AD&D style FRPG into the oWOD d10 system

[TeutonicBerserker]

I'm a long time AD&D 2e player, always the DM, and always heavy into houserule mods.

In modifiying the sytem I ran into something in D&D that I just didn't like, the class system. I found it too "artificial", I wanted a skill based system insted, so I adapted the d10/Storyteller system from Vampire: the Masquerade.

First off the d10 system is skill based, with skills (& most other stats, including Ability scores like Str, Dex & Int) ranging from one (poor) to five (exceptional/human maximum). This allows a character to not be constrained by hard to justify rules like "mages can't use swords" and "thieves can't wear heavy armor"; although in practice the results tend to be the same (heavy penalties to stealth in heavy armor and such). No need to worry about multi-classing or dual-classing rules & balance w/single classed characters. The skill-based system is inherently self-balanced.

My gaming intrests lay heavily in combat: realistic, strategic, gritty, deadly, bloody combat. I know that "AD&D is not a combat simulation", but I like my game to be one.

d10 uses a woundl level system, with penalties accruing (to all actions) the more damage is sustained. Health levels do not increase in conjunction with a character's skills, so it is possible for a high-level character to die without sustaining enough damage to destroy godzilla. HP's & AC's work, but they are too abstract for my taste.

I have well over a hundred Martial Arts styles detailed (including many historical European styles); a comprehensive system of Combat Maneuvers; all the weapons & armor from AD&D into d10 format, as well as rules detailing most concievable types of combat (armed, unarmed, grappling, ranged, mounted).

I also tend towards (semi-) low magic settings, and to this end have translated about 3 dozen magical & psychic paths drawn more from occult traditions, myth and legends (suitable for a PC use) into the d10 system. High fantasy / AD&D type magic could easily be converted as well (I already have Enchantment, Divination, Illusionism & Necromancy incorporated). Clerical/divine powers are also included (as a variant of V:tM's "True Faith").

If anyone is interested in what I am working on or what I have so far let me know.

 

[Tewligan]

I have well over a hundred Martial Arts styles detailed (including many historical European styles)

That is a LOT of martial arts styles!

 

[sinecure]

That is a LOT of martial arts styles!

Hey, if they were created during play then they were worth it. You should check out GURPS Martial Arts too. They list dozens of real world styles with a GURPS system tying them all together. It's not supernatural stuff IIRC, but they might have another book on those too.

 

[TeutonicBerserker]

Hey, if they were created during play then they were worth it. You should check out GURPS Martial Arts too. They list dozens of real world styles with a GURPS system tying them all together. It's not supernatural stuff IIRC, but they might have another book on those too.

They weren't created during play, but during the game design & research phase. I have GURPS martial arts, but I got it after I made my system.


Each Martial Art (to include Brawl & Melee) is a seperate Skill, and allows its practicioner to perform certain combat maneuvers and skillfully use certain weapons. The combat maneuvers are classified by skill level, with more advanced maneuvers being available at higher skill levels (anyone can attempt Level 0 maneuvers, they require no training, skill or expirence).

Maneuvers by Skill Level

Unarmed Maneuvers
Level 0 - Dodge, Grapple, Kick, Punch
Level 1 - Cross Punch, Crushing Hug, Evasion, Great Push, Pain Touch
Level 2 - Block, Choke Hold, Circle Kick, Drive, Elbow Strike, Feint, Front Kick, Headbutt, Hook Punch, Jab, Offensive Parry, Palm Strike, Parry, Side Kick, Slam, Stunning Touch, Throw
Level 3 - Axe Kick, Backward Kick, Disarm, Dive Attack, Double Kick, Flying Kick, Foot Sweep, Grappling Block, Grapple Defense, Great Punch, Joint Lock, Knee Strike, Nerve Strike, Nose Smash, Offensive Block, Offensive Grapple Defense, Paralyzing Touch, Uppercut
Level 4 - Crushing Drop, Deflection, Neck Break, Nerve Pinch, Throat Chop, Vitals Punch
Level 5 - Death Touch, Skull Break

Armed Maneuvers
Level 0 - Dodge, Shield Attack
Level 1 - Evasion, Shield Parry
Level 2 - Drive, Feint, Heavy Blow, Offensive Parry, Parry, Stab, Thrust, Trip, Weapon Catch
Level 3 - Disarm, Stunning Blow, Weapon Break

Example Styles -
BOXING, BRITISH (QUEENSBERRY RULES)
Unarmed Maneuvers - Block, Cross Punch, Dodge, Drive, Feint, Hook Punch, Jab, Punch, Uppercut, Vitals Punch
Armed Maneuvers - None
Weapons - None

BRAWL
Unarmed Maneuvers - Block, Choke Hold, Cross Punch, Crushing Hug, Dodge, Drive, Elbow Strike, Feint, Foot Sweep, Grapple, Grapple Defense, Grappling Block, Headbutt, Jab, Kick, Knee Strike, Punch, Slam, Uppercut
Armed Maneuvers - None
Weapons - None

MELEE
Unarmed Maneuvers - None
Armed Maneuvers - Disarm, Dodge, Feint, Heavy Blow, Parry, Shield Attack, Shield Parry, Stab, Stunning Blow, Thrust, Trip, Weapon Break, Weapon Catch
Weapons - Melee Weapons (All), Shields (Body, Buckler, Large, Medium, Small)

