Sunday, December 25, 2016

Happy Box Set Day!

Today is December 26th, known in many nations as Boxing Day. Today, I'm starting a new tradition in the OSR gaming community. With that I wish you a happy...

That's right, Box Set Day. How does one celebrate Box Set Day? Well for me, that means giving away an RPG Box Set. This won't necessarily be an OSR game, but it will always be an RPG Box Set. So, this year I'm giving away a complete Pathfinder Beginner Box. While I'm not a fan of Pathfinder's endless supplement glut, the core game is a great RPG and the Beginner Box has more than enough to keep a campaign going for quite some time. Rule book, adventure, color cardstock minis, maps, four pre-gen characters with rules for taking them to 5th level, and a set of dice. It's very open-and-play.

This Pathfinder Beginner Box is VERY SLIGHTLY used. I took the shrink off, looking through the contents, and then shelved it. It can be yours, but you have to comment today, December 26th, and tell me your favorite RPG box set. I'll select a winner on the 27th. The contest is open to all US residents, and it will be shipped media mail.

I encourage you to participate either this year, or next year. Let's cap off 12 Days of OSR Christmas with a little extra punch. As for next year, who knows? Maybe a Star Wars Introductory Adventure Box Set? A D&D Adveture Game Box Set (circa '91 or '94)? Shadowrun Alphaware Box Set? Who knows? Heck, you could even put together your own "box set." Next year I might throw together a copy of +Charlie Mason's White Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game, along with Referee Screen inserts (and a universal screen), a few printed character sheets, and a set of dice - all in a plain white box. It's all about sharing the games and sharing the love.



Tuesday, December 13, 2016

12 Days of OSR Christmas


Today is the first day of The 12 Days of OSR Christmas. Simply leave a comment below (on this post only!) and I'll select one commenter each day to win a single random prize. Only one commenter per person, please.

But, there's a catch: You have to tell me why squirrels are awesome. If your comment doesn't include that, you're disqualified.

All prizes will be shipped via media mail and I ask that those who enter be residents of the U.S. 48, simply because I can't afford the insane international shipping rates.

This year I'm offering up the following prizes:
1st Day: Saddle-stitch copy of Blueholme Prentice Roleplaying Game (WINNER: +Frank Turfler!)
2nd Day: Hardcover copy of Swords & Wizardry White Box (WINNER: +Christopher Bishop) 
3rd Day: Softcover copy of Swords & Wizardry White Box (WINNER: +Jeff Scifert)
4th Day: Softcover Tunnels & Trolls Deluxe, 7th ed (WINNER: +Jim Cox)
5th Day: DC Universe RPG Roleplaying Box Set (D6 System) (WINNER: +Ragnar Hill)
6th Day: Smallville Roleplaying Game Hardcover (WINNER: +Edward Fadigan)
7th Day: Coil-Bound Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea Player's Manual (1st ed) (WINNER: +Dak Ultimak)
8th Day: Coil-Bound Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea Player's Manual (1st ed) (WINNER: +Vincent Florio)
9th Day: Hardcover copy of The Hero's Journey Fantasy Roleplaying (WINNER: +Jason Vines)
10th Day: Hardcover copy of White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying (WINNER: +Dale Houston)
11th Day: Hardcover copy of White Box Omnibus (WINNER: +William Dowie)
12th Day: Labyrinth Lord Revised Hardcover & Labyrinth Lord AEC Hardcover (my personal copies with unique Tolkien-themed covers) ( +R.J. Thompson)

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Long Live White Box

So, with the release of +Charlie Mason's White Box and the upcoming release of the inaugural issue of his associated 'zine The Wizard's Scroll, I got to thinking about Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox again. I think over the past two years or so the OSR community has really seen an explosion in material for WB and WB-based games - and that's awesome.

I say that not just as a publisher, but also as a fan of this rules light game. From its stripped down astetic, to its ultra-simple rules set, to its seemingly infinite hackability, I can safely say its my favorite game in the OSR. But I think my love of WB doesn't really come from any of the things I mentioned above. I think it comes from the seemingly boundless creativity it creates in those who design products using it as a base.

In addition to my little sci-fi game, White Star, there are also a shit ton of WB-based games that are bent to different genres. +Bill Logan's White Lies is modern espionage. Sleeping Griffon has published Skyscrapers and Sorcery, which brings modern fantasy into play. +Pete Spahn just released WWII: Operation White Box, a historic incarnation based around World War II. I think it's only a matter of time before we see Cosmic Horror, Cyberpunk, and other genres bolted onto the White Box design elements.

But at its core, Swords & Wizardry: White Box is a fantasy RPG and many releases don't go far from that. Whether it's a heavily modified and expanded version (like The Hero's Journey) or a cleaned up version of the original with excellent layout and a few expanded rules like Charlie's White Box, both games hold close to the fantasy origins of the game. +Vincent Florio and +Brian Fitzpatrick published a more Conan-esque collection of adventures in their Lost Age Adventures line of products - something which I hope they return to some day. I've also had some success with more traditional supplements for fantasy, with my own line of White Box products.

In short, I think we've seen Swords & Wizardry: White Box go from an oft-mentioned but rarely utilized game to an active force in the OSR over the past two years or so. Mason's White Box brings a professional design element to that game and I think he's leading the charge for this game. It's my belief that Swords & Wizardry: White Box has finally stepped out of the shadows and is a game that will be played and enjoyed for years to come thanks to so many creative people grabbing hold of a simple set of rules and saying "You know what would be fun to do with this?" and then doing it.

