The White Box One-Sentence Background

So one of the common arguments I see regarding Swords & Wizardry White Box and White Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game is that it's too narrow. Characters have no abilities beyond their combat or class related listings to give them any definition, background, or motivation. I regard this as a strength of the system as it keeps things simple - but I understand how it could frustrate some people.

So, I tried to come up with a solution that kept to the core of White Box's simplicity. I give you the One-Sentence Background.

The One-Sentence Background is exactly that. A character's background defined in a single sentence. This sentence must include some form of motivator and some kind of profession or skill outside the character's class.

Example One: Arki the Dwarven Fighter was a Blacksmith who wants revenge for the destruction of his clan.

Example Two: Jana the Thief is a former Woodworker who took to the road to search for her missing daughter.

The profession is something the character can attempt to use as is appropriate to the situation and with Referee approval. This can be narrative, or mechanical. If a mechanical system is used, I'd recommend having the character simply make a Saving Throw, but receive +2 to any saves tied to using their profession.

The background has no mechanical effect. It simply serves as a springboard so players can call back to their character's primary motivation and have a sense of how their character will act in a situation.

Simple enough?

Swords and Wizardry Complete (Third Printing)

So, Frog God Games successfully funded their Kickstarter for a third printing of Swords & Wizardry Complete. Normally, this would be both awesome and not particularly news worthy. I'm a huge fan of both Frog God as a company and S&W Complete - I've even freelanced for Frog God on the new Bard's Gate supplement and an adventure tied in to The Northlands Saga. Matt, Bill, and Zach are all personal heroes. So, if you think I'm biased, that's fair.

S&W Complete 3rd Printing Cover

But this isn't about my bias. This is about the many statement regarding the new cover art. A lot of folks aren't fans of it. And you know what? That's perfectly fine. But, what if you're a fan of Frog God, S&W Complete, and want to support the project - but for whatever reason (not liking the art is just one reason you might be reluctant to back it), still want to show the Frogs some love?

Well, that's an easy one. If you back the project for a buck, you can do an add-on to get a second print Otus art cover S&W Complete book for $30 as a backer-kit add-on.

Swords & Wizardry 2nd Printing Cover

All the hue and cry over this project is really unnecessary in my opinion. Want to make a statement one way or another? Say something with your wallet. Back it if you like it and don't if you're going to pass. No need to turn it into some big to-do political issue.

To Write or Not to Write: The Fantasy Heartbreaker

Ahh, the Fantasy Heartbreaker. Most game designers I know have one in their head, and I realized today that I do too. This is a bit annoying, but as I think more and more on it I want to write it more and more. Not necessarily the "perfect" fantasy RPG - because I think that's a subjective concept and impossible to accomplish. But what a game that is ideal for me.

So, I'm considering actually taking a crack at writing one. I've got an outline and am basing it heavily on Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox - including using a lot of material from my previously published work, along with several house rules I don't think are broad or substantial enough to publish publically.

More over, in writing such a thing should I keep it a kind of private game or actually put it up for sale through Barrel Rider Games? Am I foolish? A madman? Is this a fool's errand? What are your thoughts and feeling, my dear blog-readers?

Shields in D&D and Retro-Clones

In fantasy RPGs the shield is almost as iconic as the sword. The image of a hero raising his shield to protect themselves is something that breaks genre, regardless of how feasible the actual use of a shield in combat seems to be. From the medieval knight the modern superhero to the sci-fi soldier, they're an intrinsic part of the mythic symbolism that is at the root of fantasy roleplaying.

Plus, they make you look so bad ass.

Shields are a key part of a warrior's defense. Essentially they're portable walls that offer a something for the combatant to hide behind. They quite literally make you harder to hit. But in most D&D and its derivative systems shields rarely offer more than a minor bonus to armor class. I understand this is done for the sake of balance and that realism isn't something that is of prime importance when it comes to fantasy RPGs - but this method always struck me as... well... wrong.

Similarly, armor does not make you harder to hit. It makes you less likely to suffer damage from an attack by the protective garments deflecting or absorbing the force of the blow. From padded gambisons to boiled leather to advanced composite armor, it all serves the purpose of preventing a damage from a successful attack.

Some armor is more effective than others...

Instead, D&D gives us a system where both shield and armor provide the exact same statistical effect. For speed of play, this is fine - but when I sat down to think about it some time ago it really started to gnaw at my thought process. So, I got to thinking about how to make something more accurate to the true purpose of armor and shields and, to make shields that were something that players actually had an interest in taking. A majority of gamers I've played with over the years will choose a two-handed weapon for its high damage output or an off-hand weapon in order to make multiple attacks instead of a paltry one or two point bonus to their Armor Class. Shields, for all their mythology and glory, get regulated to a tertiary choice at best. Sure, they're stylish - but when it comes down to hard numbers, they're not a choice if you really want to survive.

