Basic / Expert Core Rules: Initial Finished Release!

I've reached a major milestone with the Basic / Expert Core Rules project, which I announced the other day: with a blustery Saturday morning and v0.7.0 of the document, I've reached the point where I consider the core rules document tentatively complete! (Of course, that's not to say that it really is complete. It's entirely possible that I've missed really obvious things out.)

The Documents
Yes, it's become three documents now.

1. Basic / Expert Purist Core Rules: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cdbkwE7i2t9ONJZjrO5ausQVHzq_o2rHV1SjVYzYlbc
2. Basic / Expert Augmented Core Rules: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qVj20Y0mlDIvMYSls54fTBUGxx8UGyjXR7JaR9IkkyA
3. Standard Combat Charts: https://drive.google.com/open?id=19jMX-mopwwOQzuUVB9hquDsdAW0QlE-lbmwM49-h2eo

1 is the real core. 2 is the core plus a few extra, optional rules to clarify certain situations. 3 is the standard attack and saving throw charts. (I separated those out as all those tables were making editing the other docs sluggish!)

Project Goals

1. A rules document that focuses on quick and easy reference for experienced players. Existing clones vary in the readability of their presentation, especially regarding ease of quick rules reference during play.
2. A 100% accurate clone of the Basic / Expert rules. Existing clones modify certain elements of the rules, so a really pure clone is missing.
3. A 100% Open Game Content version of the combined Basic / Expert rules, presented in a plain text format. This can serve as a foundation for house rules documents and tweaked rule sets.
4. A document containing purely the rules of the game, not including character races/classes, equipment lists, spells, monsters, etc. These commonly vary between campaigns, so are better presented in a separate booklet.

Checking Everything

So now the basic document is complete, I want to make sure that it achieves the goals set out above. Goal 3 is already done (see the OGL at the end of the document), but the other goals will require some checking. This is where input from other people -- especially B/X aficionados -- would be really appreciated. Given the scope of the project (see the goals above) is anything missing, when compared to B/X? Is anything wrong?

And Then What?
Once I'm happy that the documents have met the goals I've set, I'll publish them properly, in the following forms:

1. A laid-out PDF, focusing on usability. No fancy graphics or artwork.
2. A raw text document for others to use and edit to their hearts' content.

...and then, if I feel like going further with this, I do rather fancy doing up nice, illustrated editions. I might also get to work on a standard equipment document to go with it.

Jungle Megadungeon: Monsters Part 4

A few more monsters which may be encountered in or around my imaginary snake-cult temple ruins in a jungle megadungeon...

Winged Serpent

HD 3, AC 5, Att: bite (1d4 + poison), Mv 120’ (40’) (flying), Ml 8, Al N, XP 80

Originally bred by the snake-cult's sorcerers, these beautiful yet deadly monsters still nest in treetops around the temple complex, hunting in the jungle below. Their sinuous, 7’ long bodies are azure with yellow diamonds; their feathered wings are white with violet tips; their eyes are indigo with yellow slit-pupils.

Poison: a victim who fails a save becomes rigid -- utterly paralysed -- within 1d6 rounds. Death follows, after three turns.

Crystal Serpent

HD 6 (damage and energy resistance), AC 1, Att: bite (1d8 + poison), Mv 120’ (40’), Ml 10, Al NE, XP 1,070

10’ long cobra statues of pure, transparent crystal, constructed by sorcery and placed as guardians around the tombs of the temple complex. Passing under the watchful gaze of a crystal serpent requires a save versus spells; failure awakens it to attack.

Poison: one who fails a saving throw versus petrification, when bitten, is instantly turned into crystal, along with all equipment. (The spell stone to flesh can restore characters who suffer this fate.)

Damage resistance: non-magical piercing or slashing attacks only inflict a single point of damage (plus STR bonus, if applicable).

Energy resistance: crystal serpents are unharmed by mundane fire and take half damage from magical fire.

Hydral

HD 5 (plus 10hp per head), AC 6 (body) / 3 (heads), Att: 3-5 x bite (1d6 + constriction), Mv 120’ (40’), Ml 9, Al N, XP 500

12’ long, rainbow-banded, multi-headed snakes bred by the cult of Thaa as companions and guardians. Hydrals are not poisonous, but their multiple heads attack in unison each round, making them dangerous opponents. Each head may target a separate opponent, within 5’.

