General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
Just wanted to point out that my fave Retro-style D&D game -Spellcraft & Swordplay Deluxe is available from LULU for FREE as a PDF download until Friday (7/10/09). There has never been a free PDF available so best get it now at LINKAGE
Also, Ruins & Ronin a OD&D/S&W based retroclone is now available too. PDF is $1.00 at LULU (which I just downloaded myself) R&R is a non historical japanese style Fantasy game. You can get the PDF here and a POD version is available too. The Peter Mullen cover on this thing is just incredible and was easily worth the the $1 AFAIC !
Not affiliated with either game (other than being a fan) just though I'd get the word out!
__________________ Founding Father of O.A.F! - Old school Admirers of Fourth edition
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"I feel books like "A Princess of Mars", "The Swords of Lankhmar" and "The Black Company" are far more important to your gaming experience than whether you choose between OSRIC, Labyrinth Lord, or D&D4E." - The Ravyn
I think people sometimes get too fixated about what's "official" to see what they could do with the whole- "David "Zeb" Cook
Thanks for the link! I was curious about Spellcraft & Swordplay and now it's nice to able able to check it out for free.
__________________ 'Can a magician kill a man by magic?' Lord Wellington asked Strange. Strange frowned. He seemed to dislike the question. 'I suppose a magician might,' he admitted, 'but a gentleman never could.'
Thanks for that link to Spellcraft and Swordplay, JeffB. We find ourselves playing retro systems more and more these days so I'm looking forward to giving this a read through.
Glad to be of service I really dig S&S- Its kind of like Moldvay/Cook/Marsh with cleaned up/unified mechanics and a few twists to make combat & spellcasting more interesting (while adding very little complication)
I'd highly recco Ruins & Ronin too- the cover art alone is worth that dollar! some very cool monsters to yank for your pre 3.x D&D games as well.
__________________ Founding Father of O.A.F! - Old school Admirers of Fourth edition
Proud Rouseketeers Member-Badge #2!
"I feel books like "A Princess of Mars", "The Swords of Lankhmar" and "The Black Company" are far more important to your gaming experience than whether you choose between OSRIC, Labyrinth Lord, or D&D4E." - The Ravyn
I think people sometimes get too fixated about what's "official" to see what they could do with the whole- "David "Zeb" Cook
Glad to be of service I really dig S&S- Its kind of like Moldvay/Cook/Marsh with cleaned up/unified mechanics and a few twists to make combat & spellcasting more interesting (while adding very little complication)
Hm. I was under the impression it was more like OD&D, but with some Chainmail as well, plus some house rules. . . no? Oh well, I was bound to get some of these games mixed up - there are so many now! Maybe I was thinking of that one with the French name. . .
Thanks for the heads-up, anyway; always nice to be able to check out an intriguing game for free.
S&S is supposed to be something like an alternate evolution of D&D from Chainmail, as I understand it. You could always go to the official site and see what the author says, however.
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"The Soul of D&D? It's rolling a natural 20 when you're down to 3 hit points and the cleric's on the floor and you're staring that sunnavabitch bugbear right in his bloodshot eye and holding the line just long enough to let the wizard unleash a fireball at the guards who are on their way, because they're all that stands between you, the Foozle and Glory." - WizarDru
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Very nice. I like it a lot - only had a quick read through though.
It isn't very compatible with the old, 1e, adventures, but conversion shouldn't be too hard.
I think I like it enough that I'd run it if I'm ever running a retro-game.
I'm not clear on weapon damages, what is the point of using a heavy crossbow, you can only use it once every 2 rounds?
Oh and best Art in an RPG, bar none - as all of it is snagged from classical sources. A truly excellent, yet simple idea. I'm unsure where he got the reproduction/scans from, though I wish it was in colour.
__________________ Pablo El Vagabundo
"Mercy!? You want MERCY? I'M CHAOTIC NEUTRAL!!!"
Last edited by vagabundo; 9th July 2009 at 02:38 PM..
Hm. I was under the impression it was more like OD&D, but with some Chainmail as well, plus some house rules. . . no? Oh well, I was bound to get some of these games mixed up - there are so many now! Maybe I was thinking of that one with the French name. . .
Thanks for the heads-up, anyway; always nice to be able to check out an intriguing game for free.
In reality B/X is just a cleaned up version of the OD&D game too (and that is what I meant by my B/X comment). S&S definitely fits the "cleaned up" part, along with the "new" combat and the spellcasting rolls, and lots of subtle but flavorful changes. Much of the OGC is actually from the C&C PHB/M&T. Quite frankly, I feel S&S is what C&C tried to be (and IMO, missed the boat).
The combat system should be fun- essentially as you level you get more attacks per round (fighters getting the most) and there is a (old style) chart based on weapon type vs. armor type- one chart, easy peasy (and easy to get on your character sheet for a PC's weapons-DM will need the whole thing-). The system makes variable weapon damage kind of irrelevant- certain weapons will have a lower attack roll necc to get through certain armors than others- so for once the abstract D&D system of Armor Class makes sense.
Monster stats are written up as "claw, claw, bite (dagger, dagger, sword)" for example (so as to reference them on the To Hit table). So it will take a slight amount of conversion if you are using your fave monsters from another source.
I really like some of the subtle changes to classes- Clerics get the lay on hands ability, and are the only class that gets a bonus to wisdom saves. Fighters the only ones who can use Dex to improve their melee defense, etc.
__________________ Founding Father of O.A.F! - Old school Admirers of Fourth edition
Proud Rouseketeers Member-Badge #2!
"I feel books like "A Princess of Mars", "The Swords of Lankhmar" and "The Black Company" are far more important to your gaming experience than whether you choose between OSRIC, Labyrinth Lord, or D&D4E." - The Ravyn
I think people sometimes get too fixated about what's "official" to see what they could do with the whole- "David "Zeb" Cook
Found a formatting gaffe in the deluxe edition. It's been fixed in the e-book and hardcover, but Acrobat is giving me fits in the digest size for the softcover. Working on that issue.
If you've already downloaded the e-book, please do again. For those who have already purchased it in hard copy, I will be uploading a properly sized PDF of the corrected page that you can insert into your book.
My apologies; I can't believe this has happened. I'm going to beat my proofer with a wooden spoon.
__________________ Founding Father of O.A.F! - Old school Admirers of Fourth edition
Proud Rouseketeers Member-Badge #2!
"I feel books like "A Princess of Mars", "The Swords of Lankhmar" and "The Black Company" are far more important to your gaming experience than whether you choose between OSRIC, Labyrinth Lord, or D&D4E." - The Ravyn
I think people sometimes get too fixated about what's "official" to see what they could do with the whole- "David "Zeb" Cook
For my own personal tastes thats a positive! Growing up in the late 70s playing D&D and having Saturday morning/afternoon TV plastered with Kung-fu movies, by 1980 I had my fill of " I wanna be a Ninja and have nunchuks and throwing stars!" players run through my S&S style games.
I see it as "payback"
__________________ Founding Father of O.A.F! - Old school Admirers of Fourth edition
Proud Rouseketeers Member-Badge #2!
"I feel books like "A Princess of Mars", "The Swords of Lankhmar" and "The Black Company" are far more important to your gaming experience than whether you choose between OSRIC, Labyrinth Lord, or D&D4E." - The Ravyn
I think people sometimes get too fixated about what's "official" to see what they could do with the whole- "David "Zeb" Cook
! 
some very cool monsters to yank for your pre 3.x D&D games as well.
Oh well, I was bound to get some of these games mixed up - there are so many now! Maybe I was thinking of that one with the French name. . .
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