In the setting described in the last post, Priest adventurers make much more sense- as the strong arm of order and healing hunting precious metals and defeating dark magic by restoring normality.
I personally have no problem locking Priests to serving the concept of order for players for their faith effects. Heal, turn (restore natural order), block magic, bless armor, undo spells and magnify damage through metal weapons.
Basically healers and anti-mages, with decent fighting skills.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
World vs. generic
So hey, I wrote this huge description of how I was going to handle background setting and phoof! Lost it. My app is crap.
Made me stall a bit. Here goes a shorter version...
Basically I realized an RPG book needs atmosphere, and a fresh twist on the old school.
Rather than a just rolling out the same old, I trawled through old gaming material and fantasy art looking for directions that had not been taken.
I feel that an RPG book MUST inspire your players imaginations.
I think I have devised a really flexible setting that explains away the classic RPG cliches like why all these dungeons are filled with weird hybrid monsters with an urge to guard treasure and a total inability to hear that dragon next door.
I wanted to build a world around the 'psychedelic rock opera' fantasy art you see in the works of Rodney Matthews and Roger Dean.
My setting is called The Madrigal and revolves around a world shattered (literally) in a magical war by alien eldritch sorcerers driven insane competing for the love of a mischievous and sadistic trickster demi-goddess.
The world is entirely comprised of crumbling sky islands floating over a mystical abyss of raw imagination, each peppered with twisted remnants of the long vanquished Sorcerers both creatures forged to impress their love or to battle their foes, and mazes designed to protect their secrets.
The survivors in this post apocalyptic world rely on molybdomancy- the magic of metal channelling to protect the vertically crammed settlements from the strange and terrible creatures and energies remaining from the wizard wars. Gold magnifies and focuses faith- the will of order that keeps the islands from crumbling and turns dark magic.
Adventurers are sent to explore the skylands as they weave slowly around in complex paths- returning with metals, gems, ancient artifacts and scrolls of lost lore to defend the cities and channel the priests of orders prayers
Some never return from these twisted magical realms quite the same...
Each skyland is as bizarre and fantastical to the character as it is to the player. Some Skylands stay in orbit, some merge and others drift away. The GM can shuffle his campaign world easily, freshening up the adventure and doing away with used dungeons whenever convenient.
The GM also can use arcane 'eldritch sorcery' as an excuse to do stuff player character mages cannot- for their magic is a pathetic shadow, gleaned from snippets of lost lore. Npc mages may have uncovered secrets not accessed by the player mages (magic should always be special and mysterious, and most importantly, drive the plot).
Well thats a taste...
Made me stall a bit. Here goes a shorter version...
Basically I realized an RPG book needs atmosphere, and a fresh twist on the old school.
Rather than a just rolling out the same old, I trawled through old gaming material and fantasy art looking for directions that had not been taken.
I feel that an RPG book MUST inspire your players imaginations.
I think I have devised a really flexible setting that explains away the classic RPG cliches like why all these dungeons are filled with weird hybrid monsters with an urge to guard treasure and a total inability to hear that dragon next door.
I wanted to build a world around the 'psychedelic rock opera' fantasy art you see in the works of Rodney Matthews and Roger Dean.
My setting is called The Madrigal and revolves around a world shattered (literally) in a magical war by alien eldritch sorcerers driven insane competing for the love of a mischievous and sadistic trickster demi-goddess.
The world is entirely comprised of crumbling sky islands floating over a mystical abyss of raw imagination, each peppered with twisted remnants of the long vanquished Sorcerers both creatures forged to impress their love or to battle their foes, and mazes designed to protect their secrets.
The survivors in this post apocalyptic world rely on molybdomancy- the magic of metal channelling to protect the vertically crammed settlements from the strange and terrible creatures and energies remaining from the wizard wars. Gold magnifies and focuses faith- the will of order that keeps the islands from crumbling and turns dark magic.
Adventurers are sent to explore the skylands as they weave slowly around in complex paths- returning with metals, gems, ancient artifacts and scrolls of lost lore to defend the cities and channel the priests of orders prayers
Some never return from these twisted magical realms quite the same...
