I have set up a new poll, the first of a few. I want to get a better idea what games everyone is playing.
This first pool is a simple D&D Editions one. Your choices are:
*D&D (B, 1, 2) or Retro-Clone (Original up to 2nd Ed, all clones fit here.)
D&D 3.x/Pathfinder
D&D 4
D&D 5/Next
You may choose multiple choices. Even that gives me some information.
You can expand on your choices here if you like. I am not interested at the moment in what you are *not* playing, but what you are playing.
The *D&D/Retro-Clone category is huge. Yes. But I am going to split that one out later.
So have it! Tell me what you are playing.
Showing posts with label DnD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DnD. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Thursday, December 5, 2013
AS&SH and Magical Theorems & Dark Pacts: Plays Well With Others
I often buy games together. Recently my two purchases were Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea and Magical Theorems & Dark Pacts. While not explicitly designed for each other, they share a common DNA in terms of Basic D&D via the d20 SRD.
AS&SH has a number of new classes, in particular magic-using ones. MT&DP is nothing but new classes and spells. AS&SH is a grittier, almost primitive, experience. MT&DP is straight up Basic/Expert/LL with spells that go up to level 10. So where does the commonalty lie?
Ok take the MT&DP classes and limit them to 12 levels only. Typically not an issue. And in some cases also reduce the spells to just 6th level. Use the Magician as the base class. As far as the powers each class gets, well I would deal with them on a class by class basis. Maybe give them some of the spells as powers.
Let's take the classes in detail.
Cleric and Wizard
These classes are pretty much the standard archetypes, use the classes in AS&SH instead and swap out spells as desired.
Elven Swordmage and Elven Warder
These classes can't be used, no elves, but you could make a Swordmage or Warder and split their Casting Ability and Fighting Ability evenly.
Enchanter
Similar to the other Sub-classes"
Fleshcrafter
This class has so much potential in AS&SH. Given the horror elements in the game (and even the mythos elements) this classes takes on a more malevolent tone.
Healer
A subclass of the cleric. I would reduce the fighting ability, so "0" for levels 1, 2, 3; "1" for 4, 5, 6 and so on for a maximum of of 4.
Inquisitor, Merchant Prince, Unseen
I think these guys would work a little like the warlocks. The warlock is a bit of a fighter and mage, so these classes are all a bit like thieves and mages.
Necromancer
AS&SH has a necromancer. Just use these spells.
Pact-Bound
This is closer to the concept of the Warlock
Theurge
These guys are neat ideas. They are close to what would be a cultist in AS&SH. Spellcasters learning from long lost liturgical texts.
So a lot of really good choices. Honestly there plenty of class choices in AS&SH already, but these can give your game an interesting twist. Plus they feel right together.
Links
AS&SH has a number of new classes, in particular magic-using ones. MT&DP is nothing but new classes and spells. AS&SH is a grittier, almost primitive, experience. MT&DP is straight up Basic/Expert/LL with spells that go up to level 10. So where does the commonalty lie?
Ok take the MT&DP classes and limit them to 12 levels only. Typically not an issue. And in some cases also reduce the spells to just 6th level. Use the Magician as the base class. As far as the powers each class gets, well I would deal with them on a class by class basis. Maybe give them some of the spells as powers.
Let's take the classes in detail.
Cleric and Wizard
These classes are pretty much the standard archetypes, use the classes in AS&SH instead and swap out spells as desired.
Elven Swordmage and Elven Warder
These classes can't be used, no elves, but you could make a Swordmage or Warder and split their Casting Ability and Fighting Ability evenly.
Enchanter
Similar to the other Sub-classes"
Fleshcrafter
This class has so much potential in AS&SH. Given the horror elements in the game (and even the mythos elements) this classes takes on a more malevolent tone.
Healer
A subclass of the cleric. I would reduce the fighting ability, so "0" for levels 1, 2, 3; "1" for 4, 5, 6 and so on for a maximum of of 4.
Inquisitor, Merchant Prince, Unseen
I think these guys would work a little like the warlocks. The warlock is a bit of a fighter and mage, so these classes are all a bit like thieves and mages.
Necromancer
AS&SH has a necromancer. Just use these spells.
