tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87193610480677251322024-02-25T12:32:10.679-08:00Knights of the All MindOld-school-style garage band gaming from Direbane Publishing.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-68338564464660264632024-01-26T23:11:00.000-08:002024-01-26T23:23:24.877-08:00Updated "New Knights of the All Mind" - Free!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/318772/New-Knights-of-the-All-Mind?manufacturers_id=6717" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1916" data-original-width="1347" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BnECWGFVxfY-Slo1pD0v6om2MB2tLXtY_k_VSMfH24dxmifkqs5HYbwLHjCZc3SW_xicJ96jJSMTzJrrGYjvazeS9d87y-M9Gpw5b8DhE-E5Xxrex07zc9vW1ivDoEGKZYnMqHZp3bhDxhw3JC3JvLdI4PY-7Ave0Y3DqV-8j2AFJJfMPS-EcyaP1vw/w450-h640/Cover.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div>I've updated our home brew supplement for Advanced Labyrinth Lord™ and other OSR rules. Inside <i>New Knights of the All Mind</i> you'll find new classes, character abilities, an old-school initiative process, rules for charging, parries, death and dismemberment, Astral combat, and more.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/318772/New-Knights-of-the-All-Mind?manufacturers_id=6717" target="_blank">You can pick up <i>New Knights of the All Mind</i> here for free from DriveThruRPG</a>.</div>Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-36278217759179254612023-01-14T23:11:00.001-08:002023-01-15T02:52:03.015-08:00Hasbro, Please Take No Action Regarding the Open Gaming License v1.0a<div style="text-align: left;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNEHcEjd4Tdz3T5-6yUxbEYfsLSYJ4BFUj0Aqs_4NaXZIXCtJ8tPgVsJkGJEAqJ2S8RX9-tC6ooZMXnu3W1iTqyqmxR6hEDsoT6Trq7VsDf3meBb2i_H8dFBqQvj1T3R-bQAYdqdT2hsVYcEX9qEfPtLdOvpdMgHOLYe1SMGDrrynL3GvRa3uDpQ1/w320-h213/SupportOGL.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The community has organized to fight changes to the Open Gaming License. One of those points of organization is a change.org petition drafted by Ryan Dancey (you can read <a href="https://rsdancey.medium.com/22-years-ago-i-saved-d-d-today-i-want-to-save-the-open-gaming-license-77e79eaddfb2" target="_blank">Ryan's article on the OGL here</a>). <a href="https://www.change.org/p/hasbro-please-take-no-action-regarding-the-open-gaming-license-v1-0a" target="_blank">Please sign the petition here</a>.</div>Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-41498216472414592042021-07-12T23:11:00.002-07:002021-07-19T05:03:00.304-07:00New Ref Screen for Labyrinth Lord!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQU9g8az6kH9GN5MdQcmtXFgpssgG5G51QvRg9hqE3O0IuDsUWs5sxmdK2KHwD4Co2FKAsQlF91ycMpZZ39YYsJ-q2p6rTR4YuJEPozCqSC2ex9rED4jSHFZG8yeL_TO-onwVFQH484vI/s2048/ScreenPic1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="2048" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQU9g8az6kH9GN5MdQcmtXFgpssgG5G51QvRg9hqE3O0IuDsUWs5sxmdK2KHwD4Co2FKAsQlF91ycMpZZ39YYsJ-q2p6rTR4YuJEPozCqSC2ex9rED4jSHFZG8yeL_TO-onwVFQH484vI/w400-h209/ScreenPic1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1VLa0UL_1ohD1jA3I_JlCYSusBWwTsjOKodOhnc1NG6S-FLimCBvVyQkR8cI-Dzv1M4ENJuwvpESQq1O3CMs8cr-3TaqRi49BKQvAIe8sbq8Y-AeZK6ru1NjV1bMWjXXFixpjaIQvq4/s2048/ScreenPic2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="2048" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1VLa0UL_1ohD1jA3I_JlCYSusBWwTsjOKodOhnc1NG6S-FLimCBvVyQkR8cI-Dzv1M4ENJuwvpESQq1O3CMs8cr-3TaqRi49BKQvAIe8sbq8Y-AeZK6ru1NjV1bMWjXXFixpjaIQvq4/w400-h219/ScreenPic2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">I finally fashioned a useable ref screen that is compact enough to fit in my FRP bag. I started with the inner panels designed waaay back in 2010 by Shane Mangus over at <a href="http://swordandsanity.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Swords Against the Outer Dark</a>. I altered the player-facing side by including my own art (inside the now-tainted Decanter Room) and, a-la<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge%27s_Shield" target="_blank"> Judges Guild "Judge's Shield,"</a> added to-hit, saving throw, turning, and a couple other bits of info duplicated on both sides of the art where players can access them. (I also adopted the "Judge's Shield" canary yellow color.)</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The build the screen I printed the 6 sides separately (i.e. 1-sided) in color on an Ink-Jet printer to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078R3KBNJ/" target="_blank">water-proof photo paper</a>. Next trimmed the outer edges, basically everything outside the print-area of the printed page so color went edge to edge. Then bound first with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QLGFJS2/" target="_blank">2" width book-binding tape</a> the inner-facing pages (so outer seams would only expose the non-glued side of the tape). And finally used an Elmer's glue stick to fasten the outer pages against the inside ones.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">If you are interested in making your own screen, or just want to see the sides close-up, here are PDFs of the yellow-colored screen and a regular black &white one...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q78vnljrx31l7u2/ScreenTwoColor.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Yellowed-colored Screen</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/6f3olgluy4mgdfy/ScreenTwo.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Black & White Screen</a></span></p>Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-63887757795164068372021-07-04T23:11:00.008-07:002021-07-05T05:22:34.029-07:00Much Work Ahead<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFrplfwkEM4PnZreKYXje15ce2Sxr8mhERmcCbtlZjoDPIwmEkrbRvWSSzDvrYHNVxvDaA89jQlODXDW-538e8IPoH9l4oEyFLwCm6ZCDiqrOei_moNkyiXxsY9qtvbAYpAXdcRBKZHM/s2048/AlancrostAbyssMap1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1514" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFrplfwkEM4PnZreKYXje15ce2Sxr8mhERmcCbtlZjoDPIwmEkrbRvWSSzDvrYHNVxvDaA89jQlODXDW-538e8IPoH9l4oEyFLwCm6ZCDiqrOei_moNkyiXxsY9qtvbAYpAXdcRBKZHM/w296-h400/AlancrostAbyssMap1.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Abyssal Levels Player Map)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> Dang, I want to develop a "Metropolis of Chaos" scenario as soon as I complete my Advanced Labyrinth Lord conversion of "Underport." I only had the barest completed work of yore, so figured pretty much an almost blank slate to go with. But I forgot about <i>Player Maps</i>...!</p><p>My friend J.A.S. ran a paladin in my first home brew campaign, from 1st until about 12th-13th level. It was his pegasus that fell through the prime material gate to the Abyss while the parties, yes there were two, fought Orcus. (Orcus' timestop vs Alancrost magic resist needed to play out each of several melee rounds. Yikes!)</p><p>While I would ref on the fly, I did draw maps for the players as they went along, and J.A.S. happened to pull an old box of stuff from his attic that included a bunch of old player maps from my 1980s Krull campaign. Pretty cool, now I want to incorporate them back into my published Krull stuff. Weeeee!!!</p><p>Uruk is on the north coast of a southern land mass that was being threatened by demons or some kind of monsters. That's why the city is surrounded by tents of refugees.</p><p>Har, I also forgot that Alancrost the Paladin now lairs in the Eternal Pit beneath Underport, watching over the prime material gate to the Abyss. I should add stats for Alancrost to my Rogues Gallery.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTPuKsRZ5QAMoFKypV08U7ncIJzCIlcVW57mM23gNMaXE2CWcKl7qxaIUiw1S4fZH79lEv1bv08Dox9UUfdcAkw4HWp2y2wFsYEJGStKGbQKxp-70zz5F6R-Hv0cBevwVUSX6O53wMmc/s2048/UrukMap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTPuKsRZ5QAMoFKypV08U7ncIJzCIlcVW57mM23gNMaXE2CWcKl7qxaIUiw1S4fZH79lEv1bv08Dox9UUfdcAkw4HWp2y2wFsYEJGStKGbQKxp-70zz5F6R-Hv0cBevwVUSX6O53wMmc/w348-h400/UrukMap.jpg" width="348" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Coastal city of Uruk</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqenmaalMlixqQrdQEjHYCfoOQmkJfCyoWqNIFQJY3YHqcMLdAuRUY67a1MbdOU76qSG_shJZggPkKDBCre7zhgb1rNavVW2HKQDxM_cInFkWeRC6589D2ZIifMC1ysoQx_0f4a1g4oE/s2048/AlancrostLair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1632" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqenmaalMlixqQrdQEjHYCfoOQmkJfCyoWqNIFQJY3YHqcMLdAuRUY67a1MbdOU76qSG_shJZggPkKDBCre7zhgb1rNavVW2HKQDxM_cInFkWeRC6589D2ZIifMC1ysoQx_0f4a1g4oE/w319-h400/AlancrostLair.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alancrost's Lair in the Eternal Pit.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-91968730077675761142020-06-27T23:11:00.024-07:002020-06-28T06:30:23.889-07:00New Knights of the All Mind<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMYHI7kifP0wjuC05JXJW9wZYlOKdUM2Qwe025I6Eeu7gnUHf1zJy-04ujPCtnE-esaI2j-fLucx9SdxCY6ogryCvZQaRabTok6fyUEMr0SwJgPT53XXASjhwnFjjrRpRqp3EjhyfhZA/s3417/CoverPhoto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3417" data-original-width="2642" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMYHI7kifP0wjuC05JXJW9wZYlOKdUM2Qwe025I6Eeu7gnUHf1zJy-04ujPCtnE-esaI2j-fLucx9SdxCY6ogryCvZQaRabTok6fyUEMr0SwJgPT53XXASjhwnFjjrRpRqp3EjhyfhZA/w309-h400/CoverPhoto.