My group has long used the "Clerics use the weapon that their god uses" houserule, rather than the "guess I'm using a mace" rule. I'm considering implementing a system in which this specific weapon gains increased bonuses and other powers as the Cleric advances; for example, a bonus of +1 when 3rd lvl is reached, +2 at 7th, +3 at 12th... Special Effects will be included as well; the weapon of a devotee of a "Fire god" might become a flaming sword, or have the power equivalent to a Burning Hands spell twice/day, maybe even a Flamestrike option at higher lvl, while the trident of a sea god's Cleric could grant Water Breathing, Create/Purify Water, etc. A special ritual must be performed by the head of the Cleric's order once the appropriate lvl is reached, or perhaps a quest must be performed... the specifics differing depending on the god being worshiped. Only the Cleric can access these powers; for anyone else, the weapon is not magical. Of course, the Cleric must be mindful to use these powers only in the service of the god, else the power will be revoked or suspended. I like the idea of the Player knowing he's gonna get something cool - provided he earns it! "Can't wait until I'm 12th lvl, and I can Disrupt Undead with my spear!"
Showing posts with label 10gp gem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 10gp gem. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Friday, December 16, 2011
Signs of the Times
Several would require a broad interpretation, or even an alternate meaning to incorporate into a fantasy setting. Could also be adapted as a Random Encounter or Random Dungeon/Town Design table, or your next Dungeon/Map could be marked with symbols...
Several more charts of varying sizes can be found with an image search.
Original Link
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
The "Thank You for Coming" Potion
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Archway of Alteration
Shrewd Players with unused magic may attempt to use this for an opportunity to gamble on an "upgrade" of their current lot... sure, why not? But, the Archway only works once/PC, and any previously transformed items will not change again. Perhaps a Save applies, perhaps each Item must Save, maybe a successful Save allows the Player to choose a favorite Item to be spared...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Let the Players Divide their XP like their GP?
Wanted the PCs in my campaign to gain XP lvls a bit quicker; we don't play often enough to advance much, so I changed XP req. for level advancement from Ad&D1st to Labyrinth Lord. I've retained AD&D's Monster XP values, and treasure is worth 1XP/GP, so we're moving quicker now.
Still, I just don't like the idea of getting XP simply for acquiring a magic item, I suppose for "aesthetic reasons"... isn't the Item itself enough of a reward? Suppose that's entirely subjective, but it's my campaign, and I like it my way!
Considering requiring the Party to "spend" their GP to get the XP. During summarized periods between adventures, it will be assumed to have been spent on research, weapon instruction, etc. This will allow the Players the option to spend some, or all, of their share on goods &/or level advancement, which I thought would be fun for them, and would also allow for the fun of getting big money every once in a while, but would likely prevent them from becoming walking cash machines...
Also considering the idea of turning the Total XP gained for adventure over to the players; rather than dividing it equally among the PC's, I'll just say, "The party has a total of 15,000 XP and 2,500 GP - How do you want to split it?" Will they decide to allow the Cleric a little extra XP so he can get that better Cure Spell, or perhaps the Wizard, needing more XP to advance, will get a larger share...? Personally, I'd look to see if everyone could level-up, and split any XP leftovers equally, or perhaps assign leftovers according to need, or maybe as "bonuses" for one thing or another (see also here).
Interesting experiment? I'll let ya know what happens.
Still, I just don't like the idea of getting XP simply for acquiring a magic item, I suppose for "aesthetic reasons"... isn't the Item itself enough of a reward? Suppose that's entirely subjective, but it's my campaign, and I like it my way!
Considering requiring the Party to "spend" their GP to get the XP. During summarized periods between adventures, it will be assumed to have been spent on research, weapon instruction, etc. This will allow the Players the option to spend some, or all, of their share on goods &/or level advancement, which I thought would be fun for them, and would also allow for the fun of getting big money every once in a while, but would likely prevent them from becoming walking cash machines...
Also considering the idea of turning the Total XP gained for adventure over to the players; rather than dividing it equally among the PC's, I'll just say, "The party has a total of 15,000 XP and 2,500 GP - How do you want to split it?" Will they decide to allow the Cleric a little extra XP so he can get that better Cure Spell, or perhaps the Wizard, needing more XP to advance, will get a larger share...? Personally, I'd look to see if everyone could level-up, and split any XP leftovers equally, or perhaps assign leftovers according to need, or maybe as "bonuses" for one thing or another (see also here).
Interesting experiment? I'll let ya know what happens.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Screwing with the Players
Just some misc ideas from the past few sessions...
-a pit with a metal ladder attached to the side. At the bottom, a Secret Door was detected, but no one could figure out how to open it, even though the entire party eventually descended and examined the circular walls and the entire floor surface. As every character repeated the same actions as the last, I repeatedly said, "There appears to be nothing in this pit except the faint outline of a Secret Door, and of course the ladder." ...The mechanism for opening the door was located on the underside of the lowest ladder rung!
-a series of Continual Light "nodules" spaced every 10' along the corridor walls soon became commonplace. One of these was apparently "burned out", and did not glow, and although I mentioned it in passing each time the party trekked up and down this corridor, no one bothered to mess with it and discover that it was the mechanism for opening yet another Secret Door!