Oh, and I love the fact that the vast majority of White Box-based games put in print are done so in digest format. Easy to store, transport, and reference at a table - and they don't cost $22,100 on eBay.

Friday, December 2, 2016

The Final Purge

As some of you may know, I recently had a rather sudden and expensive financial obligation arise that needed to be addressed very, very quickly. So, again, I sold off some of my gaming collection. OK, a lot of my gaming collection. Fine, I sold off damn near all of my gaming collection. I've gone for four floor-to-ceiling bookcases to two shelves on a single book case over the past few years - and one of those shelves is just Star Wars RPG books. So, to my mind, that really feels more like one shelf.

Image result for nerd rage
"What? Why would you do that, James?"

Well, because I had to. And you know what? I'm glad I did it. I still have a huge PDF collection thanks to OBS and as a player, PDFs suit me just fine. Aside from that I did some cold, logical thinking. My brainspace when something like this:

Brain: "Well, James, what genres do you tend to run?"
Me: "Sci-fi and fantasy."
Brain: "Alright, what are your favorite sci-fi and fantasy RPGs?"
Me: "Star Wars, obviously."
Brain: "Duh. What else?"
Me: "Well, everything else I'd want to run in an ideal world can be done using White Star or The Hero's Journey. They were written by me, so they suit my style of DMing."
Brain: "OK, so, what other books do you need?"
James: "Well, I should hold on to books for game lines I regularly freelance on. That's a workplace reference, if nothing else. Also, as a point of pride I'd like to hold on to The One Ring and Rocket Age, since I'm really proud of the work I did on those game lines."
Brain: "Makes sense. What about the other stuff?"
James: "I really like it."
Brain: "And do you stop liking it because you no longer own it."
James: "No, but-"
Brain: "But what? Your memories don't go away just because you don't own the books anymore."
James: "But the Rules Cyclopedia is so cool!"
Brain: "Yep. It sure is, and you haven't opened it in five years. Does you owning it make it somehow cooler?"
James: "No, but-"
Brain: "James, buddy, you're not a collector. You're a gamer and a creator. Stop trying to be a collector."

So, I did just that. And I feel good. I own the books for EXACTLY the games I want to run and no others. That reminds the obligation of my player saying "But we want to play <insert game on my shelf that I'm not into running>," and me feeling obligated to accommodate them. "Sorry gang. I run White Star, The Hero's Journey, and Star Wars. If someone else wants to run something, I'll play anything anyone wants to put on the table - but that's what I run."

It's very liberating.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Why Can't This Be Love?

I really, really like Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition). Like a lot. It's a rock solid game that strikes a great balance between crunch, approachability (is that a word?), and ease of play. I've played several characters in 5e games and enjoyed all of them. I own a slew of books in the game line. My group is composed (except for myself) with players who all got exposed to the hobby after 3rd edition, though none of them played 4th. They're all glad to play 5e. Seems like the perfect fit, right?

Then why can't I run it?

I don't mean physically. I mean psychologically. I sit down with the 5e books, pour through these beautiful pages, think up all kinds of ideas, start letting ideas spin for an amazing epic fantasy campaign worthy of song and legend (or so my ego tells me). But when the time comes to actually do the work and put pen to paper, my resolve fades. I think, "Nah, I'd rather run White Box (or Basic Fantasy, or Dungeon Crawl Classics, or Castles & Crusades, or Swords & Wizardry Complete, or Labyrinth Lord, or The Hero's Journey, etc).

Why is that? What gives? I want to run 5e. Or at least I think I do. So, what gives? I know my players will enjoy themselves. I know I'll enjoy myself. I've got a plethora of material so a ton of prep isn't necessary. This has been nagging in the back of my mind for the past year, but in the past few weeks it' genuinely bothering me. So, what gives?

I wish I had an answer.


Sunday, October 9, 2016

Simple and Classy

I love character options. Heck, it might even be an obsession given that I wrote over fifty alternate classes for Labyrinth Lord and published a hardcover collection of them for the same game. I did extra classes for both Swords & Wizardry Complete and Swords & Wizardry White Box. So yeah, it's a bit of a wheelhouse of mine, and probably always will be. There's something about designing a class that is just really fun for me.

But, I'm getting old and simplicity is becoming more and more appealing as the years accumulate. Lately I've been reading +Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game. Every time I read it, I like it more and more. It only features your "core" four classes: Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, and Thief. Unlike other games which draw heavily on B/X-era D&D, BFRPG uses race and class, not race as class.


So, continuing to use BFRPG as an example, we have the following character options if we use just the core rule book:

Human Cleric
Human Fighter
Human Magic-User
Human Thief
Dwarf Cleric
Dwarf Fighter
Dwarf Thief
Elf Cleric
Elf Fighter
Elf Fighter/Magic-User
Elf Magic-User
Elf Magic-User/Thief
Elf Thief
Halfling Cleric
Halfling Fighter
Halfling Thief

That's 16 possible class and race combinations, using only the core rules. That's quite a lot, if you ask me. I can hear what you're saying now, "But what if I want to play a ranger, a paladin, or an illusionist?"

This brings me to my other issue. I'm a huge fan of Secondary Skills over Non-Weapon Proficiencies. You wanted to play a ranger? Sure, simply choose "Forester" or "Hunter" as your secondary skill. You're now a fighter who is also a forester. Want to track a creature through the woods? Ask your GM what you should roll. They may require an attribute check or give you an "X-in-1d6" chance, or a percentage chance. This could change based on level, circumstances, or both.