So, I propose a different idea for both shields and armor. Armor does not provide a bonus to a character's AC. Instead, it provides a reduction in damage. Depending on how heavy the armor is, it provides more of a reduction. This Reduction Value is subtracted from the damage inflicted by every successful attack made against the character.

Shields, on the other hand, do provide an Armor Class bonus - and a huge one. The combination of the two makes for your classic juggernaut knight type of character, while someone wielding just a shield can easily mimic the agility and tactical movement of a hoplite or spartan. 

So, if I were to implement this mechanic for Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox or White Star I'd do it up something like this.

Protective Item	AC/AAC Bonus	Reduction Value
Light Armor	–	1
Medium Armor	–	3
Heavy Armor	–	5
Shield (buckler, target, round)	-4 [+4]	–
Shield (kite, tower, energy)	-6 [+6]	–

This means that a character with a high Dexterity can rely on a shield and the idea that with such a high Armor Class they're planning to not get hit in the first place. Meanwhile, it leaves those wearing heavy armor open to the likelihood of getting hit, but they can take more punishment before going down.

Or you can say "America, fuck yeah!" and throw your shield.

Anyway, just a few thoughts of Armor, Shields, and defense in D&D and its retro-clones. Something I've been mulling over in my head for a bit and that always gets me thinking.

It's OSR Christmas Time!

Alright my fellow gamers, the illustrious +Erik Tenkar of Tenkar's Tavern let you know that OSR Christmas has started so here's your chance to win a few items from BRG's line of print products. Here's what's up for grabs:

Class Compendium (for use with Labyrinth Lord) (hardcover)
White Box Omnibus (for use with Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox) (hardcover)
White Box Omnibus (two of them!, for use with Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox) (softcover)

White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying (hardcover)
White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying (two of them!) (softcover)

But if you want to win, you're going to have to earn it this year! You can only win once and you can only win one product! Here's how ya win: Comment on this blog post with why hobbits or ewoks are the best races to ever grace the pages of fantasy literature and sci-fi film. It's not a contest, but I want to know that folks read the post and didn't just blindly comment. Those who follow these simple rules will be eligible to win.

It's a difficult choice, I know!

One winner will be selected later today (December 9th), with a new winner selected each day there after until seven winners have been chosen. Unfortunately, because I'm not exactly rolling in cash I am forced to limit winners to the United States.

Update: Winners So Far
+Sal Clarino: Day 1 Winner - White Box Omnibus (Softcover)
+Matthew Skail: Day 2 Winner - White Box Omnibus (Hardcover)
+Keith G Nelson: Day 3 Winner - White Star (Softcover)
+Travis Dreher: Day 4 Winner - White Star (Hardcover)
+Forrest Aguirre: Day 5 Winner - White Box Omnibus (Softcover)
+Matt Hildebrand: Day 6 Winner - White Star (Softcover)

Less is More: Purging the Libray

So, as many of my G+ friends know, I did a massive cleaning out of my gaming book library. This is because the room where the books were being kept had become known as the "Spare Room." It wasn't a library. It was a room where we stufed things to ignore them - and I don't buy gaming books to ignore them.

I'd love to be a collector. I'd love to have a copy of every OSR product out there, simply to support the creators. But that's not a realistic expectation for me. My life, at the moment, doesn't accomidate that kind of luxury. At first, I was bitter about this. Angry, even. Then my wife looked at me and said, "When was the last time you played or referenced any of the books you own? What's the point in owning it if a book just sits on a shelf?"

Well clearly she just didn't "get it," right? Then I caught a post from +D.j. Chadwick discussing his own book purge:

It is the most freeing thing I have done since discovering the OSR. I'm actually focusing on my current campaign and creating new stuff for my players. I work with what I have and don't really worry about anything else. 

I was reluctant to believe it. But ya know what? D.J. was right. I went through my book collection and if I hadn't played or run it in the past year and I wasn't either writing for it as a self-publisher or freelancer I put it on the potential chopping block. The only books that went outside those rules were Changeling: The Dreaming becuse my wife and I bonded over that game and Star Wars, because the d6 incarnation is my first game and has deep sentimental value. Everything else went to the chopping block. So I sold about 75% of my gaming collection at ridiculous prices.

All said and done the survivors were: Labyrinth Lord, Swords & Wizardry (Complete and White Box), Adventures Dark & Deep, AD&D (1st Edition), Dungeon Crawl Classics, Star Wars (d6 and Fantasy Flight Games), The One Ring, Rocket Age, Call of Cthulhu, Changeling: The Lost and Changeling: The Dreaming. Everything else went out the door. Eighty pounds of AD&D (2nd Edition) and almost two hundred pounds of other games went.

Suddenly, I'm free. I'm not second guessing the games I want to run because those are the only ones I kept. Well, what if I want to run Cyberpunk 2020? Mage: The Ascension? Well, I barely play physically these days, and the PDF market means books are available on tap for a few bucks. Along side that, if I do get a chance to play at a table and I need a copy of something, between Ebay and OneBookShelf, I can repurchase damn-near anything. But as it stands right now I can't get cornered into running something I'm only vaguely interested in, because I don't own anything that falls into that category.

