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OD&D (really FMC) Like it's 1974

I have been running Caverns of Thracia with Fantastic Medieval Campaigns for quite a few sessions 1 , and just about every session I have to stop and discuss with the players about how to proceed with a ruling. In the spirit of FMC, I have been doing my best to avoid backporting modern D&D-isms into the game. In fact, where reasonable, I do my best to make my interpretations different from later rpgs. So, without further ado, here are a bunch of my rulings for FMC: All HD are rolled every level—if lower than current hp, increase hp by 1 instead. Prime Requisites: A magic-user’s prime requisite score is equal to their INT, plus 1 for every 2 points of WIS above 9. (So a magic-user with 12 INT and 11 WIS has a prime requisite score of 12+1=13. This does not require that the magic-user lower their WIS, unlike in B/X.) A fighter’s prime requisite score is equal to their STR, plus 1 for every 2 points of INT above 9, plus 1 for every 3 points of WIS above 9. (So a fighter...
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Fantastical Ahistorical Violence Launched on Itch.io!

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Fantastical Ahistorical Violence Previously Pseudo-pseudohistorical Violence   Right under the buzzer, I completed a new version and submitted it to the VIOLENCE IN JULY jam.   Features include: A tweaked version of Violence's combat rules Guidelines for injury effects Rules for healing injuries Three classes (Fighter, Magic-User, and Rogue) with six specializations each, giving background details, equipment, and/or special abilities. A bespoke system for Vancian magic, compatible with the spells from your favorite game with spell levels Check it out! It even includes cover art I collaged together in 20 minutes before going to a party:    Keep an eye out for revisions, additions, and expansions!
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Caverns of Thracia and Evil Fantasy Cults

Caverns of Thracia and Evil Fantasy Cults If you’re going to be in my Caverns of Thracia game, don’t read this one! I finished reading Fight Club recently, which means the idea of cults and what makes them tic has been floating around in my brain. I am about to start running Caverns of Thracia over on Prismatic Wasteland ’s Discord server, so I decided to do some writing about one of the factions in that adventure. As written, there aren’t really any details on how the cult operates, and the only details we get on any NPC are their combat stats. Mostly, I wanted to answer the question of “why the hell do people join this cult and hang out in this dangerous as shit dungeon?” So here goes: Also, a short little disclaimer. In Caverns of Thracia, the Thracians are described as “tribesmen” who have degenerated into barbarity and shit. I think that is the sum total of the justification for the human sacrifice, just a “damn are those tribespeople savages? I’m going to go stab them n...
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Pseudo-Pseudohistorical Violence: Playtesting and Second Draft

Pseudo-Pseudohistorical Violence: Playtesting and Second Draft I finally took my rules for a spin! I summarized the events of the sessions below, or you can skip straight to my takeaways. Some of them have made it into my second draft of the rules, which are hosted on my google drive. Feel free to let me know what you think, especially if you actually playtest them! Session Recaps The first session was run with Ester, the court wizard , and Sir Caer, the knight. The dockmaster, a subordinate of their liege lord Sir Osric, offers them a bounty of 200gp to investigate sightings of crookhorns near Drumen Knoll. In preparation Ester memorizes shield twice and ignite/extinguish once. The overexertion leaves him exhausted, slowing his movement and inhibiting combat rolls, as well as leaving him with a chance of miscasting one of his shield spells. The pair wander around in the woods awhile, getting lost, avoiding a passing pair of people, and ending up right back at For Vulgar. ...
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