What have you done with it?

[Finarvyn]

Okay, so both the Core and WB version of Swords & Wizardry have been out there as a free download for a while. I'm assuming that if you downloaded the PDF or bought the paper version you're just reading it or maybe playing it with few alterations.

But the Word versions are low-format files set up so that you can tinker and edit and play with the rules and "do stuff" with them.

So what have you done?

I'm curious as to what uses have been found for the Word files. Have you done a simple homebrew variant? Undergone a more massive structural change to the rules? What kinds of settings have you used S&W for?

Share with us!

[Haldo Bramwise]

I'm very, very tempted to release a really retro-looking, high fantasy Player's Section of the WB called, "Perils & Plunder." It would include a thief, bard, paladin, cavalier etc., a weapon vs armor chart and a traditional saving throw chart from LL.

Very tempted.

[RandallS]

I've decided to do For Gold & Glory based S&W Core instead of based on Microlite74.

I haven't decided if I am going to do it as a complete game (modifying the base S&W doc file) or as a "supplement" for S&W patterned after Greyhawk or EW. While the complete game idea sounds great, the supplement would be less work AND would not require people who want to use it to print out all the S&W text they already have.

I hate having to make decisions like this.

[Finarvyn]

Mar 12, 2009 20:15:11 GMT -6 RandallS said:

I haven't decided if I am going to do it as a complete game (modifying the base S&W doc file) or as a "supplement" for S&W patterned after Greyhawk or EW. While the complete game idea sounds great, the supplement would be less work AND would not require people who want to use it to print out all the S&W text they already have.

I hate having to make decisions like this.

My thought on this -- start with a supplement (which is easier) and see what kind of demand you get. If it's high enough then make a "version 2" which integrates your stuff with the rules doc.

Just my two coppers. :-)

[Zulgyan]

I have ripped the spells and translated them into spanish for my home game. The descriptions where short and just as detailed as I wanted them.

I see myself doing the same with the magic items in the future.

[RandallS]

Mar 12, 2009 21:33:44 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

My thought on this -- start with a supplement (which is easier) and see what kind of demand you get. If it's high enough then make a "version 2" which integrates your stuff with the rules doc.

Sounds like a good plan -- especially as it starts with the "less work" option.

[James Maliszewski]

Mar 12, 2009 19:31:40 GMT -6 Haldo Bramwise said:

Very tempted.

You and me both.

[chgowiz]

Mar 12, 2009 18:40:11 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

Okay, so both the Core and WB version of Swords & Wizardry have been out there as a free download for a while. I'm assuming that if you downloaded the PDF or bought the paper version you're just reading it or maybe playing it with few alterations.

But the Word versions are low-format files set up so that you can tinker and edit and play with the rules and "do stuff" with them.

So what have you done?

I'm curious as to what uses have been found for the Word files. Have you done a simple homebrew variant? Undergone a more massive structural change to the rules? What kinds of settings have you used S&W for?

Share with us!

I made Game Referee Screens. I've made some minor adjustments to my Shields/Shattered and my Counterspell homebrew sections. Other than that, I'm still getting a feel for the rules and deciding what I want to do.

[miked]

I am working on Ruins & Ronin - a Japanese style D&D without all of the social class baggage most Samurai games require. I hope to release it with Mythmere's help by the end of May / beginning of June.

[Lord Kilgore]

Haven't played S&W yet (mostly LL these days) but will be soon.

I've been thinking hard about a sword & planet game, and S&W might be a perfect starting point.

But
1) I've seen others working on/talking about a similar project
2) I fear I don't have the time/determination to make it happen

[jjarvis]

I'm really into the White Box version.

I've written up three races (Amazon, Cyclops, Pygmy) to take the place of the more traditional elf, dwarf, halfling to give my games a more ancient-world/sword and sorcery feel. They are available here: www.swordsandwizardry.com/?page_id=18

I've been scribbling notes and house rules while playing the occasional fill-in game and these notes are starting to gain some mass and some direction.

Today I scribbled out a campaign map that just flowed out of a sharpie onto the paper, it absolutely oozes old-school sword and sorcery feel. Might just have whip up descriptions of the places on the map and mash it together with my notes.

[stonetoflesh]

Mar 13, 2009 20:52:41 GMT -6 jjarvis said:

I'm really into the White Box version.

I love White Box too! It's become my go-to system in the past few months. I periodically get to run White Box games for kids at a local public library branch, and have also been working on new races & psionics for my science-fantasy setting "Zhontaar." I've posted some houseruled classes, sheets, and other stuff on my blog (below). I've also been experimenting with a First Fantasy Campaign-inspired alternate alchemical magic system, a writeup of which I'll submit in the next couple days to Knockspell.

