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!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
White Dwarf Wednesday #79
July 1986 gives us White Dwarf #79 with one of the most ridiculous covers ever. I had always thought that this was a Chris Achilleos cover, but no, it is listed as Amazonia Gothique by John Blanche. Let's be honest there is nothing practical about this armor even by White Dwarf's standards or even by John Blanche's standards. This of course has to be the ultimate evolution of the 80s big hair. No surprise then that this cover would later be voted as one of the best.
Paul Cockburn takes over the helm of the editorial page. There is a notice that a warning label will now be attached to ads for lead miniatures. Is there anything less old school than a warning label? Don't know, but I am sure there isn't. Cockburn promises more changes but already there seems some Imagine has leaked into my White Dwarf. If I had actually had a plan when I started this I should have alternated with issues of Imagine so I could better comment on this, but I didn't so we just have to go with it.
This is most evident in the Open Box reviews which look like the reviews in Imagine; reviews running across a span of pages. Among the reviews, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (a game I have never played), Secret Wars II for MSH, Blacksword for Stormbringer, Terror from the Stars for Call of Cthulhu, Ghostbusters and Acute Paranoia for you guessed it Paranoia. First I have to admire how gaming is diversifying at this point. Outside of Stormbringer there are no FRPGs in the lot and only one TSR offering.
Where and Back Again? covers starting up a Middle-Earth game. Graham Staplehurst spends four pages covering this well trod land. The focus here is on the ICE game of course, but a lot of it can be used with other incarnations of the game. It is still a desire of mine to play a game here, maybe using the D&D Basic rules (or ACKs), the only thing I am lacking is time.
Critical Mass and 2020 Vision cover reviews of books and movies respectively. There is a certain pathos in providing reviews to something review nearly 30 years ago. Though the highlights are their review of Highlander.
The special feature of the issue is next, a alternate view on Psionics in AD&D. Steven Palmer creates different "classes" of psioncs to help group the powers. A potential psion has access to 1 to 3 of these classes. He also gives characters an additional 3% if they have psions in their family line. It is a clean up and clarification of the rules in the AD&D1 Player's Handbook, but not yet at the Psionics as a strange magic seen in later editions of D&D.
Graeme Davis has an adventure for the Call of Cthulhu game, Ghost Jackal Kill, which among other things features some new monsters. I am afraid though the overall feel is one of a D&D adventure.
Phil Masters has an article on using the intelligence monsters have. Novel for the time, old information in todays games.
'eavy Metal is the new(ish) Miniatures feature.
Letters page gets a facelift.
The last part of the "brains" featured articles are Psi Judges for Judge Dredd. Reading these I might actually give the game a go sometime. But only if I can play them as very Big Brother or as Babylon 5 Psi Corps.
Fracas is the revamped Rumors section. Notable the introduction of the Zochi 100 sided dice.
We end with ads.
Now to be honest this was a good issue. I felt the featured content on powers of the mind fit together rather well and even went across a few game lines. There were some good advice in the articles and it did the one thing I really want a game magazine to do; get me to play the games they are talking about.
We could be closing out the 70s here (issues, not decade) on a positive note then. I know my opinion will change over the next 20 issues, but that is for another Wednesday.
Paul Cockburn takes over the helm of the editorial page. There is a notice that a warning label will now be attached to ads for lead miniatures. Is there anything less old school than a warning label? Don't know, but I am sure there isn't. Cockburn promises more changes but already there seems some Imagine has leaked into my White Dwarf. If I had actually had a plan when I started this I should have alternated with issues of Imagine so I could better comment on this, but I didn't so we just have to go with it.
This is most evident in the Open Box reviews which look like the reviews in Imagine; reviews running across a span of pages. Among the reviews, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (a game I have never played), Secret Wars II for MSH, Blacksword for Stormbringer, Terror from the Stars for Call of Cthulhu, Ghostbusters and Acute Paranoia for you guessed it Paranoia. First I have to admire how gaming is diversifying at this point. Outside of Stormbringer there are no FRPGs in the lot and only one TSR offering.
Where and Back Again? covers starting up a Middle-Earth game. Graham Staplehurst spends four pages covering this well trod land. The focus here is on the ICE game of course, but a lot of it can be used with other incarnations of the game. It is still a desire of mine to play a game here, maybe using the D&D Basic rules (or ACKs), the only thing I am lacking is time.
Critical Mass and 2020 Vision cover reviews of books and movies respectively. There is a certain pathos in providing reviews to something review nearly 30 years ago. Though the highlights are their review of Highlander.
The special feature of the issue is next, a alternate view on Psionics in AD&D. Steven Palmer creates different "classes" of psioncs to help group the powers. A potential psion has access to 1 to 3 of these classes. He also gives characters an additional 3% if they have psions in their family line. It is a clean up and clarification of the rules in the AD&D1 Player's Handbook, but not yet at the Psionics as a strange magic seen in later editions of D&D.
Graeme Davis has an adventure for the Call of Cthulhu game, Ghost Jackal Kill, which among other things features some new monsters. I am afraid though the overall feel is one of a D&D adventure.
Phil Masters has an article on using the intelligence monsters have. Novel for the time, old information in todays games.
'eavy Metal is the new(ish) Miniatures feature.
Letters page gets a facelift.
The last part of the "brains" featured articles are Psi Judges for Judge Dredd. Reading these I might actually give the game a go sometime. But only if I can play them as very Big Brother or as Babylon 5 Psi Corps.
Fracas is the revamped Rumors section. Notable the introduction of the Zochi 100 sided dice.
We end with ads.
Now to be honest this was a good issue. I felt the featured content on powers of the mind fit together rather well and even went across a few game lines. There were some good advice in the articles and it did the one thing I really want a game magazine to do; get me to play the games they are talking about.
We could be closing out the 70s here (issues, not decade) on a positive note then. I know my opinion will change over the next 20 issues, but that is for another Wednesday.
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 11: Favorite Playable Race
Day 11: Favorite Adventure I Ran
So many here as well. Since I am limiting it to D&D I think I am going to say Ravenloft, I6. I have run it a number of times and each time it gets better and better. Plus it is a lot of fun and I love all the gothic horror trappings.
So many here as well. Since I am limiting it to D&D I think I am going to say Ravenloft, I6. I have run it a number of times and each time it gets better and better. Plus it is a lot of fun and I love all the gothic horror trappings.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Review: Basic Arcana
The idea of Basic Arcana is simple. Create an "Unearthed Arcana" for the B/X rule system. Via the OGL and OSR this can be done for Basic Fantasy or Labyrinth Lord. The result of this idea from Tom Doolan is this book.
The style is very much in the feel of the old B/X books. The text and most of the art is by Doolan himself, so kudos in that regard.
We start off with some class variants. The obvious parallel here is when the UA expanded the classes demi-humans could take but it also fills a niche. Not all elves use magic, not all dwarves swing an axe. While we can see some of this in ACKs, this has a tighter feel with the B/X design. We get two new races, the Half-elf and the Half-orc and two new classes, the Barbarian and the Martialist.
There are some rule additions including various to hit bonuses, rules for Followers and the Mass Combat rules.
Mass Combat is interesting since it is a backwards evolution of what D&D took from Chainmail.
On the down side I did not see a declaration of open content. The OGL is there, but not the copyright for this book or how much open.
Also while the book feels packed it is only 17 pages total or about 14 pages of text. I am of two minds on this. First the book does feel packed, so a lot was crammed into these 14 pages of text. On the otherhand is $3 too much for 14 pages?
In the end I judged the price fair, but I would have liked to have seen some more. Some special spells for the Dwarf Priest and the Elf Sorcerer would have been nice.
Who should buy this?
If you are a big B/X fan (like me) then there is a lot of value here for your buck. If you play any of the "Basic Era" games then there are things you could use here.
I think there is worth while in identifying some spells from various "Basic" sources that might work well with the new classes. Books such as Magical Theorems & Dark Pacts and my own The Witch.
The style is very much in the feel of the old B/X books. The text and most of the art is by Doolan himself, so kudos in that regard.
We start off with some class variants. The obvious parallel here is when the UA expanded the classes demi-humans could take but it also fills a niche. Not all elves use magic, not all dwarves swing an axe. While we can see some of this in ACKs, this has a tighter feel with the B/X design. We get two new races, the Half-elf and the Half-orc and two new classes, the Barbarian and the Martialist.
There are some rule additions including various to hit bonuses, rules for Followers and the Mass Combat rules.
Mass Combat is interesting since it is a backwards evolution of what D&D took from Chainmail.
On the down side I did not see a declaration of open content. The OGL is there, but not the copyright for this book or how much open.
Also while the book feels packed it is only 17 pages total or about 14 pages of text. I am of two minds on this. First the book does feel packed, so a lot was crammed into these 14 pages of text. On the otherhand is $3 too much for 14 pages?
In the end I judged the price fair, but I would have liked to have seen some more. Some special spells for the Dwarf Priest and the Elf Sorcerer would have been nice.
Who should buy this?
If you are a big B/X fan (like me) then there is a lot of value here for your buck. If you play any of the "Basic Era" games then there are things you could use here.
I think there is worth while in identifying some spells from various "Basic" sources that might work well with the new classes. Books such as Magical Theorems & Dark Pacts and my own The Witch.
You can find Tom on the web at http://wishfulgaming.blogspot.com/
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 10: Craziest Thing
Day 10: Craziest Thing that's Happened that you saw
I have shared this story in the past, but it was too funny not to share it again.
