Thursday, 6 April 2017
What's Going to Be In Lion & Dragon?
Here's the list of major sections:
0. Introduction and Default Setting Assumptions
1. Creating a Character
2. Skill Checks
3. Classes
4. Magic
5. Currency & Equipment
6. Game Master Procedures
7. Combat
8. Experience
9. Treasure and Valuables
10. Magic Items
Appendix A: Monsters
Appedix B:Trials
Appendix C: Wilderland Adventuring
So as you can see, on the surface, nothing weird. It will be totally usable with your OSR stuff, and totally compatible. It's the details where it is different from the norm.
There'll be more details forthcoming. Meanwhile, if someone wants to ask me questions about any of the above sections, feel free!
RPGPundit
Currently Smoking: Lorenzetti Volcano + H&H's Chestnut
By "OSR" do you mean "D&D"?
ReplyDeleteOSR is mostly recognized as being based on some older edition of D&D, typically Classic (BX, BECMI, RC) or AD&D (mostly 1e, though at least one 2e clone exists). I believe other old school games could be OSRified, though yes basing it on older D&D like mechanics seems to be the thing.
DeleteI mean it will be totally compatible with early-edition stuff.
DeleteThe Old School Renaissance (note the capitals) is the label applied the group of people playing, promoting, and publishing classic D&D and games like them.
ReplyDeleteThe OSR (all caps) is developing as part of a larger old school renaissance in older rpgs and games. Fostered by the rise of the Internet, and digital technology. The OSR probably the largest and most visible part of this old school renaissance because historically OD&D/AD&D has been the RPG with the largest number of players.
And from the first moment it was used as a shorthand for the people playing, promoting, and publishing for classic D&D and similar games, it was criticized. And as it turned out that these folks are not one note wonders but actual gamers with varied interests. So you get things like what the Pundit writes, what I write, classic D&D applied to Science Fiction, OSR publisher reviving other older material like Goodman Games and Judges Guild, Lanhkmer or Goblinoid Games and Pacesetter, etc, etc.
I was under the impression that OSR would include things such as original Traveller, Boot Hill, and other games of that vintage, not just D&D derivatives.
DeleteWell considering it is a group of independents each with their individual pipeline to publish stuff it includes whatever people involved want to includes. It just so happens there is a large group taking advantage of open content, the Internet, and digital to focus on classic D&D.
DeleteAs for Boot Hill, people in the OSR talk about it, there places where there is a sub forum devoted to it. But overall there not much going on with it.
With Traveller the community never had a break in continuity so they have their own thing going on centered around travellerrpg.com
I'm always curious about Skill Checks, since there is no standard way in the OSR. How do you handle them?
ReplyDeleteI am curious about this as well. I can live with the system in the Rules Cyclopedia but I like to see how others go about it.
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DeleteWhat I hate are games where you're told "here's 15 skill points, and you can only have your level+2 points in any skill and here's a list of 50 skills and all the stuff they specifically do so you know just how to min-max".
This will not be like that.
Skill checks are based on ability score bonus, plus bonus for a skill. There is NO defined list of skills. Different classes will have various skills or lores which they get bonus to but nowhere will you see a set list of what is or isn't a skill. In theory a GM can create his own.
If you own Arrows of Indra, you'll find that the skill system there is very similar to the one I went with in L&D.
nice! also class skill?
DeleteNot sure what you mean by "class skill". Certain classes will have bonuses to certain types of skill checks. You also get a skill based on your family background.
DeleteI was referring to "Arrows of Indra", where each class roll every level to get "class skill" which can be mundane or magical... so I was wondering if the system would get also this aspect or just bonus to certain skills.
DeleteIf the bonus the next question is if it's a static bonus or a level related bonus :-)
Oh, yes. That's part of Appendix P, and is part of Lion & Dragon too. Classes all have tables they roll on each level for special bonuses. Some of them are bonuses to certain skill checks.
DeleteGreat!
DeleteNow I'am more curious than before!
So what are the Default Setting Assumptions?
ReplyDeleteYou can get a clear picture of those from the Dark Albion setting. They are the same. The implicit setting of L&D is late-medieval, exactly like Albion.
DeleteI'm curious about how you approach social classes--an essential element to the time period but absent in most of D&D.
ReplyDeleteVery much like I did in Dark Albion. There are strict social classes. Characters who are peasants can't expect to be treated as equal to knights or talk-back in the face of a noble. There's a lengthy section dedicated to the importance of social class.
DeleteDo you have a timeline for publishing Lion & Dragon? Sorry if this has been asked before. I've just stumbled across Dark Albion and the rest of your work so I'm new to all this.
ReplyDeleteWithin two months.
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