I Signori del Caos ritornano

In questi giorni giunge a conclusione la campagna di Kickstarter per la nuova edizione de "I Signori del Caos" uno dei primi giochi di ruolo italiano se non il primo.

La campagna per la precisione termina il 29 febbraio alle 23:59 ora italiana (CET) ed è già pienamente finanziata.

Se state leggendo questo post vi posso solo dire NON PERDETE l'occasione di contribuire al ritorno de "I Signori del Caos"!

Qui trovate il link alla campagna: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crimsonstudies/i-signori-del-caos-la-quarta-era

Molti complimenti vanno agli autori per il rispetto estremo con cui hanno curato questa nuova edizione, un'attenzione ai dettagli del sistema di gioco originale ammodernato nel rispetto della tradizione. Un lavoro davvero eccellente.

Mentre le meccaniche rimangono molto simili all'originale (abilità, tiri resistenza e altro con il dado % e i combattimenti con il d20) la grafica e l'impaginazione sono di prima classe e degni delle pubblicazioni più moderne, in questo si vede l'esperienza del gruppo Crimson Studies Creations  che già ci ha regalato giochi come "Cronache del Tempo Segreto" (un clone simil D&D che approfondiremo prossimamente) e "La Spada Nera" un gioco introduttivo pensato per introdurre i più giovani ai giochi di ruolo.

Ci sono regole per la magia, che si attiva con la spesa di punti magia (volontà) e regole per attivare i "doni" del caos che si attivano con la spesa dei Punti Caos (in altri giochi forse noti come punti eroe o punti fato) che in questo gioco hanno effetti ben definiti e legati all'ambientazione.

La campagna ci darà i seguenti libri (su kickstarter trovate cosa avrete in funzione di quanto investite nel gioco):

I signori del Caos - La Quarta Era (1)

Diario del Crepuscolo (2) 

Il Ritorno del Caos (3) 

Regolamento Avanzato (4) 

Arret (5) 

La Principessa Rapita (6)

1) lunga avventura che segue ancora gli eroi presentati nel set introduttivo

2) un bestiario
3) un libro con interviste e contenuti speciali dei giocatori e protagonisti del gioco 40 anni fa
4) tutto il necessario per creare i personaggi con le regole complete per la magia
5) l'ambientazione de "I Signori del Caos" Arret :-)
6) Un'avventura che riprende un'avventura storica del gioco originale.

Per farsi un'idea del gioco sul sito dei creatori trovate un corposo "quickstart" che è in effetti una prima avventura che riprende in modo egregio una delle avventure di 40 anni fa, "I razziatori" con personaggi pregenerati, tutte le regole necessarie a giocarli e consigli e indicazioni per il Magister novizio od esperto che guiderà i personaggi nell'avventura.

Un avventura vecchia scuola in perfetto stile OSR (per quanto le regole non siano quelle di un clone sicuramente sono vecchia scuola).

Qui trovate le regole introduttive: https://www.crimson.games/i-signori-del-caos

Chiudo questo breve invito a partecipare alla campagna di Kickstarter I Signori del Caos con la scheda di uno dei personaggi ed alcune foto del gioco storico pubblicato dalla Black-Out

Enchanted Dagger a less flashy Magic Missile

Enchanted Dagger

Arcane 
Enchantment/Charm
Level: Mage 1st

Range:180'

Duration: isntantaneous
Area of effect: one dagger +1 each 2 level

Components: V, S, F (a special dagger)

Casting time: 1 segment

Saving Throw: None

The mage take her dagger(s) and throw it(them) at one, or more, enemy with perfect aim. Each dagger will hit for 1d4+1 points of damage. The dagger will lose any other bonus or property (cannot be poisoned or have other spell or magical effect active) while used as Focus of this spell. A dagger to be used as focus of this spell must be normally usable by the mage.

ACKS numbers
1d4+1 (25 point), max 1d damage (x0.1), 1 creature +1 each 2 levels (x3), range 150' (x1), duration instantaneous (x1), No saving throw (x1), need focus (x0.8) = 6

Arcane x1 = 6 point (1st level spell)
Eldritch x1.5 = 9 point (1st level spell)

WHY THIS?
The idea is to have spell that need a focus of some sort (daggers for magic missile, torchs for fireball and so on). It fit better in heroic fantasy to have less flashy magic (see the upcoming Heroic Fantasy book by the Autarch: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/autarch/heroic-fantasy-and-barbarian-conquerors-collection and also here https://d20d12.blogspot.it/2017/03/heroic-fantasy-and-barbarian-conquerors.html)

What is a Focus?
A focus is a material component that is not expended in the casting of the spell. In this case the Focus is just a dagger that must then be retrieved to be used again (just as if the mage had thrown it).

