Optional "below 0 HP rule" for OSR and D20.
When character's HP reaches 0 or beyond roll save vs. death (or equivalent) - negative HP to roll. If the character fails he dies. If successes wait for the next hit and roll again with new negative HP modifier.
Example: Character's save is 15 and orc hits him gutting him to -2 HP. Player rolls d20 and get's a result of 17. The negative HP is decreased from the roll, so the final result is 15. Close call.
A couple of turns later the character is hit again with 4 points of damage, so his total HP is now -6. Player rolls d20 to save and his result is 17 again, but the character dies now (17 - HP -6 = 11).
OPTION
Don't want to roll save versus? No problem. Roll against CON. Negative HP is decreased from CON and you try to roll below your CON to survive.
Example:
Character's CON is 15 and he suffers damage to -3 HP. Player rolls d20 against CON 15-3=12 and gets a result of 8. He survives the blow.
Next turn character is hit again and now his total HP is at -8 HP. Player rolls d20 against his modified CON at 7 and gets a result of 11. The character dies.
MONSTERS
To keep combat fast don't use this rule for normal monsters and goons. They die at 0 HP (or are incapacitated). For "boss monsters" and other significant opponents you can use this rule though.
Example:
Character party encounters 6 hobgoblins and their shaman leader. 6 ordinary hobgoblins die normally at 0 HP but Referee wants the shaman leader to be a little tougher and meaningful opponent so he uses this rule.
If the game doesn't list monster CON use its save versus regardless of which version of this rule you use with player character. Or make up the CON depending on opponent's size, racial toughness in description, HD and how hard you want it to be.
_____________________________________
I like the death and dismemberment chart a lot, but this is a bit simpler. The point is that character's are not in perfect health at 1 HP and die whether the damage is 1 or 100 points. More damage you suffer beyond 0 HP more likely you die.
There can be lots of optional rules for negative HP effects but I still like to keep things simpler. It's just that I like the idea that characters with positive hit points of any are in good enough condition but beyond 0 they start to get weaker and weaker.
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Showing posts with label D20. Show all posts
Showing posts with label D20. Show all posts
Friday, February 8, 2013
[D20/OSR] Counter attack
This optional rule can be used with games that use D20 to hit and higher is better.
When attack roll is low enough there's a change that an opponent can do an immediate counter attack. When counter attack happens roll normally to hit. The change of counter attack depends on character's level or monster's HD.
The number listed for counter attack change is the die result attacker rolls.
Counter attack cannot be counter attacked.
Example: Fighter's counter attack change is 1-3. If opponent's attack roll's result is 1-3 he doesn't only miss but the Fighter gets immediately an attack against him.
CHARACTERS
Counter attack is different for character classes. If the character class in your game is not listed use the closest one.
Cleric (Not only healers and supporters but also warriors of light)
Levels 1-7 = 1 in 20
Levels 8-14 = 2 in 20
Levels 15+ = 3 in 20
Fighter (Trained to fight and good at it)
Levels 1-3 = 1 in 20
Levels 4-8 = 2 in 20
Levels 9-14 = 3 in 20
Levels 15+ = 4 in 20
Magic-User (They rely on magic, scrolls and potions instead of melee)
Levels 1-15 = 1 in 20
Levels 16+ = 2 in 20
Thief/Rogue/Specialist (They have many skills and can use some extra tricks if they get into a fight)
Levels 1-10 = 1 in 20
Levels 11-15 = 2 in 20
Levels 16+ = 3 in 20
Dwarf (Natural warriors with hatred on orcish fiends and giants)
Levels 1-5 = 1 in 20
Levels 6-15 = 2 in 20
Levels 16+ = 3 in 20
(Dwarves have 1 better for counter attack against "greenskins" and giants).
Elf (Capable of both magic and fighting techniques)
Levels 1-5 = 1 in 20
Levels 6-10 = 2 in 20
Levels 11+ = 3 in 20
Halfling (Small and nimble with an extra trick in their sleeve)
Levels 1-7 = 1 in 20
Levels 8-15 = 2 in 20
MONSTERS
Monster's counter attack change is based on monster's HD.
HD 1-6 = 1 in 20
HD 7-11 = 2 in 20
HD 12-16 = 3 in 20
HD 17+ = 4 in 10
(Monsters basically are like fighters but as fighters are trained they have a slight advantage over monsters in general.
When attack roll is low enough there's a change that an opponent can do an immediate counter attack. When counter attack happens roll normally to hit. The change of counter attack depends on character's level or monster's HD.
The number listed for counter attack change is the die result attacker rolls.
Counter attack cannot be counter attacked.
Example: Fighter's counter attack change is 1-3. If opponent's attack roll's result is 1-3 he doesn't only miss but the Fighter gets immediately an attack against him.
CHARACTERS
Counter attack is different for character classes. If the character class in your game is not listed use the closest one.
Cleric (Not only healers and supporters but also warriors of light)
Levels 1-7 = 1 in 20
Levels 8-14 = 2 in 20
Levels 15+ = 3 in 20
Fighter (Trained to fight and good at it)
Levels 1-3 = 1 in 20
Levels 4-8 = 2 in 20
Levels 9-14 = 3 in 20
Levels 15+ = 4 in 20
Magic-User (They rely on magic, scrolls and potions instead of melee)
Levels 1-15 = 1 in 20
Levels 16+ = 2 in 20
Thief/Rogue/Specialist (They have many skills and can use some extra tricks if they get into a fight)
Levels 1-10 = 1 in 20
Levels 11-15 = 2 in 20
Levels 16+ = 3 in 20
Dwarf (Natural warriors with hatred on orcish fiends and giants)
Levels 1-5 = 1 in 20
Levels 6-15 = 2 in 20
Levels 16+ = 3 in 20
(Dwarves have 1 better for counter attack against "greenskins" and giants).
Elf (Capable of both magic and fighting techniques)
Levels 1-5 = 1 in 20
Levels 6-10 = 2 in 20
Levels 11+ = 3 in 20
Halfling (Small and nimble with an extra trick in their sleeve)
Levels 1-7 = 1 in 20
Levels 8-15 = 2 in 20
MONSTERS
Monster's counter attack change is based on monster's HD.
HD 1-6 = 1 in 20
HD 7-11 = 2 in 20
HD 12-16 = 3 in 20
HD 17+ = 4 in 10
(Monsters basically are like fighters but as fighters are trained they have a slight advantage over monsters in general.
Friday, January 25, 2013
[Quest writer] Nuurori, Natural20, Space Jerusalem, virtual gaming...
Hey! Thaumiel must be running on fumes since he asked me to write an artocle for Cradle of Rabies. Sorry, can't say no since I've got no readers of my own (don't got blog either, but who cares about blogs without readers anyway, eh?)
At first I'm gonna talk a little about myself.
Now that we got that covered, I'll talk about my project Space Jerusalem (not to be mistaken with the band you've also never heard of). I hail from Mentzer's red box and D&D fantasy has always been close to my life. After all, life is just a Dungeon with T-junctions, leading to new T-junctions. AD&D, 3rd edition and lvl 19 eldritch knight who could deal average of 500 damage to any target. Which she could do outside her turn. Which was nice, because it took more than hour to wait for one to come after 19. level cleric, wizard and druid had grinded throught their... microcosmic... experiences.
Well every gamer has this childhood dream of that super epic bosscharacter, and after we got what we asked for, we started to make new questions. Like, what if we make a game that would also like work and go somewhere. That is what we asked and we started to tweak with modern d20 originally, eventually evolving into our natural 20 system. I'm not going to talk about our game design approach, our goals and how we reached them only to ask why?. Because. Srsly. Who hasn't been there and done that? I started making my own versions of board games when I was like 10, but my son makes up new rules for Kimble on the way to his quite inevitable victory. So it's in the blood and if you are interested in Again an Another System Made by Someone Else you would care, but it's also in your blood that you won't, so I will supress the fact that the Will to Tell Everyone about Our Great System is too.
So what I'm going to tell you is a short story related to gaming, making a game, having a dream and then waking up.
I liked VT's. That stands for Virtual Tabletops. We tried some, but settled to use Maptool. (You really need to know what VT's are to get this, so if you don't you've got to have a google moment NOW). Virtuals have many virtues over actual tabletops, but in the end it became clear that current tools available were only able to vaguely emulate the experience as it should be. I'm not even talking about bugs and similar glitches, but the sheer clumsines of how things are handled on every level of the gaming process, not just during the actual play event. It's like using rocks and buttons instead of abacus for running an complicated set of calculation. Or like trying to run a combat for 20. level party in 3. edition D&D. I mean, doing those things over phone while driving a taxi in Bombay. Or more accurately, doing those things by twitching your left eyelid for communication while otherwise lying helplessly in your hospital bed.
But still! I'm not here to rant how VT's suck. I'm here to tell that I knew that all along, but I wanted to see what could be done with them. And much could that far surpassed limits of battlemats and miniatures (I'll only hint Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V). In the end, it was just not important. At least to me, it happened that every achievement and method of pushing the limits of VT's further away also took a bit from fun. It became too much work and no play for me too.
I mean, what does it matter, if your method of play may now handle 100's of orcs instead of previous record of 10? I suppose it's better if the system is streamlined and your way of handling maps and enemy tokens improves, but what is the point if it only shows in increased numbers? Only epicness achieved will be in downtime. Hereby I declare the Law of Epic Round Durations:
"Every game expands to the limits of it's system"
Then you get players drooling over their motionless chest, idly staring into a silent emptiness. Or perhaps those fortunate enough to have a handheld will entertain themselves with a game of tetris. In any case very few have the willpower to force themselves to watch interestingly as the game lags forward (It seems still, when you watch at it, but looking after an hour you'll notice it's moved!)
Well I don't rly know if that rule is correct. I do know I like writing them though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
>
Playing the game is just one point of view to the whole process. GM's view of running the game is another. Preparing adventure, updating rules and surfing for hot elf babes make up others. Theres even more, but the point is that role playing experience is not limited or included into what happens during the actual play event. You will notice the difference between one-shots and campaign style of play comes in no small part from this extracurricular sphere of hard to grasp influence.
