GENERAL GUIDANCE - THE WILDERLANDS AND THE CITY STATE OF THE INVINCIBLE OVERLORD.
This is an 'Old School' kitchen-sink Swords & Sorcery setting, specifically 1970s S&S. It's often raunchy and very Politically Incorrect. It contains pretty much everything that's cool ca 1977, from Aragorn-esque Dunael Rangers, to mighty-thewed red-skinned barbarians, many buxom underdressed damsels and Amazons, giant eagle ("Tarn") riders, ancient alien technology, noble Paladins of Mitra, green Viridian slave girls, winged Hawk-Men, Cthuloid lake monsters... Not for the faint-hearted or humourless. I guess you could call it 'Immature Themes'. :)
GUIDANCE TO NEW PLAYERS ON RACE & CLASS SELECTION
Race:
Humans of Mature Adult age (21-40) get +1 STR +1 CON, making them the most powerful race overall. Other races get different stat mods and various powers, such as dark vision, but are usually limited in maximum level advancement.
Class:
Fighters and their sub-classes' very powerful Weapon Specialisation makes them the most powerful combat classes, and are typically the most powerful and most common classes overall.
The sub-classes have stringent ability requirements and moral codes, in return gaining great additional powers and benefits. Rangers are Good-aligned racial defenders protecting Humanity from the ravaging inhuman hordes, while Paladins are Lawful Good holy knights sworn to their just and benevolent deity.
Clerics are a powerful class, those with high Wisdom begin with multiple spells. Well-armoured, they are decent back-up melee combatants, their healing spells greatly aid their party, and they are often doom to the Undead. A well played Cleric is immensely valuable to any party. Druids are Neutral human Nature priests specific to certain cultures.
Thieves have only moderate combat ability, aided by their Backstab class feature. Mid & High level Thieves can seem weak compared to Fighter types. They gain up to +50% to skill use, depending on the difficulty of the task. Imaginative application of their skills can make them a very versatile class. They gain levels faster than other classes. Assassins, if allowed, are an extremely lethal sub-class, who must be Evil, often bringing them into conflict with other PCs. Impromptu assassinations may require a to-hit roll.
Magic-Users initially have a hard road to hoe, limited by the difficulties of spell acquisition and the low number of castings per day. They can use Darts to good effect as a back-up missile combatant, and a few 1st level spells such as Sleep and Charm Person are very powerful. In time, however, successful Magic-Users become the most powerful class, able to bend reality with a word. Illusionists depend on subtle effects and imaginative play.
My AD&D/OSRIC House Rules
Attributes:
Only humans receive age mods at Young Adult and Mature Adult ages. All races receive age mods starting at middle-aged.
Net Age Modifiers:
Young Adult (16-20): +1 CON -1 WIS
Mature Adult (21-40): +1 STR +1 CON
Hit Points: Maximum hit points on first hit die, at least half maximum hp each die thereafter, eg a d10 roll of 3 gives +5 hp.
FIGHTERS and FIGHTER sub classes.
Multiple Attacks for Fighters, Paladins, Rangers
The progression continues as follows:
Fighter Level Ranger/Paladin Level Attacks Non-Specialised Attacks Specialised
1-6 1-7 1 3/2
7-12 8-14 3/2 2
13-18 15-21 2 5/2
19-24 22-28 5/2 3
25+ 29+ 3 4
Fighter Bonus Melee Attacks vs Opponents of less than 1d8 hit dice
Fighter Level Bonus Attacks Total #Attacks Specialised
1-3 0 1-3: 3/2
4-7 1 4-6: 5/2 7: 3
8-11 2 8-11: 4
12-15 3 12: 5 13-15: 5 1/2
16-19 4 16-18: 6 1/2 19: 7
20+ 5 20-24: 8 25+: 9
Fighters and their sub-classes may use a shortsword as an off-hand weapon.
It is possible to double-specialise with the Two-Handed Sword.
Berserkers are a Fighter sub-class common amongst barbaric cultures (eg Altanians, Skandiks, Amazons, Tharbrians). They fight unarmoured, but can use shields. They have a minimum STR 12 CON 9 DEX 9.
They lose armour proficiency and cannot be proficient in bows, but gain a base AC 7 unarmoured and can either attack at +2 to-hit, or fight with two weapons at no to-hit penalty. The off-hand weapon must be a hand axe or dagger. They never check morale, and are immune to Fear effects during combat once they have attacked. They are otherwise treated as Fighters.