Each skyland is as bizarre and fantastical to the character as it is to the player. Some Skylands stay in orbit, some merge and others drift away. The GM can shuffle his campaign world easily, freshening up the adventure and doing away with used dungeons whenever convenient.
The GM also can use arcane 'eldritch sorcery' as an excuse to do stuff player character mages cannot- for their magic is a pathetic shadow, gleaned from snippets of lost lore. Npc mages may have uncovered secrets not accessed by the player mages (magic should always be special and mysterious, and most importantly, drive the plot).
Well thats a taste...
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Magic thoughts.
First up, Vancian magic can go get f@cked. In my book spell drain is the way to go. A few big spells as your buggered and need a lie down and cup of tea. Wizards have to to be thinkers... better a few well placed smaller spells throughout the day, and one megadeath boom-boom when it is absolutely necessary.
I also like giving players the option to get energy from risky sources. Chaos mutations, bargains for unholy tasks (yep, giving wizards scenario hooks they MUST complete) or hooking into seriously unstable juice that could fry you.
What I feel is that, as a wizard player you have access to phenomenal power that makes all the other player classes tremble... But....
Gandalf casts only a few spells, and you get the impression its only when absolutely necessary. Being the keeper of immense power is a thrill, as is having secrets from other players... secret tasks to fulfill for spell pacts.
What if you get a bonus for each spell you DONT let the other players see?
Wizard: Take to the mountains... I shall deal with this fiend!
Warrior: what? How- your an old man and that... Thing is..
Wizard: This wizard has his ways young warmonger... Now go!
Magic makes or breaks an rpg system in my book. Balancing wizards against warriors has always been a sticking point- but I feel the blow by blow nature of dundred will counter this somewhat. Warriors are hella fun.
I am wondering if, in addition to pre-baked spells, if wizards should get the same flexibility to do stuff on the fly.
Spells perhaps, like weapons, could be used in various ways. Take the marvel character magneto. He uses his powers to open doors, disarm, torture, trap and in combination with metal clothes to give himself flight. He has power over metal.
Now just giving a pc 'power over metal: 30" is a bit vague. How much metal? How fast? Well, a +30 metal mastery could be equivalent of a human with a stat of +30. So you can lift what a strength +30 human could, throw it with the aim of a +30 archer, make a wall that is -30 to climb or destroy.
Its not very old school. Not as flavorful as magic missile or prismatic rays. A mix is important.
I also like giving players the option to get energy from risky sources. Chaos mutations, bargains for unholy tasks (yep, giving wizards scenario hooks they MUST complete) or hooking into seriously unstable juice that could fry you.
What I feel is that, as a wizard player you have access to phenomenal power that makes all the other player classes tremble... But....
Gandalf casts only a few spells, and you get the impression its only when absolutely necessary. Being the keeper of immense power is a thrill, as is having secrets from other players... secret tasks to fulfill for spell pacts.
What if you get a bonus for each spell you DONT let the other players see?
Wizard: Take to the mountains... I shall deal with this fiend!
Warrior: what? How- your an old man and that... Thing is..
Wizard: This wizard has his ways young warmonger... Now go!
Magic makes or breaks an rpg system in my book. Balancing wizards against warriors has always been a sticking point- but I feel the blow by blow nature of dundred will counter this somewhat. Warriors are hella fun.
I am wondering if, in addition to pre-baked spells, if wizards should get the same flexibility to do stuff on the fly.
Spells perhaps, like weapons, could be used in various ways. Take the marvel character magneto. He uses his powers to open doors, disarm, torture, trap and in combination with metal clothes to give himself flight. He has power over metal.
Now just giving a pc 'power over metal: 30" is a bit vague. How much metal? How fast? Well, a +30 metal mastery could be equivalent of a human with a stat of +30. So you can lift what a strength +30 human could, throw it with the aim of a +30 archer, make a wall that is -30 to climb or destroy.
Its not very old school. Not as flavorful as magic missile or prismatic rays. A mix is important.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Ready to roll!
I always liked the way Shadowrun had a full body painting on each character archetype with a typical profile. My favorite character 'hotwire', was grabbed straight from one of these when I arrived late to the first session or my original pc died (I forget now). Over time she grew from generic decker to a more personalized, well rounded (and somewhat odd) character. The moral of the story- having pregens handy is good.