I'm not actually going deeper into that one either! Whew, dodged that one.
Anyway, as a VT oriented GM I was thinking about a community sharing adventures, rules and related material openly over an site, because, it would have been possible. That was what Space Jerusalem was actually about. Now this aint news. There are lots of sites for sharing stuff. Obsidian portal comes into mind. You can also find lots of stuff available from maptool forums (such as total pathfinder rules script package). I'm sure things are no different on any of the 10's of VT's forum communities. I think roll 20 VT even has some programmed features for sharing links.
Apart from similar idea, those other sites actually had a community as well!
"When building a community, start by already having a community"
Lesson is you can't build a community. One could say it builds itself, but in reality there even isn't one. There are only people who are getting something out of something (or if they are not, they usually go looking for it from somewhere else). In Finnish RPG scene there hasn't been very succesfull sharing communities, but those who are almost worth mentioning formed around some other service, namely forums. The current placeholder would be pelilauta.fi , and they also offer some wiki and file sharing services.
Our Space-jerusalem.com had forums, wiki and even our game system freely available, but no one outside our regular gaming group ever became interested in what we had to offer apart from community we didn't have, forums for only 3 active people (but we were active!), system that was supposed to be played in a way that wasn't yet technically even possible (and not particularly good in even that, mind you). In a nutshell, we didn't have anything anyone could hope to get, so everyone moved away. If the cheese moved, I didn't notice. It never stopped by Space Jerusalem.
We made our mistakes, and all in all, those other sites and services are making tons of coold stuff WHILE ALSO having those awesome communities built around them, which is like the whole point of actually building anything for those communities to begin with. But apart from having those enthusiast communities, they are actually doing the same FAIL in the product that we did. The product still sucks. (Actually it sucks more than a vacuum; we were far further into the emptiness of space and still it didn't stop sucking). You know this when you try out that Pathfinder module for Maptools, or try to play any miniatures heavy scenario in any medium without actual things to move around the actual map. Even if using a tool would handle that part, using the tool would probably render some other tool unusable, forcing you to cope with some subpar replacement feature, such as, say, using one mouse for 4 players to move tokens around a map, instead of being physically able to fart on the general direction of a real dinner table. Or instead of speaking, you would have to resort using a chat. And don't get me started about dicerollers. Rolling a dice _cannot_ be simulated with current technology. One needs his trusty dice that are as old as the superstitious belief of the right wrist motion required to score the needed 20 on a critical saving throw. (well I did. Get me started.) Its emotional stuff. Satan may have invented dice, but we were too happy with them so he had to invent dicerollers. All in the name of fairness, objectiveness and easy of useness in a game that's supposed to be about fun in a world of poor UI's (another credit of Satan's btw). Here's Law of the Bones:
"Dice rollers totally take control out of players hands!"
(And give it to Satan!)
Don't repeat your or anyone else's mistakes. Don't build communities, kingdoms, cults or empires. Do stuff, but don't wail if you fail. Some Sales guy said once, that the good guys are not paid well for good sales. They are being paid because they handle bad sales well. And as even the best salesman in the world can't force a sale (Mafia insurance salesmen count as an exception), neither can you force a success in anything you strive for. That's a turf of God (Unless you are Satan). But if you are not Satan, do something worth getting done. Don't do it for achievements (Satan should've a gold medal for this!), they would only keep in coming as wave after wave of zerglings become obliterated under your Siege Tank fire.
And most importantly, don't give up to Satan, keep on a roll!
At first I'm gonna talk a little about myself.
Now that we got that covered, I'll talk about my project Space Jerusalem (not to be mistaken with the band you've also never heard of). I hail from Mentzer's red box and D&D fantasy has always been close to my life. After all, life is just a Dungeon with T-junctions, leading to new T-junctions. AD&D, 3rd edition and lvl 19 eldritch knight who could deal average of 500 damage to any target. Which she could do outside her turn. Which was nice, because it took more than hour to wait for one to come after 19. level cleric, wizard and druid had grinded throught their... microcosmic... experiences.
Well every gamer has this childhood dream of that super epic bosscharacter, and after we got what we asked for, we started to make new questions. Like, what if we make a game that would also like work and go somewhere. That is what we asked and we started to tweak with modern d20 originally, eventually evolving into our natural 20 system. I'm not going to talk about our game design approach, our goals and how we reached them only to ask why?. Because. Srsly. Who hasn't been there and done that? I started making my own versions of board games when I was like 10, but my son makes up new rules for Kimble on the way to his quite inevitable victory. So it's in the blood and if you are interested in Again an Another System Made by Someone Else you would care, but it's also in your blood that you won't, so I will supress the fact that the Will to Tell Everyone about Our Great System is too.
So what I'm going to tell you is a short story related to gaming, making a game, having a dream and then waking up.
I liked VT's. That stands for Virtual Tabletops. We tried some, but settled to use Maptool. (You really need to know what VT's are to get this, so if you don't you've got to have a google moment NOW). Virtuals have many virtues over actual tabletops, but in the end it became clear that current tools available were only able to vaguely emulate the experience as it should be. I'm not even talking about bugs and similar glitches, but the sheer clumsines of how things are handled on every level of the gaming process, not just during the actual play event. It's like using rocks and buttons instead of abacus for running an complicated set of calculation. Or like trying to run a combat for 20. level party in 3. edition D&D. I mean, doing those things over phone while driving a taxi in Bombay. Or more accurately, doing those things by twitching your left eyelid for communication while otherwise lying helplessly in your hospital bed.
But still! I'm not here to rant how VT's suck. I'm here to tell that I knew that all along, but I wanted to see what could be done with them. And much could that far surpassed limits of battlemats and miniatures (I'll only hint Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V). In the end, it was just not important. At least to me, it happened that every achievement and method of pushing the limits of VT's further away also took a bit from fun. It became too much work and no play for me too.
I mean, what does it matter, if your method of play may now handle 100's of orcs instead of previous record of 10? I suppose it's better if the system is streamlined and your way of handling maps and enemy tokens improves, but what is the point if it only shows in increased numbers? Only epicness achieved will be in downtime. Hereby I declare the Law of Epic Round Durations:
"Every game expands to the limits of it's system"
Then you get players drooling over their motionless chest, idly staring into a silent emptiness. Or perhaps those fortunate enough to have a handheld will entertain themselves with a game of tetris. In any case very few have the willpower to force themselves to watch interestingly as the game lags forward (It seems still, when you watch at it, but looking after an hour you'll notice it's moved!)
Well I don't rly know if that rule is correct. I do know I like writing them though.
>
Playing the game is just one point of view to the whole process. GM's view of running the game is another. Preparing adventure, updating rules and surfing for hot elf babes make up others. Theres even more, but the point is that role playing experience is not limited or included into what happens during the actual play event. You will notice the difference between one-shots and campaign style of play comes in no small part from this extracurricular sphere of hard to grasp influence.
I'm not actually going deeper into that one either! Whew, dodged that one.
Anyway, as a VT oriented GM I was thinking about a community sharing adventures, rules and related material openly over an site, because, it would have been possible. That was what Space Jerusalem was actually about. Now this aint news. There are lots of sites for sharing stuff. Obsidian portal comes into mind. You can also find lots of stuff available from maptool forums (such as total pathfinder rules script package). I'm sure things are no different on any of the 10's of VT's forum communities. I think roll 20 VT even has some programmed features for sharing links.
Apart from similar idea, those other sites actually had a community as well!
"When building a community, start by already having a community"
Lesson is you can't build a community. One could say it builds itself, but in reality there even isn't one. There are only people who are getting something out of something (or if they are not, they usually go looking for it from somewhere else). In Finnish RPG scene there hasn't been very succesfull sharing communities, but those who are almost worth mentioning formed around some other service, namely forums. The current placeholder would be pelilauta.fi , and they also offer some wiki and file sharing services.
Our Space-jerusalem.com had forums, wiki and even our game system freely available, but no one outside our regular gaming group ever became interested in what we had to offer apart from community we didn't have, forums for only 3 active people (but we were active!), system that was supposed to be played in a way that wasn't yet technically even possible (and not particularly good in even that, mind you). In a nutshell, we didn't have anything anyone could hope to get, so everyone moved away. If the cheese moved, I didn't notice. It never stopped by Space Jerusalem.
We made our mistakes, and all in all, those other sites and services are making tons of coold stuff WHILE ALSO having those awesome communities built around them, which is like the whole point of actually building anything for those communities to begin with. But apart from having those enthusiast communities, they are actually doing the same FAIL in the product that we did. The product still sucks. (Actually it sucks more than a vacuum; we were far further into the emptiness of space and still it didn't stop sucking). You know this when you try out that Pathfinder module for Maptools, or try to play any miniatures heavy scenario in any medium without actual things to move around the actual map. Even if using a tool would handle that part, using the tool would probably render some other tool unusable, forcing you to cope with some subpar replacement feature, such as, say, using one mouse for 4 players to move tokens around a map, instead of being physically able to fart on the general direction of a real dinner table. Or instead of speaking, you would have to resort using a chat. And don't get me started about dicerollers. Rolling a dice _cannot_ be simulated with current technology. One needs his trusty dice that are as old as the superstitious belief of the right wrist motion required to score the needed 20 on a critical saving throw. (well I did. Get me started.) Its emotional stuff. Satan may have invented dice, but we were too happy with them so he had to invent dicerollers. All in the name of fairness, objectiveness and easy of useness in a game that's supposed to be about fun in a world of poor UI's (another credit of Satan's btw). Here's Law of the Bones:
"Dice rollers totally take control out of players hands!"
(And give it to Satan!)