I have played exactly 1 ninja my entire gaming life. His name was (horrible I know) Oko-nishi. My lame attempts at a Japanese sounding name. In my defense at what I knew was bad I made him a half-orc. It must have been around 1984-5 as I made him using the Oriental Adventure rules. My then DM and I had worked up a D&D combat simulator and we plugged him in with 9 other characters. He was attacked by a Black Dragon (or Red, cant recall) and killed. The dragon kept attacking him and only him. We had not worked out all the errors. In the end he had been reduced to something like -70 hp. My DM offered to let him be ok, or keep him dead. We enjoyed watching it so much and getting the mental image of this dragon jumping up and down on my dead ninja that I felt it was a waste to say it never happened.
I have shared this story in the past, but it was too funny not to share it again.
I have played exactly 1 ninja my entire gaming life. His name was (horrible I know) Oko-nishi. My lame attempts at a Japanese sounding name. In my defense at what I knew was bad I made him a half-orc. It must have been around 1984-5 as I made him using the Oriental Adventure rules. My then DM and I had worked up a D&D combat simulator and we plugged him in with 9 other characters. He was attacked by a Black Dragon (or Red, cant recall) and killed. The dragon kept attacking him and only him. We had not worked out all the errors. In the end he had been reduced to something like -70 hp. My DM offered to let him be ok, or keep him dead. We enjoyed watching it so much and getting the mental image of this dragon jumping up and down on my dead ninja that I felt it was a waste to say it never happened.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Cryptworld: Chilling Tales!
As many of you know I am a long, long time fan of the old Chill game.
I have also enjoyed the recent set of games using the "Pacesetter" system, Rotworld and Majus.
Well it is my pleasure to introduce you to the newest member of the Goblinoid Games Pacesetter Family.
Cryptworld!
I love the Jim Holloway art and the "Chilling Adventures into the Unexplained".
I just got my pre-release copy and it is awesome. This plus Majus, Rot World and all my other Chill books should get me back in the mood for my "Spirit of '76" game.
I will get a proper review up soon.
Heading to the Manor
I have had these wonderful zines sitting around so I thought I would share some thoughts with you all.
The Manor is the digital zine from Tim Shorts over at Gothridge Manor. I have always enjoyed Tim's blog. He began his blogging around the same time I really started blogging in earnest. Plus he is a fellow Tim and our sites both use a dark marble background, so I am inclined to like it. He also posts some great stuff too so even better.
The Manor #1
The Manor #1 is the first of the quarterly (or so) issues of the fanzine from Tim Shorts of Gothridge Manor. The zine takes on the feel of old-school zines from the late 70s and early 80s. Though one could argue that the art and layout are better today. The inaugural issue has a quick dungeon, a random table of various items found in a Troglodyte dung heap, a modern day encounter location (with some monsters), forest enocounters and an NPC and his wares.
The Manor captures the feel and the spirit of the old school zine quite well. The only thing that is missing really are ads for local gaming groups!
If you enjoy old-school style new games or the original games they are based on.
All in all you get 24 pages of material. Not a bad deal really.
The Manor #2
The Manor #2 keeps right on going with another 24 pages of material. This one is setup to allow you to print it out and then fold it over and staple it for that "real zine feel", nice, but sometimes I prefer to read these things on my computer. (Edited to Add: There is a "regular" version as well).
In this issue there is Hugo's House of Healing. An encounter/resource.
An inn which would be great to use anywhere and a random table of 20 things you find under the cot.
The inn and Hugo's house (that is Hugo on the cover) take up most of this issue.
One other minor quibble, and this is more me than the zine itself. There is no OGL license. Granted, it doesn't really NEED it (and I am not taking off for it's omission) but it would have made it play nicer with the likes of Basic Fantasy, OSRIC and Labyrinth Lord.
Still though. Top notch effort and results.
The Manor #3
The Manor #3 increases to 32 pages. Though it feels like there is more here than that.
The main article is the Mine of Rot and Disease, a great little old-school adventure. Stats are 1980s era D&D, but easily converted to anything.
The art is fair, but perfect really for the feel of this issue. The maps though are quite nice.
Another poetry slam. It is what makes The Manor unique and I hope it does not go away.
Pog Nog the Goblin is a great little NPC/resource and one I am going to use in my next adventure with my kids.
There are some, self-admitted, dumb jokes. Again, perfect for a zine.
Ending with a new god of Monster Hunting.
If you remember the zines of the 80s (and some of the best ones I remember from the late 80s even) then this a very nice stroll down familiar, yet new, territory. If you were not around then but enjoy oldschool games, then this is also a great find.
I have not picked up The Manor #4 yet, but here are some Tim's other books.
The Mini Manor: Faces Without Screams
The Mini Manor is a free adventure made specially for Swords & Wizardry appreciation day. If you are familiar with the adventures found in the Manor zine.
The adventure is somewhat reminiscent of a horror movie setup but works well.
If you want a good free adventure then grab this.
If you want an idea on how the adventures in The Manor feel like, then grab this.
Note: this publication DOES include the OGL.
Knowledge Illuminates
Knowledge Illuminates is a 28 page (24 pages + 1 cover, 1 toc and 2 end pages) adventure for Swords & Wizardry complete, though it could be used with any OSR game.
This adventure is designed to be the start of a campaign or the first S&W adventure.
There is quite a lot of information here in case the players want to go off exploring on their own. There is also a fairly detailed XP allocation chart in back, helpful for new GMs.
This adventure is also released under the Pay What You Want feature. So if you have some spare change and need a good starting S&W adventure then this might be exactly what you are looking for.
The Manor is the digital zine from Tim Shorts over at Gothridge Manor. I have always enjoyed Tim's blog. He began his blogging around the same time I really started blogging in earnest. Plus he is a fellow Tim and our sites both use a dark marble background, so I am inclined to like it. He also posts some great stuff too so even better.
The Manor #1
The Manor #1 is the first of the quarterly (or so) issues of the fanzine from Tim Shorts of Gothridge Manor. The zine takes on the feel of old-school zines from the late 70s and early 80s. Though one could argue that the art and layout are better today. The inaugural issue has a quick dungeon, a random table of various items found in a Troglodyte dung heap, a modern day encounter location (with some monsters), forest enocounters and an NPC and his wares.
The Manor captures the feel and the spirit of the old school zine quite well. The only thing that is missing really are ads for local gaming groups!
If you enjoy old-school style new games or the original games they are based on.
All in all you get 24 pages of material. Not a bad deal really.
The Manor #2
The Manor #2 keeps right on going with another 24 pages of material. This one is setup to allow you to print it out and then fold it over and staple it for that "real zine feel", nice, but sometimes I prefer to read these things on my computer. (Edited to Add: There is a "regular" version as well).
In this issue there is Hugo's House of Healing. An encounter/resource.
An inn which would be great to use anywhere and a random table of 20 things you find under the cot.
The inn and Hugo's house (that is Hugo on the cover) take up most of this issue.
One other minor quibble, and this is more me than the zine itself. There is no OGL license. Granted, it doesn't really NEED it (and I am not taking off for it's omission) but it would have made it play nicer with the likes of Basic Fantasy, OSRIC and Labyrinth Lord.
Still though. Top notch effort and results.
The Manor #3
The Manor #3 increases to 32 pages. Though it feels like there is more here than that.
The main article is the Mine of Rot and Disease, a great little old-school adventure. Stats are 1980s era D&D, but easily converted to anything.
The art is fair, but perfect really for the feel of this issue. The maps though are quite nice.
Another poetry slam. It is what makes The Manor unique and I hope it does not go away.
Pog Nog the Goblin is a great little NPC/resource and one I am going to use in my next adventure with my kids.
There are some, self-admitted, dumb jokes. Again, perfect for a zine.
Ending with a new god of Monster Hunting.
If you remember the zines of the 80s (and some of the best ones I remember from the late 80s even) then this a very nice stroll down familiar, yet new, territory. If you were not around then but enjoy oldschool games, then this is also a great find.
I have not picked up The Manor #4 yet, but here are some Tim's other books.
The Mini Manor: Faces Without Screams
The Mini Manor is a free adventure made specially for Swords & Wizardry appreciation day. If you are familiar with the adventures found in the Manor zine.
The adventure is somewhat reminiscent of a horror movie setup but works well.
If you want a good free adventure then grab this.
If you want an idea on how the adventures in The Manor feel like, then grab this.
Note: this publication DOES include the OGL.
Knowledge Illuminates
Knowledge Illuminates is a 28 page (24 pages + 1 cover, 1 toc and 2 end pages) adventure for Swords & Wizardry complete, though it could be used with any OSR game.
This adventure is designed to be the start of a campaign or the first S&W adventure.
There is quite a lot of information here in case the players want to go off exploring on their own. There is also a fairly detailed XP allocation chart in back, helpful for new GMs.
This adventure is also released under the Pay What You Want feature. So if you have some spare change and need a good starting S&W adventure then this might be exactly what you are looking for.
30 Day D&D Challenge, Day 9: Favorite Character I Haven't Played
Day 9: Favorite Character I Haven't Played
That's easy. My character Astra Kent, aka Justice.
I have stated her up in a number of systems but I have not had the chance to play her at all. Ok ok. So she is technically not a D&D character. But she is the one.
I have wanted to play my witch Larina under Pathfinder (closer to D&D) but I have not found a good group for that yet.
That's easy. My character Astra Kent, aka Justice.
I have stated her up in a number of systems but I have not had the chance to play her at all. Ok ok. So she is technically not a D&D character. But she is the one.
I have wanted to play my witch Larina under Pathfinder (closer to D&D) but I have not found a good group for that yet.
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
Zatannurday: Super-Team Family
I have featured Zatanna covers from the great Super Team Family blog in the past. But recently they hit their 1000th post and it featured two of my favorites. Zatanna and Harry Potter.
Love the cards.
Other Zatanna covers are just as great.
This one of Zee and Doctor Strange would make for a great story, or adventure!
I personally think she could take him.
And one of my favorites,
Zee always seem to have the upper hand in these. As it should be!
Great job. Looking forward to more.
Love the cards.
Other Zatanna covers are just as great.