It's a pretty awesome feeling. I went from 3 floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, to 3 1/2 shelves on one bookshelf. But these are all games I'm really excited to play - and that's a feeling I've missed for a long, long time.

Your Own Personal Paladin

My favorite class in D&D is the one I play the least: The Paladin.

That's a huge part of why I love Paladins. They're the archetypical knights in shining armor. They are the classic fantasy hero incarnate. There is no doubt that they are good and pure and true. There is no doubt that they are there to make a difference. That's awesome and I love it.

So why not play more Paladins? They're the perfect choice for my style of gaming and they've been around since Supplement II - Greyhawk. They're right there. All you have to do is take up the sword and pray, right? How hard could it be?

Very hard. Ridiculously hard. Damn near impossible.

You see, I'm Catholic. You'd think that would only solidify my choice in playing a Paladin; the Knights Templar, St. George the Dragon Slayer, all that stuff. But you see, I'm not a very good Catholic. I don't go to Mass. I disagree with the Church on a lot of things. I find the politics of the Church to often be petty and completely counter to their teachings. I rarely pray. Heck, sometimes I turn my back on the whole thing and am not even sure I believe anymore. 

But somehow, whether a few months or a few years, I always come back. For all the disagreements, all the problems, all the bullshit, it still feels like home. Maybe its legends of the Saints. Maybe its the beauty of the ritual. Maybe its the magnificence of a Catholic Church with its beautiful stained glass and blazing candles. Maybe its the idea that forgiveness is there, if you just take the outstretched hand. Inevitably, I come back.

That's why I can't play a Paladin. In a fantasy world where your character was chosen by a divine being to act as their servant in the material world there is no room for doubt. When your character has the ability to heal with a touch or cast vile creatures away with a brandish symbol of their god, there's no point to be argued. It's real and it's in your face - the good and the bad. There is no conflict.

This puts my own personal difficulties right in my face. It's like I'm pretending to be someone I'm not - which I admit is the whole point of RPGs, but in this case it somehow feels like I look at this Paladin's character sheet and it looks back at me and is telling me everything I'm not. Everything I'm pretending to be. Everything I'm lying about.

I know this is a bit deeper than my normal posts and reviews, but its been weighing on my mind for a few weeks now and I wanted to just put it on paper to clear my own head. Maybe if I can sort it out I can play a Paladin without feeling like the character I'm playing is somehow judging me. Because hot damn is it fun to draw forth a Holy Avenger+5, cry a prayer to your god, and charge into glory.

There and Back Again: A Long Expected Blog Post

So it's been a few months since my last blog post and I've been a bit busy. White Star has been a monster success - way bigger than I ever expected. Its success and the G+ community for the game have kept me hopping from one foot to another and when you couple that with a few freelance irons in the fire and a toddler it makes for a busy man. Also, I'm delayed on getting Class Compendium available in print due to constant issues with the proofs. Hopefully this - the third pass - will put that puppy to bed.

Class Compendium has been a real beast too. It came out to 230 pages and the inclusion of a spell compendium appendix coupled with formatting errors through out really burnt me out. I was sick of Labyrinth Lord by the time I came up on the home stretch. I think that's what lead me to focus on White Star - which obviously turned out to be a good thing. Still, I was seriously burnt on fantasy gaming.

With both Class Compendium and White Star prints being finalized for print on demand service I have to admit that fantasy itch is coming back. I blame +Joseph Bloch in part. I was taking a look at his Adventures Dark & Deep and there's something about it that really has my interest piqued. I already have a plethora of OSR fantasy games, but the premise for AD&D looks like it'll add a touch of freshness to the traditional fantasy genre of RPGs. Besides, Mad Castle of the Archmage was a great product, so I've faith it'll be good stuff.

Close behind it is the Mutant Crawl Classics because it just looks so damned sweet. DCC blew the doors off for my gaming group and I suspect MCC will obliterate the room. Along with that I've also got Star Wars: Force & Destiny and Call of Cthulhu 7th Ed. on deck.

Sure, there are some great games coming my way on the horizon - but the problem is when will I get the time to play them? As mentioned earlier, I've got a lot of stuff going on and even when Class Compendium and White Star are finalized I've still got a plethora of freelance work on my plate, the White Star Companion in draft (which I hope to get out before the end of the year - but no promises, at this rate), along with a 55 hour a week job and an awesome one-year old daughter. When I'm lucky I manage to squeeze in an every-other-week Star Wars game, I'd love to run or play something in the off week for that, but at this rate I feel like I'm writing too much gaming to actually game.

White Star Release Date Announced!

I'm pleased to announce the official release date for White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying is....