Don't repeat your or anyone else's mistakes. Don't build communities, kingdoms, cults or empires. Do stuff, but don't wail if you fail. Some Sales guy said once, that the good guys are not paid well for good sales. They are being paid because they handle bad sales well. And as even the best salesman in the world can't force a sale (Mafia insurance salesmen count as an exception), neither can you force a success in anything you strive for. That's a turf of God (Unless you are Satan). But if you are not Satan, do something worth getting done. Don't do it for achievements (Satan should've a gold medal for this!), they would only keep in coming as wave after wave of zerglings become obliterated under your Siege Tank fire.
And most importantly, don't give up to Satan, keep on a roll!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Let's look back at the year 2012
This is the post about my gaming year of 2012. I'll write here about things that affected my gaming the most.
Old School Reneissance And Clones
Old Dunegons & Dragons never was the game I enjoyed when I was a kid. I already played RuneQuest and Warhammer 1e so when testing some red box D&D and AD&D 2e those didn't feel fun for me. The main reason propably is that I didn't start gaming with d20 (well, my first game was ANKH what is inspired by D&D) so D&D just didn't feel special anymore.
Last year I started to get really interested in OSR thanks to several blogs. At that time I enjoyed mostly Vampire: the Masquerade and was totally bored in fantasy because it was almost exclusively fantasy that I gamed when I was a kid (some scifi and cyberpunk too, but less of those).
But reading all neat OSR stuff I realized that fantasy can actually be cool if you do it right. Also I found out that actually some old-school games are rules simple and you can focus on the adventure instead of hundreds of pages of different rules.
I do enjoy storytelling games where characters are in the center but I also found out that games where the adventure is the main thing are awesome. Also the fact that it is so easy to write universal material for old-school games is awesome!
Lamentations of the Flame Princess
It was late 2011 when I bought the Grindhouse Edition box but I started to read and like it in early 2012. The rules are simple and I like the weird/horror themes of the game as I am a horror fan. It was easy step to start digging OSR with LotFP because it did hit the spot where my interests are. Also the Referee book is good read.
I liked the rules how they played like 3.0 but still old-school. That's ascending AC there. When I played D&D 3.0 I stripped the rules and when got into LotFP I realized that its rules are what I wanted 3.0 to be.
I never was that interested in pre-made adventures because I wanted to create and control my own games. LotFP adventures are so good that they actually made me appreciate pre-made adventures for the first time.
Of the 2012 games for me LotFP must be one of the most influencing game. It was the final hit for my OSR interest and it is a great game with great adventure and sourcebooks.
Also whole year 2012 LotFP products (Vornheim, adventures, Isle of the Unknown) were only gamebooks I wanted to buy new. That's something.
Labyrinth Lord
When searching for a real retro-clone (LotFP is like house-ruled version of traditional D&D-esque fantasy games) there were several game PDFs I checked out but none of those felt right for me. Then I found Labyrinth Lord and with some background research I realized that this is the real retro-clone for me.
I love how simple the rules are even though I am not a fan of Thac0 type combat (it fits LL perfectly though).
Labyrinth Lord is like old D&D for me now.
Most of the year I only owned the no-art PDF of Labyrinth Lord but in the autumn I won the softcover book in one competition. That was super awesome!
Creating Material
Now with OSR it is super easy to write fantasy (and other genre) material for roleplaying games. I don't have to worry what system to use, because OSR is universal system. Raggi in LotFP showed how to easily write stats for monsters and NPC compatible for both ascending and descending AC (armor as leather). And it's pretty fun to write little fantasy stuffs in the blog (and easy as I said).
Mutant Future
Interested in OSR and liking Fallout 3 videogame a lot and hearing about Gamma World I started to find out about that game more. Soon I found that Gamma World 1st and 2nd edition would be most interesting for me but unfortunately those are out of print now. Then I found Mutant Future and I was happy!
With Mutant Future you can play totally gonzo or more realistic Mad Max style. Or Fallout game with black humor including mutants. Mutant Future easily found its way to my favorite games. Rules are simple, mutations are whacky and post-apocalyptic setting is neat. I love playing this game and I am looking forward to buy the book.
Netflix
This is not roleplaying game, but I have enjoyed watching movies when I go to sleep (some movies might take even 5 days to finish). TV series I haven't watched that much but with Netflix coming to Finland and being compatible with Xbox 360 I've watched also several series.
When I watch movies I always thing roleplaying. How this scene, background story, character, gadget and so on could be awesome in a rpg.
Netflix is not only an awesome passtime but also great resource for endless inspiration for roleplayer.
Old School Reneissance And Clones
Old Dunegons & Dragons never was the game I enjoyed when I was a kid. I already played RuneQuest and Warhammer 1e so when testing some red box D&D and AD&D 2e those didn't feel fun for me. The main reason propably is that I didn't start gaming with d20 (well, my first game was ANKH what is inspired by D&D) so D&D just didn't feel special anymore.
Last year I started to get really interested in OSR thanks to several blogs. At that time I enjoyed mostly Vampire: the Masquerade and was totally bored in fantasy because it was almost exclusively fantasy that I gamed when I was a kid (some scifi and cyberpunk too, but less of those).
But reading all neat OSR stuff I realized that fantasy can actually be cool if you do it right. Also I found out that actually some old-school games are rules simple and you can focus on the adventure instead of hundreds of pages of different rules.
I do enjoy storytelling games where characters are in the center but I also found out that games where the adventure is the main thing are awesome. Also the fact that it is so easy to write universal material for old-school games is awesome!
Lamentations of the Flame Princess
It was late 2011 when I bought the Grindhouse Edition box but I started to read and like it in early 2012. The rules are simple and I like the weird/horror themes of the game as I am a horror fan. It was easy step to start digging OSR with LotFP because it did hit the spot where my interests are. Also the Referee book is good read.
I liked the rules how they played like 3.0 but still old-school. That's ascending AC there. When I played D&D 3.0 I stripped the rules and when got into LotFP I realized that its rules are what I wanted 3.0 to be.
I never was that interested in pre-made adventures because I wanted to create and control my own games. LotFP adventures are so good that they actually made me appreciate pre-made adventures for the first time.
Of the 2012 games for me LotFP must be one of the most influencing game. It was the final hit for my OSR interest and it is a great game with great adventure and sourcebooks.
Also whole year 2012 LotFP products (Vornheim, adventures, Isle of the Unknown) were only gamebooks I wanted to buy new. That's something.
Labyrinth Lord
When searching for a real retro-clone (LotFP is like house-ruled version of traditional D&D-esque fantasy games) there were several game PDFs I checked out but none of those felt right for me. Then I found Labyrinth Lord and with some background research I realized that this is the real retro-clone for me.
I love how simple the rules are even though I am not a fan of Thac0 type combat (it fits LL perfectly though).
Labyrinth Lord is like old D&D for me now.
Most of the year I only owned the no-art PDF of Labyrinth Lord but in the autumn I won the softcover book in one competition. That was super awesome!
Creating Material
Now with OSR it is super easy to write fantasy (and other genre) material for roleplaying games. I don't have to worry what system to use, because OSR is universal system. Raggi in LotFP showed how to easily write stats for monsters and NPC compatible for both ascending and descending AC (armor as leather). And it's pretty fun to write little fantasy stuffs in the blog (and easy as I said).
Mutant Future
Interested in OSR and liking Fallout 3 videogame a lot and hearing about Gamma World I started to find out about that game more. Soon I found that Gamma World 1st and 2nd edition would be most interesting for me but unfortunately those are out of print now. Then I found Mutant Future and I was happy!
With Mutant Future you can play totally gonzo or more realistic Mad Max style. Or Fallout game with black humor including mutants. Mutant Future easily found its way to my favorite games. Rules are simple, mutations are whacky and post-apocalyptic setting is neat. I love playing this game and I am looking forward to buy the book.
Netflix
This is not roleplaying game, but I have enjoyed watching movies when I go to sleep (some movies might take even 5 days to finish). TV series I haven't watched that much but with Netflix coming to Finland and being compatible with Xbox 360 I've watched also several series.
When I watch movies I always thing roleplaying. How this scene, background story, character, gadget and so on could be awesome in a rpg.
Netflix is not only an awesome passtime but also great resource for endless inspiration for roleplayer.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
d20 house rules for damage and combat
You can easily decide what options you use and what not to use. You can also easily mix these options.
Option 1. Hit Often And Deadly (HOAD)
Best for games with lots of hit points if you want game to be more deadly and combats to be quicker.
To hit result over opponent AC = weapon damage + STR (full)
To hit result less than opponent AC but 5 or over = weapon damage
To hit result 2-4 = a miss
Natural 1 = botch or how natural 1 in your game works
Option 2. Exploding Damage (ExDa)
For those who want even smaller weapons a change to be deadly with a luck.
When you roll highest possible result with any damage die roll again as a cumulative damage result. Strength damage bonus only applies once as other bonuses. This only affects the dice.
Option 3. Exploding Damage v2 (ExDa2)
A little more effective.
As above but as you score the highest possible result instead of rolling the die again add one step higher die to the damage. This extra die can also explode.
Option 4. Extra Action (Exact)
For those who want more to combat with luck but still want to keep some randomness in.
With natural 20 character gets another action to perform immediately.
Option 5. Extra Hit (Exhit)
With natural 20 character has a change to hit the same opponent again. If the opponent dies this change is lost.
Option 6. Extra Hit v2 (Exhit2)
With highest possible damage result from a die character can perform another attack against the opponent. If the opponent dies this change is lost.
Option 7. Instant Kill (InKill)
For those who want the change of death in every to hit roll.
When attacking natural 20 opponent must roll save versus death or die instantly.
Option 8. Killing Spree (KSpree)
When opponent is killed by the character he gets another action right away to attack the nearest opponent (if possible, move action possible to include or something.)
Option 9. Killing Spree v2 (Kspree2)
Same as above but after every kill character also gains +x1 damage multiplier after each kill. This damage multiplier lasts as long as the killing spree.
Option 10. Killing Spree v3 (Kspree3)
In every encounter after character succesfully kills the opponent he gets +x1 multiplier to damage. These multipliers last as long as the encounter lasts.
Option 1. Hit Often And Deadly (HOAD)
Best for games with lots of hit points if you want game to be more deadly and combats to be quicker.