This one of Zee and Doctor Strange would make for a great story, or adventure!
I personally think she could take him.
And one of my favorites,
Zee always seem to have the upper hand in these. As it should be!
Great job. Looking forward to more.
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
Wikipedia is irritating me
Well. Not Wikipedia, but some of the deletionists.
Now they want to delete the article on Tharizdun, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharizdun
So. Anyone know of some good 3rd party (not TSR or WotC) references?
I have a stack of magazines to go through, but I am running on fumes now.
Could use some help on Night Hag as well.
Now they want to delete the article on Tharizdun, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharizdun
So. Anyone know of some good 3rd party (not TSR or WotC) references?
I have a stack of magazines to go through, but I am running on fumes now.
Could use some help on Night Hag as well.
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
And this is happening...
New cover for Eldritch Witchery. Due out next month!
Eldritch Witchery is due out for Spellcraft & Swordplay.
Eldritch Witchery is due out for Spellcraft & Swordplay.
Old School Systems Questions
One of the things the OSR was supposed to do (at least in my mind) was free us from the necessity of rules fundamentalism. Making products for OSRIC for example was allow publishers to make "1st Edition" compatible products without saying "Compatible with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons".
Basic Fantasy seemed close to this as well, but more of a melding of the "Basic" and "Advanced" ideas.
At the end of the day though a product that is compatible for one game should work with another.
In a couple of recent posts from Billy Goes to Mordor (love that blog name) suggests that there is still some form of system adherence in the OSR crowd.
http://billygoes.blogspot.co.il/2013/08/by-numbers-relative-popularity-of-dnd.html
http://billygoes.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-relative-popularity-of-various.html
His numbers, based on his survey came out like this:
He compares this to relative Google+ groups sizes as an index of popularity.
But this brings up the larger question again. Are eliminating the necessity of a certain rules system (D&D Basic, Advanced, 2nd ed) just to exchange it for another (Basic Fantasy, ACKS, DCC)?
So when looking for a OSR supplement, adventure or add-on do the clone rules matter to you?
Back in the day we used pretty much everything with everything else. Still do in fact.
For example I mentioned a while back how you can use ACKS with the B/X Companion or even B/X Companion with Labyrinth Lord or Basic Fantasy. Those are easy though due to their relationship back to Basic D&D.
What are your experiences? Do you ignore S&W's single save when using the Tome of Horrors with Basic Fantasy? Do you convert on the fly?
Basic Fantasy seemed close to this as well, but more of a melding of the "Basic" and "Advanced" ideas.
At the end of the day though a product that is compatible for one game should work with another.
In a couple of recent posts from Billy Goes to Mordor (love that blog name) suggests that there is still some form of system adherence in the OSR crowd.
http://billygoes.blogspot.co.il/2013/08/by-numbers-relative-popularity-of-dnd.html
http://billygoes.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-relative-popularity-of-various.html
His numbers, based on his survey came out like this:
- DCC RPG 32%
- Labyrinth Lord 31%
- Swords and Wizardry 28%
- LotFP 24%
- ACKS 10%
- OSRIC 8%
He compares this to relative Google+ groups sizes as an index of popularity.
- Swords &Wizardry 826
- DCC RPG 776
- Lamentations of the Flame Princess 498
- Basic Fantasy 387
- Labyrinth Lord 382
- Adventurer Conquerer King 347
- Castles & Crusades 303
- OSRIC 110
But this brings up the larger question again. Are eliminating the necessity of a certain rules system (D&D Basic, Advanced, 2nd ed) just to exchange it for another (Basic Fantasy, ACKS, DCC)?
So when looking for a OSR supplement, adventure or add-on do the clone rules matter to you?
Back in the day we used pretty much everything with everything else. Still do in fact.
For example I mentioned a while back how you can use ACKS with the B/X Companion or even B/X Companion with Labyrinth Lord or Basic Fantasy. Those are easy though due to their relationship back to Basic D&D.
What are your experiences? Do you ignore S&W's single save when using the Tome of Horrors with Basic Fantasy? Do you convert on the fly?
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
White Dwarf Wednesday #78
Big changes are in store for White Dwarf in issue #78. But first a point of reference. When I started these so long ago they were meant as a retrospective. That is going to get harder here on out since I didn't own any of these issues when they first came out and some I didn't even own till I started doing this and found the gaps in my collection. So that makes a retrospective a little harder to do really. So instead of out and out reviews or "read mes" I am going to focus on what I know was going on at the time. These last 20 or so issues might even go by pretty quick if I choose to double up on them near the end.
So let's get into it.
Issue #77 takes White Dwarf to their new address and new team. The cover is different too. Still the same price, but now it reads "GAMES WORKSHOP PRESENTS" instead of "THE ROLE-PLAYING GAMES MONTHLY". Not a subtle reminder.
The editorial/toc page is resigned as well. While Paul Cockburn, late of Imagine is the new editor, it's a familiar name on the editorial, Ian Livingstone. Said editorial is just saying what I have said here.
Open Box gets a facelift and some color. Among other things the */10 rating is now gone.
Covered is B/X1 Night's Dark Terror module for D&D and DL11 Dragons of Glory Play-aid for AD&D. The treat in this batch is a look at Cthulhu by Gaslight by Chaosium for Call of Cthulhu. This book became something of a Holy Grail for me back in the late 80s. I loved Victorian gaming even then so this seemed like the perfect game to me.
Dave Langford takes over a redesigned Critical Mass. Notable is the review for Gygax's own "Artifact of Evil". Noting that it is nothing more than an adventure writeup and commenting on the "brutalities visited on the English language.
Graeme Drysdale looks into coming back from the dead in AD&D.
Wow. a bad review for Gygax and bringing characters back to life? This is not the Grognard's White dwarf anymore.
The Pilocomayo Project is an adventure for Golden Heroes. I can't comment on the adventure but the NPC "Powerchord" a rocker turned super could be fun to use. Mr. Magic is just a poor-mans Zatara.
After that we get an adventure for Judge Dredd, The Sprung Ones.
Fracas is the new rumors or news department.
The rest are mostly ads.
Ok. Not a great issue by any stretch of the imagination.
So let's get into it.
Issue #77 takes White Dwarf to their new address and new team. The cover is different too. Still the same price, but now it reads "GAMES WORKSHOP PRESENTS" instead of "THE ROLE-PLAYING GAMES MONTHLY". Not a subtle reminder.
The editorial/toc page is resigned as well. While Paul Cockburn, late of Imagine is the new editor, it's a familiar name on the editorial, Ian Livingstone. Said editorial is just saying what I have said here.
Open Box gets a facelift and some color. Among other things the */10 rating is now gone.
Covered is B/X1 Night's Dark Terror module for D&D and DL11 Dragons of Glory Play-aid for AD&D. The treat in this batch is a look at Cthulhu by Gaslight by Chaosium for Call of Cthulhu. This book became something of a Holy Grail for me back in the late 80s. I loved Victorian gaming even then so this seemed like the perfect game to me.
Dave Langford takes over a redesigned Critical Mass. Notable is the review for Gygax's own "Artifact of Evil". Noting that it is nothing more than an adventure writeup and commenting on the "brutalities visited on the English language.
Graeme Drysdale looks into coming back from the dead in AD&D.
Wow. a bad review for Gygax and bringing characters back to life? This is not the Grognard's White dwarf anymore.
The Pilocomayo Project is an adventure for Golden Heroes. I can't comment on the adventure but the NPC "Powerchord" a rocker turned super could be fun to use. Mr. Magic is just a poor-mans Zatara.
After that we get an adventure for Judge Dredd, The Sprung Ones.
Fracas is the new rumors or news department.
The rest are mostly ads.
Ok. Not a great issue by any stretch of the imagination.
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.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Zatannurday: The Fishnets Brigade
It looks like the oft-rumored Zatanna-Black Canary team-up is going to happen.
The news comes from Paul Dini himself.
Here is the link,
http://comicsalliance.com/black-canary-zatanna-graphic-novel-preview-paul-dini-joe-quinones-announcement/
And here is the awesome Joe Quinones cover. Yup. These are the pre-52 continuity.
Black Canary is another fave of mine so I am really looking forward to this one. Visit the link above to see more great art. I am looking forward to the background story of when Zee and Canary were younger. Plus seeing a pre-dead John Zatarra (and not brought back to life) is also fun.
Dini will do a great job. He is the only guy that loves Zatanna more than me.
Sucks I have to wait till May 2014.
The news comes from Paul Dini himself.
Here is the link,
http://comicsalliance.com/black-canary-zatanna-graphic-novel-preview-paul-dini-joe-quinones-announcement/
And here is the awesome Joe Quinones cover. Yup. These are the pre-52 continuity.
Black Canary is another fave of mine so I am really looking forward to this one. Visit the link above to see more great art. I am looking forward to the background story of when Zee and Canary were younger. Plus seeing a pre-dead John Zatarra (and not brought back to life) is also fun.
Dini will do a great job. He is the only guy that loves Zatanna more than me.
Sucks I have to wait till May 2014.
Friday, August 30, 2013
The Quests of the Ancients / Forgotten Realms connection
I just discovered something neat.
A character from this:
Makes an appearance in this:
Raven TenTolliver, the woman on the QoA cover in the dark cloak, is also known as Rhiannon and Whisper.
According to a source I just found she is supposed to look like Victoria Principle. That's cool I can get behind that.
I'll have to investigate some more!
A character from this:
Makes an appearance in this:
Raven TenTolliver, the woman on the QoA cover in the dark cloak, is also known as Rhiannon and Whisper.
According to a source I just found she is supposed to look like Victoria Principle. That's cool I can get behind that.
I'll have to investigate some more!
