Just a Thought

Well I’ve talked with the folks I’m preparing to DM and instead of Spellcraft and Swordplay or one of the other old school styles and D&D they want to play something newer, like Pathfinder. I’ve got no issue with this and we sat down to make characters. As of now I have a human rogue, a dhampir inquisitor, and a human barbarian (that I will be npc’ing a when the player is busy). They’re really into their character concepts.

 This is fine. I played a lot of 3.0/3.5 and have a descent Pathfinder collection. However, I was looking through all my gaming books I came across all of my 4E stuff. It gets a lot of hate (and if that’s the only reason you’re going to comment just do us both favor and don’t), but I enjoyed it.  This morning I picked up a copy of Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale for 6 bucks (still sealed). I can get several more books through the library (they don’t circ as much).  My two regulars could still make their characters (one being a human rogue and the other using the vampire class or vyrloka). Sure that’s two strikers but the character I have to npc could be a paladin or fighter instead (giving them two strikers and a defender… with a little healing if I go the paly route). They've also played the Ravenloft board game (which I’ve been told is 4E lite).

I haven’t run this idea by them yet, but I think they’d be open to it. I’d probably use the Nentir Vale as the default setting (since I have the Threats book and Hammerfast). I also have the three Goodman Games Punjar adventures and I think I might use them too, placing them to the south of the Vale.  I also have several shorter heroic tier adventures I could add.

Don’t get me wrong, if they want to stick with Pathfinder, I’m totally cool with that. If I stick with Pathfinder, then I’m going to update some basic/osr adventures (like Keep on the Borderlands and Death Frost Doom).

Still, can’t hurt to ask.


Edit: Forgot to mention I have another player that was going to play a Pathfinder witch, I'm sure he can find something to his liking (and he's played 4E quite a bit).

Day of the Doctor, Triffids, and 200 Posts

Today is the big day. I know many of you are Whovians too. Unfortunately, I have plans and won't get to watch it until tomorrow.

Google has a simple, but fun game today on its page. I also want to take this time to plug a free indie hip hop tribute to Doctor Who. Rapper, More or Les, has released his love letter to the Doctor, Bigger on the Inside: A Time Traveler's Mix Tape.I have one word to describe it... fantastic!

In honor of the day (and one of my latest movie purchases), I'm going to stat out the infamous Triffids for Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space (and Primeval). Note that my triffids are based on the 1962 film with some inspiration drawn from this post. Also, if you aren't familiar with Threat (a creature attribute from Primeval) ignore it, and allow the Triffid to use the stinger ability once or twice an encounter. Also, if you aren't familiar with triffids, check out the movie, one of the series, the book, or the wikipedia article.

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Triffid
Home Period: Unknown

Attributes

Awareness 2 Coordination 2

Ingenuity 1

Presence 2  Resolve 5

Strength 8

Speed: Slow     Small: Big

Maximum Threat: 10

Threshold: 5

Traits:

Armour (Minor Good): Triffids unique plant physiology allows them to shrug off most damage. Electricity, fire, and cold attacks ignore this armour.
Fast Healing (Special Good): Unless the damage is caused by fire or salt water, triffids can heal back from nearly any wound.
Fear Factor (Minor Good): Triffids are are frightening to behold and create an unnerving sound when they move.
Immunity (Major Good): The aforementioned physiology effectively renders triffids immune to damage from bullets.
Natural Weapons (Minor Good): Triffids can make slam attacks with their large stalks.
Poison (Special Good): The triffid's stinger is injects a deadly poison. A person infected with it must make a Strength and Resolve check against a Difficulty of 12, once every hour. If they fail the check they are rendered unconscious.  They must make the check every hour until a cure is found and administered. On a disastrous Failure, the victim dies.
Weakness (Major Bad): Being plants, triffids, are weak against fire and cold attacks (these attacks are doubly effective). In addition salt water quickly kills the creatures, causing them to dissolve.

Threat Powers

Stinger (1 Threat): The triffid can spend 1 threat to shoot a poisonous tendril at it's prey. This attack only does have the damage of the creature's slam attack (+ plus poison), but the triffid can make an extra stinger attack each round at the cost of one Threat per attack.

Skills: Athletics 2, Fighting 3, Marksmen 3, Subterfuge 3, Survival 2

I haven't tested these yet, but comparing them to other stats from the book, they seem to be on par. 

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I also wanted to mention that this is my 200th post. I hope the next 200 occur more frequently and are more substantial. 

The Complete Book of Elves

I remember reading about this a month or two ago, but I'm finally getting around to watching it.  Colin McComb appologizes for writing The Complete Book of Elves.

 

I know this books gets a lot of hate, but it was the first D&D book I bought so it'll always have a special place in my heart.

Ronald Swansong

Tonight I'm going to see Nick Offerman American Ham Tour at Ohio University. I've been thinking about my upcoming Spellcraft & Swordplay game and I've decided that Castellan's chief advisor at the Keep on the Borderlands will be my fantasy version of Ron Swanson.  I present to you Ronald Swansong. 