Pact-Bound
This is closer to the concept of the Warlock
Theurge
These guys are neat ideas. They are close to what would be a cultist in AS&SH. Spellcasters learning from long lost liturgical texts.
So a lot of really good choices. Honestly there plenty of class choices in AS&SH already, but these can give your game an interesting twist. Plus they feel right together.
Links
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Across The Sea of Years
A dual stated adventure across Time and Space for.... well that is what I don't know yet.
I have always toyed with the idea of running a game at a con, say like Gen Con where I have multiple days, where it is the same group of characters, or their reincarnations or their children, across time and different systems. My systems of choice would be Unisystem and some flavor of D&D. Likely Basic.
I have done similar ideas in Season of the Witch, where I took in ideas from different games to get a different feel. Generation HEX was conceived as using a different system each game, but that never worked out.
This idea though is two plan a game that takes place in the past, present and maybe future. Each game is seperate unto itself, but builds a bigger story.
One idea I had was a adventure named "Synchronicity" where characters from Ghosts of Albion meet up with their counterparts from Buffy. But that is only one, albeit long, game. Plus the system for Ghosts and Buffy is the same.
Another game I have played before is Blight for Ghosts of Albion. It takes place in 1847 and is an unofficial sequel to my Dark Druid for Buffy (that takes place in an alternate 2001). There is a third adventure in the mix, All Souls Night, which was always designed to go with my Eire game.
I would retool Blight just a bit. But the Dark Druid is designed for new characters, so the big bad introduced is not all that big and bad. It works though if I run them in something like a past life regression.
The other idea I had was an adventure around the rise and fall of Elizabeth Bathory.
D&D for when she was alive and you have to stop her (though to be 100% fair, an adventure like that screams LotFP), Ghosts of Albion when she is prowling the streets of Victorian London, and something else (Call of Cthulhu maybe) for later.
I have also over the years toyed with the idea of Doctor Who, Star Frontiers, and Alternity (yeah I have been thinking about this one for a while) for the future. I think the idea came to me when I wanted to run a hunt Jack the Ripper and I thought back to the old Star Trek episode "A Wolf in the Fold" and to the movie "Time After Time". Jack the Ripper is still an interesting idea. A time traveling serial killer/entity could make a fun opponent.
Lots of ideas really, but nothing has really jelled yet for me. Once I have the right story idea and roll for the characters then the system will be easier to decide on.
Anyone done anything like this before? What did you do and what did you use?
I have always toyed with the idea of running a game at a con, say like Gen Con where I have multiple days, where it is the same group of characters, or their reincarnations or their children, across time and different systems. My systems of choice would be Unisystem and some flavor of D&D. Likely Basic.
I have done similar ideas in Season of the Witch, where I took in ideas from different games to get a different feel. Generation HEX was conceived as using a different system each game, but that never worked out.
This idea though is two plan a game that takes place in the past, present and maybe future. Each game is seperate unto itself, but builds a bigger story.
One idea I had was a adventure named "Synchronicity" where characters from Ghosts of Albion meet up with their counterparts from Buffy. But that is only one, albeit long, game. Plus the system for Ghosts and Buffy is the same.
Another game I have played before is Blight for Ghosts of Albion. It takes place in 1847 and is an unofficial sequel to my Dark Druid for Buffy (that takes place in an alternate 2001). There is a third adventure in the mix, All Souls Night, which was always designed to go with my Eire game.
I would retool Blight just a bit. But the Dark Druid is designed for new characters, so the big bad introduced is not all that big and bad. It works though if I run them in something like a past life regression.
The other idea I had was an adventure around the rise and fall of Elizabeth Bathory.
D&D for when she was alive and you have to stop her (though to be 100% fair, an adventure like that screams LotFP), Ghosts of Albion when she is prowling the streets of Victorian London, and something else (Call of Cthulhu maybe) for later.
I have also over the years toyed with the idea of Doctor Who, Star Frontiers, and Alternity (yeah I have been thinking about this one for a while) for the future. I think the idea came to me when I wanted to run a hunt Jack the Ripper and I thought back to the old Star Trek episode "A Wolf in the Fold" and to the movie "Time After Time". Jack the Ripper is still an interesting idea. A time traveling serial killer/entity could make a fun opponent.