[Mr. Darke]

I'm running Core Second Print now. The only things I have done is add a thief class and rip some spells and monsters from AD&D. As I get more familiar with the system I will make some small adjustments and add a class or two.

[garish]

I run a weekly Core Rules game, now set in Robert Con;ey's Wilderlands(from Fight On!). I demo kids at Hobbytown USA almost every Sunday using Whitebox. (Spike and I let them paint a Reaper mini, give them a d20 and a d6, thene run them through a simple dungeon.) I'm writing a module that will be 'stress-tested' at Reapercon in two weeks. It will be CR connected.

[jacar]

I'll have to answer in the form of what my plans are to do with them...

First, I am going to change the stat system slightly so that it looks more like the modern stats system.

Stat/Mod
3/-3
4-5/-2
6-8/-1
9-12/0
13-15/+1
16-17/+2
18/+3

Then I am going to add thief as a class. Their skills will be based on a D20 for doing anything "thiefy". The mod will be Dex + 1/2 level round up. the DM will assign the difficulty number of the task to be done. Tasks will include climb, sneak, hide, pick, disarm. I think they will get the usual sneak attack (aka back stab) per the old rules.

I plan on using this with Chainmail Reforged. The character conversion stuff will probably be in the Chainmail book. I suspect if i try to add it to S&W, there will be a lot of re-writing to make the rules jive.

Finally, I'll change the escalation system for hitting a bit. I'll essentially get rid of the to hit table and use the formulas as follows.

Fighting men get +1 to hit per 2 levels.
Clerics and thieves get +1 to hit per 3 levels.
Wizards get +1 to hit per 4 levels.
All fractions round up. So at 1st level all classes get +1 to hit.

Attribute advancement. I will allow an addition of +1 per attribute at every 4th level. (4,8,12 etc). This attribute advance must be placed in either the prime requisite or wisdom. In the case of cleric, where wisdom is the prime requisite, they may choose, wisdom or charisma.

The ultimate plan is to run a mini-campaign for the group which will include some battles and some adventuring. Get the characters into the notion that they are more than just a bunch of thugs looking to make a buck!

That's about it for me.

[miked]

After watching Terminator Salvation, and rewatching Children of Men, I have written up a quick modern apocalypse setting called "THE RESISTANCE". You could use it for Zombies, Cyborgs, or even Alien invasion. You can read more about it on my blog (link in my sig).

Basically there are 3 core classes, Resistance Fighter, Medic, and Techno-Rat. Modern Firearm rules were based heavily on the Best of Dragon Volume 1 article entitled "Sturmgeshultz and Sorcery".

I even threw together a Kill-Bot 100 to use in your White Box adventures (why, no that is not a cheap terminator knock-off).

--Mike D.

[Finarvyn]

May 22, 2009 10:33:08 GMT -6 miked said:

After watching Terminator Salvation, and rewatching Children of Men, I have written up a quick modern apocalypse setting called "THE RESISTANCE". You could use it for Zombies, Cyborgs, or even Alien invasion. You can read more about it on my blog (link in my sig).

Basically there are 3 core classes, Resistance Fighter, Medic, and Techno-Rat. Modern Firearm rules were based heavily on the Best of Dragon Volume 1 article entitled "Sturmgeshultz and Sorcery".

I even threw together a Kill-Bot 100 to use in your White Box adventures (why, no that is not a cheap terminator knock-off).

--Mike D.

Awesome! I've not yet seen the new Terminator movie, but the original Ah-nold one is one of my all-time favorites! I like your adaptation ideas.....

[miked]

Thanks Finarvyn.

[stonetoflesh]

Well, it seems like my Zhontaar setting is on indefinite hiatus while other games happen. I'm still working on my White Box Library Game but I've mostly been gung-ho about Traveller lately, gearing up to run some adventures for my group. As I do my prep, I can't help but think about mixing Trav and White Box, perhaps drawing from what I did in this adventure... "Grey Box" anyone?

[Arminath]

For my Onn Supplement I tweaked the ability scores into 4-point spreads:
1-4 -2
5-8 -1
9-12 Average
13-16 +1
17-20 +2

I also added the retro classes and slightly expanded the spell lists.

It's only been a month but there's been a huge out pouring of support in the way of sales (alot more than I expected), emails and PMs on here, S&W and DF asking about various things.

I think when I do a 2nd print I may incorporate most of the S&W base that I need to make it stand alone.