An OD&D supplement that seems to have died on the vine
Oct 17, 2015 1:04:29 GMT -5
The Semi-Retired Gamer likes this
Post by Admin Pete on Oct 17, 2015 1:04:29 GMT -5
themattjon referenced by The Archivist was planning to write an OD&D Supplement back in 2005 and as far as I know he was last seen online about 2009. I am copying and pasting the info here. Maybe it will inspire someone.
Supplement V: Whiterock (later titled Supplement X: Pulp Fantasy) either one sounds really cool to me.
Supplement V: Whiterock (later titled Supplement X: Pulp Fantasy) either one sounds really cool to me.
A tentative title! At some point in the future I plan to write and post/publish Supplement V for Dungeons & Dragons. Like Greyhawk did for Gary and Rob's game, Blackmoor did for Dave's game, etc.. Whiterock would do for my own game. An amendment to the basic, three lil' booklets of the original fantasy adventure game, Supplement V: Whiterock would include (among other things) rules regarding the three character classes (Fighting-Man/Woman, Magic-User and Cleric), new and altered races, my own views on alignment and new rules for Hit Dice, experience, combat, etc.. Also included would be additional monsters and treasures, and a sneak peak into my own world of sword & sorcery, with maybe a mini-module to boot!
A whole lotta work needs to go into this and it may be months before anything solid gets done, but I think the first supplement for OD&D to be published in three decades could be quite interesting. Many influences will come from supplements I-IV, but for the most part, it will be all new optional stuff to add to one's game.
A whole lotta work needs to go into this and it may be months before anything solid gets done, but I think the first supplement for OD&D to be published in three decades could be quite interesting. Many influences will come from supplements I-IV, but for the most part, it will be all new optional stuff to add to one's game.
OD&D is complete with the original boxed set. If your trying to use all the supplements and extras at the same time, you're not playing the game as intended. Supplement means additional option. Note that Druids appear twice throughout the supplements, first as a monster, then as a PC class. More on that in a seperate thread...
This backburner project replaces my previous project of collecting all the OD&D material and squishing it into one document. Such a product would be silly for at least the above reasons. This booklet will be mostly made up of my way of using the boxed set with inspiration taken from the other supplements. It will likely take months at least to compile everything, sort it so it makes a modicum of sense, and find a proper outlet for it (PDF, Word Document, print product, etc..). Who knows, I probably end up submitting the final draft to this very site for conveinient download!
Don't hold your breath for too long though, remember: backburner project
As for theme, using this supplement with your chosen fantasy adventure game (ideally D&D), you should be able to run adventures easily with small groups or even by yourself in a primal, barbaric setting like that of Hyboria or the Beastmaster films (Beastmaster may even be a new subclass).
EDIT: One biggie I plan on putting in are options to allow play with only six-sided dice.
This backburner project replaces my previous project of collecting all the OD&D material and squishing it into one document. Such a product would be silly for at least the above reasons. This booklet will be mostly made up of my way of using the boxed set with inspiration taken from the other supplements. It will likely take months at least to compile everything, sort it so it makes a modicum of sense, and find a proper outlet for it (PDF, Word Document, print product, etc..). Who knows, I probably end up submitting the final draft to this very site for conveinient download!
Don't hold your breath for too long though, remember: backburner project
As for theme, using this supplement with your chosen fantasy adventure game (ideally D&D), you should be able to run adventures easily with small groups or even by yourself in a primal, barbaric setting like that of Hyboria or the Beastmaster films (Beastmaster may even be a new subclass).
EDIT: One biggie I plan on putting in are options to allow play with only six-sided dice.
As stated earlier, Supplement V: Whiterock is a working title only. By the time it's done, it'll likely have a much different title, but be the same work. Here's the outline I've come up with to help me develop this (my tabs aren't working as planned so forgive me if it's hard to read):
Additional Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures
Men & Magic
Characters
Clarify roles of Fighting-Man/Woman, Magic-User and Cleric for barbaric settings.
Identify additional races and clarify those given?
Alfar races (elves, dwarfs, trolls)?
Monsters as playable races?
Determination of Abilities
Possible subjective method as bonus for having a character concept.
Basic Equipment and Costs
Explain use of barter system and expand equipment lists!
Statistics Regarding Classes
Details concerning any changed classes and added sub-classes?
Barbarian?
Beastmaster?
Alternative Combat System
Add system for using only six-sided dice (adapted from Chainmail?).
Saving Throw Matrix
Add system for using only six-sided dice (similar to combat).
Spells Tables
Add spells (maybe some from other supplements)?
Explanation of Spells
Clarify use of all spells.
Explain source of spells (mana built up during ritual, spent during casting).
Monsters & Treasure
Monster and Reference Table
Alfar (Teutonic elves, dwarfs and trolls)?
Beastman (intelligent ape type humanoid)
Bile (reddish ooze, covered with hairy warts and pus-filled blisters)
Dragon/Hydra (Cthonian clone, breaths flammable gas that petrifies on contact)
Lizard Man (Serpent Men clone or Greyhawk's)
Loper (Tauntaun clone, used as mount in mountainous regions)
Merman (Deep-One clone)
Unicorn/Winged Horse (Shantak clone, but horned)
Monster Descriptions
Add anything not obvious in reference table.