Lots of ideas really, but nothing has really jelled yet for me. Once I have the right story idea and roll for the characters then the system will be easier to decide on.
Anyone done anything like this before? What did you do and what did you use?
Thursday, September 19, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 19: Favorite Monster (Elemental/Plant)
Day 19: Favorite Monster (Elemental/Plant)
The classifications here show a really strong 3.x bias. Elementals orplants never really impressed me much. But I do rather like Effrit. I talked about them a bit in April with my A to Z of demons. I touched on them under Iblis and Jann. Though this is really a cheat since I treat them like a type of demon. Truthfully if I were rebuilding the D&D cosmos I'd make all the elementals closer to demons. At least very, very chaotic.
The classifications here show a really strong 3.x bias. Elementals orplants never really impressed me much. But I do rather like Effrit. I talked about them a bit in April with my A to Z of demons. I touched on them under Iblis and Jann. Though this is really a cheat since I treat them like a type of demon. Truthfully if I were rebuilding the D&D cosmos I'd make all the elementals closer to demons. At least very, very chaotic.
Monday, September 16, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 16: Favorite Monster (Aberration)
Day 16: Favorite Monster (Aberration)
The 3rd edition of the D&D game describes an Aberration as "(a creature that) has a bizarre anatomy, strange abilities, an alien mindset, or any combination of the three."
Given that my favorite are the Mind Flayers or Illithids.
I loved their weird alien looks and quasi-Lovecraftian origins.
Back when 3.0 was just getting going I wanted to resurrect an idea I came up with back in college. I wanted to run a campaign based around the idea that the Illithids and the Vampires have joined forces to blot out the sun. Again, based on something I had read in Dragon. In this world all the humanoids joined forces to defeat this threat. I still might have to do this one some day.
Eventually I figure that the vampires will betray the illithids, cause that is just the way things happen.
The 3rd edition of the D&D game describes an Aberration as "(a creature that) has a bizarre anatomy, strange abilities, an alien mindset, or any combination of the three."
Given that my favorite are the Mind Flayers or Illithids.
I loved their weird alien looks and quasi-Lovecraftian origins.
Back when 3.0 was just getting going I wanted to resurrect an idea I came up with back in college. I wanted to run a campaign based around the idea that the Illithids and the Vampires have joined forces to blot out the sun. Again, based on something I had read in Dragon. In this world all the humanoids joined forces to defeat this threat. I still might have to do this one some day.
Eventually I figure that the vampires will betray the illithids, cause that is just the way things happen.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 15: Favorite Monster (Undead)
Day 15: Favorite Monster (Undead)
Again this one should really be no surprise to anyone here. While I like all types of undead there is only one that is my favorite; Vampires.
A little known fact, my interests in D&D and in horror was originally all about vampires. So before I was "the Witch guy" I was "the Vampire guy".
While the game had some great ideas in the games and books, some of the best material for the game came from Dragon Magazine. I still have my print copy of Best of Vol. 2 with the Varieties of Vampires and issue 126 with various Silver Age ideas on how to play vampires.
I think that was the one of the things that makes me, despite my age and when I started playing, puts me more in the mind set of the Silver Age gamer. I liked it when vampires stopped being just monsters and became a fully realized NPC type. You can see this in how vampires were stated out:
Palace of the Vampire Queen: No name, just stats in her encounter area.
Vault of the Drow: Has a name, Belgos, a picture, and even a girlfriend.
Ravenloft: Strahd gets a name, a writeup even before the adventure starts and motivation.
He got more detail in his one shot than most gods or demons got before this.
In 3e I liked the templates on paper but when it came to stating out a new vamp it was a pain in the ass.
Again this one should really be no surprise to anyone here. While I like all types of undead there is only one that is my favorite; Vampires.
A little known fact, my interests in D&D and in horror was originally all about vampires. So before I was "the Witch guy" I was "the Vampire guy".
While the game had some great ideas in the games and books, some of the best material for the game came from Dragon Magazine. I still have my print copy of Best of Vol. 2 with the Varieties of Vampires and issue 126 with various Silver Age ideas on how to play vampires.
