Old School Open Book Spellcasting

I actually enjoy Vancian magic. I don't prefer it in every fantasy role-playing game, but I find it effective, interesting, and fun when it is employed appropriately. That is not to say it can't be improved. The following is a house rule I intend to use the next time I run Swords & Wizardry or earlier editions of Dungeons & Dragons.

Open Book Spellcasting

As per established rules, a magic-user may memorize a certain number of spells of various spell levels according to their class level. These spells, once cast, are "erased" from the caster's memory, but may be re-memorized given time and access to the right spell book or scroll.

A magic-user may, however, choose to cast directly from the spell book or scroll without causing the written spell to disappear (which is what happens when non-magic-users are able to cast a spell from text). To do this, the magic-user must read directly from the open spell book or scroll and make an attack roll versus an armor class equal to 10 + the spell's level (using ascending armor class). The magic-user is, in a sense, attacking the difficulty of the spell through brute force of will. If the roll succeeds, the spell is cast. If the roll fails, the spell is not cast and each subsequent attempt to cast it raises its armor class by 1. Normal difficulty is restored the following day. If the magic-user fumbles by rolling a 1, no more attempts may be made to cast that spell until the following day and the spell, if already memorized, is instantly forgotten.

In retrospect, the house rule I described in "Time for Another Spellcasting House Rule" in which the cost of casting an unmemorized spell is 1 hit point per spell level should probably be a variant of open book spellcasting and likewise require the use of a spell book or scroll. One could use both variants in the same game: one requires a roll, the other requires a sacrifice of hit points, but both require the reading of the written spell.

Zombie Dice and All-Purpose Spellcasting

[The following rule utilizes the Zombie dice from Zombie Dice, a game published by Steve Jackson Games. Zombie dice, which will hereafter be referred to as dZ, have the following faces: brain, footprints, and shotgun blast (abbreviated here as simply blast). The distribution of faces varies by color. A green dZ has 3 brains, 2 footprints, and 1 blast. A yellow dZ has 2 brains, 2 footprints, and 2 blasts. A red dZ has 1 brain, 2 footprints, and 3 blasts.*]

Twelve years ago (!), I posted an article entitled "Zombie Dice and Spell Interruption." Today, I would like to offer another method of using Zombie dice with spellcasting.

Each time a spellcaster casts a spell, the caster must roll 1dZ. If the casting is not interrupted, the caster rolls a green dZ. If the casting is interrupted, the caster rolls a yellow dZ. If the casting is interrupted through injury to the caster, the caster rolls a red dZ. The result of the roll is compared to the table below:

dZ	Effect
brain	The spell is cast and retained.
footprints	The spell is cast and forgotten.
blast	The spell is disrupted and forgotten.

All of this presumes that the baseline magic system is Vancian, i.e. the caster may memorize a certain number of spells of each allowable spell level; once cast, a spell is forgotten and cannot be cast again until it is re-memorized. Contrarywise, with this rule, there is always a chance that a spell may be cast and retained in the memory, cast and forgotten normally, or disrupted and forgotten.

One could also give the caster the option to cast in standard Vancian fashion (spells cast are always forgotten, but never disrupted unless interrupted) or risk the Zombie dice method on a case by case basis.

* Standard six-sided dice may be substituted as follows:
"Green" d6: 1-3 = brain, 4-5 = footprints, 6 = blast.
"Yellow" d6: 1-2 = brain, 3-4 = footprints, 5-6 = blast.
"Red" d6: 1 = brain, 2-3 = footprints, 4-6 = blast.

Dungeons & Dragons My Way

If I were to revise Basic/Expert D&D or Old School Essentials for my own purposes (and that's the "edition" I favor), these are the changes I would make:

• The players roll their own dice for attacks, skills, and damage.
• Alignment only exists for supernatural beings. These beings embody their alignment. Some supernatural beings are non-aligned. Listed alignments for monsters and NPCs reflect tendencies to side with the forces of that alignment, but are not mandatory.
• Experience points are awarded for experiences in the adventure, not treasure and body count. (I'd probably use a variant of the system in DCC RPG.)
• All classes advance at the same rate.
• The value of precious metals is akin to that of Europe's actual medieval period. All price lists must change. (Also: coin sizes and weights are based on historical coins.)
• Combat sequence: Each side rolls 1d6. The side that rolls highest acts first. Individuals on a side act in the order of their choosing.
• Ascending Armor Class.
• Classes use "To Hit" bonuses. No attack matrices. (See Swords & Wizardry.)
• Unified saving throws with possible modifiers based on class or other factors. (See Swords & Wizardry.)
• There is no total dark vision except via magic. Some creatures can see better in low light conditions, but none can see in total darkness.
• Revise weapons and armor lists to be historically accurate in nature and nomenclature.
• Weapons made for smaller folk (dwarves, halflings) are reduced 1 die step. Weapons made for giant folk are raised by 1 or more die steps (ogres, giants).
• Any class can use any weapon, although clerics might be restricted according to their religion. Player characters may choose to specialize in one weapon appropriate to their class for which they get a +1 bonus to attack and damage.
• Revise spell advancement.
• Revise thief skills.
• Class hit dice as follows: d6 for magic-users, thieves; d8 for clerics; d10 for fighters.
• No level limits.
• No minimum attribute requirements for classes.
• Any player character kindred can be any class, but each kindred has both advantages and disadvantages. Some classes will be more common to some kindreds than others, e.g., thieves (or scouts) are the commonest class amongst halflings, whereas fighters are the commonest amongst dwarves, and elves have a higher proportion of magic-users than any other kindred. (Yes, I use "kindred" from Tunnels & Trolls to denote different species that can be played.)

