Demons: Looking At Using Some Old Role-Aids Products In My Next Game...

[Flynn]

In a fit of nostalgia, I poked around looking at forums dedicated to previous incarnations of D&D, and was reminded of some of the best third-party RPG supplements I'd ever seen. For those that recall the old Mayfair Games Role-Aids products, particularly the Demons campaign setting, I'm sure you will remember how cool those were. The whole Demons campaign stuff, in particular, provided a much cooler background for integrating infernal creatures into a game than any I'd seen up to that point, and truthfully, I haven't seen better since.

Seeing as how I will be starting a new fantasy campaign in the fall, after I wrap up my current Grim Tales campaign, I started thinking about how I could use my old Role-Aids material to add some life into my next campaign. I started checking stuff out on the web, and aside from some conversions I and Malachi Martin did in the early days of 3E, no one's really done anything in regards to conversions. I did find, however, that one could pick up the entire Demons product line for only $13, under a special being run by Mayfair Games here:
http://www.mayfairgames.com/shop-special/roleaids/mfg-ra.html

(The fluff material alone is well worth the money, and with a little elbow grease, conversion to 3E/v3.5 isn't that hard. If you are running C&C, BFRPG or OSRIC, you probably won't have to do much at all to use the material directly in a game.)

I am seriously considering using this material to replace the Lower Planes in my next campaign. The advantages are many:

• the players won't have the monsters or magic items memorized;
• I can easily use the fluff material and the fluff is great;
• the presence of Demons and their counterparts, the Sentinels, puts the Plane Prime as the focus for their works, instead of some distant Blood War, so the characters don't have to go anywhere extradimensionally to be involved with the material;
• there's plenty of supporting material in the setting that can easily be integrated into a homebrew setting of my own creation, freeing me of that extra work while giving me lots of good flavor; and
• I get a hint of nostalgia in my next game.

There are more reasons, of course, such as the ability to be creative in conversions or in the use of 3.5 demons and devils under the new setting context. But I'm definitely interested in doing this, as it has been a while since I've run a campaign world where demons featured as the big bad guys. My players used to chide me over that, so I ran a three and a half year game focused on undead, followed by a one year campaign focused on vermin, and created some different experiences for them. Now, I'm running a year and a half long Grim Tales campaign in the planetary adventure style, with a focus on aberrations. That's going well, but with almost six years of non-outsider focus in my games, I think it's time to go back to the basics, so to speak.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to have enjoyed these old Role-Aids products. Has anyone else used them in past or current campaigns? If so, what are your suggestions or thoughts on integrating them into a new 3E/v3.5 campaign? (I'd try doing this with one of the "basic games", but I don't think I'd find players locally if I did.) Heck, even if you are using one of the "basic games", what have been your experiences using this material, if any?

Thanks For Your Time,
Flynn

 

[Dexterward]

I too used the Role-Aids Demons products in 3.5

Flynn,

Seems like we have similar tastes in palying style! I also use a lot of outsiders in my campaigns. The last major campaign I ran was based on a demon horde invading Mulhorand in the Forgotten Realms setting.

I purchased all of the Role-Aids Demon products years ago and have been using them ever since. The conversion process to 3.5 is a little hokie, but the flavor is just plug and play. The only issue I ever had converting material was with the new abilities each outsider had. If you just stick to the standard 10 + 1/2 HD + ability modifier rule and look to the monster manuel et. el. to see what SA and SQ abilities are similar, then you should be ok. I only converted the demons that I used in the campaign, but if you want me to provide examples I can.

I changed the Role-Aids fluff a little to fit into the Forgotten Realms setting, but kept a good majority intact.

The best part about using the old Role-Aids stuff was that the players had NO idea what they were up against (fiendish DM laughter here)!!!!! The campaign was fun for all.

 

[Flynn]

I definitely would like to see what you've come up with. Do you want to post it here? Or would you rather send it via email?

It's good to hear that I'm not alone in my appreciation of these products,
Flynn

 

[Dexterward]

Conversions

Flynn,

I can do either! What do you want me to do? As I stated in the previous post I only converted the demons that I used for the campaign (a very small fraction of those available in all the different products).

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

I have Demons and Demons II and agree that there is some great fluff in these products. I used them a tiny bit in my 2e FR campaign, mostly some stuff around a demon cult. I'll have to dig them out and have another read!

Cheers


Richard

 

[Soel]

I wouldn't mind seeing the conversions. I also have these boxed sets, and haven't quite figured out how to use them in 3.5 games.

 

[Flynn]

Flynn,

I can do either! What do you want me to do? As I stated in the previous post I only converted the demons that I used for the campaign (a very small fraction of those available in all the different products).

Even a few demons is better than none, unless you're a PC, of course. Please, by all means, post them here. I'm sure there would be interest. I did convert a few of them early on in 3E, but I think I'll probably go back and re-examine the conversion before I repost them here for everyone. I just translated the Type I-V demons, is all I did.

Happy Slaying,
Flynn

 

[Voadam]

I played in a 1e/2e game in the 90s that used them. I got possessed by the key/gatekeeper demon who was guarding a dungeon door and he then made a bargain with the party for a riddle challenge using me as his spokesman and hostage to guarantee the party followed the rules. I also remember learning about the various new demon summoning spells.

I later bought the products myself and enjoyed reading them immensely, though I was dissapointed in the lack of descriptions in the denizens products I got.

I enjoyed them so much I wrote a Pyramid classics review for the product line.

I have not used them in 3e outside of the general concepts for roleplaying different demon personalities and some of the fluff stuff, though the major demons have class levels written out so they should provide good bases to create 3e versions.

 

[Flynn]

I played in a 1e/2e game in the 90s that used them. I got possessed by the key/gatekeeper demon who was guarding a dungeon door and he then made a bargain with the party for a riddle challenge using me as his spokesman and hostage to guarantee the party followed the rules. I also remember learning about the various new demon summoning spells.

Man, I like that idea! I may just have to borrow it...

Thanks,
Flynn

 

[Dexterward]

Ok, I will post the conversions here for all the world to see . I will need to dig the notes out from my old campaign, so I will have to post them tomorrow.

Glade at least a few people are interested!