An individual hydral has between three and five heads. Each head has 10hp, separate to the creature's main hit point total. Attackers may choose to target a head specifically, in which case damage is subtracted from that head's hit point total. If all heads are killed, the hydral is slain.

Constriction: if two bite attacks hit a single opponent in a round, the hydral’s body and tail wrap around and begin to tighten around the victim. The target suffers 1d8 damage per round and a -2 penalty to attacks and Armour Class. Only one target can be constricted at a time.

New Project Announcement! Basic / Expert Core Rules

Sounds like another clone! (Rejoice / weep.)

Well, sort of. Here's what I have planned:

1. A rules document that focuses on quick and easy reference for experienced players. Existing clones vary in the readability of their presentation, especially regarding ease of quick rules reference during play.
2. A 100% accurate clone of the Basic / Expert rules. Existing clones modify certain elements of the rules, so a really pure clone is missing.
3. A 100% Open Game Content version of the combined Basic / Expert rules, presented in a pure text format. This can serve as a foundation for house rules documents and tweaked rule sets.
4. A rule set augmented with commonly used rulings for situations not covered by the core Basic / Expert rules. All such additions are clearly marked as optional extras.
5. A document containing purely the rules of the game, not including character races/classes, equipment lists, spells, monsters, etc. These commonly vary between campaigns, so are better presented in a separate booklet.

So, as you can see, this isn't a clone in the same sense as Labyrinth Lord, say. It's a partial clone, focusing purely on presenting the core rules of the game in an easy-to-reference form. The project was born out of my frustrated love for two existing B/X clones: Labyrinth Lord and LotFP. The former is my game of choice, but (to be honest) the way the core rules are written and laid out is a mess (e.g. check out Attacking and Melee Combat on p53). LotFP, on the other hand, while impeccably written and laid out, modifies the core B/X rules in quite a few ways, so isn't much use when running a B/X-based game.

The other reason for this project is simply that I really enjoy playing around with this kind of thing :)

So far, I've written up two sections:

1. Basic combat procedure.
2. Other combat issues.

The text is a chimera of Labyrinth Lord, LotFP: Rules & Magic, and my own writing. (Thanks to the Open Game Content generosity of Daniel Proctor and James Raggi!)

v0.1 is online now. Check it out!

As the "v0.1" specifier indicates, this is a super early, incomplete version. There are lots of sections still to write and lots of things still to do. (For example, I need to go through and compare everything with B/X to check for errors / omissions.) Bearing that in mind, though, feedback on the document is most welcome! Feel free to comment on the document directly or send me a message.

(I plan to do a properly laid out PDF version, too, but only once the basic text is finished.)

Jungle Megadungeon: Monsters 3

I'm on holiday on a Greek island. I'd been planning to do a bit of writing for the next issue of Wormskin, during some period of lounging beside the pool, but the blazing hot weather just isn't conducive to thoughts about a dank, moss-festooned forest. So instead my thoughts have returned to the megadungeon in a jungle that I started planning a while back. Here are some more monsters that might be found lurking in or around the ruined snake-cult temple.

Alabaster Serpent

HD 3, AC 5 (reflexes), Att: bite (1d4 + poison), Mv 120’ (40’) (slithering / climbing), Ml 9, Al N, XP 65

Slender, 5’ long serpents of pure white, with eyes of violet, bred by the snake cult as dangerous guardians. These snakes are no longer found in the wild, but the priests of the cult placed many inside clay jars, in suspended animation, to attack any who disturb them.

Poison: a victim who fails their save versus the venom of an alabaster serpent enters a state of violent spasms, losing one point of DEX per round until death (when DEX reaches 0).

Mummified Crocodile

HD 8, AC 6 (scales), Att: bite (2d6 + drowning roll), Mv 120’ (40’) (on land / swimming), Ml 10, Al N, XP 1,560

Husks of great river reptiles, stuffed with reeds and incense, their eyes replaced with opals engraved with hieroglyphics of death and magic (worth 300gp each). These monsters lurk submerged in rivers, ponds, and canals around the temple complex, waiting to attack intruders.

Surprise: lying beneath the water's surface, a mummified crocodile is easily overlooked or mistaken for a log. They surprise on a roll of 1-3.

