/osrg/ Old School Renaissance General

Scan us a copy of Seren Ironhand.
It's B2, on a river, by Moldvay, with no respect for IP law.

I'd look at it, but the answer would probably be no unless I thought it would fit in well conceptually and mechanically with the other classes.

Maybe it's my skin thinning, but have these threads become less enjoyable?

A couple years ago they were slow and comfy. Now they're more about cults of personality where people talk about the same blog or module over and over, yet it feels like very few people here actually sit down and play D&D.

To try and bring some positivity back: what was the most enjoyable session you ever ran?

>Maybe it's my skin thinning, but have these threads become less enjoyable?
The whole board has, if you hadn't noticed. این نیز بگذرد

Veeky Forums and /osrg/ always felt somehow immune.

I accept that I'm part of the problem, but it's hit that point.

seconding this

Hey all,

I have this idea stuck in my head of a 20 floor dungeon, where each floor down gets essentially a level harder if you will. Wouldn't be exact, and maybe a few level 5 monsters would be on floor 4 and such.

I was wondering if any of you know of something like this, and where I could find any resources for it. Better yet, a pre-made dungeon like it I could study and adapt.

Thanks

This is literally every megadungeon ever.
So yes, it sounds great.

Examples include: Stonehell, Castle of the Mad Archmage, Dwimmermount, Rappan Athuk, Castle Greyhawk, etc.

Any principles to good dungeon design? Haven't really been inspired as of late and have made a few mediocre dungeons with the aD&D random generation method.

Factions, ecology, placing clues in "empty" rooms. What else can a guy do to make a really good experience for his players?

What are some differences between B/X and AD&D? What style gameplay are each geared towards?

Appendix A should be required reading.

Too many to list.

The most important differences for conversion
purposes have to do with character generation
and combat, as these affect game balance most
directly. Specifics include:
• AD&D characters tend to have higher ability
scores, especially if some of the optional character
generation rules are used. However, ability
score bonuses are generally gained at a score
of 15 instead of 13.
• AD&D characters usually use different dice to
roll hit points (for example, fighters roll d10).
• AD&D game clerics get spells at first level,
and often start with two or three spells.
• The AD&D system separates character class
and character race. Different class and race
combinations are available (e.g. dwarf
fighter/thief).
• The AD&D alignment system adds a GoodEvil
axis to the D&D game Law-Chaos axis,
allowing greater detail (Lawful-Good, Chaotic-Neutral,
etc).
• AD&D game spells are more complex. While
one or two elements of a D&D spell may vary
by caster level, any and all elements of an
AD&D spell (range, duration, effect) might
vary in this way. AD&D spells also are more
likely to have multiple effects or reversals.
• AD&D game magical items are more complex;
many have three or more separate functions.
• The systems have different combat round time
scales (affects encounter pacing).
• The AD&D system uses a 10-point armor class
scale.
• AD&D game weapons inflict different damage
against larger-than-man-sized opponents
than against smaller opponents.
• Equipment prices and encumbrance numbers
are different between the two systems.
• Some D&D optional rules (Fighter Maneuvers,
Weapon Mastery, and so on) have no
equivalent in the AD&D system.
Aside from these differences, the systems are
balanced differently. The D&D game retires
player characters at level 36; the AD&D game
encourages player character retirement about
level 20

The above is according to the Cyclopedia. some rules AD&D are rules that people asked gygax so he put them in there to clarify.

B/X is minimal perfection. Role-playing boiled down to its absolute essentials

AD&D is fluff and garbage peddled by a misogynist who outright stole from authors and his own employees

AD&D is essentially Basic with a bunch of rules stacked on top. The good thing about this is that you have more choices. The bad thing? Well, a lot of the additional material is lower in quality or derivative, and there's a lot of unnecessary clutter (including a bunch of obnoxious restrictions and shit that do little to enhance the game).

Rolled 4 (1d6)

Rollin' for how many glasses of water I'll drink instead.

It's cursed water of backwashing. Save vs. spittle.

My players have finagled invitations to an aristocratic soiree, in hopes of impressing/gaining the patronage of an absurdly wealthy noblewoman by demonstrating their newest invention: a fully articulated mechanical pig, powered by the enchanted heart of the Boar God. In order to have chance at gaining the noblewoman's patronage, however, they must be sure that nothing happens to ruin the soiree.

I'm trying to come up with a) threats that might ruin the party (revolutionaries disguised as servant, jealous rival inventors...) and b) cool rooms to have in a mansion in case the players decide to skulk around (trophy room, cabinet of curiosities, hidden shrine...) If y'all have any suggestions, I'd love to hear 'em! pic is the map I'm using.

For overall theme, I'm basically ripping of the Lady Boyle's Last Party level from Dishonored: debauched/depraved nobles in grotesque costumes, rumors and treachery amongst the nobility, wine women and song...