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/318772/New-Knights-of-the-All-Mind?manufacturers_id=6717" target="_blank"><i>New Knights of the All Mind</i> is posted on DriveThruRPG for free download</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This supplement is kind of ironic because <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/128907/Knights-of-the-All-Mind" target="_blank">the original </a><i><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/128907/Knights-of-the-All-Mind" target="_blank">Knights of the All Mind</a> </i>supplement I prepared for our home group back in 2012 was to introduce old school attributes to d20. Now this "New" supplement is helping refine our foray back into the "old" ways, since about a year ago we had crossed over to <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/259986/Advanced-Labyrinth-Lord-Orcus-Cover" target="_blank">Advanced Labyrinth Lord</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So what is in this new-old supplement? Merely a few somewhat minor aspects we used in our old 1st edition game that I thought would be interesting to bring back in some fashion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Strength Above 19 - </b>The Advanced Labyrinth Lord uses increased hit dice for belts of giant strength and the like, which on a certain level makes sense, but really only works for to hit and damage and not feats of strength like breaking down doors and bending bars. We went through <a href="http://direbane.blogspot.com/2020/03/strength-ability-at-above-19.html" target="_blank">a doozy of a discussion</a> over how to stratify strength where the Gygaxian special "fighter type" strength from 1-100 is eliminated. (There was sooo much needless Gygaz complexity that our era beginning in the late 70s had to live with...)</li><li><b>Divine Intervention - </b>An old table I had from the original <i>Knights</i>, not always an impact, but when divine intervention is your character's last hope, well...</li><li><b>Godly Grants - </b>This came up because we were going to run a group through <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/82583/Inferno-1980" target="_blank">Geoffrey Dales <i>Inferno</i></a>, and J.A.S. has a fighter, Halberton, with a mace that grants a Godly Grant every day (He gained the mace at Grimcon III). Mark Scheinert was kind enough to describe this Arduin magical grant.</li><li><b>Death and Dismember Table - </b>I derived a much simplified 1d20 table adapted from <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9oamUh3mPyNU2UzTFNsb3Q1ak0/view" target="_blank">Zak Smith's d100 DADT from the 5th edition <i>Zak Hak</i></a>. The mechanics are awesome because rather than having 0 hit points become this demarcation point between fighting as normal and unconsciousness/death, moving below 0 is a sort of dance between barely hanging on to consciousness, risking death, while often suffering injuries.</li><li><b>Weapon Speed - </b>Our group came about during the glorious period of J. Eric Holmes Dungeons and Dragons Basic Set. It had very simplified weapon speed: Light weapons take a half round to use, heavy weapons 2 rounds, and regular weapons 1 round. So when <i>Players Handbook</i> came out in late 1978, PRE <i>Dungeon Masters Guide</i>, we took all the weapon speed factors as number of segments to use and ran <i>SEGMENT BY SEGMENT</i> combat for nearly 30 years! It was insane, not what Gygaz intended, and FUN AS HELL!!! Anyhow, it doesn't work quite right with B/X 10-secomd melee rounds, but you know what? HOLMES BASIC USED 10-SECOND ROUNDS! So there we go, I just threw in the Holmes rules.</li><li><b>Weapon Adjustments To Hit Versus Armor Type - </b>This is really something that just about everyone ditched: Giving different weapons bonuses or penalty based on whether they were striking against someone wearing anything from no armor to plate mail. Most folks I supposed thought it was a needless wargaming complexity, I always thought it was kind of cool and made weapon selections a little more meaningful - and occasionally a PC super-needed that bonus! So I included armor type adjustments for all the weapons listed in Advanced Labyrinth Lord.</li><li><b>Variety of Other Stuff - </b>Most of these are from my earlier book that I though were useful, but there is just kind of a salad of other things: Mutation Table, Whimsey Table, Psionic Rules adopted to Labyrinth Lord as simplified by <i>Silverblade the Enchanter</i>, and my very own Appendix N.</li></ul><div>Any how, it's free, so what do you have to lose? Ha, where I come from they say "Take what you need and leave the rest."</div><div><br /></div><div>Namaste.</div></div>Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-54711853956419991832020-03-19T23:11:00.000-07:002020-03-20T11:45:01.759-07:00Color Maps!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7O_ZdLPK-DdoVskp051tOyErpDVKI7YAqWQf6qjEttamSVfTf0qmj2nYRxlI2gEy9IBH-Tc4yxVjna-DnYZVvkY7nIcETXCjLSmJyDh5BifbZM__ZaiR1rQmnVgqRu_QY6kA-dNTSDQ/s1600/ColorTLBCastle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1236" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7O_ZdLPK-DdoVskp051tOyErpDVKI7YAqWQf6qjEttamSVfTf0qmj2nYRxlI2gEy9IBH-Tc4yxVjna-DnYZVvkY7nIcETXCjLSmJyDh5BifbZM__ZaiR1rQmnVgqRu_QY6kA-dNTSDQ/s640/ColorTLBCastle.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
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I added the color maps that are completed for the new Advanced Labyrinth Lord/OSR compatible <i>Underport: Abyssal Descent - Revisionist Edition</i> to the current <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/175958/Underport-Abyssal-Descent" target="_blank">DriveThruRPG download of<i> Underport: Abyssal Descent</i></a>. The old black and white maps are still included, however, the color maps are much more legible.<br />
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The two differences between the original maps are an underground fungoid jungle section with an Aboleth on level 1 and a new level 9 which essentially incorporates a cross dimension connection with an alien spaceship. (The rough v.3.5 SRD version alien spaceship is free on Knights of the All Mind blogspot <a href="https://knightsoftheallmind.blogspot.com/p/free-encounters.html">"Free Encounters" page</a>. The new LL/OSR version will be encounter driven rather than these general notes.)<br />
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Once the new version of the dungeon is complete I will replace the old files with the new ones so anyone who purchased the v.3.5 SRD version will receive the new version for free.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-1023355983252602832020-03-03T23:11:00.000-08:002020-03-04T10:35:02.423-08:00Half Way There ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a7gf_QFyOPEprdaXaYMy2-vkWIHMT1sduhKVInp7saiT9_Ak5Rqks9bPugb_VYJxVq8FK6MkvQe71qLp9qUcNZ_eF2Nkt0poNbCn5ABRZtxi4z4hFMmswzXEo8P24DTC2VTckgE8B6M/s1600/UnderportColorCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="553" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a7gf_QFyOPEprdaXaYMy2-vkWIHMT1sduhKVInp7saiT9_Ak5Rqks9bPugb_VYJxVq8FK6MkvQe71qLp9qUcNZ_eF2Nkt0poNbCn5ABRZtxi4z4hFMmswzXEo8P24DTC2VTckgE8B6M/s400/UnderportColorCover.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
Whew, this is taking me much longer than I expected...<br />
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<a href="http://knightsoftheallmind.blogspot.com/2019/06/underport-revisionist-version.html" target="_blank">Last June</a> I had decided to convert my vintage (circa 1978-81) megadungeon "<a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/175958/Underport-Abyssal-Descent" target="_blank">Underport: Abyssal Descent</a>" from our home-ruled v.3.5 to 5e and also improve some of the shortcomings of the original presentation, specifically the long stat blocks and often illegible scanned maps.<br />
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The first part of the project was to add color to the maps, which in addition to making them more legible also came out purdy:<br />
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Shortly thereupon, however, I participated in an online <a href="https://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=15468" target="_blank">B/X</a> game with <a href="http://jrients.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jeff Rients</a> and had a blast. So much so that I prevailed upon my home gaming group to switch from 5e to <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/259986/Advanced-Labyrinth-Lord-Orcus-Cover" target="_blank">Advanced Labyrinth Lord</a>, a B/X & AD&D retro-clone. At the same time I gathered myself to move the revision of<i> Underport</i> from 5e to the more original<i> Advanced Labyrinth Lord</i>.<br />
<br />
A problem developed in that the original-original<i> Underport</i> (pictured below) was not a complete dungeon. It was bits and pieces formed over time as adventuring parties delved there. With the home-ruled v.3.5 version I used<i> <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/1376/Tome-of-Horrors" target="_blank">Tome of Horrors</a></i> from <a href="https://froggodgames.com/product-category/uncategorized/d20-33-5/" target="_blank">Necromancer Games</a> (one of my favorite publishers from the 3rd edition days) to fill in critters and encounters. Now with deciding to go back to my roots, I was faced with converting 3rd edition stats to 1st edition. Bleh!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPeSwmHT9mIx_lP0HOE2fmMtiDJdL7pED1Zoht0tUxSNmqeB3fZVOX_y4Ae5Ism5QZuGwYUZjTsE_m7fq0XbspqiKsBHs6GDhNx5QtX4Y-lYQu6AaF-Z5IpY9EdP03IfT58GBRxWsfdI/s1600/Binder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPeSwmHT9mIx_lP0HOE2fmMtiDJdL7pED1Zoht0tUxSNmqeB3fZVOX_y4Ae5Ism5QZuGwYUZjTsE_m7fq0XbspqiKsBHs6GDhNx5QtX4Y-lYQu6AaF-Z5IpY9EdP03IfT58GBRxWsfdI/s320/Binder.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(The "original" original<i> Underport</i>.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I am looking through the different iterations for<i> Tome of Horrors Complete</i> that Frog God Games has put out since Necromancer merged with them. Lo and behold, there is a <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/93672/Tome-of-Horrors-Complete--Swords-and-Wizardry" target="_blank">Swords & Wizardry version of the tome</a>!!!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://froggodgames.com/product/swords-wizardry-complete-rulebook/" target="_blank">Swords & Wizardry</a> is an OD&D retro-clone harkening back to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons_(1974)" target="_blank">"White Box" set of little brown books that started the game way back in 1974</a>. I had considered S&W as one of the option to propose to my home group when I wanted to pitch them going back to an earlier version. The reason I ultimately went with<i> Advanced Labyrinth Lord</i> is that we gamed 1st ed. AD&D from 1978 until 2005 and<i> Advanced Labyrinth Lord</i> adhered close to those rules while cleaning up some unnecessary Gygaxian complexities.<br />