Drowning roll: if within 10’ of water, a victim of a bite which inflicts 8 or more points of damage must save versus paralysis or be dragged under. On subsequent rounds, they cannot attack and suffer automatic bite damage. A successful STR or DEX check is required to escape.

Path Guardian

HD 2+2 (death cry when killed), AC 9, Att: 2 x claws (1d6), Mv 120’ (40’), Ml 10, Al NE, XP 47

The reanimated corpses of local, tattooed tribespeople, captured and sacrificed to the snake goddess for trespassing on the lands claimed by the cult. Their final hours of life saw them tied to totem stakes with thongs of crocodile leather, force-fed potent psychedelic poisons, and left to die. In death, they were decapitated and long, bronze barbs inserted into their hands to act as claws. They lie inert beside the totem where they were sacrificed, but rise to attack any who venture near.

Death cry: upon death, a path guardian’s chest splits open, emitting a piercing wail. This triggers a wandering monster check.

Dolmenwood: Fairy Blades

I've started work on the next Dolmenwood Adventures module: a scenario for 1st or 2nd level characters revolving around a fairy banquet, dance, and market. Therefore, I'm coming up with information on what one can buy at a fairy market -- a fun project! Here's a little preview: the weapons that are available at one of the stalls.

The Blade Seller

Blades crafted by fairy smiths (known to be magical). By their nature, they carry a +1 enchantment and another glamour (see table)*. There is no way of perceiving a weapon’s glamour before purchase.

d12	Type (cost, damage)	Appearance	Glamour**
1	Knife (100gp, 1d3)	Delicate spiderweb engravings	Inflicts +2 damage to mortals.
2	Dagger (200gp, 1d4)	Fine tree branch lattice inlays of gold	Animals are suspicious of the owner (-2 to reaction rolls).
3	Dagger (200gp, 1d4)	Crackles with blue sparks when touched	When in darkness, glows like the moon.
4	Shortsword (400gp, 1d6)	Glistening with dewdrops	Once drawn, cannot be sheathed unless blooded.
5	Shortsword (400gp, 1d6)	Appears old and battered, but is actually perfectly sharp	3-in-6 chance of the owner not being recognised at a casual glance.
6	Rapier (400gp, 1d6)	Engraved with fine images of unicorns at play	Become obsessed with thoughts or mortality and entropy.
7	Longsword (600gp, 1d8)	Rimed with frost	The owner’s natural scent is replaced with that of blossom or cinders.
8	Longsword (600gp, 1d8)	Inlaid secret runes of fairy silver	+2 to saves vs cold.
9	Scimitar (600gp, 1d8)	Wreathed in moonlight	The owner suffers from sleeping irregularities -- sleeping for exactly 2d6 hours (roll per night). (This may be too little or too much.)
10	Broadsword (600gp, 1d8)	Opalescent	See in moonlight as if it were daylight.
11	Bastard sword (800gp, 1d8/2d4)	Pitch dark metal	Alignment shifts one step toward Chaotic, over the course of a month.
12	Two-handed sword (1,200gp, 1d10)	Perpetually occluded by shadows	The owner develops a taste for the refined and decadent. (One who already has such tastes may tend toward depravity.)

* The proprietor says that “mortals call them magical”, but fairies themselves do not conceive of items such as these as being enchanted.

** True fairies (e.g. elves, grimalkin; not including demi-fey) are unaffected by these glamours.

Wormskin Issue Six: Coming Soon!

The sixth issue of the Dolmenwood zine, Wormskin, should be out in the next couple of weeks. At 75 pages, it's by far the biggest issue yet!

Contents:

• The Fairy Lords of Dolmenwood, by Gavin Norman with hints of Gorgonmilk. Discusses sixteen fairy lords who have some interest in Dolmenwood.
• The Brackenwold Calendar, by Gavin Norman. The accompanying article to the free Dolmenwood calendar PDF.
• Prigwort and Surrounds, by Gavin Norman. Descriptions and points of interest in seven hexes around the town of Prigwort.
• The Baker’s Dozen, by Gavin Norman. A little adventure scenario involving an enchanted bakery.
• The Gingerbread Grimoire, by Gavin Norman. Four yeasty, gingerbready spells of enchantment.
• People and Places of Prigwort, by Gavin Norman and Andrew Walter. Inns, taverns, brewmasters, wizards, and high-class tailors -- all can be found in the town of Prigwort!
• Spirituous Beverages, by Gavin Norman. A little generator, in the fine Dolmenwood tradition, for the fine, spirituous produce of Prigwort.
• Monsters of the Wood, by Gavin Norman. A Dolmenwood take on the kelpie of folklore (ignoring the AD&D version of the monster) and four local species of dragon (the black bile wyrm, phlegm wyrm, blood wyrm, and yellow bile wyrm).

