Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Complete Tarot Deck of Many Things

This is a complete Deck of Many Things, and is attributed to the wonderful Thoth Tarot Deck:

Saturday, December 6, 2014

More House Rules II

Here are some more house rules dealing with the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide.

Pg. 25 – Player Character Expenses: 100 GP a month per level? Really? Not including taxes or room and board? That can safely be ignored. The DM will occasionally ding the total treasure brought into town to cover minor costs of living, but not 7200 GP a year + expenses for a party of 6.

Pg. 58 – Outdoor Movement: It is hot and muggy in most areas in Mu. This chart assumes as much and gives movement in miles per day. Easier areas are per the old chart on pg. 58:
Terrain
Burden.. Normal..Rugged..Very Rugged
Light.. 20.. 15.. 10
Medium.. 15.. 10.. 5
Heavy.. 10.. 5.. 2

Mounted movement miles/day
Terrain
Mount.. Normal.. Rugged.. Very Rugged
Light.. 50.. 20.. 5
Medium.. 35.. 15.. 5
Heavy.. 25.. 10.. 5
Cart*.. 20.. 10
Wagon*.. 20.. 5

* With some kind of road or flatland.

Pg. 64 – Grenade Like Missiles: Misses: When a grenade like missile misses its target, roll 1d3 and 1d8. The d3 represents the squares away from the target that the missile will land. The d8 gives the direction, clockwise from the target’s square with the front square being “1”.

Pg 72 - Grappling: Grappling is a Strength vs. Strength battle. If a character wishes to grapple another, then he or she must first roll to hit as normal. After hitting, the struggle begins. The procedure is to take the strength of the attacker and compare it to that of the defender. For every point of strength that is different, a plus or minus 5% is given. For example: a person with 16 Strength grapples someone with 12 Strength. 16 – 12 = 4. 4 X 5% = +20%. Therefore the attacker would have a base 50% chance of holding his or her target prone, plus 20% due to being stronger. The attacker would have a 70% chance of successfully Grappling the defender each round, holding the defender prone and unable to act. Of course, the defender must be able to be grappled (i.e. not a slime, or a spirit, etc.)

Pg –192 Harlots: We really don’t need to roll on a chart to determine what kind of harlot you are hiring.

Extra: Suffocation: Suffocation: A breathing, humanoid creature that is roughly human sized, will suffocate to death if they are held without air for their Constitution score in rounds or more. For example: a fighter with a Con of 12 will drown to death if submerged in water for 12 rounds (2 min, 24 sec.)
A similar person held without air for half of their Constitution score (rounding down) in rounds will require additional rounds to recover. For example: if the same fighter with Con of 12 is held for 10 rounds without air. For each round in excess of 6 (half Con), the fighter will require 1 round to recover, or 4 rounds in this case. During those rounds the character will be treated as prone.

More House Rules

Here are more house rules from the AD&D Players Handbook.

Pg 101-102 – Encumbrance: The new chart should explain it. However there should be something said about bulk. It is conceivable that a character would want to carry on his or her back: 100 arrows in five quivers, 10 flasks of oil, 200 feet of rope, 4 javelins, pots and pans, 20 days of food, 2 gallons of holy water, a 10’ pole, 2 blankets, and a backpack full of other stuff. Did I mention that the character was a three-foot-tall Halfling with 18 strength? While it would be possible for the character to carry all of this stuff, it would probably triple his or her size. Let’s be reasonable people. Clearly try to imagine where each piece would fit on the character. If you imagine something that looks ridiculous, then it very likely is.

20 gold coins equal one pound.

Str.. Light.. Medium.. Heavy
3-5.. 16 lbs.. 17-33 lbs.. 34-50 lbs
6-8.. 26 lbs.. 27-53 lbs.. 54-80 lbs
9-11.. 38 lbs.. 39-76 lbs.. 77-115 lbs
12-14.. 54 lbs.. 55-116 lbs.. 117-175 lbs
15-17.. 86 lbs.. 87-173 lbs.. 174-260 lbs
18-18(50).. 133 lbs.. 134-266 lbs.. 267-400 lbs
18(51)-18(00).. 173 lbs.. 174-346 lbs.. 347-520 lbs
19-21.. 266 lbs.. 267-533 lbs.. 534-800 lbs
22-25.. 400 lbs.. 401-800 lbs.. 801-1200 lbs

Armor movement restrictions are in place but no Max. Dex Bonus.