O.K., this sounds almost like a completely different game (and a heresy to some), but tailoring the game to suit a group's preferences has been how many (if not most) people have played D&D throughout much of its existence. I spent most of my AD&D years resenting its limitations, but if I am to run D&D again, this will be the way I run it — part D&D, part Swords & Wizardry, part DCC RPG, part Applied Phantasticality. That's the way I like it.

(Incidentally, I made many of these changes a few years ago when I started running Basic/Expert D&D again and it morphed into a modified Swords & Wizardry White Box, but I'm just trying to organize my thoughts for my own optimal D&D.)

RPGaDAY 2017: Day 07

7. What was your most impactful RPG session?

I am interpreting "impactful" to mean "humorously memorable" because that's how I roll.

As a referee, it was either the time a non-player character anti-paladin successfully converted a player character paladin to diabolism ("I can no longer draw Fedifensor from its scabbard?!? NOOOOO!!!") in AD&D 1e (Whoops! Sorry, Andrew!), or the time the player characters prevented Doc Holliday (whom I portrayed with an unintended Jack Nicholson impersonation) from dying in a gunfight before the actual Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Timeship. Also, when my younger brother's character entered the roughest saloon in Tombstone and ordered milk, which escalated into an all out barroom brawl.

There are many humorously memorable moments from my last Swords & Wizardry White Box campaign, but they are too numerous to mention.

[For more information on #RPGaDAY (or #RPGaDAY2017 specifically), read this.]

Options for Magic Scroll Manufacturing

This may be heresy, but I am thinking of adding the Holmes Basic scroll rules to my Swords & Wizardry White Box game, but with one change: Instead of requiring one week per spell level to inscribe a spell, I'd reduce it to one day per spell level. In a campaign in which adventures occur in rapid succession due to certain events, there is very little time for study between them. Taking a week between adventures just to inscribe one first level spell simply isn't worth the time and effort even if a week can be spared. A fourth level spell requires an entire month to inscribe, just so it can be used once. It would be more time and cost effective to manufacture a magic item that can accomplish the same effect.

As for the material cost, I'd rather leave it for the individual Referee to set based on his or her campaign needs and setting requirements. Holmes offers a good base cost of 100 gold pieces per spell level (or silver pieces in the case of my setting), but some Referees may prefer to send their player characters on quests for the exotic materials necessary for producing spell scrolls.

[Visit the Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day 2016 Contribution Index for a list of Swords & Wizardry contributions and resources! Special thanks to R.J. Thompson, this year's host!]

Time for Another Spellcasting House Rule

Eventually, I will decide exactly how I want to handle spells in my Swords & Wizardry White Box games. The number of spells that can be cast per day are so scanty at low levels that it's a wonder anyone ever wants to be a spellcaster, especially since magic-users in particular are ineffective at anything other than spellcasting. My last house rule has been unsatisfying (unmemorized spells can be cast, but the casting time is extended to a turn and the caster must make a saving throw or suffer a temporary loss of strength). The casting may or may not have consequences, and even if it does, the cost is negligible. For my next house rule on the subject, I think I'll let unmemorized spells be cast at a cost of 1 hit point per spell level. This is an idea inspired by Microlite20, although in those rules it's the default method for all spellcasting. In Microlite20, the hit point cost is 1 plus double the spell level, but hit points spent in this manner are recovered after eight hours of rest. In my house rule, the hit point cost is lower, but the hit points spent are actual damage and are recovered in the same manner as other wounds (1 hit point per day of rest). This makes it simpler, but it makes the consequences of casting unmemorized spells greater, thus preserving the importance of wisely choosing which spells to memorize. I'll probably also add the Holmes rule for creating spell scrolls. Will any of this work or will I be trying another house rule in the near future? We shall see...

[Edit: After writing "Old School Open Book Spellcasting", I have decided that the house rule above should also require the use of a spell book or scroll containing the spell to be cast.]