To hit result over opponent AC = weapon damage + STR (full)
To hit result less than opponent AC but 5 or over = weapon damage
To hit result 2-4 = a miss
Natural 1 = botch or how natural 1 in your game works
Option 2. Exploding Damage (ExDa)
For those who want even smaller weapons a change to be deadly with a luck.
When you roll highest possible result with any damage die roll again as a cumulative damage result. Strength damage bonus only applies once as other bonuses. This only affects the dice.
Option 3. Exploding Damage v2 (ExDa2)
A little more effective.
As above but as you score the highest possible result instead of rolling the die again add one step higher die to the damage. This extra die can also explode.
Option 4. Extra Action (Exact)
For those who want more to combat with luck but still want to keep some randomness in.
With natural 20 character gets another action to perform immediately.
Option 5. Extra Hit (Exhit)
With natural 20 character has a change to hit the same opponent again. If the opponent dies this change is lost.
Option 6. Extra Hit v2 (Exhit2)
With highest possible damage result from a die character can perform another attack against the opponent. If the opponent dies this change is lost.
Option 7. Instant Kill (InKill)
For those who want the change of death in every to hit roll.
When attacking natural 20 opponent must roll save versus death or die instantly.
Option 8. Killing Spree (KSpree)
When opponent is killed by the character he gets another action right away to attack the nearest opponent (if possible, move action possible to include or something.)
Option 9. Killing Spree v2 (Kspree2)
Same as above but after every kill character also gains +x1 damage multiplier after each kill. This damage multiplier lasts as long as the killing spree.
Option 10. Killing Spree v3 (Kspree3)
In every encounter after character succesfully kills the opponent he gets +x1 multiplier to damage. These multipliers last as long as the encounter lasts.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Oddities in the Darkest Space - seriously?
In my last post I wrote how I had this dream I created a scifi rpg. Now I cannot get the idea out of my mind. Here's something I've been thinking.
- It uses modified LotFP rules
- Character classes are from LotFP with some tweaks. Re-naming them and changing a little the rules
- There is no magic but psionics instead. Basically it's M-U spells re-skinned
- There is no Cleric class but a "Medic" (or something). Cleric spells modified so it's this weird computer thingie what has these "powers" like Clerical spells
- Psionics don't learn spells. When they level up they find new abilities rather than learning those
- "Medic" can find chips (scrolls) to use or upload to their computer thingie like M-U spellbook
- Weapons have two values for damage. First is what dice you use and second for firearms when the clip is empty. For example weapon with damage 2/d8 shows that it does d8 points of damage and there is 2 in 8 change the clip must be reloaded
- Mass Effect video game doesn't count ammunition, I won't either. You just need to spend one turn changing the clip/recharging the weapon/let the heat go down
- Demi-humans are actually aliens. Those are based in Halfling, Dwarf and Elf character builds with modifications
- d6 skill system propably where "Tech" class is most advanced in skill usage
- Stances are aggressive, normal and defensive where there are slight modifications for AC/AB like in LotFP
- Encumbrance is from LotFP but CON modifier affects the first encumbrance point. (CON bonus 0 is 5 items, CON bonus +2 is 7 items before first encumbrance point)
- There are powershields what can nullify damage if damage result is in right range
Now I am thinking will I write whole thingie from a scratch or make a small add-on for LotFP explaining the modifications used. So basically you would need LotFP + OitDS to run it. It would save a lot of work writing for me saving time for fluff.
The greatest question is will I write this at all? I like Fading Suns a lot but the rules I'd like to use would be more LotFP like for simplicity. In the other hand I could just use Mutant Future but I want to keep it as its own game/setting/feeling. Also I prefer ascending AC over descending.
So, now the big questions are:
1) Will I write this?
2) Should I use LotFP but only write all the modifications?
3) Should I re-skin LotFP?
- It uses modified LotFP rules
- Character classes are from LotFP with some tweaks. Re-naming them and changing a little the rules
- There is no magic but psionics instead. Basically it's M-U spells re-skinned
- There is no Cleric class but a "Medic" (or something). Cleric spells modified so it's this weird computer thingie what has these "powers" like Clerical spells
- Psionics don't learn spells. When they level up they find new abilities rather than learning those
- "Medic" can find chips (scrolls) to use or upload to their computer thingie like M-U spellbook
- Weapons have two values for damage. First is what dice you use and second for firearms when the clip is empty. For example weapon with damage 2/d8 shows that it does d8 points of damage and there is 2 in 8 change the clip must be reloaded
- Mass Effect video game doesn't count ammunition, I won't either. You just need to spend one turn changing the clip/recharging the weapon/let the heat go down
- Demi-humans are actually aliens. Those are based in Halfling, Dwarf and Elf character builds with modifications
- d6 skill system propably where "Tech" class is most advanced in skill usage
- Stances are aggressive, normal and defensive where there are slight modifications for AC/AB like in LotFP
- Encumbrance is from LotFP but CON modifier affects the first encumbrance point. (CON bonus 0 is 5 items, CON bonus +2 is 7 items before first encumbrance point)
- There are powershields what can nullify damage if damage result is in right range
Now I am thinking will I write whole thingie from a scratch or make a small add-on for LotFP explaining the modifications used. So basically you would need LotFP + OitDS to run it. It would save a lot of work writing for me saving time for fluff.
The greatest question is will I write this at all? I like Fading Suns a lot but the rules I'd like to use would be more LotFP like for simplicity. In the other hand I could just use Mutant Future but I want to keep it as its own game/setting/feeling. Also I prefer ascending AC over descending.
So, now the big questions are:
1) Will I write this?
2) Should I use LotFP but only write all the modifications?
3) Should I re-skin LotFP?
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Started Mass Effect the second time and wrote scifi rpg in my sleep
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| Picture from Bioware website |
Don't know yet how good Mass Effect plot is but I like the system how it works.
After playing Mass Effect I moved into bed and watched some movie before fell asleep. And in my dream I wrote scifi rpg! Here are some ideas I got from my dream:
- Game is based on LotFP rules (races as class, ascending AC, encumbrance system etc. etc.)
- It had a silly name: Oddities of the Darkest Space - Weird science fiction
- There are power shields what protect any damage in shields range. So if shield's range is 2-5 all damage results between 2-5 are nullified. Shields have charges how many times they can nullify damage before recharging it (Fading Suns style)
- To hit and Damage is D20 + AB + weapon damage solid + d against armor class. The amount of damage is the difference of AC and To hit roll (I think base AC should be higher than 12... maybe 15 or something).
- Weapon clip is empty when you roll weapon damage d equal to "empty" score. For example if weapon's damage die is d6 and "empty" is 1-2 you roll that damage result you need to reload
- Magic is replaced with psi-powers modified magic rules
Those above are the rules I was writing in my dream. It's a mix of LotFP, Fading Suns and Dungeonslayers I see.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Jousting for OSR
I was thinking what if I needed quick rules for jousting but didn't have any reference what to use what kind of rules I'd write in the fly. This is what I came with for ascending AC.
Jousting
For both competitors roll d20 + AB + Lance DMG (d6 if not included in weapon list). The winner of the round is one with higher result. If lance DMG die scores highest possible result roll again for cumulative effect. In addition this second DMG die roll inflicts HP damage. See the table below what happens for the loser:
Difference of results / Effect
1 - 5 = Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitors shield
6 - 8 = Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitors armor (save versus paralyze or fall down*)
9 - 10 = Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitors helmet (save versus paralyze or fall down* +5 to the roll)
11 - 15 = Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitor and knocks him down of a horse*
16 + =Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitor, knocks him down* and deals d6 HP damage
*Knocked Down Of A Horse
If competitor is knocked down of a horse roll d6 and see additional results from the table below.:
d6 / Effect
1 - 3 = Falling down doesn't hurt but is humiliating
4 - 8 = Falling down deals damage**
9 + = Falling down deals damage** and results broken bone***
**Damage
Normally jousting with lances doesn't deal damage except if the opponent is knocked down from the horse. Roll d6 for HP damage.
***Broken Bone
If bone breaks during jousting the healing time is 2d4 + 9 weeks during what time 5 penalty is suffered to each roll what affects the injured body part. Randomly determine from a table below what bone is broken:
1d6 / Broken bone
1, 2 - Left arm
3, 4, 5 - Right arm
6, 7 - Left leg
8, 9 - Right leg
10, 11 - Rib
12 - Back****
****Broken Back
Broken back is very serious and needs 4d6 + 9 weeks of rest to heal and character is not able to walk or perform complicated physical actions involving full body. Every time character is moved uncautiously add 5% to final roll to determine if character is paralyzed for good.
After the healing period roll d% to see if injure is permanent. Start with 10% and add 5% for every time character was moved irresponsibly.
_________________________________
These rules might seem to be a little complicated but I was just playing with some tables and wanted to create a small mini-game. You can easily strip these rules and just roll d20 + AB versus armor class for both of them and successful attack is a hit. If both hit it's a tie. You might also want to roll for damage but it's up to your decision does damage affect HP directly or does the damage have some other effects.
For example if damage die used is d6 results 1-4 don't deal actual damage but 5-6 might deal or possibly drop the opponent.
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| http://calvert-county.com |
For both competitors roll d20 + AB + Lance DMG (d6 if not included in weapon list). The winner of the round is one with higher result. If lance DMG die scores highest possible result roll again for cumulative effect. In addition this second DMG die roll inflicts HP damage. See the table below what happens for the loser:
Difference of results / Effect
1 - 5 = Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitors shield
6 - 8 = Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitors armor (save versus paralyze or fall down*)
9 - 10 = Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitors helmet (save versus paralyze or fall down* +5 to the roll)
11 - 15 = Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitor and knocks him down of a horse*
16 + =Winner successfully breaks his lance on competitor, knocks him down* and deals d6 HP damage
*Knocked Down Of A Horse
If competitor is knocked down of a horse roll d6 and see additional results from the table below.:
d6 / Effect
1 - 3 = Falling down doesn't hurt but is humiliating
4 - 8 = Falling down deals damage**
9 + = Falling down deals damage** and results broken bone***
**Damage
Normally jousting with lances doesn't deal damage except if the opponent is knocked down from the horse. Roll d6 for HP damage.
