Friday, February 28, 2014

Non-D&D ‘March Madness’ Blogging Challenge Day 1



Welcome to the Non-D&D ‘March Madness’ Blogging Challenge!

If you want to see all the questions, they are HERE.

If you want to see the first kick ass participant who finished ALL in one fell sweep, his or her blog is HERE.

Other participants are as follows (contact me if you want your blog listed):







I myself will be knocking off a question a day, starting with this one:

1 What was the first roleplaying game other than D&D you played? Was it before or after you had played D&D?

A: It was GURPS, probably 3rd edition if not 2nd (early 1990s). We started a GURPS Fantasy campaign, and later played some Space after years of D&D.

After the straightjacket nature of D&D’s class system, the open skill lists of GURPS and its open character generation were almost too much. We spent hours or even days making a character, so the GM (DM no longer!) could not kill with impunity. Even though the GM had lured us with the promise of having the ability to make ANY character we wanted, we soon realized with a 100 point limit our characters were just as weak as any OD&D newb.

Sad trumpet sound.

I suppose the greatest thing we took away was that one game system could indeed be used to run any type of game, from Conan to Star Trek. BRP has since expanded in this direction while GURPS has contracted to a mostly online PDF version. The OSR has also clued in, with retroclones based on the D&D engine for sci fi (Terminal Space, X-plorers), superheroes (Hideouts & Hoodlums, Mystery Men!), oriental adventure (Flying Swordsmen, Ruins & Ronin), and even westerns (Blood & Bullets, Go For Your Gun).

Although the concept of a generic or universal system may be old hat (see Unisystem, FATE, FUDGE, Cortex, etc ad nauseum), it was GURPS that did it first and, as many blogs contend, the best.

And GURPS sourcebooks were always the highest quality, regardless of what system you preferred.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

T MINUS ONE & WHY U NO LIKE ELVES?





As much fun as I’ve had baiting OSR trolls the last few days, it is time to get down to the not-so-serious business of blogging about 40 year old games.

March Madness starts tomorrow – should be good for a lark.

Today’s topic – D&D elves.

Some people hate elves – the Talislanta RPG was sold on the whole premise of not having them. Other fantasy RPGs have all had their conception of elves shaped by where D&D went with them – from Palladium FRPG to Runequest, the D&D elf warrior-wizard has eclipsed the field.

Personally, I have enjoyed playing with their unique blend of magic and fighting abilities over the years, as well as the associations with characters from fantastic literature like Elric, Corum, and (meh) Drizzt.

Instead of excluding them due to fiat, I thought I’d try to get a few narrative ideas for the lack of elves in a gameworld.

The Reason There Are No Elves In This World (Roll 2d8)

2 EXODUS – Elves once ruled this world, their moldering tree cities and tumbled statuary mute testimony to the antiquity and might of their reign. Legends speak of a doom they fled, but no one knows what it was or where they went.

3 PRIMORDIAL – We are the Elves, or what’s left of them. Something changed and fewer Elf children were born every year until all that was left was us mere mortals. If you could find out why, whether it was a curse or malady, you might be able to bring them back.

4 FAIRYLAND – Elves still exist, but in a realm of faerie that only transects with our own at certain times and places. There are ways to open the gates between the world and invite them back, if you ask the right people or things. Beware, Fairyland has its own rules and reality that can turn against interlopers.

5 KIDNAPPED – All the elves were rounded up by The Big Bad and put somewhere deep in his stronghold for nefarious purposes. Maybe they know his weakness, or the source of his strength. The only way to know is to find them.

6 EXTERMINATED – The old tales tell of the Great War when the elves were hunted down to the last one, but the tales never tell why. Maybe some clue remains in the elven ruins.

7 HIDDEN – They’re here alright, just hidden. They control the seats of power, hiding their true appearance with glamour, holding other peoples in thrall. Now is the time to throw off their yoke!

8 INVISIBLE – You think a lowly adventurer like you could see elves? You have to be at least a lord before they make themselves visible to one such as you. Then they will counsel you in ruling your land.

9 DREAMING – The elves are all off in the dreamworld, where their lord Morpheus called them ages ago. If one dares the kingdom of dreams, one may meet an elf, but if they find you uninteresting you may be trapped in a nightmare forever.

10 BOTTLED – Legend has it that after a great Wizardwar they were all trapped in a magic bottle and flung into the depths of the ocean. If someone could find and release them, they might gain powerful allies. Or else bring doom upon men.

