Fantasy Heartbreak Workshop

Disclaimer: Any views indicated here are from my own amateurish lay study of the subjects. Please consult an appropriate theologian or appropriate lore source for more accurate information on real-world religious and cultural beliefs and practices. On Twitter Kiel Chenier asked : One thing I struggle to do in #dnd5e is use gods effectively. Gods and pantheons never really interested me. Chalk it up to growing up around abusive zealots. As a consequence I often use fantasy religion as an evil force in my rpg writing, which feels limiting now. How fix? In response Erik Jensesn suggested : Hang out with some people of faith (who you get along with) who don't have those same scars and chat about how their religious practice intersects their daily living. As someone "of faith" who has been largely insulated throughout my early life from abusive zealots, this is something I've struggled with myself over the years, at least in the way that D&D clearic-type-ma...

This is inspired by, if not probably the most direct response to, Catty Big's inquiry regarding a 5th edition review.  It's also heavily rambling, so hold on to your hats. My tastes in D&D and it's ilk are pretty eclectic.  As with music I rarely like all of one thing, but tend to find certain things I really like in most products.  Below are general impressions of several editions and related products.  Keep in mind these are all subjective feelings and not deep analyses.  Your mileage may vary. Caveat:  Sometimes I like to build for lots of damage or one thing or another. But usually I'm not too fussy about balance, as long as I feel my character's abilities haves something interesting to contribute both inside and outside of combat. Swords & Wizardry (0th edition retroclone) Advantages:  Small and pretty straightforward.  Pared down and easy to tinker with. Disadvantages:  Some bits still feel a bit cobbled together an...

Why do so many +1 magical swords exist: Roll 1d8: They were much more powerful swords, but the enchantments have worn thin over the centuries. Many swords become enchanted through use or user.  A warrior of minor renown will eventually find her sword acquires +1 effectiveness.  A sword that has seen a hundred battles in a dozen hands might also become +1.  Greater bloodshed or a more legendary wielder can contribute higher bonuses. In the Elder Wars, 5000 years ago mage-smiths were stamping these things out like hot-cakes for the rank and file.  Things were different back then and the rapid sword-enchanting rituals of that age are now lost. Mages can temporarily enchant a weapon at +1, but every now and then the enchantment sticks and the sword stays +1 indefinitely. It's just the result of certain alchemical minerals infused in the coal or iron from which the sword was made. Weapons from the planes beyond, are often a physical extension of the creatures wh...

And another thing:  Non-combat skills.  What's up with those? Throughout the editions of D&D skills have been handled in a lot of different ways, but something about them has always left me a little cold.  The way skills are handled varies by edition and, within some editions, by class.  Here's a breakdown of the main ways skills have been handled in the first through third editions: Thieves (etc.) - In most editions prior to 3rd, thieves and those who used thief-like skills got a straight percentile chance of success.  This chance of success increased automatically as a function of character level.  Personally I'm not the hugest fan of percentile type skills, but it makes sense that an adventurer using relevant skills would gradually improve over time, much like attack bonuses increase. Also, any system where the character's advancement can "max out" doesn't quite sit perfectly with me.  Not that I expect characters to routinely be advancin...

A character's base initiative modifier is determined by:  Dexterity modifier + Wisdom modifier At the beginning of combat this total is added to the roll of 1d20 to determine the order that each character's actions take place during combat, with higher initiatives going first followed by lower rolls.  Any ties are either assumed to take place at exactly the same time or, if such a simultaneous action would be impossible, then each party rolls 1d20 again as a tiebreaker. Characters with higher initiatives may hold their actions until later in the round. Option:  Round-by-Round Initiative Instead of rolling initiative once at the beginning of combat, and using the same initiative order every round, you may choose instead to re-roll each round.  This gives characters a chance to do better if they've gotten stuck with a bad initiative on the first roll. Option:  Speed Modifier This alternation is intended for use with round-by-round initiative.  With ...