MAY THE FOURTH

That's right, just three days from this announcement, you'll be able to get your hands on a digital copy via RPGNow or DriveThru RPG. Print copies will be available as soon as we get proofs back. It will be available in PDF for $9.99, while print copies will be available in the days to come for $14.99 in softcover 6" x 9" digest format and $24.99 for hardcover 6" x 9" format. Both softcover and hardcover will include the option to purchase Print+PDF bundles for an additional $5.00.

For those who want to get their hands on a PDF copy immediately and don't want to wait for the bundle to become available, a special discount will be sent to all purchasers of the PDF before the print on demand release.

At 130 pages, White Star will include seven new classes, rules for starship combat, modern technology, science fiction weaponry, fifteen new alien races, fifteen alien creatures, a mini-campaign sandbox, a starter adventure and advanced technology like cybernetics! All you need to have your own OSR Sci-fi adventures and 100% compatible with Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox. 

So ignite your Star Sword, fire up the faster-than-light drive and get ready for a galaxy of adventure!

Hardcover front, spine and back.

White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying is based on Swords & Wizardry: WhiteBox which was originally written by Matt Finch. White Star is written by James M. Spahn, with layout and editing by Jason Paul McCartan, cartography by Matt Jackson, and cover art by Jason Moher.

Swords & Wizardry: Lethality and Realism

Let's face it, hit points don't make a whole lot of sense. Yes, technically they're supposed to reflect a combination physical endurance, ability to avoid an otherwise lethal blow, luck and other abstract aspects of combat. But in reality it's often played as the simple ability to take damage. Shoot you with a crossbow bolt from point blank range? Eh, you'll be fine. Fall from a ridiculous height and lose half your hit points? No problem! Just became a front row viewer to Red Dragon's Fireworks? It's all good!

"It's cool, guys! I've still got 8 hit points!"

This has always kind of bothered me, but then again - that's the nature of fantasy. It's a fantasy, so of course you can shrug off heroic levels of damage. You're the heroes, right? Well what if you're running a grittier game and want a higher lethality rate? What if you want a soldier with a spear to be a genuine threat? What if players SHOULD run from a hoard of thirty orcs, even if they're all 10th level?

Well, a few weeks ago I had the honor of sitting down with +Adam Muszkiewicz, +R.J. Thompson and the amazing +Bill Webb be a part of +Drink Spin Run - An RPG Talk Show Podcast's Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day special episode. And holy shit, it was fun.

Bill said something that really struck me as we were talking about DM fiat, house rules and a few absurdities in table top gaming: "I don't give my player characters extra hit points."

I was flabbergasted. Talk about brutal. But then as I heard Bill explain it, I understood his logic and to a certain degree, I found myself agreeing. So I thought about how to implement it in my own campaigns if I wanted to do something similar. Well, here's what I came up with...

Increased Lethality for Swords & Wizardry

The following rules are provided if referees want to create a more gritty or realistic experience in their Swords & Wizardry campaigns. These rules will seriously increase the lethality of a campaign where they are used. Combats will be quick and deadly, relying more on tactics and greater numbers than a few scant heroes holding off entire armies of goblins or facing down a fire breathing wyrm.

 

Hit Points: Characters roll their hit points for every level of experience they gain. In addition, characters no longer gain additional hit dice or increased hit points after reaching 3rd level. They can still benefit from magical items that grant a permanent increase to hit points, but they will never again earn hit points when they gain a level. No other abilities are restricted or reduced when they gain levels.

 

Armor & Shields: Instead of increasing a character's Armor Class, armor provides a small amount of damage reduction by protecting him with boiled leather, chain armor, plate mail - or whatever other armor they are using as determined by the referee.

 

Shields, on the other hand provide a bonus to armor class because they are specifically designed to avoid and deflect attacks. They do not, however, provide any damage reduction.

 

Armor Type	Damage Reduction	Armor Class Bonus
Leather	One Point	None
Chain	Two Points	None
Plate	Three Points	None
Shield	None	Three Points

 

Example: John is playing a 4th level Fighter. He has a total of 15 hit points. (Normally this fighter would receive 4d6+1 per Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox, but because of the optional Hit Points rule notated above, he stopped gaining hit points after 3rd level, thus keeping him at the 3d6+1 total he rolled upon reaching 3rd level.) John's character is wearing plate armor and carrying a shield. Thus his armor class is 6 (or 13 if using the optional ascending AC rules) an he reduces the damage he takes from each successful attack by 3 points.

 

These optional rules will provide a certain measure of protection from many hand weapons like daggers and swords, but things like Fireball or dragon's breath still remain a force to be reckoned with. Even with the damage reduction provided by armor, characters will not have particularly high armor classes in most cases and will not have a large pool of hit points to use.

Finally, this system makes protective items such as Bracers of Armor or Rings of Protection highly prized for their ability to provide the rare increase to armor class.