11 DEVOLVED – See all those orcs, goblins, and such. They were elves, but dabbling in the arcane cursed them to attain these forms. A true wizard might be able to find a way to return them to their natural state.

12 RETCONNED – The old treecastles and statuary are there, but no one seems to remember a thing. Passages from old tomes have been erased, NPCs can’t make out the word elf (“Melf? What’s a melf?”), and reality itself seems to be trying to forget them.

13 MURDERED – Killed by another race, but no one’s saying who or why. You’ll get your head caved in just for asking. Better inquire quietly.

14 PERSECUTED – Elves are still being born, but any elven child is killed off at birth. Some say it is just superstition, but any town that lets elven children live comes to no good when they reach puberty at 30.

15 KRAMPUSED – Everyone knows elves live in the Icy Wastes, and come calling once a year when King Krampus travels the globe, leaving gifts and candies for those who have been Lawful, coal and spiders for the Chaotic, and sweaters for the Neutral.

16 IGNORED – Who cares about elves? They ride around in the woods, living in trees, sleeping with animals, dancing in the moonlight. They’re uncivilized, unclean, and sneaking horsethieves! If they couldn’t do magic we’d have driven them off the land already.

Forget Rifts, Give Me Mutant Chronicles!






Just look at the great gonzo, British grotty art!
How did I miss this gem back in the day?
Apparently getting a re-edition.
I am so glad io9 has RPG news.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

T Minus Two and More Blog Love



The OSR love keeps pouring in for the March Madness Non-D&D Challenge. The ever sunny Alexis from Tao of D&D has showered the endeavour and yours truly with encouragement:

(From his comment on Talyman’s blog) “These things are for people who can't think of anything to blog. Moreover, I'm not interested in helping "noobs" get their blogs started. If they have something to say, then they'll be fine. If they need a crutch, or anyone's help, they should stop blogging immediately and attend to their hygeine instead.

We need less 'training wheels' and more 'toss them into the pond and watch them drown.'

But then, that wouldn't let Tedankhamen and many others feel good about themselves for pointing and then gleaning off the self-important righteousness of 'finding new talent.' ”

Beautiful! I do hope he is right and we get lots of new voices and hear about new games, and I am pretty satisfied with the response to date.

In case anyone is wondering about my feelings, these types of comments don’t bother me at all. In fact, they remind me of my uni gamer days when dissenting opinions and barbed comments darkened the skies. I never took talk about a game seriously back then, and I don’t now. People who want to play with me will, and people who poo poo us won’t.

But there is some real good feedback - someone has already completed the whole thing! The blog Timinits and Trolls gave some great responses, passed on questions he didn’t care for, and gave us a peek into some obscure French RPGs. Go give it a read and be inspired!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

T MINUS THREE, WHO’S IN ON MARCH MADNESS, & TWILIGHT 20XX


WHO’S IN ON MARCH MADNESS

“There is no such thing as bad publicity.” – Brendan Behan

It looks like word is getting around about March Madness. Talyman notes that it has exceeded the D&D challenge in dullness of questions, and that the cool kids do not do blog hops anyway. I never considered myself cool, ditto this blog, which besides being uncool by nature, has been described as mixing “fantastic content with headache-inducing graphics in a way rarely seen in this day and age.” LOVE IT! That was precisely the vibe I was going for, so I am glad someone is paying attention.

Talyman’s comments have also inspired me to make a list of blogs which have expressed interest in participating in the challenge:







If you plan on participating and want me to add you to the list, drop me a line.

TWILIGHT 20XX REBOOT SEED

I’ve always had a soft spot for the game Twilight 2000, not for the somewhat clunky mechanics, but instead for the tight adventures and attractive portrayal of a non-fantastic apocalypse. No zombies or rifts, just things falling apart and lonely soldiers trying to get back home.

But the game had one major flaw – it was dated incredibly quickly, both in terms of geopolitics and technological advance. When it came out way back in 1984, no one could have predicted that its US-USSR nuclear exchange scenario would become moot with the dissolution of the Soviet empire a scant 5 years later. Similarly, the splatbooks of the latest military gear look antique in a world where DARPA is rolling out power armor, drones make daily strikes in the heart of Pakistan, and both the NSA and Snowden showed us how laughble the ideas of privacy and security are in the age of Wikileaks.