Calling It What It Is - It's Psychic

The Wild Talent Generator (q.v.) was so-named because I thought the term "Wild Talent" — borrowed from Timeship, the role-playing game by Herbie Brennan — was suitably generic for use in both science fiction and fantasy settings (unlike "psionics," which has a distinctly sci-fi origin). Alas, the term is now likelier to evoke images of superpowers thanks to games such as Godlike and, ahem, Wild Talents, so I decided to rename it for what it is, simply and practically: the Random Psychic Power Generator. Perhaps the new title will lead to more interest in it.

• Random Psychic Power Generator and Psychic Combat Simulator
  
• Random Psychic Power Generator Example
  
• Random Psychic Power Generator Example 2
  

Goblin Shrine Encounters for Swords & Wizardry White Box

My entry for the 2015 One Page Dungeon Contest was system neutral, so I created a separate page of encounters for those who want ready-made stats compatible with Swords & Wizardry White Box. I'll probably create additional encounter pages compatible with Labyrinth Lord, OSRIC, and other systems as time allows.

View, print, and/or download Encounters in the Goblin Shrine of the Spidergods for Swords & Wizardry White Box.

#1pdc #OnePageDungeonContest

Random Psychic Power Generator Example 2

Here is another example of the Random Psychic Power Generator in action. Once again, I rolled 3d6 in order and generated another lackluster character:

Strength: 6
Intelligence: 9
Wisdom: 12
Dexterity: 9
Constitution: 11
Charisma: 13

Unlike the first example, this character actually has an above average attribute (Charisma) and only one below average attribute (Strength). The highest class-related attribute is Wisdom, so I'll make her a cleric. Of Chaos. Meet Kyraptica, Priestess of Phlaagra.

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 3; d6: 5; d8: 5; d10: 6; d12: 1; d20: 1.

The d4: Psychic Fuel

With a roll of 3, Kyraptica's Psychic Fuel is her Constitution, which is average. She is fortunate she does not have to draw upon her Strength to fuel her Power.

The d6: Psychic Focus

With a roll of 5, her Psychic Focus is Intelligence and Charisma. Her Intelligence is average, but her Charisma has a bonus of +1, which is added to her roll whenever she uses her Psychic Power.

The d8: Psychic Rejuvenation

With a roll of 5, Kyraptica restores her lost Constitution by merely clapping, for which she regains 1d4 points. She may do this once per day. (She can clap all day if she likes, but she will still only regain 1d4 points.)

The d10: Psychic Enhancer

With a roll of 6, her Psychic Enhancer is a gong. Kyraptica's cult makes use of the gong in ceremonies, so it's a multipurpose musical instrument. The reverberations caused by striking a gong intensify her concentration and give her a +1 bonus to Psychic Power rolls.

The d12: Psychic Failure Consequence

With a roll of 1, any failed Psychic Power roll results in psychic paralysis for 3d6 rounds, during which time she is effectively non-psychic. This may seem like a minor setback, but in the presence of another psychic it is tantamount to revealing that you are dangerous and then dropping your weapons, shield, and armor.

The d20: Psychic Power

With a roll of 17, Kyraptika's Psychic Power is Pyrokinesis, which suits her fiery temperament. This is the paranormal ability to produce and control fire with the mind. Control can be maintained as long as complete concentration is possible. Anything that interferes with concentration requires another Psychic Power roll to be made.

Summary

Kyraptica, Priestess of Phlaagra, has the gift of Pyrokinesis, which marks her as chosen by her deity to spread the message (and Chaos, which is pretty much the same thing). Her use of this gift drains her health, but she can revitalize herself by merely clapping her hands. Her control of the gift is guided by the strength of her personality and by the sounding of a sacred gong, which she carries with her. Should she stumble in the use of her Power, however, she loses that Power and all of its defenses until she can summon her resolve.

[Edit: I changed the term "Wild Talent" to "Psychic Power." 2015-05-13]

Random Psychic Power Generator Example

To demonstrate how the Random Psychic Power Generator may be used, I rolled up a character and applied the results. I rolled 3d6 in order, and the Fates were not kind:

Strength: 7
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 8
Dexterity: 12
Constitution: 9
Charisma: 8

This poor soul qualifies as a Hopeless Character with four below average attributes and two average attributes, but such is life. The highest attribute is Dexterity, so I'll make him a thief named Shufflo. It's really a nickname because he shuffles everywhere, except when he's on a job — then he is light on his feet. No one but a fellow member of his Thieves' Guild would ever suspect him of being a burglar.

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 1; d6: 2; d8: 3 d10: 1; d12: 12; d20: 8.

The d4: Psychic Fuel

With a roll of 1, Shufflo's Psychic Fuel is his Strength. Each time he uses his Psychic Power, his Strength is reduced by 1 point (as if it wasn't low enough already).

The d6: Psychic Focus

With a roll of 2, his Psychic Focus is Wisdom. Unfortunately, he has little of that at hand, so his roll when using his Psychic Power will carry his Wisdom penalty of -1.

