The Black Company (aka Rawr, the Lady)
- Thread starter dave_o
- Start date
repares for the beatings...oh, the wonderful beatings::
I'm not sure you'd need much in the line of new rules for a Black Company game. I mean, I'd probably use d20 WoT character classes, tweak the weave list and actually call weaves spells, and go from there.
The major reasons for using d20 WoT as a start, rather than D&D are
- Most classes get more skill points
- No minor spellcasting classes
- It's designed as a magic-item rare setting where high-level magic users are a lot more powerful than others
- Dead is dead
- All 'magic' is the same; Black Company wizards can heal
The major reasons for using d20 WoT as a start, rather than D&D are
- Most classes get more skill points
- No minor spellcasting classes
- It's designed as a magic-item rare setting where high-level magic users are a lot more powerful than others
- Dead is dead
- All 'magic' is the same; Black Company wizards can heal
ColonelHardisson
What? Me Worry?
My opinion, for what it's worth (not much, I acknowledge), is that there is really no need for new classes. I also agree with drothgery about there not really being a necessity for much in the way of new rules. I'd also say that more skill points might not be necessary either, if multiclassing is encouraged in some cases. Overall, though, I don't see much in the books that indicates the characters have any more skills than a typical D&D character of the same basic class or type - fighter, sorcerer, what-have-you. Personally, what I would find useful are the following:
* A gazetteer of the Black Company world, with an eye for what would be most useful for RPG play.
* statted out versions of the magic items that appear in the books. Ditto for the monsters.
* A careful, fine-tooth comb approach to finding all the examples of spell use in the books, and what they are in D&D terms
* A Taken Template
* stats for all the characters. This may seem pointles to some, but I like such things - it helps me better grasp how to use the setting if I see what the characters from the books are like.
* A gazetteer of the Black Company world, with an eye for what would be most useful for RPG play.
* statted out versions of the magic items that appear in the books. Ditto for the monsters.
* A careful, fine-tooth comb approach to finding all the examples of spell use in the books, and what they are in D&D terms
* A Taken Template
* stats for all the characters. This may seem pointles to some, but I like such things - it helps me better grasp how to use the setting if I see what the characters from the books are like.
Bendris Noulg
First Post
Ah, The Black Company.
Great series. One of my biggest inspirations.
I'd have to agree that new rules would likely be involved, but mostly because I wrote a bunch for the sake of capturing exactly the kind of flavor TBC has. Grim, dark, no deities, no magical healing, low-magic overall (Powerful magic? Yes. But very very very rare...).
I'd very much like to see this setting make a d20 appearance. However, I don't think many of 3E's concepts would fit well. After all, it was woefully obvious that most men were powerless to actual spellcasters, which doesn't fit well at all with the current drive for balance. The TBC attempts I've seen (some posted here already) fall rather short, IMO.
I'm open to contributing to such a cause, so long as the development fits that actual flavor of the books.
Great series. One of my biggest inspirations.
I'd have to agree that new rules would likely be involved, but mostly because I wrote a bunch for the sake of capturing exactly the kind of flavor TBC has. Grim, dark, no deities, no magical healing, low-magic overall (Powerful magic? Yes. But very very very rare...).
I'd very much like to see this setting make a d20 appearance. However, I don't think many of 3E's concepts would fit well. After all, it was woefully obvious that most men were powerless to actual spellcasters, which doesn't fit well at all with the current drive for balance. The TBC attempts I've seen (some posted here already) fall rather short, IMO.
I'm open to contributing to such a cause, so long as the development fits that actual flavor of the books.
hellbender
First Post
Having converted the Black Company to Rifts and Deadlands before, I can say that it is possible to role-play the books in a setting ina realistic and faithful to the books manner. Rifts, because at the time I was playing that, and playing it with emphasis on the core book (mean grim and gritty), and Deadlands, when I was into the system, is almost perfect for a BC campaign, a humanocentric world that is dark and full of fear and terror, just ripe for the Lady and her minions.
An official Black Company system was underway years ago, but the company has dropped from the limelight. As Tor Books are sensitive about copyrights and mention this in their FAQ, it would be a good idea to at least get their blessing before going too far. Especially the bit where they mention that one is still violating copyright by using copywritten material in a not for profit scenario, and they mention rpgs in this.
I am not intending to hamper the movement, quite the opposite, I would like to see it move forward and it wouldn't hurt for someone to ask permission of Tor before proceeding too far. It is quite suprising someimes, the permission you get when you just ask.
hellbender
An official Black Company system was underway years ago, but the company has dropped from the limelight. As Tor Books are sensitive about copyrights and mention this in their FAQ, it would be a good idea to at least get their blessing before going too far. Especially the bit where they mention that one is still violating copyright by using copywritten material in a not for profit scenario, and they mention rpgs in this.
I am not intending to hamper the movement, quite the opposite, I would like to see it move forward and it wouldn't hurt for someone to ask permission of Tor before proceeding too far. It is quite suprising someimes, the permission you get when you just ask.
hellbender
Four points about the wizards in the BC books
1) Power corrupts, I think this has a lot to do with why a lot of the powerful magic users are crazy. Glen Cook mentions several times during the course of the series that the greater the evil that has to be overcome, the more like it you must become to vanquish it. One-Eye and Goblin were relatively sane in part probably because they were so weak relative to the Taken and such. Also being relatively sane, they probably weren't willing to pay the kind of price that power seems to demand in those books.
2) You would need to make some changes to the spell interuption rules for things to work like they did in the books. If The Limper had been able to just make a concentration check to cast defensively, everyone who ambushed him would have died in a heart beat, back in the second book. Something along the lines of no spell casting period, if you are being attacked in melee, might be necessary.
3) I'm not familar with the Weave system from WoT, it might solve the problem, but if traditional D&D magic is used most of the spells would have to be chucked. The scope and feel of the Epic spell system seems closer to what the Taken could do/did, as well as the limited usage the spells got. Perhaps they might be limted to just the really big (epic) and lots of little spells (illusion and what not).
4) Making magic items seems to be a large part of what wizards do. One Eye's Lance (perhaps the limit isn't your level, but how much XP you have to spend and can spend it over time without limits). The carpets. Fireball casters. Tower of Charm. Various communications devices. So you might want to look into having a large part of a wizards power/value reside in the items he crafts.
1) Power corrupts, I think this has a lot to do with why a lot of the powerful magic users are crazy. Glen Cook mentions several times during the course of the series that the greater the evil that has to be overcome, the more like it you must become to vanquish it. One-Eye and Goblin were relatively sane in part probably because they were so weak relative to the Taken and such. Also being relatively sane, they probably weren't willing to pay the kind of price that power seems to demand in those books.
2) You would need to make some changes to the spell interuption rules for things to work like they did in the books. If The Limper had been able to just make a concentration check to cast defensively, everyone who ambushed him would have died in a heart beat, back in the second book. Something along the lines of no spell casting period, if you are being attacked in melee, might be necessary.
3) I'm not familar with the Weave system from WoT, it might solve the problem, but if traditional D&D magic is used most of the spells would have to be chucked. The scope and feel of the Epic spell system seems closer to what the Taken could do/did, as well as the limited usage the spells got. Perhaps they might be limted to just the really big (epic) and lots of little spells (illusion and what not).
4) Making magic items seems to be a large part of what wizards do. One Eye's Lance (perhaps the limit isn't your level, but how much XP you have to spend and can spend it over time without limits). The carpets. Fireball casters. Tower of Charm. Various communications devices. So you might want to look into having a large part of a wizards power/value reside in the items he crafts.
hellbender
First Post
*bump* because, come on, it deserves it.
h.
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