>trapped naiad that runs the boilers
>dirty old man peeping on the powder room that turns out to be the Duke or President or whatever. You will catch him alone, but if you call him out he will insist to the others that come running that he found YOU peeping on the powder room before he heroically stopped you
>a bewitching young woman that always disappears into the crowd. Could be a ghost who lived in the house 500 years ago?

To me, the most interesting rooms are the rooms that make it clear that this is a real, lived in space. Stairwells and servant's entrances and bathrooms and kitchens.

>The AD&D alignment system adds a GoodEvil
>axis to the D&D game Law-Chaos axis,
>allowing greater detail (Lawful-Good, Chaotic-Neutral,
>etc).
"greater"

I personally don't like alignments. Too restrictive imo. I'd much prefer to be shown how your character plays

It's not about philosophy. Its about pick g fights.

LL, BFRPG, S&WC and LotFP. Which is the better retroclone of B/X?

Pros:
LL: Minimal B/X changes, AEC options
BFRPG: Race/Class Separation, Ascending AC, Supplements
LotFP: Ascending AC, Better encumbrance, Better Thief, No class restrictions
S&WC: Race/Class Separation, More classes, Optional Ascending AC, Single Saving Throw

Which should I get?

A planescape game I ran almost 2 years ago now would be that, was a ton of fun. Lots of plotting (including keeping secrets from the party and even one member being an anarchist), lots of sneaking, intrigue, murder, betrayal, and then a final hunt for the player responsible. Ran out of steam when that player got away, sadly. (That, and the wild mage TPK'd everyone else during the chase, so woops!)

>A "hidden" shrine to some obscure dark god that's all the rage with the nobles recently.
>A drunken wizard duel that gets out of hand.
>Dirty peasants outside forced to demean themselves for copper pieces.

Why can't you get B/X?

honestly? it doesnt really matter. start with whichever one as a base and crib anything you like from the others. i just got BFRPG cus it was the cheapest and it's served me fine.

Get LL and you may as well have gotten B/X. LotFP changes a lot of shit since it's literally raggi's B/X houserules rather than an actual retroclone. Out of S&WC and BFRPG, I'd rather use BFRPG

>Pros:
>Ascending AC

That's not a pro

It's fine to use descending out of personal preference, but it has literally 0 practical benefits over ascending

1d6 Mysterious Noble Mansion Rooms
>Room that is 5ft longer on one side then it physically should be. There's a red line painted on the floor that shows this; it's just bragging rights, as even she couldn't afford a spell that made her house much larger on the inside then the outside magically.
>Room with an aquarium of rare fish. There's a sad little seal in a little wooden pool in the corner. He's trained to feed all the fish and take one for himself whenever the bell rings, and it's tied to the grandfather clock in the adjacent room via secret cord.
>Doll room, filled with hundreds of dolls. Many in the center are life sized as big as children, and match descriptions of missing orphans.
>Spiral staircase leading up to the next floor, crafted by a dwarf. It's made of sawdust, cobwebs, and glass. It's far too fragile and delicate for anyone to walk on it while wearing armor.
>Urn of a long dead patriarch on a mantle. If knocked over the ash will animate into an angry wraith.
>Crawlspace between all the walls in the house for young servant boys to use to carry around packages without actually using the immaculate hallways. Little sliding doors hidden into the walls allow dirty little hands to give you letters. Might be incorporated into some kind of fancy "fake" murder mystery the noblewoman has set up for the guests.

A preference. I do like tables and THAC0 certainly does do it for me, but ascending AC for those untrained is just better.

False OSR enthusiasts get ye gone

Plz be merciful.

Ascending AC:

>Roll 1d20
>Add to-hit bonus
>Compare to AC, if equal to or greater it's a hit

Descending AC:

>Add to-hit bonus to target's AC
>Roll that or less on d20 to hit

Descending AC is faster and easier, my grog bro. And it's less likely to involve a double-digit addition.

Switched over to ascending AC. Thanks to the time saved I now run a game with astronomically accurate clerics.

Ascending AC:

>Roll 1d20
>Add to-hit bonus
>Compare to AC, if equal to or greater it's a hit

Descending AC:

>Subtract AC from THAC0
>Roll 1d20
>Compare to THAC0, if equal to or greater it's a hit

That's literally the same amount of steps, you just arbitrarily split ascending into 3 to make descending look easier

Yeah, in Basic it's about picking fights between the forces of Law and Chaos. In AD&D it's about picking fights between players and DMs.

It's not the number of steps, you nitwit.

So what is it, then? BFRPG and LotFP, the most popular OSR with Ascending, have Attack Bonus only go up to +10 for a max level fighter, so the addition being easier doesn't check out either

What's a good way to remember THAC0?

By remembering it's purpose: A shortcut to memorizing hit tables.

NAYRT, but addition is less brain intensive than subtraction, same goes for multiplication vs division. It's not even the number of steps that matter.

I can't believe anyone is still defending THAC0 over ascending AC.

With ascending AC I don't need this stupid fucking shit on my sheet.

Is the Fighter being the only one to get an advancing Attack Bonus in LotFP a good or bad thing?

