Frozen in Time with D&D

This time, the game was four hours long.  Didn't feel like using an adventure I had published.  Maybe something really old school, I thought.  Perhaps even something I've never run before...

Rummaging around my desk for a suitable AD&D adventure, I came across a slim Dungeon Crawl Classics book called Frozen in Time.  I started reading the introduction and was intrigued enough to keep going.  That's a good sign.

Suitable for 1st level characters, science-fantasy, and big on exploration.  This fit the bill.

Since I had given 5e a try RAW [rules as written] a couple weeks ago, I felt free enough to try it without so much of the dot-circling.  Tried melding the provided backgrounds with my own tables from Liberation of the Demon Slayer.  Successfully, I think.

A few of the players either knew the D&D rules already or had them printed out / on some kind of tablet device.  So, at times it was difficult to rule one way while a couple of players were telling their neighbor the "real" ruling.  But that's ok.  It happens.  Especially with a fresh group all set for a one-shot game that hasn't even been released yet.  Sure, we have the basic version and stuff from the Starter box but let's face it - all the really good stuff has yet to come out.

Old school time!  3d6 in order.  Sure, there were some sad sacks in the bunch, yet nothing catastrophic.  I went over the pros and cons of making your own character.  Hopefully, some kind of personal attachment was forged by all the dice rolling and picking of race, class, motivation, etc.

Anyways, after making characters without worry about skills, racial bonuses, which saving throws get to add the proficiency bonus, as well as, a lively discussion about proficiency bonuses and initiative... the adventurers climbed up that glacier.  I'm not going to give away anything.  Just know that Frozen in Time did an admirable job.  Sure, I simplified one thing over here and added complexity to that other thing over there... that's just how I GM.

Since we were deep into DCC country, I used the mercurial magic system.  Fiona was playing the sole wizard; an Elf, no less.  When casting detect magic, six duplicates appeared for a round before vanishing again into the dimensional aether.  One player imaginatively suggested that each doppelganger was testing a potential magic item in a different way so as to determine exactly what that item did (assuming it was magical).  On the spot, I said "Yes!" and we went with it.

At the halfway mark, I let the characters hit 2nd level.  We quickly rolled hit points, more tablet searching for feats and whatnot commenced, and I dolled out a couple more spells for the wizard and cleric.  Man, that mercurial magic is like an instant awesome-ifier!  Just that table alone and a party of two or three magic-users could be an adventure in itself.

Oddly, very few players used their inspiration to gain advantage on a role.  Though, I still saw plenty of roleplaying take place.  The session was a bit light on combat (two) and interaction (the barbarian at the beginning and some dude with amnesia at the end).  I could have dropped more encounters in... probably needed a boss fight with some hot gypsies thrown in for good measure.

Alas, no session is perfect.  There were a couple missed opportunities, besides the aforementioned.  I should have had the rogue's cyber forearm do something useful by the end - maybe tie into the ship's computer [not really spoiling anything since that part I made up on the spot]?

First time around, it's difficult for a module to feel like home.  There are growing pains.  Fumbling.  Discrepancies. Hunting for details.  A halting narrative.  Oh well, there's always next time.

All in all, everyone had fun.  The 5th edition rules held up, just as customizable as they seemed during its maiden voyage.  Obviously, having the PHB and DMG in hand will smooth out the rough edges.  Frozen in Time could also do with some sanding; however, that's 99% of adventures, in my book.  Without the GM's input, it's just words on a page.


VS

p.s.  Here are some aftermath quotes from the players...

"Had a great time, great GM and group. Fun one shot I'd not seen before! You've inspired me to try to run some of my own!"

"You might be happy to know that I am now the proud owner of a fifth addition starter set. I had a great time. Thanks again for DMing [Venger]!"

"I went and bought some dice today. I am getting corrupted. :)"

Character Class Options in D&D 5e

Here's the full list of classes.  Wow, that's a lot to work with.  Not only because players have a whopping 12 character classes, but now each class has a variety of kits or sub-classes, emphasizing a specific aspect of that class.  Let's take a closer look at each package...


Barbarian: A barbarian picks a primal path that reflects the nature of the character's rage. The two options in the Player's Handbook are the Path of the Berserker and the Path of the Totem Warrior. The berserker fights with an implacable fury, while the totem warrior channels the magic of beasts to augment his or her rage.

