|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jul 5, 2022 12:18:55 GMT -6
This makes clear the need for varied encounter reactions. Who knows? Maybe the Evil High Priest will be friendly.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jul 5, 2022 12:16:52 GMT -6
I'm going to be running a more long form OD&D Science Fantasy campaign, and I've been playing around with the random encounter tables. I rolled on the "Clear" section of the Wilderness, and I rolled six random encounters on the charts in The U&WA. I just wanted to see how dangerous things could be. Holy cow.
Encounter 1: Patriarch (8th Level Cleric) with 9 retainers.
Encounter 2: 19 Werewolves.
Encounter 3: Superhero (8th Level Fighter) with 5 retainers.
Encounter 4: 3 Balrogs
Encounter 5: Evil High Priest with 4 retainers.
Encounter 6: 11 Apes (may assumed to be giant or carnivorous).
So be careful out there folks!
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Aug 12, 2021 11:14:43 GMT -6
I recently picked up the Griffin Mountain POD, and it is beautiful with a nice non-glossy coating on the cover. It's probably the nicest softcover POD book I've gotten, and it is close to the quality of the original game books when they came out.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jul 23, 2018 15:34:18 GMT -6
So, you may not all have been keeping up with this, but Steve Jackson recently re-acquired the rights to his first RPG: The Fantasy Trip. He's putting out a new edition with all new artwork by Liz Danforth (who did the art in the original), and reformatted text (though the rules will be essentially the same). The Kickstarter just went live and they've already met their funding goal. I think I'm gonna back this one!
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jan 10, 2018 10:44:44 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Aug 13, 2017 23:47:30 GMT -6
I can totally see this conversation with a player:
"You gave me a +1 Flaming Sword that just looks cool?" "But it might harm Black Puddings, or you could set things on fire with it. You do get +1 to hit though." "Dude, I could set things on fire with a candle, and if it's +1 to hit but does no extra damage then why make it a flaming sword at all?"
Hmmm...
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Aug 13, 2017 17:34:52 GMT -6
I interpret: to mean-- that the to hit "bonus" and the damage "bonus" are represented the same symbolically--as the pluses given. Thus, the +1 Flaming Sword does 1 d6 damage +2 vs. Trolls (Pegasi, Hippogriffs, + Rocs); +3 vs. Undead (Treants). One would think that if the game developers meant that additional damage would be in the form of additional six sided dice, they would simply have said so. Underlining by me; not in the source material. Okay, but the next sentence is "These swords are those with a +2 or +3 against specific creatures, but not those with a general bonus of +2 or +3." Which I get, and you make clear in your post. General bonuses are only to hit while the specified ones are also bonuses to damage. However, I was specifically curious about folks thoughts about the regular +1 Flaming Sword which would by this interpretation do a +1 to hit and no extra damage as there are no creatures specified for it to be useful against.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Aug 11, 2017 17:35:00 GMT -6
Going by the LBBs, how much damage would you have a flaming sword do? Sure 1d6 for the sword itself, but what about the flames? Maybe a whole other d6? That would be 2d6--is that too high? Or an additional 1d3? Or 1d6+2 total?
Just wondered.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Feb 9, 2017 16:52:27 GMT -6
Hendrick also designed the Heritage models D&D-like miniature games: Caverns of Doom and Crypt of the Sorcerer as well as their more extensive miniature rules Knights and Magick.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jan 7, 2017 20:58:59 GMT -6
So I've recently become fascinated with Traveller. I owned it back in the day, but I gave it away during the early 1990s when I was suddenly less interested in the "old games" that I owned. Recently, I have picked up copies of both the Traveller Book as well as the original LBB box set. I've been playing around with building my own subsector and have been having a grand time. So I though I'd post some of the planets which I've generated notes on (which were inspired by various sci-fi sources).