So D'undred shall have them!
I picture a page per character- full length painting, stats all done and items blocked in ready for 'bracketing' (so you get ___________(hand weapon +20 and fill in Bastard Sword (hand weapon +20).
.... And your away!
There should be different archetypes for each class present, such as Burley Fighter (tank), Swift Fighter (duellist), Sickly Necromancer, Frail Wizard, Battle mage, Charming Rogue, Petty Thief, catburgler and so on, giving you a clear idea of what your playing from the get go.
Of course, you can always generate your attributes and buy trappings, but thats optional.
One things certain... I will include a random name generator table for players to enjoy. With tables for sexes, classes and races.
You know the fun names these throw up... Gel/gor/finger/true= Gelgor truefinger. Raghorn leastbit, Emmadmir wherryknot.
Katniss Eberdeen. Larree HellMore. Etc.
Heck, a table of quirks for inspiration would be fun too. Big nose+ sneer+ limp? Winning smile +interesting scent+ grey streak? Nervous laugh+body hair+fascinated with blue.
Love those.
So D'undred shall have them!
I picture a page per character- full length painting, stats all done and items blocked in ready for 'bracketing' (so you get ___________(hand weapon +20 and fill in Bastard Sword (hand weapon +20).
.... And your away!
There should be different archetypes for each class present, such as Burley Fighter (tank), Swift Fighter (duellist), Sickly Necromancer, Frail Wizard, Battle mage, Charming Rogue, Petty Thief, catburgler and so on, giving you a clear idea of what your playing from the get go.
Of course, you can always generate your attributes and buy trappings, but thats optional.
One things certain... I will include a random name generator table for players to enjoy. With tables for sexes, classes and races.
You know the fun names these throw up... Gel/gor/finger/true= Gelgor truefinger. Raghorn leastbit, Emmadmir wherryknot.
Katniss Eberdeen. Larree HellMore. Etc.
Heck, a table of quirks for inspiration would be fun too. Big nose+ sneer+ limp? Winning smile +interesting scent+ grey streak? Nervous laugh+body hair+fascinated with blue.
Love those.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Square free zoneage
If you are not familiar with DM Scotty's DM'sCRAFT channel on youtube, go check it out.
He shows you how to quickly knock up custom dungeon tiles for a few cents each using little more than corrugated card and a hot glue gun. He dances neatly along the line of visually enhancing the rpg experience without distracting from the imagination by producing stuff in broad gestures. Great stuff.
Here are some simple test tiles I knocked up a while back using his techniques.
DM Scotty shows how to use a measuring stick to go grid less in DND. I am used to skirmish so this makes sense, but nothing is stopping you drawing grids or dots on your tiles if you want I suppose.
He shows you how to quickly knock up custom dungeon tiles for a few cents each using little more than corrugated card and a hot glue gun. He dances neatly along the line of visually enhancing the rpg experience without distracting from the imagination by producing stuff in broad gestures. Great stuff.
Here are some simple test tiles I knocked up a while back using his techniques.
DM Scotty shows how to use a measuring stick to go grid less in DND. I am used to skirmish so this makes sense, but nothing is stopping you drawing grids or dots on your tiles if you want I suppose.
Blow by blow
Another day away from the pc, so its 'compensate with D'undred blog' time.
My homebrew rules have always been blow-by-blow rather than DnDs abstraction of 6 seconds combat time.
This has always made sense to me- after all, the challenging cry of the DM is ' what do you do?'. Just replying 'I attack the ' seemed like a non decision to me.
I set the players challenges and puzzles, they come up with creative ways to solve them. Combat is no different.
My players are given the freedom to invent combat moves in response to slower or matched initiative NPC actions. I say what the enemy appears to be doing- the player says how they plan to counter the move.
DM: Rogue! The first Gnoll reached you, swinging its foul, dung smeared, jagged shortsword at your belly.
John: I rush at him, breaking left at the last moment and stabbing my dagger into the meat of neck!