 

 

Maybe these rules aren't for everyone, but I feel like they add an element of realism or at least help remove or reduce the "eh, I've got enough hit points - I can take a hit" mentality that invades so many games. In fact, maybe players will be even more cautious because of how hard they've worked to reach high levels and earn the power they have achieved. High-level characters become extraordinarily rare, because the exploits necessary to achieve these levels of power are increasingly deadly in a world where you don't get more hit points as life goes on. Player characters will have to be sneaky, tactful, and maybe a little dirty - but then again, that's s lot like real combat, isn't it?

 

 

What is White Star?

I've been humbled by the response when I announced White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying. I hoped folks would like it, but the OSR community has just been filled with excitement over this product and that's an awesome feeling. That excitement has lead to a lot of questions about the exact nature of White Star. I'm going to try to address a few of those questions.

When is White Star being released and in what formats will it be available?
White Star will be available as a PDF as well as digest-sized softcover and hardcover print-on-demand purchase through RPGNow and DriveThru RPG. The price point on these hasn't be determined yet. Release is planned for the PDF to be available in May, with the print versions to be available a few weeks later. This might get pushed back to June, but right now we're on schedule for a May release.

Is White Star more of a space opera, hard sci-fi, or exploration science fiction game?
The implied tone is one of sci-fi pulp, but White Star is like Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox in that it is designed to be a tool kit. The material in White Star can be used to create a science fiction setting that suits your individual group's needs - all in that old school style.

Can I play aliens or non-human characters?
Absolutely! White Star will feature rules for playing aliens and robots as player characters.

How does White Star relate to Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox?
White Star is based on the Open Gaming License material found in Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox and uses the same mechanics in play. All classes have d6 hit dice, gain levels, earn experience points, can use descending or ascending armor class and have a single saving throw. In short, White Star is 100% compatible with Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox, with no conversion necessary. A fighter from WhiteBox could blast off in a star cruiser, taking your campaign from the dungeon to the stars in an instant.

What kind of new rules will White Star feature?
White Star will include new rules for seven new classes, starship combat, cybernetics, statistics for sci-fi weapons like laser pistols - all written with the simple elegance of Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox.

What's the default setting for White Star?
There isn't one! The galaxy is yours to create! The core book will include a single adventure and a mini sandbox, which will allow referees and players to jump right in!

Will there be supplements for White Star in the future?
Definitely! There are plans for a supplement providing even more aliens to those already featured in the core rulebook, as well as a few adventures.. There's also quite a bit of brainstorming going on around ideas for starship books, equipment guides, and possibly even a campaign setting.

Will White Star be Open Content?
Yes! There are some specific portions that are closed content and product identity, but the vast majority of the content in White Star will be part of the Open Gaming License, giving publishers the option of releasing their own products in the future!

The Gift of Swords & Wizardry

    Swords & Wizardry has become my favorite OSR game on the market. Its three flavors (WhiteBox, Core and Complete) offer differing levels of complexity to meet the needs and wants of the individual gaming group - but at their core, they are simple, 1970s and 1980s era fantasy roleplaying. But I'm reluctant to call Swords & Wizardry a retro-clone because it does make changes to some of the core aspects of the games which inspired it. It offers a single saving throw, an ascending armor class option and the Hit Die Equivalent to easily determine a monster's skill in combat instead of basing it singularly on its actual hit die. These are the changes that stand out in my mind and I'm sure there are others, I just can't recall them at the moment.

     I'm not +Matt Finch and I didn't write Swords & Wizardry, but I like to think that these changes and options were offered to help streamline play and facilitate that feel of fast, free-spirited gaming that so many veteran gamers felt when they were in high school, college, or whenever they first entered the hobby. Swords & Wizardry is a game made as an act of affection for those days and the game itself. I really think the Quick Primer for Old School Gaming offers a lot of insight into Finch's mentality when designing Swords & Wizardry, and its well worth a read.

     But Finch did more than create the game. He did something greater. He gave it to us. Finch had the courage to walk away: "If you love something, set it free." And that's exactly what he did. In a few short years, Swords & Wizardry flourished. Supplements were released by independent authors and producers in a myriad of formats. We saw supplements in both PDF and print-on-demand service, and even on the shelves of our local game shops.

     A community sprang up around Swords & Wizardry. While other old school roleplaying games have more supplement support, I've never seen a more active community than the Google+ Swords & Wizardry Discussion group. Ideas are traded, banter is tossed back and forth, friendships are made. And in the end, that's what gaming is about. Strangers and fellow gamers become friends. This happens because gaming is a shared experience, and so is Swords & Wizardry.

     Swords & Wizardry is a gift.

     We are free to use it as we wish. We can add or remove rules, play with our wildest ideas and make this game exactly what we want it to be. Somehow, it remains Swords & Wizardry, and with that it still recalls those halcyon days of gaming. Yes, I admit my stance on this game is colored my nostalgia - but these are games about pretending to be wizards, elves, and knights - so I'm OK with that.