<br />
The bottom line is that the conversion is going soooo much smoother with the S&W<i> Tome</i>! Maybe even get this done by next June...<br />
<br />
PS My plan is to replace the existing v.3.5<i> Underport</i> on <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/6717/Direbane-Publishing" target="_blank">DriveThruRPG</a> with the new retro-clone version. That means everyone who purchased the first version will get the new version for free, but if for some reason needs to re-download the first version will need to contact me to do that.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-86267135506622514032020-02-23T23:11:00.000-08:002020-02-24T14:54:07.347-08:00The Silver Road<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_n9ZkiMzJmiqtIbZH6ILiwL_p0XfDWCMlvzDT6X8KEQyQZWbaMovcPDJW4wrotgNndpEJC2wJbRv26wf7VBPwQ29zjzC2NBvmjqUN9cNDO1y9h3lBvopE8rL0pbQqx3Hh9q8FLps6LEs/s1600/IchImage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_n9ZkiMzJmiqtIbZH6ILiwL_p0XfDWCMlvzDT6X8KEQyQZWbaMovcPDJW4wrotgNndpEJC2wJbRv26wf7VBPwQ29zjzC2NBvmjqUN9cNDO1y9h3lBvopE8rL0pbQqx3Hh9q8FLps6LEs/s400/IchImage.jpg" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/304308/The-Silver-Road-A-Troika-Adventure" target="_blank"><i>The Silver Road</i> available at DriveThruRPG!</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i></i><i></i><br />
A little<i> Troika!</i> scenario myself and Random Addison ran at <a href="http://www.dundracon.com/" target="_blank">DunDraCon</a> #44 last weekend (February 14th) is now available free on <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/304308/The-Silver-Road-A-Troika-Adventure" target="_blank">DriveThruRPG</a> and <a href="https://matrox.itch.io/the-silver-road" target="_blank">itch.io</a>. Probably the only<i> Troika!</i> scenario I'll do for a bit because I have a couple things to complete for <i>Advanced Labyrinth Lord</i>.<br />
<i></i><br />
This is a simple and basic elemental planar romp for up to 6 players. Old Addison was super helpful in getting me out of some standard tropes and also inventing ideas for breaking the fourth wall.<br />
<br />
Our game at DunDraCon was just about the full 8 hours, but we left off before the end and had an intriguing philosophical tension during the climactic scene.<br />
<br />
Please give it a whirl and let us know what you think.<br />
<br />
PS: An early release of this scenario used material from <i>Axes & Orcs Compendium: Volume Two: Science-Fantasy Potpourri Backgrounds for Troika!</i> by Ian Woolley at <a href="https://axesnorcs.blogspot.com/">https://axesnorcs.blogspot.com/</a>. Ian does great work for the game and you should check him out.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-43725406697698566212020-01-13T23:11:00.000-08:002020-01-14T02:12:40.994-08:00This is going to be a thing...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xJWoG_GOcmIn_PvG6zYTmyLRlWypChyAbCmwI0ep-pCvQoW6e8sded-jwWfq-4LwgI0VGes9GtYLwhxqePkp-INTHoswImcdkZcio_BUdYUpssk29jxHELw43i4J4-JBPf2xyvKEIxw/s1600/DecanterRealmCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="964" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xJWoG_GOcmIn_PvG6zYTmyLRlWypChyAbCmwI0ep-pCvQoW6e8sded-jwWfq-4LwgI0VGes9GtYLwhxqePkp-INTHoswImcdkZcio_BUdYUpssk29jxHELw43i4J4-JBPf2xyvKEIxw/s400/DecanterRealmCover.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>
Fucking a it is (<a href="http://www.dundracon.com/" target="_blank">DDC44</a>, home group, Saturday evening February 15).Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-54400765443598647232019-12-31T23:11:00.000-08:002020-01-01T11:36:35.053-08:00Happy New Year - Shadow DrowWishing everyone a Happy New Year!<br />
<br />
In keeping with winding down my efforts toward home-style rules, here is a new baddie that is playable with <a href="http://goblinoidgames.com/index.php/downloads/" target="_blank">Advanced Labyrinth Lord™</a> and Other OSR Rule Sets.<br />
<br />
The<b> Shadow Drow</b> is a regular elven drow integrated with the Plane of Shadow, from which the shadow drow may plot and launch attacks. Compared to normal drow, the shadow drow are faster, more difficult to detect, have additional resistances to cold, and once per day can shift to or from the Plane of Shadow.<br />
<b></b><b></b><br />
<b>Shadow Drow</b><br />
No. Enc.: 2d4 (6d6)<br />
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)<br />
Movement: 180'<br />
Armor Class: 2<br />
Hit Dice: 2 + 2<br />
Attacks: 1 or 2 (weapon)<br />
Damage: As weapon<br />
Save: F2<br />
Morale: 11<br />
Hoard Class: V x 5, XI x 2<br />
XP: 67<br />
<br />
Shadow drow are depraved and evil demon-worshipping subterranean creatures merged with non-corporeal darkness. Shadow drow hate the life energy of living things from above-ground.<br />
<br />
Like regular drow, they tend to be 5’ tall and slight of build, but their skin, hair, and eyes are of dark, swirling shadow. Although shadow drow seem somewhat ghost-like, they are not truly undead creatures. As a consequence, shadow drow are not susceptible to the cleric ability to turn undead. However, like undead, shadow drow are unaffected by charm or sleep spells.<br />
<br />
Shadow drow also have cold resistance and are impervious to all forms of ordinary cold. Further, damage from other kinds of cold is reduced by –2 per die of damage. These kinds of cold include cone of cold, wall of ice, and the intense cold of frozen sea. If exposure to such cold requires a saving throw, it is made at +2 to the dice roll.<br />
<br />
Shadow drow have 120’ infravision and are completely silent and difficult to observe in any conditions other than full daylight granting them a +2 to armor class. When in bright light including sunlight they suffer -2 to hit and -2 to DEX, and if abruptly exposed to light are blinded for 1 round. They will surprise on a surprise check roll of 1-5 on 1d6 and are themselves surprised only on 1 on 1d8. Shadow drow can also Plane shift self to or from the Plane of Shadow once per day.<br />
<br />
Shadow drow typically attack with short swords or darts which are coated with poison. Victims must save versus poison at -4 or fall unconscious for 1d4 turns. Shadow drow can use the following spell-like abilities once per day: dancing lights, darkness, and faerie fire. All shadow drow save versus magical effects with a +2. In addition, shadow drow of 4th level or higher have the following spelllike abilities once per day: detect magic, know alignment, levitate, and fear. Finally, female shadow drow are more powerful than males, and once per day have the abilities of clairvoyance, detect lie, dispel magic, suggestion, mirror image, and regenerate 2 hit points per round (slain if brought to 0 hit points).<br />
<br />
In a group of 10 or more, a male 3rd level fighter will be present. In a group of 20 or more, a female cleric/fighter of 6th level will be present. If more than 30 are encountered, a female cleric/fighter of 7th or 8th level will be present, and a male fighter/magic-user of 4th or 5th level will be present.<br />
<br />
There is a 5% chance per level that a shadow drow has a magic item.<br />
<br />
Labyrinth Lord™ is copyright 2007-2018, Daniel Proctor. Labyrinth Lord™ and Advanced Labyrinth Lord™ are trademarks of Daniel Proctor. These trademarks are used under the Labyrinth Lord™ Trademark License 1.2, available at <a href="http://goblinoidgames.com/" target="_blank">www.goblinoidgames.com</a>.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-34598890736121108582019-11-09T23:11:00.000-08:002019-11-10T00:57:57.860-08:00City Running Troika!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlGUqznvM7QkPWz3RWwg02UjRmY09oNz5PbLqdBCLf4R00HAbMDaI3NUC7sXC2p0HxD9YdrQHCtTD0e6PJptUzP58KJh9qvbJO01rP8clk4vzJiwjYmArv3GxheEf1C2fvwFYtRu3CaQ/s1600/CRTCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="490" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlGUqznvM7QkPWz3RWwg02UjRmY09oNz5PbLqdBCLf4R00HAbMDaI3NUC7sXC2p0HxD9YdrQHCtTD0e6PJptUzP58KJh9qvbJO01rP8clk4vzJiwjYmArv3GxheEf1C2fvwFYtRu3CaQ/s640/CRTCover.jpg" width="496" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/294531/City-Running-Troika" target="_blank"><i>City Running Troika!</i> available at DriveThruRPG</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, I'm leaning away from being in the rules business and <a href="https://www.troikarpg.com/" target="_blank"><i>Troika!</i></a> popped up for me.<br />
<br />
The system is ultra simple. Each character has three attributes:<br />
<ul>
