Dark Fantasy Basic planned updates (draft)

A warning.

This is a brainstorming post that I almost didn't publish. 

I decided to publish with a caveat: it is rambly, gets nowhere, and I have no idea it I'll actually stick to ANY of this. 

If you have an opinion on any of this, feel free to share; maybe that is what I need. But if you want to skip this one, also feel free.

It is about a project I'be been trying to finish for years, but I've been getting nowhere.

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As I've mentioned before (and failed to follow through; I'm sorry), I want to write an update to Dark Fantasy Basic.

Well, I'm already using an update of sorts in my current campaign. But the changes are fairly minor and not worth making a new edition.

Much of it is in here ("Minimalist OSR") - my unfinished, free take on a minimalist D&D. And that is enough for me, to be honest - my main reason to making a new edition out of it is to have a reference for my players, and maybe letting other people try it too.

What else would I like to change?

I need to add the full image too!

Well, I'd like to make a whole system - not only for players, but also add a DMs guide and a minimalist monster manual. I might make it a single book (like the Rules Cyclopedia) or three booklets (maybe four or five - not sure If I'd want to separate spells from PCs, or GM advice from GM tools such as random tables).

It is not that I want to add much; I'd like to compile all my PDFs in one single thing (and a few blog posts too).

What else?

I'm tempted to remove both the Cleric and the Hopeless classes, or put them into an appendix. Turn the thief into an expert, and add notes on how to build your own ranger, paladin, monk, sorcerer, etc (like Old School Feats).

The expert would be the "flexible" class, instead of the hopeless. Instead of the "Thievery" skill, I'd let expert pick two or three main skills. Thievery would be broken down to stealth and devices (locks/traps). Not sure what to do with perception; it is an important skill, but too powerful in comparison to others.

I want to add some details to weapons, and a few optional AD&Disms such as weapon speed, effectiveness against armor, magic resistance, etc. Maybe add more alignments.

The "death's door table" needs to be harsher, probably including lasting wounds.

I definitely want to have a free, public version, even if I have to host it in this blog.

The art needs updating. DFB has a cool cover and carefully selected PD art, but I think it would look better with stock art + some original art. I think my recent books look much better than DFB.

So... how do I begin? I think the easiest way would be starting with some OGL/CC game (such as OSRIC, BFRPG, etc). I prefer that than starting with DFB, because I want to be sure I'm thorough.

But I'm not sure it is even worth it. There are several parts of OSRIC I'd like to use as written, so why copy-paste them? Maybe just keep a log of OSRIC house rules, until it becomes unwieldy. 

Let's see.

TIME must always have a COST - no 5-minute workdays

I've written a longer post here; this is the short version, more or less.

(I really like that post; I encourage you to read it).

Time must always have a cost.

Resting for one hour in the dungeon is dangerous. But so is resting for one day in the wild.

Resting for a month in a peaceful city should ALSO have a cost.

The cost is usually DANGER. 

It can also be money, until the PCs are too rich to care. Or anything else the PCs might lose.

In any case, there must be a risk that the cost lasts longer than the time spent. 

I.e., if the cost of resting for a day is an encounter that does nothing except take a few HP, they'll just rest another day or two.

If there is no cost, the PCs will ALWAYS fall back to the free/safe state after they have spent some resources, thus creating the "5-minute work day": the PCs enter the dungeon, spend all their spells, and get out of the dungeon to recover them.

Same can be said of HP. It does not matter if the PCs fully recover in one day, one week, or one month if there is no cost to that.

Even after a month, it is unlikely that the monsters will "re-spawn" (although I love to add certain undead that rise again every night until the source of the curse is destroyed).

But maybe they should just leave (with all the treasure) or call for reinforcements. 

Otherwise, the PCs can always "reset" their losses with no costs for the opposition.

It is like they are playing chess, and they can always reset their clock arbitrarily - and even replenish lost pieces - but their foes can't.

Until, of course, they suffer a check-mate (or TPK). 

This is hard to happen if the PCs can just choose to leave at any time, but it can still happen against opposition that is much stronger.

I'm tempted to say the game ends whenever the PCs reach safety (or, again, in a TPK). You can start the game again with the same PCs after a day of after after a season, but then it will be a different game. If they go back to the dungeon, the dungeon will have changed.

Having a game without any risk feels a bit boring.  The only way to have a meaningful campaign that never really "stops" is to keep that in mind.

Note: the New Year, New Game sale is on. I'm thinking of getting Crypts and Things Remastered - let me know if you have read it! But there are tons of other games on sale.

(affiliate links)

Happy new year! 2024 recap + 2025 aspirations

Happy new year!

2024 has had its ups and downs, like always. About 90 posts in this blog, which is nice.

Here are some of my favorites:

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/12/nothing-to-lose-but-their-lives-stakes.html

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/12/a-real-encounter-with-quantum-goblins.html

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/11/create-sandbox-map-in-7-easy-steps-or-10.html

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/09/random-ticking-clocks-simplified.html

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/06/author-x-referee-gms.html

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/03/minimalist-roll-to-cast-take-2.html

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/03/fudging-lying-and-cheating.html

I didn't finish my DMG series. Will try again in 2025, then maybe tackle some other book (I've been thinking of Chainmail lately).

I've read a few appendix N books, and reviewed them in the blog.

I published Basic Wilderness Encounters, which did okay. I've been using it a lot in my current campaign.

I have a feeling - and that goes for ALL of my books, basically - that it might deserve further polishing. This is a consequence of actually using my own stuff in my games, in addition to a certain fondness for tinkering and house rules. There is always room for improvement!

This is one of my aspirations for 2025, of course: updating some of my old books, starting with Dark Fantasy Basic. Ideally, I'd compile that with my other books to create a "Dark Fantasy Cyclopedia" or "Advanced Dark Fantasy". I tried it in 2024 and might try again in 2025.

Well, at least 2024 counts as one more year of play-testing this stuff.

I have a small book of monster that I hope to finish in 2025. It's taking ages.

That, or publishing a setting. I have a couple of options, but both are far from finished. I am way more likely to publish something if I actually get to play-test it, but my current campaign hasn't finished yet.

What is far more likely is that you'll see lots of reflections, reviews, actual plays, brainstorming, and so on in this blog.

Anyway, we will see how it goes.

As always, you can get in touch, but the best way to know is to follow the blog.

I wish you and all your families an awesome 2025!