I've had a few discussions lately about how placement of treasure, pitting PC's against higher level monsters, use of various levels of magic and enchanted items at various PC levels and so on.
Now, I know there are a lot of DM's and Players out there who like a game where everything is even or balanced or whatever. PC parties come across monsters that are the same level and that the treasure found and payments made are thought to be measured for what a PC of that level "should" get. Perhaps even more so is the idea of making sure that low level PC's don't become "overpowered" by obtaining too powerful of weapons or magically enchanted items.
Not in my game however. Real life isn't fair and neither is fantasy life, at least not mine. A level one party of PC's could walk into a vampires tomb, Uh oh. You got that right. It could happen. It might not seem fair but that's part of taking risks.
A level 2 PC could find a + 3/+6 Dragonslayer sword. A level 3 PC might steal a girdle of Storm Giant strength. A level 1 PC inherited a lot of money and was able to go out and buy some +3 armor. All of these things could happen because odds are what they are. I will let them happen because life isn't fair.
A 2nd level PC acting as a scout creeps down a tunnel seeing what lies ahead for the group and stumbles upon, accidentally awaking a dragon. Oh Snap!!
Now, according to the odds, there is no guarantee that this dragon will be a young dragon that is going to be on par with a level one PC. Oh no indeed. this could be a huge old dragon who just happened to take a nap in between snacks and look what just wandered in and woke her up, another snack.
Yet, for many DM's and Players, they will ensure that the dragon is one that a PC could have a "more fair" chance of surviving if not actually defeating.
It's only my opinion, but I think the folks looking for such parity or even match-ups are primarily the "hack and slash" types who insist on having to fight their way through every interaction. The mentality of "kill it first, ask questions later" is prevalent.
In my world, I encourage the use of strategy. I have no problem with a full (and hasty) retreat. I encourage cunning and sly endeavors. Heck, if Scooby Doo and the gang can take on an entire island full of zombies, a group of trained and armed PC's can take on a dragon or a few wights, right? Then again, maybe not. Sucks to be them right?
Treasure is not always proportionate to the challenge either. That dragon might be narrowly defeated by the low level Party but guess what, this wasn't it's home cave, just a place to take a break on the way home. There's no treasure at all there. Rats and double rats.
OR maybe it was home, but hadn't really amassed much of a treasure to hoard yet. All there was to find was a single sword that just happens to be that +3 /+6 dragonslayer that is now in the hands of a 1st or 2nd level PC. It could happen.
Does allowing fantasy life to not be fair increase the odds of a total Party Kill? I guess it does. But, it also means that things that are usually "unlikely" in other games could happen to benefit PC's here as well.
I do like to let the random roll of a dice determine a lot of what goes on in a game because it really introduces an "Are you shittin me?!" atmosphere into the game. Which, of course, can be a lot of fun regardless of what direction it takes.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Player Training
This came up with a discussion I had with my son after a game session one day recently. "How does someone "train" to play the game better?"
My answer to him was, "read more books."
Really, that's about the best advice I can give to any Player of AD&D. Read, read and read some more. I would suggest to stick more on Fantasy and Science Fiction but even some good mythology and history are able to help.
Philosophy and world religion are also good subjects to read as well. Even if they don't fit into your own personal thought and beliefs, knowing about how they work can help you apply them to PC's you create who aren't just avatars of yourself.
We can learn tactics, methods of negotiation, rules of engagement and all kinds of other cool stuff from these kinds of books.
My answer to him was, "read more books."
Really, that's about the best advice I can give to any Player of AD&D. Read, read and read some more. I would suggest to stick more on Fantasy and Science Fiction but even some good mythology and history are able to help.
Philosophy and world religion are also good subjects to read as well. Even if they don't fit into your own personal thought and beliefs, knowing about how they work can help you apply them to PC's you create who aren't just avatars of yourself.
We can learn tactics, methods of negotiation, rules of engagement and all kinds of other cool stuff from these kinds of books.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Bringing them into the fold
I have talked before about using the world created in the books called "DeathGate" series. When I talked about it last time, I thought I would just create a new land in my world where the Sartan and Patryns existed and have some of the main characters around for parties to interact with.
