The first draft for my house rules are finally done. I've just been so busy with other stuff I haven't had a chance to focus on them. I've also changed the name from "Delvers of the Deep" to "Search, Kill, Loot, Drink" or SKLD, which turned out to be a cool acronym. You can download a copy from google docs here or via mediafire here.
It's short, only 8 pages so far. It isn't a full set of rules; it requires that you have some version of D&D to refer to. I used Moldvay basic, but it should work with just about anything. I'm going to start playtesting ASAP, and I'll make updates to the rules based on what happens in testing and feedback I might get elsewhere. I don't want the rules to get much longer than they already are, but I'm sure that there needs to be some additional material and explanation in them.
Parts I like: I like how magic items work. I posted about that a few weeks ago, and I stuck with that system. I think it allows for the use of magic in the game, but makes it more rare. I'm also fairly happy with the combat rules, though I really need the playtesting to see how the injury rules work out.
Parts I'm not happy with yet: I'm not satisfied with the races yet. I think the elf may be overpowered. I should probably include rules for some more races, but I'd rather leave that to other people. I'm not so sure how I feel about skills. The stealth and physical stunts are directly from Searchers of the Unknown, but I'd like to include something similar to encompass other sorts of actions. Some sort of First-Aid rules are probably needed. I know how I will handle the deficiencies int he rules when I use them in my game; I'll just make a ruling and make a note of it. My worry is that these rulings won't translate well into actual rules. But maybe that's part of the magic of Old School gaming. Certain characters in certain situations are going to be treated differently than other characters in similar situations because no 2 characters are exactly the same and neither are the situations.
Very nice! Some comments:
ReplyDeleteIf you are already assuming a base rule set, and you want to keep this text as short as possible, you could remove some of the language that duplicates stuff you are likely to find in the original rules (like strength modifying melee attacks and dexterity modifying missile attacks).
That way you can focus on the differences and new rules, like the lack of traditional magic-users.