
The great blogger Erin Palette has written a short set of rules (6 pages), based on the Unknown Armies system and titled Unknown Ponies: Failure Is Awesome, for games set in the background of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. You know that you want to look.
Experiment
So, I've been persuaded that the spam problem is already contained at the Blogger level. As a result, I've shut off word verification here. If spam becomes a problem, I'll turn it back on, but judging by the reported experiences of others, that shouldn't be necessary.
House Rules At The End Of Time
A game that I am nearly prepared to run, Terra Ultima is a science-fantasy setting, with some mild changes from the basic Swords & Wizardry: Whitebox rules. Here are most of them.
Character Creation
Stats are rolled 3d6 in order. Additional stat: Social Standing.
Only three classes are available for Humans: Fighting Man, Magic User, and Rogue Magic User. Levels above 10 require 2X the number of experience points as the previous level, but humans have no limits. Rogue Magic Users use the Cleric experience chart, but gain spells as per the Rogue in Savage Swords of Athanor.
Skills are taken from Savage Swords of Athanor, as well. Choose one from Group I or two from Group II. Other skills may be available, ask the Referee (specifically, any Secondary Skill listed in the 1E DMG is probably available as a Group II skill, except Trader).
The races available, other than Humans, include Dwarves (who may choose between two classes, Fighting Man - limited to level 6 - and Crafter, a special class limited to level 8), or Elves (who must choose between Fighting Man and Magic User at moonrise each day, limited to level 4 in the former and level 8 in the latter).
Hit dice are rolled at each new level gained, with a minimum number of hit points equal to those previously held. In addition, at first level, take the higher of 1 hit die for "normal man/dwarf" status or the hit dice of first level (so that a human Magic User or dwarven Crafter would roll 2d6, taking the higher of the two, or a human or dwarven Fighting Man would roll 1d6 and 1d6+1, taking the higher result), while elves roll 1d6 for 1st level Magic User and 1d6+1 for 1st level Fighting Man, taking the higher of the two.
Magic Users start with a free spell book containing Read Magic and three other spells chosen randomly. Magic Users and Rogue Magic Users may cast any spell from a list that includes spells from both the Magic User and Cleric lists in the Whitebox rules (at first level, this includes all of those on the Magic User list (except Light, but read further), plus Cure Light Wounds, Light (Dark), and Purify (Putrify) Food and Drink).
Equipment
Use the Encumbrance by Stone rules.
Money is changed considerably. Most coins are silver pennies or copper farthings. A farthing is valued at one-fourth of a penny. A gold crown weighs as much as five pennies or farthings, and is valued at 240 pennies. 500 pennies or farthings can be carried per bundle, 2500 per stone weight (as noted, a crown coin weighs as much as five pennies or farthings). Starting money is Social Standing x10 pennies. Experience points for treasure are 1 xp per penny.
The equipment cost list will be different than that in Whitebox. It will include some science fantasy items taken from Terminal Space. Energy cells will exist and be expensive, however, and there is no space travel.
Magic
Some more changes from the spell lists include Raise Dead being a 6th level spell, and Astral Spell and Restoration (from the Core Rules) being 6th level spells. Otherwise, all spells in the Whitebox rules exist, at the earliest level they appear (except Quest, which is a 6th level spell, and Commune, which does not exist - use Contact Other Plane instead, and use the version of that spell in the Core Rules since the Whitebox one doesn't make any sense at all). If there is a Magic User and Cleric version of the same spell, then the Magic User version takes precedence (except in the case of Light).
Combat
Mounted men are -2 to be hit by footmen; +2 to hit footmen; and +4 to hit in the initial charging round. Footmen attacking mounted roll 1d6: 1-3 attack mount, 4-6 attack rider (mounted attacking mounted may choose which to attack).
Charge-round sequence: (1) mount & rider move to lance range, delivering initial attack; (2) mount continues move to first target or one behind it, delivering one hoof/trample/smashing attack; (3) mount & rider continue balance of movement if way is clear.
