DarkLore-Anyone Playing?
- Thread starter Sado
- Start date
Angel Tarragon
Dawn Dragon
After reviewing the preview PDF, I decided to go with Second World Simulations Second World Sourcebook.
Krieg
First Post
I pretty much agree with Fenris. Grim Tales has supplanted most of the Dark Lore rules in my game.
HOWEVER there are still bits and pieces of Dark Lore that I am adding to Grim Tales.
If nothing else the names of the basic classes are far more evocative and have gone a long way towards helping my players get a feel for using the classes as D&D "replacements"...
HOWEVER there are still bits and pieces of Dark Lore that I am adding to Grim Tales.
If nothing else the names of the basic classes are far more evocative and have gone a long way towards helping my players get a feel for using the classes as D&D "replacements"...
Fenris
Adventurer
Kreig,
I absolutely agree the class names help with the transition from traditional D&D, but I have had some not want to play a "theif" as such.
One thing I loved was those 3 level career classes that could be entered early on as a way of focusing the broader class. A very clever concept. That and the fighting maneuvers were good spins on the game.
I absolutely agree the class names help with the transition from traditional D&D, but I have had some not want to play a "theif" as such.
One thing I loved was those 3 level career classes that could be entered early on as a way of focusing the broader class. A very clever concept. That and the fighting maneuvers were good spins on the game.
Krieg
First Post
I agree that "Thief" is the one class in DL whose name is too narrowly defined for the actual class. Ironically enough "rogue" is a far better fit for the DL thief.
Of course you nailed the two other things that I've stolen from DL. The career classes are absolutely perfect for more narrowly defining a character. Their quick in-and-out nature also makes them less restraining than many of the prestige classes floating around these days.
I also really liked how magic is defined within the game, although I do definitely prefer GT mechanically.
Of course you nailed the two other things that I've stolen from DL. The career classes are absolutely perfect for more narrowly defining a character. Their quick in-and-out nature also makes them less restraining than many of the prestige classes floating around these days.
I also really liked how magic is defined within the game, although I do definitely prefer GT mechanically.
Krieg
First Post
GT essentially does away with spellcasting classes. Anyone can learn spells, but actually finding someone or something to teach them is at the discretion of the DM. Casting requiers a spellcraft check and causes ability damage. The damage goes directly to Con although there is a feat that will transfer the ability damage to Str instead. The amount of damage depends on the level of the spell. There are also follow-on feats that help reduce the amount of ability damage.Sado said:
All in all it is pretty darn cool.
Fenris
Adventurer
Krieg,
All right, fess up.
Grim Tales with Darklore: spill it
So what are you putting in your Grim Tales game from Darklore?
Career classes, are you using any other Prestige or Advanced classes?
You say you kept the fighting maneuvers right? Did you make them talents? or how did you handle those?
One other thing I like in Dark Lore were the perks (I believe they were called). However I think they tried a little too hard to recreate the core classes under the modern method. But as you said, Krieg, can help with the transition for players
All right, fess up.
Grim Tales with Darklore: spill it
So what are you putting in your Grim Tales game from Darklore?
Career classes, are you using any other Prestige or Advanced classes?
You say you kept the fighting maneuvers right? Did you make them talents? or how did you handle those?
One other thing I like in Dark Lore were the perks (I believe they were called). However I think they tried a little too hard to recreate the core classes under the modern method. But as you said, Krieg, can help with the transition for players
malladin
Explorer
Wow, this is a big first for me - the first thread where people are discussing one of my products without having prompted the discussion myself! I feel like I've arrived 
.
I think 'perks' are actually advantages. They're the ones that give you free magic items, political influence, titles or a grand destiny as you develop your character. There's also a system based on them that lets you tweek the story based on the type of advantage you have, so that you can have a character turn up to give advice at a certain time or start a riot in the street.
On GT and DarkLore; Grim Tales is by its nature a much grander project than we, as humble PDF publishers, could hope to aspire to, but I think we're essentially tapping into a similar line of thinking - great minds obviously think alike.
Magic is indeed one big difference between the two, and I think GT gains an advantage based on the scale of the product. We were conscious when writing DarkLore that our magic system should be essentially the same as D&D magic, just split up into talents for the different 'equivalent' classes (scholars get Wizard magic, Devouts gain cleric/druid magic and the Destined gain sorcerer magic). The larger scale of Grim Tales means that they can step away from the restraints of D&D more than we could afford to (or at least felt we could afford to). Where DarkLore can provide a good set of rules for use in a GT game is how to adapt the spell list to make it more appropriate for dark fantasy games. There's (IMO) a good discussion on adapting spells to a darker, low magic setting. Thematically, though the difference between GT magic and DL magic is that in GT magic drains your physical well being, whereas in DL it sends you mad.
I personally think the classes are one of the strengths of DL over GT, but perhaps only a minor one. They do make a good 'bridge' between D&D and D20M/GT classes, but also I think there are some staples of fantasy character building that I don't think GT gives proper credit to, such as access to weapon and armour proficiency feats. But thats not a major thing and is fairly easily fixed.
In all GT is a good system. While I think DL has many strengths, I'm sure you can adapt them into GT with ease if you prefer to use GT rather than DL itself.
I hope Wulf won't mind me mentioning this, but we have discussed the possibility of producing a DarkLore for Grim Tales supplement, but have not had the time to work on it yet (we're in the lucky situation of having had some products commissioned so we're devoting all writing time to that at the minute). So, hoepfully in the future you may see an officially sanctioned darklore for Grim Tales which should resolve all these issues, but I have to say it might not be for a few years yet
.
Cheerio,
Ben
.I think 'perks' are actually advantages. They're the ones that give you free magic items, political influence, titles or a grand destiny as you develop your character. There's also a system based on them that lets you tweek the story based on the type of advantage you have, so that you can have a character turn up to give advice at a certain time or start a riot in the street.
On GT and DarkLore; Grim Tales is by its nature a much grander project than we, as humble PDF publishers, could hope to aspire to, but I think we're essentially tapping into a similar line of thinking - great minds obviously think alike
. Magic is indeed one big difference between the two, and I think GT gains an advantage based on the scale of the product. We were conscious when writing DarkLore that our magic system should be essentially the same as D&D magic, just split up into talents for the different 'equivalent' classes (scholars get Wizard magic, Devouts gain cleric/druid magic and the Destined gain sorcerer magic). The larger scale of Grim Tales means that they can step away from the restraints of D&D more than we could afford to (or at least felt we could afford to). Where DarkLore can provide a good set of rules for use in a GT game is how to adapt the spell list to make it more appropriate for dark fantasy games. There's (IMO) a good discussion on adapting spells to a darker, low magic setting. Thematically, though the difference between GT magic and DL magic is that in GT magic drains your physical well being, whereas in DL it sends you mad.
I personally think the classes are one of the strengths of DL over GT, but perhaps only a minor one. They do make a good 'bridge' between D&D and D20M/GT classes, but also I think there are some staples of fantasy character building that I don't think GT gives proper credit to, such as access to weapon and armour proficiency feats. But thats not a major thing and is fairly easily fixed.
In all GT is a good system. While I think DL has many strengths, I'm sure you can adapt them into GT with ease if you prefer to use GT rather than DL itself.
I hope Wulf won't mind me mentioning this, but we have discussed the possibility of producing a DarkLore for Grim Tales supplement, but have not had the time to work on it yet (we're in the lucky situation of having had some products commissioned so we're devoting all writing time to that at the minute). So, hoepfully in the future you may see an officially sanctioned darklore for Grim Tales which should resolve all these issues, but I have to say it might not be for a few years yet
.Cheerio,
Ben
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