In this light, I've whipped up a little transmission that would set the scene of a reboot of the game, Twilight 20XX, in a projection of our own dystopic world. A projection that (hopefully) will turn out to be as laughable as the original premise of Twilight 2000.

Enjoy.


United Nations Secure Transmission
Helmund province, Afghanistan

<<Begin Transmission:

We’re the last ones here at base, and we’re bugging out. I’m not giving details, as all communications have been compromised. Another group tried to get through by way of our ‘allies’ in Pakistan. They took the best APCs and gear here and went last week.

Word is they never made it across the border. So we are gone.

Our orders are to stay put, but that is a death sentence. We’ve got a few locals on our side, thankful for some of the infrastructure and education we provided. They’ve given us supplies and, more importantly, hope of a way out. We’ve got some local translators who want to come, and some stragglers from the UN office and independent contractors.

When the House of Saud went down, the world as we knew it ended. We’ve waited long enough for evac, and it’s not coming. We figure that although everyone has oil reserves, the way the climate has gone out of whack they need it to survive the winters. Most of us are North American, and we figure Alaska and northern Canada are OK with woodstoves and an endless supply of wood. That is our objective.

In some ways, this place is better than it was, in some ways worse. The locals burnt their opium fields to grow food, but the Taliban muletrain hasn’t been affected. It just switched from hauling arms and opium to potatoes and child brides. People either are too busy surviving to care about us or want our heads on a pike. Time to go.

We’ve all seen the news about how the Muslim Brotherhood swept into the power vacuum created by the Arab Spring and turned off the oil. They’ve restored the Caliphate, just as Hitch always knew they wanted to, and plunged us all back into the Dark Ages. To tell the truth, I think a lot of the hillpeople here won’t know the difference.

So we’re out. The goal is to get to some US bases in Asia - that is if China doesn’t roll over them with her oil reserves in the next few weeks.

Wish us luck, and hope to see you back home.

<<Transmission End

Sunday, February 23, 2014

T Minus 4 Days & Rechristening the Editions





Four days left till the March Madness Obscure RPG Blog Challenge! I feel like a kid counting down to Christmas a bit. I am sure some of you feel the same.

Today I’d like to suggest a way to put the Edition Wars behind us and appreciate each edition for its own merits. Words are not innocent, and the simple step of re-naming the editions would do much to clear away the cobwebs of edition snobbery that still cling to the OSR.


Another issue is that numbering editions is soulless, doesn’t capture the charm of the game, and is offputting gibberish to newcomers to the hobby. I still remember being confused by the acronyms BX, BECMI, LBB etc when I started reading OSR blogs back in the day. With this in mind, I’d like to propose a re-naming of the various editions to reflect their natures and merits.


OD&D = D&D Origins
The original edition of the Little Brown (or white) Books were all about beginnings: beginning of the hobby, beginning of a game, beginnings for the character and the saga they are in. What better name, then, than Origins to represent the ancestor of all RPGs?


BX, BECMI = D&D Heroes
Holmes, Basic Redbox and its additions all fleshed out the characters so that the Fighting Man became the Fighter, Clerics of basic pantheons were detailed, Magic Users gained a wider selection of spells, and the Thief crept into the mix. With these additions, all the heroes of fantasy fiction were truly represented – you could have Conan, Friar Tuck, Gandalf, and finally the Grey Mouser in your party. The increase in advancement details for all classes also put the hero’s journey front and center, and so ‘Heroes’ is a fitting name for this edition.


AD&D = D&D Journeys
Although this edition further extended the flexibility and range of character choices, it focused more on journeys to exotic locales than the characters themselves. Adventure titles began to reflect this tendency - Descent into the Depths of the Earth, In Search of Adventure, the Hidden Shrine of Tomoachan and other AD&D era titles focus on the journey and not merely the heroes who undertake it, and thus provide the perfect moniker for this edition.


AD&D 2e = D&D Worlds
Here character abilities and rules had stabilized and, with the plethora of splatbooks, been fully fleshed out. This completion of character lead to the creation of entire worlds for exploration – make no wonder that this edition saw the greatest increase in gameworlds, both the good (Ravenloft, Al Qadim), the Badass (Dark Sun, Spelljammer), and the Ugly (Mazatlan, anyone?).