Ronald Swansong
3rd level Warrior
Strength: 16
Dexterity: 12
Constitution: 18
Intelligence: 11
Wisdom: 13
Charisma: 10
HD: 3+3 (11 hp)
AC: 4 (Studded Leather)
Attacks: 3+2
Special: Slaughter, Weapon Mastery (Axes), Iron 

Equipment: Woodworking tools, hand axe +1, studded leather, bottle of dwarven whisky 

Ronald Swansong is the meat, hunting, and whisky loving adviser of Castellan. Most of the men of his family are rangers and during his youth Ron was an aspiring ranger himself. However, he soon gave it up, saying that it was "too elvish." He adventured for a while, which is what brought him to the Keep on the Borderlands. Due to bad luck, which Ronald blames on his ex-wife, the witch Tammilia, the party ran afoul of the minotaur early in their adventuring careers. Though they survived, his compatriots swore off adventure life and returned to more civilized lands. Ronald returned to the Keep, where Castellen noticed his skills and made him an advisor. Despite his deadpan personality and claims to the contrary, Ronald actually cares a great deal about the Keep and its residence. 

What Time Is It?

I've decided to go with Spellcraft & Swordplay.  I've been told it’s gritty, but I think my friends will enjoy it. I still plan on using the various B/X and OSR adventures that I own. 

This is what I have and a few thoughts about them (especially in connection to this game). 

The Keep on the Borderlands – I've briefly played through some of the 4E version of this and I think it would be great if my friends first D&D experience was with this. This area will be the focus of a lot of the early part of the game. 

Isle of Dread – I’m not as sure that I’m going to use this one. Not sure how I feel about wilderness hex crawls.

Hall of Bones – This short, but good Swords and Wizardry adventure is a short dungeon crawl. I think the complex will be near the Keep.

Death Frost Doom/The Tower - I've read a lot of interesting playthroughs of this one. I haven't decided if I'm going to run it before but I think it would be a great way to show the impact the players have. Also, if I put the mountain a few days ride from the Keep, it could lead to some interesting events. The other adventure in the pdf, The Tower doesn't interest me as much.

Better Than Any Man - I won't be using this adventure as is, but I may take a few elements from it (love the new spells). 

Tales of the Scarecrow - This is an interesting little side trek. I might replace the evil tome with the Book of Vile Darkness or something like the Demonomicon. 

Death Love Doom - I'm 99.99999% sure that I will never run this. I've read the forward and I "get" it, I'm just not comfortable running it and I'm sure my players wouldn't be comfortable playing it. I picked it up without knowing much about it because it was on sale for Valentine's Day last year.

Zogorion, Lord of Hippogriffs - I've already gave a mini review of this nifty little Swords & Wizardry zine/adventure. I haven't decided if I'm going to use it yet or not.

The Horrendous Heap of Sixteen Cities - This sandbox adventure site is gross, but seems like it could be a lot of fun. Magical portals drop trash from sixteen different cities into one location. There are cultists, scavengers, and religious missionaries that all seek something within the heap. It's statted for LL. I'm thinking it will be within a weeks ride from the Keep.

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That's what I've got. Looking at the list I'm kind laughing. I say that I'm not a fan of Lamentations of the Flame Princess, yet I own and really like three adventures (and have interest in a few I don't own). 

Just Wanted To Say Thanks

My day started out great. I won a copy of Eldritch Witchery from Tim over at The Other Side Blog. I haven’t got a chance to really dig deep, but I’m super excited. I think it’s pushed me into running Spellcraft &Swordplay over B/X.

Thanks for the contest Tim and thanks for inspiring me to have my own gaming blog. I may not keep it up as much as I’d like, but it’s mine and I wouldn’t have it if it wasn’t for you and your awesome blog.

Thinking About My Next Game

While I still don't have internet at my apartment (which is one reason I haven't been posting as much), I feel I've finally had things settle down enough that I can start running a new game. My group will be small, but it's quite exciting because they're all reletively new to gaming. They may have played in a session of D&D at one point, but none have been involved in a regular game.

I think am going to run an old school style D&D game for them. Right now leaning towards using books that I already own (Moldvay B/X and Tim Brannan's The Witch). I'll start them at the Keep on the Borderlands and mix in some OSR adventures that I have (possibly even Death Frost Doom).

However, the release of Eldritch Witchery has me looking at Spellcraft & Swordplay.





Either way there's going to be old school goodness and witches.

Dirty Scabbard

While surfing Facebook I came across a new Pathfinder publisher, Dirty Scabbard. Their sneak peeks and things made their work sound juvenile and a bit insane, but fun. I signed up for their newsletter because they promised a free pdf copy of their first adventure. Now that I’ve read the first adventure I have to say that my initial thoughts are correct. The adventure feels like something I would’ve ran in high school. It really is quite mad. The last two encounters in particular are nuts. The thing is, despite what I’ve said (or more likely because of what I’ve said), the adventure looks like a lot of fun.

The adventure isn’t for everyone, but hey, if you play Pathfinder (or even if you don’t) what could checking it out hurt? You can check Dirty Scabbard out on Facebook, Twitter, G+, or their website. Sign up for their newsletter and get a free pdf copy of their first adventure.