tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75527833007521636462024-03-13T14:35:07.980-04:00The Wasted LandsDiscussion and Study of Classic, Original, and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and other old-school gaming issues.The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-59539094548081896482023-06-26T16:00:00.001-04:002023-06-26T16:00:40.491-04:00Wasted Lands - a Completely Customizable RPG<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="2046" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZNwBR2R7S1S-OKBltWdwkhMW3wQ-KnRKA-i8ZmRzmhSy4tkDCqBbyyfFCbVGi0Sf4eKQNkfWQTPSA8KKo2VQK0rgbvEmswxFWBE5FmAIU_rmgAm9TYjriNL3ifhhilhJpIxtayS0jorJWEGF7Aat7eXmYl-Ub3ZtxbTW14ypMuPc48DvYrzyYdluOVg/w641-h182/Logo.jpg" width="641" /></a></div><p>Here we go, folks! The final blog before the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank"><b>Wasted Lands Kickstarter </b>launches</a>! Stay tuned for more behind the curtain looks as the campaign progresses, but this one completes the big lead-up! </p><p>Previous blogs in this series:</p><p></p><ul><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/04/wasted-lands-dreaming-age-is-imminent.html" target="_blank">Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age is Imminent!</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/05/will-wasted-lands-be-retroclone.html" target="_blank">Will Wasted Lands be a Retroclone?</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/wasted-lands-what-are-divine-touchstones.html" target="_blank">What Are Divine Touchstones?</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/races-species-in-wasted-lands-dreaming.html" target="_blank">Races (Species) and Cultural Backgrounds</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/wasted-lands-how-do-tiered-abilities.html" target="_blank">How Do Tiered Abilities Work?</a> </li><li><a href="https://wastedlandsfantasy.blogspot.com/2023/06/wasted-lands-dreaming-age-class.html" target="_blank">Class Abilities in Wasted Lands</a></li></ul><p style="text-align: left;">For some time now we've been pushing "Your Game, Your Way" as a slogan for <a href="https://www.elflair.com/pdf-products#HJPIhz" target="_blank">Powered by O.G.R.E.S. games</a>, and many wonder what kind of meaning that carries. After all, everyone claims that their game is the one you've been looking for, and the concept of a universal game system has been around almost as long as RPGs themselves. Even the earliest versions of D&D had sci-fi elements and the first edition DMG discussed melding the system with a range of genres. </p><p style="text-align: left;">So what do we mean exactly when we talk about O.G.R.E.S. as a customizable system? Does it even have a system or is it just a mess of suggestions? </p><p style="text-align: left;">Not to fret: O.G.R.E.S. is a system and uses the mechanics <a href="https://wastedlandsfantasy.blogspot.com/search/label/Wasted%20Lands" target="_blank">we have discussed in prior blogs</a> - the class abilities mechanics, the d20 "roll over" attribute check mechanic, and the Rule of 2. </p><p style="text-align: left;">So what does it mean to customize the game? </p><p style="text-align: left;">The answer is in the nuance and the options we present through the various appendices of the game. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1045" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pzI16sED2HGStGZ4ePs2aRoZ38ErhlDLHmkUFZPRWLQLlCcK5ERqFuYcIcPlOUoXVxcXvVwsyUNMoDnYmRtemRt-3kB3CZ6eQD0ei69A8dgZw9XefCagNpcBISiDzq6g-PAUyhbuYi5zjmLnxcCa-b42rfnbN9Jo7lKgUn4Q1wIhwWCGjY7B2LeZ3M4/w569-h414/Campaign%20Guide%20Cover%20Banner.jpg" width="569" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">Wasted Lands Gazetteer and Campaign Guide</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;">Attributes</h2><p style="text-align: left;">The first step in creating the character is to generate attributes. The game provides several options for accomplishing this - rolling dice, point buy, or standard array. You choose the method that best works for your game, with each roughly balanced against the others (though completely random rolls tend to generate a wider range of divergent power levels than point buy or standard spread). </p><p style="text-align: left;">You then choose <i>tiers </i>for your attributes. Your character class (see below) provides an <i>Aspect, </i>or tier 1 ability, with which you are measurably better than others so far as checks go. You then choose two <i>Normal, </i>or tier 2 abilities, which put you at average or just above. The remaining three abilities are <i>Disadvantaged, </i>or tier 3. These are your areas of general weakness (though if your attributes are high enough you won't truly be <i>weak </i>in any area. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Your tiers provide a progression of bonuses that you add to all your die rolls with those attributes as you go up in level: your Aspect will advance faster than your Normals, which will advance faster than your Disadvantaged. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Character Creation</h2><p style="text-align: left;">The default method of character creation is the classic (CLASS-ic?) class-and-level setup. You pick a character class which gives you a selection of abilities, and as you gain experience, you "level up," improving existing abilities and gaining new ones. This is certainly the most straightforward method of play, and it is a time-tested, time-honored method of character creation and advancement. Quite simply: it works. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Nonhuman Species</h3><p style="text-align: left;">As discussed in an earlier blog, nonhuman species ranging from elves and dwarves to werewolves and vampires, angels, demons, and beyond, are represented by what essentially amounts to a single-level character class that you pick up when you create the character. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Point Buy Characters</h3><p style="text-align: left;">There are those, however, who prefer a more freeform style of play, which allows them to customize their character abilities and create a completely unique character distinct from what everyone else can do. Character classes certainly carry the weakness of being somewhat archetypal (though your tiered attributes will certainly make a difference). </p><p style="text-align: left;">In the optional rules appendix, we provide guidelines for a completely point-buy method of character generation and advancement. You get a pool of points to spend and you buy the abilities and advancement progressions you want, building your character from the ground up. Such an approach requires careful collaboration with the GM, to ensure game balance is maintained, but the option is there, and characters created in this fashion <i>will have the same character sheet and same statistics and those created through class and levels. </i></p><p style="text-align: left;">In the point buy system, you can simply spend your character creation points on a nonhuman species, making it part of your character. Because of the range of abilities nonhuman species gain, selecting one may cost the lion's share of your initial points. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Thereafter, you will spend your experience points to purchase more abilities or improve existing ones. A separate experience system is offered for this purpose. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1814" data-original-width="2705" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcf2u8W7MFkEFqiEiq9hHTW-cp5e9M_X25ZXDDGputZSU9s3U_Jtg3H4aLs3uhY4qs8qwqMigcnsa3x-c6fUQZMImbuYD8chAsQ1zutPVGYY_CYphFbq6d5NfZ_fTcmE6jgCfTMnpe_bCPH0Da9eHeA01QP1sK73_M1IWjFEAbIY6rDNR243badaG1Xaw/w635-h427/Odin%20vs%20Old%20One.jpg" width="635" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">Odin vs. the Old One</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;">Customizing Core Mechanics</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Finally, you can even completely customize the core mechanics of your game. As discussed before, and above, the core O.G.R.E.S. system consists of three key mechanics. Many folks, of course, would prefer a unified mechanic. We have you covered there as well. And again, regardless of what approach you take, <i>there is no need to alter the statistics on your character sheet in any way whatsoever. </i></p><p style="text-align: left;">The first option for core mechanic customization is presented in <b>Wasted Lands: </b>Chapter 5, which is called <a href="https://www.elflair.com/pdf-products#qCLiMp" target="_blank">Powered by O.R.C.S.</a> This system is that which powered our original <b>Spellcraft & Swordplay </b>RPG. It makes use of a 2d6, roll over unified mechanic, wherein you throw 2d6, add applicable bonuses, and attempt to get a 14 or better. </p><p style="text-align: left;">For those who were fans of <b>S&S, </b>this brings O.R.C.S. back to the table in a full game format, and also presents some important revisions to the system which will be used in any future O.R.C.S. games moving forward. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Beyond this, and again, in the Optional Rules appendix, we present three other options for unified task resolution in your O.G.R.E.S. games. The first is a straight d20 roll-over system. This converts all class abilities to the "d20 + bonuses <u>></u> 20 mechanic used in our ability check method. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Next up, we present rules for converting the entire game to a percentile system, converting the attribute checks to function on the same mechanic as class abilities. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Finally, we present guidelines to convert the entire game to a dice pool system, allowing you to roll a dice pool and count successes, similar to our own Cd8 system. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We believe these to be the most common and popular methods of task resolution across the board, and now you can play <b>Wasted Lands </b>or <b><a href="https://www.elflair.com/s/shop" target="_blank">Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars</a> </b>with any resolution method your table prefers. Best of all, you can take your characters that use a dice pool method and still use them in a percentile, d20, standard O.G.R.E.S., or O.R.C.S. game - no changes are necessary! </p><p style="text-align: left;">So there you have it. When we say that Powered by O.G.R.E.S. means your game, your way. we really mean it! </p><p>Stay tuned for more behind the curtain looks at O.G.R.E.S. as we go on, and be sure to <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">hit up the Kickstarter</a>, back, and share everywhere you can! We need your support as we move forward into a new era for RPGs. </p><div>Follow Elf Lair Games online: <br />Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/">www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/</a><br />Website: <a href="http://www.elflair.com">www.elflair.com</a><br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG">https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/">https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4">https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4</a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-75015623411195261022023-06-19T17:52:00.003-04:002023-06-19T17:52:43.326-04:00Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age - Class Abilities in O.G.R.E.S.<p> Previous blogs in this series:</p><p></p><ul><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/04/wasted-lands-dreaming-age-is-imminent.html" target="_blank">Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age is Imminent!</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/05/will-wasted-lands-be-retroclone.html" target="_blank">Will Wasted Lands be a Retroclone?</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/wasted-lands-what-are-divine-touchstones.html" target="_blank">What Are Divine Touchstones?</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/races-species-in-wasted-lands-dreaming.html" target="_blank">Races (Species) and Cultural Backgrounds</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/wasted-lands-how-do-tiered-abilities.html" target="_blank">How Do Tiered Abilities Work?</a> </li></ul><h2>Class Abilities - Powered by O.G.R.E.S.</h2><p>In previous blogs we've looked behind the curtain at what <a href="https://www.elflair.com/" target="_blank">the O.G.R.E.S. system</a> brings to the table for your fantasy game, whether it is a retroclone or something different, and how features such as Divine Touchstones, nonhuman Species and cultural backgrounds, and Tiered Attributes work in the game. The most recent blog with Tiered Attributes took a look at the ability check mechanic, which functions by rolling a d20, adding applicable bonuses and trying to get a 20 or better. </p><p>This blog will look at how class abilities work in the O.G.R.E.S. system. For those who are familiar with old-school gaming, it should look quite familiar, though with a few twists to better codify and unify the mechanic across the board. For those who are new, we'll also look at why we chose a separate mechanic for the class abilities rather than sticking with the d20 check. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2782" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFdeYUbtAL6FBc4p2_4LwjCTFE17ps4QEljmvUq9-6YOH8Hr1aqbBt9hMY4dGiIP2xw96JmL0CUH7NFlgowOD1QRrOKed_W1laVBFJM9J6Sb2fFte2eH0gk6ejbunBFtLkLV1zWhRCMKfkrMqSKGe9QaTFFgl63GoBjkP2Gq2pwBbkuz6t6CTwIQhCf4/w377-h488/NicoleCardiff_COVER.tif" width="377" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">Art by Nicole Cardiff. Used under license.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Class Ability Mechanic</h2><p>The class ability mechanic in the O.G.R.E.S. system is quite simple - a straight percentile roll attempting to get equal to or less than your score. Thus, if you have a 50% chance to accomplish something, you roll percentile dice, and a 0 to 50 succeeds. In many cases, the base percentile chance is adjusted up or down, usually in 5- to 10-point increments, based on the difficulty of the task. From behind the screen, the GM can set a level of difficulty, multiply that by 5, and apply the result to the base chance of success. </p><p>The GM may decide, for example, that a Warrior attempting to track a quarry through the wilderness sees their chance modified by the difference between the Warrior's level and their opponent's. If the Warror, then, is level 5, and the opponent level 8, there is a 3-level difference. Multiplying these 3 levels by 5 results in 15, so the Warrior's Tracking ability is reduced by 15% for this check. </p><p>On the other hand, if the Warrior is higher level than their opponent, their chance may increase by a like amount - a 5th-level Warrior tracking a 2nd-level quarry would improve their Tracking chance by 15%. As with <a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/wasted-lands-how-do-tiered-abilities.html" target="_blank">Difficulty Bonuses in attribute checks</a>, the GM may or may not choose to tell the player what the difficulty is; they may merely say, "you succeeded," or "you failed." </p><p>This does not mean, for example, that you cannot try something that is not a class ability. Consider a Renegade attempting to sneak up on a target. Other characters in the party may also attempt this. The Renegade rolls their stealth ability. Other characters make an Agility check. </p><p>The difference is that if the Renegade fails their stealth ability, they can <i>still </i>attempt an Agility check. They essentially get two shots at it. In addition, the Renegade, if they succeed, is assumed to be <i>absolutely </i>silent and undetectable. Other characters may still have to beat an enemy's Wits save, or suffer a "rule of 2" check even if they succeed. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="3508" data-original-width="2480" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbpFizdvQYEXFrlGsofYyEqzptWYzaalnlJWEbpPyRkpjvabf5OlLGEQaPi_vJwyIaFw6zrgTsAtxAGBk_5VOlHus5vAqZh0BYdnfZ_g588oBv7bFyCNkGgV74n3njn_eANhWkrCJeqFTA2NczASOdDH0hfpLtw_B490huO0cqV7fnk24eTBZehrb7w4/w397-h562/AaronLee_CGCHAR.jpg" width="397" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">Artwork by Aaron Lee. Used under license.</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Spellcasting in O.G.R.E.S.</h2><p>The class ability mechanic in O.G.R.E.S. even applies to casting spells. O.G.R.E.S., unlike many old-school games, does not use a so-called "Vancian" or "Fire and Forget" magic system. Rather, the caster has a base spellcasting percentage which like all class abilities improves as the character goes up in level. This percentage is then modified downward by 5% per level of the spell they are casting. A first-level spell, then, reduces casting by 5%. A fifth-level spell reduces casting by 25%. </p><p>So long as you do not fail a casting roll, you can continue to cast spells all day long. If you do fail a casting roll, your spell backfires in some way, requiring a check on a spell backfire table to see how badly it blows up in your face. You may lose access to the spell until the next day. You may have no ill effects except a spell failure. You could summon a horrific demon from the depths of the Underworld that instantly attacks you. It all depends on the power of the spell you were trying to cast, and your result on the table. </p><p>The rationale for applying the class ability mechanic to spellcasting is to keep it unified with the rest of the class abilities. In old-school versions of games, the mechanics used in O.G.R.E.S. are all baked into the system - rangers of old used percentile dice to track. Thieves of old used percentile dice for their stealth abilites. The same goes for their comparable classes in <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank"><b>Wasted Lands</b></a>. Spellcasters, however, always and inexplicably used a completely different mechanic for casting spells, and stand alone for that. We took the opportunity to unify magic users, psychics, and the like so that their abilities function the same as any other class'. </p><h2>Why Two Mechanics?</h2><p>We live in a world of game design where unified mechanics rule common wisdom. There is nothing wrong with unified mechanics, and indeed, Wasted Lands offers guidelines to convert the entire game to whichever type of unified resolution system you like - d20, percentile, or even dice pool - all without changing the stats. We also include the return of the O.R.C.S. system that powered Spellcraft & Swordplay if you prefer that approach. So you do have the way to truly make the game your own. </p><p>The idea behind using more than one resolution mechanic is that there is an elegance to the mechanics both fading into the background while you play, while at the same time giving you an instant insight into what is going on at any given time. Consider the all-too-common scenario of the players paying half-attention at the table when the GM tells one player to make a roll for something. </p><p>Suddenly the entire table comes to life with everyone asking, "What's she doing? Can I make a roll, too?" </p><p>In this case, if the roll the player makes is percentile-based, the other players immediately know that it's class-ability-related, so they have a better chance of succeeding than anyone else. It lets you know when a character is digging into the area of expertise where they shine. </p><h2>Skills in O.G.R.E.S.</h2><p>By default, the O.G.R.E.S. system seeks to keep things as simple and straightforward as possible, so skills are not an essential part of the system. They are, however, included as an optional subsystem that allows you to give characters a bit more definition regarding what they can do and what their knowledge is outside of their character class. Skills, essentially, work like any other class ability, which means they use percentile checks, modified up or down in 5% or 10% increments based on the difficulty of the task at hand. </p><p>That's all for today! Stay tuned for more behind the curtain looks at O.G.R.E.S. as we go on, and be sure to <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">hit up the Kickstarter</a> and sign up to be notified when we go live!</p><div>Follow Elf Lair Games online: <br />Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/">www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/</a><br />Website: <a href="http://www.elflair.com">www.elflair.com</a><br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG">https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/">https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4">https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4</a></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-35238347450201003222023-06-13T13:21:00.004-04:002023-06-13T13:23:24.294-04:00Wasted Lands RPG: How do Tiered Abilities Work? <p> First things first: If you're new to the blog and are curious about other "deep dives" into the Wasted Lands, O.G.R.E.S., and how it all works, check out our other blogs in this series (or just click on one of the label tags): </p><p></p><ol><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/races-species-in-wasted-lands-dreaming.html" target="_blank">Races (Species) in Wasted Lands</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/wasted-lands-what-are-divine-touchstones.html" target="_blank">What are Divine Touchstones?</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/05/will-wasted-lands-be-retroclone.html" target="_blank">Will Wasted Lands Be a Retroclone?</a></li><li><a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/04/wasted-lands-dreaming-age-is-imminent.html" target="_blank">Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age is Imminent!</a></li></ol><h2>Tiered Abilities in Wasted Lands</h2><p>Wasted Lands is Powered by O.G.R.E.S., the house system for <a href="https://www.elflair.com/" target="_blank">Elf Lair Games</a>. It uses three base mechanics on the backend: the Check mechanic, the percentile Class Ability mechanic, and the Rule of 2. The most common of these is the straight-up d20 attribute check and combat mechanic, and that is the focus of this blog. This mechanic covers everything from save checks to sneaking, searching for clues in a setting, and anything else that is not covered by a class ability, while also serving as a <i>backup </i>for class abilities. </p><p>That is to say, if you have a class ability - say, a Renegade's ability to move stealthily - you can make a class ability check. If you fail at that check, you may still attempt a standard attribute check to fall back on. Those without class abilities are stuck with just a standard attribute check (and may still suffer consequences, but that's a rule for another blog). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank"><img alt="Wasted Lands cover images" border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="1024" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-Q-XfW4DGEYR1ZPwoMl94GqOdJtbRwu6G-e9aunAzjVM73G6BxF-kIS3vXgbEts-mVcX0t26XyVJqLXyv2EG9JbJOihki714HeWB4u1KGJhbQU_jKES_nFMI9mVWxdmqNFwvsbBf94Q0rnlNnKWzbfTtBzIAbQzvSi8EWhMZqyXWrgxsR7uWbNpz/w476-h269/Kickstarter%20Image.jpg" title="Wasted Lands cover images" width="476" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">Attribute checks use a Tiered system</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><h2>What Are Tiered Abilities?