Cassidine
Starport Type: B (Good Quality Installation: Refined fuel, repairs, shipyards) Planetary Size: 9 (9000 Miles in diameter) Planetary Atmosphere: 8 (Dense) Hydrographics: 8 (80% Water) Population: 7 (48,000,000) Government: B (Non-Charismatic Leader) Law Level: 7 (Firearms are prohibited—including shotguns) Technological Index: 9 (Near future tech: limb regeneration, laser weapons etc.)
Cassidine is a hot and wet world with shallow seas and large tropical islands. Large ocean based reptiles are present known as Sea Dragons. Their primary starport is co-funded and operated by the Imperium. The ruler is the Padishah Dascar Hanim, who succeeded the famous General and Padishah Sessinos Murad. Both of these men come from the traditional military-servant class known as the Jarakhim who recently overthrew the traditional rule by the aristocratic Salakhim. The Padishah is countered in his authority by the Planetary Assemble and the Imperial Court of Justice.
Daath
Starport Type: E (Frontier installation: Marked spot; no fuel or facilities present) Planetary Size: 4 (4000 miles in diameter) Planetary Atmosphere: 4 (Thin, tainted—requires a filter mask) Hydrographics: 6 (60% Water) Population: 5 (700,000 Inhabitants) Government: 0 (No government) Law Level: 0 (No prohibitions) Technological Index: 7 (Earth 1970s)
-Amber Zone
Daath has devolved from being a highly stable and urban world to being a highly destabilized world in the midst of an apoalypse. Sections of the planet seem to have been effected by intense radiation and whole cities were laid waste during a massive solar flare. The planet’s only remaining inhabited metropolis is now known as Eris, and it is a wasteland of wrecked cars, crumbling buildings, trash, graffiti, and street gangs. Mutations and birth defects are relatively common on Daath.
Galanthis
Starport Type: B(Good Quality Installation: Refined fuel, repairs, shipyards) Planetary Size: 7 (7000 Miles in diameter) Planetary Atmosphere: A (Exotic: oxygen tanks; no protective wear needed) Hydrographics: 3 (30% Water) Population: 2 (743 inhabitants) Government: 2 (Participating democracy) Law Level: 0 (No prohibitions) Technological Index: 7 (Earth 1970s)
Galanthis features a notoriously lawless domed frontier town run by an elected Mayor and Sheriff. Prospectors and various independent mining groups live and operate here. Citizenship is applied for by placing bribes with the correct local official. The planet is almost entirely composed of dry desert plains, but there are several small seas located near the poles where various sorts of aquatic game still prosper. Guns, sex, and drugs are all available to the weary traveller who can spare a few credits. Everything is for sale.
GENOS
Starport Type: C (Routine Quality Installation; unrefined fuel) Planetary Size: 6 (6000 Miles in diameter) Planetary Atmosphere: 6 (Standard) Hydrographics: 6 (60% Water) Population: 9 (5,000,000,000 Inhabitants) Government: F (Totalitarian Oligarchy) Law Level: E (Full-fledged police state) Technological Index: A (Interstellar Community)
Genos is one of the most powerful worlds within the Vorsai subsector. The CoDominion originally arose as an alliance between the two competing national powers on Genos: The Northern Metro States Alliance and the Trans-Union Commonwealth. The population is centered in massive arcologies (which were standard on many worlds during the subsector’s colonization period) where life is strictly governed under the heel of the various MetroCouncils. Overseeing each of the national blocs are their respective executive political councils: The Alliance Senate and the Commonwealth Management Committee. Both of these entities retain full authority in their respective national spheres, but they both are under the authority of the Orbital CoDirectorate when it comes to planetary affairs, trade, and foreign policy. Genos has expansionist ideas and poses a possible threat to its immediate neighbors such as Cassidine, Hypene, and even Vorsai itself. Threat of Imperial interference has kept the Genosians from overtly aggressive moves at this time, but they may be just waiting for an opportunity.