     To that end, my own one-man publishing house Barrel Rider Games, will be offering its newest release for Sword & Wizardry WhiteBox, White Box Demihumans, as a Pay What You Want PDF until midnight tonight - April 17th. It features seven new races for use with Swords & Wizardry White Box: Black Widow Elves, Dagonites, Deepstone Dwarves, Goblins, Greenleaf Elves, River Halflings, Sidhe and Sprites. After the Pay What You Want ends, it will become available for sale at a price of $1.99 for the PDF download.

     In addition, I'm pleased to announce the next major Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox product to be released by Barrel Rider Games: White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying. This complete roleplaying game will be available as both PDF and print-on-demand. It is a stand-alone product which uses the Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox rules to tell fast and loose sci-fi stories in the style of Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Star Wars and the original Battlestar Galactica. It will feature seven original classes, new equipment, new weapons, rules for ship-to-ship space combat, and lots of other goodies. And if you like some fantasy to go with your sci-fi, it's fully compatible with Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox.

     That's the beauty of Swords & Wizardry. Matt Finch created the game, but we can make it into anything. So, have a great Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day - and make something all your own.

Tilting at Windmills: The Quixotic Knight for S&W WhiteBox

Don Quixote is my favorite piece of classic literature and almost my favorite book of all time; only The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings beat it out. The Quixotic Jedi is my favorite template in The Star Wars Roleplaying Game. Needless to say, I love romantic tales of knight errantry. So, I decided to do a Quixotic Knight for Swords & Wizardry White Box.
 

Quixotic Knight

     Whether educated noble or simple peasant, the songs and tales of knights in shining armor committing deeds of unparalleled heroics have are inspiring. Nobles dream of living up to the very word that defines their social class while commoners hope to rise above their station to become paragons of virtue. These stories are passed from parent to child for generations. History becomes legend and legend inspires the bold.

     The Quixotic Knight is the embodiment of the chivalric ideals that only truly exist in myth and fantasy. Unlike true knights, the Quixotic Knight has been so deeply moved by the stories and songs of old that they genuinely believe themselves to be the modern embodiment of these long lost heroes. Years of reading and singing has driven them to embrace fantasy as reality. They ride into battle astride pack mules whom they claim are great destriers. They give their bent spears great names and polish them as if wielding lances of shining steel. Common milk maids are courtly princesses and windmills are giants. There is naught but glory and beauty in the world of the Quixotic Knight. Only death will end their noble errantry, and in their eyes it shall be one worthy of song for ages to come.
     The Quixotic Knight may advance to 7th level.

Level	Experience	Hit Dice	BHB	Saving Throw
1	0	1+1	+0	12
2	1250	2	+0	11
3	2500	2+1	+1	10
4	5000	3	+2	8
5	10,000	3+1	+2	7
6	20,000	4	+3	6
7	40,000	4+1	+4	5

Weapon/Armor Restrictions: Quixotic Knights can wield any weapon. They may wear leather or chain armor and use shields. Many Quixotic Knights will try to wear plate armor in an attempt to appear more chivalric, but they are untrained in the proper methods to wear this heavier form of protection and even when wearing plate armor, they only receive an armor bonus as if they were wearing chain.

 

Inspiring Fool: The sheer tenacity with which a Quixotic Knight is willing to face overwhelming odds is often inspiring to others. While a Quixotic Knight is either charging from atop a steed or fighting in melee, he inspires his allies and grants them a +1 bonus to all saving throws.

 

Errant's Luck: Many Quixotic Knights have an uncanny luck. Once per day, they may re-roll any failed saving throw or “to-hit" roll.

 

Squire (4th): At 4th level the Quixotic Knight attracts the service of a “squire.” The squire is typically a simple peasant or farmer and use the statistics of a Human (Bandit) as shown in Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox. They arrive to serve the knight armed with a spear, leather armor and riding a mule. They serve loyally, and if slain a new squire will arrive in one year.

 

Saving Throws: Quixotic Knights are dedicated to their illusionary knighthood. They receive a +2 bonus to resist any mind-effecting spell that would cause them to act in an ignoble fashion.

 

XP bonus for Charisma: This class bonus is due to a high Charisma.

Swords & Ewoks

Disclaimer: It's 1 A.M., I've had a rough week at work and I'm really tired. So remember that when reading this. Anyway, on with the show...

OK, so Ultima III: Exodus (a classic computer RPG in the famous series) featured a race simply identified as a "Fuzzy" that you could play. You never know anything about Fuzzies, what they are, what they do, or what their purpose is. No sense of culture or history and they're never ever mentioned against in the Ultima series of games.

Well, in my head canon they were ewoks. Why? Because ewoks. So, it's late, I'm tired and so with that I give you "Fuzzies," a playable race for Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox.

Fuzzies

Fuzzies are a diminutive species from an unknown realm. It is said that in there original homeland there was an ancient magic capable of creating "Moongates." Whether by their curiousity or by choice, Fuzzies (who have a different name within their own culture that is unpronouncable in most languages) came to their current homelands in which they dwell though one of these Moongates and have since established themselves as a tribal society typically found living in tree houses hidden in the deepest forests of the world.