Fighting Men (only) with shields can attempt to take blows on their shield. If attempted, roll a save (after damage is rolled), modified for the shield's magic bonuses. Success avoids all damage from one attack, but shatters the shield, making it useless. Failure has no effect. Magic shields mark one tally on a successful save instead; when tallies exceed the magic bonus, then they shatter. Against magic attacks and breath weapons, normal shields cannot be used in this way, but a magic shield can be sacrificed automatically (given a tally mark, don't roll to save) for an automatic save against the attack. (This is a variation of Shields Shall Be Splintered!)
(Additional edit, 27 January 2012): Fighting Men with shields parry normal missile weapons as above, but the shield does not shatter when so used.
Character Creation
Stats are rolled 3d6 in order. Additional stat: Social Standing.
Only three classes are available for Humans: Fighting Man, Magic User, and Rogue Magic User. Levels above 10 require 2X the number of experience points as the previous level, but humans have no limits. Rogue Magic Users use the Cleric experience chart, but gain spells as per the Rogue in Savage Swords of Athanor.
Skills are taken from Savage Swords of Athanor, as well. Choose one from Group I or two from Group II. Other skills may be available, ask the Referee (specifically, any Secondary Skill listed in the 1E DMG is probably available as a Group II skill, except Trader).
The races available, other than Humans, include Dwarves (who may choose between two classes, Fighting Man - limited to level 6 - and Crafter, a special class limited to level 8), or Elves (who must choose between Fighting Man and Magic User at moonrise each day, limited to level 4 in the former and level 8 in the latter).
Hit dice are rolled at each new level gained, with a minimum number of hit points equal to those previously held. In addition, at first level, take the higher of 1 hit die for "normal man/dwarf" status or the hit dice of first level (so that a human Magic User or dwarven Crafter would roll 2d6, taking the higher of the two, or a human or dwarven Fighting Man would roll 1d6 and 1d6+1, taking the higher result), while elves roll 1d6 for 1st level Magic User and 1d6+1 for 1st level Fighting Man, taking the higher of the two.
Magic Users start with a free spell book containing Read Magic and three other spells chosen randomly. Magic Users and Rogue Magic Users may cast any spell from a list that includes spells from both the Magic User and Cleric lists in the Whitebox rules (at first level, this includes all of those on the Magic User list (except Light, but read further), plus Cure Light Wounds, Light (Dark), and Purify (Putrify) Food and Drink).
Equipment
Use the Encumbrance by Stone rules.
Money is changed considerably. Most coins are silver pennies or copper farthings. A farthing is valued at one-fourth of a penny. A gold crown weighs as much as five pennies or farthings, and is valued at 240 pennies. 500 pennies or farthings can be carried per bundle, 2500 per stone weight (as noted, a crown coin weighs as much as five pennies or farthings). Starting money is Social Standing x10 pennies. Experience points for treasure are 1 xp per penny.
The equipment cost list will be different than that in Whitebox. It will include some science fantasy items taken from Terminal Space. Energy cells will exist and be expensive, however, and there is no space travel.
Magic
Some more changes from the spell lists include Raise Dead being a 6th level spell, and Astral Spell and Restoration (from the Core Rules) being 6th level spells. Otherwise, all spells in the Whitebox rules exist, at the earliest level they appear (except Quest, which is a 6th level spell, and Commune, which does not exist - use Contact Other Plane instead, and use the version of that spell in the Core Rules since the Whitebox one doesn't make any sense at all). If there is a Magic User and Cleric version of the same spell, then the Magic User version takes precedence (except in the case of Light).
Combat
Mounted men are -2 to be hit by footmen; +2 to hit footmen; and +4 to hit in the initial charging round. Footmen attacking mounted roll 1d6: 1-3 attack mount, 4-6 attack rider (mounted attacking mounted may choose which to attack).