</h2><p>Tiered abilities in O.G.R.E.S. are one way that characters can differentiate themselves within a character class. Each character has a single Tier 1 ability, also called an <i>aspect. </i>This ability is set by their character class. Renegades, for example, are aspected towards Agility, while Warriors are aspected towards Strength. </p><p>From there, you choose <i>two </i>additional abilities, which are Tier 2, or "normal." The remaining three abilities are Tier 3, or "disadvantaged." </p><p>Each Tier of ability gains a bonus progression - Aspected abilities begin at +2 and progress at multiples of 3 (so +3 at level 3, +4 at level 6, etc.) Normal abilities begin at +1 and progress at multiples of 4. Disadvantaged abilities begin at no bonus and progress at multiples of 5. </p><h2>Making Attribute Checks</h2><p>When you make an attribute check in O.G.R.E.S., you roll 1d20, add all relevant bonuses, and try to get a 20 or better. On the player end, these bonuses almost always include your attribute bonus and your check bonus progression, so if you are making a Strength check, you have a +2 Strength Bonus, Strength is your Aspect, and you are third level (+2), you roll a d20 and add +4. </p><p>It may seem very difficult to get a 20 with only a +4 bonus, but on the other side of the screen, the GM adds a difficulty bonus from +0 (extremely difficult) to +10 or higher (extremely easy). The GM may or may not tell you what this difficulty bonus is. If, then, the GM deems the check is easy (+8), your check will be d20 + 4 + 8, or d20 +12, much easier to make. </p><h2>Combat</h2><p>Combat works off of the attribute check system as well, with a few modifications: Tiered abilities do not come into play in combat, and not everyone adds their attribute bonuses. Some classes add strength to melee and/or dexterity to ranged attacks. Some classes (like sorcerers, psychics, necromancers, and the like) add their Aspected attribute bonus to spell, power, or gadget attacks. Your individual class will tell you what ability score bonuses you add to what types of attacks. </p><p>In addition, each class has an attack progression which provides a "to hit" bonus. You add this bonus to your d20 roll as well. </p><p>Finally, you add the opponent's Defense Value (equivalent to Armor Class in other OSR games) to your roll - it essentially functions as the Difficulty Bonus. This means a lower DV is better than a higher one. Also, just as with the Difficulty Bonus, you may not always know the enemy's DV; it's left to the GM to determine whether they want to share that information or keep it secret. </p><p>So combat, in the end, sees you rolling 1d20 + appropriate attribute modifiers + to hit bonus + enemy DV and trying to get a 20 or better. </p><p>There you have it! That's the core of the <b><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">Wasted Lands: the Dreaming Age</a></b> attribute check and combat system. Next up: the class ability system, and optional rules such as skills in the Wasted Lands. Be sure to <b><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/wasted-lands-the-dreaming-age-role-playing-game?ref=cqch00" target="_blank">check out our forthcoming Kickstarter and sign up to be notified</a></b>!</p><p>Follow Elf Lair Games online: </p><p></p><div>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/">www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/</a><br />Website: <a href="http://www.elflair.com">www.elflair.com</a><br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG">https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/">https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4">https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4</a></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-88557840622029931992023-06-06T08:56:00.003-04:002023-06-13T13:23:16.336-04:00Species (Races) in Wasted Lands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb4fR5HdimApMxGX4qpWyhIfjzyRksNde9M_Ffzh7P6IgmlKahpjxmH152SCjjAIOzjxTNL1MiUZIFdtustlD40kq4x88r-jDGeOo2c8K5wS4F0vLPdmrR-2rXxYuWfdgB1z5k_obDln4udclbepGWylWKxeg0Aq27FVPXgBDAt2G5zCXiTnotG9e/s2046/Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="2046" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb4fR5HdimApMxGX4qpWyhIfjzyRksNde9M_Ffzh7P6IgmlKahpjxmH152SCjjAIOzjxTNL1MiUZIFdtustlD40kq4x88r-jDGeOo2c8K5wS4F0vLPdmrR-2rXxYuWfdgB1z5k_obDln4udclbepGWylWKxeg0Aq27FVPXgBDAt2G5zCXiTnotG9e/w595-h169/Logo.jpg" width="595" /></a></div><br /><p>It's time for another peek behind the curtain in Wasted Lands. In case you've missed our past posts, we have already covered <a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/05/will-wasted-lands-be-retroclone.html" target="_blank">what type of game Wasted Lands will be</a>, and <a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/06/wasted-lands-what-are-divine-touchstones.html" target="_blank">how Divine Touchstones work</a> in game. This time we'll look at nonhuman species and cultural backgrounds. These things in the O.G.R.E.S. system work a bit differently than some of our old-school (and even new-school) players may be used to seeing, but at the same time will have a degree of familiarity. Let's dive in. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Why "Species?"</h2><p>First things first: why "species" and not "race?" The use of the term "species" goes back to <b><a href="https://www.elflair.com/" target="_blank">Night Shift: VSW</a>.</b> We chose the term species for a couple reasons (and we did it long before those Wizards decided to pretend it's some sort of socially relevant term). First, it's flat-out more accurate: elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, and the like are quite literally a <i>different species from humanity. </i>Races occur within the same species. We're not posturing or trying to make any sort of statement - it's just, quite simply, a more accurate term. </p><p>Second, it's just another move away from the D&D-centric OGL, though that one admittedly no longer applies now that those guys have jumped on the bandwagon with the term. </p><p>Okay, now that we have that out of the way....</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Species in the Dreaming Age</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Technically, there are no nonhuman species in the dreaming age. By and large that's because even the proto-humans that dominate the age aren't true <i>homo sapiens, </i>and are themselves genetically divergent. Many are even sterile and cannot produce offspring (though not all, by any stretch - reproduction has been necessasry and essential for the species to survive for the millennia or three that have passed since the Other Gods were driven into their eternal slumber). </p><p style="text-align: left;">We <i>do, </i>however, optionally allow for cultural backgrounds among humans in the Dreaming Age. These backgrounds are found in the optional rules appendix, and they work <i>identically </i>to species. They cover things like a hunter-gatherer culture, a horse culture, a warrior culture, a sorcerous culture, etc. </p><p style="text-align: left;">There is also an option to play a Serpentfolk character, which technically would be the only nonhuman species allowable. In the future we may add one or two others such as Deep Ones, but it is my feeling that the more nonhuman species added to the Dreaming Age, the less it feels like a Lovecraftian/Howardian swords and sorcery setting, and the more it feels like, well, <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i>. So don't look for too many species in this core setting. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Traditional Fantasy with Wasted Lands</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Now, all that being said, one of the biggest requests we've seen from fans was that Wasted Lands should be easily divorced from its setting so that one can use it to play any type of fantasy they like. For that reason alone it was important to include guidelines for dwarves, orcs, goblins, and the like. They can be found in the optional rules appendix, along with some other guidelines to help with traditional style epic fantasy using the O.G.R.E.S. (or O.R.C.S., if you prefer) rules set. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">So How Do Species and Backgrounds Work?</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Species (and backgrounds, if you choose to include them) work the same way. They are, in old school terms, something of a cross between race-as-class as it existed in BX and BECMI, and race-and-class as in original, Advanced, and later editions of That Famous Game. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Species and cultural backgrounds function quite literally as single-level classes that you take at character creation. They provide a very specific set of abilities unique to the species and/or culture they represent (species traits also represent the common culture from which the species hails). They provide a single Vitality Die for Vitality Points, usually a specific save bonus, and other abilities (dwarves, for example, get the expected mining and craftsmanship abilities, and certain weapon proficiencies). You gain +0 to hit, no save bonus, and no Tiered check
bonuses for ability scores.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Species and Backgrounds also have an XP Threshold, usually between 1,000 and 2,000 XP.</p><p style="text-align: left;">You then begin play without a character class, only this species or cultural background. When you reach the XP Threshold, your experience total resets to zero, you choose a character class, and proceed as normal, selecting your Tier 1, 2, and 3 ability scores, starting your to-hit progression, etc. </p><p style="text-align: left;">You <i>do not have to choose a species class to be a member of a species. </i>If you wish to play an elf, for example, that bucks the trend, you simply play a normal character without choosing the elf species, and say that your character is an elf. In this case, your species is simply a matter of appearance - you look like an elf, but you don't have their fey magic, nightvision, and the like. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Can I Have a Species and a Cultural Background?</h2><p style="text-align: left;">There is no reason you couldn't have both a species and a cultural background. Simply choose both. Any redundant abilities are just that - redundant. They do not combine unless something in the species or background says otherwise. A species that has stealth abilities like a Renegade combined with a background that provides the same, for example, may improve your stealth abilities by 10% <i>if both state that having the ability as a part of the renegade class allows this. </i>If, however, you then choose Renegade as a character class you wouldn't get the +10% again. It's a one-off bonus. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Choosing both a species and a cultural background, however, would require you to gain the full XP threshold of both combined before choosing a normal character class. If, then, your species has a threshold of 1,500 and your culture has a threshold of 1,000, you would have to gain 2,500 XP before you could take a class. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">What if Everyone Selects a Species or Background?</h2><p style="text-align: left;">If everyone at the table agrees to take a Species or Background, the GM can grant everyone a "bonus" or "bank" of 1,000 XP or the cost of the lowest XP threshold at the table, reducing the cost to take a character class accordingly. Thus, if everyone chooses a species that costs 1,500 XP, the GM can hand-wave the requirement and let everyone also start with a class, since no balance issues are in play. </p><p style="text-align: left;">If, on the other hand, you have four players, and each takes a background or species with XP thresholds of 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, and 1,500, the GM may award a "bank" of 1,000 XP. This allows the player who chose the 1,000 XP species to take a class immediately. The two players with 1,500 XP thresholds need only gain 500 XP each, and the 2,000 XP player will need gain only 1,000 before selecting a class. </p><p style="text-align: left;">In the end, however, the XP "bank" award is left entirely to the GM, who is not required to hand out such a discount. They can require playing through the XP threshold as they like. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhSzYzBFx-GHUATxufZTK2rqOv5ADFF-AxF-LN0HAn62h64kW-rNQv-flxPeev04maO9-naukLOY34CebaPT_6o0ZHX_4997mz4gcKbaDUJawXWw8LqYUxmNNKpkkWxoq3Gk06QenUYo-WsVu8j-d5h0QbTq_QxfXxUBRkj8ILa7SnQG12IG_YuLZ/s2671/Clip%20Art%20Critters-Ogre%20Attack-BKM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2671" data-original-width="2562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhSzYzBFx-GHUATxufZTK2rqOv5ADFF-AxF-LN0HAn62h64kW-rNQv-flxPeev04maO9-naukLOY34CebaPT_6o0ZHX_4997mz4gcKbaDUJawXWw8LqYUxmNNKpkkWxoq3Gk06QenUYo-WsVu8j-d5h0QbTq_QxfXxUBRkj8ILa7SnQG12IG_YuLZ/s320/Clip%20Art%20Critters-Ogre%20Attack-BKM.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Art by Bradley K. McDevitt. Used under license.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;">Sample Species: Orc-Men</h2><div><div>Orc-Men are a hybrid species formed of the union of a human and an orc. These creatures are almost always formed from broken homes or broken relationships, and are almost never accepted among orcs, who view them as weak. They can, however, gain positions of prestige among humans, who are more accepting of their heritage. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Size: </b>Medium (6 to 7 feet tall)</div><div><b>Vitality Die: </b>1d10</div><div><b>Saves:</b> Orc-Men gain +2 to Toughness saves and +2 to Strength saves</div><div><b>Move:</b> 30 ft.</div><div><b>Senses:</b> Orc-Men gain darksight, enabling them to see in near-absolute dark for up to 60 feet. This sight functions in all but the most absolute darkness; so long as there is any ambient light, they can see, albeit fine details may be difficult to discern in the darkest caverns. </div><div>Weapons and Armor: Orc-men may use any swords or axes, and can wear armor up to chainmail.</div><div><b>XP Cost:</b> 1,000</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Species/Cultural Abilities</b></h3><div><b>Powerful Combatants: </b>Orc-Men may add their strength to melee combat attack and damage rolls. In addition, when they hit an opponent, the Orc Man rolls an additional die, keeping the best of all rolled. This combines with similar abilities allowing additional dice, but does not add an extra die kept. </div><div>Human Lineage: Orc-Men may choose any single first-level class ability, which advances as normal, regardless of the class they later choose. If the ability they choose is part of their eventual chosen class, it gains a +10% bonus when they enter the class. Remember that they remain first-level when they choose a class, so this ability does not advance until they gain second level in their eventual class.</div></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Sample Background: Sorcerous Culture</h2><div><div>You come from a society where the magical arts are prized. Perhaps your region is ruled by a council of the Wise or a council of magi. Perhaps it’s a dark, cult-based society overrun by the Bleeding. Perhaps it is even a village formed on a site of Radiance, dedicated to spreading the knowledge of the “True Magick” of the earth to all the corners of the world. Whatever the specifics, magic runs in your blood, and most people in your community have a gift for the arts. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Vitality Die: </b>d6</div><div><b>Saves: </b>+2 to Intelligence, Wits, or Persona saves (choose one; this cannot be changed)</div><div><b>Move:</b> 30 ft.</div><div><b>Senses: </b>You gain no special senses (but see mystical senses, below)</div><div><b>Weapons and Armor: </b> Staves, daggers, slings, and light armor up to and including studded leather. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Cultural / Background Abilities </b></h3><div><b>Corruptible: </b>Any time you suffer Degeneracy, you suffer an additional point beyond that which you would normally suffer. Thus, if you would suffer one point of Degeneracy from spellcasting, a Bleeding site, or another source, you instead suffer two. If you would suffer three, you instead suffer four. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Enhanced Sorcery: </b>If you choose the sorcerer/sorceress character class, you increase your base spellcasting percentage by 10%. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mystical Senses:</b> You may use the Mystical Senses spell as a spell-like ability at will, with no spell components necessary. You need not make a casting check to use this ability.</div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Sorcerous Blood: </b>Choose one first-level spell or one Arcane Power from the Sorcerer spell list. You may use this spell or power once per day. If the ability is a spell, you need no components to cast it, and you need not make a casting check to use this ability. If you later choose Sorcerer/Sorceress as your character class, this spell or arcane power does not count against those you know for your class. </p><p style="text-align: left;">That's all for this round. Next time, a peek behind the curtain at how tiered abilities work in O.G.R.E.S.</p><div><br /></div><div><b>XP Cost:</b> 1,500</div></div><p style="text-align: left;">Follow Elf Lair Games online: <br />Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/">www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/</a><br />Website: <a href="http://www.elflair.com">www.elflair.com</a><br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG">https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/">https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4">https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-70823988910255249592023-06-01T10:38:00.006-04:002023-06-13T13:23:06.773-04:00Wasted Lands RPG: What Are Divine Touchstones?<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXQzFz86BWZGCbD1yFkVeEBGSz1_XXAPJVhUvnB0MjGrCSQ1FJZtMFAYaGFjkTRED9hE0uWaN1PZlT16kzcjaA4xQO-ohJg4TMrB6tlyaFG87y6NYbeTrszxq8tc3Stwz2_OLU-618vFa53FRnpymYXS4jH0hleK0S5akLuRP9fu04BPn2OoUv6sS/s2046/Logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="2046" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXQzFz86BWZGCbD1yFkVeEBGSz1_XXAPJVhUvnB0MjGrCSQ1FJZtMFAYaGFjkTRED9hE0uWaN1PZlT16kzcjaA4xQO-ohJg4TMrB6tlyaFG87y6NYbeTrszxq8tc3Stwz2_OLU-618vFa53FRnpymYXS4jH0hleK0S5akLuRP9fu04BPn2OoUv6sS/w665-h189/Logo.jpg" width="665" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">(This blog cross-posted from <a href="http://elflairgames.blogspot.com">elflairgames.blogspot.com</a>. Follow us over there as well!)</p><h2>Peoples and Culture of the Dreaming Age</h2><p>The core conceit behind <a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2023/05/will-wasted-lands-be-retroclone.html" target="_blank">Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age</a> is that you play the origins of the gods of old. You are not actually <i>playing </i>gods - in fact, you're not even <i>playing </i>modern humans. You are playing "proto-humans" who were created by the Great Old Ones experimenting on native creatures. Thus, while every "human" has the same game stats, one might look more avian, one may appear reptilian, another simian, one rodentian, etc. </p><p>Similarly, the cultures in the Dreaming Age are sort of proto-versions of later ancient world cultures. The game is set 54 million years ago, between the time of the K/T Extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs (and sent the Old Ones into their eternal slumber), and a second great cataclysm that wipes all the remaining traces of the Old Ones' civilizations from the world. During this time, the species that calls themselves "human" has moved into the cities and facilities they built for the Old Ones, and has built their own civilizations. Some elements of these civilizations will filter down through ancenstral memories to become ancient Minoa, Greece, Rome, Babylon, the Aztec and Mayan empires, various indigenous cultures, and the like. </p><p>But that is millions and millions of years away. </p><h2>The Birth of Gods</h2><p>Along with these cultures, the exploits of the player characters will filter down to create the stories of the gods of legend. In this game, your character may be named Odin, but he is <b>not </b>the All-Father; rather, he is a wandering warrior who shares some traits with the Odin of mythology. As he interacts with tales similar to those of the myths of a father/war/knowledge/magic deity, he begins to develop supernatural abilities. These occur because the world is rife with magical energies, and are called (in game terms) Divine Touchstones. </p><p>It's also worth noting that characters will choose several spheres of influence which we call "Divine Archetypes" as descriptors for their character. As above, for example, Odin might have Father, War, Magic, and Knowledge. The player chooses one of these archetypes to be the primary focus of their journey. The others are secondary or tertiary. They have little game function, but serve as a guideline for the Game Master in developing stories, and for the player in defining who their hero is. They also guide in the types of Divine Touchstones the character gains. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgX2vgHWCCPWyos-9Ex_ZOjkof9x_9se8Ce0gziyCbayQCver3CWDuowj4Q1peb69DfPzYgrk7WOdBxYk3sV7phcb0IJWzBxHWRMZ0z9OUc5uwE6yqieyc0KX0Cuv5V6FAICwcESyiT2lrRdAjcQilfR7ZMk8PQQH2X7VWh0S47F66T7jQbjLSU4_A/s661/Cover%20Concept%20Campaign%20Guide_sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="541" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgX2vgHWCCPWyos-9Ex_ZOjkof9x_9se8Ce0gziyCbayQCver3CWDuowj4Q1peb69DfPzYgrk7WOdBxYk3sV7phcb0IJWzBxHWRMZ0z9OUc5uwE6yqieyc0KX0Cuv5V6FAICwcESyiT2lrRdAjcQilfR7ZMk8PQQH2X7VWh0S47F66T7jQbjLSU4_A/w434-h530/Cover%20Concept%20Campaign%20Guide_sm.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wasted Lands Campaign Guide cover art by Altro Evo. Used under license.</span></i></div></i><h2>Types of Magic</h2><p>The two major types of magic are The Bleeding and The Radiance. The Bleeding is the energy of the Deeper Dark, the source of Degeneracy and Corruption. It forms the vast majority of mystical energy but it calls upon maddening forces of darkness from the spaces between spaces that "bleed through" into the world from sites of rot, foul deeds, and the like. Because the world has been so long affected by the Other Gods (Old Ones), the Bleeding is ubiquitous. Likewise, humanity (such as it is), having been created by the Other Gods, is also subject to corruption and spiritual decay, further strengthening The Bleeding. </p><p>The Radiance, on the other hand, is the magical energy of the Earth itself. Earth, as a world, is beginning to "wake up" in the Dreaming Age, and discover that it has power. In sites far from where the Old Ones worked their dark experiments, this magical energy thrives. In addition, great acts of heroism can beat back the Bleeding, converting Bleeding sites into sites of Radiance. <br /></p><p>Divine Touchstones are by and large (though not always) connected to Radiance, rather than the Bleeding. Spellcasting, on the other hand, is connected to the Bleeding, so sorcerers in particular must work hard to maintain a balance, for when one becomes too corrupted by the bleeding, the Radiance becomes toxic to them. </p><h2>Divine Touchstones</h2><p>As stated earlier, Divine Touchstones are gained when the Game Master deems it appropriate, usually at a point where the characters accomplish a great and heroic deed, or when they meaningfully interact with their "mythology." This interaction need not even be with their specific mythology. They might even interact with a similar but divergent mythology. The character playing Thor, for example, may actually engage in a story that mythology attributes to Indra, but since both are storm gods, Thor gains a Divine Touchstone, and helps to spread Indra's myth-cycle in the ancestral memories of humanity. </p><p>In this manner, even if your character dies at some point, their stories go on, and someone else can create the legend of Thor (or Indra, or Zeus, or whoever), despite the passing of the original. </p><p>Divine Touchstones are, quite simply, special powers, akin to superpowers. The game gives a broad selection of these touchstones separated by the character level at which they are appropriate. Others may be possible and the GM and players are encouraged to cook up their own as befits the heroes. </p><p>They are open and customizable - one, for example, allows a character to gain a spell-like ability of the appropriate level. Thus, a fifth-level character may gain a divine touchstone allowing them to cast a third-level spell as a spell-like ability once per day. This spell can be anything appropriate to the character's spheres of influence. The aforementioned Thor or Indra, for example, may gain the ability to call down lightning once per day, while a hero playing Hephaestus might gain a concussive blast of fire, or Seth may gain the ability to create undead.