Magic/Maps Determination Table
List any additional magic goodies.
Explanations of Magic Items
Clarify magic goodies.
Treasure
Alternative money exchange?
The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures
The Underworld
Explain use of lost cities with multiple "shallow" dungeons.
Monster Determination and Level of Monster Matrix
Make effort to list monsters in matrix using only six-sided dice.
The Wilderness
Wilderness Wandering Monsters
Make effort to list monsters in matrix using only six-sided dice.
Construction of Castles and Strongholds
Clarify the cost and upkeep of strongholds.
Healing Wounds
Clarify or offer alternative.
Additional Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures
Men & Magic
Characters
Clarify roles of Fighting-Man/Woman, Magic-User and Cleric for barbaric settings.
Identify additional races and clarify those given?
Alfar races (elves, dwarfs, trolls)?
Monsters as playable races?
Determination of Abilities
Possible subjective method as bonus for having a character concept.
Basic Equipment and Costs
Explain use of barter system and expand equipment lists!
Statistics Regarding Classes
Details concerning any changed classes and added sub-classes?
Barbarian?
Beastmaster?
Alternative Combat System
Add system for using only six-sided dice (adapted from Chainmail?).
Saving Throw Matrix
Add system for using only six-sided dice (similar to combat).
Spells Tables
Add spells (maybe some from other supplements)?
Explanation of Spells
Clarify use of all spells.
Explain source of spells (mana built up during ritual, spent during casting).
Monsters & Treasure
Monster and Reference Table
Alfar (Teutonic elves, dwarfs and trolls)?
Beastman (intelligent ape type humanoid)
Bile (reddish ooze, covered with hairy warts and pus-filled blisters)
Dragon/Hydra (Cthonian clone, breaths flammable gas that petrifies on contact)
Lizard Man (Serpent Men clone or Greyhawk's)
Loper (Tauntaun clone, used as mount in mountainous regions)
Merman (Deep-One clone)
Unicorn/Winged Horse (Shantak clone, but horned)
Monster Descriptions
Add anything not obvious in reference table.
Magic/Maps Determination Table
List any additional magic goodies.
Explanations of Magic Items
Clarify magic goodies.
Treasure
Alternative money exchange?
The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures
The Underworld
Explain use of lost cities with multiple "shallow" dungeons.
Monster Determination and Level of Monster Matrix
Make effort to list monsters in matrix using only six-sided dice.
The Wilderness
Wilderness Wandering Monsters
Make effort to list monsters in matrix using only six-sided dice.
Construction of Castles and Strongholds
Clarify the cost and upkeep of strongholds.
Healing Wounds
Clarify or offer alternative.
Ape, Great (smarter and more aggresive than normal gorillas)
Bear
Beastman (intelligent ape type humanoid)
Boar
Bile (blood-colored ooze, covered with hairy warts and pus-filled blisters)
Cthonic Wyrm (giant, tentacled worm with flammable breath that petrifies)
Demon (randomly generated monsters from another realm)
Fathom Phantom (insideous fishmen from the deep)
Fell Beast (wicked unicorn type with leathery wings instead of forelegs)
Lion
Lizard, Monitor (large, poisonous maneater)
Living Statue
Loper (large kangaroo/goat crossbreed, used as mount in mountainous regions)
Mantrap (like a venus flytrap but BIGGER)
Men, Tribesman (savage, painted warriors)
Murmur (colossal hippo-like beasts, large enough to build towns on!)
Raptor
Rat, Sumatran (dog-sized, disease bearing menace of the sewers)
Saurian (sleek, reptilian humanoids of the jungles)
Snake, Giant
Spider, Giant
Tiger/Smilodon
Tyranosaurus Rex
Vampire Vine (thorny bloodsucking plant)
Walking Dead (dangerous uber-zombies that can infect others with a bite)
Wingman (secretive, winged humanoids who soar among the mountains)
Wolf
Bear
Beastman (intelligent ape type humanoid)
Boar
Bile (blood-colored ooze, covered with hairy warts and pus-filled blisters)
Cthonic Wyrm (giant, tentacled worm with flammable breath that petrifies)
Demon (randomly generated monsters from another realm)
Fathom Phantom (insideous fishmen from the deep)
Fell Beast (wicked unicorn type with leathery wings instead of forelegs)
Lion
Lizard, Monitor (large, poisonous maneater)
Living Statue
Loper (large kangaroo/goat crossbreed, used as mount in mountainous regions)
Mantrap (like a venus flytrap but BIGGER)
Men, Tribesman (savage, painted warriors)
Murmur (colossal hippo-like beasts, large enough to build towns on!)
Raptor
Rat, Sumatran (dog-sized, disease bearing menace of the sewers)
Saurian (sleek, reptilian humanoids of the jungles)
Snake, Giant
Spider, Giant
Tiger/Smilodon
Tyranosaurus Rex
Vampire Vine (thorny bloodsucking plant)
Walking Dead (dangerous uber-zombies that can infect others with a bite)
Wingman (secretive, winged humanoids who soar among the mountains)
Wolf