***Broken Bone
If bone breaks during jousting the healing time is 2d4 + 9 weeks during what time 5 penalty is suffered to each roll what affects the injured body part. Randomly determine from a table below what bone is broken:
1d6 / Broken bone
1, 2 - Left arm
3, 4, 5 - Right arm
6, 7 - Left leg
8, 9 - Right leg
10, 11 - Rib
12 - Back****
****Broken Back
Broken back is very serious and needs 4d6 + 9 weeks of rest to heal and character is not able to walk or perform complicated physical actions involving full body. Every time character is moved uncautiously add 5% to final roll to determine if character is paralyzed for good.
After the healing period roll d% to see if injure is permanent. Start with 10% and add 5% for every time character was moved irresponsibly.
_________________________________
These rules might seem to be a little complicated but I was just playing with some tables and wanted to create a small mini-game. You can easily strip these rules and just roll d20 + AB versus armor class for both of them and successful attack is a hit. If both hit it's a tie. You might also want to roll for damage but it's up to your decision does damage affect HP directly or does the damage have some other effects.
For example if damage die used is d6 results 1-4 don't deal actual damage but 5-6 might deal or possibly drop the opponent.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Hands Of Death - Spell
Spell for Lamentation of the Flame Princess, d20, OSR and other fantasy roleplaying games.
Overview
Hands of Death is a powerful spell where caster can literally kill by touch. There is a small change for huge advantage but similarly a small change for disadvantage.
Spell
LVL 8 Cleric spell
Caster must learn the spell from the Order of the Death.
When casting the spell caster must touch the target with both hands without interruption for 5 turns.
Target rolls save versus death (what saving roll is best for this) or dies immediately.
There is 5% change (20 on d20) that caster will absorb the victims soul and immediately gains new level. His experience points remain the same though.
There is also 5% change (1 on d20) that when stealing other's life is so exhausting that caster looses one level. His experience is downgraded to minimum of his new level.
The Order Of The Death
To join the order following requirements must be met:
Overview
Hands of Death is a powerful spell where caster can literally kill by touch. There is a small change for huge advantage but similarly a small change for disadvantage.
Spell
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| Image by: http://www.pusfan.com/port3.htm - Pushead |
Caster must learn the spell from the Order of the Death.
When casting the spell caster must touch the target with both hands without interruption for 5 turns.
Target rolls save versus death (what saving roll is best for this) or dies immediately.
There is 5% change (20 on d20) that caster will absorb the victims soul and immediately gains new level. His experience points remain the same though.
There is also 5% change (1 on d20) that when stealing other's life is so exhausting that caster looses one level. His experience is downgraded to minimum of his new level.
The Order Of The Death
To join the order following requirements must be met:
- Character must be of Cleric class (or similar)
- Character must worship a god dealing with death
- Character must be evil
- Minimum level to join the order is 7
Before membership character must run initiative quests. The quests are related to death. There are 5 steps of quests what Referee should decide.
In babtism to The Order of the Death character makes a vow that he will only serve death and nothing else. If character breaks this vow he dies. If character violates the vow he must make a will save (or what suits best) not to be outcast by his new god.
The order worships god of death and they practice taking lives for their god and for the balance of life.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
A-Z A for Adventuring in my games
For some reason only games I have ran adventures are fantasy games. Fantasy games I mean games like Praedor (Finnish low-fantasy rpg based on graphic novels), Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, Blue Rose, Lamentations of the Flame Princess and Fading Suns (even though Fading Suns is science fiction I see it more fantasy than sci-fi). Other games I have ran are more character, location or politics of the place oriented. I haven't hand adventuring in Vampire: the Masquerade or Call of Cthulhu for example.
In my Vampire games focus is in city and how character fits in or what character does in there. It is not like adventuring but more like life in there. Also Call of Cthulhu games have been revolving around how character is affected by the situation rather than character following a path of an adventure.
In fantasy rpgs (like those I mentioned in the beginning) it's been somehow easier and more natural to run an adventure. There's a beginning and a end and things in between and character follows it. It doesn't matter that much what kind of character is as similar adventure would have been with different characters. Of course some parts of the adventure might differ depending on character's actions and even the outcome of adventure might vary based on that. But for fantasy type of games I usually make an adventure. Something where it begins and what should have accomplished in a way or another for adventure to end. Other games are more freeform for me. There is this overall situation where character is put and while playing we see what happens to the character.
Difference is, that in fantasy games character is put in the adventure and we see how character deals with it and what he does before it ends and how his actions affect the ending.
In other games there is a situation, starting point, we put character there and see how character affects the surroundings and how surroundings affect the character.
In my Vampire games focus is in city and how character fits in or what character does in there. It is not like adventuring but more like life in there. Also Call of Cthulhu games have been revolving around how character is affected by the situation rather than character following a path of an adventure.
In fantasy rpgs (like those I mentioned in the beginning) it's been somehow easier and more natural to run an adventure. There's a beginning and a end and things in between and character follows it. It doesn't matter that much what kind of character is as similar adventure would have been with different characters. Of course some parts of the adventure might differ depending on character's actions and even the outcome of adventure might vary based on that. But for fantasy type of games I usually make an adventure. Something where it begins and what should have accomplished in a way or another for adventure to end. Other games are more freeform for me. There is this overall situation where character is put and while playing we see what happens to the character.
Difference is, that in fantasy games character is put in the adventure and we see how character deals with it and what he does before it ends and how his actions affect the ending.
In other games there is a situation, starting point, we put character there and see how character affects the surroundings and how surroundings affect the character.
Monday, February 27, 2012
[D20/D&D/OSR] 20 Quick questions for rules AND sharing posts
First post about this topic was here: http://barkingalien.blogspot.com/2012/02/20-untimately-questions-for-one-and.html
From that link I got here:
http://untimately.blogspot.com/2012/02/20-quick-questions-rules.html 20 questions about rules you are going to use in your D20/D&D/OSR/anygame session, adventure or campaign. Those questions seem to be focused on D&D styled games but you can use it with other games also. This list of questions will be especially useful in games which are really popular and which are known to be houseruled a lot. Or games which have already different rules in main rulebooks (some editions of D&D give different means to determine character attributes for example).
Really handy small tool to avoid confusion and rules arguments pre-game.
From that link I got here:
http://untimately.blogspot.com/2012/02/20-quick-questions-rules.html 20 questions about rules you are going to use in your D20/D&D/OSR/anygame session, adventure or campaign. Those questions seem to be focused on D&D styled games but you can use it with other games also. This list of questions will be especially useful in games which are really popular and which are known to be houseruled a lot. Or games which have already different rules in main rulebooks (some editions of D&D give different means to determine character attributes for example).
Really handy small tool to avoid confusion and rules arguments pre-game.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Creating a test character for Dungeonslayers
Like I said in my last post I found Dungeonslayers and decided to download and print it. Shuffled the main book and liked it on paper. System is fast, simple yet elegant. Character creation should be quick so let's try it out.
Rulebook for version 3.X can be found here: http://dungeonslayers.com/download/DungeonslayersEN.pdf
Let's begin.
1. Choose Race
There are three races available. Human, elf and dwarf. Races have slight differences for character creation. As there is no setting in the rules I have to choose my race by feel. Choice is really hard as every race is basic fantasy race and as there are no settings it's only my imagination what races are like. I'll go with a dwarf this time. Race dwarf grants me the following racial attributes: Darkvision and Longevity (only slow aging after adulthood). There are no special rules for these but I write them down. Note: For dungeon dwelling darktvision is priceless!
2. Choose Class
Classes are Fighter, Scout and Spellcaster divided in three what basically affects your spell learning. I want to hit things so I choose fighter.
3. Assign Attribute Values
Attributes are Body, Agility and Mind and I get 18 points to share between them. Minimum is 2 and maximum 10 and value must be even number.
Body: 8
Agility: 6
Mind: 2
4. Assign Ability Values
Abilities are under Attributes. Strength and Tougness for Body; Reflexes and Dexterity for Agility and Reason and Aura for Mind. I divide Attribute by two to get points to share between corresponding Abilities.
Body 8------Agility 6-----Mind 2
Strength 2--- Reflexes 2--Reason 1
Toughness 2-Dexterity 1--Aura 0
5. Race & Class Bonuses
For dwarven fighter I get the following: Strength, Toughness or Dexterity +1. I choose Toughness so it is now 3. Fighter gives Strength or Toughness +1 and I choose Strength what is now 3.
6. Initial Spells
As a fighter I skip this.
7. Equipment
All starting characters have basic equipment but no armor or weapons. I got 10 gold pieces to buy stuff and I decide to arm my dwarven fighter. Leather jerkin is cheapest armor what costs 4 gold pieces and with remaining 6 gold pieces I get Axe. If I want both armor and weapon there are not that many options to choose from because 10 gold pieces is really small amount of money. Axe gives me +1 to combat and Leather jerkin +1 to defence.
8. Combat Values
Little calculation based on my Attriutes, Abilities and Equipment.
Hitpoints: Body + Toughness + 10 = 21
Defense: Body + Toughness + Armor value = 12
Melee Attack: Body + Strength + Weapon Bonus = 12
Ranged Attack: Agility + Dexterity + Weapon Bonus = 7
Dodge: Agility + Reflexes - Armor Value = 7
Spellcasting: Mind + Aura + CB = 2
Targeted Spells: Mind + Dexterity + CB = 3
9. Speed
Speed is half my agility +1 so I record 4 meters per turn down.
10. Finishing Touches
This would be description and other not rule related information.
Rulebook for version 3.X can be found here: http://dungeonslayers.com/download/DungeonslayersEN.pdf
Let's begin.