I think that was the one of the things that makes me, despite my age and when I started playing, puts me more in the mind set of the Silver Age gamer. I liked it when vampires stopped being just monsters and became a fully realized NPC type. You can see this in how vampires were stated out:
Palace of the Vampire Queen: No name, just stats in her encounter area.
Vault of the Drow: Has a name, Belgos, a picture, and even a girlfriend.
Ravenloft: Strahd gets a name, a writeup even before the adventure starts and motivation.
He got more detail in his one shot than most gods or demons got before this.
In 3e I liked the templates on paper but when it came to stating out a new vamp it was a pain in the ass.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 14: Favorite NPC
Day 14: Favorite NPC
My favorite NPC has to be Omar, the celebrated Dwarf merchant of Crazy Omar's.
I loved the idea of this supposedly crazy dwarf walking around his warehouse/shop wearing silk pajamas, singing in dwarven opera and wearing a fez (before fezs were cool).
Omar though is best in very small doses. Too much and he becomes a cartoon character or at worst an ex dues machina for my players to get the exact thing they need.
Still though, after all these years he is still fun to play. I just wish I knew some good Dwarven Opera to sing!
My favorite NPC has to be Omar, the celebrated Dwarf merchant of Crazy Omar's.
I loved the idea of this supposedly crazy dwarf walking around his warehouse/shop wearing silk pajamas, singing in dwarven opera and wearing a fez (before fezs were cool).
Omar though is best in very small doses. Too much and he becomes a cartoon character or at worst an ex dues machina for my players to get the exact thing they need.
Still though, after all these years he is still fun to play. I just wish I knew some good Dwarven Opera to sing!
Friday, September 13, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 13: Favorite Trap/Puzzle
Day 13: Favorite Trap/Puzzle
I love making my players think so there are a lot of these I love. But mostly I enjoy the riddles or word-play. I don't need "Save or Die" poisonous darts, but a puzzle or a maze between where you are and where you need to be? That stuff is golden in my book. Combining the two (mazes and word play) is a great way to baffle my players.
I love making my players think so there are a lot of these I love. But mostly I enjoy the riddles or word-play. I don't need "Save or Die" poisonous darts, but a puzzle or a maze between where you are and where you need to be? That stuff is golden in my book. Combining the two (mazes and word play) is a great way to baffle my players.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 12: Favorite Dungeon Type/Location
Day 12: Favorite Dungeon Type/Location
I love cities. From the shops, to the homes, to the back alleys and the sewers Cities are always the best dungeon crawls as far as I am concerned. Plus there are so many ways for the characters to get into trouble and so many new things they have to do. They can't kill that merchant in broad daylight or even carry weapons!
I love cities. From the shops, to the homes, to the back alleys and the sewers Cities are always the best dungeon crawls as far as I am concerned. Plus there are so many ways for the characters to get into trouble and so many new things they have to do. They can't kill that merchant in broad daylight or even carry weapons!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 8: Favorite Character I Have Played
Day 8: Favorite Character I Have Played
So many really. My favorite goes against my normal type. Nigel Blade aka Death Blade was a dual classed fighter/assassin in AD&D. I have played him in other games as well, notably Gama World and StarFrontiers.
I have also enjoyed playing my regular witch character Larina.
So many really. My favorite goes against my normal type. Nigel Blade aka Death Blade was a dual classed fighter/assassin in AD&D. I have played him in other games as well, notably Gama World and StarFrontiers.
I have also enjoyed playing my regular witch character Larina.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 7: Favorite Edition
Day 7: Favorite Edition
How does one choose this?
I really have enjoyed all editions of D&D. Basic was my first, Advanced my most played, 3rd the most flexible in terms of how to play...
I guess in the end I will say AD&D 1. I played it the most, I have some great old and new memories of just having a blast. And it is still one that ignites those fires of imagination in me.
How does one choose this?
I really have enjoyed all editions of D&D. Basic was my first, Advanced my most played, 3rd the most flexible in terms of how to play...
I guess in the end I will say AD&D 1. I played it the most, I have some great old and new memories of just having a blast. And it is still one that ignites those fires of imagination in me.