The d8: Psychic Rejuvenation

With a roll of 3, Shufflo is a bit luckier. The method by which his Psychic Fuel (Strength) is restored is simple immersion in water, which restores 1d4 points. This happens each time he immerses himself completely in water. To qualify for the rejuvenation of Strength points, he must be completely dry between immersions. He'd better not be a hydrophobe.

The d10: Psychic Enhancer

With a roll of 1, his Psychic Enhancer is crystal. Shufflo's grandmother once gave him a small crystal, telling him to rub it when he was worried about something, and it would put his mind at ease. Coincidentally, Shufflo's Psychic Power becomes easier to control when he is in the presence of crystalline structures, so every time he rubs that crystal as he uses his power, he gets a +1 to his Psychic Power roll, which negates his Wisdom penalty.

The d12: Psychic Failure Consequence

With a roll of 12, the consequences of failure to control his power result in physical injury. That's 1d6 hit points of damage each time he fails his Psychic Power roll. If he were wise (which, obviously, he isn't), he would wait to experiment with his power until he were more experienced or had an edge. Just what is that power anyway?

The d20: Psychic Power

With a roll of 8, his Psychic Power is Etherealness, the ability to become noncorporeal in the physical world, and even to travel to the Ethereal Plane of Existence. In this regard the Fates have been kind indeed, for here is a thief with the power to walk through solid walls. It may come with a risk, but here is a means for a burglar with no special talent to do the impossible.

Summary

Shufflo the Thief, a nondescript nobody who survives by stealing, has a secret talent, a Psychic Power, that enables him to walk through walls, perhaps even to pass into a higher plane of existence. He is a phantom, but his power weakens him, and he is not a strong man. Luckily, a simple plunge into ordinary water miraculously revitalizes him. He is not especially wise, but the crystal his grandmother gave him seems to help him control the power, so he is never without it. The power comes with a great risk, however, for should his control of it falter, his body may suffer grievous wounds.

[Edit: I changed the term "Wild Talent" to "Psychic Power." 2015-05-13]

Random Psychic Power Generator and Psychic Combat Simulator

[This article is my contribution to Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day 2015.]

These rules are my version of psionics intended for use with Swords & Wizardry White Box, but they are compatible with any version of Swords & Wizardry (or any version of the Original Fantasy Role-Playing Game). They could also be used for any role-playing genre using Swords & Wizardry (or similar games) as a framework.

Psionics can easily unbalance a game, so I decided to design my rules in such a way that emphasizes the unpredictability and relative unreliability of psychic abilities. In some fiction (and even in some alleged nonfictional accounts), psychic powers are described as Wild Talents. Why and how they manifest is not fully understood, and they can typically only be tapped with sporadic success. Despite attempts to study these phenomena from a scientific (i.e. parapsychological) perspective, they have consistently defied, well, consistency. Apart from debunking hoaxes, the realm of the paranormal yet lies beyond our ability to scrutinize it objectively. In that spirit, I present a random generator for your psychic role-playing needs. I thought the Roll All Dice method was appropriate to the subject, but some explanations are in order.

To generate a random Psychic Power for any player character or non-player character, merely roll 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12, and 1d20. What qualifies a player character to roll for a Psychic Power depends on the discretion of the referee, but if more than one Power is desired for a given character, it is recommended that only the d20 be rolled again for further Powers. All Powers for a given character should share the same Psychic Fuel, Psychic Focus, Psychic Rejuvenation, Psychic Enhancer, and Psychic Failure Consequence.

To use a Psychic Power, a character must make a saving throw, with a bonus or penalty applied according to his or her Psychic Focus and (if applicable) Psychic Enhancer.

Psychic Fuel is the attribute that is drained each time the character uses a Psychic Power even if the attempt fails. If the attribute falls into a bracket that would deprive the character of a bonus or impose a penalty, such is the result until the attribute is restored.

Psychic Focus is the bonus or penalty to a character's Psychic Power saving throw based on the bonuses or penalties a character gets for certain attributes.

Psychic Rejuvenation is the specific method by which a character may have his or her Psychic Fuel attribute restored (apart from the usual methods such as healing in the case of hit points or certain spells in the case of actual attributes).

Psychic Enhancer is the specific object or element that the character may use, if present, to increase his or her chances of succeeding in using a Psychic Power. This is a bonus that is added, along with the Psychic Focus bonus, to the saving throw.

Psychic Failure Consequence is what happens to the character whenever he or she fails a Psychic Power saving throw in addition to being unable to manifest the Power effectively.

