Dungeon-Questing

[The Fiendish Dr. Samsara]

I haven't seen any discussion of this anywhere: www.drivethrurpg.com/product/182010/Dungeon-Questing

I will readily admit to an addiction to games that respectfully streamline Ye Auld Game; an addiction which becomes a downright obsession when they also add something cool and new that nevertheless feels exactly right: Spellcraft & Swordplay, Searchers of the Unknown, Epees et Sorcellerie, A Ghastly Affair, etc. The latest to come under my view being Dungeon Questing. I love's a 2d6 mechanic so that's groovy. But the new, cool thing is replacing classes with skills.

Right, right: hasn't that been done since at least Runequest? Well, sorta, but RQ doesn't look like nor feel anything like D&D (okay: 6 out of 7 stats are from D&D, but still). Here we have a recognizable D&D with a smallish skill list (17) that replicate what the classes can do. In this it is a bit like Barebones Fantasy, but with a slightly less broad skill list. I quite like the way, by default, you can only put 1 rank in a skill to start, thus emulating the 1st level adventurer, although you could easily change that as desired. I also quite like the way he has built the Big 4 classes in the back to let you see how it works. Some things I'm less crazy about (I think spells per day is off), but I'm pretty excited about this right now. And it is also one of the most complete hacks I've seen in a long time: wilderness adventures, strongholds, full monster list, and whatnot.

$2.50 well spent. Anyone else taken a look?

[delverinthedark]

I often feel the same way as you describe yourself feeling when it comes to streamlined rules and interesting new takes on the model of play that traditional D&D has bequeathed us. If nothing else, you've convinced me to take a look at this. Any plans or thoughts regarding how any cool mechanics could be bolted onto the framework of other systems (OD&D included) or vice versa? To me that's some of the most fun to be had with rules that innovate within the tradition, even if it just ends up as a thought experiment.

[The Fiendish Dr. Samsara]

The big innovation here is turning class abilities into skills and so removing Classes and Levels while still feeling like Ye Auld Game (in theory. I haven't played it yet). That's a kind of Holy Grail of Chocolate and Peanut Butter, I think.

[delverinthedark]

That sounds a little like Barbarians of Lemuria (at least the 24 hour RPG version, which is the only one that I'm familiar with). I may just have to pick up a copy and see how it compares!

[The Fiendish Dr. Samsara]

BoL has changed some bit over the years, but the essence hasn't. BoL uses Careers as general skill groupings without really defining what skills are in them; if you and the GM agree that reforging a broken sword is part of the Warrior Career, then it is. DQ has specific skills that are less careers that aspects of classes: Turning undead, Wizard spells, Melee combat, Thiefy stuff, etc. I think that BoL is a great game, but it doesn't feel like D&D (and isn't supposed to), while DQ is trying hard to (and, I think, succeeding at) feel like Ye Auld Game. I think that a closer equivalent would be Barebones Fantasy which has only 8 (?) skills which are classes (Warrior, Cleric, etc.).

[Mike]

I'm really impressed with this game and the way that the author listens and responds to his audience. I mentioned that (like the original White Box), the overland rules were absent; 2 days later, there they are.

The skills are really class abilities that you can mix and match to create what you want - a nice move that makes dual-classes obsolete.

I would happily play this and will grab a hard cover when I'm sure the author has finished tweaking.

[Vile Traveller]

Looks interesting enough for me to have a gander. Thanks for the tip, The Fiendish Dr. Samsara.

[The Fiendish Dr. Samsara]

I still haven't had a chance to play, but I was just looking at White Star the other day and thinking, "I bet this could be adapted for Dungeon-Questing so that we could could have things like a hotshot Pilot who begins to learn the ways of the Star Knights. That would be cool."