Heroic Fantasy and Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu Kickstarter

The Autarchs, authors of the ACKS system (see the presentation here: Adventurer Conqueror King System or Diocletian Dungeons & Dragons) and various kickstarters did it again, after 1 week the new kickstarter "Heroic Fantasy & Barbarian Conquerors Collection" is already financed so you just have to decide the level of contribution if you are interested, I suggest the KING level to get both book in an hardcover version (only for this kickstarter) at reduced postage cost and you will also contribute to design a b/w illustration of 1/4 page.

This kickstarter is anomalous because it will produce two books.

The first one is the Heroic Fantasy Handbook with tons of rule modification of classical OSR/ACKS rules to better support the "heroic fantasy" flavor. In the words of the author:

"Heroic fantasy is set in a world like our own world, one that might even be our world, in its distant past or far future. Its heroes, though men and women of extraordinary talent and drive, have none of the “super-powers” now common in contemporary fantasy (especially games). They do not typically teleport, fly, shoot fire, or raise the dead. Magic in heroic fantasy is more subtle and nuanced than in contemporary fantasy. It works with what is, rather than creating what is not. A magician cannot teleport straight to his friend’s distant castle, though his whispered dreams might reach his friend across the black gulfs of space. A magician will not fling magic missiles, but he might call down lightning from a storm, or capsize a boat with a wave. Working magic might require lengthy ceremonies, terrible sacrifices, or the power of primeval places. And those who use magic risk corruption. Even the wisest can lose their mind, body, and soul if they tamper with dark magic. That’s heroic fantasy."

In this book we will find a new magic type (eldritch sorcery), new classes, new spells, new monsters and so on (you can get an idea browsing the updates of the kickstarter on this old post of the Autarch forums: Heroic Companion Compilation).

The second book present a setting of barbarian fantasy, sword and planet fantasy and scienze fantasy, in brief a pulp fantasy setting. 

[...]Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu embraces what might be called “barbarian fantasy” or perhaps “pulp fantasy.” Barbarian fantasy is an amalgam of three distinct but related genres.

The first is sword & sorcery literature, exemplified by the likes of Howard's Conan and Moorcock's Elric. [...]

The second is sword & planet, exemplified by Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom, a fantastic vision of Mars. This genre explores similar themes to those of sword & sorcery but does accept certain "science fiction" elements such as alien planets, radium pistols, flying craft, and other technological wonders. [...]

The third is science fantasy proper. This book, however, presents a "science fiction" milieu closer to a fantastic setting once the outer trappings of starships and rayguns are stripped off it. This genre is exemplified by space princesses, dashing interstellar rogues, space combat which looks suspiciously similar to WWII air combat, and a relative disregard of actual science when it conflicts with the plot. [...]

Some traces of this setting are in this old posts by the author Barbarian Conqueror King and Barbarian Conqueror King (Dinosaurs & Sorcery ACKS), in the book we will find new classes, new science-fantasy weapons (ray guns and the like), lots of dinosaurs and much more.

A very fun ride, and a worthy kickstarter for two interesting books (in hardcover if you go KING!).

Swords & Wizardry 3rd printing kickstarter 3 days to go

In 3 day the kickstarter for the 3rd printing of the award winning rpg Swords & Wizardry is going to end...

...so what are you waiting to jump in?

Here a short review of the game: https://d20d12.blogspot.it/2013/04/swords-wizardry-short-review-and-new.html

Zweihander the Warhammer FRPG retro clone is free to download

After the successful kickstarter the now complete rules of Zweihander are free to download here: https://app.crowdox.com/projects/grimandperilous/zweihander-grim-and-perilous-rpg

The rules are inspired by the 2nd edition of the famous Warhammer frpg. 

Have fun!

Two Kickstarters

Two interesting kickstarter I have recently backed

Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2nd edition

the first one is an excellent OSR inspired to AD&D 1st edition with a nice number of twists. The first edition was successful and this one is more good stuff in a single book. Shipping costs outside of the USA are a bit high but the books are premium quality

Aventuria - Dark Eye almanac

the second one is a guide to the world of the Dark Eye.

The english version of this german rpg was very successful and full of nice add ons. I hope this one will be similar.

Warhammer inspired RPG on kickstarter

A kickstarter for a Warhammer forward-clone!