-although a character used Psychometry (Object Reading) to reveal that a peculiar metal door could only be opened by the sound of a particular tuning fork, no one realized that the protruding tongue of a serpent idol (a "forked tongue", mind you) was detachable! (It was also trapped to deliver an electric shock)
-two magical mirrors in a certain chamber were determined to be Teleportational doorways, each connected to an identical counterpart, one in a nondescript cavern, the other in some sort of cellar or basement. Fearing that a fleeing enemy had used one of these to escape and might return with reinforcements, an ingenious player suggested detaching one from the wall and propping it up facing the other, so that anyone attempting to enter the chamber from either the cave or the cellar area would pass through both mirrors, and find themselves emerging in the wrong area! This one really screwed with me!
-the floor of a dungeon corridor abruptly dropped down five feet, but then continued onward from there. After puzzling over this odd design feature, the lead character decided to hop down to the lower part of the corridor, triggering the concealed pit trap which lay immediately after the drop-off, and his five foot drop abruptly became a 25 foot drop!
-no one could find the key to a certain locked chest, because it wasn't on the person of any of the dungeon inhabitants, nor was it in any of their private quarters. It was hidden inside the skull of the "prisoner" who had apparently died within the (oddly) unlocked holding cell!
-knowing that an evil Wizard was likely to repeat his use a Wall of Fire spell in order to escape from the party once again, a Resist Fire was cast on the Fighters so that they could possibly pursue him when he was again encountered. However, the Wizard instead chose to cast the Wall of Fire to split the party, casting it on the entrance to his chamber, and had his minions engage the leading Fighters while the party's Magic User fumed outside in the corridor, unwilling to risk the life of his 15 HP PC by braving the flames!
-the evil Wizard mentioned above, after barely escaping the initial encounter with the party, had become quite aware of a certain PCs "secret weapon", a cloak made from an Owlbear hide (complete with a beaked hood that made him look like Hawkman!) which allowed him to Polymorph into a death-dealing Owlbear (1/day), and so chose Charm Monster in preparation for his second encounter. The party's table-turning Polymorph maneuver was nearly turned back upon them with what would surely have been disastrous results, but of course the lucky PC/Owlbear managed to make his Save... by one pip of the d20!
-a pit with a metal ladder attached to the side. At the bottom, a Secret Door was detected, but no one could figure out how to open it, even though the entire party eventually descended and examined the circular walls and the entire floor surface. As every character repeated the same actions as the last, I repeatedly said, "There appears to be nothing in this pit except the faint outline of a Secret Door, and of course the ladder." ...The mechanism for opening the door was located on the underside of the lowest ladder rung!
-a series of Continual Light "nodules" spaced every 10' along the corridor walls soon became commonplace. One of these was apparently "burned out", and did not glow, and although I mentioned it in passing each time the party trekked up and down this corridor, no one bothered to mess with it and discover that it was the mechanism for opening yet another Secret Door!
-although a character used Psychometry (Object Reading) to reveal that a peculiar metal door could only be opened by the sound of a particular tuning fork, no one realized that the protruding tongue of a serpent idol (a "forked tongue", mind you) was detachable! (It was also trapped to deliver an electric shock)
-two magical mirrors in a certain chamber were determined to be Teleportational doorways, each connected to an identical counterpart, one in a nondescript cavern, the other in some sort of cellar or basement. Fearing that a fleeing enemy had used one of these to escape and might return with reinforcements, an ingenious player suggested detaching one from the wall and propping it up facing the other, so that anyone attempting to enter the chamber from either the cave or the cellar area would pass through both mirrors, and find themselves emerging in the wrong area! This one really screwed with me!
-the floor of a dungeon corridor abruptly dropped down five feet, but then continued onward from there. After puzzling over this odd design feature, the lead character decided to hop down to the lower part of the corridor, triggering the concealed pit trap which lay immediately after the drop-off, and his five foot drop abruptly became a 25 foot drop!
-no one could find the key to a certain locked chest, because it wasn't on the person of any of the dungeon inhabitants, nor was it in any of their private quarters. It was hidden inside the skull of the "prisoner" who had apparently died within the (oddly) unlocked holding cell!
-knowing that an evil Wizard was likely to repeat his use a Wall of Fire spell in order to escape from the party once again, a Resist Fire was cast on the Fighters so that they could possibly pursue him when he was again encountered. However, the Wizard instead chose to cast the Wall of Fire to split the party, casting it on the entrance to his chamber, and had his minions engage the leading Fighters while the party's Magic User fumed outside in the corridor, unwilling to risk the life of his 15 HP PC by braving the flames!
-the evil Wizard mentioned above, after barely escaping the initial encounter with the party, had become quite aware of a certain PCs "secret weapon", a cloak made from an Owlbear hide (complete with a beaked hood that made him look like Hawkman!) which allowed him to Polymorph into a death-dealing Owlbear (1/day), and so chose Charm Monster in preparation for his second encounter. The party's table-turning Polymorph maneuver was nearly turned back upon them with what would surely have been disastrous results, but of course the lucky PC/Owlbear managed to make his Save... by one pip of the d20!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
"GNAR CIRCLE"
A game played by the Nomads and Hunters of the Crimson Desert, usually accompanied by heavy wagering.
Needed to Play:
- Two teams of players, equal in number, max. of six per side
- One Club (optionally torch, same difference) per player
- A flask of Oil
- Several Blue Scorpions (AC 4; HD average 3; Dam 1 HP, + Save vs Unconsciousness for 3d10rnds, Size approx 1ft long) These ugly buggers are normally quite passive, and only attack (stinger only; not with pincers) when provoked, as when set ablaze. By all accounts, they ARE NOT fans of the game!
