Douglas Cole is running a Kickstarter to fund a new, revised, expanded version of his Lost Hall of Tyr adventure:
I will admit this right out - I am out on this one. I have the original version, and I really don't need an expanded version . . . nevermind something I can't just use directly with GURPS. I'm saving my funds for the Dragon Heresy full set hardcopy. But if you like Vikings, and run either D&D 5th edition or Swords & Wizardry, take a look - Doug produces high-quality gaming supplements.
Showing posts with label Dragon Heresy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dragon Heresy. Show all posts
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Hall of Judgment for DFRPG fully funds quickly
I put up a post yesterday about Doug's new Kickstarter.
It's already fully funded and then some.
I think Doug's a little surprised by this.
Me, not so much.
This isn't his first go-around on a product. Or on a Kickstarter. He's got a proven track record of:
- delivering everything he promises
- doing so on time
- do so without extra expenses to the backers
- often exceeding what he promised
- and showing his math so you know what all the funding is about, and how it works.
So even if GURPS fans are badly outnumbered by D&D5 fans, this project stands on the shoulders of the Kickstarters Doug has delivered on before. It makes it an easy back from an enthusiastic audience.
It's already fully funded and then some.
I think Doug's a little surprised by this.
Me, not so much.
This isn't his first go-around on a product. Or on a Kickstarter. He's got a proven track record of:
- delivering everything he promises
- doing so on time
- do so without extra expenses to the backers
- often exceeding what he promised
- and showing his math so you know what all the funding is about, and how it works.
So even if GURPS fans are badly outnumbered by D&D5 fans, this project stands on the shoulders of the Kickstarters Doug has delivered on before. It makes it an easy back from an enthusiastic audience.
Monday, June 18, 2018
Dragon Heresy Introductory Set PDF - Arrived!
Douglas Cole's Dragon Heresy Introductory Set PDF was released over the weekend. I downloaded my copy and I've been digging into it.
I'll try to get up a review if I have time. But just some highlights:
- It's beautiful. The art is excellent and the fonts and layouts make for a book that is easy to read and enjoyable to look at.
- the rules are tight. They've been gone over so many times now, that they read smoothly and I know from experience that they play well. Even when I was running a PC ported in from straight-up D&D5 and not generated with the Dragon Heresy rules
- there is a lot in the way of character options and races. While "introductory" there is a lot of meat here, enough to actually start and run a DH game.
I skipped out on the hardcopy. I was sorely tempted - and originally pledged for it. But I had to consider the amount of shelf space I have and my actual need for a hardcopy. I decided I'd save my hobby funds for getting the hardback of the full set when Doug finally launches it. That I will want in my hands and on my shelf.
I'll try to get up a review if I have time. But just some highlights:
- It's beautiful. The art is excellent and the fonts and layouts make for a book that is easy to read and enjoyable to look at.
- the rules are tight. They've been gone over so many times now, that they read smoothly and I know from experience that they play well. Even when I was running a PC ported in from straight-up D&D5 and not generated with the Dragon Heresy rules
- there is a lot in the way of character options and races. While "introductory" there is a lot of meat here, enough to actually start and run a DH game.
I skipped out on the hardcopy. I was sorely tempted - and originally pledged for it. But I had to consider the amount of shelf space I have and my actual need for a hardcopy. I decided I'd save my hobby funds for getting the hardback of the full set when Doug finally launches it. That I will want in my hands and on my shelf.
Friday, April 27, 2018
Dragon Heresy - last 24 or so hours
Like the title says, Douglas Cole's Dragon Heresy Introductory Set Kickstarter is drawing to a close.
There are a bit more than 24 hours less as I type this. It's worth looking into - Doug's materials are extremely well done and he's a tight editor and creator of rules and fluff.
There are a bit more than 24 hours less as I type this. It's worth looking into - Doug's materials are extremely well done and he's a tight editor and creator of rules and fluff.
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Dragon Heresy Kickstarter update
You probably heard this on Doug's blog, but the Dragon Heresy starter set Kickstarter funded:
It's nice to see Doug's high-quality, attractive and well-written materials take shape and move out onto the market. I've long been a fan of his thought process, even when he was writing really complex gun-damage design systems and physics-based articles about bows. Now that sort of underlying rules precision is used with great art and attractive design. Good stuff.
Even if you aren't in the market for a starter set, consider throwing Doug $1 and at least showing your support.
It's nice to see Doug's high-quality, attractive and well-written materials take shape and move out onto the market. I've long been a fan of his thought process, even when he was writing really complex gun-damage design systems and physics-based articles about bows. Now that sort of underlying rules precision is used with great art and attractive design. Good stuff.