This encapsulates the "rulings, not rules" ethos of the OSR. The GM decides how it's handled - often on the fly. Instead of spending five minutes flipping through a book for a chart, a quick ruling is made and the game moves forward. To continue with the "Forester" example, a Thief who has this secondary skill might be a Robin Hood type bandit, while a magic-user might be a mysterious witch. A cleric who is a forestser? Druid much?

This can also make for some interesting combinations. Take an uncommon profession that's not even on a chart, but still evocative; Rat-catcher, for example. A fighter who is also a rat-catcher might be skilled at the training of dogs like terriers and others bred to hunt vermin as well as be quiet knowledgeable about the layout of local sewers. A magic-user with this profession must have a cat familiar who assists them in their profession and practice magic tied to plague and summoning small monsters - or even hunting magical vermin.

"But I still can't play a paladin," you say. Sure you can - and you don't even have to be Lawful Good. Heck, in BFRPG there are no alignments. Simply be a Fighter who was raised in the church and genuinely believes in their doctrine. You're not a paladin because you can Lay on Hands. You're a paladin because you believe in the holy word and crusade against its enemies. A magic-user raised in the church might act as a magical inquisitor - he knows and understands the arcane arts so often practiced by the enemy so that he can fight fire with fire. A thief might specialize in the acquisition and recovery of holy artifacts - or be an off-the-books assassin for high ranking clergy.

The point is that by combining a bit of character history with your class you get an endless list of possibilities. Your character concept doesn't end just because you chose a class. In fact, it's just the beginning...


Saturday, October 8, 2016

Tales from the Lost Realm: The Dwarves of An Fáinne

Tales from the Lost Realm

The Dwarves of An Fáinne



Across the Long Fields, west of the Forgotten Road is a great spine of mountains known to the native dwarf clans who dwell there as An Fáinne - or more commonly, The Ring. These rising peaks run for countless miles, spreading and embracing a valley of rolling hills in its cool embrace. Long banks of fog fill The Ring as if were a great basin, only to have them burnt away by the noonday sun or cast off by the great breezes that gather from the Bay of Dusk.

In these mountains, the dwarf clans of An Fáinne build their great stone halls and delve deep into the earth in search of all that glitters. Gold and jewels, silver and mithril, all the bounty of the low places are dear to them. But they do not dwell in darkness. Massive citadels of perfectly carved stone spring from sheer cliffs and seaside stone, crafted from a time before the rise of Man.

The great valley, simply known An Glas is home to shepherds, farmers, and woodsmen. These dwarves trade wool and wood for stone and jewels, and thus the clans maintain a fairly peaceful co-existence between clans while retaining their fierce independence. While strife between clans inevitably arises, such matters are kept within the Ring. Outsiders need never be involved in the affairs of dwarves.


The rare dwarf who ventures beyond the Ring and into the world is either a merchant trader or, in rare cases, an exile. These pariah are forbidden from speaking of their sins and indeed their very names are stricken from all records. They are cast from the Ring as if they never existed before they day of their banishment. Whether trader or exile, the dwarves of An Fainne carry with them a deep and fierce love of their homeland. Their independent life has forced them to be tough and strong, both in body and spirit. This is not to say they are cold - far from it. Dwarven passions run deeper than human in many cases, and dwarvish ballads are said to be among the most beautiful in the world.
A dwarvish bard plays an ancient ballad
In addition to the beauty of their craftsmanship and their songs, dwarvish women are among the most beautiful. Their bright eyes and shining hair, combined with a kind of sturdy grace and cool confidence has given even the most peaceful dwarvish beancloch the reputation of being a fierce warrior woman. The truth is that like the men of their society, lady dwarves are confident and self-sufficient, seeing themselves people to be judged by the merits of their deeds and not by their appearance.

A dwarvish woman, exiled for crimes unknown

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Tales from the Lost Realm: The Promised Land of Aldemar

The Promised Land of Aldemar

Tales from the Lost Realm Campaign Setting


The Withering Blight did more than destroy the Northern Kingdom - it divided the people who had lived there for generations. When the land began to fallow and blacken, the people turned to the Knights of the Blazing Dawn to protect them. It had always been so. For a thousand years the Knighthood had defended the Northern Kingdom from dragons, goblin hordes, and giant invasions.

That all changed when the Withering Blight took hold. No magical sword, no noble warrior, could undo the disease that was destroying crops, changing the land, and filling the skies with an unnatural darkness. The High Lord of the Blazing Dawn, leader of the knighthood and regarded as the most pious of all the holy warriors, prayed for seven days and seven nights as unnatural things roamed the land and devoured the living. On the dawn of the eighth day, he rose and stood upon the battlements of Highsun Castle. He decreed that the Silver Prince - God to which all in the Northern Kingdom paid homage - had abandoned them. The High Lord would lead a pilgrimage to a new land; the prophesied and promsied land of Aldemar. There the Silver Prince would bestow new blessings on the faithful who were willing to undertake such a difficult journey.

Known as the Decree of the Fading Dawn, this proclamation split the knighthood in two. Many knights thought the High Lord was abandoning the peasants he had sworn to protect to the undead hordes of the Withering Blight - leaving them to die, or worse. They tore off their silver tabards and disavowed the High Lord. As the High Lord of the Blazing Dawn rode away, those former knights who remained behind donned tattered black tunics - naming themselves the Swords of the Solstice, those who remained behind when the darkness was deepest, faithful that they would defend the Northern Kingdom until the New Dawn arrived and the kingdom was restored to its former glory.