3e = D&D Heroics
The third edition of D&D went back to characters and upped the ante, adding a plethora of Feats and Powers that codified heroics, giving the perfect title for this game (besides Pathfinder). The only anomaly here was the Midnight setting, whose grimdark nature was a poor fit for a game of heroic feats and was better suited to the always lethal BRP (Age of Shadows RPG anyone?). Granted, I never played a full session of this edition, so if anyone with experience can suggest a better moniker I am all ears.


4e = D&D Battle Masters
I did, however, play some 4e, and although the length and intricacy of chargen made me cry a little, setting out the battlemat and moving figures across the board seemed a great strategic addition to the game. As many have noted, it plays like a video game, which is a feature not a bug when it comes to combat. If the ‘theatre of the mind’ of earlier editions and the lack of power choices left you cold, and if you liked playing in front of a PC screen as much as a DM screen, then this was the edition for you.


D&D Next = ?
If WoC is smart at all, they will add some sort of moniker to their new game instead of just a number. Although fans may be excited by the 5 behind the name, the average person is hesitant to start watching a movie or reading a book starting from the 5th in the series, and so it is with games.

As Zak S and others have noted, you can have fun with any edition if you get into it. My intention with these re-namings is to promote that sense of enjoyment with all editions, and I hope I have succeeded a little bit.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Count Down to March Madness OSR Challenge!




Here’s your warning – there are five days left before February ends and the start of the March Madness 31 day Obscure Game Blogging Challenge. All are welcome to participate, and I am really stoked to learn about some games in the shadow of Grandpappy D&D.

Here are the revised questions– these are probably the final versions unless people give me some good suggestions or criticisms. Notice that for most questions I am not specifying old school game, mainly because some posters voiced concerns over their lack of experience playing them. The challenge is open to all, and participants should feel free to ‘tweak’ questions or answers to fit their gaming experience.

1 What was the first roleplaying game other than D&D you played? Was it before or after you had played D&D?
2 What was the first character you played in an RPG other than D&D? How was playing it different from playing a D&D character?
3 Which game had the least or most enjoyable character generation?
4 What other roleplaying author besides Gygax impressed you with their writing?
5 What other old school game should have become as big as D&D but didn’t? Why do you think so?
6 What non-D&D monster do you think is as iconic as D&D ones like hook horrors or flumphs, and why do you think so?
7 What fantasy RPG other than D&D have you enjoyed most? Why?
8 What spy RPG have you enjoyed most? Give details.
9 What superhero RPG have you enjoyed most? Why?
10 What science fiction RPG have you enjoyed most? Give details.
11 What post-apocalyptic RPG have you enjoyed most? Why?
12 What humorous RPG have you enjoyed most? Give details.
13 What horror RPG have you enjoyed most? Why?
14 What historical or cultural RPG have you enjoyed most? Give details.
15 What pseudo or alternate history RPG have you enjoyed most? Why?
16 Which RPG besides D&D has the best magic system? Give details.
17 Which RPG has the best high tech rules? Why?
18 What is the crunchiest RPG you have played? Was it enjoyable?
19 What is the fluffiest RPG you have played? Was it enjoyable?
20 Which setting have you enjoyed most? Why?
21 What is the narrowest genre RPG you have ever played? How was it?
22 What is the most gonzo kitchen sink RPG you ever played? How was it?
23 What is the most broken game that you tried and were unable to play?
24 What is the most broken game that you tried and loved to play, warts and all?
25 Which game has the sleekest, most modern engine?
26 What RPG based on an IP did you enjoy most? Give details.
27 What IP (=Intellectual Property, be it book, movie or comic) that doesn’t have an RPG deserves it? Why?
28 What free RPG or what non-English RPG did you enjoy most? Give details.
29 What OSR product have you enjoyed most? Explain why.
30 Which non-D&D supplemental product should everyone know about? Give details.
31 What out-of-print RPG would you most like to see back in publication? Why?

I had hoped to post more this month but real life is taking its toll on my hobbies. I think the March Madness Blog Challenge will be a good, structured way for me to get some posts out while I grind away at real life Things That Must Be Done! I hope both readers and writers have a blast with it.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Updates and Mostly Good News





Hey all,

I am enormously pleased with the response to my proposal for the March Madness Non-D&D OSR Blog Challenge. Some bloggers who I respect immensely (check the replies to the original post to see who, and check out their blogs!) have all come on board. In addition, the post has reached just shy of 200 reads, tripling any of my previous posts and (hopefully) foretelling a good time for both readers and writers in March.