That's cool.  I kind of wish there had been three sub-classes instead of just two, but hey... two is better than one.  How about something reflecting Thundarr or Conan - if I come up with something awesome, I'll do a separate write-up.

Bard: Each bard is inspired by a college—a loose affiliation of like-minded bards who share lore, stories, and performances. The Player's Handbook presents the College of Lore, which focuses on knowledge and performance, and the College of Valor, which focuses on inspiring bravery on the battlefield.

Is it me, or does the Bard seem to be less a watered down Fighter/Wizard and more its own thing now?  I think that's a good thing.  For too long the Bard was just a cool sounding name with wasted potential.  The whole College thing adds roleplaying and setting/campaign possibilities.

Cleric: Cleric domains reflect the nature of the gods and shape the magic a character wields. The domains in the Player's Handbook are Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, and War.

My first thought - why is Tempest italicized?  My second, are Life, Light, Nature, and Trickery really the best lowest common denominator domains for Clerics?  War is a no-brainer but Life and Light just seem like two generic sides of the same coin, and Nature makes me think he'll encroach onto the Druid's territory (perhaps literally).

Druid: A druid joins a circle—one of a number of loose alliances of like-minded druids who share similar outlooks on nature, balance, and the way of druidic magic. The Circle of the Land allows a druid to select a type of terrain from which he or she draws magic. The Circle of the Moon augments a druid's ability to transform into various beasts.

I love the "type of terrain".  Having desert druids and swamp druids and mountain druids makes sense and enriches the setting / campaign world.  Kudos for the outside-the-box Circle of the Moon... a were-druid?  Awesome!

Fighter: All fighters select a martial archetype that reflects a specific approach to combat. The Champion is a mighty warrior who scores deadly critical hits in combat. The Battle Master is a flexible, cunning tactician. The Eldritch Knight masters magic that allows him or her to protect allies and devastate foes.

Sweet!  Low maintenance old school types can have their closer-to-1st-edition Fighter in the Champion.  WotC D&D fans can have their special move heavy Battle Master along with Figher/Wizard hybrid that I'm sure will have its own exotic flavor. 

Monk: A monk commits to a monastic tradition, defined by a specific form of martial arts that helps channel and shape the use of ki energy. The Way of the Open Hand augments a monk's unarmed strikes and allows mastery of the deadly quivering palm technique. The Way of Shadow turns a monk into a stealthy warrior who manipulates darkness to confuse and confound enemies. The Way of the Four Elements allows a monk to channel ki into spells and blasts of elemental energy.

Sometimes, fantasy RPGs give the Monk everything but the kitchen sink.  Other times, he gets just the essentials or is simply left out altogether.  Its hard to know what Monks deserve since one extreme or the other is usually too far in either direction.  After all, what is he?  Martial artist?  Wanderer?  Mystic?  Unarmed Cleric?  The sub-classes of Open Hand, Shadow, and Four Elements sharpens the focus, getting the grab back proportional.  I think 5e is doing great things with the Monk and Bard.

Paladin: All paladins take an oath—a pledge to a code of conduct that guides their lives and shapes their abilities. The Oath of Devotion binds a paladin to the ideal of justice, virtue, and order. The Oath of the Ancients pledges a paladin to protect the natural world and preserve hope across the land. The Oath of Vengeance turns a paladin into a deadly avenger who seeks out and punishes wrongdoers.

Again, I like marrying the sub-classes to background elements like ideals, bonds, flaws, etc.  And this explains why Paladins don't have to be lawful good.  Regardless of alignment, it saves players from constantly having to define and reiterate that their character isn't the standard paladin but a paladin that seeks out the immoral or a paladin who's part of something like King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table, etc.

Ranger: A ranger selects an archetype that reflects his or her ideals and relationship to nature. The Hunter stands guard in the wilderness, stopping threats before they can menace civilization. The Beast Master cultivates a powerful bond to creatures, fighting alongside them to bring down enemies.

