[RCFG] RCFG Ongoing Development!

[Raven Crowking]

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[Skarnkai]

Hello, I apologize if I am late to add some suggestions, or if I repeat something from earlier (I just skimmed the thread). Here are some ideas I had:

On level drain - In 1e you you Life Energy Levels (aka Levels) this is what undead stole from you essentially. This of course invokes fear and consternation like no other from players (due to negative progress even if they manage to defeat a foe, even the lowly wight). I think I saw on dragonsfoot an alternate method. When a creature inflicts a negative level, instead of losing XP, they gain a negative level (-1 to all rolls). If they are hit with negative levels = their character level (or name level as a option if higher), they immediately die and rise as the undead that killed them. Thus the ability is still fearsome. These levels may be permanent or treatable based on the gritty factor of a given campaign.

on race and HD. When I was working on a 1-4th edition hybrid, I got the idea of a racial HD, based on size (somewhat based on the monstrous races in 2e skill & powers, that gained a certain amount of bonus HP at 1st). This would stack with class HD giving a bit more survivability at 1st level as desired. This base HD would also be for non-classed members of that race (dwarves would be hardier than their size would indicate). d6 would be average, d4 for halflings and gnomes, d8 for half orcs or half ogres (maybe if you play with half-orcs being larger, otherwise not)

On magic items - I liked the Spells and Magic version of this honestly. Need a laboratory and components, possibly libraries and mystical forges as well. Simple things like potions and scrolls (and some alchemical type magic items, universal solvent and the like, dusts etc) might be buyable or their components at least (use the spell components as a guide perhaps?), but more permanent items require much more substantial things to be quested for. These may be subcontracted in a way to other NPCs (aka quest giving), which may limit the item they are able to make (aka why every 15th level wizard just doesn't jump to +6 Defenders or whathaveyou.)

Hope it helps a bit.

 

[Raven Crowking]

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[Raven Crowking]

Website updated.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Not a lot of time right now for playtest reports. To tell you the truth, I've been sick with a head cold (maybe a sinus infection) for about a week now, and I feel pretty bleh.

On Tuesday, I discovered that four 9th level RCFG characters (+ followers) could take on 29 bugbears, but they have to use some spells and don't come out of it unscathed. We also discovered a few more rules problems that will be ironed out in the actual game.

For example, missile weapons will allow you to spend ranks in order to avoid hitting specific targets, so that as characters gain skill they don't still have such a high chance of hitting a friendly figure when firing into the middle of melee. Likewise, while using a missile weapon from melee will still not automatically provoke an AoO, missing will. Again, this means that skilled characters will be able to do things that their lower-level brethren will think twice about.


RC

 

[Jorunkun]

RC,

just stumbled upon this thread a few days ago and took a while to read through the material you have published so far. I'm quite impressed: a skillful compression of the existing D&D rules-material, some good novel ideas and exemplary clear writing throughout.

I am curious to read more playtest reports and dissection of, for example, the changes to combat mechanics to see how the changes affect play. Also, I am looking forward to read your treatment of spells.

Hope you stick this project out to the end, it's got potential.

Best regards,

J.

 

[Raven Crowking]

just stumbled upon this thread a few days ago and took a while to read through the material you have published so far. I'm quite impressed: a skillful compression of the existing D&D rules-material, some good novel ideas and exemplary clear writing throughout.

Thank you. All that stuff is first draft, and some problems have already been pointed out to me, so the final version will be beter.

I am curious to read more playtest reports and dissection of, for example, the changes to combat mechanics to see how the changes affect play. Also, I am looking forward to read your treatment of spells.

I've been sick, and still goiing to work, in a house with a sick partner and sick kids. So, I'm a little behind on some things........

Hope you stick this project out to the end, it's got potential.

Thank you. That is certainly my intention.

For your information, the G1 playtest is using the module almost as-is; I've had to do very little work to rewrite stats. For magic items, I am referencing the 1e DMG. It seems to work fine.

(One of my design goals is to make the Encyclopedia Magica useful again, as it is a great reference work!)

Combat goes a lot quicker than in WotC-D&D, with the tactical choices often taking place in terms of how to use weapon (or non-weapon) skills. Spellcasters seem to work okay, but high-level fighters still rock in this game.


RC

 

[Raven Crowking]

Flavour Text for the Gibbering Ghost (Allip re-write)

A gibbering ghost is sometimes created when an intelligent being dies in terror and madness. Usually, the circumstances that can create a gibbering ghost only affect a single creature. For instance, a gibbering ghost may be created by a creature that survives a fall into a pit or well, but thereafter starves, unable to escape, or from some unfortunate soul unlucky enough to have been mistaken for dead and buried alive. Sometimes a natural disaster, a collapsing building or bridge, or similar set of circumstances creates several gibbering ghosts at once. These ghosts have also arisen from those who die in prisons or sanatoriums.

Gibbering ghosts are often heard as a faint – but persistent – babbling, while remaining incorporeal and invisible. When a gibbering ghost is visible, it might appear as it did in life, except for the evident madness in its gaze, or it might appear like a roiling cloud of shadows.

A gibbering ghost that manages to possess another creature often has a specific goal in mind. This goal might even have been a rational one, given the circumstances of the ghost’s life or death, but the means by which the ghost attempts to achieve its goals are insane. Thus a gibbering ghost might wish to escape the cell it died in, but will ignore the open cell door – instead trying to complete the tunnel it was digging in the wall when it died. Any attempt to coerce the possessed creature into another course of action is resisted with manic intensity...and equally manic violence.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Flavour text for the carnivorous ape

Carnivorous apes are similar to gorillas, but larger, with huge hands, broad chests, and reddish fur. They eat lizards, birds, and small mammals, as well as larger mammals (including humanoids) when they are available. They nest in trees, or in shallow caves in the tropics. They hunt both by dropping on prey from above, and by driving prey toward waiting ambushers. Carnivorous apes are intelligent enough to hunt cooperatively.

In some places, wholly subterranean carnivorous apes exist, whose eyes are bright red and whose fur is white (or yellowish-white). These carnivorous apes have darkvision to a distance of 60 feet, but are stunned for 1d6 rounds when exposed to a bright light (such as daylight, but not a torch or lantern). These subterranean apes may exist even in temperate lands.

Rumours persist of carnivorous apes dwelling in remote temperate rainforests, as well as in the upper reaches of some mountains, where the snowcap never melts. These apes are said to have dark brown, black, grey, or white fur (in the mountains). Mountain apes may have some natural resistance to cold (such as cold resistance 5 or 10), at the GM’s discretion.

 

[Raven Crowking]

flavour text for the al-mi'raj

An al-mi’raj appears to be a large rabbit, often with yellowish or black fur, except for a one-foot-long pearly horn rising from its forehead. Al-mi’raj have a natural ability to sense open spaces within 15 feet of them, as well as a limited ability to teleport. They live in warrens, often built around abandoned burrows, sealed tombs, and other spaces without any obvious entrance or egress. They are not aggressive, unless their warrens are breached. Even then, al-mi’raj tend to flee rather than fight. To many treasure-seekers, al-mi’raj are less of a challenge than an indication that a hidden tomb might exist nearby. Any treasure indicated is incidental, being part of the al-mi’raj lair rather than something intentionally collected by the creatures.