Psychic Power, of course, is the psychic ability itself. They are largely self-explanatory, and referees may modify them as desired. Powers, once activated, occur immediately and remain in effect until concentration is broken. Certain effects, such as damage caused or cured, last normally. Powers that affect an unwilling target may entitle the target to its own saving throw to resist its effects. Deliberate distractions, injury, or extended periods of concentration may require additional Psychic Power saving throws to maintain concentration, each of which reduces the character's Psychic Fuel attribute.


Random Psychic Power Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Psychic Fuel
That upon which the Psychic Power draws
(Each use drains 1 point from indicated attribute.)

Roll 1d4

1. Strength
2. Dexterity
3. Constitution
4. Hit Points


Psychic Focus
That which harnesses the Psychic Power
(Apply bonus/penalty from indicated attribute/s.)

Roll 1d6

1. Intelligence
2. Wisdom
3. Charisma
4. Intelligence and Wisdom
5. Intelligence and Charisma
6. Wisdom and Charisma


Psychic Rejuvenation
That which restores the Psychic Fuel
(Attributes reduced by use of Psychic Power may be restored by indicated method.)

Roll 1d8

1. Meditation (1 point per hour)
2. Chanting (2 points per hour)
3. Complete immersion in water (1d4 points)
4. Complete immersion in mud (1d6 points)
5. Clapping (1d4 points, once per day)
6. Assumption of sacred postures (1d6 points, once per day)
7. Sleep (1d8 points per night)
8. Suspended animation (all points restored; minimum one week)


Psychic Enhancer
That which heightens control over the Psychic Power
(Apply +1 bonus when indicated Enhancer is present.)

Roll 1d10

1. Crystal
2. Fire
3. Water
4. Wind
5. Mirror
6. Gong
7. Bell
8. Chime
9. Amulet
10. Body Art


Psychic Failure Consequence
That which befalls one who fails to control the Psychic Power

Roll 1d12

1. Psychic paralysis (inability to exercise Psychic Power) for 3d6 rounds.
2. Nosebleed for 3d6 rounds.
3. Double vision for 3d6 rounds (-2 penalty to appropriate actions).
4. Mute for 3d6 rounds.
5. Unconsciousness for 3d6 rounds.
6. Dizziness for 1d4 rounds (will fall or move in random direction).
7. Stunned for 1d6 rounds.
8. Blindness for 1d8 rounds (-4 penalty to appropriate actions).
9. Deafness for 1d10 rounds.
10. Overpowering headache for 1d12 rounds (concentration impossible).
11. Nausea for 1d20 rounds (concentration impossible; vomiting probable).
12. Physical injury (1d6 hit points of damage).


Psychic Power
The nature of the Psychic Power
(All Psychic Powers manifest instantaneously and last as long as concentration is maintained.)

Roll 1d20

1. Astral Projection (as the spell Astral Spell).
2. Cellular Adjustment (as the spells Cure Light Wounds and/or Cure Disease).
3. Clairaudience (enables one to hear sounds in distant or obstructed locations).
4. Clairvoyance (enables one to see things in distant or obstructed locations).
5. Cryokinesis (enables one to mentally control coldness).
6. Density Control (enables one to float like a feather, walk on water, etc.).
7. Empathy (enables one to sense and project emotions).
8. Etherealness (enables one to assume ethereal form).
9. Hypnotic Suggestion (as the spell Suggestion).
10. Levitation (as the spells Levitate and/or Fly).
11. Mind Control (as the spells Charm Person and/or Charm Monster).
12. Mind Reading (as the spell Detect Thoughts (ESP)).
13. Mind Shield (protects one from magical scrying and psychic detection).
14. Precognition (enables one to see flashes of future events).
15. Psychic Invisibility (as the spell Invisibility).
16. Psychometry (enables one to read psychic impressions on objects and places).
17. Pyrokinesis (enables one to mentally control fire and heat).
18. Telekinesis (as the spell Telekinesis).
19. Telepathy (enables one to communicate with thought).
20. Teleportation (as the spells Dimensional Portal and/or Teleport).


Psychic Combat Simulator


Beings with Psychic Powers may engage in combat with one another or with non-psychic beings by using their Psychic Attack Bonus, which is equal to their level or, in the case of monsters, their hit dice. (Thus a 5th level magic-user — or fighter, or cleric — who happens to have a Psychic Power would have a Psychic Attack Bonus of +5.) This operates exactly like a Base Hit Bonus. To make a psychic attack, a character must roll 1d20, add the Psychic Attack Bonus, and equal or exceed the defender's Psychic Defense Rating (in the manner of Ascending Armor Class), which is equal to the defender's Wisdom. Psychic beings add their Psychic Focus and Psychic Enhancer (if applicable) to their psychic attack rolls and their Psychic Defense Rating. For monsters that lack a Wisdom attribute, the referee may roll randomly as follows: 1d6 for lower animals, 2d6 for higher animals, 3d6 for sentient species, 4d6 for superhuman/supernatural beings.