- a certain degree of moral... flexibility
- One Club (optionally torch, same difference) per player
- A flask of Oil
- Several Blue Scorpions (AC 4; HD average 3; Dam 1 HP, + Save vs Unconsciousness for 3d10rnds, Size approx 1ft long) These ugly buggers are normally quite passive, and only attack (stinger only; not with pincers) when provoked, as when set ablaze. By all accounts, they ARE NOT fans of the game!
- a certain degree of moral... flexibility
Object: Win by Scoring the most Points, or by "Default" if none of the opposing team remains conscious!
Prior to Play: Number of players per team and number of Scorpions to be used are agreed upon. Three Scorpions ("innings") per game is the usual convention, but that depends on how much real time the Players and DM want to spend on this folly!
To Begin: The players form a circle, alternating players so that no teammates stand beside any others (this may change as players are rendered unconscious or dead). A coin is tossed, and a member of the losing team steps into the center of the circle, carefully removes the docile Scorpion from a sack by grasping it by the tail, annoints it with a small amount of oil, and lights it on fire, doing 1d4 dam (this maneuver is considered automatically successful so as not to over-complicate things). He then tosses it to the ground and runs back to his position in the circle.
Gameplay: The flaming Scorpion goes berserk, charging a random character in order to flee the circle. Initiative is rolled. If the PC/NPC wins and scores a hit, his team scores a Point, the Scorpion takes damage and is assumed to be knocked back toward the center of the circle, and rushes another randomly determined PC/NPC. If the Scorpion wins initiative, it attempts to sting the PC/NPC, and if successful, that team loses a point, and the victim takes 1 HP of damage and must make a Save vs Posion or be rendered unconscious. If the victim remains conscious, he may still keep the Scorpion "in play" by successfully hitting it. If this counter-attack misses, or if the victim has been rendered unconscious, the Scorpion attempts to flee the circle through the gap now created, unless prevented by the PC/NPCs which are on either side of the victim, who then rush together to close the gap allowed by the guy who was stung. At this point, initiative is again rolled, by the Scorpion, and by BOTH of the PC/NPCs which occupy the spots to the left and right of the previously mentioned guy-who-got-stung. If the Scorpion beats both parties, it escapes the circle and gets the hell out of there, meaning that the team of the guy-who-got-stung loses a second Point (the first for being stung, the second for allowing the Scorpion to escape), and the game moves into the next inning and must be started again with a fresh Scorpion. However, if either PC/NPC (or both of them) wins initiative, there is still a chance to keep the Scorpion "in play", by scoring a hit & gaining a point for their team. If BOTH miss, the Scorpion has escaped the circle. If the Scorpion escapes, the person who missed the final chance To Hit loses a Point for their team. Play continues until the predetermined number of Scorpions are killed, or escape.
Prior to Play: Number of players per team and number of Scorpions to be used are agreed upon. Three Scorpions ("innings") per game is the usual convention, but that depends on how much real time the Players and DM want to spend on this folly!
To Begin: The players form a circle, alternating players so that no teammates stand beside any others (this may change as players are rendered unconscious or dead). A coin is tossed, and a member of the losing team steps into the center of the circle, carefully removes the docile Scorpion from a sack by grasping it by the tail, annoints it with a small amount of oil, and lights it on fire, doing 1d4 dam (this maneuver is considered automatically successful so as not to over-complicate things). He then tosses it to the ground and runs back to his position in the circle.
Gameplay: The flaming Scorpion goes berserk, charging a random character in order to flee the circle. Initiative is rolled. If the PC/NPC wins and scores a hit, his team scores a Point, the Scorpion takes damage and is assumed to be knocked back toward the center of the circle, and rushes another randomly determined PC/NPC. If the Scorpion wins initiative, it attempts to sting the PC/NPC, and if successful, that team loses a point, and the victim takes 1 HP of damage and must make a Save vs Posion or be rendered unconscious. If the victim remains conscious, he may still keep the Scorpion "in play" by successfully hitting it. If this counter-attack misses, or if the victim has been rendered unconscious, the Scorpion attempts to flee the circle through the gap now created, unless prevented by the PC/NPCs which are on either side of the victim, who then rush together to close the gap allowed by the guy who was stung. At this point, initiative is again rolled, by the Scorpion, and by BOTH of the PC/NPCs which occupy the spots to the left and right of the previously mentioned guy-who-got-stung. If the Scorpion beats both parties, it escapes the circle and gets the hell out of there, meaning that the team of the guy-who-got-stung loses a second Point (the first for being stung, the second for allowing the Scorpion to escape), and the game moves into the next inning and must be started again with a fresh Scorpion. However, if either PC/NPC (or both of them) wins initiative, there is still a chance to keep the Scorpion "in play", by scoring a hit & gaining a point for their team. If BOTH miss, the Scorpion has escaped the circle. If the Scorpion escapes, the person who missed the final chance To Hit loses a Point for their team. Play continues until the predetermined number of Scorpions are killed, or escape.
In summary...
Scoring Points: 1 Point is scored by a successful hit on the Scorpion, which automatically drives the hapless creature back into the circle (known as a "Single"). A killing blow, or "Double" awards 2 Points. (OPTIONAL: A hit of a "natural" 20 automatically crushes the exoskeleton of the Scorpion irregardless of its remaining HP. This is a "Triple" and awards 3 Points.)