<li>Skill, which is the number added whenever a character tries to do something;</li>
<li>Stamina, which score defines altogether general health, sturdiness, and hit points; and </li>
<li>Luck, which is kind of a catch-all saving throw that decreases the more you use it.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Then, actions are further bumped with advanced skills and spells. Each advanced skill and spell has a numerical value to it, typically 1 or 2 or, more rarely at the beginning, 3. This numerical value gets added to the skill attribute whenever the character takes some action.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Up to three skills or spells used since the last rest can be improved +1 when the character has completed a rest and has an opportunity for reflection. This is done by attempting to roll greater than the total skill points for the advanced skill or spell. (A character can also learn new advanced skills or spells if there is someone more experienced to train her.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Characters get their beginning advanced skills, spells, and an often bizarre backstory by rolling for a random background. 36 backgrounds are included in the rulebook, but there are many, many, many sources for <i>Troika!</i> backgrounds.<a href="https://itch.io/search?q=troika" target="_blank"> Ich.io is a good resource for backgrounds</a>, both free and to purchase.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The rulebook comes with an introductory adventure that takes place in a fancy hotel within the City of Troika. The author of <i>Troika!</i>, Daniel Sell, has <a href="http://whatwouldconando.blogspot.com/2018/07/bit-o-troika.html" target="_blank">published several discrete details of city locations</a>, but, perhaps intentionally or perhaps because <i>Troika!</i> is a young game and more will be forthcoming, there is not a comprehensive overview of the city itself. </div>
<br />
I read that Daniel Sell got some inspiration for<i> Troika!</i> from a series of stories by M. John Harrison published between 1971 and 1984 about Viriconuim, a shifting, dystopian, post-apocalyptic future Earth.<br />
<br />
Looking for role-playing material on Viriconium lead me to <a href="https://www.lastgaspgrimoire.com/" target="_blank">Logan Knight</a>.<br />
<br />
Logan Knight, under the Creative Commons non-commercial license, publishes a large number of random city tables for his own setting that are based on Harrison's Viriconium city.<br />
<br />
Originally for my personal<i> Troika!</i> game I am running, I assembled a good number of the setting tables and adopted them to<i> Troika!</i> After running the random scenarios for a few sessions, I came to believe that<i> Troika!</i> players in general would enjoy the resource.<br />
<br />
I edited a nice edition and tried to get through to Logan Knight to see if he had any concerns about my publishing and could not get a reply (there was a comment on his website about getting a new job). Anyhow, with his work being under Creative Commons non-commercial, I went ahead and released<i> City Running Troika!</i> for free on both <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/294531/City-Running-Troika" target="_blank">DriveThruRPG</a> and <a href="https://matrox.itch.io/city-running-troika" target="_blank">ich.io</a>.<br />
<br />
Hopefully<i> Troika!</i> players will discover and enjoy the product, and also hopefully Logan Knight won't be pissed off.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-12500100941985002722019-06-14T23:11:00.000-07:002019-06-14T23:55:31.880-07:00Underport - Revisionist Version<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbmyi9mx_XEOy6W4CduFawrz_tKmk5r61WZXPfDsEs99zp85Kzs9CBWxt-wPDUJz_6niC8mPR3J9j8tGDLcObm26_bHuXU7-xrMQ7QUHYvCoCvegABJiHwSEjzfjR9aNyjwCctC_Vh2o/s1600/ColorUnderportSideUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1600" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbmyi9mx_XEOy6W4CduFawrz_tKmk5r61WZXPfDsEs99zp85Kzs9CBWxt-wPDUJz_6niC8mPR3J9j8tGDLcObm26_bHuXU7-xrMQ7QUHYvCoCvegABJiHwSEjzfjR9aNyjwCctC_Vh2o/s400/ColorUnderportSideUp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Underport side view)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Believe it (or not) I<i> am</i> actually still working on "Metropolis of Chaos" sequel to "Underport: Abyssal Descent," but I just needed a project that was less mentally taxing.<br />
<br />
When I put out Underport several years ago, my group was still using a 1st/3rd editions hybrid that seems sooo needlessly clunky now. One of the comments was that the author (me) seemed to lose gas at the lower levels, which I did. Writing high-level basically 3rd ed. stat blocks over and over was a pain in the ass.<br />
<br />
Another comment was that the maps were, perhaps endearingly, super hard to follow. (I scanned my original pencil drawings in as black and white to gain definition.)<br />
<br />
As a result I am going to revise Underport for the gently modified 5th ed. version, "Advanced Knights of the All Mind, 9th Edition." I intend to strip down the stat blocks, colorize maps, and add the long lost 9th level...<br />
<br />
As it is said, writing is rewriting!Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-61073722558199944832019-05-13T23:11:00.000-07:002019-05-21T16:02:36.688-07:00WIld Space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1234" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi385tPl3afJvz6uVfnunZ1Z51Sw3tRU5IJgZm8w6QQPknbMKwDT2h5Zq5egXlPoRK0HpXwOPPv8H-OsGrUh5i8p2yUCHSneLJdXvdqRxUYUXarYOOCf45KqFt0_j6VicEuUQ31ScaCdWA/s640/WildSpaceCover.jpg" width="492" /></div>
<br />
Good grief, I cannot let well enough alone...<br />
<br />
Daughter the Cooliosis permitted us to game in the garage of her and new Coastie Husband. On the fly for characters (more for what cool miniatures I had rather than any meta-considerations) they each ended up as starfaring folk from a futuristic technology - essentially though a half-giant from <a href="http://athas.org/" target="_blank">Dark Sun</a> flavor and a <a href="https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/15/15631.phtml" target="_blank">Rifts</a> juicer.<br />
<br />
Of course I'm running the<i> gently modified</i> 5th ed. rues from<i> Advanced Knights of the All Mind 9th Edition</i>, and further we just wing things on that first night, but I need to draft up a race, character, and background info.<br />
<br />
So here it is, <i><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/vtk88dzpl4jy9tv/WildSpace9thEd.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Wild Space</a></i>, a free fan conversion with some of my fluff thrown in.<br />
<br />
P.S. As an added bonus, I placed for the overall sci-fi milieu <a href="http://judgesguild.org/" target="_blank">Judges Guild</a><i> Wilderlands</i> setting into <a href="http://gatewayquadrant.pbworks.com/w/page/13532053/FrontPage" target="_blank">Judges Guild Gateway Quadrant</a> for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_%28role-playing_game%29" target="_blank">Traveller</a>! I found the Judges Guild Traveller adventure module "<a href="http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Marooned_on_Ghostring" target="_blank">Marooned On Ghostring</a>," about misjump that discovers an unexplored planet which happening to be the 4th planet out (just like the<i> Wilderlands</i> Ghenrek IV). THAT'S IT!<br />
<br />
I just figured the "Ghostring" scenario a ruse to hide the true magical nature Ghenrek IV and there you are...Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-3642386943328224362019-03-08T23:11:00.000-08:002019-03-31T00:12:27.145-07:00Gonzo Monsters - Star SpyderThe star spyder is another <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Hargrave" target="_blank">Dave Hargrave</a> beastie appropriated this time from the old 1975-77 BBC television show<i> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space:_1999" target="_blank">Space 1999</a></i>, a monster from the episode "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%27s_Domain" target="_blank">Dragon's Domain.</a>"<br />
<br />
The Star Spyder originally appeared in <a href="https://www.rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45043/runes-doom" target="_blank">The Arduin Grimoire Volume III, "Runes of Doom."</a><br />
Below is a video college of the creature that inspired Dave from the television show...<br />
<i></i><i></i><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9WKfEj5JpwA?controls=0" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
And Here is the Star Spyder as depicted on the cover of "Runes of Doom":<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4A5Wn9y9e1dEoigCN3pcVB0D96TCiqzvejdiVp5IC8ytYcEP8cgDWczUHlmEJ7NWXokkF_-kovmrF2MtQ1UQly_6kWICoOD3bykMEX788aAiK2XYcWZvvD-YNM5DVM3BlDP6aWBEs8Q/s1600/StarSpyder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="593" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4A5Wn9y9e1dEoigCN3pcVB0D96TCiqzvejdiVp5IC8ytYcEP8cgDWczUHlmEJ7NWXokkF_-kovmrF2MtQ1UQly_6kWICoOD3bykMEX788aAiK2XYcWZvvD-YNM5DVM3BlDP6aWBEs8Q/s400/StarSpyder.jpg" title="" width="342" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Art by <a href="https://twitter.com/gregespinoza999" target="_blank">Greg Espinoza</a>.)</td></tr>
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My 5th edition adoption of Dave's creature for<i> The World's Most Popular Role Playing Game</i>:<br />
<i></i><i></i><i></i><br />
<span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: #444444;"><b>Star Spyder</b> <i>Huge aberration, Amoral evil</i></span></span><br />