For a year and a day the High Lord lead the faithful across the width and length of the Realm. Finally, in a land far from the Northern Kingdom, he discovered a furtile valley filled with rolling fields and lush forests. He declared the faithful had reached the promised land of Aldemar and thrust his sword into the ground. Thrusting his sword into the ground, he decreed that as long as the people remained faithful that Aldemar would flourish.

Flourish it did. In less than a decade, the Swordkeep of Aldemar was completed, greatest castle in the entire Realm. A bustling city grew around it, bustling with trade from the wandering elves and hardy dwarves. The High Lord rechristened the Knights of the New Dawn and they became known as the Silver Crusaders. Churchs to the Silver Prince and his Holy Crusaders sprang up across the land. Piety and plenty went hand in hand. In less than a century Aldemar became the greatest kingdom of men in the Realm.

In the modern day the Kingdom of Aldemar is a symbol of all that is good and pure - a physical incarnation of faith and endurance. Silver Crusaders patrolled the land, driving away bandits, goblins, and other meager threats to the land. Great tournaments filled spring days and summer nights, with valiant knights proving their prowess against one another - proud in their pageantry.

The High Sword, now little more than a relic at the center of the Swordkeep, became little more than a relic of a legendary era. Peace lead to complacency. Complacency lead to quiet corruption. Nobles became more concerned with feasting and congratulating themselves for their ancestors accomplishments than taking care of their subjects. Crusaders gave up true honor in the face of an increasingly complex and convoluted code of proper behavior. Neglect turned to apathy - and all of it hidden behind a thin veil of chivalry.

Goblins, long hidden in the deepest parts of the Shaden Forest, have gathered together to form great tribes. Under harsh task masters - giants and ogres - they are unifying in worship of a new and dark diety that remains hidden far beneath the earth. Dracalas it is called.

But Dracalas is no new and vile god. Slumbering far beneath the earth for thousands of years, dragons have been disturbed by the deep delving and thundering hooves. Aldemar has awakened something dark and terrible. It will awaken soon, and no blunted tournament lance or fragile pride can save the haughty people of the Promised Land of Aldemar.


Swords and Wizardry Complete (Third Printing)

So, Frog God Games successfully funded their Kickstarter for a third printing of Swords & Wizardry Complete. Normally, this would be both awesome and not particularly news worthy. I'm a huge fan of both Frog God as a company and S&W Complete - I've even freelanced for Frog God on the new Bard's Gate supplement and an adventure tied in to The Northlands Saga. Matt, Bill, and Zach are all personal heroes. So, if you think I'm biased, that's fair.
S&W Complete 3rd Printing Cover
But this isn't about my bias. This is about the many statement regarding the new cover art. A lot of folks aren't fans of it. And you know what? That's perfectly fine. But, what if you're a fan of Frog God, S&W Complete, and want to support the project - but for whatever reason (not liking the art is just one reason you might be reluctant to back it), still want to show the Frogs some love?

Well, that's an easy one. If you back the project for a buck, you can do an add-on to get a second print Otus art cover S&W Complete book for $30 as a backer-kit add-on.
Swords & Wizardry 2nd Printing Cover
All the hue and cry over this project is really unnecessary in my opinion. Want to make a statement one way or another? Say something with your wallet. Back it if you like it and don't if you're going to pass. No need to turn it into some big to-do political issue.


Friday, September 23, 2016

Dragonlance and The Hero's Journey


I got bored, so here's some quick and dirty conversions to run a Dragonlance campaign using The Hero's Journey.

Races:
Kender: Kender function exactly as Halflings, with the following modifications:
  • Kender roll 3d6 for Intelligence
  • Kender roll 2d6+1 for Willpower
  • Kender do not receive the "Flick of the Wrist" ability. Instead all kender are automatically proficient in the Hoopak. They receive a +1 bonus to all "to hit" rolls when wielding a hoopak. Hoopaks inflict damage as a staff when used in melee and function as slings when used as ranged weapons.
  • Kender do not receive the "Stout Heart" ability. 
  • All Kender receive the following racial ability: Fearless: Kender are completely and utterly immune to the emotion of fear. They simply do not experience it, whether naturally or by magical compulsion.

Classes:
Bard:
Kender Bards cannot learn to cast Wizard spells.
Bards no longer gain access to 3rd level Wizard spells.

Cavalier:
Cavaliers are known as Knights of Solamnia in Dragonlance. 
Knights of Solamnia must be Lawful in alignment. 
A 1st level Knight of Solamnia is known as a "Knight of the Crown." 
A 4th level Knight of Solamnia is known as a "Knight of the Sword."
A 7th level Knight of Solamnia is known as a "Knight of the Rose."

Jester:
Kender Jesters cannot learn to cast Wizard spells.
Jesters no longer gain access to 3rd level Wizard spells.

Paladin:
This class does not exist on Krynn. It cannot be selected.

Wizard:
Before reaching 5th level, all Wizards are expected to travel to a Tower of High Sorcery and take "The Test" to prove their skill and dedication to the art of magic. Failure typically results in the death of the Wizard.

Need some other rules? Make it up, you doorknob!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

More B/X Awesomeness on OBS

So I don't know how it slipped my notice, but RPGNow and DriveThruRPG have added two new B/X D&D products to their site. Both are tough acquisitions on eBay, fetching quite a price for those trying to find physical copies.