Even if you aren't in the market for a starter set, consider throwing Doug $1 and at least showing your support.
Monday, April 2, 2018
Monday, January 9, 2017
Review: Dungeon Grappling
Periodically I review gaming materials, generally ones I liked. This is one of them. I'm not an unbiased reviewer - I'm a contributor, playtester, and I backed this on the Kickstarter. I was in on the original idea (something like, "we need GURPS Martial Arts: Technical Grappling for S&W using just the existing stats" which lead to the original article that Doug took, expanded, rewrote, revised, and otherwise re-did into this expanded book. It's spun off, partly, from the author's Dragon Heresy project, and it's a good sign of things to come.
If you like reviews, please see my reviews page.
by Douglas Cole
Released in 2017 by Gaming Ballistic
48 pages
$15 in POD Softcover, $7.25 in PDF
Grappling is pretty awesome.
"Bonegnasher had the monster in a deadly hug, right arm crushing its windpipe, left its ribs. It was supposed to have the strength of a dozen natural leopards. In Bonegnasher's arms it was helpless. The Taken laughed, took a bite from its left shoulder."
- Glen Cook, The Black Company, p. 269
Grappling in D&D-based games, though, generally has not been awesome. From the odd mini-game like subsystems of AD&D to the "use at your PCs own risk" system of Swords & Wizardry, grappling hasn't really been that great.
Enter Dungeon Grappling. This is a supplement for retro-clone sets (centered on Swords & Wizardry), Pathfinder, and D&D5.
Pretty much what this book does is change grappling from either a yes/no option (you're grappled, you're not) or a complex subsystem (roll on the grappling table!) and integrate it the basic attack/effect rolls of the underlying systems. It works like so:
- Roll to hit, if you do:
- Roll effect.
- Compare the total amount of grappling effect you inflicted (much as you'd roll damage for a strike) to the target's Control Maximum,
- Determine the effect on the target.
For example, Swords & Wizardry's system uses the HP of the target to determine how much control you need. 10 HP? 10 Control Maximum (although there is another system that is based on size and HD, if you prefer - both work seamlessly with the system). Inflicted, say, between 1/4 HP and 1/2 HP on the target? The table says you have "Grappled" the target. This causes certain penalties on the target, all logical ones (movement and agility is limited, for example) and all appropriate to the system.
If even that seems too complex for you, there is a way to bypass the math of comparing your effect roll to the target's CM and just inflict conditions directly. This, too, works smoothly and easily.
There are also a series of rules you can use to turn that grapple into something more than just a hold for penalties - the Grappling Techniques chapter. These include throws, locks, chokes, using the grapple to get extra damage (pull the guy onto your sword!), wrench something out of your foe's grasp, etc. It covers dragging someone around and getting dragged around. Spells that inflict grapple-like conditions are also integrated into the system.
Using this will take some work. While there are examples and tables to speed it along, any monster that grapples and any PC that does that same (or is grappled) need to have their grappling effect (damage roll, basically) determined, a CM generated (if not just using HP), and tactics thought out. It is more complex than the systems in place for most games. However, it also makes those grappling situations more interesting, in my play experience, and doesn't cause a slowdown of play out of proportion to the extra interest it brings along. It's 52 pages, but it covers multiple systems so it's not adding as much weight of rules as you might think given the length.
Visually, the book is very attractive. The art is full-color and plentiful. It just looks nice. Not only that, but it's layered in the PDF - you can turn off the art and text to make an easily readable and ink/toner-saving printout.
Overall, this is a great product and it is very attractively done. Highly recommended.
If you like reviews, please see my reviews page.
by Douglas Cole
Released in 2017 by Gaming Ballistic
48 pages
$15 in POD Softcover, $7.25 in PDF
Grappling is pretty awesome.
"Bonegnasher had the monster in a deadly hug, right arm crushing its windpipe, left its ribs. It was supposed to have the strength of a dozen natural leopards. In Bonegnasher's arms it was helpless. The Taken laughed, took a bite from its left shoulder."
- Glen Cook, The Black Company, p. 269
Grappling in D&D-based games, though, generally has not been awesome. From the odd mini-game like subsystems of AD&D to the "use at your PCs own risk" system of Swords & Wizardry, grappling hasn't really been that great.
Enter Dungeon Grappling. This is a supplement for retro-clone sets (centered on Swords & Wizardry), Pathfinder, and D&D5.
Pretty much what this book does is change grappling from either a yes/no option (you're grappled, you're not) or a complex subsystem (roll on the grappling table!) and integrate it the basic attack/effect rolls of the underlying systems. It works like so:
- Roll to hit, if you do:
- Roll effect.