</p><p>Note that <i>not all divine touchstones are spells. </i>That's just used as an example here. They take all sorts of forms, from immunity to certain attack forms to ceasing to age, even to the ability to impart special powers to others. And again, the GM is encouraged to work with players to invent entirely new ones as befits their character concept.</p><p>As you rise in levels and perform greater deeds, you gain more divine touchstones, which represent your apotheosis, of sorts, as you walk the path of the gods. </p><h2>Doesn't That Ramp up Power Levels?</h2><p>Yes, the use of Divine Touchstones does ramp up the power level of the game somewhat, but the speed at which it does, and the level of increase is dependent upon the GM, who determines when Divine Touchstones are handed out. </p><p>For old school gamers who eschew power creep, the game can also easily be played without Touchstones, and just run as a standard swords and sorcery game in a lost epoch of Earth like your favorite Robert E. Howard, Fritz Lieber, Clark Ashton Smith, or Michael Moorcock tales. And like <b><a href="https://www.elflair.com/" target="_blank">Night Shift: VSW</a> </b>it includes options for normal, gritty, and cinematic play so you can tailor the style of game to your desires. </p><h2>What about Traditional Fantasy?</h2><p>Traditional fantasy with elves, dwarves, gnomes, goblins, and the like can also be run with <b>Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age. </b>An appendix to the rules gives you everything you need for nonhuman species and archetypes, and takes a unique approach somewhere between the traditional "race as class" of the basic games, and the "race plus class" approach of the advanced iteration of the game. More on that in our next blog. </p><p><br /></p><div>Follow Elf Lair Games online: <br />Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/">www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/</a><br />Website: <a href="http://www.elflair.com">www.elflair.com</a><br />Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG">https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/">https://www.instagram.com/elflairgames/</a><br />Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4">https://discord.gg/xHBEtBZ8B4</a></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-23557271003496710982023-06-01T09:34:00.003-04:002023-06-13T13:22:59.443-04:00Wasted Lands RPG: Will It Be a Retroclone?<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOVHaYMTYMVbP_ihRzNWMGMb6aNMty2AhdNL6RBNDm0mnFuAFBEl1-jyEbDc1mEjSd6312oDnRRNjqKGjCEaGVEeFYR6vJV0xvcGd9s8ENALnZOxOlblYfwiVUW0WPcqwYsV-7XBWVpAoCGO_wsRwuLgrYo9v2WWVle1LDLeD3ldUmykItNTF4f95/s2046/Logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="2046" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOVHaYMTYMVbP_ihRzNWMGMb6aNMty2AhdNL6RBNDm0mnFuAFBEl1-jyEbDc1mEjSd6312oDnRRNjqKGjCEaGVEeFYR6vJV0xvcGd9s8ENALnZOxOlblYfwiVUW0WPcqwYsV-7XBWVpAoCGO_wsRwuLgrYo9v2WWVle1LDLeD3ldUmykItNTF4f95/w627-h178/Logo.jpg" width="627" /></a></p>(This blog is cross-posted from our <a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Elf Lair Games</a> blog. Please follow us there as well!)<br /><p>I have spent a good deal of time on this blog talking about what O.G.R.E.S. brings to the table for role playing, how it codifies the original system for fantasy role playing (the original, B/X, and advanced versions) to make it clear how intuitive they are to use, and balances out the results to unify the mechanics across the board - making spell casting, for example, work the same as every other class ability by changing it to a percentile instead of Vancian. </p><p>A number of fans across the board have been waiting to see our fantasy take on the system (and it has been TOO long coming - we honestly should've had this done a year ago, but I'm solo on this one. Tim and Derek have been supporting me all the way, helping with proofing, ideas, and critiques, but Elf Lair needed a game that would support the company without the need for royalties. </p><p>We are now coming very close to the launch of the Kickstarter (next month, fingers crossed!), and it will likely be <a href="https://mailchi.mp/832146e13c03/elf-lair-games-newsletter-february-17040506" target="_blank">TWO books, rather than just one</a>. We have an outstanding cartographer and artist working on our world map in the form of <a href="https://meliorahenning.com/" target="_blank">Mel Henning</a>. The world setting (which will comprise Volume 2) is something that I think really kicks ass. </p><p>With that all in mind, people are naturally wondering if O.G.R.E.S. will be a retroclone of old-school gaming, or if it will be something new? The answer is a bit complicated, but the easiest way to say it is, somewhere in between. </p><h2>Retroclone or New Approach? </h2><p>When I say "somewhere in between," it must be stated that O.G.R.E.S. is not, in strict terms, a retroclone. While it does codify systems baked into gaming since the earliest days, it does not replicate the classes, class abilities, or approach of original, basic, or first edition games. You could, for example, use any monster from one of the monster manuals or creature codices from these old editions alongside our games, with little to no changes needed - monsters in O.G.R.E.S. use low DV (AC in old school terms) and are structured around Vitality (Hit Dice), so by applying our <a href="https://www.elflair.com/freebies" target="_blank">free conversion document</a>, you could easily use monsters and even adventures from older editions with little trouble. </p><p>In fact, we even ran statistical analysis on the experience progressions against original through first edition classes, so if you really wanted, you could theoretically run a character class from one of those editions in a Wasted Lands campaign, though you may want to do some work to convert to the universal percentile for class abilities (guidelines can be found in the appendices of Night Shift and Wasted Lands)</p><p>Tim and I since day one have said that the driving goal when we created O.G.R.E.S. was to combine old school sensibilities and mechanics with modern design and play style. O.G.R.E.S. is, to put things simply, a fusion and synthesis of the old and new. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiQ4g5iXtjRZTb177yfKPHqah51xtx4RB81KsoIkoH7b2F5GK77rwV6tzC2ivcg9FbgkkGWt-UTvhELrmdvNTN9QQtRD5QNx9XPjEr4a65jNtg5eEwjOB63U82_nddXc-E5MJ-49AeB2DZHVL2a2fmdOnXJ4N0TP51IRNqTVpTmC0toCIR4zJA98V/s660/Cover%20Concept%20Front_sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="541" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiQ4g5iXtjRZTb177yfKPHqah51xtx4RB81KsoIkoH7b2F5GK77rwV6tzC2ivcg9FbgkkGWt-UTvhELrmdvNTN9QQtRD5QNx9XPjEr4a65jNtg5eEwjOB63U82_nddXc-E5MJ-49AeB2DZHVL2a2fmdOnXJ4N0TP51IRNqTVpTmC0toCIR4zJA98V/w413-h504/Cover%20Concept%20Front_sm.jpg" width="413" /></a></div><h2>What's Different?</h2><p>While the game is compatible with most old-school resources, most of the character classes are quite different from their original and advanced edition versions. The closest would be the Sorcerer and Renegade, but even they have some significant revisions. If you choose to run traditional fantasy with Wasted Lands, character species work entirely different as well. Those who have seen how supernatural species work in Night Shift: VSW will have an idea how elves, dwarves, and the like function in Wasted Lands. </p><p>Essentially, a character species in O.G.R.E.S. (a term we used long before those Wizards that inhabit the Coastal Regions, by the by) is a one-level character class that you choose at character generation. This class gives you all the special abilities of the species you choose. When you reach what would nominally be second level in that class, your XP resets to zero, you choose a normal class, and move forward. </p><p>It's a bit of a combination of race-as-class and race-plus-class. It also eliminates the need for artificial caps on level advancement by balancing the abilities from your species against a human in other ways. </p><p>So there you have it - Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age will feel both very familiar and yet at the same time fresh and new. We hope it will be an exciting approach to fantasy gaming for both old schoolers and newer gamers alike. </p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-56598103031133026712023-05-13T12:14:00.003-04:002023-05-15T10:08:42.974-04:00MCU Films: Multiversal Order<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA-xui9qIhwtFM4HqXnwknmRQpNeW51Fw_RAtyuAcrKwdOLoc5MtsqbA8LNi9bpo5WWnXrmKDP_CMVAE5nD3AyeC9qdH7ZC9wzIpekNaxVsVsmrp-oqmksAh71Qt26XQP0YkGXZfBvKosJ1nUqrckLs9mNtRsAKgkZSPiQ2mWJUhFzGK_2duQBaYcK" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="843" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA-xui9qIhwtFM4HqXnwknmRQpNeW51Fw_RAtyuAcrKwdOLoc5MtsqbA8LNi9bpo5WWnXrmKDP_CMVAE5nD3AyeC9qdH7ZC9wzIpekNaxVsVsmrp-oqmksAh71Qt26XQP0YkGXZfBvKosJ1nUqrckLs9mNtRsAKgkZSPiQ2mWJUhFzGK_2duQBaYcK=w549-h352" width="549" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Now that we have the multiverse officially in place with the MCU, that makes pretty much every single media property throughout the history of the company part of the MCU. In case anyone was wondering, and just for fun, I’ve put together the correct chronological order of ALL of the Marvel films across the entire Multiverse, including all theatrical films since the 1990s. Here they are. All 64 of them so far, should you want to watch them in chronological order. I did not include the TV series in here because let’s be realistic. </p><p>I have also added Earth designations from the official Marvel database, modified with additional designations where crossovers may theoretically exist. It is possible, for example, that the Deadpool movies take place in the X-Men universe, but by no means certain, and it is likely that the intent of Logan is to present an endgame for the Earth-10005 timeline, but it was given its own designation "just in case".)</p><p>According to the Marvel Database, realities designated with "TRN" mean "Temporary Reality Number." Such dimensions in the multiverse are too limited in their presentation to have been given a permanent designation as yet; these may be rolled into other worlds, may become dimensions of their own, or may be wiped out completely in the future. </p><p>Finally, the timeline of Earth-199999 films is <a href="https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline" target="_blank">official as listed by Marvel</a>, so there is really no argument whether they fall where they fall. The other "realities" are inserted based on my own research (and largely based on their year of release OR stated year of occurrence, if one is given). An updated official timeline is slated to be <a href="https://www.marvel.com/articles/culture-lifestyle/marvel-studios-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-an-official-timeline-coming-september-2023" target="_blank">released by Marvel</a> in September 2023; when it is released, some things on this list may be retconned. </p><p>With all that said...let's go!</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Marvel Multiverse: Timeline of Theatrical Films</h2><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Earth-10005)</li><li>Captain America: The First Avenger (Earth-199999)</li><li>X-Men: First Class (Earth-10005)</li><li>The Punisher (Earth-58627)</li><li>Blade (Earth-26320)</li><li>X-Men (Earth-10005)</li><li>Hulk (Earth-400083)/(Earth-199999)</li><li>Blade 2 (Earth-26320)</li><li>Spider-Man (Earth-96283)</li><li>X2: X-Men United (Earth-10005)</li><li>Daredevil (Earth-701306)</li><li>The Punisher (Earth-58732)</li><li>Spider-Man 2 (Earth-96283)</li><li>Blade Trinity (Earth-26320)</li><li>Elektra (Earth-701306)</li><li>Fantastic Four (Earth-121698)</li><li>X-Men: The Last Stand (Earth-10005)</li><li>Spider-Man 3 (Earth-96283)</li><li>Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (Earth-121698)</li><li>Punisher: War Zone (Earth-TRN011)/(Earth-58732)</li><li>The Wolverine (Earth-10005)</li><li>X-Men: Days of Future Past <b>[EARTH-10005 TIMELINE ALTERED AFTER 1970s; EVERYTHING AFTER X-MEN: FIRST CLASS AND UP TO THIS POINT IS QUESTIONABLE - TIMELINE BEGINS ANEW IN THE 1980s</b><b>]</b></li><li>X-Men: Apocalypse (Earth-10005)</li><li>X-Men: Dark Phoenix (Earth-10005)</li><li>Captain Marvel (Earth-199999)</li><li>Iron Man (Earth-199999)</li><li>Iron Man 2 (Earth-199999)</li><li>The Incredible Hulk (Earth-199999)</li><li>Thor (Earth-199999)</li><li>Avengers (Earth-199999)</li><li>Thor: The Dark World (Earth-199999)</li><li>Iron Man 3 (Earth-199999)</li><li>Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Earth-199999)</li><li>Guardians of the Galaxy (Earth-199999)</li><li>Deadpool (Earth-TRN414)/Earth-10005)/(Earth-199999)</li><li>Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 (Earth-199999)</li><li>The Amazing Spider-Man (Earth-120703)</li><li>The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Earth-120703)</li><li>Avengers: Age of Ultron (Earth-199999)</li><li>Ant-Man (Earth-199999)</li><li>Captain America: Civil War (Earth-199999)</li><li>Black Widow (Earth-199999)</li><li>Spider-Man: Homecoming (Earth-199999)</li><li>Black Panther (Earth-199999)</li><li>Doctor Strange (Earth-199999)</li><li>Thor: Ragnarok (Earth-199999)</li><li>Deadpool 2 (Earth-TRN414)/Earth-10005)/(Earth-199999)</li><li>Ant-Man and the Wasp (Earth-199999)</li><li>Avengers: Infinity War (Earth-199999)</li><li>Avengers: Endgame (Earth-199999)</li><li>Venom (Earth-TRN688)/(Earth-120703 (Theory))</li><li>Spider-Man: Far from Home (Earth-199999)</li><li>New Mutants (Earth-TRN414)/(Earth-10005)</li><li>Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Earth-TRN688)/(Earth-120703 (Theory))</li><li>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Earth-TRN700)</li><li>Spider-Man: No Way Home (Earth-199999)</li><li>Morbius (Earth-TRN688)/(Earth-120703 (Theory))</li><li>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings</li><li>Eternals (Earth-199999)</li><li>Thor: Love and Thunder (Earth-199999)</li><li>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Earth-199999)</li><li>Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Earth-199999)</li><li>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Earth-199999)</li><li>Logan (Earth-17315)/(Earth-10005)</li></ol><p></p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-78855719918113771952023-02-28T19:16:00.003-05:002023-02-28T19:21:49.090-05:00Diabetes-Friendly Orange Julius Clone!<p> One of the things I've missed the most after being diagnosed with the 'beetus is a good old-fashioned Orange Julius! I used to love these things - Orange Julius, Strawberry Julius, of course with a banana in it. For years I've wondered how I could get one without spiking my blood sugar, and that, of course, led me to develop a sugar-free recipe. I'm 99% sure this is accurate in terms of flavor and texture. </p><p>Note that this recipe contains a raw egg. If you are concerned about consuming raw eggs, you can substitute <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vital-Farms-Whole-Liquid-Ounce/dp/B07RHCHCLD/ref=sr_1_2_f3_0o_wf?keywords=egg+beaters+liquid+egg+substitute&qid=1677629533&sprefix=egg+beaters+%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-2" target="_blank">pasteurized egg whites or egg beaters</a> instead. Also, it does contain milk so it's not completely sugar-free (a cup of 2% milk has about 12g of sugar from the lactose). </p><p>I expect substituting 2 packets of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nerds-Strawberry-Powder-Delicious-hydration/dp/B0BHTQTMD1/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3US4JMPUONJKO&keywords=Nerds+sugar+free+strawberry+drink+mix&qid=1677629653&s=grocery&sprefix=nerds+sugar+free+strawberry+drink+mix%2Cgrocery%2C115&sr=1-4" target="_blank">strawberry drink mix</a> would work to create a functional strawberry Julius, but it might taste more "artificial" than actual strawberry puree would. Likewise, you can add a half banana to it if you like but that will certainly up the carb count/sugar. </p><p>So here it is. Enjoy. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWmmqg1GD4q3ahS_qZV3egaUgZ5UZZYc00IZO0J0kHK9CFJICK_Lx42PE7k1aQsQ3zu3odC9EeETvvP7CXR-1UUo24bOd_Gqq6wfFyDS1FuCy7YfpwaeG-3Y2Mqlk-PNre7yv96I5QH6wdvpzqogNv34PgnMeT7HJ4iJviLAacBYTd-TR9okSaHjT9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="683" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWmmqg1GD4q3ahS_qZV3egaUgZ5UZZYc00IZO0J0kHK9CFJICK_Lx42PE7k1aQsQ3zu3odC9EeETvvP7CXR-1UUo24bOd_Gqq6wfFyDS1FuCy7YfpwaeG-3Y2Mqlk-PNre7yv96I5QH6wdvpzqogNv34PgnMeT7HJ4iJviLAacBYTd-TR9okSaHjT9=w355-h484" width="355" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Ingredients:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">6 oz. cold water</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1 cup milk (whole or 2%)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1 egg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">2 packets <a href="https://www.amazon.com/packets-original-Orange-flavor-calorie/dp/B07TLZG296/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=sugar+free+tang&qid=1677629153&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Zero Sugar Tang drink mix</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">1/3 cup <a href="https://www.amazon.com/SPLENDA-Sweetener-Granulated-Substitute-Resealable/dp/B001GVIRYS/ref=sr_1_5?crid=O6WHS3CB8HJP&keywords=granulated+splenda&qid=1677629581&sprefix=granulated+splenda%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-5" target="_blank">Splenda</a> or granulated sugar substitute of choice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">6-8 ice cubes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">2 tsp vanilla</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Directions:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Dump it all in a blender (preferably with an ice crush function). Blend until smooth and frosty. Enjoy! Makes about two tall glasses. </div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-85155997556328202562021-10-10T11:13:00.006-04:002021-10-10T11:30:49.764-04:00Star Wars and Me: Re-Watching The Force Awakens<p> Let me preface this by saying if you hated the Prequels or Sequels I don't care and I don't want to hear from you about it. Kindly scroll on past. If your comments are anti-prequel or anti-sequel, I WILL delete your comments without responding. They won't even be approved to show up on the blog. Now, that being said...</p><p>I will NEVER forget how excited I was when the fanfare kicked up on December 18, 2015, at around 7:30 PM as I sat in the theater with my good friend Erika after a 24-hour marathon of all 6 prior Star Wars films, and that title: "EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS" scrolled up the screen. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kDu3JF6S6NE/YWMCw-21FII/AAAAAAAABzo/PWL9i_yzIPoHinPJBhMtw7QWUeTS8JPrQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="630" height="319" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kDu3JF6S6NE/YWMCw-21FII/AAAAAAAABzo/PWL9i_yzIPoHinPJBhMtw7QWUeTS8JPrQCLcBGAsYHQ/w567-h319/image.png" width="567" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">I'm not exaggerating when I say that moment was one of the greatest, most exciting times in my life. Now, my wedding day notwithstanding (which naturally stands head and shoulders above all others) the only other time I felt anything matching that level of anticipation was when the lights went down for <i>The Rise of Skywalker. </i>But we'll get to that in a moment. </div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Star Wars in the 80s</h2><p>I grew up on Star Wars. My earliest memory was seeing <i>A New Hope</i> in the theater in May of 1977 at the age of 2 (going on 3). That was back when it was still just called <i>Star Wars. </i>The <i>A New Hope </i>title didn't appear in the opening crawl until its re-release just before <i>Empire. </i>I had action figures. I met Darth Vader at Kaufmann's before <i>Empire Strikes Back</i> came out. That excitement and love for Star Wars never waned. </p><p>I was not a huge fan of the Expanded Universe. I tried to read the Zahn novels and felt that he utterly failed to capture the voices of the heroes I watched on screen all those years. I thought the idea of clones marked by an extra "u" in their names was dumb. I disliked anti-Force lizards intensely. I also disliked the later addition of the Yuzhaan Vong--creatures entirely based in biotechnology that were somehow immune to the very energy created by all living things simply didn't work in my brain. </p><p>But it was all the Star Wars we had for many years, and it gave us things like the Han Solo trilogy, the Lando Calrissian trilogy, and a few other real gems over the years. To be fair, I have been overly critical of the EU over the years, and even in the Zahn novels there were some great moments. They gave us Mara Jade, after all.</p><p>Again, it was all the Star Wars we had for many years, and it's not surprising people latched onto it and the story it told. I've said I hate the EU before, but I don't. It just to me didn't deliver the continuation I'd hoped for. It did, however, give us the Star Wars fix we needed while Lucas insisted the movies were over. I prefer the new canon, but there were some GEMS in the EU--particularly the Dark Horse <i>Star Wars Legacy</i> comics, which I dearly loved. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1qfgLjgruqg/YWMCH5_eJfI/AAAAAAAABzU/Y7x09PBULuIUNfQq6qgSTo6wuB2qPT4kACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="329" height="546" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1qfgLjgruqg/YWMCH5_eJfI/AAAAAAAABzU/Y7x09PBULuIUNfQq6qgSTo6wuB2qPT4kACLcBGAsYHQ/w359-h546/image.png" width="359" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Prequels and Special Editions</h2><p>When <i>The Phantom Menace</i> came out I stood in a line that wrapped around the theater for 6 hours to get tickets for myself, my then-girlfriend Val, and my folks to see it that night at the 10:00 late show. We loved it. It was a whole new era of Star Wars and showed us the Jedi at the height of their power. It had the same sense of wonder and joy that the original did, and unlike the haters, I didn't accuse it of "ruining my childhood," but only saw it as an expansion of that joy. </p><p>I saw the Special Editions in the theater and had a special tub of popcorn that you could get refilled at the theater as long as any Star Wars film was playing there--I never did test whether it would work many years later, but it worked for all three Special Editions. I Liked the changes made for the the most part. Once again, it didn't "ruin" my childhood. It was STAR WARS. IN THE THEATER. AGAIN. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UclQmy9R4PM/YWMCXbVTjHI/AAAAAAAABzg/EAcRn5V5PWAXMt5eoBysLf-fy_ExjDUQgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1200" height="351" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UclQmy9R4PM/YWMCXbVTjHI/AAAAAAAABzg/EAcRn5V5PWAXMt5eoBysLf-fy_ExjDUQgCLcBGAsYHQ/w624-h351/image.png" width="624" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The New Trilogy</h2><p>Flash forward 10 more years. We all got the announcement we thought we'd never hear: Lucasfilm had been sold to Disney, but more importantly, A NEW TRILOGY WAS IN THE WORKS. </p><p>That movie...Han Solo and Princess Leia back again. A badass new enemy in Kylo Ren who was UTTERLY consumed by the fear and rage of the Dark Side, who carried the Skywalker Legacy with him like his grandfather. An exciting and intriguing new trio of heroes in the form of Rey, Finn, and Poe, who were every bit as dynamic and engaging as the prior generation. I was THERE. I was completely lost once more in a galaxy far, far away. </p><p>I felt that excitement when I saw <i>The Last Jedi,</i> and when I saw <i>The Rise of Skywalker</i> I legitiimately cried in the theater. Several times. It was a picture perfect ending to the saga I'd followed since I was 2 years old. The ending I had waited for, for over 42 years.