Charge-round sequence: (1) mount & rider move to lance range, delivering initial attack; (2) mount continues move to first target or one behind it, delivering one hoof/trample/smashing attack; (3) mount & rider continue balance of movement if way is clear.
(I don't recall where I got that from.)
Fighting Men (only) with shields can attempt to take blows on their shield. If attempted, roll a save (after damage is rolled), modified for the shield's magic bonuses. Success avoids all damage from one attack, but shatters the shield, making it useless. Failure has no effect. Magic shields mark one tally on a successful save instead; when tallies exceed the magic bonus, then they shatter. Against magic attacks and breath weapons, normal shields cannot be used in this way, but a magic shield can be sacrificed automatically (given a tally mark, don't roll to save) for an automatic save against the attack. (This is a variation of Shields Shall Be Splintered!)
(Additional edit, 27 January 2012): Fighting Men with shields parry normal missile weapons as above, but the shield does not shatter when so used.
Unarmed combat will be handled using rules similar to System I from Unearthed Arcana (1E).
Morale will be taken directly from the rules in the D&D Rules Cyclopedia.
A character may fight with a second weapon in his off-hand. This gives a +1 to hit for the character's attack (or attacks, for a Fighting Man of 2nd or higher level attacking 1HD opponents).
Missile weapons are given a range 1/2 that listed (for those in Whitebox; Terminal Space weapons exchange meters for feet, then halve, except for Rifles which have a range of 125 ft). They attack at normal odds at up to Short Range (x1), at -2 at up to Medium Range (x2), or at -5 at up to Long Range (x4).
Thursday, January 19, 2012
I Imagine That They Said "Boo-Yah!" When Posting The Press Release
I can hardly keep up with the news coming out of WotC lately. It's almost as though they actually decided to listen to their audience this time (yes, those 4E scars run deep).
For the one person out there who hasn't heard yet, but also happens to read this blog (yeah, I doubt that person exists, too), not only have WotC announced a new edition of D&D which, they claim, will be usable by anyone regardless of whether they prefer older or newer styles of gaming, but they have also announced a new printing of 1E AD&D's three core books (PH, MM, and DMG). The new printing will be priced in the same range as the originals (adjusted for inflation, of course), and the proceeds will also help support the Gygax Memorial Fund. The only questionable thing is that they plan to use all-new cover artwork - but the interiors of the books will be using the original art.
Now if they'd only release a new printing of the White Box (and maybe the four supplements).
For the one person out there who hasn't heard yet, but also happens to read this blog (yeah, I doubt that person exists, too), not only have WotC announced a new edition of D&D which, they claim, will be usable by anyone regardless of whether they prefer older or newer styles of gaming, but they have also announced a new printing of 1E AD&D's three core books (PH, MM, and DMG). The new printing will be priced in the same range as the originals (adjusted for inflation, of course), and the proceeds will also help support the Gygax Memorial Fund. The only questionable thing is that they plan to use all-new cover artwork - but the interiors of the books will be using the original art.
Now if they'd only release a new printing of the White Box (and maybe the four supplements).
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Gah! Not More Inspiration…
So, I was reading a blog on nongaming matters (yeah, I know), and I ran across some ideas for what may be another neat sword & sorcery background. OK, it's really a sort of exaggerated look at the world around us, but it's specifically worded in ways to emphasize the, as the blog author puts it, pulp fantasy nature of the world we find ourselves in. Check these out (from here):
Initial thoughts: magic as technology (needs a magic item creation system); alternate magic system using the black blood of the Earth (maybe similar to defiler magic from Dark Sun?) which makes magic items easier to make, and gives more power to the user than the normal magic system, though not overwhelmingly so; alchemical overlords transforming the black blood of the Earth into gold; and so on.