- Compare the total amount of grappling effect you inflicted (much as you'd roll damage for a strike) to the target's Control Maximum,
- Determine the effect on the target.
For example, Swords & Wizardry's system uses the HP of the target to determine how much control you need. 10 HP? 10 Control Maximum (although there is another system that is based on size and HD, if you prefer - both work seamlessly with the system). Inflicted, say, between 1/4 HP and 1/2 HP on the target? The table says you have "Grappled" the target. This causes certain penalties on the target, all logical ones (movement and agility is limited, for example) and all appropriate to the system.
If even that seems too complex for you, there is a way to bypass the math of comparing your effect roll to the target's CM and just inflict conditions directly. This, too, works smoothly and easily.
There are also a series of rules you can use to turn that grapple into something more than just a hold for penalties - the Grappling Techniques chapter. These include throws, locks, chokes, using the grapple to get extra damage (pull the guy onto your sword!), wrench something out of your foe's grasp, etc. It covers dragging someone around and getting dragged around. Spells that inflict grapple-like conditions are also integrated into the system.
Using this will take some work. While there are examples and tables to speed it along, any monster that grapples and any PC that does that same (or is grappled) need to have their grappling effect (damage roll, basically) determined, a CM generated (if not just using HP), and tactics thought out. It is more complex than the systems in place for most games. However, it also makes those grappling situations more interesting, in my play experience, and doesn't cause a slowdown of play out of proportion to the extra interest it brings along. It's 52 pages, but it covers multiple systems so it's not adding as much weight of rules as you might think given the length.
Visually, the book is very attractive. The art is full-color and plentiful. It just looks nice. Not only that, but it's layered in the PDF - you can turn off the art and text to make an easily readable and ink/toner-saving printout.
Overall, this is a great product and it is very attractively done. Highly recommended.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Dragon Heresy playtest session 8/19
So last night we had a good Dragon Heresy playtest session.
It was a lot of fun.
- we stomped some more kobolds and lizard-folk. Heavy armor helps, so does surprise, sunlight, and Sunshine.
- Shields are great. They aren't an automatic success against arrows, though - charging archers with shields beats charging them without, but it's still going to cost you.
- if you find a key, use it. And label it on the sheet, so you don't use it to open a chest and then 20 sessions later say, "My sheet says, 'Key from dead shaman' - I wonder what that opens?
- every group I've played in has taken trophies. Once it was me (Mirado), but yeah, every group has had at least one "I take his X to make into a Y!" kind of guy.
The dice taught me some lessons:
- don't hit Sunshine. He hates that. Injured and with disadvantage on the roll? Two hits, one for max damage and one for almost max damage.
- don't roll for HP. I was originally planning to just take the round-up dice average (4.5 becomes 5, becomes 7 with CON) but everyone else was rolling so, hey, I did too. I got a 2 (+2 for CON, becomes 4). Bleh. Now I need to roll an 8 somewhere down the line just to get to average again. Eh. I'll probably just accept the fixed amount and accept being 3 points below average forever. Cut my losses, basically.
- even Advantage isn't that great. Nothing like a flat-out pair of misses on an easy shot thanks to two bad die rolls. That wasn't me, but even I felt it.
Nice, though. We made second level (many of us) and I have to go read Doug's notes to see what that gets me.
It was a lot of fun.
- we stomped some more kobolds and lizard-folk. Heavy armor helps, so does surprise, sunlight, and Sunshine.
- Shields are great. They aren't an automatic success against arrows, though - charging archers with shields beats charging them without, but it's still going to cost you.
- if you find a key, use it. And label it on the sheet, so you don't use it to open a chest and then 20 sessions later say, "My sheet says, 'Key from dead shaman' - I wonder what that opens?
- every group I've played in has taken trophies. Once it was me (Mirado), but yeah, every group has had at least one "I take his X to make into a Y!" kind of guy.
The dice taught me some lessons:
- don't hit Sunshine. He hates that. Injured and with disadvantage on the roll? Two hits, one for max damage and one for almost max damage.
- don't roll for HP. I was originally planning to just take the round-up dice average (4.5 becomes 5, becomes 7 with CON) but everyone else was rolling so, hey, I did too. I got a 2 (+2 for CON, becomes 4). Bleh. Now I need to roll an 8 somewhere down the line just to get to average again. Eh. I'll probably just accept the fixed amount and accept being 3 points below average forever. Cut my losses, basically.
- even Advantage isn't that great. Nothing like a flat-out pair of misses on an easy shot thanks to two bad die rolls. That wasn't me, but even I felt it.
Nice, though. We made second level (many of us) and I have to go read Doug's notes to see what that gets me.
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