Iron Lore: Malhavoc's Surprise?

[TerraDave]

On Armor DR:

I know from when I had flat DR from armor, playing long ago, it felt more realistic, but it did slow play a little (subtraction is harder then addition), and the short sword wielders had a big problem.

The random DR does give the charecter with a light weapon a chance(though other mechanics that allow you to bypass armor could do something similar) , while preserving the idea that heavier weapons are better at bashing through armor. In play you do have those couple of additional small steps...which may be offset by simplification elsewhere...will have to wait and see.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

My experience has been that with flat DR PCs spend too much time trying to figure what options they have to get around it or reinforce it.

Something that was more random would probably discourage that.

 

[Plane Sailing]

One question, do you cover Divine magic or Deities in the book? Alot of good sword and sorcery tales include meddling gods and their devoted servants.

I know that I strongly hope that Iron Lore takes the same stand as AE (and Conan OGL for that matter) and simply has a "magic using" class - the PC may state 'my power comes from the GODS!' or 'knowledge of arcane science powers MY magic" but they use the same mechanics, have the same options.

Cheers

 

[Hammerhead]

Or alternatively, an Iron Lore character could be a priest and the fact that he's such a skilled badass to begin with is interpreted as a gift from the gods. Outside of D&D, not many archetypical clerics or priests really cast spells.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

As far as I can tell there is one spellcasting class and no class that has a title that looks anything ecclesiastical so I am guessing that if there is divine magic it is not divided up at the class level.

 

[Felon]

One question, do you cover Divine magic or Deities in the book? Alot of good sword and sorcery tales include meddling gods and their devoted servants.

Yes, and often in sword-and-sorcery tales, acting as the conduit for some powerful patron is among the few ways to gain real power (and it basically renders the character an NPC). Otherwise, magic is slow and arduous.

 

[GravyFingerz]

Bump, because some things just shouldn't fall off page 1

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

I gotta say I spent hours last night putting together a group of eleventh level characters, and one of them wasn't so much being created as auditted.

I cannot wait for a better way.

 

[Nifelhein]

PCs have a heroic stature. They are stronger, smarter, and faster than normal - This I really don't like. I lie the old AD&D method, where pcs were considered no different than the ordinary Joe, except for their training. I don't want to see pcs throwing boulders and wrestling fire giants to the ground. Slaying the giant is cool, but a 6 foot human putting a giant in the camel clutch is a bit much.

In 2nd Edition I always had that feel that the characters were special and unique while still being mundane and mortal, they could fight dragons but also, a forest environment could prove deadly without care and proper equipment, now they can have those skill so high that a deadly forest becomes the backyard, they have so many abilities that strike me as magical in nature that they no longer feel mortal and mudane.

3rd Edition kind of brought the Divine Ascencion Feel of 2nd edition to mid levels. That is something I am living with cause I like the engine, but not what i really like. Hell, WotC even contrtadicts the idea of the skills in the epic level handbook, they put that damn swim up a waterfall hile the PHB presents the idea of the possible and magical...

I agree with you in that I want heroes leaping to grab a dragon talon while it attacks them, i want them crawling over a dragon head to strike its weak spot. I dont see how a dragon in a open field should be a problem in a low magic game, the dragon should win by my standards, it would be run and hide or die.

Well-- maybe not exactly. Let me back up. The focus of Iron Lore is obviously combat. It's not necessarily a bad thing for combats to take longer, if the combats are fast paced and exciting throughout. I think that's the point.

I totally agree with this, combat becomes dull and pure die roll, we dont have many options, we dont have much to think about instead of how much will be my bonus for that attack if I use this or that. It became all about numbers, I call 3rd edition, which i like a lot, the combo edition for that sole reason. I would rather have a character choose between colorful options like tumbling around an opponent as he strikes and then gain a bonus, then think about plain spells that give the same bonus...

2. It makes sense to me that a warrior who uses a light, fast, agile weapon would strike with more accuracy than one with a big sword. I see a warrior with a rapier as picking out gaps between a foe's armor, or an archer taking aim and hitting the space between two plates. So, you can expect to see that in the rules.

That is exactly what i want from a game, I dont think a character that is so specilized that he carries a single sword is a good idea, there are times a bow, an axe or a dagger might be better, DR in 3.5 made that a little more true, want it taken a step further.

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On the Whole iron Lore, I am looking forward to it, although i dont want magic in 3rd edition to be taken away ust for something else to take its place, this seems like a much easier place to tone down to a feel I stated above then the standard 3.X edition. I want to see the amgic system too, I m a fan of ars magica system and this seem to be somewhat like it in versatility, danger of failuer and also, unwanted results.

The Magic system and the combat options are the points that have drawn my attention the most, the others may as well do so, i am sold and if it is good enough, I may as well port midnight to this system, although when this kind of world comes to hand, the magic system never supports divine magic well enough.

 

[Narfellus]

I'm reading Storm of Swords right now by George RR Martin and last night i got to a crucial fight scene. Without giving away details, there were 2 combatants: one a monstrous high level human fighter with full plate, gauntets, greaves, gorget, broadsword and shield, and TEN FOOT REACH. I'd say he moved at 15'-20'.

His opponent was a lightly armed high level human warrior with a small shield and a masterwork spear. He was fast on his feet, and kept dodging and taunting the whole time. Actually, the taunting served as a Bluff or Intimidate.

At the same time, i'm reading Conan D20 where they abolished straight up AC and replaced it with Parry Defense and Dodge Defense and Armor damage absorption. They also add Finesse attacks, which are designed to sneak through chinks in heavy armor. Weapons can also punch through armor DR.

Reading about this fight in Martin's masterful book, i could almost blow for blow see how it would play out using the Conan rules. Dodging, chinks in armor, slower opponent vs. faster opponent. And what's more, when the fight ends, it ain't pretty.

EDIT: My point was that there are some existing rules out there that are nice too, and i think Iron Lore will bring more to the table. DnD has too much reliance on high powered magic to save your bacon, but I still love the core rules of the game.