Fight or Fright

I just read "Morale, Fear, and Madness" in Archade's Tower, and I think it has some ideas worth testing at the table. I tend to avoid (or neglect using) rules that impose or restrict player character behavior, as I believe situations and the manner in which they are presented ought to be enough to motivate a player's actions, but this article reflects a similar desire to preserve player agency—albeit in a mechanical fashion—and I think it might be a useful alternative. I'll be rereading the relevant section in the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG rule book and pondering the topic.

Completely Unfathomable Completely Available

Behold!

The magnificent monstrosity that is Completely Unfathomable, consisting of Jason Sholtis' Operation Unfathomable and Odious Uplands, adapted and expanded for use with DCC RPG by Paul Wolfe, is now available in print and PDF right now, right here.

Complete!

Regarding the Recent RPG Industry Kerfuffle

Game rules themselves cannot be copyrighted. You never needed permission to publish something that is compatible with something else. Your game is yours to use as you see fit. Morality clauses are tools of oppression and weapons against self-expression justified by "good intentions." Adhering to "official rules" does not make your gameplay more or less valid in the hobby of role-playing games. Only the joy you get from engaging with the hobby validates it. You do not need a stamp of approval from anyone to create what you want to create or play the way you want to play. Your hobby is yours.

Crawling Toward New Spellcasting Options

For those who are interested in alternative interpretations of magic in Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, Reverend Dak of Crawl! has posted Practicable Magic: Reliable Spell Casting for DCC RPG. I think it's worth a try.

Heightening the Heightened: Abilities and Passive Mutations

Overall, I like the streamlined nature of the rules of Mutant Crawl Classics RPG, but sometimes the streamlining erases important details. One such detail is the nature of certain passive mutations. Mutations by their nature are things that stray from the norm. They are abnormal. So, why do some passive mutations have the possibility of yielding results that are indistinguable from the normal non-mutated range? Here, I am referring especially to mutations that have a chance of altering a character's ability scores, such as Heightened Intelligence. Unless the player rolls 20 or higher, the ability score improves by merely +1, +2, or +3. In many cases, the character might not even gain any tangible benefit. If the ability score were 9, for example, a +3 improvement wouldn't even boost it beyond the average range.

I have an alternative.

When rolling passive mutations such as Heightened Agility, Heightened Stamina, Heightened Strength, Heightened Intelligence, Dual Brain, etc., ability increases refer to the ability modifier rather than the ability score. The ability score is then increased to the threshold of that ability modifier.

For example, a mutant, manimal, or plantient with Intelligence 6 (−1) who acquires the Heightened Intelligence result, "The mutant's Intelligence score is increased by +1," now has Intelligence 9 (+0) because 9 is the minimum ability score at which the modifier becomes +0.

Granted, having one's low Intelligence raised to the dizzying heights of average seems at odds with the term Heightened Intelligence, but at least this method offers a guaranteed tangible benefit with each increase.

The Scope of the Megadungeon

Sean McCoy of Mothership fame has proposed a daily exercise called #Dungeon23. As he originally tweeted (in part) on 5 December 2022, "Megadungeon for 2023. 12 levels. 365 rooms. One room a day. Keep it all in a journal." One of his tips is, "Don’t overthink it. Don’t make a grand plan, just sit down each day and focus on writing a good dungeon room." That's my first stumbling block: Don't overthink it. I don't think I'm capable of not overthinking it. I need to know who made it, what function it serves (and perhaps what function it was originally intended to serve), where it is located, when it was built, how it was built, how adventurers will learn of its existence, and what is supposed to be there that will motivate adventurers to explore it. All of this information is essential to my design, but the advice is "Don't overthink it. Don't make a grand plan..." Without a grand plan, however, it will likely end up being a nonsensical funhouse dungeon, which is fine if that's your objective, but if that's the extent of your ambition, why bother to chart it in advance? Why not stock the dungeon as play progresses rather than wasting time on scores of rooms the player characters may never visit? You could devise the floorplan the same way, just barely ahead of their light source. You could even do it randomly via the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide (Appendix A: Random Dungeon Generation, pp. 169-173).