1. Choose Race
There are three races available. Human, elf and dwarf. Races have slight differences for character creation. As there is no setting in the rules I have to choose my race by feel. Choice is really hard as every race is basic fantasy race and as there are no settings it's only my imagination what races are like. I'll go with a dwarf this time. Race dwarf grants me the following racial attributes: Darkvision and Longevity (only slow aging after adulthood). There are no special rules for these but I write them down. Note: For dungeon dwelling darktvision is priceless!
2. Choose Class
Classes are Fighter, Scout and Spellcaster divided in three what basically affects your spell learning. I want to hit things so I choose fighter.
3. Assign Attribute Values
Attributes are Body, Agility and Mind and I get 18 points to share between them. Minimum is 2 and maximum 10 and value must be even number.
Body: 8
Agility: 6
Mind: 2
4. Assign Ability Values
Abilities are under Attributes. Strength and Tougness for Body; Reflexes and Dexterity for Agility and Reason and Aura for Mind. I divide Attribute by two to get points to share between corresponding Abilities.
Body 8------Agility 6-----Mind 2
Strength 2--- Reflexes 2--Reason 1
Toughness 2-Dexterity 1--Aura 0
5. Race & Class Bonuses
For dwarven fighter I get the following: Strength, Toughness or Dexterity +1. I choose Toughness so it is now 3. Fighter gives Strength or Toughness +1 and I choose Strength what is now 3.
6. Initial Spells
As a fighter I skip this.
7. Equipment
All starting characters have basic equipment but no armor or weapons. I got 10 gold pieces to buy stuff and I decide to arm my dwarven fighter. Leather jerkin is cheapest armor what costs 4 gold pieces and with remaining 6 gold pieces I get Axe. If I want both armor and weapon there are not that many options to choose from because 10 gold pieces is really small amount of money. Axe gives me +1 to combat and Leather jerkin +1 to defence.
8. Combat Values
Little calculation based on my Attriutes, Abilities and Equipment.
Hitpoints: Body + Toughness + 10 = 21
Defense: Body + Toughness + Armor value = 12
Melee Attack: Body + Strength + Weapon Bonus = 12
Ranged Attack: Agility + Dexterity + Weapon Bonus = 7
Dodge: Agility + Reflexes - Armor Value = 7
Spellcasting: Mind + Aura + CB = 2
Targeted Spells: Mind + Dexterity + CB = 3
9. Speed
Speed is half my agility +1 so I record 4 meters per turn down.
10. Finishing Touches
This would be description and other not rule related information.
Printed Dungeonslayers 3.X thanks to RPG.net
Before I close my eyes in bed I have a habit to read RPG.net forums with my mobile phone. Lights are already out so cannot read a book anymore. So reading RPG.net with my phone is the finishing touch before Sandman pays me a visit.
Anyways reading it I opened this topic: [Dungeonslayers 4e] Wow. I got really curious about this Dungeonslayers game and decided to check out their homepage (Dungeonslayers homepage here, go check it out). With my mobile it wasn't that enjoyable to read but I found out that the previous version 3.X is free PDF.
So today at work before starting things up I went back to Dungeonslayers homepage and printed 3.X rules! I will also print those adventures and other material provided.
Thanks to RPG.net topic about this game I got really interested in it and at least one person who had never heard of it before (this is me) got into it, downloaded it. And after reading it might even suggest people to check it out themselves (aren't I already doing it?).
So basically I now have new game in my collection. Reading the forum I found out that it is really easy to learn (someone said 20 minutes) and it is really fast to play one-shots with. So maybe if the premise is right I can with minimum effort try it out. Core rules are not that big. 20 pages with tables for equipment etc. and a starting adventure.
So, without even reading it yet I encourage you to check www.dungeonslayers.com out!
I also found a review here: http://lawfulindifferent.blogspot.com/2011/03/dungeonslayers-review.html and http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/14/14647.phtml
(I labeled this OSR and I hope no grognard comes and murders me for it).
Anyways reading it I opened this topic: [Dungeonslayers 4e] Wow. I got really curious about this Dungeonslayers game and decided to check out their homepage (Dungeonslayers homepage here, go check it out). With my mobile it wasn't that enjoyable to read but I found out that the previous version 3.X is free PDF.
So today at work before starting things up I went back to Dungeonslayers homepage and printed 3.X rules! I will also print those adventures and other material provided.
Thanks to RPG.net topic about this game I got really interested in it and at least one person who had never heard of it before (this is me) got into it, downloaded it. And after reading it might even suggest people to check it out themselves (aren't I already doing it?).
So basically I now have new game in my collection. Reading the forum I found out that it is really easy to learn (someone said 20 minutes) and it is really fast to play one-shots with. So maybe if the premise is right I can with minimum effort try it out. Core rules are not that big. 20 pages with tables for equipment etc. and a starting adventure.
So, without even reading it yet I encourage you to check www.dungeonslayers.com out!
I also found a review here: http://lawfulindifferent.blogspot.com/2011/03/dungeonslayers-review.html and http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/14/14647.phtml
(I labeled this OSR and I hope no grognard comes and murders me for it).
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Mutants & Masterminds Review PART 1
First time I did read Mutants & Masterminds I did like it. I already had played Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 so I knew the basics how D20 system works and before that played simplified True20 system of Blue Rose. M&M is kind of between those two in complexity and above in character possibilities and customization. Still there are things I don't like about this D20 rules set.
Characters Without Class Nor Alignment
Classes I am ok with. But in this kind of game where heroes are all unique classes wouldn't work that well. But if you don't want to make a character from a scratch there are hero archtypes you can slightly custom to your own taste.
They aren't equal to classes which are base you create your character on but almost ready-to-play. Still, for those who don't want to use whole toolbox or are short of ideas there archtypes are welcome.
There is no alignment but somehow I feel that it (good, evil, lawful) could determine where character stands. BUT what else alignment does except being a part of game mechanics? You can write in your character description lawful evil superhero. Isn't that the same without mechanical use in game? Yes it is. I think D&D alignment system - even though somehow confusing - describes easily both character's moral and order.
True D20 Game With Only 20-Sided Die
This game only uses D20. Well, Dd20 system basically only uses D20 when determining successes but effects are simulated with different dies for example damage.
Which is more simple? In D&D roll to hit then roll damage what is exactly what die shows plus/minus something. In M&M:
"Characters in Mutants&Masterminds do not have hit points based on their level and Constitution bonus, and damage is not rolled using other dice. Instead, each attack has a damage modifier used to calculate a Difficulty Class. The character makes a Damage saving throw against that Difficulty Class and the result of the..." blah blah blah. Roll, calculate, roll against. How does that differ from actually rolling damage and settling for that? Or if you don't like hit points make damage steps. Light, moderate and heavy wounds. Damage dealt between 1-4 points is light, 5-9 moderate etc based on constitution. Character can take more lights but when those are used/marked they convert to next step. Well, check out Kult 1st edition.
Point is that this system in my opinion is too complicated. I didn't like it in Blue Rose either. But more about damage later and when you think about it, is it that bad?
Attacks of opportunity I didn't use in my D&D3.0 game (no minis extra complication) so I am pleased it isn't used here.
Character Creation
I did create a test character some time ago. It was ok. But there is a problem when I think harder. The problem is same I dislike GURPS character creation. You get a punch of points you must use for EVERYTHING. Its really hard to allocate points to abilities when you are not sure how many points your concepts powers will take. And then you try to balance your character so he can fly - well. Or he has this cool megacannon he is shit shooting with. So, you carefully allocate points here to get basics, move to powers to get core and continue jumping back and forward to balance with your points. And don't forget restrictions on max attack bonus etc. I do like point buy system for customization purpose but I prefer different areas of character having different point pools. Makes things less accounting and less mathematics.
The Abilities are same from other D20 games. I think those six cover really well characteristics although I always had a problem making difference between Intelligence and Wisdom. Skills I think work well in this genre.
Feats I am not so sure do I like them or not. They do give this little extra touch for character but they are way too mechanical in nature. I'd like more descriptional use-your-common-sense types and probably when I play I treat them that way. Less I have to open rulebook during the course of the game the better.
Super-Powers
Then what makes superhero game a superhero game; the super-powers. This would take ages to review. Let's say. You have tons of powers you can custom. And by custom I mean Xzibit Pimp my powers custom. You take energy say. Decide do you shoot it from your eyes, fingertips or mechanical cannon. Does it explode etc. Point is that you have basic power listed which you can custom for your character from it's origin to flaws. This is the super-power toolbox and it will take most of the time of the character creation. I have to admit this is the first and only supers game I've got to know so I am not sure how big the power section in this game is compared to others.
Back To Character Creation
Earlier I used therm "characteristics" when I actually meant abilities (dexterity, charisma and those). But actual characteristics chapter reads "filling in the details". It contains both writing fiction for your character. About his appearance, origin, motivation and so on. But also gives mechanical details for character sheet for example saving throw values, carrying capacity, hero points and so on. Hero points you can use to re-roll dice, improve defense, eliminate stun hits and other short-term advances for a certain situation. According to book hero points character has are meant roughly to last four hour session. If sessions are shorter GM may consider to award them back slowly or if sessions are longer than six hours more often. Basically hero points are replenished after a certain time mainly determined by GM.
In this chapter you can also choose weaknesses. For every weakness player is awarded 10 extra points for his character to spend in character creation. Weaknesses are common what you find in other games labeled "disadvantages" or "flaws". Those also contain rules how they work and what penalty they give in which situation. Yet again I like to use them when I see appropriate instead of reading when to use those. You know, yet less rules to remember. Particularly when you have several players who might not know or remember to use them right.
Devices are basically part two to super-powers. Super-powers are within character when devices are gadgets and mechanical items giving those super-(like)-powers. Devices can be anything from weapons to headquarters. You can also make super-powers devices just applying device flaw on them. That way you don't fly on your own, but fly with a device; rocket backback for example. Nice additional touch is random powerful device name generator. Roll D20 for first word and D20 for second word to combine with. And you might get a device called "The Kinetic Repulsor" or "The Anti-Matter Nullifier". Deal with those!
