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Post by Zenopus on Aug 18, 2014 8:43:23 GMT -6
This the last paragraph of the rules of Holmes Basic (excluding the Sample Dungeon), and is in the manuscript so it was written by Holmes himself:
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 8, 2014 13:07:40 GMT -6
If the DMG actually has options that include ditching portions of the PHB, then Players owning the DMG might be more likely view these options as legit. Perhaps. But then those the Players with the DMG also gain familiarity with all of the magic items and behind the scenes campaign info etc, which I assume is what Falconer doesn't like.
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 8, 2014 8:47:16 GMT -6
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 8, 2014 7:17:47 GMT -6
Also, does anyone have a picture of JEH we could use for the dedication page? Billygalaxy posted this in his thread on the Acaeum: That picture appeared in the LA Times in 1979; it's credited as "Times photo by Tony Barnard" so is presumably under copyright by them or the original photographer. Probably not a good idea to use it in a commercial publication without proper permission(s). But I believe calithena has gotten some other photos to use.
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 6, 2014 18:48:38 GMT -6
One more call on this. One thing that would be cool would be a one page rules mod that explained the special procedures of "Holmes D&D" to be used at any table - stuff like Dex Initiative, order of action, etc. that is distinctive for this version. If you wanted to be wonky about it you could even have a sidebar about the Perrin Document comparing and contrasting. I could work on this (if no one else has claimed it yet). I have some of the stuff already written up, like the order of combat. "Make Your OSR Game More Like Holmes Basic"
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 5, 2014 21:28:09 GMT -6
Okay, that makes sense in terms of what Arneson used, particularly in First Fantasy Campaign. And I agree he was probably using his two versions in the Temple of the Frog module. But there's nothing to suggest that the standard D&D troll is not Gygax's version of the "True Troll" from Chainmail. Arneson went with Hill Giant capabilities for his "True Troll" while Gygax used the 6+3 HD for his "True Troll".
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Post by Zenopus on Aug 4, 2014 18:50:42 GMT -6
I don't see the term "True Troll" in Blackmoor anywhere. Chainmail is where the term "True Troll" is defined; there it is clear that "Trolls" in Chainmail are Ogres, and "True Trolls" are from 3 Hearts & 3 Lions, which has the regenerating troll. Thus a "True Troll" is just a standard D&D troll.
The trolls in Blackmoor "fight as Hill Giants with their normal regenerative capabilities" (Room 4). To me these just seem like the standard leader-types for D&D, where a monster fights as a larger humanoid, like goblin leaders who fight as hobgoblins. There are also some in Room 8 that "fight as Ogres" - which make them weaker than normal trolls.
I may be missing something - what makes you think the Blackmoor trolls are "True Trolls" while regular D&D trolls are not?
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Post by Zenopus on Jul 9, 2014 18:43:58 GMT -6
How about playing a game where every adventurer (both in the party and NPCs) is a quadruple class-er? That would make for a interesting game and setting. Perhaps everyone is from a super longed lived elf-like race.
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Post by Zenopus on Jul 6, 2014 21:59:48 GMT -6
Elsewhere (DF, I believe) it was pointed out that rolling two d20s for a bunch of monsters can be onerous for the DM. For example, normally if 5 orcs are attacking the DM could roll 5 d20s at once. But with this system you can't roll ten d20s unless each set is color coded.
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Post by Zenopus on Jul 6, 2014 21:49:44 GMT -6
Nice tables, redbaron. Would work well with "D&D from Memory".
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Post by Zenopus on Jul 6, 2014 15:02:07 GMT -6
Can you mimic the rolls just by giving an advantaged character a +3 and a disadvantaged character a -3?
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 28, 2014 8:26:22 GMT -6
One idea I've had for using the original percentages (since they are in the rulebook, be it Greyhawk or Holmes) is to add the following house rules:
The listed percentages for Thieves are for "difficult" conditions (for example - unlocking a door without making noise, disarming a complex trap, taking a possession from an opponent while conversing with them, hiding in shadows while being followed, moving quietly while an alert guard is listening, climbing smooth walls).
For "easy" conditions, Thieves add 50% to their required chance (for example - unlocking a door noisily, disarming a simple trap, picking the pocket of an unalert person, hiding in shadows or moving silently around a distracted guard, climbing rough walls). Any character may attempt an "easy" task using the standard thief percentages at 1st level.
