A roll is required for each 100’ to be climbed. If the roll fails, the thief falls at the halfway point, suffering falling damage.
I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man's. I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.
- William Blake
Monday, August 08, 2022
Quick d20 skills thought: trying again, critical failures and climbing
Sunday, August 07, 2022
Quick x-in-6 skills thought [d6 versus d6]
Saturday, August 06, 2022
The unsolved conundrum of D&D ability checks
I wouldn't dare. |
Well, you might go the opposite route with something like The Black Hack or Knave: ability scores are king, and, while level doesn't affect your ability checks directly, it raises your abilities, thus helping you indirectly. You can even use "roll high" like everything else in the game (or roll low for everything). However, this makes class a lot less important (Knave gets rid of classes entirely) - and classes are one of the most popular aspects of D&D. Classes are also very convenient shortcuts, especially for worldbuilding.
Monday, August 01, 2022
AMAZING Scared Lands Sale - 90% OFF!
"As part of Onyx Path Publishing's 10th Anniversary celebration select Scarred Lands 5E and Pathfinder PDFs are 90% Off for a limited time!"
Drawing enthusiastically on Greek mythology, the revised and re-imagined Scarred Lands nonetheless retains its place as a modern fantasy RPG setting. This is a world shaped by gods and monsters, and only the greatest of heroes can expect to be counted among them. The most populous continent of Scarn, Ghelspad, plays host to vast unexplored regions, hides unsolved riddles from ancient cultures, and taunts adventures with the promise of undiscovered riches hidden among the ruins of older civilizations.
Yet the myths of the Scarred Lands are relatively recent events. The effects of the Titanswar still ripple through the world, and the heroines and villains of many of these stories are part of living memory, if not still living.
Minimalist B/X III - Dissecting the thief again
Read LanguagesA thief of 4th level or higher can read non-magical text in any language (including dead languages and basic codes) with 80% probability. If the roll does not succeed, the thief may not try to read that particular text again until they reach a higher level of experience.Scroll UseA thief of 10th level or higher can cast arcane spells from scrolls. There is a 10% chance of error: the spell does not function as expected and creates an unusual or deleterious effect.
Back-stabWhen attacking an unaware opponent from behind, a thief receives a +4 bonus to hit and doubles any damage dealt.
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Minimalist B/X II - % skills [and nostalgia, and a rant]
Things that we do not because they make sense, but only because "this is how it was originally". It is not even preserving Chesterton's fence, it is refusing to even wonder if the fence needs repairs in order to serve its original purpose.
Saturday, July 23, 2022
OSR feats
Fighter feats
1. Animal companion. You have an animal ally that follows you around, and will help you and fight for you (the player controls it) as long as you treat it well. It must be an ordinary animal (a wolf, horse, hound, hawk, etc.), although it is an extraordinary example of the species, and its HD is equal to your level divided by 2 (round down). If it dies, you can get a new one after spending 2d6 days in the wilderness.
2. Armor master. When you wear armor, it is considered as being one step lighter (plate/chain/leather) for all purposes except AC, and you can move in light (leather) armor as if you were unarmored.
3. Berserker. Whenever you wish, you can enter a state of rage for one turn, during which you get +3 to your damage and saves, and all damage against you is halved. After this, you take 1 HP of damage per level (save against paralysis/petrification for half damage).
4. Favored enemy. Choose a type of nonhuman enemy – undead, demons, animals, giants, dragons, etc. You get a +3 bonus to your attacks, damage and saves against this type.
5. Finesse. When you use light melee weapons (short sword plus anything lighter) or attack unarmed you can use your Dexterity bonus instead of Strength for your attack rolls. Damage rolls are still affected by Strength only.
6. Fortitude. You get +2 bonus to saves against paralysis, petrification, and poison, but not death.
7. Shield expert. While using a shield, you get an extra +1 AC, and also +2 to all saving throws if a shield could conceivably protect you (usually breath, wands and spells). You can extend these benefits to one ally within 5 feet of you.
8. Unarmored defense. You get a +3 AC bonus when unarmored, +2 when wearing leather armor, and +1 when wearing chain.
9. Wilderness explorer. While you are in the wilderness, you can hear noises and find/remove traps as a thief of the same level as you, and find tracks and hidden things with the same chances as find/remove traps. In addition, when foraging, hunting, or rolling to avoid losing direction, you have an additional 1-in-6 chance of success (e.g., 2-in-6 to forage).
10. Wilderness skills. While you are in the wilderness, you can climb, hide and move silently as a thief of the same level as you.