30 Day D&D Challenge, Part 2
Looks like I am going to be in good company with this.
http://isungr.blogspot.com/2013/08/30-day-d-challenge-upcoming.html (who had the idea first)
http://realmsofchirak.blogspot.com/2013/08/september-30-day-d-challenge.html
http://murkypool.blogspot.com/2013/08/challenge-accepted.html
http://alifefullofadventure.blogspot.com/2013/08/september-d-challenge.html
http://wishfulgaming.blogspot.com/2013/08/d-challenge.html
http://the-disoriented-ranger.blogspot.com/2013/08/alright-lets-do-this-d-30-day-challenge.html
I have a few ideas of things to say already.
http://isungr.blogspot.com/2013/08/30-day-d-challenge-upcoming.html (who had the idea first)
http://realmsofchirak.blogspot.com/2013/08/september-30-day-d-challenge.html
http://murkypool.blogspot.com/2013/08/challenge-accepted.html
http://alifefullofadventure.blogspot.com/2013/08/september-d-challenge.html
http://wishfulgaming.blogspot.com/2013/08/d-challenge.html
http://the-disoriented-ranger.blogspot.com/2013/08/alright-lets-do-this-d-30-day-challenge.html
I have a few ideas of things to say already.
30 Day D&D Challenge
Anthony Emmel over at Polar Bear Dreams and Stranger Things is going to do the 30-Day D&D Challenge.
I have seen this floating around and thought it was a cool idea. He makes the very good point that September has 30 days, so it's a perfect fit really.
So I am going to do it too!
I am going to talk about ALL versions of D&D. Not a lot in each post, but enough.
Come on join us! You know you want too. ;)
I have seen this floating around and thought it was a cool idea. He makes the very good point that September has 30 days, so it's a perfect fit really.
So I am going to do it too!
I am going to talk about ALL versions of D&D. Not a lot in each post, but enough.
Come on join us! You know you want too. ;)
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Return to the Caves of Chaos
How many gamers cut their teeth on The Caves of Chaos / Keep on the Borderlands?
I have been taking my own kids through this well trod adventure for our current 1st Ed AD&D game.
For this time around I am adding some new ideas. Stealing from the Return to The Keep on the Borderlands and even some ideas that came up in my "Ash vs. The Keep on the Borderlands" for the Army of Darkness game. I am going to set up some of clues for the ultimate adventure they will be on (AGDQ+).
In my research I found the following resources and thought I would share.
Some awesome 3D maps. Click for larger.
Map by Weem
http://www.theweem.com/2012/02/caves-of-chaos-reimagined-by-weem/
Caves of Chaos - D&D Next Playtest report
http://cryptthing.blogspot.com/2012/05/caves-of-chaos-d-next-play-report.html
Google Sketch-up Map
http://dungeonsndigressions.blogspot.com/2010/12/playing-with-sketchup-and-caves-of.html
Humanoid Distributions
http://recedingrules.blogspot.com/2010/05/humanoid-combatants-in-caves-of-chaos.html
I am sure there are more.
I have been taking my own kids through this well trod adventure for our current 1st Ed AD&D game.
For this time around I am adding some new ideas. Stealing from the Return to The Keep on the Borderlands and even some ideas that came up in my "Ash vs. The Keep on the Borderlands" for the Army of Darkness game. I am going to set up some of clues for the ultimate adventure they will be on (AGDQ+).
![]() |
Michael Komark, The Caves of Chaos (2005) |
Some awesome 3D maps. Click for larger.
Map by Weem
http://www.theweem.com/2012/02/caves-of-chaos-reimagined-by-weem/
Caves of Chaos - D&D Next Playtest report
http://cryptthing.blogspot.com/2012/05/caves-of-chaos-d-next-play-report.html
Google Sketch-up Map
http://dungeonsndigressions.blogspot.com/2010/12/playing-with-sketchup-and-caves-of.html
Humanoid Distributions
http://recedingrules.blogspot.com/2010/05/humanoid-combatants-in-caves-of-chaos.html
I am sure there are more.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
White Dwarf Wednesday #77
White Dwarf #77 does nothing whatsoever to change my impression that White Dwarf shares a lot with Heavy Metal Magazine. The cover is the famous Heavy Metal magazine cover of September 1981 and movie poster by Chris Achilleos.
The editorial mentions the magazine's movie to Nottingham...and how the staff is not moving with them. What? Paul Cockburn will be running the magazine from the new offices. Paul is ex of Imagine Magazine. Interesting time of change here.
Open Box is up. One of my favorites is reviewed, DC Heroes by Mayfair Games. Marcus Rowland like the game (8/10) but laments the limited supply. I had played a bit of DC Heroes around this time as well. My DM was huge into Teen Titans (as was pretty much everyone), but interesting enough I was more into Marvel and X-men at this time. Another fave, though I wasn't playing it much, is the Stealer of Souls scenario from Chaosium for Stormbringer it gets a 8/10. I mentioned a bit ago I found my old FASA Doctor Who game. This issue has supplements The Daleks and The Master, neither of which I owned but had wanted at one time. I was a bit cautious of FASA's material after this when I picked up the Officers Manual for Star Trek the Next Gen and it was just all over the place. These feel similar, though I would still like to read them someday. They get 7/10 and 6/10 respectively.
Critical Mass is back covering Anne McCaffery and the then current Stainless Steel Rat book (Stainless Steel Rat is Born). I tried to get into both of the these series but they never clicked with me. I felt I just wasn't getting something that every else got. Now I just see it for what it was. I was drifting into horror at this time so SciFi and Fantasy wasn't going to interest me for much longer.
2020 Vision covers Jewel of the Nile, Enemy Mine, The Evil Dead and Young Sherlock Holmes among others. All really fun movies.
The Crazy File is a new article for Judge Dredd. It details the latest Crazes for the Judge Dredd RPG. There might more here than I am getting, not being all that familiar with the comic (just the game and the bad Sly Stallone movie. No I have not seen the Karl Urban one). But it also looks like something that might work for Traveller. It occurs to me that Dredd + Traveller might equal Cowboy Bebop.
Ok this one is close to my heart. Spellbound discusses magic in superhero games. It's a good read talking about the nature, and a little bit of the source, of magic. How it works in the game, both rule wise and narratively, and how it can be used. The author, Phil Masters, has a the "street cred" in my mind to discuss this. Reading this I am struck with the similarities of a review on Harry Potter's use of magic.
There are rules to comic book science, and magic seems to violate those. Doesn't matter that supposedly being born under a red sun gives a man super strength, the ability to fly and to shoot laser beams from his eyes. That's science. (supposedly). Cast a few spells and you are breaking the game. Or at least you shouldn't have to break it. Years before Aberrant made it their thing the article also discusses how to run a Supers game without any magic at all.
Another good article, and one I wish I had back then, is The Final Frontier: Roleplaying in the Star Trek Universe. The article briefly touches on the massive cultural impact of Star Trek (and this is still 25 years before George Takei would take to the Internet) has, but it focuses mostly on the new FASA game. IT talks about how, maybe more than any other game, how the players can come to it with more knowledge than the GM.
A Simple Wish is another really interesting adventure for AD&D and MERP. This one strikes me less as Middle Earth and more of MERP. Yeah there is a slight distinction. Like the distinction between Star Trek and Star Fleet Battles. It uses the trappings of Middle Earth; even my current favorite The Silmarillion. But it plays like an AD&D adventure and could take place in the Realms just as easy. It still has the problem of the PCs being "lesser players" to "Big Names", but not as bad as past MERP adventures WD had published. Dual stat anything and I am going to be interested.
A Cast of Thousands covers NPCs and their motivations. It's not a bad article, but we live in a post World of Darkness world were every NPC has a huge backstory. Heck, the MERP adventure in this same issue has this issue.
Treasure Chest has an article ripped from todays' blog posts. How to run non-sexist Heroines.
Tabletop Heroes has more photography tricks.
Fracas, the new rumors page, has a bunch of news. Most interesting is a new game based on Ghostbusters.
We end with ads.
Ok. So if this is the last of the old guard issues, then they did great job. This is one of the better recent issues.
The editorial mentions the magazine's movie to Nottingham...and how the staff is not moving with them. What? Paul Cockburn will be running the magazine from the new offices. Paul is ex of Imagine Magazine. Interesting time of change here.
Open Box is up. One of my favorites is reviewed, DC Heroes by Mayfair Games. Marcus Rowland like the game (8/10) but laments the limited supply. I had played a bit of DC Heroes around this time as well. My DM was huge into Teen Titans (as was pretty much everyone), but interesting enough I was more into Marvel and X-men at this time. Another fave, though I wasn't playing it much, is the Stealer of Souls scenario from Chaosium for Stormbringer it gets a 8/10. I mentioned a bit ago I found my old FASA Doctor Who game. This issue has supplements The Daleks and The Master, neither of which I owned but had wanted at one time. I was a bit cautious of FASA's material after this when I picked up the Officers Manual for Star Trek the Next Gen and it was just all over the place. These feel similar, though I would still like to read them someday. They get 7/10 and 6/10 respectively.
Critical Mass is back covering Anne McCaffery and the then current Stainless Steel Rat book (Stainless Steel Rat is Born). I tried to get into both of the these series but they never clicked with me. I felt I just wasn't getting something that every else got. Now I just see it for what it was. I was drifting into horror at this time so SciFi and Fantasy wasn't going to interest me for much longer.
2020 Vision covers Jewel of the Nile, Enemy Mine, The Evil Dead and Young Sherlock Holmes among others. All really fun movies.
The Crazy File is a new article for Judge Dredd. It details the latest Crazes for the Judge Dredd RPG. There might more here than I am getting, not being all that familiar with the comic (just the game and the bad Sly Stallone movie. No I have not seen the Karl Urban one). But it also looks like something that might work for Traveller. It occurs to me that Dredd + Traveller might equal Cowboy Bebop.