If converting to d6 chances, a 1st level thief has a 1 in 6 chance for difficult tasks (5 in 6 for a difficult Climb Walls), 4 in 6 for easy tasks (automatic for easy Climb Walls), and other characters have a 1 in 6 chance for easy tasks (5 in 6 for an easy CW).
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 18, 2014 21:58:19 GMT -6
I found a 'hidden' rule in Blackmoor in the description of the monk class:
"Note however that extremely silent creatures will double surprise possibilities, i.e., halflings, thieves, bugbears and undead double possibilities".
This is a 4 in 6 chance for thieves or halflings to surprise other characters/monsters, which fits well with Luc's idea of 4 in 6 success. So this is another possible skill for thieves, although it should be perhaps just be viewed as the result of a successful Move Silently.
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 16, 2014 11:31:57 GMT -6
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 9, 2014 18:22:47 GMT -6
For the first time, I decided to pare down my book collection. I painstakingly decided what books I could part with, ended up dividing about 100 into 9 different book lots, and put them up for auction. Not a single auction sold. Maybe I made the starting prices too high when shipping is factored in, but I don't want to lose money on the sale either, which can happen when eBay fees, Paypal fees, shipping fees, box purchasing, and my time for going to the post office are taken into account. But I'm wondering if people just aren't buying books anymore, and the age of the book sale is come and gone. Did you base your sale prices on previously sold auctions? The Ebay 'completed auction' tab is usually a good guide for what the current selling prices. Also, people buying lots usually expect a bigger discount per title. You generally make more selling each book individually, though very low demand items might sell for a bit in a lot and not at all individually.
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 6, 2014 21:59:39 GMT -6
Magic swords should have a chance of deflecting laser blasts back at the shooter. The rule of cool.
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 5, 2014 19:36:06 GMT -6
Tim Kask is running an OD&D game on camera 2 right now. www.ustream.tv/channel/ntrpgcon2Game Title: One Got Away Game System : OD & D Number of players : 8-10 Pregens/Level of characters : Pre-Gens provided World/Setting : Generic Game Info: The sequel to Snakeriders of the Aradondo (first tested and played at NTRPGCon) will pit the adventurers against a tropical rainforest, corrupted fey, protein-starved predators, predatory flora, ancient legends, unknown magics, otherworldly interference, diabolical apes, enormous serpents and inimical insects. Well-equipped pre-gens of competitive level will be provided, as will all books necessary for the play of OD&D. Players need only bring pencils and dice. Are you skilled and or lucky enough to survive one of Tim's notorious convention adventures?
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 5, 2014 11:07:19 GMT -6
The North Texas RPG CON is going on this weekend. FYI, info on the three (!) live camera feeds for the con is posted here on the Acaeum: www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14349Of note to this forum, Frank Mentzer will be running an LBB game tomorrow night (on Camera 2) "Friday 10PM - 11PM - Frank Mentzer - Back to 1974"
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 3, 2014 18:20:05 GMT -6
Below is Tom Wham's own first character sheet, from 1975/76, which he posted on Facebook. The character portrait is done in his signature style. (click on the pic for a larger view) Attachments:
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Post by Zenopus on Jun 1, 2014 16:23:10 GMT -6
RR, according to the Acaeum page on the Expert Set, the version without the white circle is the 1st printing, and the version with the white circle is a later printing. From what I've seen the later printing with the white circle is much more common. I agree they probably just changed it to make it more readable. Last year I compared the dndclassics pdf version of the Expert Set (which lacks the circle) with my print copy (which has the white circle), and I didn't note any differences other than my print copy lacking Gygax and Arneson's name on it. See this post on my blog. This a quick comparison so it's possibly I missed a small change here or there. I haven't compared the Basic Set versions, either.
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Post by Zenopus on May 29, 2014 18:24:57 GMT -6
Neat idea, Luc. It's a bit like the system in Warlock, the 1975 OD&D variant which treated thief skills more like spells.
How about a Knife Throwing skill that allows the thief to throw a dagger into melee combat without chance (or reduced chance) of friendly fire? This would allow a thief to fight more without getting directly in combat. They still must be in range (perhaps only works at short range), and is limited by the number of daggers carried. NPCs could have the same ability...