[roll]
DM: you do! Yet your blade bites deep into the Gnolls shoulder as you rush past, tearing at the muscle! Free blow.
John: I drop down into a squat letting my full body weight tear the dagger downwards!
DM: Ouch. Bonus ten. Roll em
[rolls]
John: oh crap.
DM: the gnoll spins sharply, levering your blade out of your grip. It remains embedded in its thick muscle!
John: nuts.
DM: Callista, the female Bugbear charges at you, before you can reach she....
[rolls]
Shoulder smashes into you, lifting you up and slamming you against the wall.
Jane: so I am in the air?
DM: yes, pressed against the stone wall, feet off the ground by about two foot.
Jane: bitch! I ram my magic wand into her eye.
[rolls]
DM: ...gouging into her cheek, but causing her to wince. Free blow.
Jane: I grab the fur on her cheek with one hand to keep her face still and repeatedly stab at her eyes.
[rolls]
DM: The bugbear growls and pushes you upwards with both arms. Your back scrapes against the rough hewn wall. Your face comes within inches of a sharp stalactite.
Jane: aiiiieeee!!!!
DM: Mungor the Dwarf?
Bill: "Drop that Wizard! For a start you do not know where the filthy bitch has been!". I leap and bring my axe down onto the back of the bugbears legs.
[rolls]
DM: Slicing weakly at her thick hyde, that's unlike you! Blow 2?
Bill: I spin backwards, this time angling upwards into her spine. "I said drop the tome jockey!!!"
[rolls]
Bill: thats more like it!
DM: The heavy blow crumples the greasy armor plates on her back and sends the howling Bugbear reeling to... here. Callista still at arms length, her skirts flailing above your head.
Jane: "aaaaaaiiii!"
Combat continues in this manner, usually resulting in more baddies piling in as the players are having a ball.
The problem with this system is it does mean a lot of talking for the DM who has to set up and answer each attack. The benefit is players get super engaged, coming up with ways to hurt things- often using whatever is at hand.
In order to facilitate players responding to npc attack descriptions with their own counter moves, I use a reverse initiative system.
The slowest PC goes first, then we work upwards to the fastest. Players sit around my table clockwise in initiative order. At any time a player to the right can interrupt a player to his left and perform a reaction to their announced move or aid them.
Npcs and monsters slot in around
My homebrew rules have always been blow-by-blow rather than DnDs abstraction of 6 seconds combat time.
This has always made sense to me- after all, the challenging cry of the DM is '
I set the players challenges and puzzles, they come up with creative ways to solve them. Combat is no different.
My players are given the freedom to invent combat moves in response to slower or matched initiative NPC actions. I say what the enemy appears to be doing- the player says how they plan to counter the move.
DM: Rogue! The first Gnoll reached you, swinging its foul, dung smeared, jagged shortsword at your belly.
John: I rush at him, breaking left at the last moment and stabbing my dagger into the meat of neck!
[roll]
DM: you do! Yet your blade bites deep into the Gnolls shoulder as you rush past, tearing at the muscle! Free blow.
John: I drop down into a squat letting my full body weight tear the dagger downwards!
DM: Ouch. Bonus ten. Roll em
[rolls]
John: oh crap.
DM: the gnoll spins sharply, levering your blade out of your grip. It remains embedded in its thick muscle!
John: nuts.
DM: Callista, the female Bugbear charges at you, before you can reach she....
[rolls]
Shoulder smashes into you, lifting you up and slamming you against the wall.
Jane: so I am in the air?
DM: yes, pressed against the stone wall, feet off the ground by about two foot.
Jane: bitch! I ram my magic wand into her eye.
[rolls]
DM: ...gouging into her cheek, but causing her to wince. Free blow.
Jane: I grab the fur on her cheek with one hand to keep her face still and repeatedly stab at her eyes.
[rolls]
DM: The bugbear growls and pushes you upwards with both arms. Your back scrapes against the rough hewn wall. Your face comes within inches of a sharp stalactite.
Jane: aiiiieeee!!!!
DM: Mungor the Dwarf?
Bill: "Drop that Wizard! For a start you do not know where the filthy bitch has been!". I leap and bring my axe down onto the back of the bugbears legs.