Ok this one is close to my heart. Spellbound discusses magic in superhero games. It's a good read talking about the nature, and a little bit of the source, of magic. How it works in the game, both rule wise and narratively, and how it can be used. The author, Phil Masters, has a the "street cred" in my mind to discuss this. Reading this I am struck with the similarities of a review on Harry Potter's use of magic.
There are rules to comic book science, and magic seems to violate those. Doesn't matter that supposedly being born under a red sun gives a man super strength, the ability to fly and to shoot laser beams from his eyes. That's science. (supposedly). Cast a few spells and you are breaking the game. Or at least you shouldn't have to break it. Years before Aberrant made it their thing the article also discusses how to run a Supers game without any magic at all.
Another good article, and one I wish I had back then, is The Final Frontier: Roleplaying in the Star Trek Universe. The article briefly touches on the massive cultural impact of Star Trek (and this is still 25 years before George Takei would take to the Internet) has, but it focuses mostly on the new FASA game. IT talks about how, maybe more than any other game, how the players can come to it with more knowledge than the GM.
A Simple Wish is another really interesting adventure for AD&D and MERP. This one strikes me less as Middle Earth and more of MERP. Yeah there is a slight distinction. Like the distinction between Star Trek and Star Fleet Battles. It uses the trappings of Middle Earth; even my current favorite The Silmarillion. But it plays like an AD&D adventure and could take place in the Realms just as easy. It still has the problem of the PCs being "lesser players" to "Big Names", but not as bad as past MERP adventures WD had published. Dual stat anything and I am going to be interested.
A Cast of Thousands covers NPCs and their motivations. It's not a bad article, but we live in a post World of Darkness world were every NPC has a huge backstory. Heck, the MERP adventure in this same issue has this issue.
Treasure Chest has an article ripped from todays' blog posts. How to run non-sexist Heroines.
Tabletop Heroes has more photography tricks.
Fracas, the new rumors page, has a bunch of news. Most interesting is a new game based on Ghostbusters.
We end with ads.
Ok. So if this is the last of the old guard issues, then they did great job. This is one of the better recent issues.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Damn. There goes *that* idea!
So I am reading Christopher Hitchen's Arguably and I had the great idea for new RPG.
It was going to to be a game where all the characters are investigative reporters of various types. The idea then you work for a paper, tabloid, news service or blog and investigate. Their could be supernatural elements (if the "Editor" chooses) or the stories could be played straight.
I'd use something like Fate since it really fits this idea well. Plus that would give me mechanics for bribery and addictions of various types (or as Hitch might say, Bribery, Boozing and Buggery).
While most of the fiction I read is supernatural in flavor, most of the non-fiction I read deals with news items and the journalists that uncover it. I just I was just as much impacted by The Hobbit as I was by All the President's Men.
I was going to call it "Scoop! The RPG of Muckrakers, Tabloids and Yellow Journalism".
Turns out that this game already exists. Of sorts.
"Scoop! An Investigative Reporter RPG" is talked about here, http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99471-Scoop-An-Investigative-Reporter-RPG-With-Dinosaurs
Ok. So their's has dinosaurs. My wouldn't.
But it is very, very, very close to the same idea.
Damn. Plus Machine Age Productions, the company that came up with this game also does some games with Fate.
Hmm. Not sure what I want to do yet. The easiest of course is not to do it, but that is not very satisfying.
*IF* I still do it, then at least I need to change the name.
Back to the drawing board I guess.
It was going to to be a game where all the characters are investigative reporters of various types. The idea then you work for a paper, tabloid, news service or blog and investigate. Their could be supernatural elements (if the "Editor" chooses) or the stories could be played straight.
I'd use something like Fate since it really fits this idea well. Plus that would give me mechanics for bribery and addictions of various types (or as Hitch might say, Bribery, Boozing and Buggery).
While most of the fiction I read is supernatural in flavor, most of the non-fiction I read deals with news items and the journalists that uncover it. I just I was just as much impacted by The Hobbit as I was by All the President's Men.
I was going to call it "Scoop! The RPG of Muckrakers, Tabloids and Yellow Journalism".
Turns out that this game already exists. Of sorts.
"Scoop! An Investigative Reporter RPG" is talked about here, http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99471-Scoop-An-Investigative-Reporter-RPG-With-Dinosaurs
Ok. So their's has dinosaurs. My wouldn't.
But it is very, very, very close to the same idea.
Damn. Plus Machine Age Productions, the company that came up with this game also does some games with Fate.
Hmm. Not sure what I want to do yet. The easiest of course is not to do it, but that is not very satisfying.
*IF* I still do it, then at least I need to change the name.
Back to the drawing board I guess.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Everyone loves Sparlock
I just discovered JaclynGlenn on YouTube and she discovered Sparlock.
She rips the video too. Watch her channel, it's great.
She rips the video too. Watch her channel, it's great.
Got that feeling again...
That "I have too many games and I need to get rid of them to make room for more".
It usually ends in remorse. I end up selling something I wish I had held on to.
While I am not parting with my 4e collection (just yet) I am thinking of getting rid of one or two of the basic sets that were out for 2e, Quest of the Ancients (I have 2 copies) and maybe SuperBabes.
A few other items from the recent Free RPG day. No idea just yet.
I have a game auction I normally sell these things at, but that is not till October.
It usually ends in remorse. I end up selling something I wish I had held on to.
While I am not parting with my 4e collection (just yet) I am thinking of getting rid of one or two of the basic sets that were out for 2e, Quest of the Ancients (I have 2 copies) and maybe SuperBabes.
A few other items from the recent Free RPG day. No idea just yet.
I have a game auction I normally sell these things at, but that is not till October.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Couple of great Utility sites
Two older sites came up for me this weekend from various places. Thought I would share.
RPG Sheets Archive
http://www.rpgsheets.com/
This site goes all the way back to the RPG Host days. I can recall going here over 10 years ago to get various sheets for games. It was down for a while and now it seems it is back.
The site is simple. Need a sheet for a game? Go here.
I used to just go to this site and download sheets for games I never knew about to check out their sheets.
TSR & WotC Font Usage FAQ
http://www.hahnlibrary.net/rpgs/tsrfonts.html
Ok it's really more of a list. The only question being asked (and answered) here is "What font was that?"
This one focus mostly on the TSR side of the publications, with some 3rd edition.
It's an interesting read really.
RPG Sheets Archive
http://www.rpgsheets.com/
This site goes all the way back to the RPG Host days. I can recall going here over 10 years ago to get various sheets for games. It was down for a while and now it seems it is back.
The site is simple. Need a sheet for a game? Go here.
I used to just go to this site and download sheets for games I never knew about to check out their sheets.
TSR & WotC Font Usage FAQ
http://www.hahnlibrary.net/rpgs/tsrfonts.html
Ok it's really more of a list. The only question being asked (and answered) here is "What font was that?"
This one focus mostly on the TSR side of the publications, with some 3rd edition.
It's an interesting read really.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Zatannurday: Marco Turini
I was just introduced to a new artist Marco Turini.
Thanks go out to Fabio Milito Pagliara for sending me these links!
You can find Marco at:
https://www.facebook.com/marcoturiniartist and
http://www.marcoturini.com and
http://marcoturini.deviantart.com/
Thanks go out to Fabio Milito Pagliara for sending me these links!
You can find Marco at:
https://www.facebook.com/marcoturiniartist and
http://www.marcoturini.com and
http://marcoturini.deviantart.com/
Friday, August 23, 2013
Sparlock The Warrior Wizard!
And now for something completely different.
It is no secret I am an atheist. In truth I am pretty much an anti-theist. So yeah I mostly play witches and paladins in my D&D games.
It should also then come as no surprise I find the following so damn funny and not for any of the reasons the group that produced it, The Jehovah Witness', wanted me too. Yeah I know, Gary Gygax was a Jehovah Witness, but he was "disfellowshiped". Not because of D&D but his hair was too long. Or so says the internet.
Thanks for crushing the imagination of a child you douchebag.
Anyway read more here:
http://sparlock.info/
https://www.facebook.com/SparlockTheWizard
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sparlock/
https://www.facebook.com/SaveSparlock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBfthrsq2i0&feature=youtube_gdata
and of course why these people fear the internet, http://www.bible.ca/Jw-internet.htm
Here he is, Sparlock the Warrior Wizard, ready for your Pathfinder game!
Sparlock
Male Human Fighter 5 Wizard 5
LG Medium Humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +4
Defense
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 74 (5d10+5d6+10)
Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +7 (+1 vs. fear); +2 trait bonus vs. illusion
Defensive Abilities bravery +1
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee Heavy Shield Bash +9/+4 (1d4+2/x2) and
Flame tongue (1/day) +10/+5 (1d8+3+1d6 fire/19-20/x2+1d10 fire)
Special Attacks weapon training abilities (light blades +1)
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 5):
3 (2/day) Fireball (DC 17), Arcane Sight, Lightning Bolt (DC 17)
2 (3/day) Scare (DC 16), See Invisibility, Acid Arrow, Burning Gaze
1 (4/day) True Strike, Cause Fear (DC 15), Mage Armor, Charm Person (DC 15), Ill Omen
0 (at will) Detect Magic, Light, Arcane Mark, Flare (DC 14)
Statistics
Str 15, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 13
Base Atk +7; CMB +9; CMD 19
Feats Alertness, Arcane Armor Training, Arcane Strike, Arcane Vendetta, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes (1 AoO/round), Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Dazing Spell, Eschew Materials, Persistent Spell, Scribe Scroll
Traits Resilient, Skeptic
Skills Acrobatics +7 (+3 jump), Appraise +9, Bluff +7, Climb +9, Diplomacy +11, Escape Artist +2, Fly +1, Handle Animal +5, Heal +8, Intimidate +14, Perception +4, Ride +1, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +17, Stealth -3, Survival +10, Swim -1
Languages Celestial, Common, Daemonic, Elven, Gnome
SQ diviner's fortune +2 (7/day), forewarned +2, opposition schools (illusion, transmutation), specialized schools (divination)
Combat Gear Wand of call lightning; Other Gear Dwarven plate, Absorbing shield (1/two days), Flame tongue (1/day), 150 GP
Special Abilities
Arcane Armor Training Swift action: -10% arcane spell failure due to armor.
