Kickstart Your Weekend: The MCDM RPG

 Interesting one this week. I am unsure if I am calling people to support it. My purpose here is often to shed some light on a crowdfunded project you may not have seen. This one though is at $3 Million right now so it doesn't need my help.  But that is not why I am talking about this one today.

But first, the campaign.

The MCDM RPG

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/mcdm-productions/mcdm-rpg?ref=theotherside

This is a new big FRPG from Matt Colville (the "MC" in the name I am guessing).  It is obviously modeled on D&D style play and it is being pitched as a D&D alternative in all but name. Back in the day we would have called this a Fantasy Heartbreaker.

The game looks slick as hell and it will certainly be a lot of fun and look good. Matt does good work on his design so I have no doubt this will be a good game.

BUT...(there is always a but) there are a few things about it that I am not quite connecting with.

If you take D&D as the middle ground and go far out on the gritty/old-school side you get another wildly successful RPG ShadowDark.  Go the same distance in the other direction and you will have MCDM RPG.  Many of the selling points about this game read like "everything ShadowDark is, we are not." For example from the project page:

Compared to what ShadowDark say they are on their Kickstarter Project page:

NOW PLEASE UNDERSTAND. I am not trying to set up a MCDM vs. ShadowDark thing here. I think both games are great and their respective successes give evidence that both games are wanted and needed. AND (more to the point) both provide that D&D-alternative to those that want it. 

I think having a good D&D-alternative is a good thing given the bookend events from Wizards/Hasbro this 2023.  

Just as I don't click well with some of the things in ShadowDark, I also don't click very well with some of the things in MCDM.  I *do* want monsters to be able to avoid spells sometimes. I *do* want there to be a chance that the PCs can fail. I do want some grit. But I also want hope. My preferred gaming experience is somewhere in the middle.

Also, reading through the material, I get the sense that the design is not 100% complete yet. That is a red flag for me these days. When NIGHT SHIFT went to Kickstarter the book was done and playtesting complete. When Wasted Lands went to Kickstarter the playtesting on the new mechanics was done, the core rules were done, and the Gazeteer was nearly complete. Both games shipped early.  My concern is this game won't ship for a while.

I have seen online people calling this a "D&D Killer" which I have my doubts about. Pathfinder is a great game but it was not a D&D killer. I have seen a lot of so-called D&D Killers over the years. I don't think this one will be either.  But it might get WotC to pay attention. Maybe.

Even if it doesn't make WotC/Hasbro take notice it will provide a new game to people who love this sort of style and help keep role-playing going for a bit longer. Who knows, maybe I'll pick it up as well one day.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 15

 This section of the larger area is the home to the graves of the Queen's Dwarven sacrifices.  Rising from the graves are Haugbui, the dwarven undead.

 

Haugbui

Armor Class 4 [15]
Hit Dice 6+6 (33hp)***
Attacks 2 × claws (1d6+4), 1 bite (1d4+4) + Ability Drain
THAC0 14 [+5]
Movement 120’ (40’)
Saving Throws D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (6)
Morale 12
Alignment Chaos
XP 1,025
Number Appearing 1d8 (1d8)
Treasure Type None

Haugbui are undead dwarves of fierce warriors cursed to remain in their barrows and underground chambers. 

The attack with a claw, claw, bite routine. On a successful bite attack, they can drain blood at 1 point of Constitution per round. The get these undead unattached requires a strength ability check to pull them off.  

These creatures are very strong; Strength 20 and silver is required to hit them.

These creatures turn as Wights.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 14

 This section of the larger area is the home to the graves of many horses. 

There are Undead Horses and Nightmares here.

Undead Horses

Armor Class 7 [12]
Hit Dice 4 (18hp)
Attacks 2 × hoof (1d6+1)
THAC0 16 [+3]
Movement 120’ (40’)
Saving Throws D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (4)
Morale 12
Alignment Chaos
XP 125
Number Appearing 1d8 (1d8)
Treasure Type None

Undead horses are skeletal remains of normal horses. They attack much as they did in life, only now they can also be turned as Wights.

