Feb 28, 2012

A Sketch of a Possible Swords and Wizardry Variant

I really like Majestic Wilderlands, and even more importantly, my PCs like it, since we've been using bits and pieces of it for the Emern game since the 2nd session. Mainly for classes, since no one has bothered to figure out the skill system or used the gazetteer. I borrowed it back from the apartment we play at the other day, and I've been reading through it. I think it does pretty much what I want out of a game supplement these days, which is it provides me with a bunch of ideas for my own Swords and Wizardry stuff.

I'm not saying I'm ever going to write this up in a totally coherent form, but I've been at least thinking of putting together a reference document of material including house rules, ideas for new rules, etc. that I've either used in my Emern game, wish I was using in my Emern game, or plan to incorporate into my Emern game.

A brief summary and list of what it would look like:

Six stats generated by 3d6 in any order: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Acuity, Focus and Grace

No stat requirements for classes.
No weapon or armour proficiencies.
No level limits for demihumans.
No alignment.
Fatigue saving throws.
Level 1 characters start at max HP.
A simplified version of my current death rules involving saving throws.
Ascending AC.
Ascending BAB.

Four races: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Hobgoblin each with one special ability. Humans get +1 to any stat, elves don't have to sleep, dwarves have infravision, hobgoblins get +1 to hit and damage in melee. No species-based stat modifiers otherwise.

New classes: Holy Warrior, Missionary, Priest, Necromancer, Conquistador, Knight, Swashbuckler, Berserker, Rake, Mountebank, Trader, Manhunter, Shapeshifter, Diviner, Artificer, Psychonaut.

An expanded equipment list including common, useful tools that are never on the equipment list (i.e. rasp, machete, twine, brushes). Also, more weapons, including guns. Also, horses and horse stats.

A cleaned-up alchemy and magic item creation system incorporating the potion tables and expanding the same puerile peril to all forms of magical items. Also one for magical beasts and undead things.

An opposed-attack roll system for combat maneuvers with some suggestions for specific maneuvers like tripping, disarming and sundering.

Sweet maps of things.

No skill system.

Some sort of naval system so you can have an awesome boat with cannons and be pirates.

A bunch of different monsters, including toadmen, jaguarmen, leechmen, 60' tall undead laser-eyed sloths, grashkalki, the Caquix, etc.

New spell lists and spells.

Some new religions.

A bunch of my opinions and ideas for running games.

A quick write-up of the Emern setting, which I will probably have to rename to avoid confusion ('Wait, the setting is called "Emern", but that's only a continent, and not even the one the game is set on?').

2 comments:

  1. Sounds pretty good to me. I've got MW coming in the mail. I can't wait to give it a look.

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