As for the questions, I thought about changing them based on suggestions, but ultimately have decided to put it out into the world warts and all. The only 2 improvements will be the following clarification in question 2:

“2 What was the first character you played in an RPG other than D&D? How was playing it different from playing a D&D character?

Also, I will be adding “… played or want to play…” in the questions about system (questions 7 to 15) because, let’s face it, there are so many great games we are dying to play but just haven’t gotten around to. I will send out a reminder about the challenge around the 20th of this month.

There is a spot of bad news – I was actually planning to go to a small con and do some (GASP!) actual roleplaying in March, but sadly family concerns have made it impossible. I am sure March Madness will make up for it.

Always end on a high note they say, so HEREis a link to a story, “The Coast,” that got published last week in Canada. If you like historical fiction, you may enjoy my imagining of an incident that happened to my Inuit ancestors on the coast of Labrador in the mid-eighteenth century.


I hope you enjoy it, and thanks for reading.

PS: If you are interested in Weird Japan, check out  Zack Davisson's blog Hyakumonogatari!

Thursday, February 6, 2014

March Madness - Non-D&D OSR Blog Challenge





No doubt about it, D&D dominates the gaming scene old and new. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as D&D is a solid game (both in terms of system and genre) with an enormous fanbase. It serves as a ‘lingua franca’ for the gaming community, much as English serves as a global language for the world. As Nelson Mandela said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” Make no wonder then that D&D has captured the hearts of so many for so long.

But just as English isn’t the only language and just as its hegemony causes others to be forgotten, D&D blots out many other worthy games. Although the OSR has made great strides in bringing old editions of D&D back into circulation and discourse, it has largely failed to do the same for other lesser-known old school games. Although fans diligently create materials and run sites for Traveler, Star frontiers, and MSHAG, I feel that there is a desire and need to unearth more obscure games, as evidenced by blogs like Mesmerized by Sirens, and the proliferation of non-D&D posts on OSR blogs.

I seek to encourage this widening of the OSR spotlight by throwing down the gauntlet of an RPG blog challenge about games other than D&D. I participated in a 30-day challenge last year and had a great time, but also felt really limited by its adherence to D&D, and a little lost because it demanded knowledge of the terminology from later editions that I did not have. I also participated in MbS’s Obscure RPG Appreciation day, which I found inspiring and enlightening, and learned about the lost siblings of D&D. Although I celebrated D&D’s recent 40th birthday, I’m all blogged out about the game and thus didn’t participate in the challenge.

In this vein, I have created a 31 Day Blogging Challenge for March that asks questions on a wide range of genres and systems, and I hope that we can introduce lots of great games (and a few terrible ones) that are not as well known as they should be. Although I hope primarily to hear of older games, I have left the questions vague on the age of games so as to encourage younger bloggers or hobby latecomers to contribute as well.

Because participating in a 30 day blog challenge takes up so much time and energy, I’ve decided to publish my questions here well in advance of March to give those interested a chance to reflect and start writing drafts of their posts. I hope to see other blogs take up the challenge, and will be posting reminders as March draws near. I hope you will contribute to this widening of OSR perspectives and look forward to learning and reading much from the participants.

- Tedankhamen

March Madness 31 day Obscure Game Blogging Challenge

1 What was the first roleplaying game other than D&D you played? Was it before or after you had played D&D?
2 In what system was the first character you played in an RPG other than D&D? How was playing it different from playing a D&D character?
3 Which game had the least or most enjoyable character generation?
4 What other roleplaying author besides Gygax impressed you with their writing?
5 What other old school game should have become as big as D&D but didn’t? Why do you think so?
6 What non-D&D monster do you think is as iconic as D&D ones like hook horrors or flumphs, and why do you think so?
7 What fantasy RPG other than D&D have you enjoyed most? Why?
8 What spy RPG have you enjoyed most? Give details.
9 What superhero RPG have you enjoyed most? Why?
10 What science fiction RPG have you enjoyed most? Give details.
11 What post-apocalyptic RPG have you enjoyed most? Why?
12 What humorous RPG have you enjoyed most? Give details.
13 What horror RPG have you enjoyed most? Why?
14 What historical or cultural RPG have you enjoyed most? Give details.
15 What pseudo or alternate history RPG have you enjoyed most? Why?
16 Which RPG besides D&D has the best magic system? Give details.
17 Which RPG has the best high tech rules? Why?
18 What is the crunchiest RPG you have played? Was it enjoyable?
19 What is the fluffiest RPG you have played? Was it enjoyable?
20 Which setting have you enjoyed most? Why?
21 What is the narrowest genre RPG you have ever played? How was it?
22 What is the most gonzo kitchen sink RPG you ever played? How was it?
23 What is the most broken game that you tried and were unable to play?
24 What is the most broken game that you tried and loved to play, warts and all?
25 Which game has the sleekest, most modern engine?
26 What IP (=Intellectual Property, be it book, movie or comic) that doesn’t have an RPG deserves it? Why?
27 What RPG based on an IP did you enjoy most? Give details.
28 What free RPG did you enjoy most? Give details.
29 What OSR product have you enjoyed most? Explain how.
30 Which non-D&D supplemental product should everyone know about? Give details.
31 What out-of-print RPG would you most like to see back in publication? Why?