• We live in a world dominated by a vast, slowly decaying empire that gets quite literally superhuman powers by feeding on what we may as well call the blood of the Earth;and
• That empire is ruled by a decadent aristocracy that holds court in soaring towers and bolsters its crumbling authority by conjuring vast amounts of wealth out of thin air;
• Backing the aristocracy is a caste of corrupt sorcerers whose incantations, projected into every home through the power of the blood of the Earth, keep the populace disorganized, deluded and passive;
• Entire provinces of the empire are ravaged by droughts, storms, and other disasters caused by the misuse of the Earth’s blood, while prophecies from the past warn of much worse to come;
• Meanwhile, far from the centers of power, the members of a scattered fellowship struggle to find and learn the forgotten lore of an earlier time, which might just hold the secret of survival...
Who is the hero or the heroine who will turn the pages of the long-lost Gaianomicon, use its forgotten lore to forge a wand of power out of the rays of the Sun, shatter the deceptive spells of the lords of High Finance, and rise up amidst the wreckage of a dying empire to become one of the seedbearers of an age that is not yet born?It would make a good counterpoint, I think, to my Terra Ultima setting. Maybe I'll have to run two different games.
Initial thoughts: magic as technology (needs a magic item creation system); alternate magic system using the black blood of the Earth (maybe similar to defiler magic from Dark Sun?) which makes magic items easier to make, and gives more power to the user than the normal magic system, though not overwhelmingly so; alchemical overlords transforming the black blood of the Earth into gold; and so on.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Balance? We Don't Need No Stinking Balance!
One of the things that killed WotC D&D, in my opinion, is the emphasis on "balance". As in, every encounter should be "balanced" to the characters in the game. These metagaming considerations do make for an interesting competitive game, so I won't denigrate that consideration on that basis.
The thing is, though, that adventure games ("role-playing games") are not competitive games.
Now, now, I can hear some people out there already saying that there's been a long tradition of the adversarial DM whose every move was dedicated toward fiendish new ways to kill characters. I'd like to put that rumor to rest and note that it is bullshit (although not unadulterated bullshit, as I'll discuss in a moment), based on hyperbolic writing by some players who wanted to glorify their own exploits. "I got my character to 10th level, even though we had a DM who killed characters with a fiendish glee!" sounds a heck of a lot better than "My character got to 18th level under a Monty Haul DM." Now, when those writers published all of that, some new DMs read it and thought to themselves, "Oh, I guess that I should be playing against the PCs". And so a cycle of abuse was created.
No, what those fiendish DMs were really doing was something else. They were providing challenges to the players, not to the characters. One of the neat things about tabletop adventure games that will be a long time coming with computer versions is that the players can try anything. At all. And, if the designer didn't think of it, they can still try it and potentially succeed. This is an amazing innovation, derived from miniatures wargaming. See, back in the day, miniatures wargaming rules were, uh, a little sketchy. They were designed to cover some basic interactions, but beyond issues like casualties, movement, and morale, they didn't really cover strange situations. In a "friendly" game, the players would work out something between them that would seem to cover the situation, and in a tournament or otherwise competitive game, they'd enlist the aid of a neutral referee to the same end.
Now, this idea developed in early adventure gaming into the idea of the DM, who would design the scenario in which the players would manipulate their single figures (either explicitly, on the table, or implicitly, in imagination), and would also act as an impartial referee, ruling on the outcome of unusual actions (those outside of casualty infliction, movement, or the other issues covered under the rules). The DM would design situations that were interesting, that had no obvious solution (at times, she might even design a situation which had no predesigned solution), and so were challenging to the players. Success, in such a case, is not based entirely on the numbers on the character sheet, but on the skill of the player himself.
In a literary example (which I keep going to, since it is both iconic and therefore well-known, and also philosophically appropriate), Bilbo missed out on the xp for killing Smaug. Bard got those. But the Arkenstone was worth more xp , anyway. And even if Bilbo had worked himself up to 4th level and so hit his level limit, the true value of the Arkenstone was revealed in the way that he leveraged that item into a situation of a peacefully-coexisting dwarven keep Under the Mountain and Laketown. He made a difference in the world, and returned home with enough treasure to ensure his comfort to the end of his days. He didn't need a "balanced" encounter with Smaug. He used his ingenuity to set up a situation in which Smaug was defeated, despite the imbalance of the encounter.