Losing Points: 1 Point is lost if a PC/NPC is hit by the Scorpion. (additional Points are not lost if the victim fails to Save, although this of course makes it more difficult for the victim's team to win. This is known as the "adding insult to injury" clause!) 1 Point is lost if the Scorpion escapes, applied to the team of the person who had the final opportunity to keep the Scorpion in play, but missed in their attack (the "escape" clause). Points lost cannot result in negative Point totals; "Zero" is the minimum number of Points possible.
Keep Track of: Current Point totals for both Teams, the remaining HP of any Scorpion in play, and the position of each PC/NPC in the circle, relative to the other players remaining in the game.
Wagering: Bets can be placed on any number of variables; which team wins (of course), but also on how many men are left standing, who may of may not score a Double or Triple, how many rnds each inning may take, whether or not somebody dies, etc.
Much thanks to Blair at Planet Algol for the inspiration for this sick and weird game-within-the game, based on an idea he, in turn, got from the master, Jack Vance!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Monster AC & HD as Average Values
This 10 GP gem has been in the loot bag for so long I'd forgotten to Blog about it! Nothing mind-bogglingly innovative (the Blog is 10 GP - not 1K GP- Gems!), but an easy way to add variance to encounters, and keep the meta-gamers and HP-counters on their toes.
As an example, your "standard" Carnivorous Ape; AC 6, HD 5. When planning an encounter, I roll 1d4 twice, and possibly modify both AC and HD:
As an example, your "standard" Carnivorous Ape; AC 6, HD 5. When planning an encounter, I roll 1d4 twice, and possibly modify both AC and HD:
1= -1,
2 or 3 = No adjustment,
4 = +1
So, for any group of Carn. Apes, the AC range is from AC 5 to AC 7, and the HD range is from 4 HD to 6 HD. Maybe this group is AC 7, but has 6 HD, maybe the next group has AC 5, but only 4 HD.
You'll know its working when a Player says, "Hey, a standard Ogre can't have more than 33 HP!" Well, this ain't your standard Ogre then, is it?
2 or 3 = No adjustment,
4 = +1
So, for any group of Carn. Apes, the AC range is from AC 5 to AC 7, and the HD range is from 4 HD to 6 HD. Maybe this group is AC 7, but has 6 HD, maybe the next group has AC 5, but only 4 HD.
You'll know its working when a Player says, "Hey, a standard Ogre can't have more than 33 HP!" Well, this ain't your standard Ogre then, is it?
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wonder Twin Powers... Activate!
Just watched "Gopher Moat" Wonder Twins vid @ Beyond the Black Gate blog... and that was weird... Got me thinking about ol' Zan and Jayna, and their "magic" rings. Lots of potential here for a cool magic item for D&D...
So the PCs find a pair of rings, obviously a matching set, maybe with settings which appear to interlock (why else would anyone think to touch them together?...). Wearing one on each hand and touching them together doesn't do much, or maybe causes some sparks or something (save vs Stun &/or minor electric damage), but if TWO PCs each wear one, and touch them together ("Wonder twin powers activate" command phrase optional, but fun!)... hmmmm....
- Each PC can transform as per the original W.Twins; one can assume the form of Water (wave, puddle, ice, steam?), the other can assume animal form (possibly incl "monsters", dinos, etc)
- Expanded options: maybe one is the "Elemental" ring, and wearer can transform into Fire, Earth, or Air... the other is the "Creature" ring, allowing Polymorph into any "natural" creature, or maybe just humanoids, reptiles, etc.
- Limitations/Parameters: both PCs MUST transform (not just one or the other - this could lead to interesting scenarios), Dispel on either affects both, Limited duration of course (random, predetermined, or even a "set" duration, meaning one MUST remain transformed for the duration, cannot change back until it expires...), both must be conscious & mentally sound to activate/use
- Maybe specifics are randomly determined when found...
Elemental Ring (d4)
1. Air (whirlwind, Gaseous Form)
2. Earth (boulder, Wall of Stone, statue)
3. Water (pool, Wall Ice, maybe even snow...)
4. Fire (req. fuel source?)
Polymorph Ring (d4)
1. Natural Animal (no fantastic monsters)
2. Humanoid (PC race, Giant Class...)
3. "Monster" (specific type(s), any)
4. Plant, Slime, Dinosaur, Mammal, etc
This could be the kind of "thinking player's" item I love to introduce... maybe having the Thief become gaseous to enter a locked room is perfect, but having the Wizard assume the form of a Hamster at the same time is less than ideal... or wow, what we need is the Fighter to be a Pegasus, so I guess the Cleric will have to be an Ice Cube for a few turns... yeah, gonna do this!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Misc Gems
Not much to post lately, plus laptop is dying a lingering, ugly death. New PC arrives this wk.