Friday, September 6, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 6: Favorite Deity
Day 6: Favorite Deity
Tough one really. As a kid I loved Hecate for obvious reasons. Her picture in the Deities & Demigods did nothing to dissuade me from my opinion either.
But it was Dragon #88 and Len Lakofka's Gods of the Suel Empire that introduced me to Wee Jas.
First I love that "Wee Jas" was a play on Ouija. She was like Hecate, only more D&D. I was a then (And still am to some degree) a fan of the Suel. They nuked themselves out of existance, but very soon in our games "Suel" became our Shang-ri-la.
I liked Wee Jas because she was a witch goddess and a goddess of magic. She was also a lawful goddess that hated demons and chaotic undead. Since I also liked to play wizards and Lawful Good clerics and paladins that hated undead and demons, she was the perfect intersection of all my interests.
Typically when I use her now she is a cross between Hecate and a little bit of Cardea.
Tough one really. As a kid I loved Hecate for obvious reasons. Her picture in the Deities & Demigods did nothing to dissuade me from my opinion either.
But it was Dragon #88 and Len Lakofka's Gods of the Suel Empire that introduced me to Wee Jas.
First I love that "Wee Jas" was a play on Ouija. She was like Hecate, only more D&D. I was a then (And still am to some degree) a fan of the Suel. They nuked themselves out of existance, but very soon in our games "Suel" became our Shang-ri-la.
I liked Wee Jas because she was a witch goddess and a goddess of magic. She was also a lawful goddess that hated demons and chaotic undead. Since I also liked to play wizards and Lawful Good clerics and paladins that hated undead and demons, she was the perfect intersection of all my interests.
Typically when I use her now she is a cross between Hecate and a little bit of Cardea.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 5: Favorite Set of dice/individual die
Day 5: Favorite Set of dice/individual die
Unlike many players it seems I am not superstitious about dice. My current favorite is the ones that I have at the table, 'cause anytime I am rolling dice is a good day.
I do have a few that have special meaning to me. I have a blue d20 the my oldest son gave me and a steampunk d6 my youngest gave me. They are favorites cause of who gave them to me.
I also have a clock-face d12 that use for Doctor Who (replacing the 2d6).
My kids' favorite is the d20 of mine that I got mad at and tossed behind our books cases. They laugh cause it always seemed to roll 1s and no one will ever seeing again until those bookcases are torn out.
Unlike many players it seems I am not superstitious about dice. My current favorite is the ones that I have at the table, 'cause anytime I am rolling dice is a good day.
I do have a few that have special meaning to me. I have a blue d20 the my oldest son gave me and a steampunk d6 my youngest gave me. They are favorites cause of who gave them to me.
I also have a clock-face d12 that use for Doctor Who (replacing the 2d6).
My kids' favorite is the d20 of mine that I got mad at and tossed behind our books cases. They laugh cause it always seemed to roll 1s and no one will ever seeing again until those bookcases are torn out.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 4: Favorite Game World
Day 4: Favorite Game World
Mine is a tie. My first and nearest to my heart was "The Known World" later called Mystara. But I quickly adopted Greyhawk. So when I ran games it was Mystara, but playing it was Greyhawk. Around 1986 or so my then DM and I decided to merge our worlds. We called "Oerth 3", not very original I know.
Many years later I discovered this map by Chatdemon based on an idea by James Mishler. It was exactly what I was trying to do. Plus this map was so much better than mine.
So my favorite game world of all time is Mystoerth!
Mine is a tie. My first and nearest to my heart was "The Known World" later called Mystara. But I quickly adopted Greyhawk. So when I ran games it was Mystara, but playing it was Greyhawk. Around 1986 or so my then DM and I decided to merge our worlds. We called "Oerth 3", not very original I know.
Many years later I discovered this map by Chatdemon based on an idea by James Mishler. It was exactly what I was trying to do. Plus this map was so much better than mine.
So my favorite game world of all time is Mystoerth!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 3: Favorite Playable Class
Day 3: Favorite Playable Class
Well this one is no surprise. The Witch.