Since then though, I have decided that I would instead have the Patryns and Sartan be two races of extremely powerful human magic users that are now pretty much extinct. All that is left of them are books and enchanted, rune covered items that they left behind.
This places them in the realm of legends and possibly as demi-gods if I still decided to create the "Nexus" where they ere all stranded as a place on the map. In the meantime though, I can create new Patryns and Sartan to build legends around.
The enchanted items will all be top shelf, high level stuff. These two races didn't mess around when they enchanted items. They meant it. You'll likely never see anything below a +3 item with at least one or more truly fantastic features built in as well.
The interesting thing about their left behind enchanted items, at least the way I see them, is that they will almost always be too powerful for even the highest level PC's. Their magic is strong and most often unpredictable. Anyone of any level might find one of these weapons and, not realizing what they have in their hands, unleash some crazy stuff bringing a new aspect to the adventure.
Because the Patryns and especially Sartan did not intend to have the "normal" people be decimated in their war with each other, A DM/GM will have lots of flexibility as to the lethality of the situation in regard to how much damage these things will really cause the party and those wielding the items.
I have already added a "Blade of the Sartan" to my enchanted items list in the WikiMage and I am now working on adding a ship covered with Patryn runes that causes it to fly and maybe even travel into the various Planes of Existence.
Certain Sages in my world have encountered the books that the Patryns and Sartan have left behind and can be consulted (not many and not cheaply) to try to learn the nature of the items they have picked up. As a matter of fact, it can turn into a quest or adventure just to find a sage that can provide the desired information while accidentally discovering traits of the items as they go from place to place.
On enchanted items that Patryns and Sartan made for use by normal humanoids, they always engraved the name of the item in each of the main three or four humanoid languages. This can be a starting point in the road to discovery.
Since then though, I have decided that I would instead have the Patryns and Sartan be two races of extremely powerful human magic users that are now pretty much extinct. All that is left of them are books and enchanted, rune covered items that they left behind.
This places them in the realm of legends and possibly as demi-gods if I still decided to create the "Nexus" where they ere all stranded as a place on the map. In the meantime though, I can create new Patryns and Sartan to build legends around.
The enchanted items will all be top shelf, high level stuff. These two races didn't mess around when they enchanted items. They meant it. You'll likely never see anything below a +3 item with at least one or more truly fantastic features built in as well.
The interesting thing about their left behind enchanted items, at least the way I see them, is that they will almost always be too powerful for even the highest level PC's. Their magic is strong and most often unpredictable. Anyone of any level might find one of these weapons and, not realizing what they have in their hands, unleash some crazy stuff bringing a new aspect to the adventure.
Because the Patryns and especially Sartan did not intend to have the "normal" people be decimated in their war with each other, A DM/GM will have lots of flexibility as to the lethality of the situation in regard to how much damage these things will really cause the party and those wielding the items.
I have already added a "Blade of the Sartan" to my enchanted items list in the WikiMage and I am now working on adding a ship covered with Patryn runes that causes it to fly and maybe even travel into the various Planes of Existence.
Certain Sages in my world have encountered the books that the Patryns and Sartan have left behind and can be consulted (not many and not cheaply) to try to learn the nature of the items they have picked up. As a matter of fact, it can turn into a quest or adventure just to find a sage that can provide the desired information while accidentally discovering traits of the items as they go from place to place.
On enchanted items that Patryns and Sartan made for use by normal humanoids, they always engraved the name of the item in each of the main three or four humanoid languages. This can be a starting point in the road to discovery.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Homebrew Enchanted Items: Blade of the Sartan
This enchanted shortsword has strange runes engraved all over it. The blade never needs to be sharpened as nothing seems to dull it. The blade will change to become almost anything that is more powerful than the weapon or opponent attacking the bearer.