Makes sense.  I like the class tying in with ideals.  And I'm really glad that if they aren't going to use "he" or "his" that they include both genders.  I never understood why so many RPG books starting using "she" and "her" exclusively.  Is there overlap between the Barbarian's Totem Warrior and the Ranger's Beast Master?  Probably, but I'm sure the execution will differentiate them enough - hopefully not just in a "power A vs. power B" way.  I want to see story/character/setting reasons for why things are the way they are.

Rogue: A rogue selects a roguish archetype that reflects his or her approach to crime and chicanery. The Thief is an evasive, sneaky trickster. The Assassin is a focused and quiet killer. The Arcane Trickster uses enchantment and illusion magic to enact his or her schemes.

That's awesome!  Now the old school has its Thief back... and their Assassin!  Also, 3rd edition fans can have a Rogue/Wizard type without the hassle of multiclassing.  Makes sense because there are so many different kinds of Rogues out there.  I could see WotC or a 3rd party creating a Scoundrel type sub-class.  Who doesn't want to see Han Solo in the local tavern wearing leather armor and holding a hand crossbow below the table?  Of course, you could do that with either the Thief or Assassin.  It'll be interesting to see how diverse these sub-classes get.  Will there eventually be dozens for each class, all with tiny details to differentiate themselves?

Sorcerer: A sorcerer's magic arises from a sorcerous origin—the event, ancestry, or quirk of fate that gifted the character with power. The Draconic Bloodline reflects a sorcerer's distant dragon ancestry, and grants powers that reflect a dragon's nature. Wild Magic imbues a sorcerer with the energy of raw chaos, producing unpredictable results from his or her magic.

I like it.  'Nuff said.

Warlock: A warlock's patron shapes this class's power. The Archfey grants beguiling magic useful for trickery and quick escapes. The Fiend imparts the power of destructive fire and diabolic resistance. The mysterious Great Old One grants telepathic abilities and chilling glimpses into the nature of the multiverse.

Ok, before getting into my favorite part (and filling my pants with a Lovecraftian load), I love the Fiend sub-class.  As divorced as 2e D&D tried to be from demons, the occult, and Satanism, this goes back to the sword & sorcery literature of Robert E. Howard.  Nice!  

The Great Old Ones!!!  From the days of yore... Deities & Demigods to 5th edition.  Every RPG from here to Albuquerque has dipped their big toe into the fetid subterranean lake that is H.P. Lovecraft.  Finally, the Cthulhu Mythos has come home!  Please let their be a large and monstrous illustration of the Dreaded One on that page.  Ia Ia Cthulhu Fhtagn! The only possible downside?  How can I be expected to play anything but a Warlock now?  Unless, the cleric can tap into the Great Old Ones as well...  Ok, I feel another write-up approaching.

Wizard: A wizard selects an arcane tradition—the specific approach to the study of magic that shapes his or her outlook and talents. Though many traditions exist, the Player's Handbook focuses on the established schools of D&D magic—Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation.

The third and final dedicated spellcaster class looks pretty standard.  This must be a world filled with magic!  Not only do you have Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard but Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight along with the Cleric, Druid, and possibly Bard.


So, there you have it.  Got something to say?  Leave a comment.

VS

R&R and RPGs

It's all done.  The writing, the art, the maps, the construction and layout, the tables, the loot, the packaging, the trips to the post office.  Everything about publishing The Islands of Purple-Haunted Putrescence was finished a month ago.  While getting it onto DriveThruRPG was a challenge (Amazon was easy), that's done, too.  My Kickstarter duties have been discharged.  Yay!

What now...

Anyone who thinks I'm gonna jump back on the horse after that wild ride is motherfucking crazy!  No, I need a rest.  The batteries need to be recharged.  Otherwise, they burn out and I'll end up like some derelict designer talking to himself on the street with a little sign that reads, "There's a 1 in 6 chance you'll give me a dollar."

But it's not just about the R&R.  That might be good for the batteries but what about about growth?  How am I ever going to top myself, expand, evolve, reach for stars in a whole other galaxy if I just sit back and let the lazy wash over me?  No, I need to game different.

Here's some of the new stuff I ordered or plan on ordering over the next couple days...

