The Nightmare That Came For Christmas

As you can see from the pic above, I got my copy of the hardcover Lamentations of the Flame Princess rules and magic book. It arrived on Christmas eve, appropriately (or maybe inappropriately) enough. Rereading the rules again has been an enjoyable experience, but it's strange to have to remember to not let the kids get their hands on the book! 

Hope you're all having a happy holiday season! 

More OSR Blasphemies

I've been mulling things over when it comes to my gaming desires...which have of course evolved over the course of the last year and three months since I made a definitive return to table-top roleplaying.

I'm taking some time to step away from the GM's chair, how long I'm not yet sure. However long it takes to clear my real life of the crapstorm I'm under, and also to alleviate some RPG burnout from overloading myself with all things roleplaying.

I've been thinking: maybe pure old-school play is just not for me. Resource management? I've been good at depleting PC's ration stores during my gaming career (a day passes, everyone ticks off a day's rations). But keeping track of those torches and lantern oil flasks? Gimme a break. I'm not really into being a "bean counter."

I've never used encumbrance, really. The closest thing was the truly simple Lamentations of the Flame Princess system. Otherwise, it's all common sense ("No, you can't strap that chest to the dwarf hireling's back! Well, you could, but he would be extremely hindered in movement and combat...not to mention pissed off.")

Oh, and I think I'm getting tired of by-the-book experience points.

All of the above go for the two D&D-like games I've played over the last year or so: Castles & Crusades and Labyrinth Lord. I love both games, and for me they stand high above the vast selection of other retro-clones and D&D derivatives.

Yes, I can ignore those rules I don't like or create house rules to replace them. And I've done so, to my satisfaction and those of my players (at least it seems that way).

At this time in my life, I think that the statements above are endemic of my current situation: with only one session a week, and some of those skipped due to responsibilities, I don't want to be bogged down by what I consider superfluous.

Take experience points. It can take a long time for PCs to level up if you're going by the book. Not that my players are power gamers, but it would be nice to have a chance to have them experience higher-level play.

I think I favor the drama of the unfolding adventure to bean counting. There's a balance to be struck, and I'm trying to find the sweet spot.

All I know is, my style of play is indeed informed by what the OSR holds up as the gold standard for old-school gaming. But it's not the mechanics of the games I care about. It's the "attitude," the spirit, fostered by the editions of the game the OSR favors.

I shall babble no more today on this matter!

OSR Blasphemies: Saying No to Old-Fashioned Vancian Magic

I suppose I'm about to commit a mortal OSR sin by stating that I'm not really into Vancian magic anymore. At least, I'm not into Vancian magic "rules as written" as portrayed in most editions of D&D (except 4th Edition with its at-will powers, I suppose).

I just don't like the "fire and forget" thing anymore. I know, you're going to call me a D&D Nancy-boy and tell me I can't hang. You're going to tell me that I'm missing the point of D&D, especially OD&D/Basic D&D, where resource management is king, and where limited spells per day at low levels means players have to flex their creative muscles in order to survive.

But to hell with all that. I don't care. My current self wants something new. My old self might have been OK with it. Back in the day, I remember a lot of player decisions to camp for the rest of the day/night so the casters could recharge ("Ok, speed up time, Mr. GM! Is it morning yet? What, what do you mean there was random encounter while we were asleep?!"). It was crazy how many days would pass in a single session because the magic users and clerics needed to rememorize spells.

Hey, here's my cure for the "15 minute work day": no more old-fashioned Vancian magic.

Gimme the Adventurer Conqueror King system for casting spells with its "spell repertoire," for the love of God. Or even better than that, gimme the system from Myth & Magic!

In my current Labyrinth Lord campaign, I'm borrowing from the Myth & Magic system (what I think is supposed to be a sorta-clone of 2E D&D). The following is an OPTIONAL rule from Myth & Magic (so no, kids, you are not forced to use it if you want good old fashioned Vancian action):

Spell Rememorization [Optional]: Once a memorized spell is cast and a slot opens up, the wizard may attempt to fill the slot if he has his spellbook and ample time to study. An Intelligence check is rolled against an Exceptional (TC 20) task. Success indicates a new memorized spell. Failure removes the chance to fill that spell slot until the next day. The wizard is required to have absolute silence while he studies for a continuous, uninterrupted 10 minutes per spell level. Any interruption, whether it be from loud noises or physical harm, removes the chance to rememorize the spell slot.

In place of the d20 INT check, I have my LL players roll under the INT score (modified by the level of the spell to be rememorized; so a wizard with INT of 17 rememorizing a 2nd level spell would have to roll under a 15).

Oh, or even better than Myth & Magic is the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG system, right? Well, not sure it's better, but just different... different in a much more risky spell casting sense. But I like that riskiness! It adds some spice to things, eh?! Bottom line: you don't automatically lose the spell for the rest of the day. Sounds good to me, risk or no risk.

As much as I ragged on DCC in the past, I think it's system is the most attractive to me right now.

I guess the "second generation" retroclones (I don't want to argue about whether or not DCC RPG is a retroclone or not, please) fit into the style of play that I want these days. I guess I'm not an OSR purist after all. And that's not because I've been brainwashed by playing modern-era D&D, which I haven't done at all, ever! Hell, I've only returned to roleplaying within the last couple years and I've been playing C&C, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and now Labyrinth Lord!

I guess what I have been doing is reading other games, and fondly wishing for something more than old Vancian magic. Damn that reading nonsense! Dad always told me it would get me into trouble.

I want my casters to have the flexibility of spell casting more often in a day, and I don't care who disagrees! 'Nuff said.