Full Metal Plate Mail

[kesher]

Thanks for this discussion, everyone--very enlightening!

Leonaru, sorry your thread got hijacked...

[Leonaru]

Don't worry about it.

[Porphyre]

So, what about a new version with the original HitToKill Six-sided Dices?

[Leonaru]

Still on it.

[Leonaru]

Version 1.2 (fixed HD, fixed cyborg description plus some other errata) is available here. I'll probably find new typos right after uploading this, so it won't be the last one.

[Porphyre]

Been reading through.

Some suggestions:

-On page 4 "Trading Ability Points", I would add the mention that no Ability score can be lowered under 9 points.

-Page 13 "Armor", you choose to express armor protection as a bonus to AC , instead of a fixed numerical AC. But you should then mention that base AC is 9 for unarmored belligérants (even if you mentioned it in the combat section, I still think the info belongs here).

-Page 14 "Languages", you mention th bard class and the secret druidic language. But nowhere else is it made mention of those two late classes. You also write that Alignment tongues cannot be learned as bonus languages, but I don't think such prohibition exists in the LBBs (and one post from Gronanofsimmerya in this very forum actually implied that Learning other alignment tongues was common practice then cf.: odd74.proboards.com/thread/9831/benefit-neutral-fighting-man?page=1&scrollTo=137925 )

-In the "Combat" section, since you imported some points from Man-to-man CHAINMAIL combat, maybe the rules for mounted combat would fit in.

-"Combat" section again , "Rear Attacks" paragraph; I would add "and ignore shield protection".

[Leonaru]

Good points; I'll correct in the next version.

The druidic languages and alignment language restrictions are a leftover from a previous version of FMPM that included post-3LBB stuff. That's what I get for lazy copy-pasting.

[Porphyre]

I figured that.

[Leonaru]

Version 1.3 is ready. You can get it on my website or on Lulu. It's also available for POD as a softcover booklet for Lulu's minimum price (which means that I don't make any profit from it). I already got a copy and I'm satisfied with the print and binding quality.

Again, thanks for the errors found.

[dizzysaxophone]

My hard copy came from lulu today (along with Seven Voyages of Zylarthen and Spellcraft & Swordplay), and I'm happy to see some changes have been made since the version of the .pdf I own. I'm happy to see you switched to the d6 hit dice for all classes. Full Metal Plate Mail looks nice, and easily playable (haven't had time yet to read in depth). My only qualm with the book is the text is rather small. I imagine that was a concession to fit it all into one book and under 100 pages. Do rules for creating magic items exist in the rules? I'm not having any luck finding them.

Thanks for your work Leonaru!

[Leonaru]

Glad that you like it. If I remember correctly, there are no rules for magic item crafting in OD&D. However, one of the supplements might have such rules.

I printed a private A4 copy of FMPM, but the quality wasn't satisfying - Lulu doesn't seem to like upscaling. A real A4 version is on my list of things I want to get done, though.

[dizzysaxophone]

Page 6 & 7 (at least in the 3rd printing of the lbbs) of Men & Magic has that Wizards and above may manufacture magic items, and has a table on page 7 of the cost and time per type of item. I was just curious that I didn't find an equivalent passage in FMPM. I do love the chainmail rules you included like Jousting though! Made good use of that in my game on Saturday.

[Leonaru]

Wow, I really overlooked that. I'll definitely include that in the second edition - wherever I can squeeze it in...

[dizzysaxophone]

Glad I could help at least! It's a small thing. I was honestly just interested in how you would interpret that. If you took it as a name-level Magic-User, or if you'd let any Magic-User create scrolls of spells they already know.

[Leonaru]

Here's what M&M says:

Assume that a Magic-User can use a 4th level spell (explained later), therefore he could develop a new spell provided it was equal to or less than 4th level.

Spells of level 4 can be cast before name level, so I would say that every mage can create scrolls of spell he knows. I don't think that overpowered: Scroll creation takes a week per level, so creating scrolls is only really possible in downtime. Casting from a scroll also requires Read Magic, so it's no like a mage can create dozens of spell scrolls and spam magic all day along. It's more like replacing first-level spell slots (the one needed for remembering Read Magic) with any spell at a cost.

[dizzysaxophone]

Oct 17, 2014 16:35:16 GMT -6 18 Spears said:

It also says "Wizards and above may manufacture for their own use (or for sale) such items as potions, scrolls, and just about anything else magical." It seems to be limiting manufacture of scrolls to a minimum level of Wizard.

That is essentially what I was getting at. I was curious what FMPM would say on that. For scroll creation, I personally let Magic-Users create scrolls of spells they have in their book, but I'm always curious to see what other systems do.

[peterlind]

Nice job with the book. I noticed that on page 4 Dexterity is stated as the Prime Requisite of Thieves, but there is no Thief class in the book . . .

[scottenkainen]

Those wicked thieves -- they stole themselves out of the book!

[Porphyre]

maybe they're ninjas actually...

[Leonaru]

I fixed that and the thieves will be gone in v1.4.

But maybe they will return one day.

[Vile Traveller]

Nov 30, 2014 7:51:45 GMT -6 Leonaru said:

I fixed that and the thieves will be gone in v1.4.

Aaaww ...

But maybe they will return one day.

Yay!

[Leonaru]

An A4 version of FMPM is on its way, errata and magic item creation rules included. I still have some formatting to do, though, and want to order a copy for myself before making it generally available. If you come across any more errors or typos, feel free to post them here.

[Leonaru]

The A4 version is ready and I ordered a test copy. If the quality is satisfying, I will make it publicly available. I also planned an A4 hardcover version, but Lulu doesn't offer A4 hardcovers.

[Scott Anderson]

Thieves can go either way. I include them because they are fun. It's just a matter of taste.

[tetramorph]

Leonaru, I've been studying my free download. It is great!

How did you find all that cool public domain art?

[Leonaru]

The images are mainly public domain images from Henry Justice Ford, C. F. Arcier and Virginia Frances Sterrett. Entering those names into the image search engine of your choice should give you some good results. I also took images from public domain comic books (mainly for the horror-themed monsters).

To get images with a consistent quality, Project Gutenberg is a good start. Unfortunately, Project Gutenberg only has medium-resolution images.

[tetramorph]

Thanks, Leonaru. It is really beautiful work. I am studying your work and DD side by side with my LBBs. Three cheers to rule study! Thank you for this gift to the OS community.

[Leonaru]

You're welcome. I'm also working on a letter-sized version of the rules. If only my test copy would arrive! I ordered if from Lulu almost three weeks ago and has been on its way for ten days now.

[Vile Traveller]

Lulu does take a while, I usually get a notice that it's been printed after several days, then that it's been shipped, and then it takes forever to get here. The ironic thing is that they seem to build their profit margin into the postage because that tends to be the expensive part of the price, especially ordering in bulk.

You can still get soft covers of the Blue, Green, Yellow, etc. Fairy Books. I have the Blue Fairy book but the picture resolution is not that great, I suspect it's probably reduced from earlier editions which is a pity. I haven't tried scanning them at super high resolution yet but I will probably do so once I get the spine chopped off.

The A4 vs. Letter thing, by the way, is a real pain in the posterior. My game is Letter-sized to cater for the Americans who are my main customers, but I actually had problems getting hard copies printed here in Hong Kong - they treated Letter as a "special" size ... Electronic devices make things worse, because they have so many screen sizes and orientations that PDFs never really fit.

[Leonaru]

I switched from A4 to Letter because Lulu UK doesn't support A4 hardcovers. It's kind of odd because according to Lulu the books are printed in France or Spain, none of which even uses Letter.