D&D 5E [Primeval Thule] House rules for spellcasting

[ChrisCarlson]

I don't mind the idea of full caster PC(s) in a PT game at all. I just want them to feel a little more appropriate to the setting. Somehow. I guess it's a bit like one of those, "I'll know it when I see it" situations...

 

[mrm1138]

The more I've looked through Primeval Thule, the more I'm disappointed in it for the very reasons discussed in this thread. While I think a lot of the setting fluff is great, it doesn't try to alter the mechanics much at all to reflect the sword and sorcery subgenre. This is especially apparent when you look at something like Barbarians of Lemuria. For something a little more directly relatable, though, I just recently discovered Crypts & Things, a S&S variant of Swords & Wizardry. (Admittedly—since the game is currently out of print until the new edition is released—I've only been working from Akratic Wizardry's house rules, but from what I understand, those house rules provided a large basis for the game.)

What I would have liked to see for Primeval Thule is a similar concept to Crypts & Thing's sole spellcaster class, the magician. Only a select list of spells are available—i.e., the ones that don't break the S&S flavor—and are split into white, grey, and black magic. They can cast any spell they have prepared an unlimited number of times, but they suffer exhaustion, represented by loss of HP, each time they cast. (In C&T, characters have two levels of damage; exhaustion represented by HP and physical damage that reduces the PC's constitution score. Once a character's constitution is reduced to 0, he is dead.) Gray and black magic spells cause more damage to the caster than white, and casting a black magic spell requires the magician to make a saving throw to avoid taking corruption (represented by a temporary—or occasionally permanent—loss of wisdom).

So yeah, I might just end up using the setting info from Primeval Thule. Crypts & Things seems like it will be my go-to for an actual sword and sorcery rules set. As soon as the new edition is available, that is...

 

[Ath'kethin]

While the fact that the Sasquatches didn't offer an alternative spellcasting class is a bummer, its also understandable. Its easier to keep the baseline normal and let DMs removw what they want to remove foe their own campaigns. That said a few of us have sought to address this issue in a couple of different ways. There's a tiny but growing community of us at

http://mythopoeiathule.freeforums.net/board/3/primeval-thule-5ee

Sharing ideas about it. There's a feat-based spellcasting progression, my own take on the Sorcerer from The Spider God's Bride, and more.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

Remember also that both a DM and Player Guide are supposedly in the works as well. Who knows what they will offer.

 

[Ath'kethin]

Remember also that both a DM and Player Guide are supposedly in the works as well. Who knows what they will offer.

According to the latest update, we should have the PDF of the GM guide on Friday. I'm really curious what will be in it.

 

[ChrisCarlson]

I hope it follows suit with the 5e DMG and is chock full of toolbox-y stuff such like would address this very issue. That's my hope anyways.

 

[Psikerlord#]

The more I've looked through Primeval Thule, the more I'm disappointed in it for the very reasons discussed in this thread. While I think a lot of the setting fluff is great, it doesn't try to alter the mechanics much at all to reflect the sword and sorcery subgenre. This is especially apparent when you look at something like Barbarians of Lemuria. For something a little more directly relatable, though, I just recently discovered Crypts & Things, a S&S variant of Swords & Wizardry. (Admittedly—since the game is currently out of print until the new edition is released—I've only been working from Akratic Wizardry's house rules, but from what I understand, those house rules provided a large basis for the game.)

What I would have liked to see for Primeval Thule is a similar concept to Crypts & Thing's sole spellcaster class, the magician. Only a select list of spells are available—i.e., the ones that don't break the S&S flavor—and are split into white, grey, and black magic. They can cast any spell they have prepared an unlimited number of times, but they suffer exhaustion, represented by loss of HP, each time they cast. (In C&T, characters have two levels of damage; exhaustion represented by HP and physical damage that reduces the PC's constitution score. Once a character's constitution is reduced to 0, he is dead.) Gray and black magic spells cause more damage to the caster than white, and casting a black magic spell requires the magician to make a saving throw to avoid taking corruption (represented by a temporary—or occasionally permanent—loss of wisdom).

So yeah, I might just end up using the setting info from Primeval Thule. Crypts & Things seems like it will be my go-to for an actual sword and sorcery rules set. As soon as the new edition is available, that is...

I have come to this view also. For me, 5e is not a good fit for Primeval Thule, and takes a fair bit of work to fix. On the other hand, Crypts & Things seems made for it... and the remastered version is due out either this month or next month, I believe - woot!!

On reflection, if I were to run Primeval Thule in 5e, I would only allow warlocks as casters, not clerics/wizards/sorcerers, buuuut I would throw the cure wounds spells and similar into the warlock list. Then, add on a dangerous magic/mutation/corruption table of some kind. Theeeeen change out bard and ranger for non-magic versions, and add in the 4e warlord as a non-magic fighter/healer. Aaaaand I think that's about it. Should be good to go then.

 

[Hussar]

I'm not terribly concerned about the Ranger to be honest. Since he doesn't have any at-will spells, I can see a Ranger casting a lot of cure wounds spells particularly since in my version of PT, there won't be any classes that have at-will spells. Fair enough. I can live with that level of magic in the game.

 

[mrm1138]

Remember also that both a DM and Player Guide are supposedly in the works as well. Who knows what they will offer.

Welp, the GM guide is out now, and it disappoints as well. Some nifty monsters, I guess, but not much in the way of optional rules. It certainly doesn't address my problems with the lack of guidance for altering the magic system for the setting. I suppose I'll just continue to wait impatiently for Crypts & Things Remastered.

 

[Ath'kethin]

Welp, the GM guide is out now, and it disappoints as well. Some nifty monsters, I guess, but not much in the way of optional rules. It certainly doesn't address my problems with the lack of guidance for altering the magic system for the setting. I suppose I'll just continue to wait impatiently for Crypts & Things Remastered.

I'm not really sure what you're looking for, or why you need the Sasquatches to provide it. Resources abound for effectively rarifying magic and/or making the world a less enchanted place. Using a 3rd party setting is likely a stretch enough in most players' minds that implementing your own interpretation of or restrictions in the rules is unlikely to cause any real issue.

Personally, my favorite part of the GM Companion is the encounter tables.

And we still have the Players' Guide upcoming, and from the reference to it in the GM Companion (which mentions new spells by name), that book might have more in the way of what you're seeking. I don't really know why that material would be deemed more "player" info than "DM" info, but I guess you could say the same about a lot of stuff in the Player's Handbook/DMG.