Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Mecha & Martians
This post seems to be getting a lot of play according to my blogger stats. I found this second trailer on You Tube and I still believe that this would make for one kick ass RPG campaign. Mechs, steampunk, political drama and action all rolled up into one.
As I thought about what system I would use to run this, it occured to me that the mecha niche seems to be missing the plethora of OSR clones and rules add ons. Thinking on it I would probably use Stars Without Number, with a few modifications. I noticed the Core rules have stuff about mecha in them so that might be worth checking out. In fact I've been considering adding yet another blog project called Mecha & Martians. Seems like it would be a lot of fun.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy
I've known for while that this movie was coming. To be honest I didn't really give a shit. But I have to say after watching this trailer I think I just might like this movie. Hell I might even give the comic a shot. A friend of mine is following the series and says its pretty rad so maybe he's on to something here.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
The Lake Tower of Vara Ristk
I've been playing quite a bit of Magic: The Gathering these past few weeks. Theres been a few things about the game that have got me thinking about Magic and the relation to D&D.
Magic is the saviour of D&D. When TSR was floundering it was Wizards of the Coast that swooped in with the money from the wildly successful card game, bought the company and revived D&D with 3e, created the OGL and created a renaissance in gaming history.
Here we are roughly 14 years later and D&D has been replaced by Pathfinder and self published old school enthusiasts. While Magic still rakes in huge amounts of money, and is perhaps even more successful than it was when it first went mainstream.
I can see the parallels between D&D 3e and later edition rules and Magic. Both games attempted to makes the rules clear and precise with key words and standardized abilities. If you look at the Monster Manuals of 4e you can see how the creatures have more evocative names like the creature cards of Magic.
Ultimately I find it sad that the D&D design team hasn't come up with adventures or campaign settings like the evocative settings and ideas that the Magic team does. Every year Magic comes out with what is the equivalent of a unique campaign setting with an over arching storyline, filled with unique monsters, NPCs, magic items and treasures. Yet D&Ds adventures pale in comparison. Other 3rd party companies, Pathfinder in particular have stolen the show because of this. I firmly believe that Paizo's success lies partially in the fact that they didn't alienate the 3.x player base, but mostly in the fact that instead of focusing so much on a rules system they pumped out adventure after adventure.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. Heres a little Swords & Wizardry encounter inspired by some random Magic cards.
Oculus Homunculus
Magic is the saviour of D&D. When TSR was floundering it was Wizards of the Coast that swooped in with the money from the wildly successful card game, bought the company and revived D&D with 3e, created the OGL and created a renaissance in gaming history.
Here we are roughly 14 years later and D&D has been replaced by Pathfinder and self published old school enthusiasts. While Magic still rakes in huge amounts of money, and is perhaps even more successful than it was when it first went mainstream.
I can see the parallels between D&D 3e and later edition rules and Magic. Both games attempted to makes the rules clear and precise with key words and standardized abilities. If you look at the Monster Manuals of 4e you can see how the creatures have more evocative names like the creature cards of Magic.
Ultimately I find it sad that the D&D design team hasn't come up with adventures or campaign settings like the evocative settings and ideas that the Magic team does. Every year Magic comes out with what is the equivalent of a unique campaign setting with an over arching storyline, filled with unique monsters, NPCs, magic items and treasures. Yet D&Ds adventures pale in comparison. Other 3rd party companies, Pathfinder in particular have stolen the show because of this. I firmly believe that Paizo's success lies partially in the fact that they didn't alienate the 3.x player base, but mostly in the fact that instead of focusing so much on a rules system they pumped out adventure after adventure.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. Heres a little Swords & Wizardry encounter inspired by some random Magic cards.
The Lake Tower of Vara Ristk
The wizard Vara Ristk, like many of her
profession is a little off her rocker. She lives in a lonely tower
that rises directly from the waters of an island strewn lake. An ever
present mist obscures and cloaks the tower from view from the
mainland. The tower can only be accessed from deep below the water,
and the approach is protected by Isle-back Krakens. Vara can not be
bothered with menial tasks and her lair is filled with a variety of
homunculus. Worst among them, for spellcasters at least, is the
Oculus.
Isle-back Kraken
At rest these Kraken look like rocky small islands. As prey gets within attack range they rise up an attack with their tentacles. One can sometimes spot an Isle-back Kraken in advance when it uses one of its tentacles to grab an unfortunate bird that has mistaken the monster for a true island and landed on one for a rest.
Isle-back Kraken: HD
20; AC 0[19]; Atk 6 tentacles (2d6), bite (3d6); Move (Swim 3) (Jet
21); Save 3; CL/XP 24/5600; Special: Ink cloud, constriction, control
weather, create lights.
Oculus Homunculus
This creature has a powerful gaze attack that can suck the magic out of another wizard and then either transfer it to its master or use it himself depending on how it was programmed. On a successful gaze attack the wizard makes a saving throw. On a failure the Homunculus absorbs a random spell from the caster.
Oculus: HD 2; AC
6[13]; Atk 1 Gaze (1d3 + spell loss); Move 6 (Fly 20); Save 16; CL/XP
3/60; Special: Spell-loss Gaze.
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