Some random ideas from This Week's Game:
- alien raygun, or other device, which requires gold for fuel. A 10gp ingot, placed into the "battery compartment", will power the device for a certain number of shots/uses... and of course the Party will need a specially constructed ingot mold, and will have to smelt their GP into the necessary shape
- alien/tech device which requires Futurama-style "Dark Matter" to operate, "a pound of which weighs more than 10,000 pounds!" Thinking a golfball-sized pellet might weigh about 1,000 lbs, and must somehow be lifted/moved and put into a slot or compartment in order to activate
- have been severely restricting the Gold flow to the PCs, so that they actually have to think about what to spend cash on, rather than throwing GP around like armor-clad rock stars. Liking the idea of having the option of keeping cash treasure, or using it to "purchase" XP (1GP = 1XP), choice is up to the players
- Magic Item: quill or chisel which can be used to inscribe Glyphs of Warding, limited # charges
- Mace of Corruption: basically an anti-Mace of Disruption... killing blow turns victim into Zombie follower
Some random ideas from This Week's Game:
- alien raygun, or other device, which requires gold for fuel. A 10gp ingot, placed into the "battery compartment", will power the device for a certain number of shots/uses... and of course the Party will need a specially constructed ingot mold, and will have to smelt their GP into the necessary shape
- alien/tech device which requires Futurama-style "Dark Matter" to operate, "a pound of which weighs more than 10,000 pounds!" Thinking a golfball-sized pellet might weigh about 1,000 lbs, and must somehow be lifted/moved and put into a slot or compartment in order to activate
- have been severely restricting the Gold flow to the PCs, so that they actually have to think about what to spend cash on, rather than throwing GP around like armor-clad rock stars. Liking the idea of having the option of keeping cash treasure, or using it to "purchase" XP (1GP = 1XP), choice is up to the players
- Magic Item: quill or chisel which can be used to inscribe Glyphs of Warding, limited # charges
- Mace of Corruption: basically an anti-Mace of Disruption... killing blow turns victim into Zombie follower
Monday, March 21, 2011
HELLO, BOYS! I'M BAAACK!
Doesn't really have anything to do with this post
PYRAMID OF RESURRECTION Gnartian Artifact in form of smoky crystal pyramid, approx 6" along the edges, a construct of the Elder Serpent Folk.
When first handled, the PC doing so must Save vs Death once, or be drained of one XP lvl. Thereafter, the item will no longer drain that person (whether or not the attempt succeeded), and only that person may employ its power. Another may attempt to use the item once they also Save (or fail!), but only one person may command the Pyramid at any time.
Total # Charges/Uses is something I call "Level Variable"; meaning a base #, plus 1ch/lvl of the bearer. So, as charges are subtracted by one per use, they are also increased by one per lvl of XP gained. This Artifact has 1d4+XP lvl charges when first found, to be redetermined if it changes hands.(possibly it "starts over" at 1d4+lvl each time it changes hands)
Operates by "scanning" whatever scraps of the deceased (no pun intended) remain, and reconstructing a new body in perfect condition; full HP, all memories, personality, etc intact. Side effect: all Bad Mutations are removed, and any Good Mutations must ea make a save vs Spells/Mutations to be retained, any missing or ruined limbs, organs, etc are restored as well, all scars are gone
The Pyramid automatically restores any PC the first time it is used upon them, without penalty. If used a second time, a Resurrect Survival roll must be made, and each time thereafter this % is reduced by half, failure dissolves the remains into goo. Any PC resurrected more than once also loses an XP lvl each time the device is used upon them thereafter.
There is a 1in8 chance/use that the Pyramid does not Resurrect, but rather Reincarnates the deceased by creating a new, but different body, possibly from bits of other persons lying about, or floating on the breeze... maybe the "psychic residue" of a forgotten death.... I have a table of bodies for this, but its too specifically Gnartian to be much use to anyone else, and one can always use the Spell version. I think I'm going to allow them to retain Mental Ability Scores, HP, etc, because I have other trauma in mind:
Collateral Reincarnation Weirdness (d10/d12) (Gonzo version d12)
1. New body is very young; teenager, or even small child
2. PC retains all Class abilities as before, but has no other memories
3. PC's new brain seems to contain scraps of another personality, or repressed memories ("whispers")
4. Tragic mishap places PC into nearby corpse (of type as rolled), which claws to surface howling in agony, and attacks Party for their gross misdeed. Zombie PC retains HP & HD/lvl, but is otherwise slow and sloppy
5. New body exhibits Mutation(s), possibly even Good Ones! (or is oddly marked; tattoo, birthmark, runic brand)
6. PC is reincarnated into body which already has a soul/personality, and the two must share the same skull until the other personality "finishes its Gnarthly business" and moves on (seeks justice, revenge, completion, etc)
7. New body is of different gender than original
8. PC is driven a wee bit mad by the whole experience; roll on your fave table or just assign a weird mania
9, 10. Just your average reincarnation
(11, 12.) (same as 9, 10 above) or
(11, 12.) Check Out this awesome Random Reincarnator! You can adjust the circumstances with cool modifiers like "Who cares? The Crawling Chaos smiles upon me!"
The Pyramid also bears a Curse; whenever it is used, a Byakhee is Summoned and arrives w/in 2d4 rnds, and attempts to carry the user off to Hastur (dead or alive), unless slain. Perhaps this only occurs the first few times the Pyramid is used, or perhaps the Curse can be lifted... with the blood of a Serpent Folk Wizard...
...I once introduced the Rod of Reincarnation, which is exactly like the Rod of Resurrection from the DMG, but Reincarnates the deceased on either the MU spell table (75%) or the Druid version (25%), and that was fun, too. Congratulations! You're a Kobold! Badgers? We don't need no stinking Badgers!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
THACO = SAVE VS SPELLS
Someone out there has noticed this already... right?
Here's the MONSTER ATTACK MATRIX I'm currently using. The values are comparable to those in 1ed, Labyrinth Lord, etc; that is, they are generally the same throughout, varying no more than one (or rarely two) points from the standard tables, but weighted slightly in favor of the mid-level Monsters. I have not included values for Monsters of less than one HD; when it occurs I attach a TH penalty of -1 to -3, a -3 rendering high AC invulnerable to these nuisances.