<b>Armor Class</b> 22 Arms, 20 Body, 13 eye (natural armor)<br />
<b>Hit Points</b> 160 (20d12 + 20) <b>Speed</b> 40 ft. <br />
<b>STR</b> 18 (+4) <b>DEX</b> 20 (+5) <b>CON</b> 12 (+1) <b>INT</b> 7 (-2) <b>WIS</b> 14 (+2) <b>CHA</b> 8 (-1)<br />
<b>Skills</b> Arcana +7<br />
<b>Damage Resistances</b> bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagikal attacks<br />
<b>Damage Immunities</b> Charm, cold, confusion, poison, sleep, sonics<br />
<b>Condition Immunities</b> Frightened, poisoned<br />
<b>Senses</b> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 <br />
<b>Languages</b> —<br />
<b>Challenge</b> 14 (11,000 XP)<br />
<b><i>Penumbral Door.</i></b> Instead of moving like a normal creature, the star spyder can shift to a different plane, move there, and shift back to the plane where it came from. <br />
<b><i>Plane Shift.</i></b> Once per hour, the star spyder can magikally teleport to a different plane of existence. The star spyder does not have to know the plane or its nature. When it uses this ability, it will intuitively avoid planes with an environment too harsh for it to survive. The star spyder can take up to four creatures with it provided these creatures are in physical contact with it. If a creature is unwilling to travel with the star spyder, it must make a successful DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be taken along anyway. The DC is reduced by 2 for every additional unwilling creature. <br />
<b>Actions</b><br />
<b><i>Multiattack.</i></b> The star spyder makes a psychic charm attack and 4d6 arm tentacle attacks per round. If two arm attacks hit the same target, it is grappled (escape DC 14) and the dimensional star spyder can use its dimensional leap.<br />
<b><i>Psychic Charm.</i></b> The star spyder targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the star spyder, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magik or be charmed by the star spyder. The charmed target moves toward the star spyder and it is a willing target for the star spyder's arm attacks.<br />
<b><i>Arm.</i></b> <i>Melee Weapon Attack:</i> +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage plus 13 (2d8+4) constriction damage thereafter. The star spyder regains hit points equal to 1 hit point for every 2 hit points of damage caused. Also, the constriction comes with continuous suction (reverse cyclone) each turn. All under 3 HD cannot resist being seized. If the target is 3 HD or greater, it must make a grapple escape DC 16 or the target is seized. Those seized are dragged under the star spyder's mouth, where the victim’s body is consumed by radiation and heat in 2 melee rounds. Those killed in this manner are 100% irrecoverable.<br />
<b><i>Dimensional Leap.</i></b> The star spyder teleports, along with any equipment it is carrying and any creature it is grappling, up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.<br />
<b>Description:</b> Star Spyder looks like a bright light that makes observation difficult. When in danger of being killed, it teleports away. This creature is so rare as to be only a dim legend. Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-71132437209071639442019-01-27T23:11:00.000-08:002019-01-28T09:08:27.760-08:00Gonzo Items - Pulsonic Disruptor (Hell Hand)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qk7AGaTHHdCTV0rjsh23iTsjo9ZlbSHRE4NG6VYmnoEuyhx9H5AtOfKCo18iHB_otaK1BsV1hTgN-6I9M9XsP4Lp9N0lwNVVzrI1BpgAFWVwZ21N5SLFIFkaAkejf-A1bUbEkr8QO5Q/s1600/Laserblast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qk7AGaTHHdCTV0rjsh23iTsjo9ZlbSHRE4NG6VYmnoEuyhx9H5AtOfKCo18iHB_otaK1BsV1hTgN-6I9M9XsP4Lp9N0lwNVVzrI1BpgAFWVwZ21N5SLFIFkaAkejf-A1bUbEkr8QO5Q/s400/Laserblast.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Whew, I have been off-the-grid from posting for some time as I am cramming to complete my 5th ed. conversion of the Arduin dungeon "Caliban" (1979) in time for <a href="http://www.dundracon.com/" target="_blank">DunDraCon 43</a> where the game is scheduled for 6:00pm Friday, February 15th.</div>
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You'll find this here "Pulsonic Disruptor" in Caliban's magik item cards, and it's an exemplary Dave Hargrave item in the sense it is a clear example of how Dave happens across something in a movie (or book, TV show, etc.) and then imagines it into something gameable.</div>
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"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laserblast" target="_blank">Laserblast</a>" is a 1978 American science fiction film about an unhappy teenage loner who discovers an alien laser cannon and goes on a murderous rampage, seeking revenge against those who he feels have wronged him. The extremely low-budget film was directed by Michael Rae and produced by Charles Band, who is widely known for producing B movies. Starring Kim Milford, Cheryl Smith, and Gianni Russo, the film features Keenan Wynn and Roddy McDowall, and marked the screen debut of actor Eddie Deezen. </div>
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Anyhew, the laser cannon, in addition to blasting apart just about anything, also turn its owner into a murderous green-skinned monster. I can tell you from my games of yore there is nothing better than super powerful items with nasty side effects and watching PCs wonder, "Well, I probably shouldn't be using this, but we seem to be close to TPK so...."</div>
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Here is the laser cannon in action:</div>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SRaXI8O1IKM" width="560"></iframe></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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And here is the "Pulsonic Disruptor" (you'll notice some "Laserblast" similarities in Dave's write-up):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltOh_nwiL3kCW54q5bBNy1OSpk0Z1lzfpQLKcSMFaUBPlOm3SDs4yLWep9e-QXdK3XLGA97S2s7ib1MaknGGuF1Rm0WMoVVyD_Bk9cJYiHDIvJ7j5MUARVtKFO5GEvFPZPATjvUjang4/s1600/HellHand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="633" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltOh_nwiL3kCW54q5bBNy1OSpk0Z1lzfpQLKcSMFaUBPlOm3SDs4yLWep9e-QXdK3XLGA97S2s7ib1MaknGGuF1Rm0WMoVVyD_Bk9cJYiHDIvJ7j5MUARVtKFO5GEvFPZPATjvUjang4/s400/HellHand.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(The original "Pulsonic Distruptor" art by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michio_Okamura" target="_blank">Michio Okamura</a>)</td></tr>
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<b><u>Pulsonic Disruptor (Hell Hand)</u></b><br />
<i>Weird Technology item, very rare</i><br />
<br />
<b>Power Source:</b> Nuclear Pellet<br />
<b>Maximum Charges:</b> 177 <br />
<b>Range:</b> 110/440 yards<br />
<b>AC Penetration:</b> 23 <br />
<b>Damage per shot:</b> 25 hit points <br />
<b>Size:</b> fits all normal sized humanoid arms. <br />
<br />
<i>Powers:</i> This weapon, once put on, is irremovable by anything less than a “full wish” unless its power source runs down. All hit by it are dizzy, nauseated and stunned for 1d10 melee rounds (20% chance) or are at -4 attack/defense for 10d6 minutes. The device's own AC is 20 and it is immune totally to any form of sonics. Cold or heat only does 1/4 damage to it. For every shot fired from it there is a 2% cumulative chance the wearer will be driven insane from the "back lash." At any rate the radiation from this technological device will do the same in a year! It's a “no win” situation.<br />
<br />
<i>Description:</i> This 6-pound sleeve-like tube that fits over a forearm is composed of Titanium, Gadolinium, boron filaments and some silver, and Usually appears metallic blue overall. The Disruptor's value is 250,000 gold pieces.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-75938321860592167062018-11-29T23:11:00.000-08:002018-11-30T22:21:07.136-08:009th Edition of the Judges Guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfIii3n04AULDWO9GivXbMmFyDWWCFuimvADJxBmQnbuuTKFwibuCp3E_jRGMVqTmlL4qwdGx0Vca0nTir3axwtfzymGndwXHdkzVoD8tv46twSimGtA3Ae3ZupmD-TI2kD1_Ik3i8QU/s1600/KnightsAdvJudge9thCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfIii3n04AULDWO9GivXbMmFyDWWCFuimvADJxBmQnbuuTKFwibuCp3E_jRGMVqTmlL4qwdGx0Vca0nTir3axwtfzymGndwXHdkzVoD8tv46twSimGtA3Ae3ZupmD-TI2kD1_Ik3i8QU/s400/KnightsAdvJudge9thCover.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
<br />
Ok,<i> because you asked for it...</i> (Ha, perhaps...)<br />
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Here is the newly reformatted with double columns<i> Advanced Knights of the All Mind Judges Guide 9th Edition!</i> Tis really an exact copy of the info from the previous edition, but damn if it doesn't bring back memories with double columns of Calibri font just like the old 1st Ed. of<i> The Worlds Most Popular Role Playing Game.</i><br />
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The "new" <i>Advanced Knights of the All Mind Judges Guide 9th Edition</i> is available in PDF for $5 over at <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/246043/Advanced-Knights-of-the-All-Mind-Judges-Book" target="_blank">Drive-Thru RPG</a>.<br />
<br />
(Now that I have standardized my personal ruleset, there is a dungeon needing unstuck from my brain...)Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-62458871085750727082018-11-25T23:11:00.000-08:002018-11-26T10:13:49.919-08:00Knights of the All Mind... 9th Edition?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKz0DRIUBSHbxOsc3mDghuhJdxPShf5jqV-35J39F813Jq_NYTgRCjyaP1iDwoaf2-95DpY36eAmWpi2VddR3Gscb6AjZv3E7K_Fv-_nTvsrhYdKLY-ssB3QSkY0RZWFnbNQhZQUnEVo/s1600/KnightsAdv9thCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKz0DRIUBSHbxOsc3mDghuhJdxPShf5jqV-35J39F813Jq_NYTgRCjyaP1iDwoaf2-95DpY36eAmWpi2VddR3Gscb6AjZv3E7K_Fv-_nTvsrhYdKLY-ssB3QSkY0RZWFnbNQhZQUnEVo/s400/KnightsAdv9thCover.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
