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Writing orders can be simple and brief, to convey basic intent. Phase 1. Movement & Missiles * (Clarion, the Halfling): "Rush up mound to fire on foes with Bow." The referee also (mentally, perhaps) notes the Ogre too is rushing up the mound to control it. * (Ogre): "Rush to top of mound."...

I’m late to the party on this one and wanted to say, I referee OD&D and use the simultaneous initiative system in Chainmail. The referee secretly determines intentions for opposing forces, and then players secretly write orders/intentions for theirs, turning them into the referee to be read...

Games don’t blow up, people do. [emoji846] That’s probably too flippant a way of saying that while systems can incentivize certain behaviors, they don’t necessarily predicate behaviors, and players are just as culpable in propelling a game into a downward spiral with the way they choose how to...

Hi, Manchurian. You can find us here: Join the Sword & Spell Discord Server! For those using the Sword & Spell (the Original Edition rules) Warrior (Fighter), Wizard (Magic-User), and Champion (Cleric). When you join the server, I can get you the stats for your character: attributes (ability...

I'm running an OD&D engine (SWORD & SPELL) with some local flavor. I'm putting together a roster of ~10-15 players to be able to put together adventuring parties of 3-9 players for 2-4 hrs a session. The same 3-9 players would likely not play together all the time. It would be a general call to...

SWORD & SPELL Looking for Players (LFP) Date & Time: Variable three-to-four times a week, 7 pm - 10 pm CDT (GMT/UTC -5). System: 1974 OD&D variant called SWORD & SPELL. Character Creation: New players: Level 1, attributes, silver pieces (silver standard), and hit points randomly generated...

Hi, CptAlan. I sent you a private message. In case you miss it, you can find us here: https://discord.gg/BT6738e

We now have 10 players, with room for at least 10 more (EGG said a campaign could handle up to 4-50 players!). We play on Discord. The intent is to have 2-5 sessions of 2-4 hrs duration, with 3-5 players in each session. We've had two sessions thus far, and four sessions scheduled across this...

Agreed. Players can play the system. I had a group one time that was so out to “play it and flaunt it,” I simply said, look, as the referee, I too can game the system. “Innumerable specters appear out of nowhere. Your group is surprised.” Bunch of rolls. “You each lose 10 levels. Oh, you were...

OSR/older D&D and XP from gold - is there a "proper" alternative? That 1 gp bread now costs you 6,000 gp. Oh, and yet another young kid is outside waiting to challenge you to a gunfight.

OSR/older D&D and XP from gold - is there a "proper" alternative? I’ve always viewed “gold as XP” as the MacGuffin in D&D that drives the story. Obviously, alternatives can be made. What I like about gold is the “limited resources” part of the equation. There’s only so much we can...

OSR/older D&D and XP from gold - is there a "proper" alternative? Generally, no more than 1 level earned per adventure, regardless of XP potential. DM discretion on where the cut off is. B/X notes earn a level and go up to x,999, just before second level. Another adventure needed...

Agreed. I use the ratio approach to adjust. 10 party levels against 10 HD monster, 1=1. 20 kobolds against one 10th level Wizard, 1=1. 20 party levels against one 5 HD monster, 25% of XP value, based on the 1=1. They might find 10,000 gp on that line 5 HD monster, yet the XP would be 2,500 if...

And the value is based on the difficulty of the challenge. Haul all that gold out, and it will not be worth 1 xp to 1 gp. The ratio changes.

You made such a number of interesting points and claims, I can’t begin to express all my thoughts. As many have noted, how you decide to reward players determines the style of play. Early war gamers were eager to build armies and kingdoms. They needed money. Also, referees were eager for...

I appreciate this style of play as a referee precisely because I too can be just as surprised by the results. As the “world” forms/evolves, I get to co-experience it with the players.

Hey there. Would you be interested in an OD&D-style game. (primer here: https://1drv.ms/b/s!At9t3rOy_QCT6w9IYYGyc41wztYn) The idea is to have about 20 players on a roster along with their availability. I'd put out a call for players 3-5 times a week during those availabilities, aiming to get...

I read someone post that said they broke out the hex crawl for OD&D, rules as written, for some modern D&D gamers, and their reaction to such a sand-box approach to roaming the countryside fighting monsters was so thrilling, and played so differently, that the players were astonished that they...

Yes, completely agreed on the need for organization. And while I considered S&W and decided not to use it, I think it's an excellent product. What I love about these kinds of games is the conciseness that seems to leave open the possibilities. What I so thoroughly loved about D&D3, which at the...

Agreed on the "not fixing what I'd fix" sentiment. (Not plugging by any means) I put out B/XFRP for that very reason. One book, all the B and X rules in one place. Done. The only things I think I changed is instead of 1d6 roll low, it was roll high. Find a secret door on 1-2 on d6 became roll 5+.