Fuzzies are curious, eager and inquisitive. They love meeting new people and are natural explorers. Because of this, they are quick to join adventuring parties and see plunging into dangerous dungeons filled with horrible monsters as "fun." They have the appearance of three foot tall bear-like creatures, with large eyes and rounded ears atop their heads. Short fur covers their entire body, most often being grey, brown, or black in coloring. They typically wear leather or animal hide clothing and use primitive weapons.

Fuzzies may advance to 4th level.

Level	Experience	Hit Dice	BHB	Saving Throws
1	0	1	+0	13
2	2000	2	+1	12
3	4000	2+1	+2	11
4	8000	3	+2	10

Weapon/Armor Restrictions: Fuzzies come from a primitive society and have learned to wield clubs, daggers, hand axes, quarter staffs, short bows, spears, and slings. They can wear leather armor and use shields.

Small Size: Fuzzies are typically three feet in height with quick reflexes and a keen eye. Because of this they receive a +4 bonus to their armor class when they are attacked by a creature who is human-sized or larger.

Adorable: Once per day, when encountering an NPC who is not hostile the Fuzzy's teddy bear-like appearance and childish irrepressiblity allow you to mimic the effects of a Charm Person spell against that target. They must make a saving throw to resist these effects.

Underestimated: Most larger foes underestimate a Fuzzy's ferocity in battle. During the first round of combat against a foe twice the Fuzzy's size or larger, that target must make a saving throw or assume it are not a real threat in battle. If the Fuzzy successfully makes a melee attack against any foe who failed their save you inflict double damage. Anyone who has witnessed the Fuzzy use this ability is forever immune to its effects.

Primitive Engineer (4th): Once a Fuzzy reaches level four they are capable of constructing terrifying mechanical traps capable of damaging buildings, huge monsters, and other fearsome threats. The time and costs to build these constructs is determined by the referee and a trap can only be activated once before it must be completely rebuilt. These traps typically inflict 5d6 points of damage and the target may make a saving throw to take half damage.

Saving Throw: Fuzzies receive a +2 to all saving throws made to resist poison and death because they are hale and hardy.

XP Bonus for Charisma: Fuzzies receive an additional bonus experience points for having a high charisma.

(Post Script: I was informed by +matt Jackson and Clash Bowley that Richard Garriott's inspiration for Fuzzies came from the novel Little Fuzzy, by H. Beam Piper. I had no idea and had never heard of this book, nor the author.)

Pleasant Surprises in Impulse Purchases

So, I'm just going to put it out there: I have zero self control when it comes to impulse buying stuff. It's terrible. So, often I'll grab a gaming book because at that moment I want it, even if it has no long term application. I justify it by saying "I'll use it some day in some campaign down the line." I've bought scores of books that almost immediately became self decoration. Not that they weren't good games, necessarily - they just got a read through and then never saw use. Pendragon really stands out when it comes to being a great game that I bought, read and never played. Then there are some of the more obscure (or at least less played) games - Dogs in the Vineyard, Secrets of Zir'an, Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved, Lowlife, and Tales from the Floating Vagabond all spring to mind.

Then there are books I grab in a moment of impulse that see a ton of use and become staples of my collection. This came to mind because yesterday my copy of Monstrosities for use with Swords & Wizardry arrived. I was a bit remiss to pick up this book because of the hefty price tag. Besides, did I really need another book of monsters for my game? There were enough in my other OSR books to surely fill the gap, right?

Then answer is yes, that is absolutely true. But Monstrosities is still an awesome product. This 500 page tome is more than just another book o' monsters. Granted there's definitely some retread ground here - but there's also a lot of original stuff too. What really sells it is that each monster listing comes with an adventure or encounter hook which makes the book easily applicable at the table. Yeah, it was pricey, but so, so good.

Which brings me to the meandering point I was getting at: What are books you grabbed on a lark or a whim that turned out to be great gaming purchases?

How Many is Two Many?

So, I follow Tenkar's Tavern pretty closely. I don't comment often because to be frank I get easily distracted and don't want people to think I'm arbitrarily dropping out of a conversation. Also, it can often lead to pointless "someone is wrong on the Internet" arguments that I want no part of. But, I digress.

Tenkar's latest blog post talks about his wife asking why he needs two copies of certain books and to a point I can understand her point. I myself am a big proponent of own two copies of a certain books. I own two (or more) copies of Swords & Wizardry Complete, Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox, D&D Rules Cyclopedia, The Star Wars Roleplaying Games (West End Games; two 1987 First Edition copies and one REUP), Labyrinth Lord (3 copies of  revised core, 1 AEC), The One Ring, Rocket Age, World of Darkness core (the newer version), Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Changeling: The Dreaming and Changeling: The Lost. Probably a few other games too, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

The thing is, in spite of claims otherwise this isn't gamer-hoarding and I'm not suffering from dragon-sickness. The games that I have in the past, and will in the future, GM/DM/Storyteller regularly. I prefer to keep two copies on hand because most of my players aren't as into the hobby as I am and are not as likely to take the time or money to persue these books. So, I have a table copy, and a copy for my use. It just makes things easier to say "Oh, that rule's on page 125, see it?" than to take the book, flip through, find the rule, explain it, then take the book back. 