• Qelong
• tremulus (with elder sign dice)
• Fate Core *(with minimalist Fate dice)
• Crawling under a Broken Moon
• Crawl Jammer
• Star Wars: Edge of the Empire core RPG (with silly ass dice)

Also, I bought 13th Age weeks ago and pre-ordered D&D 5e before that.  Plus, I purchased a couple books of weird tales revolving around Thomas Ligotti, one of my favorite authors.  Inspiration and just great, dread-filled reading.

When I'm going to have time to digest all of that, let alone run it, is anyone's guess.  I've got to try, though.  Promised myself I wouldn't start writing the next RPG related thing until October... though I believe I may already have a working title.  

Meanwhile, I'll keep blogging and if a stray idea hits me, I'll jot it down in a journal.  Will attempt to do some RPG reviews as well.

Finally, yet another round of thanks to everyone who supported Purple in one form or another.  Together we shall rule as They once did...

VS

*  Why I haven't dived into Fate before today is kind of a mystery to me.  Maybe the stupid looking cover?

Two Separate Groups

This post has been a long time coming.  It's been in the back of my mind, unformed, for awhile. A recent issue brought it into the light:  D&D 5e's rules on backgrounds and inspiration.  A few don't like them and refuse to use them in their game (I assume these are games they intend to DM because it would be difficult to do such as a player).

From my perspective, that's a shame.  I personally believe that the character flaws, ideals, bonds, and inspiration are the best parts of 5th edition.  Beyond that, it's an evolution and codification of what makes roleplaying games unlike anything else.  Not something that RPGs started becoming in the early 90's but a quality present way back in 1974.

The following query will probably be controversial, alienating a number of individuals.  That's why I'm not going to shoot a link of this blog post to any google community or discussion board (you may do as you will, dear reader).  Without further ado, here's the question...

Aren't we now, finally, able to see that there are two separate groups involved in this hobby of ours - those who would be better served playing a miniature war game, board game, collectible card game, or computer/video game based on familiar RPG elements and the rest of us who actually want to focus on playing a role distinct from ourselves, not simply pretending we're the little guy on the grid blowing things up?


VS

I Haz the Starter Set!

Though I've had mixed feelings about it, 5e is a welcome addition to my gaming library.  The Starter Set has special significance because, well... it's fucking D&D, man!

First thing I did was take a picture of the green dragon on the box's cover and text it to a dozen people.  Glancing at the people walking by, I wondered if they knew the joys of becoming an elven wizard or dwarven fighter, carving out a destiny of power and riches.  I imagined myself sitting behind the DM screen, narrating an enticing tale twixt good and evil.

My kids would probably ruin these booklets within 10 minutes, assuming they're at least mildly distracted by Mickey Mouse and Barbie as a mermaid fairy princess.  The booklets are glossy and neat looking but have the same durability as a full-color magazine or expensive pamphlet/brochure selling high-end houses.  But the artwork, layout, and informative text are quite nice.

The Starter Set Rulebook, along with the free basic D&D rules online, is enough to learn the game, start playing immediately, and continue a campaign for many adventurous months.  There might be little nitpicky things I would prefer this way or that but, on the whole, it's a perfect compromise between all prior editions.

The intro adventure is "Lost Mine of Phandelver".  It's just over 60 pages, so I haven't read it all.  Skimming through the booklet, it looks really good.  A nice mix of history, locations, monsters, NPCs, interaction, adventure, exploration, villainy, investigation, sorcery, and heroism.

There's a page and a half of DM advice at the very front, including a handy guide to setting the difficulty class for easy, moderate, and hard tasks (10, 15, and 20, respectively).  While one and a half pages doesn't sound like much DM coaching (it's not), there are helpful prompts, reminders, and notes provided throughout the adventure.

Dice, pre-generated character sheets (including a blank one), and plain white insert make up the rest.  Even at $20, the suggested retail price, it's a good value.  It's the gateway to tabletop fantasy roleplaying for the next few years.  This is only the beginning...

Evaluating a system from the outside is a perfectly natural way to judge a roleplaying game.  That only gets you so far, though.  Playing D&D is what it's all about.  Soon, I'll be knee-deep in blood and secrets and darkness.  Then we'll know how it all turned out.  Will 5e live up to its promise?  Time will tell.


