I write like Arthur C. Clarke

Yeah, sure I do, if Clarke suffered a massive brain trauma and a partial lobotomy, perhaps.

I write like
Arthur Clarke

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

-Rognar-

Sword & Spell - My new retro RPG

The interwebs are full of gamers talking about simpler times when D&D had fewer rules and gamers were more manly. There are several retro-clones available for free these days with names like OSRIC and Swords & Wizardry. These games seem fine, but I get the sense some old-timey types still think they are too complicated. For those folks, I offer my new game system free of charge. I call it Sword & Spell - The D2 Game System. All you need to play is a pencil, a blank post-it note and a quarter. On the post-it note, you write your character class of which there are two choices, wizard or fighter. Under your character class, write the following:

Status:
Dead:________
Not Dead:____

There, now your character sheet is complete.

Ok, now for the system. Combat is based on the time-honoured coin flip engine. Heads, you hit, tails, you miss. The attack roll is countered by the opponents defense roll: heads, you're not dead, tails, you're dead. Some monsters can survive more than one tails roll for defense as demonstrated in the complete bestiary below:

Orc - one tail
Troll - two tails
Dragon - three tails

There are two attack modes, spell and sword. They differ in name only.

All other actions in the game are similarly decided by a "heads, you succeed, tails, you fail" mechanic, subject to DM's approval.

There you have it, a complete retro-RPG. Enjoy.

-Rognar-

Wizards of the Coast? Never heard of 'em.

As I engaged in my usual lunchhour perusal of my favourite RPG-related websites today, it occurred to me that it has been weeks since I dropped in on the Wizards of the Coast webpage. This used to be a daily requirement, even as recently as last fall. The braintrust at WotC has been working overtime trying to come up with new ways to lose me as a customer. At one time, I religiously purchased everything they produced for D&D 3.5, D&D Minis, Star Wars Saga Ed., Star Wars Minis, d20 Modern and Axis&Allies Minis. Now 3.5 and d20 Modern are dead and buried, while the quality of their D&D and SW miniatures lines has declined precipitously. So, I wait for the next SW Saga book, expected next month and the next A&A minis release, expected sometime before the end of the Mayan calendar, while the rest of WotC's production moves along completely beneath my notice. I guess I'm no longer part of their demographic, which apparently consists of anyone who will swallow whatever crap they slap their logo on. C'est la vie!

-Rognar-