While Genos remains essentially a union of two powerful police states, it has established a colony and several space stations within the Genos System. It has also established contact with several planets nearby, and Genos has ongoing military and political tensions with the planet Cassidine.
Harakhti
Starport Type: C (Routine Quality Installation; unrefined fuel) Planetary Size: 1 (1000 Miles) Planetary Atmosphere: 0 (No Atmosphere) Hydrographics: 0 (No free standing water) Population: 5 (350,000) Government: 3 (Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy) Law Level: 2 (Portable energy weapons prohibited) Technological Index: 9 (Near future tech: limb regeneration, laser weapons etc.)
Harakhti is an airless moon orbiting a large gas giant. The moon’s sole habitation is a futuristic pleasure city ruled by a group known as the Council of Templars. Citizens have wide latitude in regards to personal liberties, but they must submit to the Temple Laws and, in particular, the Law of Strength when they are compromised by ill health or mental infirmity in some way. The Templar’s agents, the Logos, enforce the city’s few Laws upon the populace. The Logos wear green uniforms with tall boots, and a gun belt with a holster which holds their weapon, a laser pistol often referred to as a “Logos Gun.”
Jessis (“At’Elrye”)
Starport Type: A Planetary Size: 5 (5000 Miles in diameter) Planetary Atmosphere: 5 (Thin) Hydrographics: 1 (10% Water) Population: 3 (5,100 Inhabitants) Government: J (Single On-world Clan Control) Law Level: 3 (Machine guns and automatic weapons prohibited) Technological Index: A (Interstellar community)
This dry world is inhabited by a small clan-colony of Aslan Mercenary Foederati who were granted Jessis by Imperial decree following the conclusion of the Solomani Rim War almost a century ago. Recently, they have faced incursions from a various raiders who may be working for the Unity Guild—which has been eyeing Jessis for some time.
Krann
Starport Type: B (Good Quality Installation: Refined fuel, repairs, shipyards) Planetary Size: 4 (4000 miles in diameter) Planetary Atmosphere: 4 (Thin, tainted) Hydrographics: 5 (50% Water) Population: 6 (15 Million inhabitants) Government: 7 (Balkanization) Law Level: B (Rigid control of civilian movement) Technological Index: C (Average Imperial)
-Imperial Naval Base
Krann is a world composed of various arcology-style city states known as Plexes. Each Plex is a self-sufficient environment. Each Plex also competes with their rivals in the realms of trade, natural resources, and technological development. Outside of the Plexes, the landscape is terrorized by various paramilitary WarGangs and Police Clubs (who essentially are just WarGangs who contract with a Plex). Each Plex is different in how their government is set-up, but they often end up being ruled by various types of executive councils, legislatures, bureaucracies, and the occasional dictator. Security within many of the Plexes is provided by an appointed Marshall and a cadre of deputies.
Railani (Planet of giant fungi and giant insects with warring kingdoms)
Starport Type: E (Frontier starport; a marked spot—no fuel or repairs available) Planetary Size: 4 (4000 Miles in diameter) Planetary Atmosphere: 4 (Thin, tainted—filter masks required) Hydrographics: 7 (70% Water) Population: 6 (8.3 Million inhabitants) Government: 7 (Balkanization) Law Level: 8 (Even long bladed weapons are prohibited) Technological Index: 3 (Earth 1600-1700s)
Railani is a planet whose surface is dotted with forests of gargantuan fungi and there are endless hosts of giant insects who thrive in these poison edens. The human population of the planet lives in various secluded valleys far away from the poisonous fungal forests. However, any who venture forth from these valleys must wear protective filter masks or risk eventual toxic exposure. Giant flying insects similar to dragonflies serve as riding beasts for the planet’s warrior elite who are known as the Jhaeth and who are the only ones allowed to carry weapons.