Of course someone like me will create a grand plan. That's where I find my motivation to create an environment for adventure. For exploration to be worthwhile, there must be reasons for things. There must be patterns that can be discerned by those who are observant. There must be facts that can be deduced by those with intelligence. Everything flows from purpose. Without a grand plan to guide my design, I might as well generate the entire dungeon with a click of the mouse.

This is not to discourage anyone who enjoys funhouse dungeons from creating their own fungeon one room at a time. This just speaks of my own inability to participate. Even if I can accept the funhouse aspect of it, I still need to rationalize why it exists the way it does, which leads me to the classic answer: mad archmages. Nearly anything that defies logic can be attributed to the whims of insane spellcasters. This might be a good excuse to revisit my old satirical setting, The World of Greyauk. Perhaps it is time to think about finally designing that megadungeon beneath Castle Greyauk...

Passive Mutations During Level Progression Alternative Rule

In Mutant Crawl Classics RPG, there is a rule on page 42 stating that a mutant character may choose to re-roll a passive mutation upon gaining a level and may burn Luck or use glowburn in the process. In practice, this gives a slim chance of improvement made somewhat greater only at the expense of Luck, which does not regenerate for mutants or manimals, or physical abilities (Strength, Agility, or Stamina), which regenerate slowly and probably not in time to prevent a character from suffering severe disadvantages during an adventure. In addition, there is a significant chance that a character's passive mutation will worsen.

The question I ask myself when I think about a rule is: Is this fun? ("Is this fair?" is another question I ask and is often linked to the first.) Is it fun to survive long enough to achieve the next level just to see one's passive mutation devolve or see it improve at the expense of one's general ability to survive? It seems contradictory. I can understand the risk involved in radiation exposure, which might be to the mutant's benefit or detriment, but that risk is part of the adventure itself, not a rule pertaining to levelling up. It wouldn't be as much of an issue if mutants and manimals could at least regenerate Luck even if it were only 1 point per day. For me, this rule is neither fun nor fair.

So, here's my house rule...

Each time a mutated character gains a level, the player may opt to re-roll a passive mutation. If the roll exceeds the current result, the character's passive mutation improves by one step. If the roll is a 1, the passive mutation regresses by one step. Otherwise, the passive mutation remains unchanged. Neither Luck nor glowburn may be used to alter results.

Idle Musing on Imagination

Some months ago, a friend bemoaned the fact that she had no visual imagination, which is to say, she found it impossible to visualize anything she read, which is why she avoided imaginative fiction such as fantasy and science fiction. In contrast, I find it so easy to visualize what I read that I typically feel as if I have been transported to another world and lose all awareness of my real world surroundings. When I am immersed in a book or an article, I can't even hear someone speaking to me until they tap me on the shoulder or cover what I'm reading with their hand. As it happens, these extreme experiences have names. Apparently, my friend has aphantasia, whereas I have hyperphantasia. It doesn't alter anything, but I find it interesting that a name exists for something I have always — in my case — taken for granted.

Table: Small Talk

Here is a meaningless little table for randomly generating topics of small talk, chit-chat, and casual conversation when the need arises, whether the adventurers are eavesdropping, actively participating, or overhear it in passing. How these topics may or may not lead to (or evolve into) adventure seeds is left to the reader's discretion. (I probably ought to have saved this for April of next year, but perhaps I can post a suitable variation when the time comes.)

Small Talk

Roll 1d20

The topic is...

1. Aches and pains.
2. Animals.
3. Astrology.
4. Conspiracies.
5. Crime.
6. Foreign lands.
7. Home remedies.
8. Illness or injury.
9. Legendary flora or fauna.
10. Love.
11. Luxury goods.
12. Relatives.
13. Religion.
14. Scandals.
15. The supernatural.
16. Tall tales.
17. Taxes.
18. War.
19. The weather.
20. Work.

