Thursday, March 14, 2019

My Clone Book, Old School by Rick: Crusaders & Catacombs

  As some may know this year my primary AD&D 1e campaign turns 40 years old. After years of cajoling by players and family about 4 months ago I started making my own OSR/Clone rules book to incorporate all the various rules and rules sets we have been using.

  I have a full-time contract position AND run my own small business with 3 employees AND have 5 kids, so it is moving along faster than anyone could expect! But people are asking questions and after the excellent idea of 'blog about it!' here I am.



Background
  I started playing OD&D (as we now call it) in 1977 and started my own AD&D 1e campaign on August 3rd, 1979. I eventually called the campaign Seaward (after the main kingdom). While there have been breaks here and there it has been run continually ever since. I have dm'ed it all over the world in the army and it has accumulated a lot of lore.

Concepts
  I have noticed that some of the outlooks and attitudes common in my circles 40 years ago are less so now, so some things that have rally shaped my campaign
      Henchmen are common and critical
      Sages, spies, and other NPCs are critical to play
      Races and classes for NPCs only are common
      All creatures with levels in PC classes are rare and inherently extraordinary
      PCs are even more rare and special and are more akin to pulp heroes
      Anyone can die, and at any time

Outline of the Book, with Notes
Introduction
Terms and Usage
Creating a Character
Attributes
How to Roll for Attributes
   Default to '3d6 in order' with a few other ways
Races
    Each race has subgroups/ethnicities
Humans
Dwarves
Elves
Gnomes
Halflings

Alignment
    I am fairly strict about alignment in the campaign


Classes
Hit Dice and Hit Points
    This seems to fit in here
Weapon Skills
Warriors
    a master category
Weapons Mastery
Barbarian
Fighter
Nobleman
Paladin
Ranger\    includes tracking rules for the various classes that can
Soldier
Magic-users
    a master category
Illusionist
Mage
Scholar
Priests
    a master category
Cleric
Druid
Rogues
    a master category
Rogue Abilities & Danger Sense
Assassin
Bard
Scout
Thief
Spy
Monk
    a master category
Order of the Celestial Forest
Order of the Three-Fold Path
    The Monk orders open for players
(Order of the Dragon)
(Order of the Sacred Vow)
(Order of the Golden Sun) 
    The NPC only orders
Multi-classing
    Includes permissible multi-class combos for PCs
Character Elements
Height & Weight
Age and Maximum Age
Starting Money & Equipment
Languages
Playing Characters
Upkeep Costs
Advancing in Level
Aging
Equipment
Initial Purchase, Buying, and Selling
Armor
Weapons
Food
Etc.
Spellbooks
Play
Time and Time Keeping
Movement and Scale
Encumbrance
Light and Vision
Infravision
Ultravision
Sensing Invisible Creatures
Saving Throws
Characters/Creatures
Items/Things
Combat
Initiative and Surprise
Armor Class and Hitting
Damage, Hit Points, and Half Hit Points
Discussion of Armor Class and Damage
The Environment: Falling, Burning, Drowning
Poisons
Life Drain
Insanity
Healing & Natural Healing
Turning Undead
Combat Charts
Turning Undead Chart
Saving Throw Charts
Running Campaigns
NPCs
Morale
Maintenance Costs, Tithes, and Taxes
Hirelings
Standard Hirelings
Expert Hirelings
Mercenaries
Henchmen
Recruiting Henchmen
Henchmen, Hirelings, and Loyalty
NPC-Only Races
    Just what is says on the tin - NPC races often allied with PCs
Faerie
Half-Ogre
Selkie
NPC-Only Classes
    Includes multi-class combos for NPCs
Warrior
    a master category
Man-at-Arms
Cleric
    a master category
Cultist
Religious Brother/Sister
Magic-user
    a master category
Hedge Mage
Summoner
Rogue
    a master category
Scoundrel
Monk
    a master category
Martial Artist
Disease and Parasites
Exploration
Wilderness
Urban
Maritime
Underwater
Aerial
Subterranean
Extra-dimensional
    Includes the Vasty Deep, a method for travelling between worlds I have been using since about 1986
Random Encounters, Patrols, and Wandering Monsters
Mass Combat Rules
   Battle System similar, mostly
Nobleman Class Abilities on the Battlefield
Soldier Class Abilities on the Battlefield
The Domain
Establishing a Domain
Maintaining and Growing a Domain
Sub Domains
Nobleman Class Abilities and Domains
The Effects of a Seneschal
Followers Charts
World-Building

Appendix A: Divine Spells
Cleric Spells
Druid Spells
Religious Brother Spells
Appendix B: Arcane Spells
Bard Spells
Hedge Mage Spells
Illusionist Spells
Mage Spells
Necromancer Spells
Scholar Spells
Appendix C: Mundane Treasure
Precious Metals, Coins, and Ingots
Gems, Jewels, Jewelry
Spices and Rare Substances
Curios and Such
Appendix D: Magic Items
[lists, many lists]
Appendix E: Monsters


Feedback?

6 comments:

  1. I will very likely purchase such a book, based on how much I've enjoyed your Seaward posts.

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  2. Not sure if my comments are working after the fall of G+, but I would love more from the world of Seaward that has inspired me so much.

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  3. Looks great! I have just 2 comments (other than I eagerly await this): First: character elements, height and weight could move before the classes. I sometimes roll up someone, get an image and then class them. Just an idea. Second: where do you talk about experience and how you can earn it?

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  4. Only just starting to get into OSR-related things, but I'm interested in what I'm seeing. I'd be willing to buy a copy!

    ReplyDelete