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Arcane Vendetta +2 bonus on damage vs. arcane spellcasters
Bravery +1 (Ex) +1 to Will save vs. Fear
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Combat Reflexes (1 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Dazing Spell You can cast a spell that dazes those injured by it (duration = spell's level in rounds, Fort negates).
Divination Diviners are masters of remote viewing, prophecies, and using magic to explore the world.
Diviner's Fortune +2 (7/day) (Sp) Creature touched gains +2 to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws for 1r.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Forewarned +2 (Su) Always act in surprise round. Initiative bonus. Init = 20 at level 20.
Illusion You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Illusion school.
Persistent Spell Foes must succeed at 2 saves or suffer the spell's full effects.
Skeptic +2 save vs. illusion.
Transmutation You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Transmutation school.
Weapon Training (Blades, Light) +1 (Ex) +1 Attack, Damage, CMB, CMD with Light Blades
It is no secret I am an atheist. In truth I am pretty much an anti-theist. So yeah I mostly play witches and paladins in my D&D games.
It should also then come as no surprise I find the following so damn funny and not for any of the reasons the group that produced it, The Jehovah Witness', wanted me too. Yeah I know, Gary Gygax was a Jehovah Witness, but he was "disfellowshiped". Not because of D&D but his hair was too long. Or so says the internet.
Thanks for crushing the imagination of a child you douchebag.
Anyway read more here:
http://sparlock.info/
https://www.facebook.com/SparlockTheWizard
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sparlock/
https://www.facebook.com/SaveSparlock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBfthrsq2i0&feature=youtube_gdata
and of course why these people fear the internet, http://www.bible.ca/Jw-internet.htm
Here he is, Sparlock the Warrior Wizard, ready for your Pathfinder game!
Sparlock
Male Human Fighter 5 Wizard 5
LG Medium Humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +4
Defense
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 74 (5d10+5d6+10)
Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +7 (+1 vs. fear); +2 trait bonus vs. illusion
Defensive Abilities bravery +1
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee Heavy Shield Bash +9/+4 (1d4+2/x2) and
Flame tongue (1/day) +10/+5 (1d8+3+1d6 fire/19-20/x2+1d10 fire)
Special Attacks weapon training abilities (light blades +1)
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 5):
3 (2/day) Fireball (DC 17), Arcane Sight, Lightning Bolt (DC 17)
2 (3/day) Scare (DC 16), See Invisibility, Acid Arrow, Burning Gaze
1 (4/day) True Strike, Cause Fear (DC 15), Mage Armor, Charm Person (DC 15), Ill Omen
0 (at will) Detect Magic, Light, Arcane Mark, Flare (DC 14)
Statistics
Str 15, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 13
Base Atk +7; CMB +9; CMD 19
Feats Alertness, Arcane Armor Training, Arcane Strike, Arcane Vendetta, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes (1 AoO/round), Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Dazing Spell, Eschew Materials, Persistent Spell, Scribe Scroll
Traits Resilient, Skeptic
Skills Acrobatics +7 (+3 jump), Appraise +9, Bluff +7, Climb +9, Diplomacy +11, Escape Artist +2, Fly +1, Handle Animal +5, Heal +8, Intimidate +14, Perception +4, Ride +1, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +17, Stealth -3, Survival +10, Swim -1
Languages Celestial, Common, Daemonic, Elven, Gnome
SQ diviner's fortune +2 (7/day), forewarned +2, opposition schools (illusion, transmutation), specialized schools (divination)
Combat Gear Wand of call lightning; Other Gear Dwarven plate, Absorbing shield (1/two days), Flame tongue (1/day), 150 GP
Special Abilities
Arcane Armor Training Swift action: -10% arcane spell failure due to armor.
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Arcane Vendetta +2 bonus on damage vs. arcane spellcasters
Bravery +1 (Ex) +1 to Will save vs. Fear
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Combat Reflexes (1 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Dazing Spell You can cast a spell that dazes those injured by it (duration = spell's level in rounds, Fort negates).
Divination Diviners are masters of remote viewing, prophecies, and using magic to explore the world.
Diviner's Fortune +2 (7/day) (Sp) Creature touched gains +2 to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws for 1r.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Forewarned +2 (Su) Always act in surprise round. Initiative bonus. Init = 20 at level 20.
Illusion You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Illusion school.
Persistent Spell Foes must succeed at 2 saves or suffer the spell's full effects.
Skeptic +2 save vs. illusion.
Transmutation You must spend 2 slots to cast spells from the Transmutation school.
Weapon Training (Blades, Light) +1 (Ex) +1 Attack, Damage, CMB, CMD with Light Blades
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Sexual Harassment in the Gaming Workplace
Again, with all apologies to Frank Zappa.
There has been some more talk about sexual harassment, gender power politics and related issues when it comes to gaming. No surprises really, it is a hot button topic in most of the places I frequent on the net.
When is comes to gaming here are some of the latest developments.
http://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/2013/08/open-letter-to-shannon-appelcline-and.html
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-convention-prudery-counter-current.html
http://gmskarka.com/2013/08/20/when-nazis-get-rapey/
https://twitter.com/GOODNESSaidan/status/368856722233761792/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Gen_Con/status/368870917754998784
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2013/08/first-they-came-for-saucy-sloganed.html
And there are lots more. How many more really is sorta the point. Everyone seems to be talking about it.
Not sure what anyone is doing yet.
Though to be 100% honest I am not even sure what there is to do. Not that there isn't something to do, I just don't really know what *I* could do.
I am not espousing a particular viewpoint here; I think my viewpoint is pretty well known.
Though I do think talking is good, action is better.
What to do? No idea.
There has been some more talk about sexual harassment, gender power politics and related issues when it comes to gaming. No surprises really, it is a hot button topic in most of the places I frequent on the net.
When is comes to gaming here are some of the latest developments.
http://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/2013/08/open-letter-to-shannon-appelcline-and.html
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-convention-prudery-counter-current.html
http://gmskarka.com/2013/08/20/when-nazis-get-rapey/
https://twitter.com/GOODNESSaidan/status/368856722233761792/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Gen_Con/status/368870917754998784
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2013/08/first-they-came-for-saucy-sloganed.html
And there are lots more. How many more really is sorta the point. Everyone seems to be talking about it.
Not sure what anyone is doing yet.
Though to be 100% honest I am not even sure what there is to do. Not that there isn't something to do, I just don't really know what *I* could do.
I am not espousing a particular viewpoint here; I think my viewpoint is pretty well known.
Though I do think talking is good, action is better.
What to do? No idea.
Updates er or something.
Well I got a lot of stuff in the mail recently. Things I should review.
Work is still busy as heck. So maybe soon.
Work is still busy as heck. So maybe soon.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
White Dwarf Wednesday
White Dwarf Wednesday #77 will be a bit late.
Work is kicking my but right now and I have a lot I need to get done.
Work is kicking my but right now and I have a lot I need to get done.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Reading Appendix N
The Dungeon Master's Guide Appendix N is well know to many gamers of a certain age. Maybe too well known really.
In case you are curious, never seen it before, or don't have your DMG handy, here is the list:
Source: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4dnd/Appendix/N
Anderson, Poul. Three Hearts and Three Lions; The High Crusade; The Broken Sword
Bellairs, John. The Face in the Frost
Brackett, Leigh.
Brown, Fredric.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice, Pellucidar series; Mars series; Venus series
Carter, Lin. "World's End" series
de Camp, L. Sprague. Lest Darkness Fall; Fallible Fiend; et al.
de Camp & Pratt. "Harold Shea" series; Carnelian Cube
Derleth, August.
Dunsany, Lord.
Farmer, P. J. "The World of the Tiers" series; et al.
Fox, Gardner. "Kothar" series; "Kyrik" series; et al.
Howard, R. E. "Conan" series
Lanier, Sterling. Hiero’s Journey
Leiber, Fritz. "Fafhrd & Gray Mouser" series; et al.
Lovecraft, H. P.
Merritt, A. Creep, Shadow, Creep; Moon Pool; Dwellers in the Mirage; et al.
Moorcock, Michael. Stormbringer; Stealer of Souls; "Hawkmoon" series (esp. the first three books)
Norton, Andre.
Offutt, Andrew J., editor. Swords Against Darkness III.
Pratt, Fletcher. Blue Star; et al.
St. Clair, Margaret. The Shadow People; Sign of the Labrys
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit; "Ring Trilogy"
Vance, Jack. The Eyes of the Overworld; The Dying Earth; et al.
Weinbaum, Stanley.
Wellman, Manly Wade.
Williamson, Jack.
Zelazny, Roger. Jack of Shadows; "Amber" series; et al.
Certainly a worthy list to be honest.
But it isn't my list.
Yes I read Tolkien during my formative years, followed quickly by Moorcock and Lovecraft. I dabbled in Norton. But I didn't read any Conan till almost a year ago. I had read "A Princess of Mars" before I played D&D, but nothing more till recently and none of the Pellucidar series till almost two years ago.
I have joked, half seriously, that my Appendix N is mostly Hammer Films, 70's exploitation horror, Led Zeppelin, Twilight Zone and Dark Shadows.
But semi -serious for a moment Appendix N was never supposed to be passed on as Holy Writ and there are some notable omissions. Here are some things I would add.
Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan: CARMILLA. Natch.