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Semiotics of the 6 Attributes




At a glance, the six original attributes of D&D seem elegant in their simplicity and symmetry. There are three physical stats (Strength, Constitution and Dexterity) and three arguably mental ones (Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma). For anyone who started roleplaying with the game, it is largely by these 6 that we define all our characters, as well as judge how other RPG systems emulate them. But what do these terms actually signify, and does this match what they do in practice?

(NOTE - All pictures are the first Google image result for the attribute in question) 

STRENGTH


This was the first attribute handed down by uncle Gary (Men & Magic p. 10), and has arguably become the most important. Although it began as merely the mark of class for Fighters, coupled with a nebulous application to “opening traps and so forth,” it developed into the characteristic allowing the most direct influence on the gameworld via damage, attacks, and feats of strength against barriers. But the word by itself is vague enough to be nearly meaningless. Would the uninitiated think we are talking physical or mental strength? People say “I haven’t the strength to go on” after mental or physical duress, which would seem to make this term closer to Constitution. In this light, having undead drain Strength seems rather more fitting. Overall, wouldn’t ‘Brawn’ have been a clearer, more apt word to use?

INTELLIGENCE


Where Strength fails in D&D Intelligence prevails, specifically in the form of magic, which is probably why this was the second attribute. Once again, it starts as merely a mark of class, namely Wizards, and gradually comes to determine all spell access, languages, and proficiencies. Although there are other collocations of the word such as ‘military intelligence,’ in general the term conjures up the associations of scholarship and mental prowess it is intended to. If there is one flaw, it is that intelligence is normally paired with reason and logic, and one wonders how these are supposed to interact with the illogic of magic. Perhaps Intuition would have better served that purpose, but Intelligence would still have been necessary for skills and languages.

WISDOM


This is an odd choice for the third attribute, as it would seem less important in keeping a character alive than Constitution or Dexterity which follow it. It begins as a mark of class like its precedents, this time for Clerics, and later affects magic saves, although not for any discernable reason other than to spread out benefit among the attributes. Wisdom would also imply a character’s ability to see connections in what they observe about the world, but since this is mostly done by the player, one wonders whether Wisdom is necessary at all, and whether retroclones like Microlite 74 haven’t the right idea by replacing both Intelligence and Wisdom with Mind.

CONSTITUTION


This is an equally odd lexical choice. Definitely not an everyday usage for the word, with the online database of the Corpus of Contemporary English (COCA) overwhelmingly giving the political or legal meaning of the word as the most popular. Still, we use it in talk of ‘morning constitutionals’ and other health-related topics, so it is fairly true to function in its modification of poison saves and hit points. Alternatives like ‘Endurance’ would seem too limited in scope, while ‘Health’ sounds a more commonly understood term that could have stood in just as well.

DEXTERITY


This doesn’t exactly seem to do what it says on the tin. As collocations like ‘manual dexterity’ indicate, Dexterity largely implies talent with feet or hands. Although the modifiers to Armor Class for which Dexterity later became prized do fit with this meaning, bonuses to missile attacks and initiative would seem more aptly attributed to hand-eye coordination and reflexes, respectively. However, it is this very type of overly realist analysis of the meaning of attributes that loses sight of the utility and charm of the original 6 and falls into a needless proliferation of supposedly 'representative' attributes that, as we shall see, plagued AD&D's designers as the years wore on.
 
