Generic update

So I slipped for the first time.

After extensively testing my hexcrawl drop-die generator, I fell back in love with Elite (specifically Oolite). With work being hectic and dentistry taking up my time, I’m now past due with 2 blog posts (as of today). Since I never played any sci-fi RPGs for a longer time, it’s hard for me to apply this other direction into this blog, but I’m not giving up! Maybe I’ll get a copy of the d6 Star Wars book, or finally get a game going in Wushu. Or someone could suggest me a free alternative.

I also have several boardgames in the works that could fit this new kick of mine. So stay tuned!

 

Monsters of The Sword: Odonatar

Based on Arrows in the Dark

Odonatars are a secretive race of animals, living high atop mountains, hidden from intelligent creatures. They themselves are about dog-like in their intellect. The creatures resemble scaled horses, without manes or tails. Odonatars and their alignment are distinguished by the 3 shades they can be found in: most are grey for neutral, some are black and evil, and the rarest are pure white and good.

While grey odonatar tend to hide in their mountain homes, black odonatar sometimes seek out powerful and evil leaders to serve as their mounts. These are the ones most are familiar with, and most believe all odonatar are evil because of this. Rarely though, when a white odonatar survives their adolescence among the grey and black, instead of staying and aiding their brethren, the white likewise go out seeking a worthy rider. These people tend to be young heroes instead of leaders and kings.

The stigma of evil caused by the black among society usually brings ill will towards any odonatar rider, no matter the mount’s colour, thus forcing these heroes into exile, until they prove their worth.
Odonatar are slightly larger than horses, and they have double their HD. They usually understand any simple commands from their riders, and sometimes even other creatures of their alignment. They only stay as long as they’re created well and their rider retains their alignment.

Disclaimer: the “items of” series is in no way affiliated to it’s source media. The descriptions are entirely unofficial and sometimes contrary to the original intention on purpose. No claim of ownership intended.

 

Specialist classes via roleplaying

Me: I might be a minimalist.
Sarcasm: Gee, you think, Mr. I-love-SotU?
Me: Shut up, you!

Anyway, when I created my pantheon back in the day of the first game I ran, I felt that clerics might be a bit overpowered. Others seem to agree with me. Also, as a minimalist, I feel that having extensive rules and different spell-lists for similar classes is too much work for the DM and players to keep track of/read.
So here’s my suggestion: roleplay the different specialist classes and clerics, and break the cleric class up based on it’s 3 major abilities.

New classes:
Priest**: like the cleric in LL, but cannot wear armour, prefers* the spells closest to their deity (so Resist Cold for the priest of fire, Remove Fear for the priest of valor)
Warpriest**: like the cleric in LL, but can’t turn undead, prefers* combat spells (Cause Light Wounds)
Paladin: like the cleric in LL, but cannot use spells (weapon restrictions remain, if any)
Druid***: like the priest but avoids metal equipment when possible*, prefers nature-based spells (Purify Food and Water), and protects the balance of nature (thus is neutral)
Barbarian: fighter or dwarf who avoids armour other than leather and hide when possible* and uses two-handed weapons and bows (no shield)
Rangers: fighter, thief or halfling who avoids metal equipment when possible* and protects the balance of nature (thus is neutral)

Turning and destroying undead might not be appropriate to some of these classes or their deities. I have a theoretical fix for that too.

Turning things:
Destroy/Control: the D result can be swapped to controlling where appropriate (anti-clerics). The priest must successfully control the creature each day afterwards otherwise it will die/attack (DM decides).
Turn: I assume even evil clerics want the dead as far away as possible when they’re hostile. As such, turning remains the same.
Druids: druids can turn and control animals and beasts instead of undead. Instead of infernals, they have aberrations as the highest tier. Evil druids can destroy instead of control.

*”Prefers” implies that there are no restricted clerical spells. “When possible” implies that survival overrules it.

**Clerics in LL get spells from 1st level. Otherwise, make sure priests face undead as much as possible to compensate.

***Elves might be druids, if the avoidance of metal equipment restricts them enough to be close to priests power-wise, it’s your call. Spell preference applies (Web is a good example).