#RPGaDay 2022

Behold my #RPGaDay of 2022 in all its glory, having originally appeared on Twitter in the month of August.

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#RPGaDay2022 1. "To whom would you like to introduce RPGs?": I would like to introduce anyone who is interested, willing, and considerate. Those are my only three criteria.

(I thought my answer would be longer, but that sums it up. I can provide elaboration or clarification on request.)

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#RPGaDay2022 2. "What is a great introductory RPG?": I don't believe in "introductory RPGs." I believe in great RPGs that are as enjoyable for beginners as they are for experienced players.

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#RPGaDay2022 3. "When were you first introduced to RPGs?": My first exposure to a role-playing product was the Monster Manual (for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons) c. 1977, but the first time I played an RPG was probably early 1981 when I was 11 years old.

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#RPGaDay2022 4. "Where would you host a first game?": In my home or in a park. If the latter, a picnic would be mandatory, and a cookout would be ideal.

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#RPGaDay2022 5. "Why will they like this game?": Too vague. I can state why I like an RPG, and the main reason is that it facilitates role-playing from the point of view of a character. If an RPG hinders this activity, I will not like it as an RPG.

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#RPGaDay2022 6. "How would you get more people playing RPGs?": If I were a genie or other being with godlike powers? By magically enabling everyone to coordinate their schedules on a regular basis.

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#RPGaDay2020 7. "Describe a cool part of a system that you love.": The standard trait ladder of Fudge, using adjectives instead of numbers, enables anyone to use the system without resorting to out-of-character game terminology. It's easy, intuitive, and universal.

The trait ladder is: Superb > Great > Good > Fair > Mediocre > Poor > Terrible.

Creative Reckoning: What Is Fudge?

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#RPGaDay2022 8. "Who introduced you to RPGs?": My friend David H., whom I have known since I was in 3rd grade. For more information, see my answer for Day 1 of RPGaDay 2019.

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#RPGaDay2022 9. "What is the second RPG you bought?": Probably Gamma World 2nd edition at Hobby Center or a tie between Stormbringer and Call of Cthulhu at Gen Con (when it was held at the University of Wisconsin—Parkside in the early 1980s).

To be pedantic, though, AD&D 1st edition would be the second RPG I bought if it's considered a separate RPG from Basic/Expert D&D.

So, the true chronology is
1st: Basic/Expert D&D
2nd: AD&D 1st edition
3rd: Gamma World or Call of Cthulhu and Stormbringer

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#RPGaDay2022 10. "When did you start Gamemastering?": 1981 or 1982.

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#RPGaDay2022 11. "If you could live in a game setting, where would it be?": My first instinct is to say the setting of Ghostbusters, because I'd really like to be a Ghostbuster as my day job (or night job).

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#RPGaDay2022 12. "Why did you start RPGing?": Because it fulfills a gaming desire that is not met by any other form of gaming.

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#RPGaDay2022 13. "How would you change the way you started RPGing?": A thread.

By 1) sticking with the B/X D&D rules and using the AD&D books for inspiration when playing D&D,

2) reading even more of the AD&D 1e Appendix N books and B/X D&D Inspirational Source Material (p. B62),

3) resisting the temptation of Monty Haulism,

and 4) trusting myself and my friends to try the games we weren't sure we were ready for. I had some difficulty wrapping my head around how to run Gamma World and a few other RPGs, worried that I might do it wrong, and I ought to have just plunged in. Why worry? It's a GAME.

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#RPGaDay2022 14. "Roll 1d8+1, and tag that many friends and suggest a new RPG to try.": Or I'll just suggest a new RPG to try for everyone who reads this. Try Zorro: The Roleplaying Game!

Zorro: The Roleplaying Game (Gallant Knight Games)

I wrote something about it here: How to Create a Swashbuckler in Zorro.