For those familiar with D&D 3.X combat rules are easy to learn. To attack roll D20 and add base attack bonus + strength modifier + size modifier. Ranged is similar but with dexterity modifier instead of strength modifier and subtract range penalty. Easy as it is.
Defense is 10 + base defense bonus + dexterity modifier + size modifier. That is the number you try to roll over when attacking to hit and wound your opponent. Lots of calculation but luckily you have already written those down in your character sheet. So just check out the number for your melee or ranged attack and add it to D20 roll. Same way skills work. Roll modifiers to your skill what you try to do, roll D20 and try to score over difficulty number determined by situation or GM.
What is really different from D&D 3.X is damage. This is when my brains crack. So when you hit with your attack you potentially deal damage instead of just rolling damage. Each attack has a damage bonus. Melee attack damage bonus is strength plus possible modifiers from for example super-powers. Ranged attacks use power level of weapon or attack type as damage bonus. If opponent is hit he must make damage saving throw with damage save bonus. Damage save bonus is constitution bonus + power bonuses + modifiers. Roll D20 and add damage save bonus against difficulty of 15 + attack's damage bonus. Then based on your success or failure determine how much damage is dealt. Success means no damage, fail means injured, fail by 5+ means stunned and fail by 10+ disabled. And there are two types of damages: stun and lethal with slightly different effects.
I think when you fight a few fights you get the gist of it but still to make some of the rules more simple why damage rules are this complicated? It does take several problems from hacking hit point per time away though. But still I am not happy with this. But it's similar to other D20 rules. Add this to that and bonus and modifier + D20 against this with that modifier or DC of this plus modifier. When you think about it and go deep enough damage works the exactly same way as other rules. It makes sense, but still I am not 100% convinced.
But there is alternative way to roll damage. After hitting opponent attacker makes roll D20 + damage bonus against opponents constitution bonus + power bonuses + modifiers + 15. Consult the table what type of damage is dealt based on success. I actually like this more somehow. Attacker rolls when attacker attacks. But still it basically is the same mechanics.
Another thing I hate are different types of actions. Free, half and full. Luckily there is a list of these and they most definately are print-to-sheet material for quick access. Other combat rules naturally cover initiative, movement and position, modifiers from situations and surroundings. Lots of tables to check on. Personally I am the GM who strips these and goes with the flow. Depending on what happens in game I give or reduce penalties and rule myself what modifiers take place. Thanks to World of Darkness games I don't need too detailed combats. I want my combat turns to go like this:
Player: "I jump over the cover and shoot him."
Me as GM: "Okay, from jumping and shooting you suffer penalties. It's hard to aim when in movement. Oh, and your opponent is in partial cover. Hmm take -7 to your roll."
Someone might argue that my style is not fair as penalties and modifiers are not written in stone and after few weeks similar situation might only be -5 or even -9 penalty to attack roll. Stable rules, people say, what work same way every time. I partially agree. Rules are good so situations have a norm what player character follows. But I want fast action. Instead of spending tens of seconds calculating every modifier and determining situations by the book I keep action fast and just say it. That is my style and basically rules wise it is wrong.
Breaking items is easy. Substance hardness + 15 is difficulty. There are also other little bits what are nice and easy to deal with. But what about grapple rules what commonly in roleplaying games are clumsy or even hard to understand? Attack roll is basically same as melee attack roll. After initiative grapple when you decide to hold your opponent make opposite checks next turn. You win, you keep your grip. Opponent wins and he breaks apart. There are also different things you can do in grapple like do damage or just pin. You can also make a group grapple... visualizing it makes me laugh out loud.
Also basic hazards and conditions are covered like starvation, falling, disease and radiation (you might re-allocate power points if radiation is exotic, or it might work like poison). I think rules cover in only 18 pages everything needed and personally for me half of that is gibberish. Not bad at all. At this point of rulebook roughly only one third left most of the material has been about character. Character creation, powers, devices etc. and at page 143 only 18 pages of hard rules. Not bad at all again.
Unfortunately, this is where I have read the book and will continue to read from this point. Gamemastering - Creating and running the universe is the next chapter. I will continue this "review" when I finish the book.
Characters Without Class Nor Alignment
Classes I am ok with. But in this kind of game where heroes are all unique classes wouldn't work that well. But if you don't want to make a character from a scratch there are hero archtypes you can slightly custom to your own taste.
They aren't equal to classes which are base you create your character on but almost ready-to-play. Still, for those who don't want to use whole toolbox or are short of ideas there archtypes are welcome.
There is no alignment but somehow I feel that it (good, evil, lawful) could determine where character stands. BUT what else alignment does except being a part of game mechanics? You can write in your character description lawful evil superhero. Isn't that the same without mechanical use in game? Yes it is. I think D&D alignment system - even though somehow confusing - describes easily both character's moral and order.
True D20 Game With Only 20-Sided Die
This game only uses D20. Well, Dd20 system basically only uses D20 when determining successes but effects are simulated with different dies for example damage.
Which is more simple? In D&D roll to hit then roll damage what is exactly what die shows plus/minus something. In M&M:
"Characters in Mutants&Masterminds do not have hit points based on their level and Constitution bonus, and damage is not rolled using other dice. Instead, each attack has a damage modifier used to calculate a Difficulty Class. The character makes a Damage saving throw against that Difficulty Class and the result of the..." blah blah blah. Roll, calculate, roll against. How does that differ from actually rolling damage and settling for that? Or if you don't like hit points make damage steps. Light, moderate and heavy wounds. Damage dealt between 1-4 points is light, 5-9 moderate etc based on constitution. Character can take more lights but when those are used/marked they convert to next step. Well, check out Kult 1st edition.
Point is that this system in my opinion is too complicated. I didn't like it in Blue Rose either. But more about damage later and when you think about it, is it that bad?
Attacks of opportunity I didn't use in my D&D3.0 game (no minis extra complication) so I am pleased it isn't used here.
Character Creation
I did create a test character some time ago. It was ok. But there is a problem when I think harder. The problem is same I dislike GURPS character creation. You get a punch of points you must use for EVERYTHING. Its really hard to allocate points to abilities when you are not sure how many points your concepts powers will take. And then you try to balance your character so he can fly - well. Or he has this cool megacannon he is shit shooting with. So, you carefully allocate points here to get basics, move to powers to get core and continue jumping back and forward to balance with your points. And don't forget restrictions on max attack bonus etc. I do like point buy system for customization purpose but I prefer different areas of character having different point pools. Makes things less accounting and less mathematics.
The Abilities are same from other D20 games. I think those six cover really well characteristics although I always had a problem making difference between Intelligence and Wisdom. Skills I think work well in this genre.
Feats I am not so sure do I like them or not. They do give this little extra touch for character but they are way too mechanical in nature. I'd like more descriptional use-your-common-sense types and probably when I play I treat them that way. Less I have to open rulebook during the course of the game the better.
Super-Powers
Then what makes superhero game a superhero game; the super-powers. This would take ages to review. Let's say. You have tons of powers you can custom. And by custom I mean Xzibit Pimp my powers custom. You take energy say. Decide do you shoot it from your eyes, fingertips or mechanical cannon. Does it explode etc. Point is that you have basic power listed which you can custom for your character from it's origin to flaws. This is the super-power toolbox and it will take most of the time of the character creation. I have to admit this is the first and only supers game I've got to know so I am not sure how big the power section in this game is compared to others.
Back To Character Creation
Earlier I used therm "characteristics" when I actually meant abilities (dexterity, charisma and those). But actual characteristics chapter reads "filling in the details". It contains both writing fiction for your character. About his appearance, origin, motivation and so on. But also gives mechanical details for character sheet for example saving throw values, carrying capacity, hero points and so on. Hero points you can use to re-roll dice, improve defense, eliminate stun hits and other short-term advances for a certain situation. According to book hero points character has are meant roughly to last four hour session. If sessions are shorter GM may consider to award them back slowly or if sessions are longer than six hours more often. Basically hero points are replenished after a certain time mainly determined by GM.
In this chapter you can also choose weaknesses. For every weakness player is awarded 10 extra points for his character to spend in character creation. Weaknesses are common what you find in other games labeled "disadvantages" or "flaws". Those also contain rules how they work and what penalty they give in which situation. Yet again I like to use them when I see appropriate instead of reading when to use those. You know, yet less rules to remember. Particularly when you have several players who might not know or remember to use them right.
Devices are basically part two to super-powers. Super-powers are within character when devices are gadgets and mechanical items giving those super-(like)-powers. Devices can be anything from weapons to headquarters. You can also make super-powers devices just applying device flaw on them. That way you don't fly on your own, but fly with a device; rocket backback for example. Nice additional touch is random powerful device name generator. Roll D20 for first word and D20 for second word to combine with. And you might get a device called "The Kinetic Repulsor" or "The Anti-Matter Nullifier". Deal with those!
For those familiar with D&D 3.X combat rules are easy to learn. To attack roll D20 and add base attack bonus + strength modifier + size modifier. Ranged is similar but with dexterity modifier instead of strength modifier and subtract range penalty. Easy as it is.
Defense is 10 + base defense bonus + dexterity modifier + size modifier. That is the number you try to roll over when attacking to hit and wound your opponent. Lots of calculation but luckily you have already written those down in your character sheet. So just check out the number for your melee or ranged attack and add it to D20 roll. Same way skills work. Roll modifiers to your skill what you try to do, roll D20 and try to score over difficulty number determined by situation or GM.
What is really different from D&D 3.X is damage. This is when my brains crack. So when you hit with your attack you potentially deal damage instead of just rolling damage. Each attack has a damage bonus. Melee attack damage bonus is strength plus possible modifiers from for example super-powers. Ranged attacks use power level of weapon or attack type as damage bonus. If opponent is hit he must make damage saving throw with damage save bonus. Damage save bonus is constitution bonus + power bonuses + modifiers. Roll D20 and add damage save bonus against difficulty of 15 + attack's damage bonus. Then based on your success or failure determine how much damage is dealt. Success means no damage, fail means injured, fail by 5+ means stunned and fail by 10+ disabled. And there are two types of damages: stun and lethal with slightly different effects.