Would like if an user acquired the Islandia modules and made PDFs for the trove:
* curse of hareth
* plague of terror
* brotherhood of the bolt

Bad on paper, good in practice.

I would you to do this.

What's your opinion on Dark Sun?

A cool setting hobbled by the inclusion of the fucking atrocious psionics rules to practically every single damn being in the world.

Cool aesthetics and I wish something modern in the OSR was it's equivalent.

The Will and The Way was on of the best 2e supplements.

It really doesn't matter that much. Hit tables are usually arbitrary anyways, and it helps protect the fighter's niche. LotFP also removes weapon restrictions

These are great -- thanks a million!

>>A drunken wizard duel that gets out of hand.
Pic related would o nicely for a social encounter.

What should I charge players for a bullet enchanted with a spell effect? 50gp x Spell Level?

That's not THAC0, THAC0 does away with that.

Roll the dice, add enemy AC, and if you reach yout Thaco, is a hit.

Or subtract the enemy AC from your Thaco: the results is the number to beat with the dice.

And for other modifiers such as strength bonuses or weapon modifiers you just subtract from your THAC0? I actually really like that! Thanks, user.

>Roll the dice, add enemy AC, and if you reach yout Thaco, is a hit.
Not RAW.

Why do you keep reposting that post I made literally years ago?

RAW?

Rules As Written

>9 months
>literally years

DCC? I fucking love this shit, tho I wish there was race/class separation.

Thoughts on it?

>race/class separation
Import from 3.pf

You have clearly never played DCC.

Too bad planescape is shit

Quite possibly the best 2e setting and 2nd best AD&D setting after OA.

>2e Psionics bad
False OSR enthusiast begone

Oh you mean that thing that only 3aboos care about.

If two 10th level AD&D fighters fought each other, how often would they be hitting each other?
Was high-level AD&D combat the same "autohit" fest as 3.5?
How should monsters get their attack bonuses?
I don't want to include attack bonus in stats, I want it to be the same for all monsters, and based off of hit dice.
So a stat block might just be HD 3+1, #Atks 3, D 1-10/1-10/1-6, or something of that variety. And you would know "oh well attack bonuses is half the hit dice + 2 so that means this guy has +3 to hit."

Thoughts? I want this to be used for NPCs as well as monsters. But my issue becomes: a 1 HD creature will have no bonus to hit. So I am thinking there should be a static modifier, of maybe +1, or +2. I kinda like the 5e proficiency (1/5th level + 2) scaling but it's a bit slow. My idea was that monsters should have 1 hit die for each party member per level, to be a "dangerous" or "challenging" encounter (since they are, in effect, losing 1 hit die of hit points per fighting man's attack, assuming all attacks hit) so they could carve through a fighter's HP and kill him unless the party gets lucky / employs tactics. But then I wasn't quite sure.

TLDR: What is your favorite formula for calculating a monster's attack bonus based off of hit dice?

>blah blah math blah blah formulae
Just use THAC0

>You find yourself hopelessly lost in the dark. What is the first thing you come across?
What are the stats on a grue?

Attack bonus = HD with a nonmagical cap of +10.

That's not THAC0 and you don't have to put that on your sheet if you don't really want to. It's easy enough to memorize, but you can consult the book if you don't want it on your sheet and your memory is bad.

Grue
HD too high
MV faster than the speed of darkness
AC too low
Attacks: Eat (hits automatically, death, no save)
AL: Chaotic Dark
Weakness: Light (the real one, not magic shit) destroys a grue

Fights as Troll in the light and invincible Goblin -1 in the dark.
Melts on 0 hp and raises once it's dark. Must be killed with fire.

Roughly 50% of the time.

1st level characters have no bonus to hit, 1HD creatures shouldn't either. Just use THAC0 as a fighter with level=HD and that should work fine in most situations.

Still feels under powered some how.

...

>If two 10th level AD&D fighters fought each other, how often would they be hitting each other?
THAC0 12 vs. AC 2 (platemail + shield) yields a 55% chance to hit. Figure that weapon enchantments and armor enchantments roughly cancel each other out. Maybe give a +5% due to strength, bringing it to 60%. Given their attack rate of 3 strikes every 2 rounds, this puts them at .9 hits per round, on average.

If you can see one, they're not a threat. If you can't see one, you run.

How's this?
Fights as wight, hide in shadows 90%, phantasmal force (dispelled by light) 1/turn.

>Not using Delta's combat algorithm
>deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-is-best-combat-algorithm.html

If you want to make shit really easy, use ascending AC with monster HD (or fighter level) as their attack bonus.

I'm new. What did that one guy mean by "proper modules not plot-based ones"?

Anyone here tried Operation Whitebox? I've been thinking of using it for a more modern special forces war game, and I'm wondering if anyone's played it.

I don't know of whom you're speaking, but he was probably referring to railroaded modules when he said "plot-based." A proper module gives you all of the information you need without railroading the game.

They absolutely have, but acknowledging offsite people on Veeky Forums always leads to this.