What were his (theoretical) player's "victory conditions"? Not to level up, that's for sure. Not to gain untold amounts of wealth and power. They were to do what he did, I'd guess: make a permanent mark on the campaign world that the player could point to and say, "I had a major hand in that situation being as good as it is. And here is how it happened…" That's how stories come out of gaming, not by being scripted into the game, but by being descriptions of the game.
The thing is, though, that adventure games ("role-playing games") are not competitive games.
Now, now, I can hear some people out there already saying that there's been a long tradition of the adversarial DM whose every move was dedicated toward fiendish new ways to kill characters. I'd like to put that rumor to rest and note that it is bullshit (although not unadulterated bullshit, as I'll discuss in a moment), based on hyperbolic writing by some players who wanted to glorify their own exploits. "I got my character to 10th level, even though we had a DM who killed characters with a fiendish glee!" sounds a heck of a lot better than "My character got to 18th level under a Monty Haul DM." Now, when those writers published all of that, some new DMs read it and thought to themselves, "Oh, I guess that I should be playing against the PCs". And so a cycle of abuse was created.
No, what those fiendish DMs were really doing was something else. They were providing challenges to the players, not to the characters. One of the neat things about tabletop adventure games that will be a long time coming with computer versions is that the players can try anything. At all. And, if the designer didn't think of it, they can still try it and potentially succeed. This is an amazing innovation, derived from miniatures wargaming. See, back in the day, miniatures wargaming rules were, uh, a little sketchy. They were designed to cover some basic interactions, but beyond issues like casualties, movement, and morale, they didn't really cover strange situations. In a "friendly" game, the players would work out something between them that would seem to cover the situation, and in a tournament or otherwise competitive game, they'd enlist the aid of a neutral referee to the same end.
Now, this idea developed in early adventure gaming into the idea of the DM, who would design the scenario in which the players would manipulate their single figures (either explicitly, on the table, or implicitly, in imagination), and would also act as an impartial referee, ruling on the outcome of unusual actions (those outside of casualty infliction, movement, or the other issues covered under the rules). The DM would design situations that were interesting, that had no obvious solution (at times, she might even design a situation which had no predesigned solution), and so were challenging to the players. Success, in such a case, is not based entirely on the numbers on the character sheet, but on the skill of the player himself.
In a literary example (which I keep going to, since it is both iconic and therefore well-known, and also philosophically appropriate), Bilbo missed out on the xp for killing Smaug. Bard got those. But the Arkenstone was worth more xp , anyway. And even if Bilbo had worked himself up to 4th level and so hit his level limit, the true value of the Arkenstone was revealed in the way that he leveraged that item into a situation of a peacefully-coexisting dwarven keep Under the Mountain and Laketown. He made a difference in the world, and returned home with enough treasure to ensure his comfort to the end of his days. He didn't need a "balanced" encounter with Smaug. He used his ingenuity to set up a situation in which Smaug was defeated, despite the imbalance of the encounter.
What were his (theoretical) player's "victory conditions"? Not to level up, that's for sure. Not to gain untold amounts of wealth and power. They were to do what he did, I'd guess: make a permanent mark on the campaign world that the player could point to and say, "I had a major hand in that situation being as good as it is. And here is how it happened…" That's how stories come out of gaming, not by being scripted into the game, but by being descriptions of the game.
The Topic Du Jour
OK, so what I want out of the 5th (or 15th, depending on how you count it*) published version of D&D is pretty much summed up by Jeff Rients. (If you agree with his open letter, link to it on your blog or wherever, to boost the Google ranking.)