Champions of Mystara: Heroes of the Princess Ark is a boxed set that details the adventures of the crew of the airship known as the Princess Ark, which was the subject of an ongoing series featured in Dragon Magazine back in the day. It's seriously cool stuff, and given that if you're lucky enough to find a used copy for sale you're likely to pay $100, it's damn near theft at $9.99.

Also, we've now got DDA3: Eye of Traldar available, which is your traditional "track down the MacGuffin" adventure and in spite of the high prices physical copies fetch, it's never been anything exceptional in my opinion. That being said, it's perfectly serviceable for a night of adventure and $4.99 is just inside the reasonable price range.

Apparently, in my blindness, I also missed the fact that OBS has added the Hollow World Campaign Box
Set and HWA3: Nightstorm.

For all the complaining I heard back in the day that B/X and Rules Cyclopedia D&D were "vanilla," I think supplements like Princess Ark and Hollow World certainly prove that to not be the case. These were fast, fun, gonzo adventuring from my care-free days of rolling dice and saving the world.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

The B/X or Labyrinth Lord Gully Dwarf

Gully Dwarf
Requirements: CON 9, INT 8 or lower
Prime Requisite: DEX and CON
Hit Dice: 1d8
Maximum Level: 4

Gully Dwarves are a much maligned sub-race of dwarves known for their magnanimous stupidity and unbelievable ability to survive in even the worst environments. They are perpetually filthy, wearing rotted rags, eating garbage, and making their homes in places that even a goblin would find offensive. This combined with a surprising low cunning, means that Gully Dwarves possess a unique set of skills that can be of some use to an adventuring party - if that party can get past fact that these pathetic creatures are unrepentant cowards who fight only when pleading for mercy or escape are no longer an option.

In spite of this cowardice, Gully Dwarves are willing to use whatever is at hand to defend themselves if necessary. They can wield any one-handed melee weapon, but lack the intellect to learn the complexities of weapons like bows and crossbows. Because of this they may only used ranged weapons which can be thrown, such as daggers or javelins. They often wear layers of animal hides or cast off crow's mail to protect themselves and if provided with formal armor they can wear padded, leather, and studded leather armor. Their willingness to hide behind whatever is at hand to avoid injury also means they make regular use of shields.

If they have a 13 in at least one or the other prime requisite, the Gully Dwarf receives a +5% to all experience points they earn. If both prime requisites are 13 or higher, the character receives a +10% bonus.

Gully Dwarf Class Progression
Experience
Level
Hit Dice
0
1
1d8
2,187
2
2d8
4,375
3
3d8
8,751
4
4d8

Saving Throws
Level
Breath Weapon
Poison or Death
Petrify or Paralyze
Wands
Spells
1-3
13
4
10
9
12
4-6
10
2
8
7
10

Combat

Character
Defender Armor Class
Level -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1-2
20
20
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
3
20
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
4
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8


Sharp Senses: Because they live in a state of constant fear of attack, Gully Dwarves have surprisingly keen senses. They can any secret doors and even any traps within thirty feet with a 1-4 on 1d6 chance of success. These sharp senses extend to a natural infravision, which they have at a range of sixty feet.

Hiding in a Hole: The first defense of any Gully Dwarf is to hide in the dark places of their foul realms. When moving at half their normal rate Gully Dwarves travel in perfect silence with a 1-3 on 1d6 chance of success. They can also remain completely unseen in underground environments if they remain perfectly still with a 1-3 on 1d6 chance of success. These abilities can be used in wilderness environments as well, but only have a 1 on 1d6 chance of success in those cases.

Plague Resistant: Because they constantly live in filth and regularly eat food others would consider a death sentence, Gully Dwarves have an extraordinary resistance to these things, as is reflected in their saving throws.

Unashamed Coward: Gully Dwarves are unabashed cowards, fleeing from even the slightest threat unless they have an overwhelming advantage. As such they have a -8 penalty to any saving throws made to resist fear effects such as those caused by Cause Fear spells or similar effects.

Surprising Ferocity: While often regarded as pathetic and non-threatening, Gully Dwarves the tenacity of a caged and abused animal if they are cornered. They receive a +2 bonus to all attack and damage rolls when forced to fight against a foe who has twice the number of hit dice than the Gully Dwarf.


Friday, September 2, 2016

Pardon My Rant: Respect for the DM

So, this is a bit of a rant, so feel free to skip it if you don't want to listen to me bitch.

Still with me? Good. Let's begin.

I love running a game. I love being a Dungeon Master. I love it when my players are so engaged that they're hanging on every word and tensing whenever a d20 clatters on the table. It's one of the great joys in my life. I'm rarely more satisfied in my life than when a session ends and my players are chomping at the bit for the next adventure.

That being said, I work really hard to make it happen. I spend my spare time reading and prepping. I purchase far too many books. I make campaign bibles. I print character sheets. I buy books and dice to give to my players. I do it because gaming should be fast, fun, and accessible. As DM, and in effect the leader of the party, I feel it's my job to facilitate these things. I'm the steward of everyone else's fun and if I fuck it up, it negatively impacts everyone at the table.

A little appreciation would be nice now and again.

I get that life interferes with scheduled gaming sometimes. I get that shit comes up sometimes. But to spend hours of work and a lot of money to craft a fun game for everyone at the table and watch players sit oblivious or willfully ignorant of this is really started to stick in my craw.