I started out playing clerics and paladins which was fun. I did indeed play the cleric like Van Helsing (all those Hammer films). But for me the Witch was always the best of both the Cleric and the Wizard with a bit of dark anima as well. I wrote my first witch class close to 30 years ago and I am not tired of playing them yet!
Well this one is no surprise. The Witch.
I started out playing clerics and paladins which was fun. I did indeed play the cleric like Van Helsing (all those Hammer films). But for me the Witch was always the best of both the Cleric and the Wizard with a bit of dark anima as well. I wrote my first witch class close to 30 years ago and I am not tired of playing them yet!
Monday, September 2, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 2: Favorite Playable Race
Day 2: Favorite Playable Race
This one is easy, if predictable. I prefer to play humans. I just always felt that despite all the perk the other races got, humans still got the best deal. Plus in the days of AD&D humans were the only race that had unlimited advancement. Also in the AD&D1 days I liked Dual Classes. I had a number of characters that started out as one thing and then went on to be something else. I liked the character building implications.
If I were to pick a second favorite it would be half-elf.
This one is easy, if predictable. I prefer to play humans. I just always felt that despite all the perk the other races got, humans still got the best deal. Plus in the days of AD&D humans were the only race that had unlimited advancement. Also in the AD&D1 days I liked Dual Classes. I had a number of characters that started out as one thing and then went on to be something else. I liked the character building implications.
If I were to pick a second favorite it would be half-elf.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 1: How You Got Started
Day 1: How You Got Started
I got started in 1979. I was in "silent reading" and a buddy had a copy of the new AD&D Monster Manual. WOW. IT blew my mind. I loved mythology and had already read everything in the library on Greek and Roman myths. Seeing all the same creatures, plus demons, devils and things I never heard of.
After that I looked for the rules, but to no avail. It wasn't until I got a hold of a badly xeroxed copy of Holmes D&D. The rest was as they say history.
Around this very same time I discovered the Hobbit, having seen it recently on TV. I was in the right place at the right time for this to happen. Like many my "first" D&D was a combination of Basic and Advanced. Still today that is the same experience I look for in D&D. Also recapturing that thrill of first holding that Monster Manual in 5th grade.
I got started in 1979. I was in "silent reading" and a buddy had a copy of the new AD&D Monster Manual. WOW. IT blew my mind. I loved mythology and had already read everything in the library on Greek and Roman myths. Seeing all the same creatures, plus demons, devils and things I never heard of.
After that I looked for the rules, but to no avail. It wasn't until I got a hold of a badly xeroxed copy of Holmes D&D. The rest was as they say history.
Around this very same time I discovered the Hobbit, having seen it recently on TV. I was in the right place at the right time for this to happen. Like many my "first" D&D was a combination of Basic and Advanced. Still today that is the same experience I look for in D&D. Also recapturing that thrill of first holding that Monster Manual in 5th grade.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Second Edition Reprints
Wizards of the Coast has released the Limited Editions of the 2nd Edition of AD&D in some markets. I picked my copies on Friday.
These are the reprints of the second printing of the Second Edition rules. Not the ones with the blue borders, but the ones with the red borders. So consequently the books these are the reprints of I don't actually own. I do have the Monstrous Manual, my Monstrous Compendium long since gone.
Monstrous Manual
Dungeon Master Guide
Player's Handbook
AD&D 2nd Ed feels like the forgotten edition of D&D. Sure there might be others, but between OSRIC and Pathfinder 2nd ed usually gets ignored, especially by me. 2nd ed was the game I ran in college but it is also the game that almost put me off of D&D for a while.
These books are not cheap, $50 each, but they are nice and like I said, they are still somewhat new to me.
I am going to enjoy going through these to be honest, the books look really nice and frankly I like sending the message to Wizards that these types of product are welcome. I also like supporting my Favorite Local Game Store.
Plus they look nice with my special edition 3.5 and the 1st ed AD
Though unlike the above editions, the 2nd eds do not have a ribbon. A little disappointing, but I didn't want to pay $75 each for them. Might have to play some 2nd ed some time.