Nightmares

Armor Class -4 [24]
Hit Dice 6+6 (33hp)
Attacks 1 bite (2d4), 2 × burning hooves (2d4+2); Breath smoke
THAC0 14 [+5]
Movement 150’ (50’) / Fly 360' (90')
Saving Throws D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (4)
Morale 12
Alignment Chaos
XP 1,025
Number Appearing 1 (1)
Treasure Type None

Nightmares are the steeds of night hags and other demons, black horses with flaming hoofs and mane. Their breath is a cloud of brimstone smoke, which causes any nearby opponent to attack at –2 (saving throw applies). These horrible creatures can become incorporeal and travel between the planes of existence, bearing their evil/chaotic riders.

(Section 15: Nightmare, Swords & Wizardry SRD)

--

Again, GMs choose as many as they need to challenge the PCs.

Fate Spins Along as it Should

 Thanks to the magic of Withers (and a mere pittance of 100gp), my warlock Larina from my first run can now join my paladin Johan on his current run.

The game is still rather fantastic and 300+ hours later, I am still discovering more. With some of the mods I added I don't think I'll be able to get Sinéad in there as well. The "half-elf" hireling is gone, replaced by Alfria.

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 13

 Moving into the larger area of Encounter Area 12.  These are the graves of the human sacrifices. There are 666 total graves, from these rise a horde of zombies.

--

How many zombies?  All of them. The idea here is to overwhelm the PCs to keep them from going forward. Indulge your little black heart. 

Shrink Wrapped Orange Palace of the Silver Princess on eBay

 I have discussed my fondness for the Green cover B3 Palace of the Silver Princess. It is a fun adventure and great for newbie DMs. It came to me just as I needed it. For its ability to run and more lore to Glantri, and (for me) the ability to easily code it into a computer when I was trying to D&D on my little TRS-80 Color Computer. 

I like the adventure. A lot. But not this much.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315023385002

Right now is it going for just a bit over $10k.  That is up $1000.00 from when I first saw it this morning.

The adventure is fun, no where near as good as the revised Green cover version. And it is certainly not with $10k except to a serious collector. 

Makes me wish I knew what dumpster they were dumped in at the time! I could pay my kids' college tuition with that. 

#Dungeon23 Tomb of the Vampire Queen, Level 12, Room 12

 The hallway of Encounter Area #11 opens up to a massive room filled with stone sarcophagi.  A plaque as the PCs enter describes this as the Hall of Sacrificed Dead.

These are the final resting places of the followers of the Vampire Queen. She sacrificed them to further her own power and appease her demonic lords.

There are 1,000 sarcophagi here, divided into groups.

• Group 1 (Encounter Area 13): Humans (666 total)
• Group 2 (Encounter Area 14): Horses (180 total)
• Group 3 (Encounter Area 15): Dwarves (55 total)
• Group 4 (Encounter Area 16): Elves (54 total)
• Group 5 (Encounter Area 17): Halflings (45 total)

This room is guarded by the undead temple guardians, 10 Huecuva.  They will wait until the characters enter the room and attack them from all sides.

Huecuva

Armor Class: 3 [116]
Hit Dice: 2*** (9 hp)
Attacks: 2 claws or 1 weapon (1d6 x2 or 1d8), ability drain
THAC0: 18 [+2]
Movement: 90’ (30’)
Saving Throws: D11 W12 P13 B14 S15 SS14 (Cleric 2)
Morale: 12
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 35
Number Appearing: 1 (0) (see below)
Treasure Type: C
Turn As: Wight (Type 5)

A huecuva is a Cleric who has been cursed to undeath for their faithlessness. It resembles a skeleton wrapped in old, tattered robes or rusting armor. Small points of red light can be seen in each of its empty eye sockets. A huecuva speaks and reads all the languages it knew in life.

 A huecuva is a cowardly combatant, preferring to set up traps and ambushes for potential interlopers. It will attack Clerics before anyone else. Those struck by the huecuva's claws must save vs. Poison or contract a terrible wasting disease. Each day the target takes 1d3 points of Constitution damage. Those reduced to 0 Constitution die, and rise as a zombie on the following day, under the control of the huecuva. A cure disease spell must be used to prevent death. 

Ability points lost due to a huecuva's disease return at a rate of 1 per day of complete rest. All huecuva can cast spells as a Cleric (level 1d4+1). However, these spells are always reversed.

A huecuva can only be harmed by silver or magical weapons. In addition, it takes 1d6 points of damage from the touch of a holy symbol. A huecuva can be Turned by a Cleric (as a wight), and like all undead are immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells.  

They are turned as Wights.