CHARISMA


Strangely, although tables of attribute bonuses and abilities would later become a staple of D&D for all attributes, in OD&D only Charisma was afforded such attention. This is ironic given that Charisma quickly become the ‘dump stat’ in other editions. Clearly, uncle Gary valued PC-NPC interactions in a way that was lost among the average self-taught D&Ders of the 80s, and was exacerbated in the move in later editions towards PCs combat machines who have no need for interaction with NPCs of any stripe, from henchmen to kings. Speaking of the ubiquity of henchmen and other NPCs in OD&D, shouldn’t gold temporarily pump up your stat when hiring meatshields?
 
OTHER OLD SCHOOL GAMES

The original 6 attributes not only bound our conception of character, they inspired many games that came thereafter, but were increased or modified to suit the differing worldview of particular game creators. Take Basic Role Playing (BRP), which brought to life the saga of Elric as well as Great Cthulhu, and especially for this latter needed to add Size to reflect the cyclopean horrors the PCs would battle. In BRP, Strength is useless in modifying damage without Size, and it also initially modified hit points before Chaosium began systematically nerfing attribute applications to reduce chargen bookeeping. Since BRP is a percentile system, maybe Size could also be used to determine difficulty to hit, or be the base for an attack, with larger creatures easier to hit? BRP also added the nebulous Power attribute, which served as a base for magic powers in Stormbringer/Runequest and Sanity in Call of Cthulhu.

Likewise, DC heroes added Will, Mind, Aura and Spirit to reflect the different types of powers costumed heroes would both yield and be attacked by, while the addition of Influence reflected the importance of wealth and celebrity of characters like Batman. Vampire: The Masquerade made a major effort to arrange the terminology of the original 6 into a balanced taxonomy of attributes, arranging a total of 9 ‘traits’ into three categories - Physical (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina), Social (Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance), and Mental (Perception, Intelligence, Wits).

D&D itself was not immune to the perceived need to balance out attributes more, and both Unearthed Arcana and the reviled 2e Powers book suggested additions or alternatives to the original 6 attributes. This latter seemed to attempt to mirror Vampire’s ‘balanced’ taxonomy, with the division of each of the original 6 attributes into bloated troikas of influence. Simply read the following list to get a feeling for how AD&D’s creators mistakenly sacrificed the beauty of the original 6 for a misplaced attempt at balanced realism - Strength, Stamina, Muscle; Dexterity, Aim, Balance; Constitution, Health, Fitness; Intelligence, Reason, Knowledge; Wisdom, Intuition, Willpower; Charisma, Leadership, Appearance.

These bloated attributes didn’t make it to 3e, which conversely began the simplifying process by reducing saving throws to 3 categories (Fortitude, Reflex, and Willpower) more directly based on and modified by attributes. The OSR took this even further, with Swords & Wizardry’s one save and Microlite’s aforementioned consolidation of attributes into 4 - Strength, Dexterity, Mind and Charisma. The movement back to the simplicity and symmetry of the original 6 attributes (or less) is, in fact, one of the things that unites players across editions, as well as being one of the charms of the OSR.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Do Monsters Wander?




Do your monsters wander about without rhyme or reason? It’s not surprising considering that the concept of the ‘wandering monster’ has been hardwired into D&D since the very beginning, but it doesn’t actually make much sense, or give opportunities for roleplaying. Instead, here are some reasons why monsters and other humanoids might be wandering about your gameworld, reasons which might lead to adventure or interaction, but not always combat. Don’t announce to the players what you’ve rolled, just run with it and enjoy how they respond to the unexpected.


HUMANOIDS OR INTELLIGENT (I don’t have to tell you which dice to roll do I?)