<br />
Since I published my<i> gently modified</i> version of The World's Most Popular Role Playing Game's 5th edition, we put some sessions under our belts and there have been some errata and revisions (it was helpful with experienced 5th Ed. players pointing out some things I hadn’t caught).<br />
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So, in an effort to tidy things up adjusting stuff I performed a MAJOR format revision. The rules are virtually identical, but I removed portions of the art and reformatted into 2 columns per page layout.<br />
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An RPG author whom I follow (Zak S. of <a href="https://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">D&D With Porn Stars</a>) opined awhile back something that D&D rulebooks should be 2-column. I did some research and learned the studies shewed when human eyes are scanning writings for information it is less stressful on the eye to keep lateral movements to within 60 characters. 2-column printed books happen to be 60 character columns!<br />
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So the Players Book is more compact now – 214 pages – and actually even has a bit more playable content because I added a really simple system for the old-school psionics adjusted for 5th Ed. from a 2nd ED hack by Steven James "Silverblade the Enchanter" over at <a href="http://www.silverblades-suitcase.com/" target="_blank">Silverblade's Suitcase</a>. (I really missed my friend J.A.S. going around Dominating folks…)<br />
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Other than that all the errata is updated and I removed some material that was redundant (e.g. Cleric bonus spells, process for Find Familiar). I also added little topical tags from the index at the bottom of each page to help locate info more efficiently. This PDF is really intended for print media.<br />
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You’ll notice the name, Advanced Knights of the All Mind 9th Edition, and be like “Whut?” Ha, I just added up all the editions we’ve used (1st-3rd-5th) and came up with 9th (ok, technically 9.5).<br />
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The new<i> Advanced Knights of the All Mind Players Book 9th Edition</i> is available in PDF for $5 over at <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/246041/Advanced-Knights-of-the-All-Mind-Players-Book-9th-Edition?manufacturers_id=6717" target="_blank">Drive-Thru RPG</a>.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-4478698807575549562018-11-04T23:11:00.000-08:002018-11-05T01:00:07.300-08:00Gonzo Items - Soul Gems<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHKAa_1XSFGE9xlRuAie4qxCNsaB6lAYQN8fmHWEQK_iEhihHs-mHE1LCKToTBUutapAgQKPgvCzW5CEbOZnFiXCxPP5WQn3quHyORR9MsJFiQpSe719os1tC1_HswYJGShjTlVdbI7Q/s1600/DarkTower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="348" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHKAa_1XSFGE9xlRuAie4qxCNsaB6lAYQN8fmHWEQK_iEhihHs-mHE1LCKToTBUutapAgQKPgvCzW5CEbOZnFiXCxPP5WQn3quHyORR9MsJFiQpSe719os1tC1_HswYJGShjTlVdbI7Q/s400/DarkTower.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Sorry, no art of the Soul Gems...)</td></tr>
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So, <a href="http://www.jaquays.com/" target="_blank">Jennell Jaquays</a> in her absolutely AWESOME 1980<i> tour de force</i>, "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Tower_(module)" target="_blank">Dark Tower</a>," (heh, I ran a paladin in our then-campaign) came up with a bunch a fantastic magic for the battle between minions of Set and Mitra in this buried temple.<br />
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A little something that could work for anyone are the "Soul Gems" artifacts. Well, anyhow, one for good folks and another for evil. Neutral gem pretty much just destroys the other two.<br />
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But if you're a goodly or evilly type, pop one of these suckers in your forehead...<br />
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<b><u>The Soul Gems</u></b><br />
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Each gem is six inches in diameter. If the character touching the gem survives alignment shock (see individual gems), the gem will fly up and embed itself in the forehead of the victim.<br />
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Each gem has Intelligence of 18, Wisdom of 18, and Charisma also of 18. Use rules for Sentient Magic Items for taking control by the gems of their wielder. If a gem takes control of its wielder, the wielder's alignment will immediately change to that of the gem.<br /><br />
Forceful removal of the gems will result in effects as if the gem was destroyed (see Mind of Balance). Anyone who touch the gem during its removal may be possessed.<br /><br />
After the final death of the host, the gems will wait one turn and if during that time, they do not receive a new host, they will teleport to a place of the referee's choosing.<br />
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NOTE: Touching the heart of law and the soul of chaos together will set off a 50d8 hit point damage explosion to all within radius 50 feet.<br /><br />
<b><u>The Heart of Law</u>:</b><br />
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<i>Powers: </i><br />
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1. 100% chance of resurrection of its host regardless of Constitution, up to a number of times equal to the host's Constitution score. After the final resurrection, the death of the host will be countered by an immediate reincarnation as a lawful-good creature;<br />2. +3 Ring of Protection (continuous functioning);<br />3. Cure Wounds 2d8+1 hit points (2x per day);<br />4. Spell Turning as per ring (continuous functioning);<br />5. Detect Evil (continuous functioning);<br />6. Know a creature's alignment within 5' (at will);<br />7. Light (at will);<br />8. Protection from Evil (continuous functioning); and<br />9. Darkvision (continuous functioning).<br /> <br /><i>Alignment Shock: </i>Evil types take 86 hit points damage touching the gem, Chaotic Good 22 hit points, and Neutral Good 22 hit points.<br />
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<i>Special:</i> Lawful-Good Fighters become paladins.<br />
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<i>Description: </i>A Lawful-Good, clear, colorless, glowing gem. The goal of this gem is to destroy all evil and anyone who gets in the way of that goal. Chaos and Neutrality are to be converted to Law if at all possible.<br />
<br /><b><u>The Soul of Chaos</u></b><br />
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<i>Powers:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
1. Whenever the gem or the user desires, it will cause necrotic damage to combat victims like a spectre (3d6 hit points necrotic damage, target must succeed on DC 17 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. Reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest and target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0). The host will receive a 1 hit point for every point of necrotic damage caused. These points will only reach a<br />maximum of 150% of the characters current total hit points prior to any damage which may have been sustained. Character will only heal by gem causing necrotic damage. Necrotic damage to true friends and/or comrades will heal double value.<br />2. +2 Ring of Protection (continuous functioning);<br />3. Spell Turning as per ring (continuous functioning);<br />4. Know a creature's alignment within 5' (at will);<br />5. Darkness (at will); and<br />6. Darkvision (continuous functioning).<br />
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<i>Alignment Shock: </i>Good types take 82 hit points damage touching the gem, Lawful Evil 20 hit points, and Neutral Evil 20 hit points.<br />
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<i>Special:</i> If the host is in danger of death, the gem will absorb life levels from living creatures at a radius of 20'. Two attacks will be made per round on one or two creatures. Those killed by the gem can not be resurrected or reincarnated. This also goes for the host if he dies while in the possession of the gem.<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i><i></i><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<i>Description: </i>A Chaotic-Evil, black, glowing gem. The gem host will be forced to attack all Good.<br />
<br /><b><u>The Mind of Balance</u></b><br />
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<i>Powers:</i><br />
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(Any use of these powers except for Darkvision will result in one point being subtracted from host's Constitution (2 points Constitution for Laser Blast). These points may only be restored by the absorption of 500 gold pieces worth of treasure per point of Constitution restored.)<br />