In a psychic duel, both combatants attack and defend simultaneously each round. The effects of successful hits by both are counted and inflict damage even if one of the characters is killed or defeated during the round. In a conflict between a psychic being and a non-psychic being, the latter may only defend against psychic attacks, but may engage in other actions such as physical combat, spellcasting, etc.

Psychic attacks, just like uses of a Psychic Power, reduce the attacker's Psychic Fuel attribute by 1 point.

If a psychic attack is successful, the attacker causes 1d6 points of damage to the defender's Psychic Fuel attribute, or, in the case of non-psychic beings, the defender's Wisdom. If the Psychic Fuel attribute is reduced to 0, the defender dies. If the non-psychic defender's Wisdom is reduced to 1 or 2, he or she effectively becomes a robot under the attacker's command. If the defender's Wisdom is reduced to 0, the defender dies.

Summary of Psychic Combat

• Psychic Attack Bonus = character level or monster hit dice of psychic being.
  
• Psychic Defense Rating = Wisdom.
  
• To make a psychic attack against a psychic defender, roll 1d20 + Psychic Attack Bonus + Psychic Focus + Psychic Enhancer equal to or greater than defender's Psychic Defense Rating + Psychic Focus + Psychic Enhancer. A successful hit reduces defender's Psychic Fuel attribute by 1d6.
  
• To make a psychic attack against a non-psychic defender, roll 1d20 + Psychic Attack Bonus + Psychic Focus + Psychic Enhancer equal to or greater than defender's Psychic Defense Rating. A successful hit reduces defender's Wisdom by 1d6.
  
• Psychic attacks reduce the attacker's Psychic Fuel attribute by 1 point.
  
• Psychic Fuel attribute: 0 = death.
  
• Wisdom: 1 or 2 = robot.
  
• Wisdom: 0 = death.
  

[Psychic Power Generator: example #1 and example #2]

[Edit: I changed the term "Wild Talent" to "Psychic Power." 2015-05-13]

White Box and a Question of Dice

If I have one reservation about Swords & Wizardry White Box (and, by extension bare bones OD&D), it's the fact that there are fewer opportunities to use dice other than the d6 or the d20. This is a minor misgiving given that some of my favorite role-playing games use no other dice than six-siders (or in some cases percentile dice), but I have a number of players who are new to our beloved hobby, and they have an understandable urge to collect the polyhedral dice that are so intertwined with the popular concept of Dungeons & Dragons. I imagine they would like an excuse to use them for something other than stacking, but maybe I'm wrong.

So, why don't I move on from White Box and use the varied hit dice by class and varied damage dice that all other versions use? If only it were that simple. Reverting to d6 for damage and hit dice, you see, stabilizes a game that otherwise deteriorates into one of power inflation. At the moment, I am enjoying a game in which the players are motivated by what their characters want, and they are not obsessed with optimization or min-maxing like the average power gamer. They choose weapons according to what they imagine their characters would prefer, and the system doesn't penalize them for it. Varied hit dice by class has never made sense to me in a game in which monsters do not enjoy the same variety. Why should all monsters, regardless of size or ferocity, be limited to d8 hit dice? Should not monsters of a frailer, more cerebral nature be limited to d4 or d6 hit dice? Thankfully, White Box puts monsters and player characters on the same d6 playing field. Honestly, the game should go entirely one way or the other. I can imagine a workable system in which wee folk roll d4 hit dice, giants roll d12, and everything in between rolls d6, d8, or d10. In such a system, varied damage dice are completely justified. Perhaps one could even justify linking the hit die type to the damage die type for both character classes and monsters. Maybe this is a valid divergence for a possible variant of White Box (hm...), but shy of this, is there another way to bring the fun of rolling polyhedral dice back to White Box without destroying its delicate balance?

Random tables are always an option for referees, but this still leaves the question open for players (and I certainly don't want an overlay of new rules that require players to roll on lots of random tables). I am open to suggestions, but perhaps in the meantime I'll write up the variant rules and try it with a one-shot adventure.

Back to the Alternate Past

Currently, the version of the Original Fantasy Role-Playing Game I am refereeing is Swords & Wizardry White Box, which may be obtained in PDF format (free of charge) from Mythmere Games or in hardcover or softcover from Lulu.com. So far, this is the version that most closely emulates and facilitates my preferred style of Dungeon Mastering from the beginning to the present (with the inevitable help of some house rules, of course), despite the fact that I have neither owned nor played (yet!) the White Box edition of OD&D that it models.

Spellcasting in my campaign, however, has been unsatisfying, as the magic system in every incarnation of D&D has failed to live up to my lofty expectations. Until, that is, I purchased Wonder & Wickedness by Brendan S (available in both softcover and PDF). Here is the magic system that offers the ultimate combination of elegance, exoticism, and awe inspiration in the tradition of Vancian fantasy. I may not have been lucky enough to start my current campaign using this system, but it's perhaps not yet too late for some world-shattering event to herald the dawn or rediscovery of another method of wielding mystical forces...