Rintaar
Starport Type: X (No starport) Planetary Size: 7 Planetary Atmosphere: 7 (Standard, tainted) Hydrographics: 7 (70% Water) Population: 7 (30,000,000 Inhabitants) Government: 5 (Feudal technocracy) Law Level: A (Civilians not allowed to have weapons) Technological Index: 1 (Bronze Age)
-Red Zone
The natives of Rintaar are a multi-ethnic violent sea-faring people with highly restrictive feudal government similar to the Greek, Chinese, and Roman Empires. Society is highly stratified and slavery is common throughout the planet and the noble-warrior class (known as the Shotani) are trained to be brutal and merciless. The dominant power is the Empire of the Red Lotus which is ruled by the mysterious and inhuman Empress Eternal. The Warriors of the Red Lotus wage war with the various alien barbarian groups (including humanoid bird-people, lion people [Aslan], and lizard people) which lie beyond the Great Walls of the Imperial Borderlands.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jan 6, 2017 17:59:22 GMT -6
Pendragon works well with a small group. I started the GPC in 2015 and ran it for over a year with a small group of 2-3 players. We've also been playing Call of Cthulhu which works I think BETTER with a small group than an large one. I am considering running either an an Amber Diceless game for my small group right now as I feel it would facilitate either small group or even single player and one gm play quite well (and could toggle back and forth quite easily).
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Oct 6, 2016 20:29:13 GMT -6
My local store is the War house in Long Beach, CA. It's a store that I've been patronizing for about twenty years now, but it's one of the true hobby originals that started in the mid-1970s. The store is listed in an ad for stores that carry products by The Armory in my Best of Dragon vol.1. The owner even formed the Balboa Game company which published Warlock (an early OD&D variant game) as well as a few supplements. I think they still have copies! I bought one about five or six years ago that cost me less than 10 bucks and I've seen copies go for quite a bit of money.
So here's a shout out to the War House! Still going strong I guess. My most recent purchase there was Call of Cthulhu 7th edition.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Oct 4, 2016 10:07:06 GMT -6
While I mentioned that the Game Keeper (in Palm Desert, CA) was a place I went to most often to buy rpgs, I think the first place I think I ever saw D&D stuff was several years prior at the Browse-A-Round bookstore in the Crystal Point Mall in Crystal Lake, IL. This would have been in late 1981 or so. There were boxes there that were full of D&D stuff, and as I recall they had tons of AD&D modules (including the original versions of the G series), the three core AD&D books, Holmes Basic, the White Box, Eldritch Wizardry, and I even remember puzzling over a copy of Chainmail that was shoved in with the White boxes. I was confused because I had already seen the Moldvay set in the Sears catalog and desperately wanted to get it, but what the hell was all this other stuff? I was both confused and excited by the sheer volume of material for this game. The Dungeon Master's Guide was particularly alluring as it was so big and arcane looking (all those charts!!).
I still dream about that store sometimes.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Oct 2, 2016 18:31:10 GMT -6
I started gaming in 1981-82 and there weren't a ton of game stores around. I do remember going into a few hobby stores and being in D&D/TSR heaven, but they all closed within a year or two, and I don't even remember the names of those stores. Mostly, I haunted various bookstores, which had started carrying rpg stuff, and the one game store that lasted in the area: the Game Keeper which was in our local mall. I bought my copies of Call of Cthulhu (2nd edition) and Deluxe Traveller there. They carried quite a few of the hex and counter bookcase games from Avalon Hill as well. I still remember wanting a copy of the Dune game that they had.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Aug 18, 2016 14:34:40 GMT -6
That pretty nifty. I've got a copy of the Ready Red Sheets, but it's been a while since a took a look at them. More to ponder here.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Aug 10, 2016 8:52:02 GMT -6
That's pretty sensible scenario as far as casting times based on levels. I've never looked closely at the chart you mention--but that's interesting! Will check it out.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Aug 9, 2016 17:42:58 GMT -6
Hey all, I'm back to running OD&D again for a bit, and I've got some questions about spell casting.