</p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KHKQxp0uIOw/YWMB7v7SaOI/AAAAAAAABzQ/TMH11pQW4OwjEcK5gGtj4l-rd8q_UKQwgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="401" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KHKQxp0uIOw/YWMB7v7SaOI/AAAAAAAABzQ/TMH11pQW4OwjEcK5gGtj4l-rd8q_UKQwgCLcBGAsYHQ/w602-h401/image.png" width="602" /></a></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Future of Star Wars</h2><p>I love <i>The Mandalorian</i>. I have greatly enjoyed <i>Clone Wars</i> (especially the final season) and <i>Rebels</i>. Ahsoka Tano is possibly my favorite character in the Star Wars universe. I'm looking forward to the Obi-Wan series and <i>Book of Boba Fett</i>. I liked <i>Rogue One</i> (though it's my least favorite) and loved <i>Solo</i>. But none of them hit me like the nine films of the Skywalker Saga. When I watch those six films, even today, I STILL get a little bit of that anticipation in my chest, even though I've seen them all dozens, even of hundreds of times. </p><p>As a side-note, it's ironic how many people who ABHOR the prequels and sequels love the Mandalorian, which is UTTERLY STEEPED IN THE MYTHOLOGY ESTABLISHED BY THE PREQUELS AND SEQUELS. </p><p>At this point, everything else that comes out for Star Wars is just gravy. More sauce for the goose, as Mr. Spock said (to mix metaphors and properties). I'll devour all of it, but those films, those beautiful 9 films...<i>The Last Jedi </i>is probably the least of the 9, but I love every last one of them. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vr-HzHM4SqA/YWMDByOJkhI/AAAAAAAABzw/hwfHJLUOzr4LB8ht5rEmxZ8yalOMhg7iwCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="355" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vr-HzHM4SqA/YWMDByOJkhI/AAAAAAAABzw/hwfHJLUOzr4LB8ht5rEmxZ8yalOMhg7iwCLcBGAsYHQ/w631-h355/image.png" width="631" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Star Wars Isn't Yours</h2><p>I don't care that some of the whiny fanbois in the fandom base still can't do anything but complain about them years later. I don't care that there's people still living in a fantasy world where LFL will "retcon" the sequels out of existence. In fact, I'm sorry for people that have grown so jaded and nitpicky they can't rediscover the childlike wonder that they felt when ANH first rolled in the theater every time they see a crawl and hear that fanfare. </p><p>Every trilogy in the Saga was aimed at a brand new generation, and, I think, that's why a lot of older fans don't like them, though it's very interesting that those who grew up on the prequels tended to be far more accepting of the sequels, and those who hated the prequels tend largely to suddenly not hate them as much after the sequels came out. But in the end, a lot of the reason fans of the original trilogy hate the two subsequent trilogies, I think, is very much the same as the way a lot of grognards in the OSR hate new versions of D&D and the people who play it: it's not THEIR D&D. </p><p>The prequels and sequels aren't THEIR Star Wars. And just like D&D...they're not supposed to be. More people need to shut off their nitpicky, it's-cool-to-hate-and-rage switch, and rediscover their ability to find childlike joy in revisiting that universe, however that visitation might present itself. </p><p>I love Star Wars. And the core, the heart and soul of Star Wars, are those nine films. </p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-23276083601268078742021-08-30T08:19:00.004-04:002021-08-30T08:25:10.109-04:00THE FINAL COUNTDOWN - 5 Days Left on the Night Companion Kickstarter!<p> </p><p><span style="color: #282828; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="1024" height="335" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OBtiYzNZPpc/YSzL68iW3DI/AAAAAAAABwI/e6rfAkFCgYUGrmd3qqZVnPMaYOZVCkuxgCLcBGAsYHQ/w603-h335/Night%2BCompanion%2BBanner%2BFunded.jpg" width="603" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="mb1" data-block="true" data-editor="6d0qj" data-offset-key="cn2t0-0-0" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.6rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="cn2t0-0-0" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Maison Neue Book, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Happy Monday, everyone! I considered posting a link to the video for that song, but I decided not to.
You're welcome for that, by the way.
But in all seriousness, here we go, folks! </span><span style="color: #01ffff;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">5 days left to go on the Kickstarter</span></a> </span><span style="color: white;">so we're in the final push! We've had that odd back-and-forth you get in the middle of every campaign where we gain, then we lose. Let's see if we can actually push this sucker over the top and unlock a couple more stretch goals. We had a great start; now let's roar across the finish line for a fantastic end!
We didn't quite hit that last backer challenge, BUT I am leaving the raffle of a LEATHER copy of the Night Shift: VSW core rules on the table--if we make $6,500 by the end of the campaign, one lucky poster who is in at the $60 and higher level, will win one of the very last leatherbound copies. To see what it looks like, check out the "a few words from Jason" video on the front page. In short, it's blood-red leather with gold foil stamping for the title and a graphic of a vampire skull:
</span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion/" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="892" height="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TkS4_kvj-lY/YSzMXMpeF7I/AAAAAAAABwQ/teGU_nG043YJhQg8a6W81CDJrAFZo17zwCLcBGAsYHQ/w484-h600/Night%2BShift%2B-%2BAlternate%2BLeather.jpg" width="484" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion/" style="color: #01ffff;" target="_blank">I can't wait to get this sourcebook in your hands</a><span style="color: #01ffff;">. </span><span style="color: white;">I'm super excited for it to take O.G.R.E.S. to the next level and make it a true codex of old school gaming. If you're on the fence, now is the time--let's get this puppy going for the last few days. And finally, let's not forget that $6,500 is the stretch goal to add quality GAME MASTER SCREENS to this campaign!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: white;">Carpe Noctem!</span></div></div></div></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-18088494765944001852021-08-06T17:40:00.002-04:002021-08-06T17:44:31.530-04:00The Night Companion is LIVE ON KICKSTARTER!<p> </p><h1 style="text-align: left;">We Are LIVE!</h1><div>Well, folks, we launched this morning and are ROCKETING towards funding on day one! If we can make it, that would be an amazing birthday present for me. I'm thrilled to see it doing so well, and hope we can keep the momentum going. As a reminder, here's what you can expect from the book...</div><h2>They Walk Beside You in the Night...</h2><p><b><i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion" target="_blank">The Night Companion</a></i></b> is the first sourcebook for the Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars Role Playing Game, the old-school RPG of Chosen Ones, Witches, Survivors, Psychics, and Something Weird. Within its pages, you will find:</p><p></p><ul><li>Four new character classes: the Divine Warrior, the Mystic Martial Artist, the Psychic Gunslinger, and the Spirit Rider</li><li>Rules for playing supernatural species including Celestials, Driven, Ghouls, Infernals, Lycanthropes, and Vampires, expanding upon the "Supernatural Race" option in the core rulebook</li><li>New options for generating ability scores for normal, gritty, and cinematic games</li><li>Rules to convert your game from class-and-level to entirely point-buy</li><li>An alternate Alignment system focused on good, evil, light, and dark</li><li>Guidelines to convert your game to a unified mechanic: both d20-based and percentile-based options are covered</li><li>Enhanced combat rules: variable weapon damage, range increments, weapon classes, grappling rules, jumping, drowning, suffocation, poison, disease, and more</li><li>New Arcane Powers and spells, plus enhanced rules for ritual magic</li><li>A GM section that goes behind the scenes of the system, talks about keeping track of your play style options, gives guidelines for creating cults and secret societies, and discusses tropes of sub-genres of horror and how to use them in your game</li><li>Dozens of new monsters, enemies, and NPCs for your game</li><li>New art by industry notable Bradley K. McDevitt, commissioned just for this book. At first, it will be the new classes and species, but more may be added depending on how well the Kickstarter does (see Stretch Goals).</li></ul><p></p><p>This book really blows the doors off of your Night Shift: VSW game!</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="1024" height="335" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-plqHD8qV9Bs/YQ2tEIT765I/AAAAAAAABvM/Hk2TGkUPzs01id8Kl1mjzl_wJ02ENl84ACLcBGAsYHQ/w602-h335/Night%2BCompanion%2BBanner%2B2.jpg" width="602" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2>What Will It Look Like?</h2><p>Currently, the book is intended to be a 160-page black and white softcover book measuring 7" x 10". If we reach a high enough stretch goal, it will be published as a hardcover book at 7.25 x 9.25 to match the original core book. The final page count is still to be determined. Layout and graphic design will be a cleaned-up version of that we used in the original core rules. We've learned a little bit since then!</p><p><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion" target="_blank">Back to get your copy today!</a></p><p><br /></p><h3>Follow Us on Social Media</h3><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames" target="_blank">Facebook</a></div><div><a href="https://elflairgames.proboards.com/" target="_blank">Message Forums</a></div><div><a href="https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div><div><a href="https://discord.gg/Wr72WaSA" target="_blank">Discord</a></div><div><a href="https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html" target="_blank">Night Shift: VSW Product Page and Store</a></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-85098654815305887832021-07-12T09:59:00.003-04:002021-07-12T09:59:33.343-04:00Coming Soon: The Night Companion for Night Shift: VSW<p> </p><h2> They Walk Beside You in the Night...</h2><p><b><i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion" target="_blank">The Night Companion</a></i></b> is the first sourcebook for the Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars Role Playing Game, the old-school RPG of Chosen Ones, Witches, Survivors, Psychics, and Something Weird. Within its pages, you will find:</p><p></p><ul><li>Four new character classes: the Divine Warrior, the Mystic Martial Artist, the Psychic Gunslinger, and the Spirit Rider</li><li>Rules for playing supernatural species including Celestials, Driven, Ghouls, Infernals, Lycanthropes, and Vampires, expanding upon the "Supernatural Race" option in the core rulebook</li><li>New options for generating ability scores for normal, gritty, and cinematic games</li><li>Rules to convert your game from class-and-level to entirely point-buy</li><li>An alternate Alignment system focused on good, evil, light, and dark</li><li>Guidelines to convert your game to a unified mechanic: both d20-based and percentile-based options are covered</li><li>Enhanced combat rules: variable weapon damage, range increments, weapon classes, grappling rules, jumping, drowning, suffocation, poison, disease, and more</li><li>New Arcane Powers and spells, plus enhanced rules for ritual magic</li><li>A GM section that goes behind the scenes of the system, talks about keeping track of your play style options, gives guidelines for creating cults and secret societies, and discusses tropes of sub-genres of horror and how to use them in your game</li><li>Dozens of new monsters, enemies, and NPCs for your game</li><li>New art by industry notable Bradley K. McDevitt, commissioned just for this book. At first, it will be the new classes and species, but more may be added depending on how well the Kickstarter does (see Stretch Goals).</li></ul><p></p><p>This book really blows the doors off of your Night Shift: VSW game!</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="361" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-avYnQZcEBIQ/YOxJdG11QNI/AAAAAAAABuE/T1VGyv8of105W25r1d2U6r57L0i2oxY3QCLcBGAsYHQ/w642-h361/image.png" width="642" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h2>What Will It Look Like?</h2><p>Currently, the book is intended to be a 160-page black and white softcover book measuring 7" x 10". If we reach a high enough stretch goal, it will be published as a hardcover book at 7.25 x 9.25 to match the original core book. The final page count is still to be determined. Layout and graphic design will be a cleaned-up version of that we used in the original core rules. We've learned a little bit since then!</p><p><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasonvey/the-night-companion" target="_blank">Follow along and click to be notified when it goes live here!</a></p><p><br /></p><h3>Follow Us on Social Media</h3><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames" target="_blank">Facebook</a></div><div><a href="https://elflairgames.proboards.com/" target="_blank">Message Forums</a></div><div><a href="https://twitter.com/ElfLairJasonTLG" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div><div><a href="https://discord.gg/Wr72WaSA" target="_blank">Discord</a></div><div><a href="https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html" target="_blank">Night Shift: VSW Product Page and Store</a></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-64577392199203078052021-03-25T09:21:00.002-04:002021-03-25T09:28:59.077-04:00Elf Lair Games at Gary Con<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTXldehUWxQ/YFyMqFgW3CI/AAAAAAAABqA/kyPMag-xW-UF72Mu1i8tk1zlONqc1Ba5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/Elf%2BLair%2BGames%2BOnline.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="1000" height="272" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTXldehUWxQ/YFyMqFgW3CI/AAAAAAAABqA/kyPMag-xW-UF72Mu1i8tk1zlONqc1Ba5wCLcBGAsYHQ/w524-h272/Elf%2BLair%2BGames%2BOnline.jpg" width="524" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"> Elf Lair Games is at Gary Con!</h2><div>Hey, folks, Elf Lair Games is at <a href="https://garycon.com/" target="_blank">Ethereal Gary Con XIII</a>, and yours truly is a convention special guest. Of course, I'm also still a <a href="https://www.trolllord.com/" target="_blank">Troll Lord Games</a> guy so I'm involved with their stuff as well. Check the graphic below to see all of our events (you may need to click the image, then right click and "open image in new tab" to see it full sized).</div><div><br /></div><div>I am involved with running 2 of our events and will be a guest on the following panels:</div><div><br /></div><div>GM Tricks of the Trade - Thursday at 4 PM CST</div><div>Greyhawk DM's Round Table - Thursday at 7 PM CST</div><div>TLG Selling Games, Now and Then - Friday at noon CST</div><div><br /></div><div>We're also happy to announce that all of our PDF items on <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/3869/Elf-Lair-Games?filters=0_0_0_0&src=CommunityForum1" target="_blank">DriveThruRPG</a> and both print and PDF in our online store are now available at 50% off throughout the weekend in celebration of the con! Grab your copy of Spellcraft & Swordplay, Chutzpah!, The Witch, or our urban fantasy/horror old school hit Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars! </div><div><br /></div><div>Visit us online at <a href="https://www.elflair.com/products.html" target="_blank">https://www.elflair.com/products.html</a> for more information and to grab your copy today!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rDLx248lr94/YFyPsOkV-kI/AAAAAAAABqo/AoBQ0o2z_BoA6rcHuuYpWo-wKjrk8L8_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1218/IL0FiSB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1157" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rDLx248lr94/YFyPsOkV-kI/AAAAAAAABqo/AoBQ0o2z_BoA6rcHuuYpWo-wKjrk8L8_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IL0FiSB.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><p></p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-28486499774220391642021-02-02T11:13:00.004-05:002021-02-05T06:55:19.211-05:00iiRcade: Classic Arcade Gaming with an app store!<p>Like many people in Gen-X, I've always wanted a real life video arcade cabinet of my very own. Something to play the classics like Ms. Pac Man, Commando, Double Dragon, Contra, Dig Dug, Q-Bert, Frogger, and of course, the ever popular Dragon's Lair. Certainly over the past 20 years or so this has become possible with MAME cabinets available on eBay and these days, even on Amazon, but here's the problem, and it's several fold: </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Most of these cabinets cost upwards of a grand or more (before shipping) to get them the way you want them, unless you've got the technical know-how to build one yourself. </li><li>Quite frankly, half the ROMs you get on these things are illegal. Others exist in the gray area of, "They probably won't come after us for it, so screw it," and I am, generally speaking, against piracy. </li><li>See #1. With a MAME cabinet, even (and especially) one built with a Raspberry Pi, you need a degree of technical aptitude to upload and add new ROMs to your machine. </li></ol><div>Certainly for me parts 1 and 3 can be overcome. I know enough about electronics to be dangerous, and could very likely (and quickly) get to the point where with the help of some expert friends, put together a machine. That would cost far less than $1,000...until one considers the literal HOURS and HOURS of labor it would take to put the thing together. </div><div><br /></div><div>More recently, Arcade 1UP cabinets have arrived on the scene. I won't lie; these have been very attractive to my eye and one or more of them still might make their way into my collection. </div><div><br /></div><div>Enter, however, the <b><a href="https://www.iircade.com/" target="_blank">iiRcade</a>, </b>which bills itself as "Immersive Arcade Gaming Reinvented for Your Home." This puppy Kickstarted last year, raising a whopping <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iircade/iircade-immersive-arcade-gaming-at-home/" target="_blank">$660,413 of a $50,000 goal</a>. With something as highly technical as this, I'd almost never go in on it because there was way too much that could go wrong. But honestly, the promise of the product won me over, and I took the plunge. </div><div><br /></div><div>Boy, I'm glad I did. </div><div><br /></div><div>There were some major headaches at the tail end of the Kickstarter, to be sure, and I'll get to them in a minute, but in the end they pale next to the final product. Let's dive in and take a look, but first, here's my shiny new iiRcade cabinet: </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0jWnf9UuUe4/YBlmqICBb9I/AAAAAAAABnk/IpjsWmsuxRYeyf4OhhAgeopIseaPkgeagCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="620" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0jWnf9UuUe4/YBlmqICBb9I/AAAAAAAABnk/IpjsWmsuxRYeyf4OhhAgeopIseaPkgeagCLcBGAsYHQ/w465-h620/image.png" width="465" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes, this is the actual cabinet in my home</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">What Is the iiRcade?</h2><div>The iiRcade is, as it advertises, an attempt to revolutionize the experience of classic gaming. It's a full-on classic arcade console which comes with 11 games pre-loaded. These include Dragon's Lair, Double Dragon, Beach Buggy Racing, Bomb Squad, Diver Boy, Maniac Square, Gunbird, Twin Brats, Dragon Master, Fancy World: Earth of Crisis, and Snowboard Championship. </div><div><br /></div><div>The company has nearly 300 other games officially licensed for the cabinet, which you can buy via their app store at prices ranging from $2.99 to $14.99, depending on the game. They have licensed to provide games from the classic ColecoVision console as well as arrived at a license to bring a bunch of classic Sega games to market (I'm holding my breath for Shinobi, personally). Right now, the selection of "legendary" classic games is slim, but there are a TON of great and fun arcade games from adventure games to platformers, shooters, fighting games, sports games, and more all available. </div><div><br /></div><div>How this all works is, your arcade cabinet actually connects to your home wifi network. You then create an account via the company's app, or just through their web store, and you log into the same account through the cabinet. It's a fairly clean process, but could do with a few improvements. We'll dig into the specifics later. </div><div><br /></div><div>Unlike most MAME cabinets, the iiRcade store allows you to buy a lot of new games with high-end modern graphics and play, many of which have never seen release on a stand-up arcade cabinet form factor before. </div><div><br /></div><div>So basically, the iiRcade combines the form and playability of a traditional arcade cabinet with the fun and flexibility of a modern console all in one. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Appearance</h2><div>As you can see in the photo above, my cabinet has Dragon's Lair graphics all over it, but that's not your only option. A "Black Edition" with Double Dragon graphics that you apply yourself is also available, and the company has mentioned the idea of custom graphics for that one. There are already third party vendors offering these. Finally, the standard 64 GB edition (both of the others are 128 GB) comes with standard generic iiR-branded graphics, but man, it looks really sharp on its own. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Dimensions</h3><div>It should be mentioned that it also comes in two varieties: the basic machine is a bartop console. On the cabinet in the photo above, this consists of everything from the joysticks to the top. It measures about 20" (w) X 21.5" (d) X 24" (h), and weighs approx. 40lbs. I hesitate to call it "portable," but it's a good option if you don't have room for a full riser in your home. The other option, seen above, is to add a riser to it which turns the bartop into a full stand-up cabinet. The stand measures about 20" (w) x 17.6" (d) x 37" (h), and weighs approx. 42lbs. The final measurements with the full cabinet reach 20" (w) X 21.5" (d) X 61" (h). </div><div><br /></div><div>You can see all the varieties <a href="https://www.iircade.com/pages/iircade-order-portal" target="_blank">available for pre-order here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>What's nice about this is that it's not an either-or affair. You can pop the bartop off of the stand any tie you like to change the form factor, and it's literally as easy as lifting it off (there are hand-bolts that you can optionally stick in there to secure it better, which I recommend, but even then it's a simple few twists to remove them, then pop it right off). </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KqBg6JVHSKY/YBl0_EckY5I/AAAAAAAABoE/2nzOV9MpVOYAA8DHI1ut_gfd40hJIYHUQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="1539" height="455" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KqBg6JVHSKY/YBl0_EckY5I/AAAAAAAABoE/2nzOV9MpVOYAA8DHI1ut_gfd40hJIYHUQCLcBGAsYHQ/w539-h455/image.png" width="539" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bartop only form factor with standard graphics. Source: <a href="https://www.iircade.com/products/iircade-bartop-64gb">https://www.iircade.com/products/iircade-bartop-64gb</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Specs</h2><div>The specs of the cabinet, as listed by iiRcade, are as follows. These were taken straight from the iiRcade website. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Display: </b>19" - 1280x1024 LCD</div><div><b>Audio: </b>l00W, power amplifier, dual stereo speakers</div><div><b>CPU: </b>1.8GHz Hexa-Core</div><div><b>GPU: </b>800MHz Max Quad-Core</div><div><b>RAM:</b> 4GB Dual-Channel LPDDR4X</div><div><b>Storage: </b>64GB or 128 GB</div><div><b>Controllers:</b> Two 8-way Premium OFFICIAL Sanwa joysticks/19 Premium Sanwa-style buttons</div><div><b>Wi-Fi:</b> Wi-Fi 5</div><div><b>Bluetooth: </b>Bluetooth 4.2, Wireless Headset Support</div><div><b>Headset: </b>3.5mm Wired, Bluetooth Wireless</div><div><b>TV Connect:</b> HDMI Out</div><div><b>OS:</b> iiRcadeOS based on Android, Optimized for Gaming</div><div><b>Optional Cabinet: </b>Premium MDF</div></div><div><br /></div><div>While I'm sure there's someone out there, somewhere, who will scoff, to my mind they didn't skimp on anything here. The specs are nice and can handle almost any classic or modern Android gaming you want. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Cost</h2><div>During the Kickstarter, the full Dragon's Lair 128 GB cabinet seen above was $550 plus shipping, a great deal. The full price for general market release will be $799 for the same setup (plus shipping). I thought I saw somewhere that GameStop was going to be carrying these, but I could be very well wrong about that. The 64 GB bartop only version is $599, with the separate stand priced at $149. So you could feasibly get a 64 GB full sized cabinet for less than $750. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Construction</h2><div>One thing to know about these: much like the Arcade 1Up cabinets, <i>you will need to construct this cabinet. </i>It comes flat-packed in one (bartop only) or two (bartop and stand) boxes. The materials are exceptional quality, and the construction itself is not unlike putting together a piece of furniture from IKEA. All you need is a screwdriver and some patience. It took me about 2 hours to build the machine and stand.</div><div><br /></div><div>Nominally, you don't need any technical knowledge to put this together--it's designed to be plug-and-play and even for the things you need to plug in, the wires quite literally connect only one way. That being said, I did encounter a complication or two, which we'll get to below. By and large, however, putting it together is a snap. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Build Quality</h3><div>The build quality of these is nothing short of outstanding. The components are high end, and the panels are not cheap particle board. They are MDF fiber board, not solid wood, but they're heavy, solid and substantial. The graphics are clean, bright, and clear, and when this thing is together, it looks just like the arcade cabinets you remember. My heart skips a beat every time I walk into my living room and see <i>a real Dragon's Lair cabinet just sitting there. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Granted, I've only had this thing for a few days, but on initial build and after a few days of heavy use, I feel confident in saying it's built to last. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Setup</h2><div>After you've got the whole thing setup, you'll fire it up. First it will ask you to download the app to your smartphone--this is where you'll create your account. If you can't use the app for whatever reason, no worries--there's a web interface from their website. From there you go back to the machine and it will connect to your wi-fi network, have you log into your account, and will probably cycle through a couple OS updates (security and performance patches and whatnot). When that's done you're ready to install games and start playing. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">App Store and Play</h2><div>The interface for the app store is pretty smooth overall. After you go through the requisite OS updates that most machines have to go through these days, you simply go into your games library on your smartphone or in their web interface, and install each game to your device, one by one. The machine then downloads each automatically. This can take awhile, as the eleven games pre-installed (actually just available for free in your library) are of varying sizes, and Dragon's Lair is a monster (as you might imagine). </div><div><br /></div><div>Once the games are installed, you access them by cycling through menus with the joystick and the "A" button. They're available alphabetically in the "All" menu, by your most recently played in the "Recent" menu, or divided up into their game type. It's all fairly intuitive. In future OS updates I'd like to see them add a "Recently installed" menu that shows the 5 or 6 most recently installed games as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>The App Store, as well, is fairly straightforward, but a bit simplistic. As it is you need to scroll through various topics to find games you want. It'd be nice to see them add a search function in the future, or a way to select a specific topic and just see the games under that topic--like if I want to view only platformers, I can pick "Platformer," and they come up tiled instead of a scroll row. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, however, it's all very new, and for a new interface, it's pretty impressive. Once you get the hang of it, it's super easy to get up and running. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Play and Feel</h3><div>There's nothing bad to say here. The games quite literally play exactly like you remember them. The joysticks and buttons have a great resistance and clicky feel that will take you back to the old days, though for people who are used to a control pad, they'll take some getting used to. Welcome to the world of those of us who once had to get used to control pads FROM joysticks! </div><div><br /></div><div>I would add that Dragon's Lair is AMAZING. It's the Special Edition version of the game, complete with the ability to watch the Attract Mode video, a documentary on the making of the game with Don Bluth, and even a video tutorial where Bluth draws Dirk the Daring, among other features. It's very cool to have this stuff. The game also has the option to turn the guides on or off. The guides, people will be familiar with from later ports, and they tell you when to move and which buttons to push. They actually don't make the game super easy; just more navigable and less frustrating. You might actually have a chance of getting through a few scenes with them on. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm a big fan of shooters, adventure games, and side-scrolling beat-em-ups and I have plenty of these to keep me going for awhile, but iiRcade guys and gals, if you're listening, <i style="font-weight: bold;">please give me Commando. I'd sell my soul for Commando. </i>So far every classic game I've tried is 100% indistinguishable from its original arcade incarnation. It plays smooth as silk. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ladies and gentlemen, I have a real live arcade cabinet with an ever-growing library of games. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Bluetooth and HDMI</h3><div>The machine supports Bluetooth, nominally for Bluetooth headphones. I <i>think </i>there was something there about using Bluetooth controllers as well, but I'm not 100% sure about that. Regardless, the headphone interface is a nice option. There's also a basic headphone jack for plug-in phones so you don't drive your spouse up the wall while they're trying to watch Netflix. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another interesting feature is the HDMI port. You can quite literally hook your machine up to a big screen TV and play games through it. I likely won't make use of this but I can see it being fun for group gaming events where everyone can watch play without crowding around the machine. </div><div><br /></div><div>And yes, the graphics are HD quality. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What about the Available Games?</h3><div>Right now there's over 65 games in the library, but iiRcade has almost 300 licenses. They're adding more games every Friday as they get ports in. So it's going to grow. If I had to point out any disappointments here, it's that most of the truly legendary classic games aren't here. I'm really desperately hoping that one day we can get Ms. Pac-Man, Q-Bert, Dig Dug, Frogger, Donkey Kong, Mortal Kombat, Contra, Commando (AGAIN), Defender, Galaxian, Galaga, Gauntlet, Joust, (classic) BurgerTyme, and the like in here, but who knows if they'll be able to get licenses from Midway, Nintendo, Namco, and the like.</div><div><br /></div><div>Still, I'm excited that we're getting Double Dragon 2 and 3, as well as Dragons Lair 2 and Space Ace forthcoming. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since my initial purchase, I've added such classics as Mat Mania, Space Harrier, Ninja Kazan, Oddmar (which seems to have a bug on stage 1-3), Out Zone, Strikers 1945, Super Burger Time, and The Cliffhanger. </div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What if I Run out of Memory?</h3><div>You have the capability to move games back and forth to and from your library, so if you run out of memory on the cabinet you can just remove those games you never play. I've already got a few benchmarked for that when the time comes. But let's be fair: these kinds of game ROMs don't tend to take up a lot of space, unless you're loading up on a lot of modern high-end gaming stuff. Which I guess some folks will do for the gimmick of it. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tuW0nPHFERI/YBl5UlFZm-I/AAAAAAAABog/x-oO1jcREX8cHdc4fN9hfpOtsIaV4lzdgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1092" height="730" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tuW0nPHFERI/YBl5UlFZm-I/AAAAAAAABog/x-oO1jcREX8cHdc4fN9hfpOtsIaV4lzdgCLcBGAsYHQ/w389-h730/image.png" width="389" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>NOT the iiRcade</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">What's the Down Side?</h2><div>So there are a few down sides to this, which are mostly things I'm hoping will be resolved by the time this hits the broad market over the next couple months. Shipping delays on this were interminable, but that was really the fault of the pandemic and overseas. These are manufactured in Korea, so if you're a "Buy American" person, that's something to be aware of. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some users have reported technical problems with the initial software updates and getting games to download to their machines. In general, the iiRcade people have been timely and attentive in getting these issues resolved quickly, and by and large they've almost all been easy fixes--simple factory resets, etc. </div><div><br /></div><div>The biggest problem I had (and a few others experienced this as well) was that after building, many of the buttons didn't function. As it turns out, this was a very easy fix--the controllers slot into boards as with many computer components these days, and some of the connections had simply come loose during shipping. The plugs just had to be pushed back into their sockets to secure them. Here's the down-side: to get to those plugs I had to open the guts of it, which also broke one of those, "Void Your Warranty" seals. Not good. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once again, however, iiRcade came to the rescue. They sent me an email granting permission to do it and promising that my warranty would not be voided in doing so. Fantastic. I opened it up, tightened the connections, and within a few minutes I was up and playing. </div><div><br /></div><div>That being said, if these are going to the general market, the audience will be people who are <i>not </i>tech-savvy and who will be terrified about digging into the electronic guts. These machines aren't built for DIY'ers, and they're not built for upgrades. Because of that, I would highly recommend that iiRcade have all of their connections under the hood soldered to ensure this sort of thing doesn't happen to your general consumer. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lkp-fjmxEaU/YBl6ChCC9EI/AAAAAAAABoo/YwwU5buWDeYPZBB00UlBRoUdxT6w4tB-wCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="362" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lkp-fjmxEaU/YBl6ChCC9EI/AAAAAAAABoo/YwwU5buWDeYPZBB00UlBRoUdxT6w4tB-wCLcBGAsYHQ/w644-h362/image.png" width="644" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Final Verdict</h2><div>In the end, this is exactly what I've always wanted: a real arcade machine with great technology under the hood, a gorgeous, professional, and solid build, and a true old-school gaming experience. The games run smooth, look and sound great, and the app store is ever growing, meaning I'll be able to add classic and new games for years to come rather than buying some gray market MAME cabinet with 6,000 games, only 50 of which I'll ever play and which I probably won't be able to alter without extensive tinkering. </div><div><br /></div><div>The price point was fantastic (though the full market cost of $800 may be on the high side for some folks and the MAME option may still be attractive). </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, their customer service thus far has been A+++++ outstanding, and you couldn't ask for more than that, especially as a brand new device goes through its growing pains. </div><div><br /></div><div>I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants the classic arcade experience combined with a STEAM-like modern app store interface to grow your library and cultivate exactly what you want. The setup issues, in the end, were very minor and it was plenty easy to get up and running. Hopefully these are issues that will be corrected by the time the machines hit the broad market. </div><div><br /></div><div>My hope is to see more legendary classic games get added in the near future. </div><div><br /></div><div>If not, I guess there's a Ms. Pac Man Arcade 1Up in my future as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>I regret nothing!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p></p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-29877840955070423282021-01-18T07:34:00.002-05:002021-01-18T07:34:42.451-05:00Alignment Experiment: Replacing Law and Chaos with Light and Dark<p> </p><h1>Light and Dark: an Alternate Alignment System</h1><p>The core alignment system in early versions of D&D and many OSR games focuses on the law/chaos axis. An alternate alignment system is presented here that uses the good/evil axis instead, but also adds a new level of descriptiveness in the form of light and dark. The intent is to provide a better descriptor of a character's moral and personality types than the law/chaos axis does, and one that works a bit better in modern games. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9VmOUDOnkiY/YAV_qpG3QiI/AAAAAAAABmk/rU7ou3xEIUQxLjO6pzzTzJ0QvKxfGGPpACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="463" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9VmOUDOnkiY/YAV_qpG3QiI/AAAAAAAABmk/rU7ou3xEIUQxLjO6pzzTzJ0QvKxfGGPpACLcBGAsYHQ/w463-h463/image.png" width="463" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h2>Good vs. Evil</h2><p>The idea of good vs. evil is easy enough to delineate and should be accessible to all of our players. If it's not, well, we worry about you a little. Essentially, "good" implies placing value on other human lives, on honesty, forthright living, and generally understanding the difference between right and wrong. Good characters generally keep their word when they give it, don't break promises, don't kill, avoid violence when possible and usually seek diplomatic solutions to problems. They recognize social problems and wish to see them corrected, and fair justice is important to them. </p><p>Evil characters are selfish, cruel, and value themselves over others in all things. While they certainly can develop relationships and care about others, such caring tends to manifest in a selfish way—where a good character wants to see someone they love happy, even if it hurts, the evil character wants to keep someone they love close, never let them go, and hold them under any circumstances. They'll ruthlessly remove obstacles in the way of what they want, and in the worst cases, they even take pleasure in lying, manipulation, and violence. </p><h2>Neutral</h2><p>Neutral is the middle point of the Good-Evil axis. It can mean characters who lean one way or the other but aren't necessarily all the way "in." Most people in the world, for example, tend to be neutral but lean towards good. That is, they can be selfish and they're often tempted to put their own needs ahead of others, but they still have a conscience and they feel guilty when they don't do the right thing. </p><p>Other types of neutral characters may be those who function in society because they make a choice to act in a moral fashion, but don't have an innate imperative or drive to do so. That is, these characters don't commit murder, but that's not because they feel sick at the idea of killing, but because they rationally know murder is wrong and so they make a choice to fall on that side of the equation. These are the characters that have no compunction about killing in self-defense and may not even feel guilty about it. </p><p>Neutral characters who lean towards evil, on the other hand, do their best to remain within the law and the bounds of morality, but they don't sweat it if they have to step outside every now and again. Petty criminals who commit armed robbery but generally try to avoid killing might be those who are neutral leaning towards evil. Manipulators who lie and cheat, then justify to themselves why it's because they deserve it fall into this category as well. </p><p>Neutral characters have a range of possibilities, and for this reason, most characters will likely fall into the Neutral (Good) or Neutral (Evil) category. "True" neutral characters are rare beyond rare and very difficult to play, as they tend to have difficulty making decisions for themselves as they simply can't decide whether a given action should be taken. </p><p>These are characters who might be driven to do something despicable because they're selfish, but then will go over the top to do something good and selfless because they now feel the need to balance everything out. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gqk3Tf7nJoc/YAV_6YDtloI/AAAAAAAABms/FoOY-K_w6JErsq91PCArFrveKicU2bGRACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="440" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gqk3Tf7nJoc/YAV_6YDtloI/AAAAAAAABms/FoOY-K_w6JErsq91PCArFrveKicU2bGRACLcBGAsYHQ/w440-h440/image.png" width="440" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h2>Light vs. Dark</h2><p>Light vs. Dark encompasses two distinct ideals each, and a character may be one, the other, or both. That is to say, a character may define themselves as light one way but not the other, and it's left to the character to determine which is the more important for them. </p><p>Light means both physical light, the daytime, and the sun; and it also means being outgoing, in the open, the center of attention. Light characters draw their strength from being in the spotlight, whether it's the noon day sun shining down upon them, or a literal spotlight as they stand on the stage soaking up the cheers of an adoring crowd. </p><p>Characters who are extroverted and outgoing tend to be light characters, as do the ones who thrive on being out and about during the daytime. These are the characters that enjoy going out to lunch, shopping, or hitting a café for their morning and even afternoon cuppa. They're the ones at parties who are in the thick of the conversation and are great at making new friends and acquaintances. They may be natural leaders or just outspoken team members. </p><p>Spellcasters who are of the Light variety will prepare their spells in the morning every day. </p><p>Dark, on the other hand, means both physical shadow and darkness, as well as characters who avoid the spotlight and prefer to remain behind the curtain. These are characters that draw power and strength from the night time, who are invigorated by midnight air and the silence of the late-night city streets. They enjoy late night TV, quiet and shadowy neighborhood bars, and they dislike social gatherings. They may even enjoy being among people, just so long as they can stay in the background. Dark characters might frequent Goth dance clubs, but prefer to sit in the corner with a beer or a cocktail rather than being out on the dance floor. Their energy comes from watching others, not from being in the thick of things. </p><p>Characters who are introverts, who don't like conversations unless they're deep one-on-one philosophical discourses, tend to fall into the Dark category. These are the characters who might be invaluable, powerful teammates, but who never call the shots, but rather whisper in the ear of those who do. They're the ones that people listen to when they speak up, because they speak up so rarely. They're observers. </p><p>Spellcasters who are Dark will prepare their spells at midnight or 3 am, sometime in the dead of night when everything is quiet, and they can be alone with their own personal demons. </p><h2>Twilight Characters</h2><p>Twilight characters are those who draw their power and strength from the period just before dark and just after dawn, when the sky is red and purple and the shadows long. They disdain the spotlight and don't like to be the center of attention, but at the same time they find cloudy days and the dead of night depressing. </p><p>These are characters who are comfortable in their own skin and are okay in crowds once a conversation starts—they may even feed on the conversation—but aren't likely to start the conversation themselves. They're good listeners and thoughtful leaders, but they might be people of few words, making those words they do speak matter. They can give a speech in public, but don't prefer it. Stage fright or performance anxiety might get the best of them every so often. </p><p>Many twilight characters have some level of impostor syndrome. They might be great at what they do, and even be able to put on airs of confidence, but deeply doubt their own capabilities and wonder when people are going to figure out that they're a fraud. </p><p>Spellcasters in the Twilight area will prepare their spells either at dusk every day or be up to do so just after dawn. </p><h2>Putting It Together</h2><p>This system is a two-axis system. Each player will choose one space on each axis for their character to occupy, and work to interpret their character's persona within that space. A character could, for example, be light-evil, a megalomaniac who is out for themselves and is a brutal leader who believes that might makes right. Another character could be good-twilight, a deeply moral person with a black sense of sarcastic humor that they use to hide their own insecurities. </p><p>Still a third might be neutral-dark, the character who knows right from wrong, who recognizes social injustices, but doesn't care enough and is too gun shy to stand up and speak out in person. They try to do what's right, but they also know that to survive you look out for yourself and don't draw attention to yourself. </p><p>By combining the Good-Evil-Neutral with the Light-Dark-Twilight descriptors, you can create many different personality types, and it's the author's feeling that these descriptors work much better than the law-chaos-good-evil boxes we've all become used to for so long. It could even be combined, if you wish, with law and chaos to create a three-axis system. It can also be ignored entirely. </p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-6090145550495641052021-01-15T06:30:00.002-05:002021-01-15T06:30:20.098-05:00The Darkness Spell in 5e is Pointless<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h78Gfe0gW70/WmIBJx0V2UI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/YlfA98Q-XRk6ZiI9eotuJ7B2feWPnQlTwCPcBGAYYCw/s1989/Eowyn_vs_the_nazgul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1989" height="407" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h78Gfe0gW70/WmIBJx0V2UI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/YlfA98Q-XRk6ZiI9eotuJ7B2feWPnQlTwCPcBGAYYCw/w675-h407/Eowyn_vs_the_nazgul.jpg" width="675" /></a></div><br /> Here's a fun observation. The spell darkness, in 5e, has absolutely zero mechanical effect in 5th edition D&D.<p></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.5esrd.com/gamemastering/hazards/darkness-obscurement/">Darkness creates a heavily obscured area</a>. </li><li>Creatures within that area effectively suffer from the blinded condition.