Featuring illustrations by: Andrew Walter, Thomas Novosel, Sean Poppe, Kelvin Green, Rory Walker, Paul Gallagher.

Cover by Matt Hildebrand

Coming soon!

Dolmenwood: Grimalkin Tweaks

I've been running a couple of parallel campaigns set in Dolmenwood, since the autumn, and have finally got to see the grimalkin class presented in Wormskin issue one in play. The class is a lot of fun: what's not to like about a fairy cat which can fight, pick locks, and cast spells and has three different shapes to shift between?

However, I've noticed a few issues with the class, in play:

1. Grimalkin are small: around 3-4' high, about the same size as trad D&D halflings. Like halflings, they can only use small weapons, but they don't gain the associated benefits of being small, namely: an AC bonus when in combat with large creatures.
2. The main means of transition between the humanoid form (estray) and the moggy form (chester) is the consumption or avoidance of town rats. While this is a charming idea, I've found it troublesome in play, for several reasons. Firstly, in my experience, when PCs are in town, the presence or not of rats is rarely something that comes up explicitly. Of course, the referee could bear this in mind, if a grimalkin PC is present, but it's not a part of the usual course of a game session. Secondly, whatever the PC may think, the player wants to stay in estray. In chester, the grimalkin's class abilities are greatly reduced and the state would be avoided by most players. This leads to the non-cat-like behaviour of avoiding rats! This, for me, is the main issue with the mechanics as written. Thirdly, if the character is avoiding rats "like the plague", that means they should avoid going into town. This presents logistical difficulties: does the grimalkin PC stay in the forest when the others in the party go shopping in town? Do they not sleep in the inn with the others? It encourages a "split the party" mentality, which is hassle to deal with. In the end, I've found that I've just completely ignored the whole rats thing, which is a shame.
3. Though the PC grimalkin in my games has never got into chester (yet), I do notice that the abilities of that form are a little vaguely defined.
4. While transitioning back to estray from chester just requires either alteration magic or stopping eating town rats, the transition back from the third form -- wilder -- is far more difficult. It requires a potion made from obscure ingredients which -- as the grimalkin in this state is highly chaotic -- the character's companions would have to attain and administer. As wilder is something of an "emergency state" for a grimalkin, this difficulty in changing back to its more civilised form seems ok, in and of itself. The issue here is more theoretical: without companions to look out for it, how would a grimalkin ever transform from wilder back to estray?

So, I've been thinking of trying out the following tweaks:

1. This is simple. Just give grimalkin the same AC bonus as halflings get: +2 when attacked by a larger-than-human creature.
2. Fixing the issue with rats requires a larger change to the class. What I'm thinking of has several aspects. Firstly, to restore the cat-like glee at killing rodents, I'd specify that grimalkin compulsively attack rats (including giant rats), unless a save versus spells is successful (in situations where the character tries to suppress the instinct). Secondly, I'd undo the connection between eating rats and going into chester. Instead, we could say that (continuing the theme of certain types of magic triggering a grimalkin's transformations) every time a grimalkin in estray is targeted by transformative magic, there is a 50% chance of it entering chester. To come back, a further application of alteration magic can be used or (for sake of playability) the character reverts at dawn. I'd also stipulate that a grimalkin can willingly enter or choose to remain in chester. A willing transformation would take 1d6 rounds. (All of the PC's clothing and equipment melds into its body, when in chester.)
3. We can say that a grimalkin in chester is intelligent and can understand language, but can only respond in yowls and meows. The addition of a claw/claw/bite attack routine (d2 damage per hit) also seems reasonable.
4. I think simply saying that a grimalkin in wilder has an X-in-6 chance per some period of naturally (spontaneously) reverting to estray would fix this theoretical issue. For playability as a PC race, I'd make this pretty lenient: a 1-in-6 chance per day, say.

I'll be interested to try out these tweaks to see how they work in practice and if they address the issues I've had with the class.