Post by Mr Darke on Feb 4, 2015 17:24:02 GMT -5
This is will be where I will keep my house-rules, adjustments and clarifications for my game. This is for the campaign I run at The Raven's Loft in Lebanon,Mo and will serve as my base rules for other campaigns as well. The goal is to come up with a consistent set of rules to run all my OD&D games under with minimal variation between them.
So here goes. . .
Base System: Swords & Wizardry Complete. This was going to be my own personal '2e' of the original game but S&W has done the work much better than I could. Realizing that 1) There are too many clones out there and 2) Any change would be minimal at best; I decided to just mod the game rather than write a new one.
Abilities:
Generation
Ability scores are generated using 4d6 dropping the lowest die. This is rolled six times and the player may arrange scores as they like.
Modifiers
Only fighters (and subclasses) may use the bonus to hit and damage from strength. This applies to both melee and ranged combat.
All other modifiers work as the S&W complete Book.
Classes
All classes but the Monk are available for the Arthurian Campaign. (Monks may come into play later)
Hit Dice
Hit dice for classes are as follows: 1d8 for fighters (and Sub-classes). 1d6 for all others. All HD are modified by CON Bonus.
Starting HP
Starting HP is the Constitution Score with HD rolled after level 1. (Tentative rule. Looking at Arduin style HP)
Savings Throws
The game uses the Alternate Saves on Page 35 of the S&W Complete Rule Book
Thief Style Skills
Thief style skills (Those used by the thief, assassin, ranger, etc) do not use the percentile method given in the book. They are instead handled by a d6 roll (Rolled by the DM. Base 3 in 6 chance of success.). All classes can attempt the abilities of these classes but only have a 1 in 6 chance of success.
Spellcasters
Spellcasters can read, detect and identify magic from their discipline (Arcane for Magic-Users, Divine for Clerics and Nature for Druids). The Spells used for Reading and Detecting magic apply only for magic outside the caster's discipline.
Magic-users may also wear armor of no more than leather. (Tentative rule, chosen for campaign flavor)
Spells listed in the core S&W book are commonly known spells for all casters. They are assumed to know these spells and may choose them all. Additional spells are taken from sources such as AD&D, OSRIC, BFRPG and similar games and will be introduced through play. (This is to encourage adventuring for casters and also to prompt research.)
Multi-classing
No. However the combo class rules from BFRPG may be used at the DMs discretion.
Races
There are only four playable races: Dwarf, Elf, Halfling and Human. For the purposes of the campaign half-elves and half-orcs do not exist. While it may be possible for one race to mate with another, the magical nature of the world will have the offspring be one of the parent races with some physical traits of the other. For example a slightly taller and stockier dwarf for a human and dwarf paring or a thinner human with slightly pointed eyes for a human and elf paring. No 'hybrids' are possible.
A decision is being made on how to apply class and level limits to demi-humans. While the DM is not a fan of either I do understand why they are there and understand that a balance is needed between humans and Demis. As it stands now, Humans gain a flat 10% bonus to earned XP in addition to any other bonuses.
In all other cases, races work as they do in the core rules.
At this point the rules are pretty much the same as in S&W core. However, I am experimenting with a new way to handle casting and some new magic rules that add flavor to spell casting classes. If those work the idea will be transported to non-casters. Also, these rules should be considered a first pass through of an idea. As things progress they may change or be revised. For example, if the Arduin HP system and the XP bonus for humans balance out the demi-human abilities then I can do away with class and level limits.
What I will be doing now is testing them in my campaign and seeing what works. The newer rules/deviations will be posted as needed for discussion.
Edited to finish up first pass of the rules.
So here goes. . .
Base System: Swords & Wizardry Complete. This was going to be my own personal '2e' of the original game but S&W has done the work much better than I could. Realizing that 1) There are too many clones out there and 2) Any change would be minimal at best; I decided to just mod the game rather than write a new one.
Abilities:
Generation
Ability scores are generated using 4d6 dropping the lowest die. This is rolled six times and the player may arrange scores as they like.
Modifiers
Only fighters (and subclasses) may use the bonus to hit and damage from strength. This applies to both melee and ranged combat.
All other modifiers work as the S&W complete Book.
Classes
All classes but the Monk are available for the Arthurian Campaign. (Monks may come into play later)
Hit Dice
Hit dice for classes are as follows: 1d8 for fighters (and Sub-classes). 1d6 for all others. All HD are modified by CON Bonus.
Starting HP
Starting HP is the Constitution Score with HD rolled after level 1. (Tentative rule. Looking at Arduin style HP)
Savings Throws
The game uses the Alternate Saves on Page 35 of the S&W Complete Rule Book
Thief Style Skills
Thief style skills (Those used by the thief, assassin, ranger, etc) do not use the percentile method given in the book. They are instead handled by a d6 roll (Rolled by the DM. Base 3 in 6 chance of success.). All classes can attempt the abilities of these classes but only have a 1 in 6 chance of success.
Spellcasters
Spellcasters can read, detect and identify magic from their discipline (Arcane for Magic-Users, Divine for Clerics and Nature for Druids). The Spells used for Reading and Detecting magic apply only for magic outside the caster's discipline.
Magic-users may also wear armor of no more than leather. (Tentative rule, chosen for campaign flavor)
Spells listed in the core S&W book are commonly known spells for all casters. They are assumed to know these spells and may choose them all. Additional spells are taken from sources such as AD&D, OSRIC, BFRPG and similar games and will be introduced through play. (This is to encourage adventuring for casters and also to prompt research.)
Multi-classing
No. However the combo class rules from BFRPG may be used at the DMs discretion.
Races
There are only four playable races: Dwarf, Elf, Halfling and Human. For the purposes of the campaign half-elves and half-orcs do not exist. While it may be possible for one race to mate with another, the magical nature of the world will have the offspring be one of the parent races with some physical traits of the other. For example a slightly taller and stockier dwarf for a human and dwarf paring or a thinner human with slightly pointed eyes for a human and elf paring. No 'hybrids' are possible.
A decision is being made on how to apply class and level limits to demi-humans. While the DM is not a fan of either I do understand why they are there and understand that a balance is needed between humans and Demis. As it stands now, Humans gain a flat 10% bonus to earned XP in addition to any other bonuses.
In all other cases, races work as they do in the core rules.
At this point the rules are pretty much the same as in S&W core. However, I am experimenting with a new way to handle casting and some new magic rules that add flavor to spell casting classes. If those work the idea will be transported to non-casters. Also, these rules should be considered a first pass through of an idea. As things progress they may change or be revised. For example, if the Arduin HP system and the XP bonus for humans balance out the demi-human abilities then I can do away with class and level limits.
What I will be doing now is testing them in my campaign and seeing what works. The newer rules/deviations will be posted as needed for discussion.
Edited to finish up first pass of the rules.