HD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
TH0 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 10
HD 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21+
TH0 9 9 8 8 7 7 6 5 4 3 2
Why bother? Its easy for me to use, seems to follow some sort of regular progression, and here's the bonus:
The TH0s are also very, very close to the Fighter Saving Throw vs Spells values, so I can quickly glance at the same Matrix for either value, and when in combat with most creatures, one number does the job for both!
Of course, some Monsters Save as other than Fighters, and this shortcut doesn't work!
Use these Save Modifiers for values nearly identical to 1st ed:
Paral/Pois/Death +3
Petrif/Poly +2
R/S/W +1
Spells (unadjusted)
as for Breath Weapon, this quick and easy system doesn't work... but really, how often is a Monster the one Saving vs BW?
Here's the MONSTER ATTACK MATRIX I'm currently using. The values are comparable to those in 1ed, Labyrinth Lord, etc; that is, they are generally the same throughout, varying no more than one (or rarely two) points from the standard tables, but weighted slightly in favor of the mid-level Monsters. I have not included values for Monsters of less than one HD; when it occurs I attach a TH penalty of -1 to -3, a -3 rendering high AC invulnerable to these nuisances.
HD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
TH0 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 10
HD 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21+
TH0 9 9 8 8 7 7 6 5 4 3 2
Why bother? Its easy for me to use, seems to follow some sort of regular progression, and here's the bonus:
The TH0s are also very, very close to the Fighter Saving Throw vs Spells values, so I can quickly glance at the same Matrix for either value, and when in combat with most creatures, one number does the job for both!
Of course, some Monsters Save as other than Fighters, and this shortcut doesn't work!
Use these Save Modifiers for values nearly identical to 1st ed:
Paral/Pois/Death +3
Petrif/Poly +2
R/S/W +1
Spells (unadjusted)
as for Breath Weapon, this quick and easy system doesn't work... but really, how often is a Monster the one Saving vs BW?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
...and the Award goes to...
Houserule:
MVP AWARD: each time XP is awarded, the Players (not each PC) vote
for which PC gets the MVP award. DM presents a list of exceptional instances of
gameplay, and the winning PC is granted an XP bonus, up to +10% of the PCs
share of XP. DM does not vote, but does resolve any "ties", possibly choosing
to divide the bonus among two or more PCs. Exact amount awarded is up to DM.
(Optional: Players cannot vote for own Character; prob depends more on # of Players rather than modesty issues)
Nomination-Worthy: mind-blowing originality, "staying in character" despite obvious advantages to the contrary, self-sacrifice on Party's behalf, really good decisions, keen strategy, etc.
MVP AWARD: each time XP is awarded, the Players (not each PC) vote
for which PC gets the MVP award. DM presents a list of exceptional instances of
gameplay, and the winning PC is granted an XP bonus, up to +10% of the PCs
share of XP. DM does not vote, but does resolve any "ties", possibly choosing
to divide the bonus among two or more PCs. Exact amount awarded is up to DM.
(Optional: Players cannot vote for own Character; prob depends more on # of Players rather than modesty issues)
Nomination-Worthy: mind-blowing originality, "staying in character" despite obvious advantages to the contrary, self-sacrifice on Party's behalf, really good decisions, keen strategy, etc.
Friday, March 4, 2011
"LANDMARK" LEVELS
Houserule: When reaching the XP lvls of 5, 10, and 15, PCs of all classes receive a +1 to their Primary Ability Score as a result of intense training in their chosen class, max of 18.
Why not? Would seem odd if it did not occur, to me. Of course, the increase could happen every four XP levels, or every six, but I'm going with 5/10/15 for my game, as 15th lvl is nearly impossible to achieve in it. You started out with an 18 and don't get to advance? Lucky you, what are you complaining about?
I'm using Labyrinth Lord Ability Scores, NOT AD&D Scores (no % STR!), not using any Weapon Specialization, or Weapon vs Armor Type mods
Why not? Would seem odd if it did not occur, to me. Of course, the increase could happen every four XP levels, or every six, but I'm going with 5/10/15 for my game, as 15th lvl is nearly impossible to achieve in it. You started out with an 18 and don't get to advance? Lucky you, what are you complaining about?
I'm using Labyrinth Lord Ability Scores, NOT AD&D Scores (no % STR!), not using any Weapon Specialization, or Weapon vs Armor Type mods
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
KILLBOTS
The Killbots from Futurama have two attributes I'd love to utilize:
Kill limit
For unknown reasons, a kill limit of 999,999 is hardcoded into killbots. I'm thinking of a large, old-style LED counter, red -of course -displayed prominently on the chest or torso, which increases as it kills, accompanied by a pleasant "BING!" Perhaps lesser models have a limit of 999, or 99. When the kill-limit is reached, they become peaceful and in fact rather friendly. Perhaps the players encounter one that is within one or two kills of its limit... however, their kill counter has the option of being reset, possibly unintentionally...Activation
Killbots start shooting immediately when hearing a word that has to do with weapons. Supposedly, this has been installed to easily activate the Killbots on immediate demand, but it also causes troubles, including accidentally shooting each other or themselves when talking to each other.Imagine a sealed vault containing a massive Warbot of the Ancients, possibly the very first chamber of an underground complex, or central nexus to lvl one, which the party will surely have to pass through numerous times. It remains completely unresponsive until one of the PCs happens to mention "that wound I took in the arm", or "wish I still had that Fireball", or "I only have 3 charges left in my Wand of Magic Missiles"... whereupon it immediately "lights up" and a powerful vibration/hum is felt/heard as the automaton intones "Arm/Fire/Missiles!" and launches the appropriate attack! Maybe its sealed behind a partitioning wall of Glassteel or some such, and just maybe that accounts for the obviously dead and contorted - but not obviously wounded (?) -corpses in there as well, victims of the colorless, deadly poisonous gas which has kept the Killbot insulated from the effects of time for so long... maybe the party should be given a rnd to prepare, as the machinery supporting the Killbot evacuates the poison gas before lowering the barrier... this might actually give them a chance against the thing... and of course, if the Kbot is defeated, the machinery will raise the barrier again in 10 rnds, and refill the chamber with gas... better loot those corpses quickly!