These are the reprints of the second printing of the Second Edition rules. Not the ones with the blue borders, but the ones with the red borders. So consequently the books these are the reprints of I don't actually own. I do have the Monstrous Manual, my Monstrous Compendium long since gone.
Monstrous Manual
Dungeon Master Guide
Player's Handbook
AD&D 2nd Ed feels like the forgotten edition of D&D. Sure there might be others, but between OSRIC and Pathfinder 2nd ed usually gets ignored, especially by me. 2nd ed was the game I ran in college but it is also the game that almost put me off of D&D for a while.
These books are not cheap, $50 each, but they are nice and like I said, they are still somewhat new to me.
I am going to enjoy going through these to be honest, the books look really nice and frankly I like sending the message to Wizards that these types of product are welcome. I also like supporting my Favorite Local Game Store.
Plus they look nice with my special edition 3.5 and the 1st ed AD
Though unlike the above editions, the 2nd eds do not have a ribbon. A little disappointing, but I didn't want to pay $75 each for them. Might have to play some 2nd ed some time.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Is the OSR Fundamentalism?
D&D, and by extension much of the OSR, has a problem. It must innovate, or be considered "old fashioned" and yet it must also adhere to a certain set of expectations of be considered too far away from the concept. For many 4e was a step too far, for others 3e was.
Wizards of the Coast gets to chart out the next version of D&D once more and they will have to make some changes to game to keep it financially viable.
Boing Boing has an interesting point of view on this in a new article by Peter Bebergal.
http://boingboing.net/2013/05/06/old-school-dungeons-dragons.html
You can read that article and come to your own conclusions and thoughts. I want to focus on one bit of it though; is the OSR D&D Fundamentalism?
Certainly a lot of us are here because we think "the old ways are best" or even out nostalgia.
I have been pretty much focused on B/X D&D over the last year or so myself. Part of it is fun, part of it is nostalgia for sure.
Do we though as a group eschew innovation for an "old school" feel? Or more to the point, a "proper old school" feel. For example I like drama points in my games. It gives the characters a chance to do heroic things, it works great in other games AND I can find examples of their use in the various "Appendix N" games. Honestly, read the John Carter books and tell me he wasn't burning drama points when fighting the Green Martians, Thakrs or First Born in various books.
Sometimes using ability checks are nice, but so are skills. Multiclassing in 3e was far better than anything before (or after). Swords & Wizardry has some nice ideas above and beyond OD&D. I have seen add-ons that allow skills, feats and other such "improvements" to older games.
I suppose the question lies in what sort of experience you want to have. If that is the case I have had some fantastic "D&D experiences" using WitchCraft and Ghosts of Albion, while having some games where I felt I was nothing more than a ref with some (unnamed) versions of the Grand Old Game.
I do know this. Wizards will have to update D&D. It is going to be impossible to make it all things to all players. Look at all the various retro-clone rules we have now. We can't even as a group agree on what cloned version we like the best and we represent a tiny, mostly homogeneous, demographic.
True, all these games are really 95% or better compatible out of the box and 100% compatible with a little imagination.
What do you think?
Wizards of the Coast gets to chart out the next version of D&D once more and they will have to make some changes to game to keep it financially viable.
Boing Boing has an interesting point of view on this in a new article by Peter Bebergal.
http://boingboing.net/2013/05/06/old-school-dungeons-dragons.html
You can read that article and come to your own conclusions and thoughts. I want to focus on one bit of it though; is the OSR D&D Fundamentalism?
Certainly a lot of us are here because we think "the old ways are best" or even out nostalgia.
I have been pretty much focused on B/X D&D over the last year or so myself. Part of it is fun, part of it is nostalgia for sure.
Do we though as a group eschew innovation for an "old school" feel? Or more to the point, a "proper old school" feel. For example I like drama points in my games. It gives the characters a chance to do heroic things, it works great in other games AND I can find examples of their use in the various "Appendix N" games. Honestly, read the John Carter books and tell me he wasn't burning drama points when fighting the Green Martians, Thakrs or First Born in various books.
Sometimes using ability checks are nice, but so are skills. Multiclassing in 3e was far better than anything before (or after). Swords & Wizardry has some nice ideas above and beyond OD&D. I have seen add-ons that allow skills, feats and other such "improvements" to older games.
