LAND OF THE LOST! ('74)

I loved the original Sid & Marty Krofft series when I was a kid... wonder what I'd think of it now?  But tell me this link to Geography & Technology of the LOTL doesn't inspire your appetite for Brontoburger!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_of_the_Lost_%281974_TV_series%29_geography_and_technology

Gates, dinosaurs, "undead", hidden subterranean god-creature, crashed spaceship... Sandbox, anyone?  The quintessential sandbox - there is no "beyond the borders"!  You're going to have to keep track of every single looted Sleestak crossbow bolt, because there is no Town, no Trader Caravans... also, no Hirelings, no Temples (well, one!)...  In short, no "support", only what you can scrounge.  Gold and gems would hold little value, but any kind of survival tool/aid would be priceless!
I'm DOING this!

Encounter Tables: lots of dinos, of course, giant-sized critters seem to "fit", perhaps a few more monstrous beasties underground, plus the occasional non-native, anything from 60's Surferboy (bad wave, man) to Judge Crater to a cunning Mind Flayer... subtable for determining if they are n00bs or long-term residents

Pylons: the keys to finding a way out, perhaps several or all must be discovered and used toward this end, perhaps each controls a certain aspect of the Land (seismic stability, temporal stasis, gravity, weather...)

Lost Vehicles: crashed WWI biplane, 1990 Jeep Range Rover, Egyptian Galley...

• 1 Cosmography
• 2 Light crystals
• 3 Pylons & Matrix Tables
  • 3.1 Skylons
  • 3.2 The Land's "Heart"
• 4 The Lost City
  • 4.1 Library of Skulls
• 5 The Builder Temple
• 6 Mist Marsh
• 7 Food Availability
•  
• see also Characters and Species 

"NEGATE WOUND"

I thought a cool idea for a variant Healing option would be an item or spell that would completely heal any ONE wound received, no dice roll involved.  For ex: our hapless PC has run afoul of two sword-thrusts, doing 10HP and 7HP damage, respectively, and also a stray arrow for 3HP.  He decides to down his Potion of Wound Negation, which completely heals his worst unhealed wound, and so negates the first sword thrust and he is healed for 10HP.  Of course, players will try to hoard this one, but that's what dinosaurs are for.

INTO THE GREAT WIDE-OPEN

 Also a good idea

Few weeks back I forgot to pack my trusty DM screen, and was having difficulty using a loaner, so I cleared my end of the gaming table, set my adventure/map notebook on my lap, and rolled 'em for all to see.  The lack of a physical barrier has made a noticeable difference in the game which is difficult to describe, but it seems more of a group effort, as opposed to an "us against that guy with the screen" dynamic.  Anyhow, its back in my D&D bag, but now it lies flat on the table.  I say, ditch the screen!

However, if you like your screen, here's a 10GP idea for ya: get some of those black spring-steel paper clips, and attach a few to the bottom when setting up.  Bigger clips provide a broader base, and the added weight keeps it upright even under the impact of a wildly-flung d30.  These will tend to mar the screen over time, but you could prob wrap them with duct tape to provide a cushion between the cardboard and the metal, or maybe sandwich the screen between two additional layers of cardboard before clipping.

VIEW ASKEW

 

    "You've got a bit of red on you"

So my buddy Dan inquires about purchasing darts for his Fighter while they're in a town, which was kinda weird, but OK, sure.  Next thing I know, his low-lvl Fighter is getting 3AT/rnd, and sure, they are only doing 1-3/1-2 damage, but here's the kicker: cumulative STR bonus!  Tarkas has  +3 STR bonus, meaning his damage is 4-6/4-5, per dart!  With a long bow, albeit at much longer range, he could conceivably do 12 HP dam/rnd, if both arrows strike, while at shorter range, three dart hits (ea at +1!) could more easily deal out 18!
So... if your character has a Girdle of Giant Strength, ask about buying some darts next time you're in town!

                                             Or sell them on E-bay

well... they can't all be gems

Been yoinking ideas from everyone else for a while, figure I should post what few ideas I have! Would love to start with a mind-blower, but like the title says... they're just minor treasures, for the most part.

MAGNETIC IRON GOLEMS

As originally conceived, immune to damn near everything but +3 or better weapons, but what if the one fighter with the requisite tool steps up, whacks it for damage, then finds his prized weapon... stuck! I imagine a reaction similar to Fleck in Christmas Story, "Stuck? Stuck! STUCK!!!" Maybe there's a lever on the wall that negates this effect. Possibly healed by electric rather than fire. (I once had an Iron Golem breathe crimson gas which Heated Metal... that was cool.)

Other "Attractive" ideas:
MAGNETIC MONSTER-SUMMONING OBELISK Hematite structure effectively immobilizes PCs in metal armor, then acts as beacon to attract local Wandering beasties
HALL OF MAGNETIC SHIELDS Partway through traversing a long hallway adorned with metal shields, the party is attacked by humanoid (or other) monsters rushing in. Just as they prepare to respond, the magnetized shields "turn on", possibly tearing weapons, etc, from their hands and leaving them unarmed! (Save to avoid being disarmed, and also to pry item off of wall-mounted shield) Possibly blink on/off every few rnds; items attached drop to floor, maybe monsters wait for this opportunity to snatch them up, maybe metal-armored PCs w/in 5' must save or get stuck...
MAGNETIC ANTI-PIT Pit opens in ceiling, floor of which is magnetized, and when party passes, everyone in armor gets snatched up. Hopefully the other PCs will be standing directly beneath this pit when the effect suddenly stops a round or two later.