VS

5th Edition Hit Points & Grievous Wounds

Damage and healing is a polarizing issue among the 5e crowd.  We have one camp believing hit points should be fatigue/stamina while another believes hit points are actual injuries.  For those somewhere in the middle, who don't want to house-rule away the HD healing and total refresh after 8 hours of sleep baked into the system's core rules, I propose this...

Instead of the standards double damage crit, the DM may elect to apply a grievous wound instead (not counting bludgeoning damage).  Grievous wounds do not heal at the same rate as other hit points.  They represent an arrow to the gut, slash upside the head, or taking a morning star to the spine.  The kind of physical devastation that won't disappear after a good night's rest.  Such damage takes 1 day to heal 1 hit point, unless supernatural healing is proffered such as cure light wounds, a healing potion, etc.

For instance, a slathering beast with orange and aqua scales lunges at the party's warrior.  The creature normally does 1d10 damage.  GM rolls a natural 20 and chooses to make this a grievous wound rather than doubling the damage.  He rolls a 7.

The fighter loses 7 hit points which will take 7 days to fully heal without magical means.  Whatever the fighter's hit point total, he can eventually self-heal that number minus 7 until tomorrow, at which point his total available hit points will be the usual number minus 6.  The day after it's minus 5 and so on...

Grievous wounds are not cumulative.  If that fighter took another critical and grievous wound for 5 points later in the day, his total aggravated damage would still only be 7.  However, if the damage rolled was 11 instead of 5, then the fighter's grievous wound would be at 11.

I thought about the difficulty some 5e gamers are having with healing damage quickly.  Rather than shouting, "This is terrible!" or sweeping it under the rug with justification after justification, I decided to try and fix the problem.  Some of us oldschoolers enjoy the deadlier aspects of D&D when players were somewhat afraid for their characters' lives.  But, if you prefer the modern approach, enjoy your coddling.

On the way home from work yesterday, I remembered aggravated damage from one of my favorite old school RPGs, 1st edition Vampire: the Masquerade.  Those who know V:tM will remember that being chewed up by a werewolf doesn't go away after drinking a little human blood.  Aggravated wounds are persistent.

Though it will only happen approximately 5% of the time (not counting advantage), I think this is a reasonable compromise for those, such as myself, who feel that not all injuries should alleviate swiftly.  Disagree?  Send me your feedback.  I want to know what you think?  Is this something you might use?  Why or why not?


VS


p.s.  Or you could simply use exploding dice for all damage (again, excluding bludgeoning).  Just as lethal but without the extra bookkeeping.

Second Wind, Action Surge, and Being Super-Awesome at 1st Level

I've slept on it, given it time and plenty of thought.  Something just doesn't sit right with me.  Yeah, I'm bothered by a few little things.

Is this what we want out of our tabletop fantasy RPG?  Is this what the Basic version of 5e will be like?  All skills and proficiency bonuses and constant self-healing and action points?

I thought most of the 3rd and 4e D&D stuff was going to be relegated to the PHB and DMG, not the Starter Set and free Basic D&D rules online.  So, why is all this newfangled, character optimization and life-saving extra padding coming at us with the pre-gen excerpt?  Wasn't Basic supposed to be, you know, basic?  The Advanced rules were going to be included n the PHB and DMG for those who wanted them.

How's a DM supposed to cross off a half-dozen things from the pre-gen character sheet before his players even sit down and still expect the game to be 5e D&D?  Wasn't 5e supposedly influenced by the OSR?  Wasn't 5e supposed to return us to that old school style of play from the 70's and 80's?

Is this just a simple misunderstanding, a betrayal, or some kind of unsatisfying compromise?  Am I freaking out for no reason?  Perhaps, but we've only seen the iceberg's tip.  What's next?

Comments, questions, suggestions, complaints, thoughts...?


VS

Unification Through Diversity

Can you imagine a two year delivery?

The creation of fifth edition was like childbirth.  I imagined those frustrating early stages, glimmers of hope and dread, small victories but miles and miles to go before anyone gets to sleep.  The screams, crying, shouting, pain, blood... everything.  Where in the fuck is my wife's epidural?  I wanted to be a part of it, to be there from beginning to end.  I wanted to know, and yet I didn't want to put myself through all that.  Not for two or more years.

So, that's why I only started paying attention these last couple months, finally allowing myself to get excited about what was just three pushes away from arrival.  Dungeons & Dragons s is coming!