I think when you fight a few fights you get the gist of it but still to make some of the rules more simple why damage rules are this complicated? It does take several problems from hacking hit point per time away though. But still I am not happy with this. But it's similar to other D20 rules. Add this to that and bonus and modifier + D20 against this with that modifier or DC of this plus modifier. When you think about it and go deep enough damage works the exactly same way as other rules. It makes sense, but still I am not 100% convinced.
But there is alternative way to roll damage. After hitting opponent attacker makes roll D20 + damage bonus against opponents constitution bonus + power bonuses + modifiers + 15. Consult the table what type of damage is dealt based on success. I actually like this more somehow. Attacker rolls when attacker attacks. But still it basically is the same mechanics.
Another thing I hate are different types of actions. Free, half and full. Luckily there is a list of these and they most definately are print-to-sheet material for quick access. Other combat rules naturally cover initiative, movement and position, modifiers from situations and surroundings. Lots of tables to check on. Personally I am the GM who strips these and goes with the flow. Depending on what happens in game I give or reduce penalties and rule myself what modifiers take place. Thanks to World of Darkness games I don't need too detailed combats. I want my combat turns to go like this:
Player: "I jump over the cover and shoot him."
Me as GM: "Okay, from jumping and shooting you suffer penalties. It's hard to aim when in movement. Oh, and your opponent is in partial cover. Hmm take -7 to your roll."
Someone might argue that my style is not fair as penalties and modifiers are not written in stone and after few weeks similar situation might only be -5 or even -9 penalty to attack roll. Stable rules, people say, what work same way every time. I partially agree. Rules are good so situations have a norm what player character follows. But I want fast action. Instead of spending tens of seconds calculating every modifier and determining situations by the book I keep action fast and just say it. That is my style and basically rules wise it is wrong.
Breaking items is easy. Substance hardness + 15 is difficulty. There are also other little bits what are nice and easy to deal with. But what about grapple rules what commonly in roleplaying games are clumsy or even hard to understand? Attack roll is basically same as melee attack roll. After initiative grapple when you decide to hold your opponent make opposite checks next turn. You win, you keep your grip. Opponent wins and he breaks apart. There are also different things you can do in grapple like do damage or just pin. You can also make a group grapple... visualizing it makes me laugh out loud.
Also basic hazards and conditions are covered like starvation, falling, disease and radiation (you might re-allocate power points if radiation is exotic, or it might work like poison). I think rules cover in only 18 pages everything needed and personally for me half of that is gibberish. Not bad at all. At this point of rulebook roughly only one third left most of the material has been about character. Character creation, powers, devices etc. and at page 143 only 18 pages of hard rules. Not bad at all again.
Unfortunately, this is where I have read the book and will continue to read from this point. Gamemastering - Creating and running the universe is the next chapter. I will continue this "review" when I finish the book.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Playing D&D With Porn Stars: Why I Love Simple Initiative
Playing D&D With Porn Stars: Why I Love Simple Initiative: "The players come around a corner and there's a bunch of goblins about to eat a baby. It's time to fight. Who goes first? The most realisti..."
I have heard of this blog, mostly thanks for its notorious title. I did also know that this gaming group plays mostly DnD. Somehow now, today I thought that I'd check out this blog and decided to start from the very beginning.
And wow, first post (after players introduction) was cool.
I usually roll Initiative for all the bad guys, maybe different initiative for boss-figure if there is one, and every playercharacter rolls individual initiative. So if there are 4 characters, 5 normal monsters and 1 bigger goon there would be 6 initiative phases in a round.
And I know, that if you have to wait your 3 friends to do their turn, then all my 5 monsters and then this boss goon, that poor last player gets bored to death. Heck, I've been there!
Nothing kills joy of game more than waiting. Is it waiting for your turn in a fast paced fight (in game time atleast) what actually costs you 10 minutes waiting to roll to hit, or GM starting to fobble through his rulebook for some nitpicking.
Why did I point out that blog post at the start. Because, it is that good. Simple. And fun to read.
From now on I will take 2 initiative phases. 1 for enemies and 1 for heroes. Period. Or atleast in group-dynamic games.
I have heard of this blog, mostly thanks for its notorious title. I did also know that this gaming group plays mostly DnD. Somehow now, today I thought that I'd check out this blog and decided to start from the very beginning.
And wow, first post (after players introduction) was cool.
I usually roll Initiative for all the bad guys, maybe different initiative for boss-figure if there is one, and every playercharacter rolls individual initiative. So if there are 4 characters, 5 normal monsters and 1 bigger goon there would be 6 initiative phases in a round.
And I know, that if you have to wait your 3 friends to do their turn, then all my 5 monsters and then this boss goon, that poor last player gets bored to death. Heck, I've been there!
Nothing kills joy of game more than waiting. Is it waiting for your turn in a fast paced fight (in game time atleast) what actually costs you 10 minutes waiting to roll to hit, or GM starting to fobble through his rulebook for some nitpicking.
Why did I point out that blog post at the start. Because, it is that good. Simple. And fun to read.
From now on I will take 2 initiative phases. 1 for enemies and 1 for heroes. Period. Or atleast in group-dynamic games.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Rant: I hate D20
Allright, D20 system can be used in Dungeons & Dragons, I don't mind that, but one thing what really, really aggravates me is that every single game must be converted to D20. I'd like to get BESM for my collection, but quess what, easily available version is D20. I think it isn't the original or it doesn't have the original feel anymore. I am not sure of tri-stat system (doesn't it use that) or is D20 actually better system or not, but I don't buy it (as a "feel" or a copy of it). Many of out of print games are again available, but in damn D20 format. There is many games that I'd like to collect, and they are hard to find nowadays and when browsing rpg shops and I actually find a copy of game I'd like to get, I allways get disappointed when I see that cursed D20 logo on them. Hey, c'mon! If I want to buy an older game, I want it older, not damn D20 incarnation of it.
As I am watching Farscape now and really, really like it and I knew there is Farscape rpg available, I almost wet my pants. When I did search it in rpg store's stock I cannot describe my rage, as it is - ofcourse - in D20. I don't want any level or class based Farscape science fiction. I don't want to roll D20 + modifier against difficulty number or what ever it is. I don't want uni-rules for all frikkin' games (at least when those uni-rules are damn D20), so I stopped lusting for my copy of Farscape rpg. D20 system ruined it for me, even if I didn't buy it.
I like Star Wars, not a big fan, but I like it. It has great value in science fiction genre, and I really enjoyed the movies when I was a kid, and I still do (even if episodes 1-3 are bull's butt). I got myself Star Wars SAGA and thought I can bear the D20 system, but never finished reading it. Most of the book is damn D20 rules and them damn D20 rules are stupid in my opinion. I will never run it. Nor read through. I wish I had Star Wars D6 instead of that stupid D20 book.
What about WoD D20? I don't want to even start about it, as in one forum I got my butt whooped over ranting about it. Okay, I know I haven't read it or even kept it in my grip, but still... D20 WoD with totally different backstory than original World of Darkness. I can take the idea of "dungeon crawl vamps and wuffies fighting with each other" and I can even bear the idea of supernatural beings from other darn dimension, but still... LVL 6 vampire. I don't buy it. It just feels so wrong. If the idea of D20 WoD is to give WoD to those D20 purists, it is a failure. If you cannot bear storytelling system and love your D20, don't play damn WoD. It is not ment for you. I can imagine conversation between D20 WoD-player and Storyteller WoD-player. Is there anything common with them? Might be, but I doubt. We are emo.
The fact is, that WotC is huge, they are one of the few dominating the markets, and they got money. It is good and respected effort that they actually cast resurrection spells to games what have been forgotten, or where setting was nice but rules sucked, but I am starting to get really, really angry about everything turning to D20. I don't like D20. I got my D&D
3rd edition and Blue Rose with True20 (please, don't tell me how D&D 3.5, or 4th, or Pathfinder or anything else with D20 system is better than my "experience" with 3rd edition) which is my actual D20 experience. Well, never played D&D 3rd edition but I have read it a couple of times. If I want basic high fantasy adventures, I wouldn't choose D20 even then. I just don't like it. I like to roleplay in my mind, not with minis and battlemaps. I do want to roleplay, not rollplay. I know, you can roleplay even with tv-guide with enough imagination, and I am not rules heavy gm even in games with lightest rules but still, whole D20 concept relies on rules in my opinion. And all those attacks of opportunities and other feats you basically cannot play without buttons, paperscraps or minis is so frustrating. I want to be able to fully play my rpg without any other items. If I want to use minis, I play a game like Necromunda (been adding rpg aspects on it also in the past actually).True20 was bearable. Take D20 system, make it a bit more simple. But still, it didn't tickle me. It still is lvl based. It still has some combat manouvers what are used in big part of action. I like my action to be "throw dice and describe" not "read your character sheets dozen feats and decide what you use". I like freedom in action, not list of what my character can do and cannot do.
You can still play D20 without rules, or modificate the rules to suit you, or make it rules light. You can ditch the attack of opportunities and other things you don't like, but it still is the same. You cannot change it.
I don't mean to attack all of you D20 lovers out there. Billion people cannot be wrong, and D20 is doing good. It just isn't for me. I don't mind what you play, more important thing is that you enjoy what you are playing. Most annoying about D20 what actually concerns me is that everything seems to be D20. Many interesting settings and books turn me off because of that D20.
Well, as a WoD fan, I don't like nWoD actually, but that is another story. I think Savage Worlds could be a good competitor to D20. I know, it will never take the crown from D20 and claim itself the "one" who resurrects old games, but it has potential. For Savage Worlds there is also good number of old games re-published.
It's good to get this out of my head. Now, peace, finally.
(Pictures from:
http://www.velvetdicebag.net/images/vdb/d20logobig.jpg
http://www.thesuperest.com/heroes/g07_d20.jpg)
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