11. Warlord. Your followers gain +1 morale as long as they can see you. You can shout orders to attack (+1 to attack throws) or defend (+1 to AC and saving throws), affecting allies and followers within 60 feet that can hear you.
12. Weapon master. You get +1 to attack, damage, and AC. Choose a type of weapon or a fighting style (blades, two-handed weapons, light weapons, missile weapons, dual wielding, sword and shield, grappling, etc.). When using this style, you get +2 to attack, damage, or AC (choose one when you pick this feat), instead of the usual +1.
Does this sounds interesting?
Monday, July 18, 2022
Worldbuilding, character builds, and old school D&D / OSR
Monday, July 11, 2022
Minimalist B/X (no tables!)
Every roll is d20 + level + modifiers, with a result of 20 or more indicating success.
Sunday, July 10, 2022
The Disoriented Ranger talks: D&D and the OSR
I've read this one cover to cover, as the subject interests me greatly. One of the main focuses is the Rules Cyclopedia (which might be my "one D&D book to take to a desert island"). If you enjoy the RC like me, you'll likely appreciate this one.
I also appreciated the section on "Changing rules without loosing compatibility to the source" (in the "R.A.W. vs. House Ruled" chapter). I think this deserves exploration and probably a post to explain my own opinion, but for now I'd just say I agree with Jens on this sentiment.
What's this about?
Nothing is older than yesterday's blog ... or so they say. After 10 years of exploring "all things D&D and role-playing" on The Disoriented Ranger blog, most of it during the Golden Age of the so-called OSR (and some of it in the Silver Age, I presume), it is time to look back and see what I deem worthy of conserving.
I talked several subjects over the years, many of them about game design and gaming advice, but some of it was my continuing exploration of the D&D Rules Cyclopedia and, in that context, early D&D. What did those gamers back then actually conceive? What does it mean? How did it change? And: how good had those first attempts at "role-playing games" been?
I shared my takes about these and they make a good first anthology. So here they are: 18 posts on roughly 110 pages with thoughts and musings about The Rules Cyclopedia, as people would back then in the scene that would be the OSR for some time. All edited and prettied up for this pdf.
Also check out Part 1 about Gaming Culture here!
What's to come?
There are five more anthologies to follow in the next couple of months, so look out for:
- Part 3: Musings about DMing
- Part 4: Storytelling Advice
- Part 5: DIY & Gamedesign
- Part 6: Theories in Action
Parts 1 to 3 as well as Parts 4 to 6 will also be compiled for a PoD option!
This is not a trip down memory lane, the topics presented here are still as important as they had been when I addressed them. My sincere hope is that sharing them here will encourage and inspire new readers (or fans of the blog, but with fresh eyes) to see the wealth of potential our hobby has, as well as its pitfalls.
Other than that: I can just provide the map, and even I get lost ...
Cheers,
The Disoriented Ranger
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What qualifies me, you ask?
Just so you know: "You don't need to justify your love, you don't need to explain your love, you just need to practice your love. Practice creates the master." (Don Miguel Ruiz)
Friday, June 24, 2022
Finding spells is better than choosing them
Sunday, June 19, 2022
D&D 5e fighting styles comparison: Tasha's Cauldron
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Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Teratogenicon: print costs and a discount coupon
Friday, June 10, 2022
Escape the Truman Show, escape the Matrix; the god-DM and free-willed NPCs
Truman Burbank is the unsuspecting star of The Truman Show, a reality television program filmed 24/7 through thousands of hidden cameras and broadcast to a worldwide audience. Christof, the show's creator and executive producer, seeks to capture Truman's authentic emotions and give audiences a relatable everyman.As Truman was selected from birth following an unwanted pregnancy, Christof claims that Truman came to be adopted not just by the show, but by the whole "world". Truman's hometown of Seahaven Island is a complete set built within an enormous dome, populated by crew members and actors who highlight the product placements that generate revenue for the show. The elaborate set allows Christof to control almost every aspect of Truman's life, including the weather.To prevent Truman from discovering his false reality, Christof manufactures scenarios that dissuade Truman's desire for exploration, such as the "death" of his father in a sea storm to instill aquaphobia, and by constantly broadcasting and printing messages of the dangers of traveling and the virtues of staying home. However, Christof cannot predict all of Truman's actions.
Monday, June 06, 2022
Dark Fantasy Basic character sheet
If you've been waiting for a while, I want to say I'm sorry it took me so long.
While not as stunning as the work of actual artists (like the ones by Prosaiko and JV West), it is functional, works well for my games, and it has a "gothic" vibe that's adequate for DFB.
You can get it here ("DFB sheet"). BTW, I'm making this a "public folder" with all my free stuff.