[rolls]
DM: Slicing weakly at her thick hyde, that's unlike you! Blow 2?
Bill: I spin backwards, this time angling upwards into her spine. "I said drop the tome jockey!!!"
[rolls]
Bill: thats more like it!
DM: The heavy blow crumples the greasy armor plates on her back and sends the howling Bugbear reeling to... here. Callista still at arms length, her skirts flailing above your head.
Jane: "aaaaaaiiii!"
Combat continues in this manner, usually resulting in more baddies piling in as the players are having a ball.
The problem with this system is it does mean a lot of talking for the DM who has to set up and answer each attack. The benefit is players get super engaged, coming up with ways to hurt things- often using whatever is at hand.
In order to facilitate players responding to npc attack descriptions with their own counter moves, I use a reverse initiative system.
The slowest PC goes first, then we work upwards to the fastest. Players sit around my table clockwise in initiative order. At any time a player to the right can interrupt a player to his left and perform a reaction to their announced move or aid them.
Npcs and monsters slot in around
Monday, September 17, 2012
Blow by blow
Another day away from the pc, so its 'compensate with D'undred blog' time.
My homebrew rules have always been blow-by-blow rather than DnDs abstraction of 6 seconds combat time.
This has always made sense to me- after all, the challenging cry of the DM is '(insert threatening dramatic event) what do you do?'. Just replying 'I attack the (insert monster/gazebo)' seemed like a non decision to me.
I set the players challenges and puzzles, they come up with creative ways to solve them. Combat is no different.
My players are given the freedom to invent combat moves in response to slower or matched initiative NPC actions. I say what the enemy appears to be doing- the player says how they plan to counter the move.
DM: Rogue! The first Gnoll reached you, swinging its foul, dung smeared, jagged shortsword at your belly.
John: I rush at him, breaking left at the last moment and stabbing my dagger into the meat of neck!
[roll]
DM: you do! Yet your blade bites deep into the Gnolls shoulder as you rush past, tearing at the muscle! Free blow.
John: I drop down into a squat letting my full body weight tear the dagger downwards!
DM: Ouch. Bonus ten. Roll em
[rolls]
John: oh crap.
DM: the gnoll spins sharply, levering your blade out of your grip. It remains embedded in its thick muscle!
John: nuts.
DM: Callista, the female Bugbear charges at you, before you can react she....
[rolls]
....Shoulder smashes into you, lifting you up and slamming you against the wall.
Jane: so I am in the air?
DM: yes, pressed against the stone wall, feet off the ground by about two foot.
Jane: bitch! I ram my magic wand into her eye.
[rolls]
DM: ...gouging into her cheek, but causing her to wince. Free blow.
Jane: I grab the fur on her cheek with one hand to keep her face still and repeatedly stab at her eyes.
[rolls]
DM: The bugbear growls and pushes you upwards with both arms. Your back scrapes against the rough hewn wall. Your face comes within inches of a sharp stalactite.
Jane: aiiiieeee!!!!
DM: Mungor the Dwarf?
Bill: "Drop that Wizard! For a start you do not know where the dirty tyke has been!". I leap and bring my axe down onto the back of the bugbears legs.
[rolls]
DM: Slicing weakly at her thick hyde, that's unlike you! Blow 2?
Bill: I spin backwards, this time angling upwards into her spine. "I said drop the tome jockey!!!"
[rolls]
Bill: thats more like it!
DM: The heavy blow crumples the greasy armor plates on her back and sends the howling Bugbear reeling to... here. Callista still at arms length, her skirts flailing above your head.
Jane: "aaaaaaiiii!"
Combat continues in this manner, usually resulting in more baddies piling in as the players are having a ball.
The problem with this system is it does mean a lot of talking for the DM who has to set up and answer each attack. The benefit is players get super engaged, coming up with ways to hurt things- often using whatever is at hand.
In order to facilitate players responding to npc attack descriptions with their own counter moves, I use a reverse initiative system.
The slowest PC goes first, then we work upwards to the fastest. Players sit around my table clockwise in initiative order. At any time a player to the right can interrupt a player to his left and perform a reaction to their announced move or aid them.