PANKRATION
Unarmed Maneuvers - Axe Kick, Block, Choke Hold, Circle Kick, Cross Punch, Crushing Hug, Deflection, Disarm, Dive Attack, Dodge, Drive, Elbow Strike, Feint, Foot Sweep, Front Kick, Grapple, Grapple Defense, Grappling Block, Headbutt, Jab, Joint Lock, Kick, Knee Strike, Offensive Block, Offensive Grapple Defense, Parry, Punch, Slam, Throw, Uppercut, Vitals Punch
Armed Maneuvers - None
Weapons - None

WRESTLING, GRECO-ROMAN
Unarmed Maneuvers - Crushing Hug, Dodge, Drive, Feint, Foot Sweep, Grapple, Grapple Defense, Grappling Block, Slam, Throw
Armed Maneuvers - None
Weapons - None

 

[mmadsen]

WRESTLING, GRECO-ROMAN
Unarmed Maneuvers - Crushing Hug, Dodge, Drive, Feint, Foot Sweep, Grapple, Grapple Defense, Grappling Block, Slam, Throw
Armed Maneuvers - None
Weapons - None

Foot sweep? Greco-Roman wrestling allows no attacks with the legs or to the legs. Perhaps you mean freestyle wrestling.

Also, since I don't know the game system, what is the difference between grapple defense and grapple block? Or slam and throw?

 

[TeutonicBerserker]

Foot sweep? Greco-Roman wrestling allows no attacks with the legs or to the legs. Perhaps you mean freestyle wrestling.

I'm not an expert on what is allowed and what isn't under different competitive rule sets. I intended "Greco-Roman" to mean ancient Greek & Roman style wrestling. Many folk styles of wrestling focus primarily on tripping an opponent, so I thought that a skilled Greek wrestler should probably be able to also.

Sorry for the confusion.

Also, since I don't know the game system, what is the difference between grapple defense and grapple block? Or slam and throw?

Grapple Defense is a defense against grappling-type attacks (like takedowns, joint locks & chokes).
Grappling Block is a maneuver that blocks an incoming strike (armed or unarmed) by seizing the attacking limb (or possibly even the weapon) and preventing it from striking effectively.

Slam is where the character lifts his opponent up before slamming him to the ground, this simulates things like double-leg takedowns, body slams and suflexes.
Throw is where the character uses momentum and leverage to throw his opponent to the ground. This is akin to things like the multitude throwing techniques characteristic of Judo.

 

[WayneLigon]

I did a pretty neat low-fantasy game with just the oWoD Vampire: TM rules. 'Blood points' became 'Mana points' and we went from there. Alchemy and Thaumaturgy were the two big 'magics', Protean and Auspex were available from certain ethnicities, etc. Worked pretty well.

 

[mmadsen]

I'm not an expert on what is allowed and what isn't under different competitive rule sets. I intended "Greco-Roman" to mean ancient Greek & Roman style wrestling. Many folk styles of wrestling focus primarily on tripping an opponent, so I thought that a skilled Greek wrestler should probably be able to also.

When modern Greco-Roman wrestling was named, they were under the impression that classical wrestling did not allow holds below the waist or trips using the legs. That's where the confusion come in.

I recommend just calling it "wrestling" if you don't want to specify the modern style of Greco-Roman.

Grapple Defense is a defense against grappling-type attacks (like takedowns, joint locks & chokes).
Grappling Block is a maneuver that blocks an incoming strike (armed or unarmed) by seizing the attacking limb (or possibly even the weapon) and preventing it from striking effectively.

I'm not sure that a wrestler would be particularly good at a grapple block then.

In fact, I'm not sure he'd be good at most elements of grapple defense either, since wrestlers routinely walk into chokes and arm-bars until they've cross-trained in a submission style (like jiu-jitsu).

Slam is where the character lifts his opponent up before slamming him to the ground, this simulates things like double-leg takedowns, body slams and suflexes.
Throw is where the character uses momentum and leverage to throw his opponent to the ground. This is akin to things like the multitude throwing techniques characteristic of Judo.

A double-leg takedown is generally not a slam. In fact, the usual distinction is between throws and takedowns, because throws are generally high-amplitude, with a lot of potential for slamming a guy down hard, while takedowns just drag a guy to the ground.

 

[TeutonicBerserker]

When modern Greco-Roman wrestling was named, they were under the impression that classical wrestling did not allow holds below the waist or trips using the legs. That's where the confusion come in.

I recommend just calling it "wrestling" if you don't want to specify the modern style of Greco-Roman.
I'm not sure that a wrestler would be particularly good at a grapple block then.

In fact, I'm not sure he'd be good at most elements of grapple defense either, since wrestlers routinely walk into chokes and arm-bars until they've cross-trained in a submission style (like jiu-jitsu).
A double-leg takedown is generally not a slam. In fact, the usual distinction is between throws and takedowns, because throws are generally high-amplitude, with a lot of potential for slamming a guy down hard, while takedowns just drag a guy to the ground.

Grappling is the most abstract part of this system, because otherwise it would become insanely complex. I've just started BJJ recently, and can tell you that to simulate grappling in detail would require a rules set the size of a dictionary.

Grappling defense counters things like takedowns, so wrestlers need it. Generally I tried to err on the side of "you can try to do it" rather than "you can't" when deciding what maneuvers to give a particular style. These styles are really just examples anyway.