MAGIC-USERS and their sub classes
They begin play with the spell Read Magic plus a number of additional 1st level spells in their spell book equal to their maximum number of bonus languages, per their Intelligence attribute.
They can study and use other people's spell books, amassing a library of captured books. Time spent learning new spells can be combined with the level-up training period. Attempting to learn a new spell under the instruction of a mentor who knows the spell takes 1 day per spell level. Without a mentor it takes 2 days per spell level. At the conclusion of the learning period, the Know Spell % roll is made. If the M-U's Intelligence increases he can attempt a second period of study to learn the same spell. A caster may also attempt to research a spell they failed to learn as a functionally identical spell at a higher level, eg Otto's Fireball as a 4th level spell.
Trainning to Level under a mentor normally includes the gaining of one new spell, known by the mentor. % to learn must be rolled as normal.
Only 'known' and 'memorised' spells can be cast, you cannot cast direct from a spell book.
Scrolls are partially-cast spell packets, they don't contain the entire formula of the spell, so you can't learn/transcribe a spell from a scroll.
Maximum spell damage for high level casters is 20 dice, any sort, eg Fireball caps at 20d6 at 20th level, Magic Missile caps at 20 missiles, 20d4+20, at 39th level.
THIEVES and their sub classes
Thief Ability %
As with monster Magic Resistance, this is normalised for a standard 11th level threat/difficulty. The chance of success increases by 5% for each level lower, to a maximum of +50% for a 1st level threat, and decreases 5% for each level higher, to a minimum of -50% for a threat of level 21+.
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Equipment
Scale armour gives a 90' move.
Plate mail can be stripped to Breastplate (partial plate) and helm, gives protection as Bandmail (AC 4, speed 90'). If bought alone it costs 250gp.
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COMBAT
Two-Weapon Fighting: Characters 5'6" and taller may wield a shortsword as an off-hand weapon if proficient with it. The usual penalties apply.
GRAPPLING
The attacker rolls to hit AC 5, modified only by the defender's dexterity and (from the front) shield bonuses, plus any displacement effects. If successful they have grabbed the target and get a % chance to pin him/her, base 50% +/- 10% per point of STR difference (+/- 1% per 10% of percentile STR). The grappled characters' % chance to break free is the inverse of the attackers' chance to succeed.
Low STR characters are thus easy to pin. Against high STR targets a mob can coordinate, +20% per additional character of similar STR, +30% for using a net, etc.
Grappling & pinning doesn't normally do any damage and it's a good way to signify 'fight over'. If the grappler's friends then try to kill the pinned target they can attack at +4, if he can't break free they'll eventually kill him.
Example: 6 men (STR 12) try to grapple Conan (STR 18/50). All 6 hit. Make the Grapple roll. STR difference is 6.5 so they have a base 50-65 = -15% chance, +100% for 5 additonal men = an 85% chance to pin him. He can attempt to break free once per round, with a 15% chance of success.
Note that trying to grapple someone typically gives them a free attack on you as you close in, per 1e Weapon Length rules.
Grappling from the rear would give a bonus on the initial to-hit roll, eg +4 with surprise, +2 otherwise. I don't think it should affect the % roll to pin the target but you could give a cirumstance bonus if desired, +10% might be reasonable in some circumstances.
Multiple Attackers with Variable Strength use their average strength. In that case you can either eyeball it or add up all the STRs of the successful grapplers and divide by the number of grapplers, using a calculator.
Note that I'm assuming man-sized foes and that bulk is a factor; eg STR 9 guys are individually much weaker than STR 18/50 Conan, with an individual 50-95= -45% chance to pin him, but if 6 pile on him that chance goes to -45+100=55%.
NB Low level foes generally won't succeed on the base-AC5-roll to initiate the grapple, so Fighter-8 Conan probably has little to fear vs 0th level schmucks, especially if his back is to the wall, but a squad of higher level Fighters could hope to grapple a Fighter Lord.
DEATH AND DYING
At 0 to -2 hp, characters are unconscious but stable. At -3 to -9 hp characters are dying, losing 1hp/round until death at -10 hp. It takes 1 round and a successful WIS check to stabilise a dying PC. Stable PCs regain conciousness after a few minutes (2d4 rounds), but are incapacitated until returned to positive hp.