I'm older now, and have less time for bullshit. My lack of bullshit tolerance has lead to a few things:

  • First and foremost, show up. If you can't, let me know as soon as possible so I can modify the upcoming session to accommodate the absence. Same goes for being late.
  • Know the rules. I don't expect my players to know every single detail, but if we're six sessions in and you don't know the basics of how your magic-user memorizes and casts spells, there's a problem. Be proactive and read the rules for how your character functions - especially if I shelled out some money to purchase a book for you as a gift. 
  • No religion or politics at the table. End of story. That shit never ends well.
  • This is a group game. While it's neat to have a cool concept for a character, don't sit down with a pre-generated character, a complete background, and all your bells and whistles covered if the only thing you know is that "We're playing Labyrinth Lord" or "We're starting up a Star Wars campaign." Any given RPG game can have a plethora of themes and styles of play and each group gels differently. Coming to the table with your character set in stone and expecting everyone to bend themselves into knots to accomidate your special snowflake is egocentric and insulting to everyone else at the table.
  • On the other end of things, if everyone wants to play a game that you're not to keen on, say something - but don't be passive-aggressive about it. There's nothing wrong and no mature gamer will be offended if you say "I genuinely hope you guys have a blast, but I'm going to sit this one out."
  • Lastly, say "Thanks." I work my ass off and a little recognition is appreciated from time to time.


So yeah, I'm feeling salty and a little pissed. Again, my bullshit tolerance is not what it once was when I was in my twenties. I felt the need to get it off my chest. I (and every other DM out there worth their dice bag) busts their ass to make a fun experience for everyone. Respect that, otherwise I might as well pack my shit up and go home.

Monday, August 29, 2016

The B/X or Labyrinth Lord Kender

Kender

Requirements: DEX 9, CHA 9
Prime Requisite: DEX and CON
Hit Dice: 1d6
Maximum Level: 8
Kender are small, elfin humanoids that primarily reside in eastern Ansalon - though due to an affliction called Wanderlust, are found all across the continent. Irrepressible, fearless, and preptually curious, most other species of Krynn regard Kender as pests. Their combination of youthful curiousity, energetic nature, and the complete inability to feel the emotion of fear makes them natural adventurers. Unfortunately, this curiousity leads Kender to "handle" various objects that strike their fancy. They fearlessly examine, fiddle with, and often break objects that are shiny, magical, or newly encountered. This handling often ends with the Kender unknowingly putting the object in question in their many pouches. It doesn't matter whether the object is nailed down, protected, or even on someone else's person - a curious Kender will absently and unknowingly pocket the item. This is not theft, though most other species regard it as such. For the Kender, the fact that the object is interesting is of surpreme importance and not its monetary value.

For all the trouble Kender inadvertantly bring to their adventuring companions, they are nimble-fingered, stealthy, and quite skilled at picking a lock. These talents, combined with their boundless sense of hope and wonder, can make them surprisingly valuable allies when exploring the dark and terrible places of the world.

Kender rely on their agility and perpetual optimism to survive. They only wear padded, leather, and studded leather armor. They do not use shields. Like dwarves, Kender may not use large and two-handed weapons, but may use any other weapon. They favor a weapon unique to their people, a quarterstaff with a sling mounted at its top. This weapon is called a Hoopak. When a Kender wields a Hoopak in melee it inflicts 1d6 damage and when the sling is used as a ranged weapon it inflicts 1d4 points of damage. Hoopaks are only sold in Kender lands and cost 5 gold pieces.

If they have a 13 in at least one or the other prime requisite, the Kender receives a +5% to all experience points they earn. If both prime requisites are 13 or higher, the character receives a +10% bonus.

Kender Class Progression
Experience
Level
Hit Dice
Open Locks & Handling
0
1
1d6
60%
2,035
2
2d6
65%
4,085
3
3d6
70%
8,175
4
4d6
75%
16,251
5
5d6
80%
32,501
6
6d6
85%
65,001
7
7d6
90%
130,001
8
8d6
95%

Saving Throw
Level
Breath Weapon
Poison or Death
Petrify or Paralyze
Wands
Spells
1-3
13
8
10
9
12
4-6
10
6
8
7
10
7-8
7
4
6
5
8

Combat
Character
Defender Armor Class
Level
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1-2
20
20
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
3
20
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
4
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
5
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
7-8
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5

Keen Senses: Because of their keen senses, Kender can detect concealed doors, secret doors, and traps when they come within ten feet of them with a 1-2 on 1d6 chance of success. If actively searching for these things, they are successful on 1-3 on 1d6. Their sharp senses also makes it difficult to surprise a Kender, and they are only surprised on a 1 on 1d6.

Quick and Nimble: Because of their small size and quick reflexes, all Kender receive a +1 bonus to their Armor Class when fighting against an opponent who is larger than man-sized. They also receive +1 to all attack rolls made when using a ranged weapon.

Fearless: Kender are completely immune to fear, whether natural or magical. It simply does not effect them.

Stealth: As long as the Kender remains perfectly still and can conceal themselves through obstruction or shadows, the remain undetected 90% of the time. If the Kender moves at half their movement rate, they can remain perfectly silent with the same chance of success.

Open Locks: Kender can pick locks as long as they have the tools to do so. They are extraordinarily skilled at this and have a 60% chance of success at first level, and this increases by +5% per level. This ability can also be used to disarm traps, but with only half the normal chance of success.

Pouches: Kender typically carry countless pouches, great and small, in which they store the miscellaneous objects they've acquired in their travels. Whenever the Kender reaches into the pouch, he can produce a random item determined by the referee. Typically, these items are shiny, interesting, or unique - not necessarily valuable or magical.