</li><li><a href="https://www.5esrd.com/gamemastering/conditions/#Blinded" target="_blank">Blinded characters</a> suffer disadvantage on attacks, and creatures attacking them have advantage.</li><li><a href="https://www.5esrd.com/spellcasting/all-spells/d/darkness/" target="_blank">The spell negates darkvision</a>.</li><li>All characters within the sphere of magical darkness have disadvantage to attack, but advantage to attack other creatures in the darkness. This <a href="https://www.5esrd.com/using-ability-scores/#Advantage_and_Disadvantage" target="_blank">advantage and disadvantage cancel each other out</a>.</li></ol><p></p><p>All creatures within the space of a darkness spell battle as normal. The spell is, from a mechanical sense, pointless and negated.</p><p>Certainly this discounts a proper GM who looks past it and says, "no, that's stupid," but yeah, strictly BY THE BOOK it's a pretty gross oversight by the designers of the game from a mechanical standpoint. Also, I pointed this out to the Sage Advice people some time ago and they confirmed this reading is correct. Oddly, they didn't seem to think it problematic.</p><p>Sadly, I lost the link to that particular conversation ages ago so I can't back that up. But I did, actually, ask the question and get it confirmed.</p><p>The only time this matters is in the case of a warlock who has eyes of the fiend and the darkness spell. This enables them to see through magical darkness and thus get advantage on all attacks while others have disadvantage against them. But that's a VERY oddly specific single exception to the rule.</p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-1976698843389819092021-01-13T06:34:00.006-05:002021-01-13T06:37:00.020-05:00Elf Lair Games Partners with Troll Lord Games on Drivethru RPG<p> From Troll Lord Games and Elf Lair Games comes a combination of great gaming goodness from the mind of Jason Vey. Jason is a writer of many talents, having worked with Troll Lord Games on his Amazing Adventures RPG and Castles & Crusades as well as owning his own RPG company, Elf Lair Games.</p><p>This bundle offers TWO core rulebooks--Amazing Adventures from Troll Lord Games and Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars from Elf Lair Games, the latter co-written with noted designer Timothy S. Brannan. Also included are five adventures which can easily be used with either game, with only minor conversion work needed!</p><p><br /></p><p>Whether you're in it for the high-flying multigenre adventure or the creepy and shadowy worlds of horror and urban fantasy, this bundle has it all, at a whopping 40% off cover price for a limited time!</p><div><span face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/342653/Amazing-OGRES-BUNDLE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="800" height="496" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SVFgb_Ztziw/X_7agSldNgI/AAAAAAAABmA/C5Ha4bkg3YUiMcoboLRKM_MfMEUxOt4LgCLcBGAsYHQ/w385-h496/image.png" width="385" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/342653/Amazing-OGRES-BUNDLE" target="_blank">https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/342653/Amazing-OGRES-BUNDLE</a></span></span></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-56550409058310457092021-01-09T21:01:00.003-05:002021-01-09T21:24:40.250-05:00Tech Blog: Xiaomi Mi Box S vs NVIDIA SHIELD TV Android TV Boxes<p>Yeah, I know, this is an old-school gaming blog, but I needed somewhere to put this, and it's a bit of a ramble, so bear with me. If anyone is cutting the cord, this may come in handy for you.</p><p>Juliette and I upgraded our streaming box today to an NVIDIA Shield TV. I had originally purchased a Xiaomi MiBox S as a test case for cutting the cord. I can now compare the two for anyone interested in going for an Android TV box. </p><p>Note that I did NOT go with the $190-$200 SHIELD Pro, which is the high end gaming version of the Shield TV, and comes with double the memory and an extra USB port. I went with the NVIDIA SHIELD TV "base" model, which looks like a cylinder.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mi-Xiaomi-Android-Assistant-Streaming/dp/B07KB1KLYN/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=xiaomi+mi+box&qid=1610243645&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="510" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YF0EKREei90/X_pcWJYFLzI/AAAAAAAABlk/G8rJeTPQVrsEbVtx_pruXF6skXeM6sLLgCLcBGAsYHQ/w680-h510/image.png" width="680" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mi-Xiaomi-Android-Assistant-Streaming/dp/B07KB1KLYN/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=xiaomi+mi+box&qid=1610243645&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Xiaomi Mi Box S</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/NVIDIA-Streaming-Performance-Assistant-945-13430-2500-000/dp/B07YP94PBJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=NVIDIA+Shield+TV&qid=1610243670&sr=8-2" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="570" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9Rr1MovIENA/X_pVqwrjf9I/AAAAAAAABk4/DhlsU_Xbgek37nvi9LeLt6uUOD58Bcs-wCLcBGAsYHQ/w277-h400/image.png" width="277" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/NVIDIA-Streaming-Performance-Assistant-945-13430-2500-000/dp/B07YP94PBJ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=NVIDIA+Shield+TV&qid=1610243670&sr=8-2" target="_blank">NVIDIA SHIELD TV</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Price </h2><p>The MiBox S EASILY wins in this category, going for between $64 and $66 on Amazon. The Shield TV goes for $149 on Amazon and at Best Buy, where we bought ours. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Looks</h2><p>Again, I have to give the edge to the MiBox, here. It's a very unassuming small, black, square box that sits flat on your shelf, maybe 2.5" - 3" to a side and maybe 1/4" thick. The plugs and ports are all in the back, allowing for easy organization. The SHIELD is a rather large and bulky cylinder about 6" long and a good inch thick. The plug is on one end and the ports on the other, so it's not built to sit on your shelf. It's my assumption that it's supposed to unobtrusively hang behind your TV, which is fine, but I feel like it'll be putting a lot of pressure hanging by the HDMI cable. I'm going to tie it up. </p><p>Verdict: The Mi Box S looks way nicer. The SHIELD TV looks clunky. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Specs</h2><p>The Mi Box is powered by a Cortex-A53 Quad-core 64bit and claims 8 GB of internal storage and 2GB DDR3. It has Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz/5GHz and Bluetooth: 4.1 (the ability to connect a Bluetooth keyboard is a GODSEND when logging into 20 different streaming services). I am skeptical of the claim of 8 GB of internal storage, because I quickly ran out of storage using the MiBox, not even having enough to upgrade apps, and had to stick a USB stick in the back to expand space. So something inside the Mi Box that wasn't my apps used a whole heck of a lot of that 8 GB. It theoretically shouldn't be the interface because it's a clean Android TV interface. The Mi Box S has one full-size USB port for external storage, which you need to format. It does not support Dolby Atmos. </p><p>The SHIELD TV is run by a Nvidia Tegra X1 processor with a 256-core GPU. It also runs Bluetooth 5, the latest (as of this writing) iteration. It's questionable how much of a measurable benefit that offers, but it is, in fact, an edge. Its other specs (Storage, memory, wi-fi) are identical to the Mi Box, BUT I can say the SHIELD TV gave me no storage space alerts, with no external drive necessary, and with more apps installed. The SHIELD TV has a gigabit ethernet port if you want to plug directly into your router, and it has a microSD slot for expandability instead of a USB port. NVIDIA also offers full Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus support.</p><p>Overall, the microSD vs. USB is a bit of a wash, but the ethernet and the lack of storage issues give the SHIELD the edge.</p><p>Verdict: The SHIELD wins, with better storage handling, Atmos support, and Bluetooth 5, though an underlying software update MIGHT fix the storage issues the Mi Box experiences. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Performance</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Right out of the gate, the NVIDIA SHIELD TV seriously outperforms the MiBox S. It's faster and smoother, despite both devices having 2 GB of RAM. I can only assume that has something to do with the processor. NVIDIA is a gaming company, and their processors likely outperform the one in the Mi Box. Again, however, I suspect that there's some issue with the underlying software architecture in the Mi Box that makes it less smooth, despite the fact that the Android TV interface between the two is 100% identical. It's a stock Android TV interface.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d0dbCAp1aXA/X_pWz-oT0EI/AAAAAAAABlI/vXVXDw9WE6g7vzvibqQAs6j4WbX3UpEBwCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="283" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d0dbCAp1aXA/X_pWz-oT0EI/AAAAAAAABlI/vXVXDw9WE6g7vzvibqQAs6j4WbX3UpEBwCLcBGAsYHQ/w503-h283/image.png" width="503" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both Run a Standard Android TV Interface</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>It's also worth pointing out that I've had a number of occasions with the Mi Box where I had apps freeze, refuse to start, or crash, and I had to clear caches, re-sign in, and even reboot the box entirely. These weren't odd third-party apps, either. I'm talking things like Dish Anywhere, Sling, Amazon Prime Video, etc. Time will tell if I have similar issues with the SHIELD, but out of the box it's running better, so I suspect those issues, if they exist, will be fewer. </p><p>While both offer a 4K upscaling function, the one on the Mi Box S is <i>absolutely abysmal. </i>It makes everything on the screen so bright it's an eyesore, and utterly ruins the color balance. The SHIELD's upscaling function, on the other hand, is aces all around: crisp and clear. That's only an issue, though, if you use upscaling, and many people don't. </p><p style="text-align: left;">In addition, while both are currently running Android 9, the Mi Box S <i>will not run the current version of Hulu. </i>You'll need to install a downloader app and sideload a 2-generation old version of Hulu if you want to watch that service. The SHIELD TV, in my experience so far, has no problems at all with Hulu. Both devices run the new NBC Peacock, which is something the Amazon Fire doesn't do out of the box (though you can sideload Peacock onto the Fire stick--I've done that on the one we have upstairs). </p><p style="text-align: left;">Despite claims to the contrary on several sites, I was able to get 4K HDR and/or HDX resolution on Netflix, Vudu, and a number of other services, so yes, you can get Netflix 4K through both of these devices. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Sadly, neither one will run the TV Guide App (even sideloaded), which is utterly bemusing to me. That app comes in very useful to me as my TV doesn't have a built in guide for broadcast TV. I have yet to find a workaround for this--I was able to sideload the app to the Mi Box, but it had zero functionality. Again, a minor issue that only affects those who want a broadcast guide, and it affects BOTH devices. </p><p style="text-align: left;">What about Android gaming? Well, put simply, NVIDIA is a gaming company. They're built for Android gaming. While the SHIELD TV won't handle some of the more advanced games out there (that's what the $200 PRO version is for), it will game, and do it pretty well. I cannot recommend trying to game with the Mi Box, and in fact, I'd bet that many games wouldn't even be supported on the Mi Box. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Verdict: The SHIELD TV wins hands down in terms of performance. It supports Hulu and works smoother and faster than the Mi Box S. The 4K upscaling is also worlds better. It's built to game. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Remote Control and Peripherals</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Both devices come with a dedicated remote. On both devices, I was able to turn on and turn off my TV and box with just the streaming remote. On the SHIELD, it also activates my surround sound system, which the Mi Box did not do. In fairness, however, this all COULD be the way I have my system set up to pass through the surround sound system. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Both have Bluetooth connectivity and can accept Bluetooth devices. For me that means a keyboard; for many that will mean a game controller as well. Once again, I don't recommend trying to game with the Mi Box; the experience I would expect to be abysmal, and that's if the games you want will run on it at all. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As for the remotes, the SHIELD also wins out. To say the Mi Box remote is bare bones is the understatement of the millennia. It has a select button and scroller, a Netflix Button, and a "Live" button that launches the stock Android "Live Channels" app, which I suspect few people will use that much (It basically lets you load up the channels you like from several different apps into one space. It seems useful except that so few apps are actually supported on it--I was only able to get Pluto to work reliably). It also has an app drawer button, a home button, and a back button as well as a power button and volume buttons. It's got the basic "Hey Google" microphone voice button as well. That's it. You can see a picture above. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The SHIELD remote, on the other hand, is quite nice. It feels better in the hand, and the buttons light up when you pick it up--a very nice touch. It has the app drawer button and power button at the top, the select and scroller button in the middle, the back and home buttons, and volume buttons. Its also got the Netflix button and "Hey Google" microphone button. </p><p style="text-align: left;">It also has additional play, pause, fast forward, and rewind buttons, which the Mi Box doesn't have. </p><p style="text-align: left;">If there's a down side to the SHIELD remote it's that it has a goofy triangular shape. I'm not sure what the thinking was behind that, but I'd have preferred a good old fashioned flat remote. Again, you can see a picture above. Another issue with the SHIELD is that it took me awhile to figure out how to get the battery cover off--there's no instructions for this, and if you look at it, it doesn't even look like there IS a battery cover. I had to <a href="https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4922/~/how-to-open-the-nvidia-shield-remote-%282019%29-battery-compartment" target="_blank">look it up here to find the instructions</a>. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Verdict: Despite a wonky shape and battery cover, the SHIELD has a much nicer remote control that feels better in hand, lights up when you lift it, and has play, pause, FF, and Rwd buttons that are missing from the Mi Box remote, which gives you instead a largely worthless "Live" button. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Final Word</h2><div>In the end, this really comes down to what you want out of your streaming box. I used the Xiaomi Mi Box S for a good few months every day and had few real problems with it. Those issues I did were nuisances, though not being able to run the current Hulu app was a major annoyance. As a budget basic Android TV box for entry level cord cutters, it's really nice and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. I did have the storage issue, but USB thumb drives are crazy cheap these days so that added maybe a couple bucks to the cost. </div><div><br /></div><div>The NVIDIA SHIELD TV, however, is a marked and noticeable improvement in almost every way except looks. Is it a $70 improvement? That's hard to say, as it's subjective. For me it was absolutely worth it. </div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-91443900740507760952020-11-17T16:38:00.005-05:002020-11-17T19:03:52.372-05:00New Release from Elf Lair Games: A Faustian Dilemma for Night Shift: VSW<p> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_U7Uok6eiQ4/X7Q7ScwWU2I/AAAAAAAABjk/5QRGSIAgj1g-zT0d39JLJ2Cl1p_JApveACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="900" height="511" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_U7Uok6eiQ4/X7Q7ScwWU2I/AAAAAAAABjk/5QRGSIAgj1g-zT0d39JLJ2Cl1p_JApveACLcBGAsYHQ/w383-h511/image.png" width="383" /></a></p><div><b>Welcome to the City...</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>The City is vast and sprawling, in many ways an archetype of every city in the world, from New York to Sydney to LA to Hong Kong, to Paris, London, Dubai, and beyond. It’s a city where the buildings tower so high into the sky and are so thick together that the sun doesn’t penetrate the streets and it’s always dark. Night is when the City comes to life, and few people here ever see the daylight anyway, because Night time is the right time in the City.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The City doesn’t seem to have a name. To those who live here, it’s simply “The City,” and it’s more than home. It’s heart. The City is a piece of those who live here, and those who live here are a piece of the City. It’s a City of contradictions—on one hand always dark and shadowy, with foreboding alleyways and oubliettes, on the other hand full of vibrant life where there’s always something going on. This is a City where shops don’t close at 9, but operate 24 hours a day, where people are sure they sleep, but can’t remember the last time they saw the sun.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Except in the Botanical Gardens. For some reason the sun is always up in the Botanical Gardens.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>When your group is called to investigate the disappearance of a young girl, the niece of an up-and-comping singer in The City, you know right away that this isn't the typical case. What you didn't expect was to be facing a Faustian deal, dark fey, demons, betrayal, and a shadowy faction of supernaturals who could spell doom not just for the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, but for the entire world. </div><div><br /></div><div>The next thing you know, you're in a race against time to save your client and her niece from the darkest of horrors, in a City where allies are enemies, enemies are allies, and you can't tell who to trust. You know The City was one of secrets, of twists an turns and upside-downs, but this might be more than you bargained for...</div><div><br /></div><div>A <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/336392/A-Faustian-Dilemma--A-Night-Trip-for-Night-Shift-Veterans-of-the-Supernatural-Wars&manufacturers_id=3869&affiliate_id=1762&src=CommunityForum1" target="_blank"><b>Faustian Dilemma</b></a> is the first Night Trip scenario for <a href="https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html" target="_blank"><b>Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars</b></a>. It presents a fast-play adventure of investigation, combat, twists, and secrets, which can be played in a single night of gaming, or can be expanded to cover multiple sessions of play. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also included is a brand new Night World: City of the Twilight Queen, a base setting that will serve as a common basis for adventures moving forward, but which can also easily be removed for those who wish to run in their own worlds. </div><div><br /></div><div>Be sure to visit us online at <a href="https://www.elflair.com"><b>elflair.com</b></a> for more information, product, and to sign up for our mailing list!</div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-731232176352854352020-11-16T10:57:00.006-05:002020-11-16T14:41:37.677-05:00Gaming in the Tarantino-Verse<p> This is just a little something I've been thinking about over the past couple days as I decided to revisit the Tarantino-Verse courtesy of my Tarantino XX Blu-ray boxed set and my copy of <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, </i>which I consider to be Tarantino's magnum opus. It occurs to me that the universe created in Tarantino's movies is ideal fodder for gaming, and just about any modern game could handle the genre, so long as it's not overly tactical in nature. Let's take a look at the kinds of game that best suit such a campaign, and what gaming in the Tarantino-verse requires, from tropes to alternate history and universes within universes.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QsfhaqpyoYQ/X7KdtBNo3jI/AAAAAAAABiE/zSZBc4ypmpw9XK_AIaxW1AyfcksIgFbOQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1199" height="318" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QsfhaqpyoYQ/X7KdtBNo3jI/AAAAAAAABiE/zSZBc4ypmpw9XK_AIaxW1AyfcksIgFbOQCLcBGAsYHQ/w476-h318/image.png" width="476" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Choosing the Game</h2><div style="text-align: left;">The first step in running a Tarantino-verse game is choosing a game with the right qualities. It's important, first of all, that the game you choose plays fast, fast, fast. You don't want a game that requires you to leave the dice on the table, compare several different dice against each other, build complicated dice pools, or wait for rounds of contested rolls. You definitely don't want a system that uses a ton of symbol-covered dice which require you to interpret results in order to drive the story forwards. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You want a game that is rules light and has a system that gets the Hell out of the way so you can get on with the action. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zzyQXwrwFig/X7Kd5x39leI/AAAAAAAABiI/V82qeEFQwh8JWgFHfkGyz0kpKKwC_-QXgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="398" height="498" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zzyQXwrwFig/X7Kd5x39leI/AAAAAAAABiI/V82qeEFQwh8JWgFHfkGyz0kpKKwC_-QXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w378-h498/image.png" width="378" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Old School</h3><div style="text-align: left;">Besides being fast playing, however, you also want a game with a robust combat system that allows for theatrics and over-the-top heroics. Many heavily abstracted "old school" systems are ideal for this as the player can be encouraged to simply describe what they are doing in the course of a round, and the GM can grant bonuses or situational positioning based on this description. This can be an advanced form of improvisational play, however, and isn't for everyone. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Games in this genre include Original D&D through second edition AD&D as well as newer takes on the style of play like Amazing Adventures, <a href="https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html" target="_blank">Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars</a>, and even Labyrinth Lord or other retroclones. These systems are class-and-level based, but they also offer fast playing, abstracted combat which lends itself well to imaginative play and descriptive combat. If you haven't tried a modern game using old school rules, don't knock it until you have. You might find that new schooler complaints aside, they're not nearly as complicated or arcane as you thought they'd be and they're actually worlds of fun. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qmGd0mQLlCs/X7KeEbN0ZeI/AAAAAAAABiQ/iZRvEIIWwp8OR63DkjdBlkgcpaKnULxkACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1073" height="438" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qmGd0mQLlCs/X7KeEbN0ZeI/AAAAAAAABiQ/iZRvEIIWwp8OR63DkjdBlkgcpaKnULxkACLcBGAsYHQ/w442-h438/image.png" width="442" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">New School</h3><div style="text-align: left;">When it comes to newer games, those created after, say, 1990 or so, <a href="https://studio2publishing.com/" target="_blank">those like Savage Worlds</a> can be ideal for a Tarantino-verse game as they allow for tricks and stunts which work just like anything else in the game. It's one of the few systems I've seen where you think, "it can't be that easy, and then you crack a book, and hey, it's that easy." </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Unisystem, particularly the cinematic version, is also a great option for such a game; their combat maneuvers offer a whole world of fun and dynamic options that don't remotely slow down the game. Add in Chi Abilities from <i>Enter the Zombie </i>and you've got yourself a fantastic set of high-action blood-and-guts rules. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Finally, there's the elephant in the room: the Fifth Edition D&D rules set. Amazing Adventures 5e gives you a complete modern version of this game that is ideal for playing a Tarantino-verse game. Yes, it's not lost on me that Night Shift: VSW and AA are games that I wrote, and I make no apologies for that. These movies were something of an inspiration on all of those games, so they're custom built to handle it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">These are just a few of the games that can work to cover the kind of play you need. The key is fast playing, open, and simple. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wvABkJTo7cM/X7KeOZ_JVYI/AAAAAAAABiY/ex_PC3x77yMZyC2aBhwi2-JdsgiBamqjgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="470" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wvABkJTo7cM/X7KeOZ_JVYI/AAAAAAAABiY/ex_PC3x77yMZyC2aBhwi2-JdsgiBamqjgCLcBGAsYHQ/w470-h470/image.png" width="470" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Tarantinoverse</h2><div style="text-align: left;">Now we move into <a href="https://tarantinoverse.fandom.com/" target="_blank">the 'verse itself</a>. If you're already a big fan of Tarantino's works, a lot of this will seem obvious to you, but if you're only a casual fan, some of it may come as a shocker. We all know that the movies are full of ultraviolence and near-supernatural feats of gun- and swordplay. Let's break the universe down a little further, though. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Near Supernatural is not Supernatural</h3><div>First things first: "near supernatural" heroics does not mean supernatural. While in a system like the Unisystem, Chi abilities can be used to mimic some of the feats seen in Tarantino's films, they should not be couched as supernatural abilities. There is no magic, no psychic powers, no inhuman monstrosities. These movies, though clearly they play fast and loose with physics, are still grounded in reality so far as the types of phenomena we see. There's guns, there's swords, there's evil people, but that's it. If you want to run a Tarantino game, there's no supernatural. Period. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">It's Not the History You Know</h3><div>First things first: this is VITAL to the world and surroundings of Tarantino's universe. This universe is an <a href="https://tarantinoverse.fandom.com/wiki/Realer_than_Real_Universe" target="_blank">alternate history 'verse</a>. In the Tarantinoverse, things turn left in 1944, when World War II ends a year early after a suicidal and ultra-violent raid on a movie theater in which Hitler is viewing the latest Nazi propaganda film, by an elite black ops team of Americans who mow the Fuhrer down with submachine guns. They receive unwitting help by a French Jew who locks everyone inside and burns the theater to the ground, thus taking out the entire elite of the Nazi party (<b>Inglorious Basterds</b>). . </div><div><br /></div><div>Germany falls overnight, and the act becomes legendary, an heroic near-myth that leads (probably indirectly) to a world that is even more violent than the one we live in today. Later, in the early 1960s the event was fictionalized (and glorified) in the Rick Dalton (fictional) film <i>The Fourteen Fists of McCluskey, </i>in grandly gorrific fashion<i>. </i>Later, in 1969, the Tate-La Blanca Murders take an entirely different twist when the Manson family goes to the wrong house--the house next door to Tate's--and are themselves brutally killed by stuntman Cliff Booth and former Western actor Rick Dalton in self-defense (<b>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</b>).</div><div><br /></div><div>It could be said, however, that even as far back as the 19th Century this world was more violent and brutal than our own (<b>Django Unchained</b> and <b>The Hateful Eight</b>). </div><div><br /></div><div>Following these events, the world becomes on that is essentially ruled by crime novel and noir tropes--ultraviolent, gangs rule the streets, police are determined to root them out, but often are outclassed by the criminals they face. The only police that do manage to succeed are those who are as violent as the criminals (<b>Natural Born Killers, True Romance, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown*</b>). </div><div><br /></div><div>*<i>Technically, Natural Born Killers and Jackie Brown aren't part of the Tarantino-verse, but there's literally no reason they couldn't be. It's worth mentioning, though, that while Tarantino wrote the original screenplay for Natural Born Killers, he absolutely hated the final product, and personally doesn't consider it part of his oeuvre. Likewise, True Romance wasn't directed by Tarantino, but he personally does consider it part of his universe. </i></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Rated R for Ultraviolence and Strong Language</h3><div>That's essentially it. If you're running a Tarantino-Verse game, you want ultraviolent crime movie tropes, war movies, spaghetti westerns, or alt-history, all of which take an ultraviolent twist. When you're in combat,<i> describe the blood and guts, and don't skimp on the blood. </i>Foul language is essential--drop the F-bomb every other word. </div><div><br /></div><div>One aspect of Tarantino's films that very likely won't translate well to the modern gaming table is the use of racial slurs. Within the context of the films they work just fine because they're used properly (if such a thing is possible) and Tarantino's use of epithets like the n-word has been defended by people like Samuel L. Jackson. </div><div><br /></div><div>At your table, however, it may just be best to forget about that and not use it, unless <i>everyone </i>at the table is okay with it, understands how potentially problematic it can be, and is willing to move past that. If anyone is remotely uncomfortable with such language in any way, don't use it. Period. </div><div><br /></div><div>We live in a world right now where racial tensions are extremely high, and people are highly sensitive (arguably as they should be) to such language. In the end, like everything in gaming, it comes down to respecting your table. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0KsuPzYxFjY/X7KeZowTAkI/AAAAAAAABig/dCCVQN3xDCgbAZgtA0qRj59ik1gK6L1wQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="342" height="460" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0KsuPzYxFjY/X7KeZowTAkI/AAAAAAAABig/dCCVQN3xDCgbAZgtA0qRj59ik1gK6L1wQCLcBGAsYHQ/w360-h460/image.png" width="360" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What About Kill Bill? From Dusk Till Dawn? Death Proof? </h3><div>Good question! What many people don't realize about the Tarantino-Verse is that there is a "<a href="https://tarantinoverse.fandom.com/wiki/Movie_Movie_Universe" target="_blank">Universe within a universe</a>." Movies like <i>Kill Bill, From Dusk 'Till Dawn, Death Proof, Planet Terror, the Machete </i>movies, and even <i>Sin City </i>and <i>Sin City: A Dame to Kill For</i> are all part of this sub-universe, which is formed of the movies that people in the core Tarantino-verse go to see. So, for example, Vince and Jules from <i>Pulp Fiction </i>would go to the movies to check out <i>Kill Bill, </i>the latest action hit. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, it's true that <i>Planet Terror </i>and <i>Sin City </i>are directed by Robert Rodriguez and not Tarantino, but so is <i>From Dusk Till Dawn, </i>and both PT and the SC movies contain references to Tarantino's verse (PT and FDTD both feature Earl McGraw, and the SC movies feature Miko using a Hattori Hanzo sword) so it seems clear they're intended to be part of the secondary universe. Indeed, Hattori Hanzo and Earl McGraw are good ways to determine whether a film is in the "core" or "sub" universe. </div><div><br /></div><div>The specific films that can fit into the movie-within-a-movie 'verse are very much left to the imagination of the viewer, and presumably include many of the films we have in the real world. Some of those I've listed here aren't listed in the linked Tarantino wiki, like the <i>Sin City </i>films, for example, but I think the references are clear enough to merit their inclusion. In fact, one could easily include Rodriguez' <i>El Mariachi </i>trilogy as a tangential part of this 'verse as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>These films, as we see in FDTD, PT, and even the SC films, do have supernatural elements. This opens the door to a different sort of Tarantino-verse gaming, which takes place in this sub-universe beneath the core alt-history of the 'verse. The tropes are largely the same, but taken to a whole separate level of superhuman feats, and even adding things like vampires and zombies to the mix. It's important to remember, however, that while this sub-universe includes elements of the supernatural, we still don't see things like psychics and spell-slinging wizards. The closest any PC might get to supernatural powers is mystic martial arts abilities. </div><div><br /></div><div>If one desired, you could take this a minor step further and assume that the <i>From Dusk Till Dawn </i>TV series is part of this sub-universe as well (if you're playing in that universe you'll need to decide whether the film or TV series is canon, because they diverge significantly). If that's the case, PC vampires may be an option, but that's something for you to explore on your own. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-19e1J9DL1Ss/X7KfTu3__zI/AAAAAAAABiw/7f-xPciPw4w5Qp-CEdXgibJ-K2j_LNUeACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1800" height="289" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-19e1J9DL1Ss/X7KfTu3__zI/AAAAAAAABiw/7f-xPciPw4w5Qp-CEdXgibJ-K2j_LNUeACLcBGAsYHQ/w514-h289/image.png" width="514" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Isn't Kill Bill Mia's Pilot?</h3></div><div>There's a fan theory that <i>Kill Bill</i> is the failed pilot Mia says she was involved with in <i>Pulp Fiction. </i>I don't subscribe to this theory. It relies upon the fact that the characters fit Mia's description; unfortunately it completely falls apart unless you really squint and turn your head left just enough while looking at it. </div><div><br /></div><div>First of all, Mia's pilot was about Fox Force Five, not the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. They were secret agents, not assassins. In Fox Force Five, Mia's character was the expert with knives, while in Kill Bill it was Vernita Green who was the knife expert, not Beatrix. Finally, Fox Force Five was a squad of all women. Deadly Viper had Budd as a member. I think it's clear that the genesis of the idea for Kill Bill was rolled up one way or another in the Fox Force Five description, but the two are very clearly separate and distinct entities. It's best to treat them as such. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">That's the Basics!</h3><div>That's basically it--the campaign setting requires no book or guide. Just watch all the movies and shows listed in this blog. If you feel the need for extra research, read the crime novels of Elmore Leonard, one of Tarantino's biggest influences. Learn the tropes of Spaghetti Westerns, of crime and gangster movies (both classic and modern, from The Untouchables to New Jack City), and look into the alt history genre. This is a universe and sub-universe where just about anything is possible so long as it's gritty and grounded. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-21142684119593866532020-11-06T14:52:00.003-05:002020-11-06T15:36:36.509-05:00Why Re-Use Old Mechanics? Why Not Create a New System?<p>(Cross-posted from my <a href="https://elflairgames.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Elf Lair Games blog</a>, which you should also follow!)</p><p><br /></p><p>This is a question I get asked far too often, and far too often it's with an accusatory tone, along the lines of, "what kind of a game designer are you if you can't create an original system?" or "Aren't you creative enough to come up with something unique and original?"</p><p>The truth is, I have worked with just about every kind of system you can imagine over my decades of game design. I've done stat + skill systems, roll and keep systems, fistful 'o dice and count kills systems, graduated die type systems, and more. All were fun, all were quirky, all were unique in some way. </p><p>I did go through a phase where I spent a lot of time coming up with new and different systems. I even designed a couple from the ground up that used cards instead of dice. One, the Hoyle System, used a standard deck of playing cards with each suit and the jokers representing something different in play, and another used tarot cards as a means of resolution, where the major arcana had specific game functions. While they were fun intellectual exercises, for the lion's share of my professional game work, I have almost always come back to tried and true. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8g_sKnewQKA/X6WmqRjn3II/AAAAAAAABhU/qxVXA04eNCgMgnoAxYFUm0msywnbekA0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/diceset.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1633" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8g_sKnewQKA/X6WmqRjn3II/AAAAAAAABhU/qxVXA04eNCgMgnoAxYFUm0msywnbekA0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/diceset.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><h2>Do What Works and Keep It Simple</h2><p>Here's the reason. Tried and true <i>works. </i>If your game is entirely focused on your rules system, you're doing something wrong as a game designer (unless it's a board game; then the rules are what matters more than anything). But trying to come up with something "innovative" in an RPG is at best an exercise in futility, and at worst, arrogant pretension. The more "unique" your dice mechanic is, the more it draws attention away from the role playing and the more it forces attention on the mechanics, which is counter to the point of this kind of gaming. </p><p>There's an old truism in gaming that states you shouldn't roll dice unless you have to, unless the situation really calls for it. Don't roll dice to climb a ladder unless that ladder is rickety and covered with grease. Don't roll dice to find a piece of information that the adventure requires the players to have for the story to move forward. If this is the case, why would you create a rules system that takes longer to adjudicate and/or forces you to put more attention on the dice than should be due? </p><p>It might be fun to play with at your table but here's the simple fact: your system, no matter what it is or how it works, revolves around generating random numbers to mimic a probability. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: "innovative" dice systems are smoke and mirrors which in the end, use increasingly complicated means to just generate a random result, and overcomplicate things to no good end. </p><p>It's really simple: if you're going to generate a random result, <i>just roll a die. </i>The more complex you make it than that, the further away from the simple idea of role playing and shared storytelling you get. If your dice system is required to drive the story forward, your game has failed and it may as well be a board game. Dice don't (and shouldn't) drive creativity. </p><p>When you try to push something completely different out there, a full 99% of the time all you're doing is re-inventing the wheel. That's just putting a lot of time, thought, and effort into something that could be much better spent looking at other more creative aspects of your game. I've done a number of articles over the years about not <a href="https://wastedlandsfantasy.blogspot.com/2018/07/game-design-re-inventing-wheel.html" target="_blank">re-inventing the wheel</a>, about how it's better to <a href="https://wastedlandsfantasy.blogspot.com/2018/07/sci-fi-with-ad-or-re-skinning-your-genre.html" target="_blank">re-skin something</a> you've already got that works, than it is to invent unnecessary subsystems. As a game designer, I firmly believe you should <i>always </i>apply the K.I.S.S. principle. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sLAudd6fdtE/X6Wm2WPEhPI/AAAAAAAABhY/PgtFfZlPI4cda7gvyZeukDqoQPZbfl1JgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/NSGM%2B4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="365" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sLAudd6fdtE/X6Wm2WPEhPI/AAAAAAAABhY/PgtFfZlPI4cda7gvyZeukDqoQPZbfl1JgCLcBGAsYHQ/w487-h365/NSGM%2B4.jpg" width="487" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><h2>Types of Systems</h2><p>There's a few simple, straightforward ways to handle a dice system which again are tried and true, and to which I'll always come back. The first is the basic "roll a die and add modifiers against a target number" system. This can be seen in everything from the combat system in the earliest days of gaming to modern stat + skill vs. TN systems. Even basic roll under percentile systems fall under this category. It's easy, intuitive, straightforward, and quite simply, it just works and gets the Hell out of the way so you can concentrate on your story. </p><p>Next is the dice pool, count success levels system. In this version, you throw a handful of dice usually generated by a series of trait ratings, and count success levels. My own Cd8 system works off of this mechanic--throw a fistful of dice and every 7-8 you get counts as one "fist bump." Tasks are rated based on how many fist bumps they need to be successful.</p><p>Finally, and probably the least common, is the roll and keep system. In this system, you generate a dice pool, roll a number of dice, and keep a lesser number, often based on a skill. You might, for example, roll dice equal to your strength and climbing ability and skill, and keep a number of dice equal to your climbing skill, adding them together and applying the result to a target number. This system usually crosses over with one of the above: either you'll total the dice you keep against a TN or you'll count successes on the dice you keep. </p><p>The truth is, the vast majority of game systems on the market today fit into one of the above. It's just that too many try to mask themselves as something new when they're just a complicated coat of paint on the basic idea of generating a random result based on a simple probability. </p><h2>You Have Nothing to Prove</h2><div>In the end, as a game designer, neither I nor you (if you're a new or experienced designer reading this) have <i>anything to prove to anyone. </i>You're a gamer first, after all. Make the game you want to play. That's the real takeaway from this. Your job as a game designer, your first responsibility, is to you. You have to make games you love. Otherwise you can't genuinely represent them to your fanbase. Understand that you can't please everyone, but if you're making a game you want to play, you'll get where you need to be in the end. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, despite what I said above about pretention and presumption in innovative systems, if you legit don't find anything that works for you in the systems that are out there, by all means cook up something that's what you want to play. As you work on it, though, <i>always </i>look back to what's already been done and ask yourself, "am I just complicating something that works just as well, already is out there, and is easier to do?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Note that I'm not suggesting you outright steal someone's system--never do that. Not only is it uncool, it's illegal. What you can do, though, is look at the variant general types of system (target number, dice pool, roll and keep, etc.) and see if something really basic like that is at the heart of your game, then strip it back. The faster, easier, more intuitive, and more streamlined your system is, the better off you'll be in the end. </div><div><br /></div><div>But in the end, you don't need to show off your awesome game design skills by coming up with something shiny, new, and innovative. Worse, the more you try to do so, the more you'll likely just be overcomplicating something that already does exist, when taking a simpler, more straightforward approach would service your game far better. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCm0yYSmPmk/X6WnDfyKa5I/AAAAAAAABhg/-eg4i2FGWroeX5lxCxN7Im7rqeOpOIX0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/NSGM%2B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="418" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCm0yYSmPmk/X6WnDfyKa5I/AAAAAAAABhg/-eg4i2FGWroeX5lxCxN7Im7rqeOpOIX0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w557-h418/NSGM%2B3.jpg" width="557" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2>My Design DNA</h2><div>So in the end, that's where I stand. Over the years, I've written for such companies as Palladium Books, Eden Studios, Misfit Studios, Troll Lord Games, Goodman Games, and others. Every one of those companies has brought something to the table that influenced me as a designer. My design DNA is drawn from elements of all of them--percentile-based class abilities, straightforward flat target number systems, Fate Points, stratified ability scores, and the other elements of my games. </div><div><br /></div><div>All of this has come together to create something that I think is, in fact, unique, but still at the same time very straightforward and ultimately, intuitive and familiar so anyone who has played an RPG can grasp it and get up and running fast. I like to think that once you grasp the core systems, you can play my games without cracking a book, or only rarely doing so. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't consider the O.G.R.E.S. system, the O.R.C.S. system, or the Cd8 system to be innovative in any way, but they do have a personality that's mine, and in the end, that's what every game designer should aspire to achieve and offer. </div><div><br /></div><div>As always, thanks for reading and be sure to check out <a href="https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html" target="_blank">Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars</a>, now available from <a href="https://studio2publishing.com/" target="_blank">Studio 2 Publishing</a>!</div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-31037516013779685952020-11-05T15:18:00.002-05:002020-11-05T15:19:34.872-05:00What Does Night Shift: VSW Bring to the Old School Table?<p> (This blog is crossposted from my Elf Lair Games blog, which I recommend everyone follow as well! It also sort of dovetails off of an earlier one regarding <a href="http://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2020/09/whats-so-innovative-about-night-shift.html" target="_blank">what's innovative about Night Shift</a>.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nSOcdBfjoS0/XyK2i7yQLsI/AAAAAAAABa8/s3krSNmQvC4W4bMUEVbY1rocs5QKjLTYQCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/Kickstarter%2BImage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="2048" height="354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nSOcdBfjoS0/XyK2i7yQLsI/AAAAAAAABa8/s3krSNmQvC4W4bMUEVbY1rocs5QKjLTYQCPcBGAYYCw/w609-h354/Kickstarter%2BImage.jpg" width="609" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><h1>What Does Night Shift: VSW Bring to the Old School Table?