Lucas, George: STAR WARS. Star Wars, the first movie, is a D&D adventure writ large. Star Wars and D&D are so forever linked together in my mind it would be hard to tease them apart in terms of which one colors my perception of the other more. This one though is a total cheat as a movie and as one of the "newest" item on my list.
Poe, Edgar Allen. Lots.
Robbins, Russell Hope. Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology: This book has been long out of print, and I got mine at a used book store, but it is the indespensible work on witches, the witch craze and demonology. The book takes a very pro-witch point of view as it frankly discusses the murder of women, children and even men in the name of god. Not to be missed, this book has been THE source for most of my writings. Several editions are out there, mine is the 1959 edition. I have seen them on Ebay as well.
Smith, Clark Ashton: Everything. No seriously. I discovered CAS after reading about his friendship to Lovecraft. I found a copy of his unfinshed works in the basement of my university library (no joke). I was RIVETED. He spoke to me in ways Lovecraft never dreamed. In particular I recommend his Averoigne series and his Zothique series.
http://www.eldritchdark.com/
Stoker, Bram: DRACULA; Need to know what else a cleric can do in your group? Let me introduce Prof. Van Helsing. I suggest getting the Annotated Dracula by Leonard Wolf.
There are many others. But these are the ones I keep coming back to.
In case you are curious, never seen it before, or don't have your DMG handy, here is the list:
Source: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4dnd/Appendix/N
Anderson, Poul. Three Hearts and Three Lions; The High Crusade; The Broken Sword
Bellairs, John. The Face in the Frost
Brackett, Leigh.
Brown, Fredric.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice, Pellucidar series; Mars series; Venus series
Carter, Lin. "World's End" series
de Camp, L. Sprague. Lest Darkness Fall; Fallible Fiend; et al.
de Camp & Pratt. "Harold Shea" series; Carnelian Cube
Derleth, August.
Dunsany, Lord.
Farmer, P. J. "The World of the Tiers" series; et al.
Fox, Gardner. "Kothar" series; "Kyrik" series; et al.
Howard, R. E. "Conan" series
Lanier, Sterling. Hiero’s Journey
Leiber, Fritz. "Fafhrd & Gray Mouser" series; et al.
Lovecraft, H. P.
Merritt, A. Creep, Shadow, Creep; Moon Pool; Dwellers in the Mirage; et al.
Moorcock, Michael. Stormbringer; Stealer of Souls; "Hawkmoon" series (esp. the first three books)
Norton, Andre.
Offutt, Andrew J., editor. Swords Against Darkness III.
Pratt, Fletcher. Blue Star; et al.
St. Clair, Margaret. The Shadow People; Sign of the Labrys
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit; "Ring Trilogy"
Vance, Jack. The Eyes of the Overworld; The Dying Earth; et al.
Weinbaum, Stanley.
Wellman, Manly Wade.
Williamson, Jack.
Zelazny, Roger. Jack of Shadows; "Amber" series; et al.
Certainly a worthy list to be honest.
But it isn't my list.
Yes I read Tolkien during my formative years, followed quickly by Moorcock and Lovecraft. I dabbled in Norton. But I didn't read any Conan till almost a year ago. I had read "A Princess of Mars" before I played D&D, but nothing more till recently and none of the Pellucidar series till almost two years ago.
I have joked, half seriously, that my Appendix N is mostly Hammer Films, 70's exploitation horror, Led Zeppelin, Twilight Zone and Dark Shadows.
But semi -serious for a moment Appendix N was never supposed to be passed on as Holy Writ and there are some notable omissions. Here are some things I would add.
Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan: CARMILLA. Natch.
Lucas, George: STAR WARS. Star Wars, the first movie, is a D&D adventure writ large. Star Wars and D&D are so forever linked together in my mind it would be hard to tease them apart in terms of which one colors my perception of the other more. This one though is a total cheat as a movie and as one of the "newest" item on my list.
Poe, Edgar Allen. Lots.
Robbins, Russell Hope. Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology: This book has been long out of print, and I got mine at a used book store, but it is the indespensible work on witches, the witch craze and demonology. The book takes a very pro-witch point of view as it frankly discusses the murder of women, children and even men in the name of god. Not to be missed, this book has been THE source for most of my writings. Several editions are out there, mine is the 1959 edition. I have seen them on Ebay as well.
Smith, Clark Ashton: Everything. No seriously. I discovered CAS after reading about his friendship to Lovecraft. I found a copy of his unfinshed works in the basement of my university library (no joke). I was RIVETED. He spoke to me in ways Lovecraft never dreamed. In particular I recommend his Averoigne series and his Zothique series.
http://www.eldritchdark.com/
Stoker, Bram: DRACULA; Need to know what else a cleric can do in your group? Let me introduce Prof. Van Helsing. I suggest getting the Annotated Dracula by Leonard Wolf.
There are many others. But these are the ones I keep coming back to.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Oh Google!
Dear Google searchers coming here by searching "Real Succubus Summoning Spells".
Sorry. I can't help you.
If you want a soul sucking sex fiend that will damage you for life you are just going to have do what I did.
Date redheads. ;)
Hell is nice isn't it? by ~Dragerdeifrit on deviantART
I kid of course.
Mostly.
Sorry. I can't help you.
If you want a soul sucking sex fiend that will damage you for life you are just going to have do what I did.
Date redheads. ;)
Hell is nice isn't it? by ~Dragerdeifrit on deviantART
I kid of course.
Mostly.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Zatannurday: Injustice DLC
If you are a fan of Injustice: Gods Among Us then you probably already know that new Zatanna Zatara DLC was released this week.
For $5.00 you can get her as a DLC character. Totally worth it in my opinion.
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/07/zatanna-is-the-next-injustice-gods-among-us-dlc-character/
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/07/zatanna-dlc-comes-to-injustice-gods-among-us-next-week?abthid=52029c8440b625453b000016
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/gamenews.php?id=107491
I am pleased to see her in her classic outfit rather than the New52 one. I am fine with that outfit, but this one is better.
Her ending scene is also depicted here:
Special thanks to Tower of Fate for the tip here via Twitter!
I am not 100% sold on her voice to be honest, but it sounds like the same actress from Young Justice, Lacey Chabert.
Now that Zatanna, Raven and Wonder Woman are part of the game I really need to pick it up. Just need Batwoman too!
For $5.00 you can get her as a DLC character. Totally worth it in my opinion.
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/07/zatanna-is-the-next-injustice-gods-among-us-dlc-character/
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/07/zatanna-dlc-comes-to-injustice-gods-among-us-next-week?abthid=52029c8440b625453b000016
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/gamenews.php?id=107491
I am pleased to see her in her classic outfit rather than the New52 one. I am fine with that outfit, but this one is better.
Her ending scene is also depicted here:
Special thanks to Tower of Fate for the tip here via Twitter!
I am not 100% sold on her voice to be honest, but it sounds like the same actress from Young Justice, Lacey Chabert.
Now that Zatanna, Raven and Wonder Woman are part of the game I really need to pick it up. Just need Batwoman too!
Friday, August 16, 2013
Not Going to Gen Con, but here are some winners
WOW.
That was a lot of people.
So I expanded my winners.
I pulled out my dice and did this old school.
Congrats to:
F. Douglas Wall.
John Harp
David Cutts
and since demand was so high I did some more.
faoladh
Thaumiel Nerub
Anthony Hunter
Tim Shorts
Seven is a good number!
Honestly that was fun. I am working on more material for a variety of things (vague much?) so I am going to give more stuff away in the future. Certainly in October, but maybe sooner.
Thanks everyone for participating!
That was a lot of people.
So I expanded my winners.
I pulled out my dice and did this old school.
Congrats to:
F. Douglas Wall.
John Harp
David Cutts
and since demand was so high I did some more.
faoladh
Thaumiel Nerub
Anthony Hunter
Tim Shorts
Seven is a good number!
Honestly that was fun. I am working on more material for a variety of things (vague much?) so I am going to give more stuff away in the future. Certainly in October, but maybe sooner.
Thanks everyone for participating!
Not at GenCon? Get a Free copy of The Witch!
I am at work. Been here for 2 hours now. Wish I was at Gen Con to be honest.
How about you?
Well maybe I can improve some people's days.
I am going to give away 3 copies of The Witch today!
I will pick three people that comment below "I am not at Gen Con either". I will need a way to get in touch with you via email to send out your copies.
How about till the end of the day today or something.
How about you?
Well maybe I can improve some people's days.
I am going to give away 3 copies of The Witch today!
I will pick three people that comment below "I am not at Gen Con either". I will need a way to get in touch with you via email to send out your copies.
How about till the end of the day today or something.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Enjoy Gen Con!
I hope everyone is having a great time at Gen Con today!
I have seen some pictures and they look fantastic.
Have fun!
I have seen some pictures and they look fantastic.
Have fun!
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
A Tale of Two Doctors
Digging through some boxes today and look what I found!
Ok. Technically it belongs to my brother. But he never played it.
It's still in great condition, but I can't seem to find the dice that went with it or even if it had dice.
I remember mixing in bits of FASA's Star Trek into this to really create a weird ass game.
While the newer Adventures in Time and Space is a better system, FASA Who just has some appeal to me. Maybe it was when I got it, er, my brother got it.
I am certain there are some conversion coming up in my future!
Ok. Technically it belongs to my brother. But he never played it.
It's still in great condition, but I can't seem to find the dice that went with it or even if it had dice.
I remember mixing in bits of FASA's Star Trek into this to really create a weird ass game.
While the newer Adventures in Time and Space is a better system, FASA Who just has some appeal to me. Maybe it was when I got it, er, my brother got it.
I am certain there are some conversion coming up in my future!
White Dwarf Wednesday #76
White Dwarf #76 takes us back to April 1986. The magazine feels a bit larger than past issues (68 pages now) and there is more color. The cover features a could of eagle riders in a tie in with the AD&D adventure.The cover artist is Peter Andrew Jones, who I do not recognize.