Just to recap, this has been the OSR consensus regarding fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons, based on the feedback from my last couple blog posts...

• The OSR had an enormous impact on 5e.  This makes sense because there probably wouldn't have been an OSR (as we know it today) without the missteps of 4th edition.
• The OSR isn't going anywhere.  It still has meaning and value.  It's a type of gaming, a style, an aesthetic... a feel.  It's many things to many different people.  A new version of D&D isn't going to eradicate it, but 5e will undoubtedly have an influence.
• Since 5e is pretty darn old school (at the very least, OSR compatible) the majority of OSR gamers plan on trying 5e at some point (especially since the basic version will be available for free online) and from there will decide on one of the following:  1) incorporating bits and pieces from 5e into their established RPGs (like S&W, DCC, LotFP, AS&SH, etc.).  2) adoption: switching over to the point where their primary RPG of choice is 5e (while possibly incorporating bits and pieces from the aforementioned OSR games).  3) decide against continuing with 5e in any form. 

My personal belief is that roughly half the gamers who try 5e will fall into one of the first two camps.

For those who ask, "Why would I want, let alone need, another edition of D&D if I'm happy with what I already have?  Isn't 5e supposed to be like AD&D 2nd edition minus Thac0, plus feats?"  Good question(s).  If you haven't been keeping on Next news, it's easy to be swayed to one side or the other based on rumors and hearsay.  

I've been reading Mike Mearls' articles on the game design process for Next / 5e.  This new version of the game will be radically different than what we've known while still feeling like home. Sure, it incorporates a lot of things that we love about all the previous editions (yes, including a few bits from 4th) while ditching odds and ends that hold the game back.  And 5e does a great job of that.  However, it brings a lot of fresh, innovative choices to the table (choices, options, and support for DM cherry picking are huge in 5e).  Things that D&D fans have never seen outside of home-rules and Dragon magazine!

Here's a brief rundown of what I've found...

• Magic item attunement.  Appendix N readers may recall some of their favorite fantasy characters possessing magic items which are somehow tied to them.  That's in 5e.
• Backgrounds.  Character history, including contacts, ties to places and NPCs, ideals, and flaws was an important part of the 80's 90's gaming sessions I was involved with... but a small part, unfortunately.  From a rules-standpoint, backgrounds were definitely in the background (no pun intended).  Writing out a personal history on the backside of a character sheet isn't the same as having options hardwired into the core rules.
• Armies battling.  D&D has its roots in miniature wargaming.  Admittedly, I don't know too much about how D&D handled large forces fighting each other on the battle field in the last couple of decades but its being addressed now.
• A smarter, more intuitive option for leveling the party.
• Rolling 2d20 and taking the lower of the two when at a clear disadvantage and the higher when at a clear advantage.  This replaces all the +1 bonus for this, -2 penalty for that, and +3 bonus for the other thing.
• Concentration for magic-users (it's cool, but I'm not going to explain it here).  And an option for using spell points instead of the traditional Vancian magic!
• Apprentice feel for 1st and 2nd level characters for either campaign introduction or system noobs, as well as, rules for starting established characters and veteran players at 3rd.
• Inspiration:  in-game bonuses for good roleplaying!

There will be more, of course, when 5e is released.  This is just a taste based on Mearls' Legends and Lore column.  A fascinating read!  I'm still waiting on a friends' last playtest material for more info on how 5e will look and feel.

Am I excited for D&D?  Oh, Hellzzz to the yeah!  It means I can easily run or play in an old school kind of D&D session which can handle a Tiefling alienist sorcerer or a Warforged warlock/fighter who loves tactical combat while accommodating a Halfling thief who performs shadowy murders for the city's high priest of K'tulu because of his sordid past. Or keep things as fundamental as possible by allowing only wizard, rogue, fighter, and cleric.  All this without having to remember what true roleplaying is about from a prior edition or slavishly adhere to a thousand fiddly rules that are supposed to counterbalance each other into infinity.

Those who don't share my eager anticipated are free, as always, to hate (or simply ignore what's coming).  It's cool.  Alternatively, those who want to bathe in the afterbirth may do so as well.  Either way, I'm interested in reading whatever it is you want to say.  Speak!

VS