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SPELLS
A spellcaster may memorise lower-level spells in a higher-level slot, eg a 1st level spell in a 2nd level slot.
A few spells are adjusted for balance.
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ADVANCEMENT
XP for Gold follows the Arneson rule and is gained only when the gold is spent, on something other than personal equipment, or donated to a worthy cause - such as a temple or tavern. Minimum 100gp.
Maximum Advancement from a single XP award is 2 levels. The PC receives at most enough XP to put them at the minimum XP for the second level gained, and any excess XP is lost.
Replacement PCs: Within the same campaign, the player may roll over half the XP gained by a dead or retired PC to their new PC.
Training to Level Up
Training under a mentor to advance a level takes 1 week. The PC must be 1st-8th level. Typical cost is 100 gp per current level. At the completion of such training The PC may roll a d20, if the d20 roll is higher than their prime requisite they may raise their prime requisite by 1d3 points, to a maximum of their racial limit. Exceptional strength: If the PC is eligible for exceptional strength and rolls 19-20 on the attribute check, their Strength increases by 2d10%, to a maximum of their racial limit.
Multiclass characters with 2 classes get at most 1 check every 2 levels gained. Multiclass characters with 3 classes get at most 1 check every 3 levels gained.
Self training takes 2 weeks and can be done at any level. It It costs no money beyond standard upkeep, but does not offer the possibility of an attribute increase.
Coins: Coins are typically small, typically around 1/100 lb, or else heavily adulterated with base metal.
NPC Hit Dice
For settings such as the Wilderlands, where non-adventuring NPCs are often higher than 0th level.
These classes normally have a maximum level of 8, and receive hit dice at all levels. Some may have special abilities, eg the DMG Sage is an 8th level Scribe with some magical powers. They do not normally receive XP as PCs, but if desired may be progressed using the class table they fight and save as.
Warrior: Hit Dice d8. Fight & Save as: Fighter
Aristocrat: Hit Dice d6. Fight & Save as: Cleric
Merchant: Hit Dice d6 Fight & Save as: Thief
Scribe: Hit Dice d4 Fight & Save as: Magic-User
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Thief Skill %s:
An unaware, not particularly alert 1st level or 1 hd opponent would usually be a 1st level threat. Typically a threat encountered on dungeon level 1 would typically be 1st level, on the 8th level it'd be 8th level. Eg a simple lock on a tradesman's chest might be 1st level, while a sophisticated merchant's lock might be 6th level, the lock to the Imperial Treasury might be 12th level, and locks in a demigod's mansion might be 15th level or higher (the Cat Lord's locks might max out at 21st, -50% to pick). The exact level distribution will depend on the campaign.
Likewise, a well maintained castle stone outer wall might be 11th level, while a crumbling ruin's wall might only be 1st level, easy for any Thief to climb.
Another way of looking at is simply that the GM should feel free to adjust the chance of success by up to +/- 50%, giving low level Thieves a decent chance to succeed, and preventing automatic success in stealing Odin's treasury.
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Long Jump: For unencumbered PC in typical environment (dungeon corridor) with 90' move: (STR+DEX)/3 + 1d6 in feet.
PC Speed:
120' > x1
90' > x3/4
60' > x 1/2
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Dungeon Level Typical Items Found
1-3 +1
4-6 +2 (or special +1)
7-9 +3 (or special +1-+2)
10-12 +4 (or special +2-+3)
13+ +5 (or special +3-+4)
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Armour AC Move Cost
No Armour +0 12" 0gp
Leather or Quilted Jerkin +2 12" 5gp
Ringmail, Reinforced Leather +3 10" 15gp
Scale Hauberk +4 9" 45gp
Chain Hauberk +5 9" 75gp
Banded Lamellar & Chain +6 8" 90gp
Breast Plate +6 9" 250gp
Plate Mail +7 8" 400gp
Max STR damage bonuses for Missile Weapons
Thrown Weapons
Darts: +2 NB Darts are expended on use, like arrows, but like arrows can be repaired.
Other Thrown: Unlimited
Bows
Bow, Long: +4 for a 'Mary Rose' type English longbow
Bow, Short: +0
Comp Bow, Long: +6
Comp Bow, Short: +2
Crossbows: +0 unless specially crafted for high STR, in which case they can either do higher damage die or reload faster
Sling
Depends on bullets - unlimited if both sling and bullets are specially crafted to the wielder's STR.
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