Inspired by Warhammer Fantasy Role Play 2nd edition here comes ZWEIHANDER GRIM AND PERILOUS RPG

Cover of much loved 1st edition WHFRP

Cover of much streamlined 2nd edition WHFRP

Unconquered OSR Sun

To aptly celebrate the Sol Invictus in an OSR fashion we have until the 28th of December to bring the INEXORABLE VICTORY OF THE UNCONQUERED SUN.

This is a new bonus goals for the already successful Lairs & Encounters kickstarter by Autarch.

With this new bonus goals we will get all the additional  25 monsters and lairs.

But what is the Lairs & Encounters book? 

Keep reading and you will discover it.....

Here what you will find in this interesting book:

Lairs & Encounters is the ultimate supplement for fantasy RPG sandbox campaigns. Designed for use with the Adventurer Conqueror King System™ (ACKS™), it is readily compatible with other fantasy role-playing games built on the same core rules. In Lairs & Encounters you will find:

• More than 135* ready-to-play monstrous lairs - that's at least one lair listing for every possible monster lair mentioned in the Adventurer Conqueror King System. The lair listings are designed to be used both as dynamic points of interest that can be discovered while wandering through the wilderness and as obstacles to a would-be ruler’s attempt to secure land for a domain. 
• New subsystems for sandbox play, including rules for populating 6-mile hexes with lairs based on the terrain and extent of settlements in the region, and rules for searching for lairs in the wilderness factoring in terrain density, aerial reconnaissance, splitting up to cover more ground (never split the party!), and more.
• Additional mechanics for monsters, including ability scores for monsters, proficiencies for monsters, and young monsters.
• A complete system for taming and training monsters, with details on the lifespan, roles, tricks, trained and untrained value, supply cost, training period, and the trainability modifier of every monster in the game.  
• A complete system for creating your own unique monsters. In the ACKS Player's Companion we gave you mechanics to create balanced new character classes and new spells; now we bring our same rigorous attention to balance and customization to monsters.

*now already 145... and they will be 160 if we reach the inexorable victory of the unconquered sun

So bold adventurer what are you waiting? 25 new monsters and the details of their lairs are at hand....

Hail the unconquered sun!

Adventurer Conqueror King or Diocletian Dungeons & Dragons

Autarch has launched a new kickstarter to fund the pubblication of an introductory adventure "The sinister stone of Sakkara".

This adventure is inspired to the old B2 module "The keep on the borderland" but with various twist (and obviously all new dungeons, wilderness and setting).

One of the most interesting things is that this adventure is the first publication by Autarch that begin to present the implied setting of the game, the Auran empire.

The Auran empire while only hinted in the game is a departure from your medieval fantasy of crusades and witches indeed the setting is firmly grounded in the late roman empire era and the years after the fall of the western empire, say from 250 to 750 CE (or if you prefer from 1000 to 1750 Ab Urbe condita).

The project is already funded but you can still jump in, what the kickstarter offer is also the possibility to take the full "Adventurer Conqueror King" package.

Why should you get in?

1) The adventure is really interesting and a good starting point for most campaing
2) The setting is very original and detailed, but in a "show and tell" way (statues, temples, banquets, snippets of philosophy and the like)
3) Autarch delivers top-notch quality games and products

What makes Adventurer Conqueror King different from other OSR tribute games and why Diocletian would have played ACKS instead of vanilla D&D?

One of the selling point of the ACK System is the coherence of the economic system, the system really helps you to model the economy of the setting so your character will have different things to do at high levels, indeed high level characters (notice that maximum level in this game is 14th level for humans and 8th to 13th level for non-humans) will have the possibility to run their realms be it a little barony or a sprawling empire.

The tables and rules for markets and price would have made Diocletian (one of the great emperors of the late roman empire a great militar and civil leader),  happy and simplified his Edict on Maximum Prices, this attention to detail is diffused in every aspect of the game to make it really robust and worthy.

Another product from Autarch tie this economic robustness into the art of war, in fact the Domains @ War will make possible to simulate skirmish or great battles but everything will tie seamlessy with the economic system of the standard game, and with the magical and special powers of characters.

So what I get in the two books that I don't have from other clones?