Year's Beginning

Welcome to the year 2015, wherein I seek to fulfill my promise to update Applied Phantasticality with greater regularity. I previously alluded to several projects I would attempt to finish this year. Now I shall unveil the nature of those projects.

Project #1: My Swords & Wizardry White Box variant (the title of which will be revealed when it is ready to be released into the wild). This is simply a codification of the rules I currently prefer to use when I run anything related to Dungeons & Dragons. Whereas I used to run a hybrid of Basic/Expert D&D and 1st edition AD&D, I now prefer a system that is closer to how I have always actually run D&D, which is a lot closer to OD&D. The difference now is that I have embraced the unified saving throw and ascending armor class of Swords & Wizardry. I can't leave well enough alone, of course, which is why I need to present my version of the Original Game with all of my house rules properly integrated. This will make things easier for players and referees alike.

Project #2: Cargoes & Castaways. This is my role-playing game of 19th Century fantastic survival adventure inspired by Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Ray Harryhausen. I originally designed it as my entry for the Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day contest, but Blogger had trouble presenting something so large even after I broke it into chapters, so I deleted the posts with the intention of releasing it at a later date as a PDF. I still intend to do this, but the rules need to be revised, playtested, and revised again. Once I do that, I'll release it. If I can find appropriate illustrations, I might even make it available on Lulu as a print-on-demand book.

Project #3: My Empire of the Petal Throne-to-Swords & Wizardry White Box conversion. I hope to do this quickly so I can run it this year as part of the Tékumél anniversary. I'll probably release the rules before they have been playtested in order to get as wide a range of responses as possible. Meanwhile, I'm hoping to get a chance to play some games set in Tékumél at BASHCon or Origins this year. I don't even care which system is used. [Edit: Incidentally, literally none of this came to pass, and now I am relieved it didn't. (23 March 2022)]

Project #4: One Page Dungeon Contest? Maybe...

Those are my Big Four OSR projects for 2015. I have other gaming projects in the works, but they are mostly outside the scope of this Web log.

We Are Sorry to Interrupt This Spell

I have come to the conclusion that spell interruption makes no sense in the context of Vancian spellcasting. In the Dying Earth stories by Jack Vance, it may take hours to memorize a few spells, but once a spell is in the magician's mind, coiled like a spring, all he or she needs to do is utter a few syllables to unleash it. I imagine the effect being as immediate as the killing words in Dune. Ritual spellcasting, on the other hand, is another matter. Spells cast ritually are not memorized (at least, not in the same manner), but the casting time is greatly extended, affording ample opportunity for interruption. Coupled with an additional cost (such as possible hit point loss or temporary attribute reduction), ritual spellcasting becomes a viable method of extending the spellcaster's usefulness without resorting to power inflation (in theory, I should add, as I am currently playtesting it with Swords & Wizardry White Box). Dispensing with the idea of spell interruption for memorized spells helps me in two other ways. First, since I am no longer using the complicated combat round sequence of post-OD&D, I no longer have to worry about requiring spellcasters to commit to a spell before initiative is rolled—they are as free to cast or not cast as anyone else who is free to use or not use a weapon. Why does this matter to me? It matters because the game flows better, and when the game flows better, my players and I enjoy it more. Second, it preserves the value of memorized spells in contrast to ritually cast spells. And since I'm using Brendan's Simplified Spell Progression (i.e., reduced spell capacity), it's all the more important that the memorized spells become the reliable ones.

(I probably ought to note here that I am not observing the variable casting times of certain editions of Dungeons & Dragons. In my campaigns, memorized spells are cast instantaneously, whereas ritually cast spells have a uniform casting time of one turn [ten minutes].)

Here, then, are my latest revised rules for ritual spellcasting...

Ritual Spellcasting Variant 3

The standard rules of normal spellcasting apply (verbal and/or somatic components only; casting time of 1 round; memorization of all spells in 1 hour after 8 hours of sleep), but spellcasters may also cast any currently unmemorized (or unprayed for) spell that they are qualified to cast (i.e., are of a high enough level to cast) with the following restrictions:

1. Casting time is increased to 1 turn, after which the spellcaster makes a saving throw vs. magic. If failed, the caster loses 1 point of strength per level of the spell. Strength lost in this manner is fully recovered after 8 hours of sleep.
2. The casting must be uninterrupted. If it is interrupted, the spell is disrupted, but the caster must still make a saving throw or lose strength as described above.
3. Material components must be used. Magic-users may use either a magic circle with candles or incense, or an alchemical catalyst to be imbibed, poured, or otherwise destroyed. Clerics may use items appropriate to their religion and culture such as censors, holy water sprinklers, bells, chimes, gongs, prayer wheels, candles, bonfires, etc.
4. For magic-users, the book containing the spell must be available to consult during the casting. For clerics, a holy symbol, holy book, or sacred object must be present.