And that's pretty much all I have to say about something that I haven't seen yet.
*And here's how I count it:
1: 0E: The White Box with its three LBBs
2: 0.5E: The supplements to 0E
3: Holmes D&D
4: 1E: AD&D
5: B/X D&D
6: BECMI D&D
7: 1.5E: Unearthed Arcana
8: 2E: AD&D 2E
9: Rules Cyclopedia D&D (though changes from BECMI were minimal, they did exist, notably in the handling of Immortal level characters)
10: 2.5E: Player's Options books
11: 3E: WotC 3E
12: 3.5E: WotC 3.5E
13: 4E: WotC 4E
14: 4.5E: WotC D&D Essentials (thanks to Arkhein for pointing this out to my 4E-deficient brain)
15: alleged WotC 5E
And that's pretty much all I have to say about something that I haven't seen yet.
*And here's how I count it:
1: 0E: The White Box with its three LBBs
2: 0.5E: The supplements to 0E
3: Holmes D&D
4: 1E: AD&D
5: B/X D&D
6: BECMI D&D
7: 1.5E: Unearthed Arcana
8: 2E: AD&D 2E
9: Rules Cyclopedia D&D (though changes from BECMI were minimal, they did exist, notably in the handling of Immortal level characters)
10: 2.5E: Player's Options books
11: 3E: WotC 3E
12: 3.5E: WotC 3.5E
13: 4E: WotC 4E
14: 4.5E: WotC D&D Essentials (thanks to Arkhein for pointing this out to my 4E-deficient brain)
15: alleged WotC 5E
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Demihuman Level Limits?
There's some discussion out there in the OSR blogosphere about demihuman level limits. Some people, as has always been the case, hate them and refuse to use them. Others think that they are a necessary part of the game, and useful to emphasize the humanocentric nature of the sort of swords & sorcery fantasy that is the implied subject of most games with levels. Certainly, the increased numbers of players with demihuman characters in modern D&D games would seem to indicate that there should be some sort of factor to discourage their play. The question is, should that factor be something so seemingly metagame-y as level limits.
It's important, I think, to figure out just what character levels and experience points represent in the game. That is, what are they, besides a game convenience? The normal idea is that levels represent a level of skill and training. This is supported by the idea of training for level increases in the 1E DMG. However, it is countered by looking at what events garner experience points, and by examining some other issues. For instance, a 1st-level Fighting Man is not described as being in training: he is called a "Veteran" in the editions which used level titles. That is, he is someone who has already learned the techniques of his craft and had occasion to apply them in practice. He is a veteran, not a tyro. Similarly, as Talysman points out, the Magic User and the Cleric imply that the starting character has learned what he can from his instructors. And experience points are not given for training, or even for practicing skills. They are given for acquiring treasure and destroying (or defeating, in some formulations) foes.
So, why would a character have experience points in exchange for picking up some coins or for putting a sword through the heart of a goblin? I think that the answer is to be found in another game, Pendragon. In that game, an analogous quantity called Glory is the goal of the players. Glory is acquired for similar (though not identical) reasons as experience points. The amount of Glory gained represents the reputation, temporal power, and spiritual accomplishment of the character. Similarly, experience points (and therefore levels) seem to represent the success and worldly power of the character. That is, it is a concept very similar to the Polynesian, specifically Maori, concept of mana (not to be confused with the appropriation of that term in gaming to mean, merely, "magic points"; as an aside, I'm curious to know where the earliest use of the term in that capacity occurred). That is, it is authority and luck and reputation and power and confidence (both self- and that of others).
Now, given that, it becomes more obvious as to why demihumans, in a humanocentric, sword & sorcery world, have level limits. As Talysman notes, elves and dwarves and halflings are all seen as secondary to human concerns. Not many humans, in such worlds, will subject themselves to even elven kings, much less dwarven or (ha!) hobbit ones. Humans are the measure of all things in such worlds, and it is only they who can reach the highest realms of authority and power, not only in the realm of temporal power and politics, but in the more mystic worlds of arcane and clerical magic. This is further borne out by the later Thief class, which did not limit levels of demihumans, but which is the most mundane class of them all, with little interest in the rarefied realms of political, arcane, or spiritual power.