If you are Light or Medium in encumbrance then you get no modifier to movement. If you are Heavy, then you lose 30’ of movement i.e. from 90 to 60. If you are over your Heavy limit or carrying an oversized piece, you lose a total of 60’ of movement. Heavily encumbered characters are –2 on initiative and will only be able to travel half as long over land.

You can always swim if you come up Light.

Infravision in all of its forms has now become Darkvision. The subject gains the ability to see up to 60 feet in total darkness. Darkvision is black and white sight only but otherwise like normal sight. Darkvision does not grant one the ability to see in magical darkness. Someone with Darkvision sees colors in light but they are washed out, never bright. Bright light is irritating to those with Darkvision, but not to the point where normal daylight would hamper their abilities.

Ultravision is improved Darkvision. The 60-foot limit in darkness is removed. Additionally magical items and creatures emit a slight aura when viewed with Ultravision. Invisible is still invisible, however.

Supravision is like Ultravision however magical auras are clearer. Invisible shapes cast a shadow that someone using Supravision can see, if indistinctly.

True Seeing is like Ultravision except that invisible or otherwise magically hidden forms are clearly revealed.

Extra: Jumping: The distance achieved in a standing or running jump is determined by Strength and Movement rate. The distance of a standing long jump is equal to a character’s height, modified by the chart below. The distance of a running jump is equal to a character’s Strength score in feet, modified by the chart below. Encumbered (Heavy) characters lower the modifier by half or -20% for 0 modifier.

Jump Chart
Movement Rate/ Modifier
30.. -75%
60.. -50%
90.. -25%
120.. 0
150.. +25%
180.. +50%
210.. +75%
240.. +100%
270.. +125%
300.. +150%

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Why We Play The Game

I have put together a packet I call the “Players Guide” which gives information about my world, my rule changes from the AD&D PHB and DMG, and information on how the game will run. I have edited the packet a few times adding several pages with additional tables, and paragraphs of detail. My players have slowly been coming to me with feedback regarding the changes, but only one has approached me regarding the style of play we will incorporate. It is this feedback that I really want, as helpful as the rules feedback has been.
I posted before now the seven fundamental requirements for playing in my game. These I felt were reasonable and I researched each of them keeping the game context in place. These requirements were also answers to some problems that we have had. Players regularly showing up forty-five minutes late, for example, was a problem I addressed. I want to treat these people like adults but also don’t want to enable rude behavior. The one response I received dealing with these requirements is that my players would not be up for it. That the players won’t want to give up their little abuses and that I should find new players if I want to go this stricter, more “serious” way. I appreciated his feedback. Maybe I do need new players. Or maybe, although I don’t believe this, I need to forget about these new standards and I should just let people do what they do. They enjoyed my game in the past so… Maybe I’m wrong.
Or maybe I’m right. Part of treating these adult people as adults is to respect their words. I have asked each of them how they felt about the packet. So far all but the one has skipped over the requirements section with their feedback, and told me what they liked or disliked about the rule changes. I am certain that they have read the requirements, and at this point will treat their silence as acceptance of those requirements. Nevertheless, I will ask each player more specifically if he or she is okay with the requirements, but that will be their last chance to comment. After that, players, myself included, will be held responsible to their commitment.
So how can an adult game be fun? The game is too serious if we set up house rules for play, isn’t it? If Joe and Frank are an hour late, that just gives the rest of us more time to socialize. If Jane and Sally only speak when spoken to then that’s fine; more time for the real players to have their voices heard. Jim is on his phone so now is a good time to take advantage of his distraction. Speaking of distraction Margaret has fallen asleep on the couch and doesn’t need a share of tonight’s treasure. No one remembers that hint the old man in the tavern gave us last session; I will sneak back and exploit that on my own. Bill didn’t even show up, but hey, it’s only a game. Only a game.
It’s not only a game, people. You are building relationships around that table. You are forming possibly long-term friendships. Wouldn’t that be easier without snide remarks about behavior? What about hurt feelings because a good and fair boundary wasn’t set? What about those two anxious players you have that are frustrated because players are late? Where’s the respect? Players should do what they want to do. If they want to talk on their phones during the game then they should probably find a different game where phone chat is acceptable. They would be happier, and those still around the original table would not be held up.
Come, let us kill Orcs together, unified by purpose and fraternity. Let us scheme the best way to knock over that trade caravan, with each of us working together. Let us delve into that ancient tomb and with concerted effort, put to rest the Lich King of Arswhole. Let’s come to the table as close friends and leave a little closer.