The editorial covers the demise of such columns as Fiend Factory, Star Base, Crawling Chaos, Rune Rites and Heroes & villains. But we knew this. Also, and maybe they are taking a page from Dragon, they planning more "theme" issues. This one is all about the AD&D thief with two articles and and an adventure.
Open Box opens up big this issue with 3 pages and 7 reviews. Iron Crown Enterprises has some MERP offerings. The Riddle of the Ring board game (6/10) and Erech & The Paths of the Dead Scenario (9/10). Alone Against the Wendigo is a CoC solo adventure. Surprising there are not more of these to be honest. (8/10). Send in the Clones is also reviewed. This is the only Paranoia adventure I have ever played myself, so I have nothing to compare it too. Marcus Rowland gives it 6/10 and that matches my memory of it. Graeme Davis LOVES Lankhmar, City of Adventure for AD&D (10/10), I'll admit it has made me want to read the Fafhrd and Grey Mouser books more than once. Two Doctor Who RPG adventures are covered The Iytean Menace and the Lords of Destiny. I loved the Doctor Who RPG from FASA but I never played these. They get a collective 8/10. Finally Hero games gives Fantasy Hero, it gets an 8/10.
The first article on AD&D Thieves is up. How to Make Crime Pay is for players in the form of a lecture from a guild master. Once upon a time I would have eaten this up. In fact in 86 my favorite character was a thief turned assassin. There is nothing in this article that screams "D&D only", it could be used with pretty much any fantasy game.
Accounting (no joke) is covered for Judge Dredd.
A scenario for Warhammer is up next.
The second article on thieves is up, this time for the DMs/Referees. Again, useful, game-agnostic advice. This one is more in the form of tips and tricks and advice rather than a narrative. Actually this would have been a good article to have back in 86 when I was working up the details of the various guilds in my game world. Today I just hand wave that sort of thing away.
An article on running Golden Heroes is next. There is also a lot of good advice here too for any supers game. I think the next supers game I run there will be a tabloid, ala The Sun, involved.
Castle in the Wind is the next article on thieves and takes the form of an adventure. This one in pure AD&D and the thief connection is a touch thin. It's long and detailed and with a dash of Hayao Miyazaki it could be really, really awesome. I might have to xerox this one for later use. Plus I love floating castles in my D&D.
Treasure chest is still around, at least for now. It has half-a-dozen new spells. Never can have too many of those.
There is this interesting ad for "Labyrinthe" LARP (it's not called a LARP but that is what it is) taking place in the London Underground. At first I had to double-take cause it looked like an ad for Labyrinth Lord!
Not exactly, but you can see what I mean. Granted EVERYONE used that Old Style font back then. It was the Morpheus of it's day.
This followed by a lot of ads.
Tabletop Heroes covers painting with oils, part 2.
Large ads continue with some Doctor Who minis, the D&D Master Rule Set and the Tunnels and Trolls paperback fantasy/rule books.
The theme is nice for issue but it makes it feel like there is less content than there really is. I used to think the same about Dragon when they did themes as well. Though to be fair, when they did themes I enjoyed then the issue seemed much more full.
More than any other issue before it, WD#76 is the dividing line between the new and old White Dwarf.
The editorial covers the demise of such columns as Fiend Factory, Star Base, Crawling Chaos, Rune Rites and Heroes & villains. But we knew this. Also, and maybe they are taking a page from Dragon, they planning more "theme" issues. This one is all about the AD&D thief with two articles and and an adventure.
Open Box opens up big this issue with 3 pages and 7 reviews. Iron Crown Enterprises has some MERP offerings. The Riddle of the Ring board game (6/10) and Erech & The Paths of the Dead Scenario (9/10). Alone Against the Wendigo is a CoC solo adventure. Surprising there are not more of these to be honest. (8/10). Send in the Clones is also reviewed. This is the only Paranoia adventure I have ever played myself, so I have nothing to compare it too. Marcus Rowland gives it 6/10 and that matches my memory of it. Graeme Davis LOVES Lankhmar, City of Adventure for AD&D (10/10), I'll admit it has made me want to read the Fafhrd and Grey Mouser books more than once. Two Doctor Who RPG adventures are covered The Iytean Menace and the Lords of Destiny. I loved the Doctor Who RPG from FASA but I never played these. They get a collective 8/10. Finally Hero games gives Fantasy Hero, it gets an 8/10.
The first article on AD&D Thieves is up. How to Make Crime Pay is for players in the form of a lecture from a guild master. Once upon a time I would have eaten this up. In fact in 86 my favorite character was a thief turned assassin. There is nothing in this article that screams "D&D only", it could be used with pretty much any fantasy game.
Accounting (no joke) is covered for Judge Dredd.
A scenario for Warhammer is up next.
The second article on thieves is up, this time for the DMs/Referees. Again, useful, game-agnostic advice. This one is more in the form of tips and tricks and advice rather than a narrative. Actually this would have been a good article to have back in 86 when I was working up the details of the various guilds in my game world. Today I just hand wave that sort of thing away.
An article on running Golden Heroes is next. There is also a lot of good advice here too for any supers game. I think the next supers game I run there will be a tabloid, ala The Sun, involved.
Castle in the Wind is the next article on thieves and takes the form of an adventure. This one in pure AD&D and the thief connection is a touch thin. It's long and detailed and with a dash of Hayao Miyazaki it could be really, really awesome. I might have to xerox this one for later use. Plus I love floating castles in my D&D.
Treasure chest is still around, at least for now. It has half-a-dozen new spells. Never can have too many of those.
There is this interesting ad for "Labyrinthe" LARP (it's not called a LARP but that is what it is) taking place in the London Underground. At first I had to double-take cause it looked like an ad for Labyrinth Lord!
Not exactly, but you can see what I mean. Granted EVERYONE used that Old Style font back then. It was the Morpheus of it's day.
This followed by a lot of ads.
Tabletop Heroes covers painting with oils, part 2.
Large ads continue with some Doctor Who minis, the D&D Master Rule Set and the Tunnels and Trolls paperback fantasy/rule books.
The theme is nice for issue but it makes it feel like there is less content than there really is. I used to think the same about Dragon when they did themes as well. Though to be fair, when they did themes I enjoyed then the issue seemed much more full.
More than any other issue before it, WD#76 is the dividing line between the new and old White Dwarf.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Anyone wnat to lend me a quick hand?
I need someone (or multiple someones) to have a look at new Basic Era class I am working on.
By quick I mean something like 12-18 hours from now I would need your feedback.
Obviously not enough time to playtest, so I am looking for eyeballing it.
Shoot me an email at timothy.brannan@gmail.com and I will email you the docx file.
Thanks!
By quick I mean something like 12-18 hours from now I would need your feedback.
Obviously not enough time to playtest, so I am looking for eyeballing it.
Shoot me an email at timothy.brannan@gmail.com and I will email you the docx file.
Thanks!
Majus is mine
I got a nice treat in my mail and email yesterday.
A nice perfect bound edition of Goblinoid Games Majus. The PDF is also available from DriveThru.
Others have pointed out that this began as a Kickstarter. Layout was done they just need the art. So thus there were no stretch goals. I think this worked in their favor. The books and PDFs were promised by August 2013 and look at that. On time and everything.
Honestly I think it makes a nice companion to all my Chill books.
It is also 100% compatible with Rotworld and the other books in Goblinoid Games Pacesetter line.
I am just dying to revive my old "Spirit of '76" game with this now. I'll have to post some characters for it.
Of course given my odd sense of humor I think the first adventure I want to try is Castle Blood.
Also from (a different) Pacesetter.
A nice perfect bound edition of Goblinoid Games Majus. The PDF is also available from DriveThru.
Others have pointed out that this began as a Kickstarter. Layout was done they just need the art. So thus there were no stretch goals. I think this worked in their favor. The books and PDFs were promised by August 2013 and look at that. On time and everything.
Honestly I think it makes a nice companion to all my Chill books.
It is also 100% compatible with Rotworld and the other books in Goblinoid Games Pacesetter line.
I am just dying to revive my old "Spirit of '76" game with this now. I'll have to post some characters for it.
Of course given my odd sense of humor I think the first adventure I want to try is Castle Blood.
Also from (a different) Pacesetter.
New banner
Thought I needed a little change here.
Course I am only about 9 months late on getting a John William Waterhouse Magic Circle themed one up.
But I figure it is still less self-indulgent than my last one.
Course I am only about 9 months late on getting a John William Waterhouse Magic Circle themed one up.
But I figure it is still less self-indulgent than my last one.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Gen Con Blues
I had mentioned earlier in the year that we (my family and I) were not going to go to Gen Con this year.
Partly due to expense, partly due to this being the busiest time of year for me at work (getting ready for Fall term to start).
Now I am thinking that was a bad decision.
My kids love to go and frankly so do I. Not that there is anything special we were looking forward too this year. Just the normally hanging out with gamers, playing some games, hitting the food trucks, seeing all the costumes and spending way too much money.
We are already set on going next year. In fact we might even go a day early to hit the zoo or the museum.
Can't wait for it! But until then I will have to settle for hearing all about the fun you all have.
Partly due to expense, partly due to this being the busiest time of year for me at work (getting ready for Fall term to start).
Now I am thinking that was a bad decision.
My kids love to go and frankly so do I. Not that there is anything special we were looking forward too this year. Just the normally hanging out with gamers, playing some games, hitting the food trucks, seeing all the costumes and spending way too much money.
We are already set on going next year. In fact we might even go a day early to hit the zoo or the museum.
Can't wait for it! But until then I will have to settle for hearing all about the fun you all have.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
I Like you, but not Like like you.
Adding some new Facebook code.
Click "Like" if you are on that Facebook thing.
Click "Like" if you are on that Facebook thing.
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