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#RPGaDay2022 15. "Who would you like to Gamemaster for you?": Park Eun-bin. She's my first choice.

Other choices include Rowan Atkinson, Richard Ayoade, Jack Black, Brent Butt, Lorne Cardinal, Felicia Day, Phyllis Diller, Brother Theodore (a.k.a. Theodore Gottlieb), MC Bat Commander (a.k.a. Christian Jacobs), Phil LaMarr, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Elvira (a.k.a. Cassandra Peterson), Andrew Phung, Vincent Price, Rod Serling, Orson Welles, and "Weird Al" Yankovic.

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#RPGaDay2022 16. "What would be your perfect game?": Perfection is impossible and the pursuit of it leads to madness. That being said, my optimum game would be easy to learn and teach, have rules that increase fun at the table, and enable players to reach their objectives by using creative thinking rather than min-maxing.

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#RPGaDay2022 17. "Past, Present, or Future? When is your favourite game set?": It depends on which of my favorite games we are discussing. I enjoy all three.

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#RPGaDay2022 18. "Where is your favourite place to play?": In my home or in a park that isn't crowded. I've also learned to enjoy playing in game parlors.

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#RPGaDay2022 19. "Why has your favourite game stayed with you?": Because I never discard a game I enjoy.

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#RPGaDay2022 20. "How long do your games last?": Sessions usually last four hours. When I was in junior high and high school they lasted about eight hours — sometimes twice a week! Those were the days...

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#RPGaDay2022 21. "Share an intriguing detail from a game setting you enjoy.": A sentence from A Guide to the World of Greyhawk, p. 25: "The Despotrix of Hardby now pays tribute to Greyhawk to avoid being absorbed in the growing city state once again."

I wonder how many despotrices there are in the world of Greyhawk.

(The World of Greyhawk boxed set for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st edition.)

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#RPGaDay2022 22. "Who is your current character?": Smiley, a Healer in Mutant Crawl Classics RPG based on Wanda from Corner Gas played by Nancy Robertson. She wears a hard hat, jumpsuit, heat resistant gloves and boots, and gets mistaken for an employee by security robots.

My previous character (also for MCC RPG) was a mutant gibbon Manimal named Barry Gibb-On. He could throw balls of electricity and, due to a mutation he acquired later, looked exactly like Barry Gibb (except when he was asleep).

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#RPGaDay2022 23. "What situation is your character currently in?": Smiley the Healer is trying to decide whether to try the random unidentified medical drugs she found in a space station or donate them to a charity. (See answer 22.)

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#RPGaDay2022 24. "When did you start playing this character?": Earlier this summer. (See answer 22.)

Not the most thought-provoking RPGaDay question (or answer), but there you are.

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#RPGaDay2022 25. "Where has that character been?": Postapocalyptic Albuquerque and a space station. (See answer 22.)

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#RPGaDay2022 26. "Why does your character do what [she does]?": To better challenge her towering intellect, which belies her diminutive stature. (See answer 22.)

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#RPGaDay2022 27. "How has the character changed?": She became a Healer and acquired a yo-yo of the Ancients, which is now her most prized possession besides her medipac. (See answer 22.)

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#RPGaDay2022 28. "Roll 1d8+1, tag that many friends with your favourite RPG cover art.": Again, I shan't be tagging friends, but my earliest favorite cover illustrations were by Erol Otus for the Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Expert Sets.

Another early favorite is the cover of Stormbringer by Frank Brunner.

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#RPGaDay2022 29. "Who would you like to see take part in #RPGaDay?": Dirk the Dice (@theGROGNARDfile) and the rest at The GROGNARD Files.

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#RPGaDay2022 30. "What should #RPGaDay do for its 10th Anniversary next year?": This is the hardest question yet. Perhaps visual prompts?

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#RPGaDay2022 31. "When did you first take part in #RPGaDay?": 1 August 2017