On it's own as a shortsword, it is a +4 weapon to hit and to damage. When it changes to something else, the duration will last for however long it senses a threat to the bearer. Each blade has a natural enemy that it was specifically made to oppose. For example, one blade may be opposed to demons while another was made to oppose elves. Yet another might be made to oppose giants or dwarves or humans or just about any living/undead creature. While one of those it was made to specifically oppose is in the vicinity of the bearer, the blade will retain it's changed form and attack until all it opposes are destroyed, even if they might happen to be a PC's party member.
Each blade has a special control word that the bearer can say to stop it and return to it's original form, reappearing in the bearer's sheath.
This blade is especially prized by assassins and fighters.
The bearer will know that it is an enchanted blade if discovering it accidentally but unless they can read the runes inscribed on the weapon, they will not be able to learn the control word or know that it can change. A sage who can read runes of the Sartan must be consulted to gain that information. the name "Blade of the Sartan" is inscribed on the sheath in each of the humanoid languages.
The Sartan are a race of extremely powerful magic users who are now extinct. There are no Sartan left, only books that they wrote which sages may study to know of them.
On it's own as a shortsword, it is a +4 weapon to hit and to damage. When it changes to something else, the duration will last for however long it senses a threat to the bearer. Each blade has a natural enemy that it was specifically made to oppose. For example, one blade may be opposed to demons while another was made to oppose elves. Yet another might be made to oppose giants or dwarves or humans or just about any living/undead creature. While one of those it was made to specifically oppose is in the vicinity of the bearer, the blade will retain it's changed form and attack until all it opposes are destroyed, even if they might happen to be a PC's party member.
Each blade has a special control word that the bearer can say to stop it and return to it's original form, reappearing in the bearer's sheath.
This blade is especially prized by assassins and fighters.
The bearer will know that it is an enchanted blade if discovering it accidentally but unless they can read the runes inscribed on the weapon, they will not be able to learn the control word or know that it can change. A sage who can read runes of the Sartan must be consulted to gain that information. the name "Blade of the Sartan" is inscribed on the sheath in each of the humanoid languages.
The Sartan are a race of extremely powerful magic users who are now extinct. There are no Sartan left, only books that they wrote which sages may study to know of them.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Homebrew Enchanted Items: Cloak of Benevida
The Cloak of Benevida is one several made by the acolytes of
Benevida. It is their mission in life to aid those whose life is
committed to serving their deity and thus their people as well.
A Cloak of Benevida allows the wearer to up to double the amount of HP healed in conjunction with a cure spell or it can heal up to 8 HP on it's own with the correct benediction spoken.
The Cloaks can also, with the correct prayer spoken, hasten a person who is covered with it and is mortally wounded into a peaceful, painless state in which they will pass away quietly within 1 to 4 turns.
One of these cloaks can only be obtained at a Temple of Benevida and will only work if given freely by the Temple priestesses who will give the Cleric in question the appropriate benediction and phrase that will will work for that Clerics deity.
A Cloak of Benevida allows the wearer to up to double the amount of HP healed in conjunction with a cure spell or it can heal up to 8 HP on it's own with the correct benediction spoken.
The Cloaks can also, with the correct prayer spoken, hasten a person who is covered with it and is mortally wounded into a peaceful, painless state in which they will pass away quietly within 1 to 4 turns.
One of these cloaks can only be obtained at a Temple of Benevida and will only work if given freely by the Temple priestesses who will give the Cleric in question the appropriate benediction and phrase that will will work for that Clerics deity.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
A turtle without a shell
While creating the Robes of Sumlaude, I got to thinking about newly created PC's just starting out.
Are they really meant to be monster bait and die off without a real chance? Magic Users fall squarely into that category. No armor to start with, only a d4 to roll for Hit Points.
Now, I'm not completely against new PC's being easy to whack. That's part of the reasonable risk of just embarking on a new career as an adventurer. However, I don't think they should just be thrown to the wolves so easily either.
I mean, at least in my game, PC's are the cream of the crop. These are people who have made it through grueling training, met extremely high demands and demonstrated a natural ability that exceeds the average person just to get where they are.
