O.L.D. Playtest Document: Book II - Playing The Game (December 2014)

I have just uploaded O.L.D. Playtest Document: Book II - Playing The Game (December 2014) to the downloads area.

This 59-page document is the latest O.L.D. playtest document. It contains the core mechanics, the combat rules, and rules for wilderness travel. It should be used in conjunction with the previous playtest document on Character Creation released in October.

You can find the file here in the downloads section. Please use this thread for comments.

Incidentally, I'm currently working on Book III: Monsters, which will include the first draft of the encounter building guidelines, monster creation guidelines, and a whole bunch of new critters.

Morrus said:

Incidentally, I'm currently working on Book III: Monsters, which will include the first draft of the encounter building guidelines, monster creation guidelines, and a whole bunch of new critters.

Click to expand...

Are my critters on the mark? or do I need to wait/rework them?

Quick review from lunch break:


PDF lacks page numbers!

The following issues are listed under the paragraph headings, which are now in bold and are in order of appearance.


Core Mechanic
3rd line change to read "..., whether that [represents an] attack roll..."

Which Attributes
Example tasks, missing example for WILL

Example opposed tasks, missing example for LOG, perhaps chess contest?

Fast and Slow Countdowns
Reads "Any countdown not expressed specfically as such is a medium countdown."
Wasn't the intent that all were slow unless otherwize noted?
The 'Death' portion latter on in the text does not expressly specify as slow but has the "..any dice which comes up 6 gets removed..."

Treating Disease
Each interval you can do one LOG check, success replenishes the dice pool by 1 die.
This makes recovery a gamble and ignores high skills. Perhaps replenish the dice pool by 1 die for every 5 points over success?

Races and Chases
Scale: I can see this in NEW and NOW, but I think in OLD the speed difference should be built into the creatures. A horse should have a higher SPEED than a human. That being said, having a 'on foot' versus 'mounted' at x2 Speed as a mount can move twice their speed while the rider still takes an action.


Tailing and Spycraft
This part was worded a bit weird and I had to do some mental gymnastics.
I would recommend something more like:

===========
Sometimes characters may find themselves tailing rather than chasing a suspect. This works in much the same manner as a race or chase, but instead of rolling SPEED vs SPEED the characters roll AGI as the tailing character vs INT as the tailed character (AGI represents the ability to sneak and hide behind the target while INT represents the target's ability to spot the pursuer). Unlike in a race or chase, the tailed character rolls first and the tailing character can reduce their dice pool in an attempt to not get too close.

Similar to races and chases, the tailed character can take actions to evade a tail such as ducking into a crowded bazaar or entering a business and then leaving by another door.

The distance in this situation is a measure of how close the tailed character is to noticing the tail. When the distance reaches zero the tailed character becomes aware of the tail. At this point the tailed character can attempt to evade the tail {continue the Tailing event}, run away {initiate a chase event}, or turn and fight.

Skills such as stealth and disguise are useful when tailing somebody.
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Combat Sequence:
Can you address 'readying' or 'delaying' actions and how they interact with initiative?


Actions and Turns:
Action list includes casting a signature spell and casting a non-signature spell. Should read casting a Spell from a prepared spell path and casting a spell from a non-prepared spell path.


Aiming/Feinting:
These exploits are specifically move actions that grant a bonus to the next attack taken in the same turn. It is not clear whether these are exceptions to the rule of only using one combination of exploits per turn.. in other words, if you 'Aim', can you also use 'Deadly Strike'?

I can't really parse that post, PS! Sorry! it might need a bit of formatting.

Primitive Screwhead said:

Are my critters on the mark? or do I need to wait/rework them?

Click to expand...

The guidelines are only guidelines; you can't technically make a critter "wrong". Though if I recall correctly, yours are a bit confusing with the formatting and the mixing in of WEG and D&D terms. Well, confusing to me, anyway!

I'll post some of the monster creation guidelines in another thread for you.

Morrus said:

I can't really parse that post, PS! Sorry! it might need a bit of formatting.

Click to expand...

Sorry about that, I had printed a copy off for review during lunch and did a quick posting before I ended up spending work time on this

I have updated the post for clarity, but haven't gone back and figured out the page numbers.

Discussion of Bows

Thoughts on Bows and Crossbows: some extra rules

Unlike melee weapons, bows and crossbows do not come in 'oversized' versions. Rather they are rated by size. You can weild a bow/crossbow that is within 1 category of your size with two hands. You can weild a crossbow that is 2 categories smaller than you with one hand.
You can use a bow/crossbow that is 2 sizes larger than you with three limbs {'foot-bow'} or when it is mounted on a pintle or post.

Bows require physical strength to draw and the base damage is capped by the wielders Str Die. {Base does not include damage dice added due to weapon quality or magical enhancements}
There are three types of Bows:
Tiny: Pixie Bow. deals 1d6 damage, range 6
Small: Short-bow, or Hand Bow. Deals 2d6 damage and can be used while on horseback. Range 12
Medium: Long-bow. Deals 3d6 damage. Range 20
Large: Great-bow. Deals 4d6 damage, Range 30 {base cost as High Quality bow}
Huge: Giant-bow. Deals 5d6 damage, Range 40 {base cost as Superior bow}

Cross-bows are easier to fire and use mechanical strength. They grant a +1d6 bonus to attacks but require an action to reload. You can reload by hand as part of a move action if your Str Dice pool is greater than the cross-bows base damage.
If you use a Goats-hook, you can reload with one action if your Str Dice pool is equal to or greater than the cross-bows base damage.
If you use a windlass, spend one action for the number of size categories the crossbow is larger than you., with a minimum of one action.
for instance, a Small-folk winding a Light Ballista would take 3 actions to reload.

There are four types of cross-bows:
Small: Hand, deals 1d6 damage, range 6, can be used one-handed by a medium sized creature
Medium: Light, deals 2d6 damage, range 15
Large: Heavy, deals 3d6 damage, range 20
Huge:Light Ballista, deals 4d6 damage, range 30 {base cost as High Quality crossbow}
Gargantuan:Heavy Ballista, deals 5d6 damage, range 40 {base cost as Superior crossbow}