mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: Monsters/Humanoids as Playable races in D&D
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016/11/monstershumanoids-as-playable-races-in-d.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Monday, 7 November 2016. Monsters/Humanoids as Playable races in D&D. It has been leaked that the forthcoming Volo's Guide to Monsters will have rules for playing Aasimar, Bugbears, Firbolgs, Goblins,Goliaths, hobgoblins, Kenku, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Orcs, Tabaxi and Tritons. Setting aside my current movement towards even finding elves a bit problematic as a playable race, I can see the case for things like Aasimar, Kenky and Goliaths. Are not just ...
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: August 2016
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016_08_01_archive.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Thursday, 18 August 2016. Meditations on the right D&D system - how to choose? I have recently felt a yearning to settle on a proper system as a lens to express and think D&D through. The ones that are floating through my mind are B/X, Swords and Wizardry, 5e, DCC and Fantastic Heroes and Witchery. For pure nostalgia, B/X. Iteration of BECMI when simplicity nostalgia. Is a driving force? Of whitebox - simplest chassis possible, with just a few mode...
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: Fighter & Rogue write-ups for "RedNext" (B/X-5e hack)
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016/12/fighter-rogue-write-ups-for-rednext-bx.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Monday, 26 December 2016. Fighter and Rogue write-ups for "RedNext" (B/X-5e hack). I've finished my write ups of both the Fighter and Rogue for my B/X-5e "RedNext" hack. Unlike the Halfling. Which was mostly written from scratch, these were a lot easier. Copy-paste from the SRD, trim and re-organise to make it easier to scan and fit into 3 pages each. A much increased focus on the simple combo of (4 core classes background). At 1st level - This is ...
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: November 2016
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016_11_01_archive.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Monday, 7 November 2016. Monsters/Humanoids as Playable races in D&D. It has been leaked that the forthcoming Volo's Guide to Monsters will have rules for playing Aasimar, Bugbears, Firbolgs, Goblins,Goliaths, hobgoblins, Kenku, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Orcs, Tabaxi and Tritons. Setting aside my current movement towards even finding elves a bit problematic as a playable race, I can see the case for things like Aasimar, Kenky and Goliaths. Are not just ...
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: Halfling [Race-as-class] for 5e (RedNext B/-5e hack)
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016/10/halfling-race-as-class-for-5e-rednext-b.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Saturday, 15 October 2016. Halfling [Race-as-class] for 5e (RedNext B/-5e hack). Halfling - Racial Class 5e (PDF). First of all, let me start by saying - 5e may be simple and balanced, but class design is NOT. All stuff I want to simplify away with. RedNext - take away the excess of moving parts. Weighing all these up and when to put the big ones is a lot to consider - Making the Halfling took time! Designer Notes on the 5e Halfling. For the Halfli...
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: 5e as the OSR engine of choice
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016/09/5e-as-osr-engine-of-choice.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Sunday, 11 September 2016. 5e as the OSR engine of choice. So, recently I've been pondering the right D&D system. Now, full blown 5e doesn't exactly meet those requirements, but the free version, Basic D&D 5e, does. The four classic races only, The four classic classes only, no feats. Few modifiers, easy and simple maths, few assumptions on equipment. Lovely really. 5e IS balanced, compared to older games. But tight? Classes as Class feature. Does ...
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: Fantasy Map Review V: Birthright
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016/04/fantasy-map-review-v-birthright.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Saturday, 23 April 2016. Fantasy Map Review V: Birthright. For links to all instalments in this series, go here. For the fifth instalment, we come to Cerilia of the Birthright setting. And I move from admiration to love. I first became aware of birthright when the Birthright Conspectus. This is is still one of my favourite maps, maybe my alltime favourite. Although the scale of Cerilia is clearly more localised than Faerun. Or even the Flanaess.
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: Further thoughts on "B/X-5e" hack: RedNext
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016/09/further-thoughts-on-bx-5e-hack-rednext.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Thursday, 15 September 2016. Further thoughts on "B/X-5e" hack: RedNext. First of all, in reply to some of the comments on my previous entry as to whether 5e hacks can be considered old-school or not and why I will continue to bill my little pocket project as OSR in my own mind - I like Greyhawk Grognard's. We play the old games, and the games that feel like the old games.". Nuff said. On to other matters: I guess I am going ahead with this. This w...
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: Fantasy Map Review II: Greyhawk
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016/04/fantasy-map-review-ii-greyhawk.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Sunday, 10 April 2016. Fantasy Map Review II: Greyhawk. For links to all instalments in this series, go here. Second instalment in the series gives a strong showing with another iconic example - The Flanaess as depicted in the World of Greyhawk Folio from 1980:. The Sheldomar Valley countries obviously have close relations, being tucked in together a bit away from the rest of the world the way they are. Go north of all the evils lands, effectively ...
mythlands-erce.blogspot.com
The Setting to End All Settings: September 2016
http://mythlands-erce.blogspot.com/2016_09_01_archive.html
An OSR-inspired blog mostly about the Mythlands of Erce. Wednesday, 21 September 2016. Skills in D&D - And in RedNext (B/X-5e hack). And this is why I don't like 5e skills - they are too generic and basic. They don't actually say anything about the character. We have skills in my 5e group, but I can't see we've used them for much other than 'guess I can add 2 to that roll'. In other words, they might as well not be there. With that in mind, my baseline is a slight modification of the OSR standard:. I thi...