* * * * *
Just for comparison/inspiration, here's the 1st level thief skill list from the Complete Warlock (1978): 1. Detect Evil 2. Detect Good 3. Detect Magic 4. Evaluate Treasure 5. Jimmy Portals 6. Pick Most Locks (2/3) 7. Dagger +2 8. Short Sword +2 9. Sling +2 10. Sure Strike, Dagger (x3) 11. Detect Noise (+1/6) 12. Hide in Shadows (50%) 13. Jam Portals 14. Move More Silently (+1/6) 15. Spot Hidden Items (+1/6) 16. Cheat At Game of Skill 17. Sleight of Hand (80%) 18. Pilfer from Backpacks/Saddlebags (50%) 19. Lie Convincingly 20. Map Deciphering 21. Read 1 Extra Language 22. Start Fires 23. Tie Up With Ropes
A 1st level thief gets one of these abilities, a 2nd level thief gets two, etc in a progression similar to spellcasting. Base chance for skills that are +1/6 is 1 in 6, so the +1/6 makes it 2 in 6.
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Post by Zenopus on May 28, 2014 17:35:23 GMT -6
I most recently DM'd a 4th level hero so I just took the straight results of the 4d8 dice (Holmes/Greyhawk rules).
You could let a first level character roll 4d8, and pick which dice to use for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th.
Or how about a system, like prime requisites, where you can trade ability scores for hit points on a 2-for-1 basis?
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Post by Zenopus on May 27, 2014 21:32:01 GMT -6
I still have my original AD&D books, and the DMG (efreet cover) has a price tag of $10.25 inside the front cover. The tag is from the aafes (Army & Air Force Exchange Service), where my dad purchased it for me in the spring of 1983. I believe I got the Fiend Folio for $1 (!) at KayBee toys that same spring when they were having a sale.
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Post by Zenopus on May 26, 2014 22:45:09 GMT -6
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Post by Zenopus on May 26, 2014 12:15:15 GMT -6
Sounds like fun, Fin. Our DM does the same as cadriel, one re-roll per session. But you only earn it if you were at the previous session.
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Post by Zenopus on May 22, 2014 14:01:54 GMT -6
Mike Mearls Twitter conversation where he mentioned the free pdf:
Also some interesting stuff about layering the rules by placing options (tactical combat, spell point system) in the DMG.
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Post by Zenopus on May 20, 2014 19:53:09 GMT -6
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Post by Zenopus on May 16, 2014 21:51:16 GMT -6
That became a bit overpowering in some cases but a while back Zenopus posted in the Holmes section here some "1HP monsters". Those are what I use to offset his attacks He gets to fend off various creepy crawlies that pop up. That is fantastic & exactly what I had in mind for the 1 HP'ers. Thanks for letting me know. I sympathize with the impulse to remove ability scores. I like the concept of "D&D From Memory" which has been discussed here before - only playing with what you can remember without looking in a rulebook - and the less rules used, the easier this is. But in the end I like having the six ability scores. It's part of the flavor & history of the game. Plus a great vocabulary builder for the kids. I'd guess I'd rather ditch the bonuses and keep the scores themselves. A Str 14 fighter is stronger than a Str 13 fighter.
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Post by Zenopus on May 12, 2014 19:39:08 GMT -6
Others by Tom: Stag Beetle on page 9; Criosphinx, Gynosphinx and Hieracosphinx on page 90. Each of these has a tiny TW in the lower right part of the picture. Possibly the Giant Frog on page 41. It looks like there is a set of two letter initials between two toes, but they are so small I can't read them clearly. There be others either without a "TW" or one that is well hidden. Other than the obviously cartoons, I find it hard to distinguish his monsters in the Monster Manual from those of DCS based on style alone. * * * * * In other news, Tom recently mentioned that he drew the 'Skull Mountain' cross-section in the Holmes Rulebook! See this thread on Knights & Knaves.
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Post by Zenopus on May 8, 2014 13:01:31 GMT -6
I don't think there's anything in the original rules that cover this, or even the original AD&D books. It wasn't until Unearthed Arcana that this was covered in a D&D rulebook. In those rules Gygax allowed casting from spellbooks, but with a small chance of erasing additional pages or even the entire book. You could certainly rule that scrolls & spell books are interchangeable in your game. My further thoughts on this for the Basic Set: The Scroll Spellbook.
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