From the Adventurer Conqueror King System book
1) the mentioned economic and domain system
2) a different magical system
2.1) characters have a repertoire of spell from which can cast the usual number of daily spells
2.2) high level spells (7th, 8th and 9th for arcane, and 6th and 7th for divine) can be cast only as rituals
3) a proficiency system that helps to spice up characters without being overly cumbersome
4) a Death and Dismemberment table (here called Mortal Wounds Table), this means that when a character goes to 0 or lower hp is out of combat and as soon as someone help him with mundane or magical rule the exact fate of the character will be decided with a roll on this table (so the character can be saved but it will be wounded most of the time)
5) a Tampering with death table, if your character dies and than is brought back he can get traumathized
6) the usual character (but with interesting twists) like Fighter, Mage, Cleric and Thief (for example there is the reaper rule, if your character kill an enemy can immediately make another attack, and this can be done again and again for fighter up to their level add to this that fighter get +1 to damage each 3 level and against lesser foes they can be truly terrible)
7) campaign classes: Assasin, Bard, Bladedancer (a sort of unarmored cleric) and Explorer (non magical ranger)
8) demihuman classes: Dwarven Vaultguard (classical dwarf), Dwarven Craftpriest (dwarf priest), Elven Spellsword (classical elven fighter-mage), Elven Nightblade (assassin with magic spells)re
9) templates (this are ready to go adventurer with skills and gear)

no there is no halfling or hobbit or whatever

you also get information on how to run domains, monster and a lot of nice touch

From the Player's Companion book

1) A lot of new classes both for humans (Anti-Paladin, Barbarian, Mystic, Paladin, Priestess, Shaman, Venturer, Warlock, Witch) and non-humans (Dwarven Delver, Dwarven Fury, Dwarven machinist, Elven Courtier, Elven Enchanter, Elven Ranger, Gnomish Trickster, Nobiran Wonderworker, Thrassian Gladiator, Zaharan Ruinguard)
2) Character class templates
an expansion on the concept of templates with more template for the classes in the ACKS book
3) Custom class rules
a wonderful chapter that help to create classes in line with the ones presented
4) Spells
new spells but more interesting hyper detailed rules on spell research, labs and more
5) various rules and other miscellaneous tools for the Game Master

The Autarch web The Autarch home page and forums: www.autarch.co The Autarch on google+: ACK community The Autarch on facebook: www.facebook.com/AutarchCo The Autarch on twitter: twitter.com/_Autarch_

Conclusion
Get a great product, and if you don't know this game get a great game at discount from the various contributor levels, help Autarch to get in print something on the Auran setting!

Here a map of the Auran Empire, I love maps with a central sea like our Mediterranean sea

Crypts and Things Remastered KICKstarter SUCCESSFULLY funded!!!!

The image for the Crypts and Things Remastered kickstarter

The original Crypts & Things was a shining example of what can be done with the OSR, a great way to play Sword and Sorcery stories (like the ones of Conan, Fafhrd and Grey Mouser novels). The remastered version looks even better...

So the kickstarter is still going on and you can pledge to get your preferred rewards (and help the project to unlock some stretch goals), and immediate access to the pdf of the new ruleset.

The Kickstarter for Crypts and Things Remastered is here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/645319106/crypts-and-things-remastered

This is a grim land of dark magick and eerie dangers.

What are the differences from the "original" game? Quite a lot:
+ no saving throws, but a luck score that can help to get out of sorcerous ways
+ hit points are just stamina and fatigue, than damage will cut down constitution
+ a simple skill system
+ a simple background system
+ few martial classes: Barbarian, Fighter, Thief
+ Only one magical class: Sorcerer

yes there are no Clerics, Magic Users or bards.... and the magic system is fire and forget (don't be fooled by the name of the magic using class) BUT (yes there is a big but) while the sorcerer can learn every spell they are divided in three kind of magic (white, gray and black)

in the first edition of Crypts and Things to learn and cast spell there was a cost linked to the color of magic, this cost are still different but more interesting in the remastered edition

Crypts and Things cost of magic

White: no cost

Gray: 2hp * level of spell cast

Black: to memorize a black magic spell sacrifice a sentient being or get spell-level costitution damage AND when you cast it you must make a saving throw or lose sanity...

Crypts and Things Remastered cost of magic:
White: % of getting hunted by undead and "others"
Gray: nothing
Black: corruption (ever growing)

I find the second table much more interesting than the previous one.

The kickstarter was successfully funded, and since it reached 9206£ a lot of stretch goals were met, here the new classes:

Disciple: a sword and sorcery take on the Monk!
Elementalist: a new type of magic user molded after the prince of Melnimbone
Lizard People: first race as class of C&T, noble and ancient race of strong fighter with mystical powers
Beast Hybrid: second race as class of C&T, some sort of corrupted shape shifter
Serpent Noble: third race as class, natural users of black magic...