So, level limits seem important for both metagame reasons (discouraging the use of demihuman characters without artificial "balancing") and for reasons of simulation within the context of the material. It's only those games which didn't share that context that made the limits nonsensical (but, then, there are many other aspects of the rules which wouldn't then fit into those games). This is interesting to consider in context of the WRG Ancients RPG I am working on.
It's important, I think, to figure out just what character levels and experience points represent in the game. That is, what are they, besides a game convenience? The normal idea is that levels represent a level of skill and training. This is supported by the idea of training for level increases in the 1E DMG. However, it is countered by looking at what events garner experience points, and by examining some other issues. For instance, a 1st-level Fighting Man is not described as being in training: he is called a "Veteran" in the editions which used level titles. That is, he is someone who has already learned the techniques of his craft and had occasion to apply them in practice. He is a veteran, not a tyro. Similarly, as Talysman points out, the Magic User and the Cleric imply that the starting character has learned what he can from his instructors. And experience points are not given for training, or even for practicing skills. They are given for acquiring treasure and destroying (or defeating, in some formulations) foes.
So, why would a character have experience points in exchange for picking up some coins or for putting a sword through the heart of a goblin? I think that the answer is to be found in another game, Pendragon. In that game, an analogous quantity called Glory is the goal of the players. Glory is acquired for similar (though not identical) reasons as experience points. The amount of Glory gained represents the reputation, temporal power, and spiritual accomplishment of the character. Similarly, experience points (and therefore levels) seem to represent the success and worldly power of the character. That is, it is a concept very similar to the Polynesian, specifically Maori, concept of mana (not to be confused with the appropriation of that term in gaming to mean, merely, "magic points"; as an aside, I'm curious to know where the earliest use of the term in that capacity occurred). That is, it is authority and luck and reputation and power and confidence (both self- and that of others).
Now, given that, it becomes more obvious as to why demihumans, in a humanocentric, sword & sorcery world, have level limits. As Talysman notes, elves and dwarves and halflings are all seen as secondary to human concerns. Not many humans, in such worlds, will subject themselves to even elven kings, much less dwarven or (ha!) hobbit ones. Humans are the measure of all things in such worlds, and it is only they who can reach the highest realms of authority and power, not only in the realm of temporal power and politics, but in the more mystic worlds of arcane and clerical magic. This is further borne out by the later Thief class, which did not limit levels of demihumans, but which is the most mundane class of them all, with little interest in the rarefied realms of political, arcane, or spiritual power.
So, level limits seem important for both metagame reasons (discouraging the use of demihuman characters without artificial "balancing") and for reasons of simulation within the context of the material. It's only those games which didn't share that context that made the limits nonsensical (but, then, there are many other aspects of the rules which wouldn't then fit into those games). This is interesting to consider in context of the WRG Ancients RPG I am working on.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Why GURPS Greyhawk?
I was thinking about the matter of converting from one system to another. It's true that I like GURPS, but I also like D&D. So why convert Greyhawk, already well-established as a D&D property, with D&D stats ready and waiting, into GURPS, which is a lot of effort? I have a number of reasons, some of which I want to mention here.
First, there's the matter of tone. D&D has a tendency toward a particular type of heroic, "cinematic" play that follows certain narrative conventions. GURPS, on the other hand, works toward a different style, even when it is used with "cinematic" optional rules. Think of it as the difference between, on the one hand, Robert E. Howard, and J.R.R. Tolkien on the other. That's not to say that either author represents either rule set, only that there is clearly a difference in tone.