Last time I ran the game I used the Swords & Wizardry Complete attack sequence which allowed spells to go off during the melee phase (as opposed to the missile phase), and I thought this worked quite well as it maintained the danger of casters getting hit, but if the party won initiative were much better off(unless the monsters have missile weapons!). However, I've also noticed that in some interpretations of the Chainmail attack sequence casters go at the end of the round AFTER the melee phase has completed. Is this right? Or are they considered artillery/missiles and go before the melee phase?
I realize there may be lots of ways of handling this--all the way from just letting casters go during a beginning missile phase all the way to full AD&D style with segmented casting times for spells (perhaps based on their level), but ,ultimately, I'm just curious how YOU do this at your table and what effects does it have in terms of the way magic-users and clerics utilize spell casting?
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Aug 4, 2016 16:11:41 GMT -6
Ghostbusters was designed by the crew at Chaosium including Greg Stafford who also designed what I think of as the best rules light intro RPG of all time: Prince Valiant the Storytelling Game. I've got my copy and it perfectly captures medieval adventure in the vein of Hal Foster's comic strip with just about the simplest system ever. Two stats and no dice--everthing is resolved by flipping coins (although you could easily substitute dice if you prefer). There's a one page rules intro so you can start playing almost immediately. Brilliant.
Defeat in the game means just that: defeat. You might be dead if it was truly lethal situation, but it also might just mean you were unhorsed in the joust and are a bit bruised and battered. There are no hit points to keep track of--just your pools of coins.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Apr 25, 2016 9:26:16 GMT -6
Currently playing King Arthur Pendragon (5th ed). We're about fifteen years into the Great Pendragon Campaign. (Each session is about a year of game time if you're not up on Pendragon).
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jan 31, 2016 13:12:03 GMT -6
That's a possibility. But I was trying to keep this as simple as possible rather than scaling up by using Fighting Capability. Although the thought of a combat system that uses Fighting Capability outside of Chainmail combat is actually a pretty cool idea. Has anybody played around with that?
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jan 28, 2016 15:10:45 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jan 28, 2016 12:43:32 GMT -6
In the spirit of OD&D here's a hack of the combat system!
I haven't playtested any of this but the idea arrived in my head the other day, and I thought I'd share it with my fellow D&D scientists here on the OD&D forums. Most of the rules changes are from Men and Magic, and I tried to keep them to a minimum. The idea was that this is a d6 only combat system that you should be able to use with the LBBs.
BTW in case you're wondering it was inspired by Heritage Models rules for their Caverns of Doom Paint and Play set (written by Arnold Hendrick).
OD&D D6 Only Combat & Mechanics
-Attributes the same as standard OD&D. Prime requisites provide experience etc.
-Characters roll 1d6 as basis for attack rolls. Each class is rated at a specific die code that represents their attack and defense capability.
-The basic resolution is super simple and works like this: attacker rolls 1d6 based on their attack rating. Defender rolls their defense rating. The higher roll wins. Roll damage.
-Most damage rolls are a straight 1d6. High strength may yield an additional +1 to damage.
-A Fighting Man/Woman is rated at 1d6+1 in their attack/defense ability. They may apply +1 to their attack and defense rating every three levels.
-A Cleric is rated at 1d6 in their attack/defense ability. They may apply +1 to their attack and defense roll rating every four levels.
-A Magic User is rated at 1d6-1 in their attack/defense ability. They may apply +1 to their attack and defense roll rating every five levels.
-If a characters rating exceeds three pips (more than 1d6+3 for example). They then move their rating to an additional full die. So rather than be rated at 1d6+4 you would be rated at 2d6.
-Hit Points are 1d6 per level for all classes.
-Armor adds to a character’s ability to withstand damage. The protection amount is subtracted from the damage inflicted. Leather offers protection of 1 pt. Chain offers protection of 2 pts. Plate offers protection of 3 pts.
-Shields add +1 to a characters defense rating (but not attack rating).