Monday, February 28, 2011
20 FAVE MAGIC ITEMS from my GAMES
Was going through my old stuff from my
previous games, looking for stuff that would translate into my new campaign,
and found a few 10GP gems...honestly, most have been archived for so long I
don't know if some were cribbed from old Dragon magazines or not, but I think
these are my own ideas, or at least my versions of ideas I saw elsewhere. Just wait, it'll happen to you, too.
1.
Ring of Recall: Upon death, PC is
instantly transported to a particular temple or shrine, hopefully to be
Healed/Raised by the Clerics there.
Provided only to the members of the sect, or possibly those performing a
special mission for the order. PCs get
fixed up, but have to trek back to the rest of party, if there's a time limit
involved, maybe they're out, but it beats dead... used this in an
"introductory adventure" for new players, 'cause I thought for sure
someone was gonna get killed simply because they would make "newbie"
mistakes, but they were so cautious I don't Recall it being used!
2.
Great Green Axe: inspired by
Gawain & the Green Knight, massive headsman's axe of greenish bronze (?),
req STR of 16+ to wield, does 1-10/1-10 dam, +2, does dbl damage to green
things. I loved this 'cause ya never
know when something green will show up!
I suggest that it be wrested from the cold, dead hands of a wickedly
jolly green Giant of some sort
3.
Shield Ring: as Spell; AC 4 vs
most attacks, AC 3 vs missiles, AC 2 vs thrown weapons, negates Magic Missiles,
but does not protect from the rear! The particular ring I recall generated an
actual, though ghostly, shimmering shield when struck, and I think there was
some sort of roll to see if MM were reflected back at the caster... 50/50 each
seems reasonable
4.
A Scroll of a random Clerical or MU Spell "addressed" to a
particular PC, which they can use regardless of Class... "Dear Tremaine, this may come in handy
one day..." Maybe its only Hold
Portal, but look how happy the Fighter is!
I dunno. It was surprisingly well
received. I just rolled randomly to
determ whose name was on it, but it became a temporary obsession to the PC who
ended up with it, "Who left this?
How do they know me?!"
5.
"Skully": a sage-like
talking skull which can be consulted for information, % chance to know answer:
Common Knowl 75%, Uncommon 50%, Unusual 20%, Specialized 10%, Esoteric 5%. Can also "Legend Lore" famous,
legendary, specific persons/places/magic, and relate legends/stories, 30%. When owner dies, all factual knowledge of
this person is gained by Skully, so as he is passed on, he becomes increasingly
knowledgeable. Looking back, think this
was inspired by Land of the Lost Library of Skulls... anyhow, great way to have an NPC that isn't
expected to help in combat! and, it just
now occurred to me, maybe useful somehow in restoring another's memories, you
tell me
6.
Stone of Invisibility: just a
small stone which renders one invis when held.
Because it must be held, certain actions are not possible while invis,
like most Thief Abilities, Spellcasting, etc.
Can render several people invis if they link hands with PC holding the
stone. The thinking player's version of
the all-too-abused Ring o' Invis. The
party used it to remain unseen in a cavern, against the wall, all holding hands
(and their breath!), while Lizardmen trooped on by, and "popped out"
to ambush them, looking like a death-dealing line of preschoolers being led to
the cafeteria
7.
Vorpal Gurkha: just a simple +1
dagger, but a roll of natural 20 gives the Magic-User the thrill of
decapitating a (man-sized) foe! (who
else is going to end up with it, the Fighter?
he already got a Scroll of Hold Portal)
It's desperation time when the Wizard reaches for a dagger, anyway!
8. Pit Pellet: rune-inscribed clay token, when tossed to the
ground, creates a 10ft diam, 10ft deep Pit, one use only. Oh, the fun that was had... and yes, you can
toss one into a pit you already made and make it 10' deeper, and screw up what
should have been a pretty challenging encounter, killing some poor schmuck by
dropping him 10'/rnd until your pellets run out, dumping in some flaming oil,
and listen to him crying out "I knew I should have taken that Levitation
spell!!"
9.
Bloody Bestiary: sprinkling the blood of a creature on one of the
(limited) blank pages produces a "Monster Manual" style entry, the
bloody script informing readers of relative strength, powers, weaknesses,
etc. May or may not come with the first
few pages "filled in"
10.
"Mirror-Mirror" of Opposition:
tortoise shell (?) framed hand mirror, creates duplicate identical in
all respects, except the duplicate has a goatee. Duplicate attacks original, and if any others
interfere, their Mirror-Mirror duplicate appears as well. If a duplicate kills an original, the corpse
disappears, and the duplicate immediately ceases attack, explains that he/she
is no longer hostile, and play continues with the duplicates assuming the roles
of the departed as if nothing had happened!
The only difference is that the PC will forever after sport a goatee,
and be subject to looks of suspicion!