Second, by playing with the stat blocks, I hope to illuminate the ways in which each rule set abstracts certain aspects of the fictional reality they represent. That is, I can look at the factors which make up "hit points" in D&D, but are detailed out in GURPS. Similarly, social structures are abstracted into specific modifiers in GURPS, but are dealt with more subtly in D&D, mainly through adjudication. Mostly, though, I'm trying to work out what a "level" is, what "hit points" are, and so on in D&D. By doing so, I hope to improve my D&D games.
Next, sometimes it's easier to get a game together if it has a particular premise. The idea of GURPS Greyhawk is just plain interesting to some people, and should gather an actual gaming group. I would like that, actually, though I'm pretty sure that my next face-to-face group is going to focus on Swords & Wizardy: Whitebox.
Also, with luck, I'll get some of you commenting on the entries, and providing critiques and suggestions for various matters.
Finally, one of the things about GURPS (or any rule set really, but GURPS specifically) is that it helps to practice using its rules in various ways. This is sometimes called "system mastery", and is useful when running just about any game, not to mention when playing some of them. By working out conversions (and the project as I conceive it is extensive - I hope to eventually provide a stat block for at least every entry on every encounter table in the Greyhawk boxed set and the DMG, for instance), I get to practice using GURPS, which is good for my purposes.
Oh, yeah. And why Greyhawk, specifically? That's easy. Greyhawk was the first fantasy game world I ever read about. I owned the folio edition (the original one I owned has since been destroyed, but I have replaced it, as well as getting a copy of the boxed set). So, it's pretty much nostalgia. However, there are aspects of the Flanaess that are especially interesting to me, such as the general atmosphere of medieval Europe combined with fantasy elements in a particular way. Greyhawk is prototypical of fantasy gaming worlds, and has only rarely been equaled.
First, there's the matter of tone. D&D has a tendency toward a particular type of heroic, "cinematic" play that follows certain narrative conventions. GURPS, on the other hand, works toward a different style, even when it is used with "cinematic" optional rules. Think of it as the difference between, on the one hand, Robert E. Howard, and J.R.R. Tolkien on the other. That's not to say that either author represents either rule set, only that there is clearly a difference in tone.
Second, by playing with the stat blocks, I hope to illuminate the ways in which each rule set abstracts certain aspects of the fictional reality they represent. That is, I can look at the factors which make up "hit points" in D&D, but are detailed out in GURPS. Similarly, social structures are abstracted into specific modifiers in GURPS, but are dealt with more subtly in D&D, mainly through adjudication. Mostly, though, I'm trying to work out what a "level" is, what "hit points" are, and so on in D&D. By doing so, I hope to improve my D&D games.
Next, sometimes it's easier to get a game together if it has a particular premise. The idea of GURPS Greyhawk is just plain interesting to some people, and should gather an actual gaming group. I would like that, actually, though I'm pretty sure that my next face-to-face group is going to focus on Swords & Wizardy: Whitebox.
Also, with luck, I'll get some of you commenting on the entries, and providing critiques and suggestions for various matters.
Finally, one of the things about GURPS (or any rule set really, but GURPS specifically) is that it helps to practice using its rules in various ways. This is sometimes called "system mastery", and is useful when running just about any game, not to mention when playing some of them. By working out conversions (and the project as I conceive it is extensive - I hope to eventually provide a stat block for at least every entry on every encounter table in the Greyhawk boxed set and the DMG, for instance), I get to practice using GURPS, which is good for my purposes.
Oh, yeah. And why Greyhawk, specifically? That's easy. Greyhawk was the first fantasy game world I ever read about. I owned the folio edition (the original one I owned has since been destroyed, but I have replaced it, as well as getting a copy of the boxed set). So, it's pretty much nostalgia. However, there are aspects of the Flanaess that are especially interesting to me, such as the general atmosphere of medieval Europe combined with fantasy elements in a particular way. Greyhawk is prototypical of fantasy gaming worlds, and has only rarely been equaled.
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