-Magic weapons add their plus number to a character’s attack rating (and damage)!
-Magic armor may also add to the character’s defense rating.
-Monster Hit Dice remains the same and are also rolled on a 1d6 per hit die basis.
-Still not sure what to do about missile weapons. My initial thought is that they receive a separate rating. Maybe everybody starts with a 1d6-1 rating in missiles. High dex can a +1 bonus to this rating. They must hit a target number based on range or something?
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Jan 17, 2016 14:20:39 GMT -6
I'm totally with you on the "open"nature of VTM 1st ed. I stopped buying Vampire stuff pretty early on, but I've hung onto my 1st edition stuff though. I've still got my 1st ed. rulebook, player's guide, and storyteller's screen.
It was a fun game. I don't know much about what it became later though. . .
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Dec 20, 2015 14:28:22 GMT -6
I used to get Ranger Rick as well, but I think I didn't get my subscription until maybe a year or two later. So I never saw that!
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Dec 19, 2015 11:41:51 GMT -6
So in this thread tell us how you first became aware of Star Wars and then tell us how it affected you. Give us you "origin story" if you will.
MY STAR WARS ORIGIN STORY:
Here is the story of how I first became aware of this thing called Star Wars.
So in late Spring 1977 my family was on a road trip, and we stopped at a convenience store. There, sitting on the wire comic book rack, was an issue of a comic book I had never heard of before called Star Wars. I was just about to turn five, and so I imagine my parent thought it would keep me occupied for a little bit on our trip. I was immediately both fascinated and scared of the big monster guy on the cover, but was he one of the good guys? They also had cool laser guns!
Star Wars issue number 3, which was in the middle of the story, was pretty confusing to me actually because there were these guys in white armor fighting other guys in white armor. Okay. . . And there was another guy in black armor talking to some general looking guy. Who were they? What was going on? I was a little foggy on the story as I was only four, but I was hooked anyway. It wasn't until a month or more later that I realized the comic was actually an adaptation of a movie! Which my parent took me to see after they had seen it and determined that it wasn't going to be too scary. The film invaded my imagination like nothing before. It might have been the purest and most affecting movie experience of my life.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Nov 27, 2015 17:32:11 GMT -6
In case anyone is interested. . .
The Kickstarter is already funded. The book is finished--which only makes sense as this was a reprint which just incorporated some errata and a few extra bits. Right now you can get your copy by supporting the Kickstarter. Although, I'm pretty sure Chaosium is going to have copies available for sale on their site once the books are ready. I plunked down fifty for the leatherette version but the regular version is thirty. This does not include the shipping which is estimated on the site based on where you live and they will be dealing with when the books are ready to ship. They are supposed to go out in January 2016.
/updates
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Nov 17, 2015 20:52:35 GMT -6
I just saw a copy with the board games at Barnes & Noble. It was $20.00. Brilliant.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Sept 19, 2015 22:39:26 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Sept 17, 2014 1:55:13 GMT -6
One of the great things about the early boxed set is that it has the separate Friday Night Firefight rules. This booklet is one of the best modern combat systems ever. We had tremendous fun with it. Direct automatic fire against a single target is extremely nasty-- especially with high caliber bullets!!
The second edition is superior in some ways, but we never had as much with it as we did with the rough around the edges first edition of Cyberpunk.
|
|
|
Post by vladtolenkov on Sept 1, 2014 9:15:52 GMT -6
Fin--
You might ask if they'll let you run an old-school 5E game at their store that isn't part of their "adventure path" program or whatever. You could do that as an "extra" if you want to also still run the regular adventure path as well.
Just a thought.
It's a dilemma I'm sort of facing as I'm part of a meet-up group that is desperately looking for DMs, but I'm also unsure how much interest there is in the games I'd like to run: OD&D, AD&D, Runequest. Gamma World 1E etc.
I told them I'm not very interested in running Pathfinder or 4E. I might run 5E though.
|
|