Handling: Kenders are not thieves and do not knowingly steal. Because of this, they do not have a Pick Pocket skill like a more traditional "thief." Instead, the Kender will sometimes unknowingly pilfer an item from an individual, particularly if that item is interesting or unique. The referee determines exactly when this happens. The Kender's chance of going unnoticed by the victim of this ability is 60% and increases by +5% per level.


Taunting: Once per day, the Kender may spend the combat round verbally taunting an individual target with a surprisingly offensive and creative insults. The target must be able to hear the Kender. That target must then make a saving throw vs. spells or become enraged and focus on attacking the Kender. Because they are infuriated and focused on destroying the obnoxious pest, they suffer a -2 penalty to their Armor Class for 1d6 rounds after they have failed their saving throw.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

The Bastard's Blade: Preliminary Notes

So I'm using my blog to keep my campaign concepts organized as they spill out of brain. Ignore or read at your pleasure.

The Bastard's Blade
A D&D Campaign

The Great Mother, progenitor of all Beholders, is said to see all and know all. No secret, no mystery escapes her countless all-seeing eyes. 

This is not so. He is left in darkness by her own hubris. In the vast depth of her perceptions, she believes she knows all. There is nothing left for her to learn. Such pride has left her blind.

Eons ago, one of her endless eyes gave birth to a horrid withering beast. Wretched and broken before it could escape malice of its creator, this thing was driven mad before being left to die by the Great Mother.

But even wretched and broken, such a creature is still the offspring of a god. Whether it wandered the planes searching for purpose or what cast into Faerun and left to die by the Great Mother is unknown - even to the all-seeing Great Mother.

In the age of Netheril, when high magic ruled the Forgotten Realms, Lord Spirius brought left blood and suffering in his wake - all in the name of some nameless, unknown power. His horrible atrocities have faded into myth and are recalled only as a byline in a scant few tomes of lore.

None know where Lord Spirius came from, how he rose to power, or how he was defeated. Only his name and that of his sword remain - Caedis, the Bastard's Blade.

Key Figures
Great Mother: Supreme Goddess of Beholders, wants to become truly all knowing, but is held back by her own arrogance.

Spirius: Bastard child of the Great Mother. Fled to Prime Material Plane and took mortal form to hide from his mother. Wanted to become all knowing in the hopes of overthrowing his mother and eventually using the gained knowledge to rule all the cosmos. Slain in the Netheril age, not truly dead - simply lost his mortal form. Has remained hidden in a demi-plane, trying to get back to his sword and its thousands of years of acquired knowledge (see below).

Caedis: The campaign MacGuffin. Crafted by warlords in the service of Spirius' army: the Illuminated Knights. The Knights were skilled magical artisans, and a cabal of their senior members crafted the sword - one from every full blooded PC race from the PHB (Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Halfling, Human, Tiefling, etc) to capture a fragment of their knowledge in the sword. Each time someone is slain by the sword, the blade takes their knowledge into itself.
Caedis is an artifact of extraordinary power. Unfortunately, all that knowledge can't be contained by a mortal and if a mortal wields it long enough they eventually go insane from all the info in their mind.

The Illuminated Order: A secret cult maintained by the bloodline of the Illuminated Knights who have remained hidden for thousands of years, searching for Caedis. Have they found the sword yet? Is the sword broken? Venerates and allies with Beholders and Beholder-kin, believing Spirius will return as one of these types of creatures.

Connections to Modules
Lost Mines of Phandelver: Dwarf brothers secretly members of the Illuminated Order? Magical forge used in creation of Caedis? Spectator monster a servant of the cult or spy for the Great Mother? Green Dragon spying on the would-be cultists?

Curse of Strahd: Spirius hidden/trapped in Barovia? Strahd hoping to harness Caedis to break his curse?

Lord Spirius?

Saturday, August 27, 2016

A Fate Worse than Character Death

If you play tabletop roleplaying games long enough, your character is going to die. If you're lucky, you'll have an awesome, memorable, fitting, or and even heroic death. If you're not lucky, the dice will shit on you till you choke on it and then leave your battered, stinking corpse for the carrion birds. 

But you know what? That's OK. It's part of the game. Most gamers figure that out pretty quickly and learn to roll with dice punches. Some players become rather irate at character death, even outright pissed off or angry at the DM/GM/Judge/Dude Behind the Screen. Those players are not often the most fun to game with and you probably want to avoid them.

But you know what's worse than death at the table? Hold Person. Sleep. Imprisonment.

I've never seen players get more frustrated at a table than the moment when their character (and by extension them) are removed from the action completely and utterly. They can't move. They can't speak. They can't use any of their class abilities. 

And you know what? That shit genuinely sucks and those players have a right to be a bit pissed off. Not "swearing at the DM and throwing a fit at the table" pissed off, but more "passive-aggressive sigh" pissed off.

Why do these things piss players off so much, often more so than character death?

It boils down to one thing: Agency.

Players want to play. If their character dies, they can still roll up someone new and jump back in the action. But if they're locked by a Hold Person spell they have to just sit their and do nothing. The ideas start flowing, and the player starts to think about what they would do if they could participate. But they can't. They can't play the game. They're reduced to being a spectator.

What's worse is they're a spectator who invested time, effort, and in most cases, money in participating in the game - in being part of the action. The job of the DM is to allow that, encourage that, to facilitate participation. If the player and their character can't participate, then what's the point? I think some modules and adventures forget that, as do some DMs and even some players.