Observations on My First Swords & Wizardry Session

A few days ago, I ran the second session of a new campaign, which takes place in an original setting I call "The Sundered Land" "Some Dread Land." I used Basic/Expert D&D rules with a mixture of Lamentations of the Flame Princess for our first session, but for the second session I switched to Swords & Wizardry White Box. Thankfully, my players didn't protest, and except for a few hiccups, it went smoothly. I really like the unified saving throw. It reduces unnecessary complexity, and enables a game designer to customize it as simply as adding a saving throw modifier. I like ascending armor class much more than I ever thought I would when something like it was introduced in 3e, and at least one of my players was overjoyed when I announced the change. (I should mention here that I have five players in this campaign. Two had never played a role-playing game before, two had never played an Old School game before, and one thinks she might have played 1e or 2e a long time ago, but isn't sure.) Anything that simplifies the process is good for both me and the players, as I think none of us like to get bogged down in details that distract us from the adventure at hand.

For a 1st edition AD&D and Basic/Expert D&D gamer, it was a revelation how better suited to my gaming style the Original Game and S&W White Box are. I like the absence of weapon proficiencies. That is a level of detail I never needed in my fantasy adventure game. There are no alignment languages, which is nice and sane. I like the unified weapon damage, as it requires no consultation of the rules and encourages weapon choice based on how players envision their characters. I like the unified hit dice system, as it reduces power inflation amongst player characters and monsters. I like the reduced attribute bonus range for the same reason. Most of all, I like the overall simplicity of the game and the vast blank space where I can create whatever I desire without bumping against another rule. That is what makes the Original Game so powerful. Swords & Wizardry White Box just executes it more elegantly. This is my edition of choice.

Mysterious Disappearances

For Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day, I attempted to post the rough draft of a new role-playing game inspired by Jules Verne's Mysterious Island (and other sources), but Blogger's limitations forced me to break it up into six separate articles. Blogger also demonstrated an eccentric interpretation of HTML, which caused me to get only two hours of sleep as I spent the night rectifying it. In the aftermath, Cargo & Castaways seems to have generated no interest that I can detect, so I have deleted the articles. For the moment, the game is in suspended animation. When I have finished it, I'll release it as a PDF. I realize I got a bit carried away with the event and should have limited myself to a short article instead of embarking on a large project on short notice. I'll know better next time.

Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day Sales

Participants in the Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day festivities have been asked to post information about some special Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day sales, so here it goes...

From Frog God Games:

Frog God Games has discounted their entire line of Swords & Wizardry products for 1 day only in celebration of Swords & Wizardry appreciation day (April 17th 2013). The discount is good for 25% off S&W Products but you must use coupon* code SWApprDay on April 17th 2013 at check out.

*The coupon excludes items less than $1, S&W Cards, Pre-Orders, and Subscriptions.

Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day Sale

From the Swords & Wizardry SRD site:

Here is the coupon code for the Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day sale [17 April 2013]!

SWAD252013

It applies to everything listed here: http://shop.d20pfsrd.com/collections/swords-wizardry-appreciation-day

Happy S&W Appreciation Day!

Postcard from the Ethereal Plane

Can't tarry. Working feverishly between Real World commitments to finish special project for the Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day extravaganza. Making excellent progress and may even include illustrations if time permits.

P.S. My project will be utilizing the Swords & Wizardry White Box rules. Can't wait to playtest it!

Combat Sequence Revised

For my own Basic/Expert D&D, Labyrinth Lord, and Swords & Wizardry games, I've decided to use a combat sequence that borrows elements from Holmes Basic. I shall retain the standard rule of each side rolling 1d6 for initiative each round, with the winning side performing each part of the sequence in order followed by the losing side doing the same, but the sequence itself will resemble that found in Holmes Basic. It makes more sense to me and seems more exciting.

Combat Sequence

Pre-A. Any spellcaster intending to use magic must inform the referee before initiative is rolled.

A. Each side rolls 1d6 for initiative.

B. The side that wins initiative acts first. Sides that tie act simultaneously.

1. Morale check if necessary.
   
2. Magic spells (victims make saving throws as required).
   
3. Missile fire:
   
   1. select targets
      
   2. roll "to hit"
      
   3. roll damage
      
4. Mêlée combat
   
   1. select opponents
      
   2. roll "to hit"
      
   3. roll damage
      
5. Movement (combatants in mêlée may only move defensively; spellcasters may not move and cast spells in the same round).
   

C. The side with the next highest initiative acts in the same order as above, and so on until all sides have acted.

D. The referee handles any surrenders, retreats, etc. as they occur.

(Basic/Expert D&D specifies "DM rolls damage," but I have always allowed and preferred players to roll any damage their characters cause.)