Not only does it speed up play, but it also promotes players learning the rules on their own because when they read it, the rule might be easier to retain. Also, shit happens and if someone spills a drink on a copy then I'm not up a creek.

Another useful aspect of having multiple copies (at least in the case of Labyrinth Lord, Swords & Wizardry, The One Ring and Rocket Age) is that when I'm writing I can have two of the same book open at the same time for easy cross-reference while writing.

So yeah, multiple copies isn't gamer hoarding. It isn't. I swear. I don't have a problem. I can quit any time I want! Now if you'll excuse me, I see my wife eying my gaming collection while standing beside an empty box. I need to go.

Purposed Items in Swords & Wizardry

One of my favorite things in fantasy literature and RPGs is the idea of weapons which are sentient (or semi-sentient) and driven to a purpose. Elric and Stormbringer. Tomas and the Armor of Ashen-Shugar, and of course The One Ring and Frodo Baggins. In Swords & Wizardry White Box this is something that isn't addressed - and as a retro-clone of original "brown box" D&D, I can understand why. However, it is something I like to include in my games and keeping in mind the streamlined style of White Box I've attempted to create a simplified system for including weapons with ego and purpose in my games.

"The Ring is mine."

Purposed Item

Purposed Items are an extremely rare type of magic item. There is a 1% chance that any Greater,  Intelligent Weapon, or Unusual Armor is a Purposed Item. These exotic artifacts have the will and essence of a living being bound inside them. That spirit lives on in the item, hoping beyond death to achieve some lofty goal. Perhaps a powerful sword seeks to lead the greatest army the world has ever known, or an enchanted circlet is bound with a soul who wishes to once again rule the world as they did in a time before memory. The referee should develop the exact history and personality of each Purposed Item.

Purposed Items are always intelligent and always able to communicate with their wielder, either through empathic impulse (65%), telepathy (30%), or in rare cases, audibly (5%). Each time the wielder uses a Purposed Item, he must make a saving throw. If that saving throw fails, the wielder is compelled to follow the will of the purposed item for one round. If the Purposed Item is able to maintain control over the wielder for a number of consecutive rounds equal to or higher than the level of the wielder, the Purposed Item gains permanent control over the wielder. The wielder has become a vessel for the will of the Purposed Item itself.

Purposed Items can only be destroyed by specific and unique means. Perhaps a weapon must be melted down in the fire of an ancient dragon or a evil ring must be worn for a full lunar cycle by a pure and uncorrupted soul. The method of destruction is always tied to the history of the object and is often nearly impossible to accomplish.

"Well, then—let it be thus so—and men will have cause to tremble and flee
when they hear the names of Elric of Melinbone and Stormbringer, his sword."

Simple, Not Boring

Wow, has it been almost six months? Whew. That's quite a long time. Things have been busy 'round the house. My freelance work continues to grow, I've had a surprise hottest seller on RPGNow, and coolest of all, I have a seven-month old daughter now. (And yes, she's a badass).

One of the other really cool things that has changed is that I finally got a chance to do some real, physical gaming round a table with friends, dice, character sheets and junk food. It had been at least two years since I'd gotten a chance to participate in a physical game and it was absolutely fabulous.

When it came time to get the crew together, I wanted to initially run either Labyrinth Lord or Swords & Wizardry. All of my players were totally down for this - except one. I have one guy in my group who just doesn't do the whole OSR thing. He's not a fan of older editions.

He doesn't have on them and will play because he trusts me as a GM -  but he finds them to be boring. Characters have no flavor. First level PCs are one-hit wonders who die with a single bad roll. The adventures are meat grinders.

Neither I, nor any of the other gamers in the group, believe any of these things to be the case - but this guy is adamant. The last time we all gamed together, I was running the amazing Barrowmaze, using Labyrinth Lord. The party got rocked hard and very nearly avoided a TPK. Since then, everyone else has been itching to take on Barrowmaze again - except this guy. His exact response was "Nope, ef that place."

The thing that bothers me the most about this guy is the fact that he feels like he needs rules to make a unique character. A heavy armored knight and a light-footed swashbuckler can both be fighters. An arcane scholar from a magic college and a tribal witch doctor can both be wizards. The lack of rules can be a huge strength in making a unique character - but this guy just seems to see the classes as cookie cutter.

I'm kind of at a loss of how to deal with him. He'll play because he thinks I'm a good DM, but he always bitches about OSR games. I'm reaching the point where I've considered asking him to leave the group if he's genuinely not enjoying himself.

This kind of thing drives me berserk. If you don't enjoy a game, you aren't under an obligation to play it - but at the same time, don't sit there and talk shit about it while participating. Show some respect for something others love, because we're all gamers together.