Npcs and monsters slot in around the PCs that they are closest to- as I play them more as dramatic threats then as characters with a turn. This can often mean I forget to move some NPCs in the heat of battle, and players of other systems mention that its hard to judge the initiatives of enemies.
Because of the looseness of the system, I have been considering exploring a more rigid turn system for Dundred.
Someone (DnD with porn stars?) mooted an alternate system that sounded good. Leader rolls ini for pc team. Then team decides themselves which order they go, The game then alternates one pc, one NPC. Left overs move at the end.
Hmmm. Favorite systems anyone?
My homebrew rules have always been blow-by-blow rather than DnDs abstraction of 6 seconds combat time.
This has always made sense to me- after all, the challenging cry of the DM is '(insert threatening dramatic event) what do you do?'. Just replying 'I attack the (insert monster/gazebo)' seemed like a non decision to me.
I set the players challenges and puzzles, they come up with creative ways to solve them. Combat is no different.
My players are given the freedom to invent combat moves in response to slower or matched initiative NPC actions. I say what the enemy appears to be doing- the player says how they plan to counter the move.
DM: Rogue! The first Gnoll reached you, swinging its foul, dung smeared, jagged shortsword at your belly.
John: I rush at him, breaking left at the last moment and stabbing my dagger into the meat of neck!
[roll]
DM: you do! Yet your blade bites deep into the Gnolls shoulder as you rush past, tearing at the muscle! Free blow.
John: I drop down into a squat letting my full body weight tear the dagger downwards!
DM: Ouch. Bonus ten. Roll em
[rolls]
John: oh crap.
DM: the gnoll spins sharply, levering your blade out of your grip. It remains embedded in its thick muscle!
John: nuts.
DM: Callista, the female Bugbear charges at you, before you can react she....
[rolls]
....Shoulder smashes into you, lifting you up and slamming you against the wall.
Jane: so I am in the air?
DM: yes, pressed against the stone wall, feet off the ground by about two foot.
Jane: bitch! I ram my magic wand into her eye.
[rolls]
DM: ...gouging into her cheek, but causing her to wince. Free blow.
Jane: I grab the fur on her cheek with one hand to keep her face still and repeatedly stab at her eyes.
[rolls]
DM: The bugbear growls and pushes you upwards with both arms. Your back scrapes against the rough hewn wall. Your face comes within inches of a sharp stalactite.
Jane: aiiiieeee!!!!
DM: Mungor the Dwarf?
Bill: "Drop that Wizard! For a start you do not know where the dirty tyke has been!". I leap and bring my axe down onto the back of the bugbears legs.
[rolls]
DM: Slicing weakly at her thick hyde, that's unlike you! Blow 2?
Bill: I spin backwards, this time angling upwards into her spine. "I said drop the tome jockey!!!"
[rolls]
Bill: thats more like it!
DM: The heavy blow crumples the greasy armor plates on her back and sends the howling Bugbear reeling to... here. Callista still at arms length, her skirts flailing above your head.
Jane: "aaaaaaiiii!"
Combat continues in this manner, usually resulting in more baddies piling in as the players are having a ball.
The problem with this system is it does mean a lot of talking for the DM who has to set up and answer each attack. The benefit is players get super engaged, coming up with ways to hurt things- often using whatever is at hand.
In order to facilitate players responding to npc attack descriptions with their own counter moves, I use a reverse initiative system.
The slowest PC goes first, then we work upwards to the fastest. Players sit around my table clockwise in initiative order. At any time a player to the right can interrupt a player to his left and perform a reaction to their announced move or aid them.
Npcs and monsters slot in around the PCs that they are closest to- as I play them more as dramatic threats then as characters with a turn. This can often mean I forget to move some NPCs in the heat of battle, and players of other systems mention that its hard to judge the initiatives of enemies.
Because of the looseness of the system, I have been considering exploring a more rigid turn system for Dundred.
Someone (DnD with porn stars?) mooted an alternate system that sounded good. Leader rolls ini for pc team. Then team decides themselves which order they go, The game then alternates one pc, one NPC. Left overs move at the end.
Hmmm. Favorite systems anyone?
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