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1. Laser Blast is fired by the gem and can only be used against the other soul gems. The blast will do 5d8 hit points of damage to the gem's host (DC 17 Constitution saving throw applicable for half damage) and cause the gem to make a straight saving throw against DC 13. Failure to do so means destruction of the gem and an additional 1d8 hit points of damage against the host. If the host survives this ordeal, he will lose 1d8 Intelligence points plus have a 60% chance of going insane. Once both of the other soul gems have been destroyed, the mind of balance will phase out into nothingness leaving its host behind. If so, the host will suffer the loss of 1d4 Intelligence points plus take 1d8 hit points of damage and have a 20% chance of insanity.<br />2. Host's touch will cause paralysis to the Lawful or the Chaotic (DC 17 Constitution saving throw possible).<br />3. +3 Ring of Protection (continuous functioning);<br />4. Spell Turning as per ring (continuous functioning);<br />5. Detect Good and Evil (continuous functioning);<br />6. Know a creature's alignment within 5' (at will);<br />7. Negate Light and Darkness spells within 30' (at will);<br />8. Detect Thoughts (at will); and<br />9. Darkvision (continuous functioning).<br />
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<i>Alignment Shock:</i> All not true-neutral take 44 hit points damage upon touching this gem.<br />
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<i>Special:</i> The gem requires gems, jewelry, and gold, etc., to power itself, acting as a sort of value vampire. It will regenerate lost hit points at a rate of 200 gold pieces value per hit point. Affected items become dross, glass or worthless. Once the healing has begun roll 1D8 x 200 gold pieces to determine how much extra value this greedy gem will absorb if available within a range of 30'.<br />
<b><i></i><i></i><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i><i></i><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></b>
<i>Description: </i>An absolute Neutral, glowing and scintillating, rainbow-colored gem. The mind of balance has one sole purpose, to seek out and destroy the other two soul Gems with a withering, laser-like ray.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-90223393653016816242018-09-28T23:11:00.000-07:002018-09-29T09:07:03.936-07:00Gonzo Monster - Kill Kittens<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmL5ewMpNuQPPFXBge-UQ1JH0ZwIXHXAvrtl6Yt6jrAA6UOa519FMcSWShlET74WPT5ZnpXHEd_UwHx-w6HbnUQSvdtNWhmiy1yXLuwwrDUv8lIB5ZHMEFmiksPP5iN4hdWCKxqTjMzQ/s1600/KillKittens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="746" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmL5ewMpNuQPPFXBge-UQ1JH0ZwIXHXAvrtl6Yt6jrAA6UOa519FMcSWShlET74WPT5ZnpXHEd_UwHx-w6HbnUQSvdtNWhmiy1yXLuwwrDUv8lIB5ZHMEFmiksPP5iN4hdWCKxqTjMzQ/s400/KillKittens.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">("Kill Kittens" art by Greg Espinoza)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dang, I am on a Dave Hargrave roll, have to pick a different author next time.<br />
But for now... HERE ARE THE KILL KITTENS!!!<br />
(From <a href="https://www.rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45036/welcome-skull-tower" target="_blank">Arduin Grimoire Vol. II, "Welcome to Skull Tower"</a>)<br />
<br />
<b><u>Kill Kittens</u></b><br />
<br />
<i>Hit Dice: </i>1d4+1 (attack as 3 HD creature) <i>Movement: </i>60' (charge 75')<i> Dexterity:</i> 13-20 <i>Armor Class: </i>12+Dex bonus <i>Number:</i> 12d4 (1 in open, rest hidden)<br />
<br />
<i>Attacks:</i> Their claws do only 1d2 points damage plus fatal poison (successful save versus poison still results in paralysis for 1d6 days), and their bite does 1d3. The saliva has a 20% chance (no save) of driving those bitten 100% insane and berserk for 1d6 days.<br />
<br />
<i>Description:</i> These lovable, cuddly, purring, fuzzy little cats are sure to melt even the hardest heart.<br />
<br />
<i>Notes:</i> They pretend to have a broken leg or some other hurt, and limp whimpering toward a victim, with their big soulful eyes pleading for aid and succor. When the tenderhearted soul picks them up to comfort and help them, they dig their steel hard and needle sharp little claws into him, pumping in poison. They usually travel in packs, although all of the others are usually hidden until their decoy has bagged a meal. Although only 1/2 HD in size, their attack is as a 3 HD monster. They are about as intelligent as lions or tigers, and their favorite meal is a nice plump Hobbitt.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-77951757463735577022018-09-12T01:33:00.000-07:002018-09-12T01:33:44.929-07:00Gonzo Item - Powered Exoskeleten<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8A8_uALEQpxb02So0nnJk1dw9SXx7aE8CPOYN9GHe8FVuuhgkwiusEuF1bXgFvqljKI8vrZT7NkTE2D8wbtiIjj0OVZV3hYd059xgxFDhdzjfzko3RGGRlcRHr5wmBgJQCgc01UGzr30/s1600/PoweredExoSkel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="291" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8A8_uALEQpxb02So0nnJk1dw9SXx7aE8CPOYN9GHe8FVuuhgkwiusEuF1bXgFvqljKI8vrZT7NkTE2D8wbtiIjj0OVZV3hYd059xgxFDhdzjfzko3RGGRlcRHr5wmBgJQCgc01UGzr30/s640/PoweredExoSkel.jpg" width="324" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(The artist for this was Greg Espinoza, a truly remarkable talent!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This "techno" artifact is another creation by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Hargrave" target="_blank">David Hargrave</a> from his 3rd Arduin dungeon scenario, "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Citadel_of_Thunder" target="_blank">The Citadel of Thunder</a>." Sadly, Hargrave's dungeons are all out of print, so, unless you can find a reasonably-priced used copy, the dungeon scenario is not commercially available.<br />
<br />
However, here is some goodness from that work!<br />
<br />
There are on and off again a lot of argument about technology, especially futuristic technology, in <i>The World's Most Populat Role Playing Game.</i> Our group always paired technology and magic, and had several folks running "Technos" (as that class was know from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduin" target="_blank">Arduin Grimoire</a>) over the years. Including the indomitable Barbarian-Techno, Grady.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Powered Exoskeleten (aka "Bone Walker")</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<i>Powers:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
1. Operating Charge 100 hours;<br />
2. Movement 240' (note: max move burns operating charge at 25x normal rate);<br />
3. Ability to leap 30';<br />
4. Strength equivalent to 25 (hit for 4d10+7);<br />
5. Dexterity equivalent to 25;<br />
6. Armor Class 23, hit only by +1 or better weapons or strength greater than 20;<br />
7. Hit Points 200 (abilities reduced 10% per each 25 hp taken over the first 50).<br />
<br />
<i>Description: </i>This "techno" artifact is composed of Titanium, boron filament, plasteel, etc., powered by a nuclear battery, and is more than 150 years old. It weighs 250 lbs. and is 8 1/2' tall. It will fit all humanoids from 4' to 7' tall.<br />
<br />
<i>Value:</i> 100,000 gold sovereignsMatrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-13687163632012622872018-08-31T23:11:00.000-07:002018-09-12T01:34:27.373-07:00Gonzo Monster - Air Squid<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34sfLaX0wp9LYhRXXDKNLkQRNHNLvzcev_foW6Ro8Ho6b1iVrlL-FESBy96Pix5r8zUun30kNeQW_U7oMpdVP4j6xiTyKxsSQbuMzaa2Vb6LZh-pNqAXbnEvgfdqRH3E0EJazvEtY7bA/s1600/AirSquid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="667" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34sfLaX0wp9LYhRXXDKNLkQRNHNLvzcev_foW6Ro8Ho6b1iVrlL-FESBy96Pix5r8zUun30kNeQW_U7oMpdVP4j6xiTyKxsSQbuMzaa2Vb6LZh-pNqAXbnEvgfdqRH3E0EJazvEtY7bA/s400/AirSquid.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Air Squid" art by Carol Rode (1977)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Air Squid is a fantastic, yet simple creature created by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Hargrave" target="_blank">Dave Hargrave</a> (of "Arduin" fame) for the first "<a href="https://www.chaosium.com/all-the-worlds-monsters-1-pdf/" target="_blank">All the World's Monsters</a>" edited by Steve Perrin and Jeff Pimper for Chaosium and published in 1977. Players of Arduin probably remember the more explosive, hydrogen-filled "air sharks."<br />
<br />
<b><u>Air Squid</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<i>Hit Dice:</i> 6d8+6 to 12d8+12.<i> Movement:</i> Fly at 30'.<i> Dexterity:</i> 7-12.<i> Intelligence:</i> 2-12.<i> Armor Class:</i> 13.<i> Alignment:</i> Chaotic Neutral.<br />
<br />
<i>Attacks:</i> 12 tentacles 1d8 hit points constriction damage. 1 beak 1d10 hit points bite damage.<br />
<br />
<i>Description:</i> Giant, helium-filled squids which "swim" through the air. Usually sky-blue in color with great, dull-white eyes. 35 to 75 feet long. Their lairs are on mountain peaks.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-54822706481280141912018-08-18T23:11:00.000-07:002018-09-12T01:34:50.496-07:00Gonzo Items - The Helm of the Heinous<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdylzpCvlwuGRAlMIkgvbY1AYrEZqUZTVAw0gafwB4MKFt0r-SciOH4YVQgkeHRWBMU9Te2UUHzeKxgPXptOvDlbSnBFgfSnfEi_adRNvUKOM2RugPzj-_qNdZj5tvkGGhBcQxigMBKzk/s1600/Heinous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="723" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdylzpCvlwuGRAlMIkgvbY1AYrEZqUZTVAw0gafwB4MKFt0r-SciOH4YVQgkeHRWBMU9Te2UUHzeKxgPXptOvDlbSnBFgfSnfEi_adRNvUKOM2RugPzj-_qNdZj5tvkGGhBcQxigMBKzk/s400/Heinous.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>The Helm of the Heinous</i> from "<a href="https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/13/13440.phtml" target="_blank">Booty and the Beasts</a>" (1979) written by Erol Otus, Mathias Genser, and Paul Reiche III. (There are no commercial editions of this book available, including no used copies I could find. Someone posted a digital version <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/132875914/Booty-and-the-Beasts-Erol-Otus-1979" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