The look on their faces when I said, "Gimme your character
sheets", and quickly added a "II" after "player name",
and a goatee to their "sketch", then handed them back and said,
"OK, is the party continuing to search?"... hilarious (for female characters, I suggest a Marilyn
Monroe-style "beauty mark")
Oh, and somewhere down the road, say, "Remember when you were
replaced by a duplicate?" and see the look of dread. Then say something innocuous, like,
"Well, you're stroking your goatee, and you notice the faint outline of a
secret door" The rest of the party
will be soon be whispering about your "magical beard".
11.
Ring of Regeneration, While You Sleep:
regen 1 HP/hr, but only while asleep!(4+1d4 hrs/night?) Like a daily Cure Light Wounds Odd bonus side effect: gain 1d8 HP if subject
to a Sleep Spell, which of course the party immediately exploited by using
Sleep Spells as Cure Lt Wounds!
"Nap time!"
12.
Hand o' Glory: just thought it
was creepy cool. 10ch (two per
digit? dunno why I chose 10) Three effects:
Find Treasure, Sleep Spell, Dark 15'
radius (only the bearer can see by the light of the Hand), one ch ea (What if you put a Magic Ring on it? hmmm... and what if you found a Ring of
Regeneration and the Hand of Vecna?
"Just a side project, but don't open that box... it's not finished...
yet")
13.
Seasoning of Edibility: when
sprinkled upon any organic material (wood, bone, clumps of peat), becomes
edible and nutritious. In no way affects
flavor. My campaign had a
"never-ending shaker", and a
freezer-burnt Mammoth haunch from a long-dead specimen frozen in a glacier was
devoured, among other nasty things...
14.
Pincushion Arrow: +1, becomes 1d4
additional arrows once in flight, roll TH for each
15.
Suture Spider: brooch/pin shaped
like a spider, limited charges, uses fangs, claws and webs to "stitch
up" open wounds, healing for 1d4.
Anesthetizing venom is a nice touch.
Damn scary the first time, though!
Be sure to ask, "I just want to be clear - you are placing this
metal spider directly over your open wound?" Try to look worried. That will teach them for dumping your evil
wizard down that pellet hole!
16.
Scoobies: compressed bars of
mysterious origin and material (wood, bone, clumps of peat?), the smell of
which is irresistible to carnivorous (animal INT) monsters. Found sealed in an air-tight, screw-top tin,
Scoobies will attract such an encounter from the current table w/in 1turn, and
dbl such encounter rates for as long as the tin remains open. Also, if tossed into the path of a ravenous
beast intent on devouring the party, it will distract the beast long enough to
chomp down the crunchy treat, maybe a rnd or two to locate and devour it. Come in fun shapes, like stylized
"bones", "hearts", and what the party may or may not
recognize as "livers". Great
for guard dogs, too
17.
X (Enigma) Hole: dark, one foot
diam, impossibly thin "hole" in time and space, similar to the famed
Portable Hole. If any item is put in,
another may be drawn out, 1/day. The
catch: no item may ever be repeated; after tossing in a copper once, a copper
will no longer produce an effect, but anything can be tossed in; an iron spike,
a rock, a banana, whatever. Where this
stuff goes, no one knows (but I thought it might be fun if years and XP lvls
later, the Party discovers a "treasure" chest. what's in it?
well, there's an iron spike, a rock, a mummified black wrinkly
thing...) What do you get back for
tossing out all this junk? The first
time it is used, a Healing Potion comes out!
Thereafter, I tried to convince my Players that I had the weirdest table
of all time hidden away in my stash, 'cause I rolled a concealed die and said
things like "a 10inch diam stainless steel salad bowl" or "a
pile of bones, maybe from a bird".
I was rolling a d30, but simply saying whatever weird item came to mind
from my last few days, the version I was using tending to produce items totally
unfamiliar to a fantasy world, like a butane lighter, "transistor
radio" *... However, if a 30 was
rolled, the I'd roll for a minor magic item, like a minor Potion or Scroll of
one 1st lvl Spell, which I think only happened once. Planned on 100 uses, started a list of INs
and OUTs, never got there. Have to
reintroduce one! Maybe I'll make a table
of odd bits from around my house (bongo drum, caulk gun, box of rubber
bands) Sooner or later, I guarantee,
someone will actually bring up the idea of flushing a Magic Item down this
thing, and someone will take a dump in it.
Oh, and what comes out of an X Hole cannot be put back in the X
Hole. Words to live by
18.
Robe of Useless Shit: someone,
somewhere, must have done this one.
Exactly like a Robe of Useful Stuff, or whatever, but every item is
flawed somehow; torches sputter out, ladders snap under weight, war dogs piss
themselves and whimper... Gag becomes
apparent quickly, but its fun! I
probably nicked this idea!
19.
Dart of Deadlacy: only misses on
TH of 1, and if a natural 20 is rolled, it embeds right between the eyes,
damage is 6HP. Not much for doing
damage, but damn useful when you really need to hit, like when that robed guy
is raising his arms and chanting... (basically a Magic Missile)
20.
Pick the item you like best from the Comments below. :)
* received only one station, which
played only Casey Casem's Top 40 Metal Show from an alternate universe, and had
some sort of malfunction which caused it to "turn on by itself",
allowing me to say things like, "scrrrrrchhh... This one goes out to
Thongor and Company, who have just disturbed a sleeping Blue Dragon, somewhere
below the Caverns of Quasqueton, its Black Sabbath with another metal monster,
'Electric Funeral'. Good luck
boys!" (cue music, Breath Weapon)
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