1) Lost or looking for something – 50/50 chance they have lost their way or misplaced a tribal artifact. Might actually reward the PCs if they help them find the artifact or set them on the way to where they’re going.
2) Hunting – Unless they’re ogres or cannibals and PCs are their prey, they’ll ask if PCs have seen any game then move on. If PCs are their type of prey, then Game On!
3) Returning from a hunt – Creatures have their prey trussed and on a stick between them, just want to get home and eat. If they’re ogres or cannibals, there’s a 50/50 chance they’re carrying captured live humanoids who’d appreciate a rescue.
4) Carrying goods to market – Nothing worth stealing, just the crafts of their village which need selling. They’re willing to part with some if the PCs make a good offer – make the crafts something interesting or useful.
5) Returning from market – Crafts have sold well, and the proceeds are in a strongbox. They have also hired some security, so roll again and add these additions as fully armed and armored bodyguards.
6) On a pilgrimage – Wearing robes and carrying holy symbols, these devotees can be heard well ahead of their appearance. If evil they may try to make PCs into sacrifices, otherwise do you have a minute to talk about our Lady and Savior Athena?
7) Refugees searching for a new home – Looking dirty and carrying bundles with their few meager possessions, they left their village because 1) the draconic new ruler evicted them, 2) a monster made the place its new home, 3) a rival community invaded and drove them out, or 4) the burning blood plague. There is a 50/50 chance they can either reward the characters from a secret stash, or at least provide a welcome base and grateful community if PCs assist them in taking back their homes.
8) Wanted and on the run – Still in leg irons and prisoner tunic, there is a 50/50 chance that they’re either innocent or unrepentantly guilty. The former would appreciate help clearing their name, the latter will look for the first opportunity to take advantage of the PCs.
9) Patrolling – Armed and armored and patrolling their neighborhood to keep it safe. They will questions PCs about their intentions and destination, but won’t attack unless provoked. If combat occurs, a whistle is blown and double the amount of reinforcements will appear in 1d4 rounds.
10) Spoiling for a fight – These toughs are looking to prove themselves and will mouth off to PCs then initiate combat. They’re all talk, however, and will run screaming like sissies if even one is incapacitated. If they defeat the PCs, they’ll take their gear and turn them out naked to spread the tale.
11) Looking for a patsy to scam – These guys act nice, but are shifty scouts for a larger group of their fellows. They are looking for dumb adventurers to trick into doing their dirty work for them and tell the PCs of either a great treasure or a monster bothering their poor innocent village, but just want the PCs to clear out the level or die trying. Will flee and return with double the number of reinforcements if attacked.
12) Wandering, really – Just taking a stroll about the grounds. Don’t mind them. If attacked, they curl up and beg for mercy, unless they’re powerful enough to get away.

MONSTERS & ANIMALS (Again, you’ve been doing this long enough to know what dice to roll)


1) Hunting for food – If the PCs are small in size and number, they are it! Otherwise, the creatures slip away into the scenery.
2) Returning from a hunt – The creature has prey in its jaws or talons and is either setting down to eat or dragging its dinner home. Either way, if PCs don’t bother it, it won’t bother them. If the creature is giant, there’s a 50/50 chance the prey is a living humanoid who’d appreciate rescue. Herbivores just ignore the PCs and run off if threatened.
3) Teaching offspring – Creature has 1d4 offspring of half hit dice or less and is teaching them to hunt. The cubs will stalk the PCs but not close into attack, but the parent and its mate will close in to attack if their babies are harmed.
4) In heat – Creature is catcalling in a deafening voice and looking for love. If PCs bother it, it will either run away or seek to consummate with them lethally. Google the movie ‘Zoo’ for ideas.
5) Going for a drink – Creature is going to a nearby water source and will try to avoid the PCs. If access is blocked, it will threaten then attack.
6) Searching for a new den – Creature will rush past the PCs, go directly to the next room they intend to visit, then start marking it with its foul scent. It will start rearranging the area with trashed furniture or secretions to give it a combat edge of + 1 to all rolls.
7) Fleeing hunters or predators – Bloodied and battered creature will try to get past the PCs by intimidation or force and escape into the scenery, because something really nasty is after it. Roll another monster 1d4 levels tougher than this one that arrives in 1d4 rounds.
8) Looking for a friend or new master – Creature makes cute cooing noises, rolls over, offers its belly, and rubs up against the PCs, which may be dangerous if it is big enough. Will be a loving but willful, stubborn, and dangerous to NPC pet if kept, cannot be trained, needs to be fed continually, but may be helpful if PCs are caught in a jam. Runs off whimpering if attacked.
9) Berserk – Creature is insane due to either 1) poisoned arrows, 2) a curse, 3) disease, 4) cave gas, 5) tainted food or 6) bad water. If PCs subdue and cure it, they will gain an ally who will show up in a pinch. Otherwise it is fight or flee this mad beast.
10) Trapped – Creature is either caught in a cruel iron trap or caged and being transported by humanoids who taunt and torment it. In the former case, PCs can either leave it alone, kill it for half XP, sell it in town if they can subdue and transport it, or set it free. If it is caged, PCs will also have to negotiate or fight its captors if they want to do any of the above.