</h1><div>Whenever a new game using old school mechanics is released, people very justifiably want to know what it brings to the table? What makes it worth buying? It's a totally legit question--let's face it, the old school table is stuffed to bursting with games, rules systems, and different takes on the way the earliest games were supposed to be played. When this whole thing started we had <i><a href="www.trolllord.com" target="_blank">Castles & Crusades</a>,</i> followed by <i>OSRIC</i>, followed by <i>Swords & Wizardry</i>. A few others followed, including my own <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product_info.php?products_id=94105&filters=0_0_0_0&manufacturers_id=3869&affiliate_id=1762&src=CommunityForum1"><i>Spellcraft & Swordplay</i>. </a></div><div><br /></div><div>Now we have <i>Labyrinth Lord, Old School Essentials, Basic Fantasy, Dark Dungeons, Mazes & Perils, Blueholme, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, Champions of ZED</i>, and a litany of other games, all good, all solid, all astonishingly fun and created by outstanding designers and great guys. In the end, however, at our core, all of us are doing the same thing--looking back at the core of early gaming and putting out our own versions of those days, trying to address <i>our </i>vision and how <i>we </i>think the game should be played based on our own scholarship. </div><div><br /></div><div>This has led to a whole world of creative output but it has also, inevitably, led to burnout on the part of consumers. They rightfully want to know what one game offers that the games they already own don't? Is this just another re-presentation and re-working of the B/X rules? If so, why bother? Naturally, people have the same questions about <i>Night Shift: VSW. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>The good news is, we do bring something new and (I think) worthwhile to the table. Let's dive in. </div><div><br /></div><div><h2>The Design Intent and Meta-Setting</h2><div>One thing many folks have started to do is take these old school rules and apply them to non-fantasy settings. We've seen that with games like <i>Kids on Bikes, Stars Without Number, </i>and <i>Dark Places & Demogorgons. Night Shift: VSW </i>applies this old school mindset to adult urban fantasy and horror gaming in a way that hasn't been done before, and it's completely compatible with your other old school games. It can sit on the shelf right next to your B/X rules and be used right alongside them. The statistics that went into the probabilities and character class progressions have been calculated to closely match those from the Original and B/X days of gaming, so there should be no problem there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Obviously, we don't claim to be the first ones to offer alternate-genre takes on those old rules. The games I already mentioned above did it first. But we're the first to tackle this kind of broad approach, I think, where you can dive into just about any sort of modern gaming you want, from a game inspired by modern alien conspiracies in the Alphabet Soup organizations to that cheerleader who is chosen to hunt vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness to a succubus fey who refuses to sell out to one of the courts, to demon-hunting brothers in a muscle car to a sorcerous private eye with a talking skull, and beyond. </div><div><br /></div><h2>The Toolkit Approach</h2><div>Tim and I both enjoy old school play, but we are also very much into the rules lite new school approach, having both worked together on many Unisystem books throughout our careers. Our DNA is all over this game and we took a toolkit approach that's not quite like anything else that's been done. We have added options for a skill system, for character backgrounds, for madness, for exorcism, Fate Points, and a litany of other options. The forthcoming <i>Night Companion </i>will offer even more, including weapon classes, variable damage, and others.</div><div><br /></div><div>Beyond this, however, we've built three levels of play into the game: the standard (which we call "realistic"), the gritty, and the cinematic. These three levels apply in different ways across most of the rules mechanics, and can be mixed and matched to create a custom game that suits your specific tastes. If you want cinematic healing but gritty and deadly firearms combined with the standard attack and class ability mechanics, just pick the options you want and go. You can even start with one level and change it out as the heroes grow in experience--perhaps you want to start off with Cinematic healing to give your players more survivability at low levels, but then you switch to realistic at mid-levels and gritty at high levels. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's the toolkit approach. </div><div><br /></div><h2>Codifying the Game</h2><div>We also did something that no one else has done yet: we took the three basic mechanics that are already in play across all the different versions of that original game, through its second edition, and simply spelled out in a codified form how they work. I talked about this in a blog I did <a href="https://wastedlandsfantasy.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-elegance-of-non-unified-mechanics.html">a year or so ago</a>, which was one of two blogs there that led to <i>Night Shift: VSW </i>being written in the first place. </div><div><br /></div><div>So we've taken the three mechanics that have always driven old school versions of play, and instead of scattering them throughout the game here and there to be figured out as you go, we've split them up and defined exactly how each works in the context of the game. It is my opinion that this forms a sort of Rosetta Stone for old school play. <i>The O.G.R.E.S. system can actually help you better understand the workings of old school fantasy games. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>That may seem a grandiose claim, but I really think it stands. </div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it; that's what NSVSW, as we like to call it, brings to the table. I hope if you're on the fence, you'll <a href="www.elflair.com" target="_blank">head over to my website and check it out</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-44910949350552607542020-09-24T06:30:00.011-04:002020-09-24T19:34:40.063-04:00I Have Partnered with Studio 2 for Night Shift: VSW!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7lZF1NSDB64/X1Oyf0l_T6I/AAAAAAAABb4/v6jkTxu9b4MbxXl0zHv-bPiZlyj0P3dxQCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/Kickstarter%2BImage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="2048" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7lZF1NSDB64/X1Oyf0l_T6I/AAAAAAAABb4/v6jkTxu9b4MbxXl0zHv-bPiZlyj0P3dxQCPcBGAYYCw/w408-h237/Kickstarter%2BImage.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br /><p>Elf Lair Games has officially signed on with Studio 2 Publishing to distribute English language tabletop RPG product, beginning with <i>Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars</i>. </p><p>I couldn't be more excited about this partnership. It stands as the next big step in expanding our reach as a publishing company, and we look forward to getting our games into the hands of as many players as possible. Studio 2 is just the company to make that happen. Making this transition was a big step for Elf Lair and signing on with Studio 2 is a huge development for us. This represents a vital move towards what I hope will be a bright and exciting future for the company.</p><p>The partnership will greatly expand the reach of <a href="https://www.elflair.com/" target="_blank">Elf Lair Games</a>, allowing its presence in physical gaming stores and major online retailers. Elf Lair recently made the transition from a small PDF and print-on-demand company to a traditional offset publisher thanks to a successful Kickstarter in October 2019. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">About Night Shift: VSW</h2><p>As most of you know, <i><a href="https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html">Night Shift: VSW</a></i> is a tabletop role playing game using mechanics that will be familiar to players of the classic editions of the World's Most Famous tabletop RPG, and published under the Open Game License. It takes an unique approach, however, in the way it codifies these rules, and is the first game of its sort to allow playing any kind of horror, urban fantasy or dark modern game. Fans of urban fantasy literature, television and movies have celebrated the game's approach and aesthetics. </p><p>The game uses the familiar ability scores of Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, class-and-level character creation and fast, intuitive mechanics that involve ability checks based on a 20-sided die, percentile-based class abilities and a "rule of 2" mechanic that involves rolling a die and looking for a result of 1 or 2. The game is built to be fast-playing with an easy and fast-play rules system that allows for interpretation and application to a wide range of genres and situations. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">About Elf Lair Games</h2><p>Elf Lair Games is based in Pittsburgh, PA, and bills itself as "The new class of old school." The company was first founded in 2008 as a startup publisher of "nostalgia" and "retroclone" games. Since then it has expanded to become a traditional publishing company, combining an old school aesthetic with modern design sensibilities. They can be found online at <a href="https://www.elflair.com/">https://www.elflair.com/</a> or on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/</a> </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">About Studio 2 Publishing</h2><p>Studio 2 Publishing provides fulfillment, marketing, sales and distribution services for other companies as well as serving as a traditional publisher in their own right. Their contacts and experience allow them to produce and distribute a wide range of profits, maximizing sales potential for clients in every aspect, from warehousing to shipping, logistics to invoicing and much more. They can be found online at <a href="https://studio2publishing.com/">https://studio2publishing.com/</a></p>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-65629252440473031862020-09-21T06:00:00.001-04:002020-09-21T06:00:15.877-04:00Dark Superheroes with Night Shift: VSW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBLLldF9b_c/X2edmx4YAnI/AAAAAAAABfE/KG2OqUGBGmskaPJ-MLJHI2v-C4Hb44ZewCLcBGAsYHQ/s668/vigilante.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="400" height="466" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBLLldF9b_c/X2edmx4YAnI/AAAAAAAABfE/KG2OqUGBGmskaPJ-MLJHI2v-C4Hb44ZewCLcBGAsYHQ/w280-h466/vigilante.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> Let's be honest: It's more than likely that there's a supers supplement for <i>Night Shift: VSW</i> on the horizon some day in the future. Here's the trick, though: <i>you don't really need it </i>to do supers with the game as it stands. You could do a street level supers game with NS:VSW exactly as it sits, and you'd still be well within genre. Look at TV shows like <i>Arrow </i>or<i> Batwoman </i>on the CW or the Netflix Marvel shows for examples of how street-level supers can be dark urban fantasy at its finest. <p></p><p>Hell, consider <i>Blade </i>as an example of how the superhero genre can be mixed with horror. It's certainly not outside of the wheelhouse of <i>Night Shift </i>to experiment with superheroic games, particularly if you keep it at "street level" abilities. </p><p>Let's check out the easy ways you can do superheroes with <i><a href="https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html" target="_blank">Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars</a></i></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Start with the Supernatural Race</h2><div>In <i>Night Shift: VSW, </i>you have essentially two options for your character "race," which we usually prefer to refer to as "species," as it's more scientifically accurate. These are your standard humans, and your Supernatural. The Supernatural PC character is highly customizable, and basically comes stock with a suite of superpowers. </div><div><br /></div><div>From the standpoint of getting started, there's your core. The only big differences I'd make is allowing the +3 to raise ability scores above 20 for Supernaturals, and maybe adding an option that multipliers of what you can do increase with every point above 18: thus, Strength 19 means you can double your carrying limit, 20 trebles it, and 21 quadruples it. For Dex 19 you'd double your base speed, for 20, treble it, and for 21, quadruple it, etc. This doesn't affect your bonuses for your attribute checks, which still scale as normal, just what you can lift, how fast you can run, etc.</div><div><br /></div><div>This may not be a perfect solution when it comes to things like Con and the mental abilities, but the GM can easily come up with a modification for those abilities modeled on Str and Dex. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next, you may wish to rename the race/species, whether it's mutant, demihuman, metahuman, altered human, whatever. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, pick your power and go! You're out of the gate a superhero, and you even get to improve and gain new powers as you go. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Character Classes Mean Customization</h2><div>Don't ever imagine that character classes don't have a place in a dark street-level supers game. First, playing a normal human with a character class should, theoretically, still be balanced against your supernaturals, since supernaturals suffer an XP penalty for starting off with thair powers. </div><div><br /></div><div>Second, adding a character class to your supernatural character offers a degree of customization. What if you want a character who had a mystical encounter with a black cat on Halloween? She absorbed the soul of that cat due to a mystical ritual gone wrong in a nearby building, which she didn't even know about, but now she has the abilities of a cat. She of course wishes to apply them to selfish ends and is also a cat burglar. Simply choose the right powers, give her the +3 to Dexterity, and then choose the Survivor character class to give her abilities like move silently, hide, locks, and the like. You're done! You've got your superpowered cat burglar with the powers of an actual cat. Sure, it's a bit derivative, but we're offering examples, here! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzmVd24iMhE/X2egf7GWuSI/AAAAAAAABfk/lDVBeZG0wNQ15BAyeogsBYLLlOunkReqACPcBGAYYCw/s446/cat%2Bburglar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="385" height="563" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzmVd24iMhE/X2egf7GWuSI/AAAAAAAABfk/lDVBeZG0wNQ15BAyeogsBYLLlOunkReqACPcBGAYYCw/w486-h563/cat%2Bburglar.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, several of the classes already play nice with a supers game. The Witch/Warlock, Psychic, Theosophist, and even Inventor are already primed for a supers game. Heck, the Inventor gives you that crime-fighting gadgeteer detective type character or the character with that flying suit of super-weaponized armor right off the bat, which you can improve with additional gadgets and effects as you go. It's even possible to retool the Inventor entirely and allow for the Science Points to become Power Points; instead of creating super science devices, your character simply purchases superpowers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There you have it! Street level supers with <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/3869/Elf-Lair-Games?filters=0_0_0_0&src=CommunityForum1" target="_blank"><i>Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars</i></a>. Learn more about it on our website or <a href="https://elflair.square.site/" target="_blank">get your copy today!</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Night Shift on the Web: <a href="https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html">https://www.elflair.com/nightshift.html</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Facebook Discussion Group: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/elflairgames/</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Official Discussion Boards (where we'd love to see more talk!) <a href="https://elflairgames.proboards.com/">https://elflairgames.proboards.com/</a></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552783300752163646.post-62253147417526755572020-09-18T09:07:00.009-04:002022-06-06T19:11:56.495-04:00Ash vs. Evil Dead with OD&D<div style="text-align: left;"><div>Tis the season, so here we go.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vYG7Hd2OXlE/X2Sw58PwS6I/AAAAAAAABec/YdNdYGmgWj4Gy4KlWMc2ycHOqszLcUdcgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Ash%2Bvs%2BEvil%2BDead.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="322" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vYG7Hd2OXlE/X2Sw58PwS6I/AAAAAAAABec/YdNdYGmgWj4Gy4KlWMc2ycHOqszLcUdcgCLcBGAsYHQ/w572-h322/Ash%2Bvs%2BEvil%2BDead.jpg" width="572" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>low res image used for criticism and scholarly purposes under Fair Use doctrine.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I've been binge watching Ash vs. Evil Dead over the past couple days (actually, I binged the entire Evil Dead franchise in order including the 2013 in-continuity reboot) and was thinking about how one could do this with OD&D. For the uninitiated here, that's <i>Original D&D, </i>the one released back in 1974 with the woodgrain (later white) box. As with most properties, it's crazy easy and even more proof that OD&D is a much better, more robust game than it's ever given credit for being. </div><div><br /></div><div>No need to elaborate on what this one is further. Here's my thoughts.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Monsters</h2><div><br /></div><div><b>Standard Deadite: </b>4HD, Mv. 30ft, fly 30ft. Attacks: claw, claw, bite. Special: On a natural 20, infect another requiring a save vs. Death or become a Deadite. Deadites can use Alter Self at will to look like their former self and possess all the memories and knowledge of those they possess. Any time they take damage in this form they must save vs. Death or revert to their deadite form. Regenerate 1d6/round unless completely dismembered (brought to -10 hit points) or the head destroyed. Some deadites can be exorcised, but the process is unique to each individual and is left to the DM. Only important NPCs and PCs should have this option.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Flying Deadites: </b>treat as harpies that can only be damaged by magical attacks.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kandarian Demon (forest):</b> treat as 8 HD shambling mound that cannot be harmed by non-magical attacks</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kandar the Destroyer: </b>Treat as ancient red dragon</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dark Ones:</b> Dark Ones regenerate 5d6 damage each round unless it was inflicted by the Kandarian Dagger. They all have the abilities of a 20th level magic user and a 20th level cleric. Ruby is a dark one until her children steal her magic, at which point she becomes a 10th level human Magic User. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Special/Magic items</h2><div><b>Assault Rifle: </b>Counts as a normal ranged attack with the range of a longbow. 3 Attacks per round. If using variable damage, deals 1d6. It's possible to target all 3 rounds on a single target, making a single attack and dealing triple damage. Since melee rounds are a minute long, can be reloaded and fired in the same round. On a natural 20 if all 3 rounds are directed at a single target, explodes the head of whatever it's shot at. Can damage creatures normally only damaged by magic items. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chainsaw:</b> Counts as a great sword, but can be wielded one-handed. Does not function unless activated and filled with fuel (lantern oil will suffice). Each round roll 1d10; on a result of 1, it stalls out or refuses to run. Can damage creatures normally only damaged by magic items. Can be mounted on a character's arm in place of their hand (requires the permanent loss of a hand). Interchangeable with prosthetic hand.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Boomstick: </b>Counts as a normal ranged attack with the range of a shortbow. 2 attacks per round. If using variable damage, deals 1d8. It's possible to blow out both barrels at once, making a single attack roll for double damage. Since melee rounds are a minute long, the Boomstick can be loaded and fired in the same round. On a natural 20, explodes the head of whatever it's shot at. Can damage creatures normally only damaged by magic items.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kandarian Dagger:</b> Long, jagged-blade dagger set into a handle of bone. Counts as a +1 magic short sword (due to its length, heft, and jagged blade) that is +2 and double damage to all denizens of the Deadworld (Kandarian demons, deadites, etc.) and undead. Can also be used by a magic user to flay victims for the purpose of creating new pages for the Necronomicon.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Necronomicon ex-Mortis: </b>Also called <i>Naturom Demonto</i>, this book is bound in human flesh and inked in human blood. It contains all spells ever known, both clerical and arcane. Magic users who possess it can prepare clerical spells as though they were arcane. Any spell in the book can also be cast as a magical scroll by anyone who reads it, and the scrolls do not fade. In all other ways it functions as the Book of Vile Darkness. New pages can be added, creating new spells (usually summoning or necromancy), but this requires skin flayed with the Kandarian Dagger, and a special pen dipped in human blood. The exact nature of added pages are usually plot points and handled by the DM.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Prosthetic hand:</b> Replaces missing hand. Increases the wearer's Strength score by 3 when worn. Interchangeable with chainsaw.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">New Rules</h2><div><b>Fear/Terror: </b>The first time someone sees a creature infused with the energy of the Deadlands (a Kandarian or deadite) they must make a saving throw vs. petrification or act in sheer terror. Roll a d6 to determine their reaction:</div><div><br /></div><div>1-2: Fight - attack anything within range in a blind panic, including friends and allies</div><div>3-4: Flight - Turn and run as fast as you can in any direction that gets you away from the source of your terror. </div><div>5-6: Freeze - Treat as a <i>hold person </i>spell is cast on the character, with no save allowed. The character may scream, babble, or even wet themselves, but may not move for the duration of the terror. </div><div><br /></div><div>A new save can be made each round to shake off the effect. After the first encounter with a deadite, this effect wears off. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I2B2yau_b54/X2Sw53ULyXI/AAAAAAAABeg/l_THR7xqt8MynjAKdfvtehNX0OymlBCHACPcBGAYYCw/s1200/Ash%2Bvs%2BEvil%2BDead%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="344" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I2B2yau_b54/X2Sw53ULyXI/AAAAAAAABeg/l_THR7xqt8MynjAKdfvtehNX0OymlBCHACPcBGAYYCw/w611-h344/Ash%2Bvs%2BEvil%2BDead%2B2.jpg" width="611" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>The Characters</b></h2><div><b>Ashley J. Williams: </b>The Chosen One. Fighting Man 10. Str 15 Dex 16 Con 16 Int 9 Wis 8 Cha 15 HP 55 (46 if using LBB version) HD 10d8 + 10 (10d6+11, LBB) AC 4. Gear: Chainsaw, prosthetic hand, Kandarian Dagger, Necronomicon</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pablo: </b>El Brujo Especial. Cleric 5. Str 10 Dex 10 Con 13 Int 13 Wis 17 Cha 14. HP 23 (15 LBB) HD 5d8 (4d6+1 LBB). Gear: Magical amulet, sometimes Kandarian Dagger and Necronomicon</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kelly: </b>Fighting Woman 5 Str 12 Dex 16 Con 12 Int 16 Wis 13 Cha 17 HP 23 (19 LBB) HD 5d8 (5d6+1 LBB) Gear: Assault Rifle, short sword (sometimes Kandarian dagger). </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Brandy: </b>Fighting Woman 2 Str 10 Dex 12 Con 10 Int 17 Wis 9 Cha 17 HP 9 (7 LBB) HD 2d8 (2d6 LBB). Gear: Improvised weapons (sometimes Kandarian Dagger).</div><div><br /></div></div>The Grey Elfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14696474020129732936noreply@blogger.com1