I suppose the question lies in what sort of experience you want to have. If that is the case I have had some fantastic "D&D experiences" using WitchCraft and Ghosts of Albion, while having some games where I felt I was nothing more than a ref with some (unnamed) versions of the Grand Old Game.
I do know this. Wizards will have to update D&D. It is going to be impossible to make it all things to all players. Look at all the various retro-clone rules we have now. We can't even as a group agree on what cloned version we like the best and we represent a tiny, mostly homogeneous, demographic.
True, all these games are really 95% or better compatible out of the box and 100% compatible with a little imagination.
What do you think?
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Second Chance: Swords & Wizardry (Frog God Games)
I picked up the Frog God "Complete Rulebook" and spent a lot of time with it. I think my biggest issue with S&W is that was sold to me as "0 Edition" or "OD&D" and it isn't. I played OD&D and S&W is nothing like it. Well, not "nothing" but it's made some serious changes. Those changes I think kept me from enjoying the game for what it is. So after staying away from the game for a number of months I came back and looked at in a different light. I dropped the idea that is an OD&D clone but instead a Retro Clone stripped down to it's most basic form. Now that is game I can get behind. If you ever played any version of D&D or any clone you can play this. S&W is really the basic essence of what D&D is. The most basic stuff you need to play. In this new light I saw the changes for what they were, really nice and intuitive changes.
The classics are really basic, but they work. In this Frog God edition you have a more classes, Assassins, Paladins, Rangers, Druids and Monks join Thieves, Clerics, Magic-Users and Fighters. Races are Human, Elves, Half-elves, Halflings and Dwarves. So again all easily recognizable.
There are a set of good multi-classing rules (which is always nice in an OSR game).
Spells go up to 9 for Magic-Users, 7 for most others.
There are plenty of monsters, tons really. The monster blocks are simple like everything else.
Really S&W does take a lot of what made OD&D/Dasic D&D so fun, the advances in AD&D and the features that made 3.x so popular. Yes. It has Ascending AC (which is still the best, sorry old school guys) and I like single saving throw bonus.
This Frog God version shares a lot of the art that appeared in The Tome of Horrors Complete and the layout. This is not a big deal as far as I am concerned.
At a 134 pages it is a complete game. You don't really need anything else here, though you can use it with nearly other OSR product or any of the scores of products created for S&W.
I am glad I gave this another chance.
If you have this then The Tome of Horrors Complete is a great supplement to have.
If you are new to S&W then there are some other supplements to help you out.
MCMLXXV (aka 1975) is a new introductory module and old-school primer.
At just under 24 pages (minus cover and ogl) this is designed to be something akin to Keep on the Borderlands for S&W, only not as big. The adventure is small, but in old school terms it is good sized really. There is less in terms of pages of descriptions than modern day modules. It leaves far more to the imagination of the players and GM. If there was a Frog God Games S&W box set then this would be included.
Great little adventure that really helps set the tone of the S&W game.
Swords and Wizardry Monstrosities is a new monster book. New in that is newly published, but some of the monsters we have before either in the SRD or other books. That though does not detract from it's value as this is a 560+ page book since in addition to that there are some new monsters. The cover is very evocative of the old-school (pre 1980) covers.
There is much in common between this book and The Tome of Horrors. Each monster is given a page of stats, description and a plot hook. While ToH used some recycled art, this all seems to be new art. Even Orcus (which we now have 3 listings for) is new. Actually the art is pretty darn good and I don't mind the occasional repeat of a monster to see some new art.
Honestly there is so much great stuff in this book that even with the occasional repeat monster this is still a top notch collection. If you play S&W then this is a great monster book to have. I am even going as far as to say it is a must have for any serious S&W GM.
OD&D
If you really want a game that is close to what OD&D really was like you do have some choices.
First up there is the OD&D set from WotC coming out this fall.
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2013/02/original-d-premium-edition.html
There is also Spellcraft & Swordplay, a personal favorite of mine.
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/04/s-is-for-spellcraft-swordplay.html
While S&W has some neat ideas, S&S comes closer to OD&D for me.
In any case you can use all of these game to party like it's 1975!
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