No, I like to give them what I think of as a fair shot just starting out. I'm not talking about arming them with a nuclear arsenal, but give them something that gives them a little bit better chance of survival than a turtle out of it's shell.
Thinking of it this way, I am coming up with a line of items that newly created PC's can venture out for at the direction of their master as a last demonstration of skill and ability to prove themselves worthy proteges.
Most of these items are defensive in nature, again, mindful of giving the turtle some bit of shell. That and/or giving them utilities that will aid them on their upcoming adventures in the world out on their own.
These are things that maybe, if the PC's survive long enough and manage to keep hold of, they can pass on to their own apprentices and trainees in the future.
So, I'm starting with the Robes of Sumlaude for beginning MU's. I'll think of things that can be specific to other classes and perhaps any class in the future. As I list them here and you happen to find any of them useful or interesting, please feel free to use them. That's the point of "Open Source Game Mastering". I know that I personally would find it extremely cool to hear of others out there using the things I come up with in their own games. Talk about the ultimate compliment.
Are they really meant to be monster bait and die off without a real chance? Magic Users fall squarely into that category. No armor to start with, only a d4 to roll for Hit Points.
Now, I'm not completely against new PC's being easy to whack. That's part of the reasonable risk of just embarking on a new career as an adventurer. However, I don't think they should just be thrown to the wolves so easily either.
I mean, at least in my game, PC's are the cream of the crop. These are people who have made it through grueling training, met extremely high demands and demonstrated a natural ability that exceeds the average person just to get where they are.
No, I like to give them what I think of as a fair shot just starting out. I'm not talking about arming them with a nuclear arsenal, but give them something that gives them a little bit better chance of survival than a turtle out of it's shell.
Thinking of it this way, I am coming up with a line of items that newly created PC's can venture out for at the direction of their master as a last demonstration of skill and ability to prove themselves worthy proteges.
Most of these items are defensive in nature, again, mindful of giving the turtle some bit of shell. That and/or giving them utilities that will aid them on their upcoming adventures in the world out on their own.
These are things that maybe, if the PC's survive long enough and manage to keep hold of, they can pass on to their own apprentices and trainees in the future.
So, I'm starting with the Robes of Sumlaude for beginning MU's. I'll think of things that can be specific to other classes and perhaps any class in the future. As I list them here and you happen to find any of them useful or interesting, please feel free to use them. That's the point of "Open Source Game Mastering". I know that I personally would find it extremely cool to hear of others out there using the things I come up with in their own games. Talk about the ultimate compliment.
Homebrew Enchanted Items: Robes of Sumlaude
These are robes that must be earned by a newly graduated MU sent off
by their master as one last task to "prove" themselves.
They are sent to find Robes of Sumlaude. Where ever it is the new MU is sent to find the robe, there is a 1 in 6 chance of finding it (or per DM choice).
Ideally, it would only appear to one who passed some test of skill or demonstrated ability.
Robes of Sumlaude will give the wearer a bonus to their AC based on a d6.
Primary feature
1- +1
2- +1
3- +2
4- +3
5- +1
6- +2 bonus plus chance for added feature
added features
1- none
2-invisibilty to wearer
3- +1 to all saving throws
4- Pocket(s) of holding, like bag of holding only smaller. 1d6 # of pockets.
5- Aura of Beguiling (like casting a charm spell on those around him/her (saving throw applies as per spell)
6- any two features
They are sent to find Robes of Sumlaude. Where ever it is the new MU is sent to find the robe, there is a 1 in 6 chance of finding it (or per DM choice).
Ideally, it would only appear to one who passed some test of skill or demonstrated ability.
Robes of Sumlaude will give the wearer a bonus to their AC based on a d6.
Primary feature
1- +1
2- +1
3- +2
4- +3
5- +1
6- +2 bonus plus chance for added feature
added features
1- none
2-invisibilty to wearer
3- +1 to all saving throws
4- Pocket(s) of holding, like bag of holding only smaller. 1d6 # of pockets.
5- Aura of Beguiling (like casting a charm spell on those around him/her (saving throw applies as per spell)
6- any two features
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