<b><u>The Helm of the Heinous</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<i>Powers:</i><br />
<ol>
<li>Speak With Dead (no matter what their state of composition may be); </li>
<li>Solicit aid from Demons whenever they are met (Demons will not obey all of the wearer's commands, but will take suggestions if they like them); and</li>
<li>Fire beam of sickly yellow light (Usage: 3x per day, Range: 240', Target: single, Save: yes, Effect: If the target fails saving throw, will attempt to commit suicide using the most effective means available. If the victim succeeds on saving throw, will lapse into unconsciousness for 1-6 melee rounds).</li>
</ol>
<i>Additional Effect:</i> 60% chance any undead will not attack the wearer.<br />
<br />
<i>Description:</i> This rare and arcane piece of magic is sought with fervor by all manner of evil beings, for it possesses several magic attributes, none of them trivial. The Helm of the Heinous will only serve those who work toward evil ends and will not function for anyone else.<br />
<br />Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-62665823220382783072018-08-07T23:11:00.000-07:002018-08-15T23:02:12.578-07:00Gonzo Monsters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4wTLCK8-mCNF_xnOWFidt_7OSSrNIB5sKUjtRlysXftPWQexldnlkCvoWrBOWOzqyBXDSW6MHO2gxGJg5Au5M9HuEjmcVdPdyM409ANtGvBjJHv-ROMtx2sXIeU78BFWeoSaCoypGEE/s1600/CerebroDemon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1280" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4wTLCK8-mCNF_xnOWFidt_7OSSrNIB5sKUjtRlysXftPWQexldnlkCvoWrBOWOzqyBXDSW6MHO2gxGJg5Au5M9HuEjmcVdPdyM409ANtGvBjJHv-ROMtx2sXIeU78BFWeoSaCoypGEE/s400/CerebroDemon.png" width="400" /></a></div>
So, there were some gonzo-strange critters and toys back in the day that probably could be used as is with most of the retro-clones and OSR-style rules systems to add a little flavor to your games now and again. However, since our group is basically running the<i> Advanced Knights of the All Mind</i> 5th ed. mod (not even a "hack"), we need a little update.<br />
<br />
What I would love is if Emperor's Choice, for instance, would get it together to publish a nice 5th ed. or OSR-style monster manual of Arduin uglies. Heck, I would put it together myself if they would let me Kickstart it.<br />
<br />
During the meanwhilst what I would like to do is just share a translation from time to time of what some of the stuff from yore might look like in an updated form of 5th ed./<i>Advanced Knights</i> and toshare a little of what's out there if you dig a bit.<br />
<i></i><br />
Here is my first foray,<i> The Cerebro Demon</i> from "<a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/54207/necromican" target="_blank">The Necromican</a>" (1979) written by Erol Otus, (yes,<i> that</i> Erol Otus) Mathias Genser, and Paul Reiche III. (Only used print editions are commercially available <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Erol-Necromican-Dungeons-Dragons-Paperback/dp/B00RWS1P3O" target="_blank">here</a> starting at well over $800, someone posted a digital version <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/350848793/The-Necromican" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
<b><u>The Cerebro Demon</u>.<i> </i></b><br />
<i><b></b><br /></i>
<i>Hit Dice:</i> 10d10.<i> Movement:</i> Crawl at 7.5', or fly at 30'.<i> Dexterity:</i> 18-22.<i> Armor Class:</i> 16.<i> </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Attacks:</i> 8 large tentacles 3d6 hit points damage.<br />
<br />
<i>Psychic Attacks: </i>Project Knowledge Not-Meant-to-be-Known DC 20 Wisdom save (Succeed: Stunned 1 melee round, Fail: Victim goes permanently and gibberingly insane). Control Will DC 20 Wisdom save (Fail: Completely under control of demon will do will do anything demon tells to do). Zap Brain DC 20 Wisdom save (Fail: Death).<i> </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Special Abilities:</i> Communicates telepathically, immune to all psychic attacks, 75% resistant to magic and techno, teleport without error.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Description: </i>This demon travels freely on the ethereal and astral planes and can attack from these planes with its psychic attacks. It is highly intelligent and can understand virtually any order, no matter how complex. Its small tentacles can manipulate the most delicate machinery and magical apparatus, but are useless in battle. It knows everything that humans were not meant to: Cthulhu's face, the Old One's telephone number, etc., and one of its psychic attacks is projecting this knowledge into a human mind. The demon can also use its telepathic powers to control the will of any being. Finally, it can zap the brain of an opponent causing death if the opponent fails saving throw. The cerebro demon communicates telepathically and is immune to all psychic attacks.Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-68628904294593807032018-06-01T23:11:00.001-07:002018-06-05T20:09:32.826-07:00New Cha-Checklist for Game Judges<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XE5OThnk7rl-QDIxQoWC3R3CzV4hUh2d-jFdF9wVckK1qHBDFk6W8OXMuuw5oomYBJYTLN7AD-0OpBGCp1ekP8wKZ4EZ4DPHtp4FJoMiY7PAbBt4XpdACgaNdRgVUjil3jU6qsI6fnc/s1600/AKAMChaCheckColor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="1021" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XE5OThnk7rl-QDIxQoWC3R3CzV4hUh2d-jFdF9wVckK1qHBDFk6W8OXMuuw5oomYBJYTLN7AD-0OpBGCp1ekP8wKZ4EZ4DPHtp4FJoMiY7PAbBt4XpdACgaNdRgVUjil3jU6qsI6fnc/s640/AKAMChaCheckColor.jpg" width="494" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Character Checklist for All Mind & Compatible Games</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is a character checklist that details several pertinent aspects of an adventuring party you're running. To tell the truth, I haven't used this during a game hardly at all. Where it comes in super-duper handy is when a player loses or forgets their character sheet.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, click the link below for a copy of the checklist from my Dropbox:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/fyekzlrc8y5vb0x/AKAMChaChecklist.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">ADVANCED KNIGHTS OF THE ALL MIND CHARACTER CHECKLIST</a></div>
Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8719361048067725132.post-90137613028496293382018-06-01T23:11:00.000-07:002018-07-06T11:06:50.416-07:005th Ed. All Mind for Judges<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_c8hQ-lsOx3zgUsgtKKtgfhb0-WUCxkR1HPnGpiBhXRlsE6Wq11puLiHaXJATizVZE0w7nw43eQ9NivPzhMN2-WAUziumuiUP7fkN-J8cqj1UwodNeuzrYF-Q7hkAJyy3-VksA8ZFKI/s1600/JudgesCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="688" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_c8hQ-lsOx3zgUsgtKKtgfhb0-WUCxkR1HPnGpiBhXRlsE6Wq11puLiHaXJATizVZE0w7nw43eQ9NivPzhMN2-WAUziumuiUP7fkN-J8cqj1UwodNeuzrYF-Q7hkAJyy3-VksA8ZFKI/s640/JudgesCover.jpg" width="492" /></a></div>
Whew so only a month to process the All Mind 5th ed. book for judges. Again, so's nobody is thinking this is in any way an original work (other than the "art" which is all me), I basically took stuff from the 3rd ed. <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm" target="_blank">SRD v.3.5</a> and the 5th ed. <a href="http://5e.d20srd.org/" target="_blank">SRD v.5.1</a> plus added some other various stuff.<br />
<br />
As always, I really am not trying to reinvent the wheel here, I am looking for a style. Plus something I can mess with from time to time as our group adventures using the new rules, which, by the way, you are welcome to download from this link (now $5 PDF on DriveThruRPG):<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/246043/Advanced-Knights-of-the-All-Mind-Judges-Book?manufacturers_id=6717" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1767262083"></span>ADVANCED KNIGHTS OF THE ALL MIND JUDGES BOOK<span id="goog_1767262084"></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One thing that was sorta nice is the SRD has monster rules included that pretty much run the gamut. If you don't find exactly what monster you need there are plenty enough elements to run with 'em. ("Blink" -anything comes to mind as a useful option.)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now that I've gone through all the 5th ed. rules (formatting these was a<i> pain in the ass</i> because copy and pasting from WotC PDF came out 1 WORD PER LINE), there are some kind of themes that are apparent to me at least that probably other folks may have mentioned.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One is that combat seems to cause more damage in general, but it is fairly simple to heal back up a characters hit points. I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing. It encourages greater risks in combat and less time looking for a place to hole up while healing. One thing, though, there may still be a problem with spell-casters needing to rest to regain their spells.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
What else... I do like the monster stat format. The format sticks with main attributes of creatures and not a lot of information you really don't need to have a battle.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Anyhow, our first session with the new rules is June 16th so we shall see.</div>
Matrox Luschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087871508197025467noreply@blogger.com0