I'm not saying to never throw a Hold Person at your players - I'm saying don't chronically shackle your players - literally or figuratively. This is the reason I'm not a fan of adventures like Scourge of the Slave Lords or Out of the Abyss. They limit agency right off the bad. Players might feel screwed from the get-go. Always, always, always, make sure your players are able to play their characters, feel awesome, and make use of their abilities.


Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Another Optional LL: Save or Die Poisons

So I'm not a fan of "Save or Die" poisons, for two reasons.

  1. Save or Die effects remove any player agency or chance to survive certain encounters and generally make a player feel arbitrarily hosed simply for one poor roll.
  2. The number of poisons in the real world that kill you in a minute or less are extraordinarily rare. Granted, getting bitten by a spider the size of a pony will likely inject someone with enough poison to kill them, it's just odd for them to just drop dead on the spot.

Debbie is a fan of Save or Die Poisons
So, here's my house rule:

Save or Die Poisons: If my players fail their save to resist a "Save or Die" poison, then they're definitely going to die - but not instantly. They've got a number of turns equal to their Constitution score before death. While poisoned, they suffer a -2 penalty to all attack rolls, and -2 to all ability checks related to Strength and Dexterity.

That way they have (hopefully) at least an hour to solve the problem - whether that's lopping a limb off or rushing to find a cure - well, that's up to them.

Class Options Musings for Labyrinth Lord

As I continue prepping for next week's Labyrinth Lord campaign, I'm considering allowing a pair of classes outside of the AEC, simply to round out the "First Edition meets B/X" feel of the Advanced Edition Companion. But my concern is overwhelming my players with options and extra rules.


I really, really love +Richard LeBlanc  B/X Cavalier and B/X Bard, but am hemming and hauling about including them as options. Thoughts? Insights? Opinions?

Monday, August 22, 2016

Spicing Up My Fighters

So one of the problems I've always had with B/X and Labyrinth Lord fighters is that they're a touch dull. Their special abilities lay in their high hit points and diverse choices for weapons and armor. They're an awesome, sold class and ease to play. However, these benefits aren't particularly engaging at the table. So I'm adding an optional rule for fighters. Based a bit on the Rules Cyclopedia and a bit on AD&D, here are my thoughts.


  • 1st Level: Fighters may select a single weapon as their specialized weapon. They recieve a +1 to all attack rolls and +2 to all damage rolls when wielding this weapon.
  • 5th Level: The fighter may make two attacks per round when wielding the weapon in which they've specialized.
  • 10th Level: The Fighter's bonus to hit with their specialized weapon increases to +3 and their damage bonus increases to +3 as well.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Creating the Geek Elite

I've always felt that there was this unspoken, yet universal, thing in geek and fanboy culture: Geek Cred. You don't just own a lightsaber toy - you own a $1000 replica of Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from The Empire Strikes Back. You don't just own a copy of Deities & Demigods, you own a first print copy with the Moorcock and Mythos stats in it - oh, and it's signed by Gary Gygax. It's like this weird race that somehow reflects one somehow being a "better" fan because they own rare or expensive products.

I get it. I've been caught up in it. I'm not judging it. If you're having fun chasing down rare collectibles or expensive replicas then rock on. But as "geek culture" becomes more and more mainstream, I've noticed something beginning to happen. Items typically associated with Geek Cred are being produced with more and more regularity. I think this is an intentional action on the part of the companies that produce these high end items. The products probably cost far, far less than their sometimes ridiculous price tags and this means that the producers only need to sell a fraction of such items (when compared to more standard items) to reap a profit.

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice allowed movie-goers to buy an "Ultimate Ticket" for a mere $100. Monte Cook has successfully kickstarted Invisible Sun, an RPG with a minimum $200 buy in. New Line Cinema has just released an edition of the Extended Editions of both the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy with a price tag a penny under $800. 
All this can be yours if you skip your mortgage payment this month.

And people will buy it. Maybe you won't. Maybe you will. But companies wouldn't sell these things if they didn't think it would turn a profit. I can't help but think that with so many traditionally geeky things going mainstream, that the market isn't tapping into that and trying to create a "geek elite" kind of subculture. As if the measure of how cool a geek you are is somehow measured in a price tag.

Or maybe I'm over analyzing things. Either way, I've got my limits and while some of these types of items are cool in and of themselves, I'm a man with responsibilities and financial obligations, so I don't have nearly a thousand dollars to drop on a set of movies with a few knick-knacks and extras included in the package. But, if you do, then more power to you. Have a blast and enjoy your high end purchases - just remember, it doesn't make you somehow cooler or a more dedicated fan of your hobby or interest simply because you've got more disposable income.

Friday, August 19, 2016

Half-Elves in Labyrinth Lord

Labyrinth Lord Revised does not include rules for half-elf player characters. I understand why, given the game's streamlined nature. However, I personally really like half-elves being a viable option at the gaming table and while I wrote a Half-Elf class for Labyrinth Lord years ago, I had an idea to change things up to help diversify things a touch. Half-elves are known for the their range of abilities and potential in many different professions, so I tried to capture that in a very simple fashion.  It's really simple. Want to play a half-elf? Awesome. Here's how it works:

HALF-ELVES
  • Half-elves select a class at character creation. They may select Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, or Thief. They may only reach 15th level in their selected class.
  • Half-elves have infravision at a range of 30 feet.
  • Half-elves receive a +2 to all saving throws made to resist ghoul paralysis.
  • Half-elves can speak their alignment language, common, elvish, and orc.

That's it. Yes, it's a bit of race-and-class, but it's super simple and don't see it getting in the way of Labyrinth Lord's quick-and-easy style of play.