Gaming Outpost Discussions » Tag: fantasy

Gaming Outpost Discussions » Tag: fantasy - Recent Posts http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/tags/fantasy Gaming Outpost Discussions » Tag: fantasy - Recent Posts en-US Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:31:30 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/search.php M. J. Young on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-9760 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:14:23 +0000 M. J. Young 9760@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ That would be an interesting way to play it. If the Dancing Princesses need to be rescued by someone who will then be offered a fortune and the hand of one of the girls, and you don't want either of those rewards, you can certainly encourage someone to do this, promising to go along to help, disguised as his servant or something. (Extra cool if you can magically disguise yourself as his cat who wears boots....) On the other hand, those stories aren't generally about the hero; they're about the girl who is rescued by the hero. It becomes every girl's dream that the prince will come. When we cast the verser in the role of the prince, he tells the other side of the story, who the prince is and how he comes to rescue the girl. So it does become an interesting role. Now, whether you want to do it by magic and medieval weaponry (which is how Chris Jones did it) or by modern firepower with supplemental magic (the choice of John Cross), that's the player's decision. Either way works. The low tech bias tends to make guns less reliable and less effective, but whether you would resort to magic and swords is a personal choice based on whether your character is good at such things. --M. J. Young Nikolaj on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-9757 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:18:25 +0000 Nikolaj 9757@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ cool :) Tadeusz on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-9753 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:58:09 +0000 Tadeusz 9753@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Amanda at RPOL is in something like The Neverending Story, although she doesn't realize it yet. She thinks her world is only the Hundred Acre Wood. Heartwar is the name of that world, and yah, its one of mine. I really like the interplay between Dream Magic and Spy Novel which is that world. There's also a Mary Piper based on children's stories (the Jabberwock and Humpty Dumpty if I remember right.) which is kind of close to what you're asking for. MJ's done a Fairy Tale world (the Dancing Princesses) in one of the Books of Worlds. One way to do a fairy tale would be to make the verser the only one who can do the rescue. Have some magical prohibition which stops anyone born on that world from rescuing the princess, and then feeling safe, the Forces of Evil rest, but unbeknownst to them, the hero verser arrives.... Nikolaj on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-9751 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:23:56 +0000 Nikolaj 9751@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Actually, it's Zweihänder, with the trema (two dots) on the a. At least according to Wikipedia... This is cool, though the way I play, I tend to stay away from weapons and other pointy or exploding things... Nikolaj on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-9750 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:06:29 +0000 Nikolaj 9750@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Since this is a year old I think I'll be pardoned if I don't follow completely but give another Fantasy suggestion. Is there anything like Fantasia (from "The Never Ending Story")? I think it would be very cool to come into such a world, where virtually everything is possible, and which exists from everything you can imagine. The only two worlds I've seen that resemble that are Aquatica (I think), by Eric and the Dreamworld (I don't know by who), both on RPOL. That Princess 'Fairy Tale' kind of fantasy fascinates me very much. I was wondering if it would be possible to RP in a fairy tale way. I think it would be a combination of a good world and the willingness to stick to the genre in playing it out. But if you chack out Brier Rose or Snow White, you can see that the 'hero' prince guy, usually is a very shallow character with little or no characteristics. So we'd have to come in as an aid to the hero to make it more real and be able to play an interesting role. I think. Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1468 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:18:58 +0000 Tadeusz 1468@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Okay, I've included explanations on them all, and some opening notes. Also, I put in the now standard 'of course its optional!' explanation. Hopefully, thats good enough. Eric Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1403 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:24:50 +0000 Tadeusz 1403@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ John. Kewl. Llarry. Um. Probably. Open Source Creation Rules! Cause that means you got lots of help in katchinnggg all yer misteaks. Eric Llarry on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1402 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:00:08 +0000 Llarry 1402@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Just a minor nitpick way back to the original post, just for the long term benefit of the list if ever published elsewhere... Should sword #3 be "Zweihander" rather than "Zwiehander"? (ei instead of ie) That would be the correct German, though if the name has passed through Dutch, Danish or an older dialect, it may be otherwise... JohnA1nut on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1400 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:03:47 +0000 JohnA1nut 1400@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I helped MJ design some firearms for Dark Honor Empire, and I would be more than happy to assist anyone that needs advice with firearms. I was trying to write up a list of them, I'll check and see if I still have it. It was I guess 1D30 firearms. I had it broken down into rifles, pistols and shotguns. You could mix-n-match if you needed to. I'll check for it. Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1398 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:49:54 +0000 Tadeusz 1398@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Also, Wodium, I think we are from different ends of the bell curve on one issue. For me "Systems Make My Head Hurt", and it seems from your ease with Multiverser that you find "Systems are Very Simple". Now most gamers are not as extreme as me in this regard, but I think most gamers tend to be more on my end of the bell curve than on yours. Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1397 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:44:24 +0000 Tadeusz 1397@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Okay, a d100 list of Martial Weapons (anything hand-to-hand ranging from gladius to spears to pikes to kurisigama) would do. I'm not going into this immediately anyways. I'd like to finish up the SF hand blasters first anyways (I've got a list of types made a while back...bout thirty I think.) Some good ideas there, Scott. I too am interested in the Strength of a microbe because 'Only the Insects Survive' has the characters as bacteria men. John, hopefully one of us will get around to the task you're suggesting. But I definitely need to finish Music Wars before I jump on your new task. JohnA1nut on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1394 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:30:25 +0000 JohnA1nut 1394@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Scott, I am fairly knowledgeable about modern firearms. I could help you (or anyone, for that matter) write up a list of firearms. I'm not certain how to translate what I know into Multiverser lingo, but I bet if I gave you the descriptions, you could figure something out. Actually, that's now a standing offer to anyone. If you need help with modern firearms (And by modern, I mean probably back to the Revolutionary war) just ask me. I know 2 student gunsmiths whom I could ask about them. Standing offer, as of right now. WilliamTWodium on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1393 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 02:18:18 +0000 WilliamTWodium 1393@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Don't get me wrong, I'm not against giant lists of things. I'm just lukewarm about a giant list of martial weapons. Martial weapons are simple. In the main, they're things you hit things with, and the differences are mostly color and damage category. For weapons, I'm much more interested in the ranged variety, and in particular a wide array of tech levels for those weapons. Ranged weapons need more than martial ones; they need a bias level, a set of ranges, an ammo type, a reload time, possibly an array of settings, possibly other inherent limitations, a damage type (often related to ammo, but not always), possibly other incorporated devices (scope, heat-seeker, martial component, others), maybe even a sound effect or visual description of weapon fire. Because there's a lot more to their design, they're a lot tougher to come up with on the fly, tougher to balance against other weapons, and a lot more useful to have already written up as examples for further weapon creation by an individual referee. If you must have martial, perhaps a focus on martial arts weapons would be more helpful. Does a sai give a bonus to disarming and weapon-catch skills to make up for its base annoying damage? Do nunchaku have a higher repeat factor than other club-like weapons (if so, surely they're annoying rather than damaging)? What exactly is a kau-sin-ke, and why should I master that instead of the kusari-gama? Alternatively, what about some Sci-Fi martial weapons? Or some sci-fi ranged weapons that are decidedly not blasters? I'm right behind you on this generally (and I do intend to write that stuff up; I've got word documents filling up with martial arts styles and I'm puzzling over some of the problems with the venompires - what's the Strength, Agility, or Willpower of a microbe?). I'm just not too excited about making a gladius different from a scimitar different from a longsword. (I'd call your Zwiehander lethal, though, and perhaps make a rapier or other light foil damaging depending on the make and model.) Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1390 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:30:29 +0000 Tadeusz 1390@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I'd say Multiverser DESPERATELY needs a very long list of things. More worlds, more characters, more swords, more types of Martial Arts... After all, your arguement would be that 'Black-handed Brawling' is unimportant. If I could wave a magic wand I'd.... 1. A d100 list of martial weapons. 2. A d30 list of SF materials (already done) 3. A description of ten different types of multi-dimensional structures. 4. A d20 list of SF weapons (hand blasters that is) 5. A dozen different magic schools 6. Two dozen martial arts schools 7. Seven different types of vamps ranging from Faux to Weeds to Devlin to Fully Magical to Wodium's Wamphyres. 8. An easy sixty more worlds. 9. A hundred normal NPC characters for a modern world, and twenty-five each for Ninja, Old West, Medieval, Star Trek SF, Transhuman SF, and Stone Age Tribesmen. 10. A dozen set-pieces that are designed to be generic with optional add-ons so that they can be slotted into whatever world.... like a cave with a monster in it. The monster would have several descriptions of its abilities....ones that would fit in a Dinosaur world, or on an alien planet, or on a world of Vampires and magical monsters, or on a world where Science Experiments escaped, or on a normal world where lions escaped from zoos. That way the GM can slot them into a situation as he needs. And thats just the first ten. There is probably a hundred needed. Now, do I say that a d100 chart of martial weapons is more desperately needed than any one of the others listed? No, I don't. But I've long seen that there is a vast field of creativity that needs to be filled up for this project to work. A long time ago I read a review that said Multiverser was a brilliant bit of innovation, and thus it would either take the world by storm, or it would vanish in a black hole. It has to expand greatly to avoid the latter fate. And that is why I try not to get competive with other players creating, and in fact, try to support other player's creating. Because even if I went at full-tilt (and my full-tilt is astonishing and more than a little scary), it still would not be enough. So I've encouraged MacCallister (his Matrix and 'Only the Insects Survive' world and The Infinite Plain world) and Tom Day (with his World of Mirrors) and John Alnut (with his Music Wars) to create stuff, and helped them with it because I need help. And thats why I was so encouraging with the Body Vampires idea you wrote up, and the Brawling. More, please. Also, any sentence that has AD&D and the words 'fine distinctions' in it merits a Perry Mason eyebrow or a 'whatcha' talking about, Willis?' Besides which, Multiverser is a game of fine distinctions in many regards. You're arguing for the game to be something its not designed to be. Now I have on occasion wished it had less granularity. After all, fourteen base stats is an awful lot, but that does make it hard to say Multiverser is a game of dramatic simplicity. The sit-mods and the die roll mods are there to be used. I do support the idea of producing material that doesn't get into 'fine distinctions'. Indeed, probably most material should not. In a way, I hate fine distinctions. Much prefer a grand sweep and a broad brush, but sometimes its useful to get rococco. If you're trying to defend MJ from my ranting and raving, well, I appreciate that. Sometimes I hit harder than I should even when I'm trying to be nice. Instead of saying Multiverser 'desperately needs', lets just say 'there is a huge amount of potential work that could greatly enrich the creative imagination of hundreds of gms.' A few weeks back MJ said something to JohnA1 about wishing he could make a Player's Guide so he could have something to sell. I kinda listened to that and thought MJ was thinking there was a limited field of items that he could make for this game. I'm here to tell ya', it ain't so. The gate is wide open. America might have looked like a narrow land from the first rowboats on shore which were tightly pent up by the forest, but it was a vast land. Right now, Multiverser is like those Pilgrims who just landed on shore. There is a huge country out ahead. WilliamTWodium on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1388 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:03:35 +0000 WilliamTWodium 1388@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>Multiverser DESPERATELY needs a d100 list of martial weapons.</blockquote> I disagree. One of the great strengths of the Multiverser combat system is that weapons need so little detail - a repeat factor, a damage rating based on broad categories, maybe a range or reload time - that the statistics of many can be created in seconds or less. Granted, you lose some of the fine details and distinctions that, say, AD&D has between various kinds of swords, but I think that in the main, Multiverser doesn't need those fine distinctions. You're not playing a Fantasy Warrior who needs to be different from all the other scads of Fantasy Warriors running about and whose player needs to feel that his choice of weapon (long sword, broad sword, bustard sword) is meaningful and important. You're a multiversal traveler who might use any weapon imaginable, and in the main, it is sufficient that swords are RF 1 and Dangerous, as opposed to clubs which are only Damaging but are less likely to lose effectiveness when the laws of physics start breaking down. Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1378 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:12:34 +0000 Tadeusz 1378@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Since I hope to see this list, and the several other such lists on the website, is it neccessary for the word 'optional' to be put in? I would think that to be understood. However, I can do this. As to explanatory notes on each and every one of them....Two points... 1. I read d20 books and they list 'longsword d10'. They rarely go into an explanation for why they chose that. 2. I think this is an appropriate moment to bring up the notion of 'sketch worlds'. I've read and purchased books by companies that detailed settings or situations which were not detailed in rules. Judge's Guild used to make such. They were as I understand very good. They looked good to me. So, I would think there was a whole spectrum of detail. At the one end, you have a five hundred words that give 'adventure seeds' for ten different worlds. At the other end, you have complete detail for every major race, their weapons, and all the major NPC's to boot with maps of major cities, and lists of the most common herbs. It seems to me that the right level of detail is determined by the specific product. Now, I'm generally wishing for more detail when it comes to Multiverser worlds that I've seen published. I suspect the curious reader always wants that. I told you that Dark Honor needed more detail, forex. Now, some of my worlds might need more detail which I personally find to be a hardship, but I'm learning the system, and adding more detail despite the pain this causes me. I'm stretching myself. It doesn't help when the bar keeps going higher and higher. There needs to be an understanding that not all worlds need to be fully detailed by the Multiverser rules. Multiverser DESPERATELY needs a d100 list of martial weapons. However, if I have to do a triple half-gainer through flaming hoops of doom to do each and every one of them, its not going to happen. Now, I can do a few Forex, or I can write up a 'How to Make a Martial Weapon' and have that attached to the list for use on the website. Eric M. J. Young on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1369 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 20:19:40 +0000 M. J. Young 1369@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I should mention that the modifiers suggested for those swords were entirely optional, up to the referee, if he wished to create weapons with a better chance to hit but lower minimum and average damage, versus weapons with a lower chance to hit but higher minimum and average damage. You certainly can include such suggested mods in such lists, but you should probably include an explanatory note as to what they do and why. --M. J. Young Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1342 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 22:29:50 +0000 Tadeusz 1342@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ My Music Wars gun stats are on the laptop which the Ladyfaire has right now. One thing I noticed I forgot for the swordlist was the Repeat Factor. I want to try to put together a d10 list for guns. And I want to try to finish Music Wars. I think one of the big things need-- skills. And I still need to work a little day by day on pushing "Mountain Home" to its completion. Right now, its a bit of an albatross about my neck....just a bit, not a lot. But it is a good opportunity. I'll be glad to accept the data for the modern guns to turn the d10 list into a d20 list, but it might be a while until I get to it. I also wrote up a bit back a list of SF pistol weapons which is needed as well. Also a list of psi benefits (physical devices that help in using psi like 'crystal ball', 'peyote',...got some of this already done.) JohnA1nut on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1341 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 22:08:09 +0000 JohnA1nut 1341@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I'll give you a list of modern firearms, and see if you can do anything with them. I know 2 gunsmiths, so they should be able to help me with the specs and whatnot. JohnA1nut on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1340 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 22:07:07 +0000 JohnA1nut 1340@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Eric, you're forgetting something with the dynamite. A common thing to do was wrap a length of chain around the dynamite to provide shrapnel. It was a precursor to the modern hand grenade. I believe doing that lowers the blast radius somewhat, but everything within the blast radius would receive a much heavier damage value. Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1338 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 21:01:54 +0000 Tadeusz 1338@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Here's the guns, melee, and armor in the Mary Piper Gamma: Old West Caravan setting... Mary Piper Gamma: A wagon train traversing the Old West Weapons: ------------ 1)Derringer: Range 2â€™: 5â€™: 15â€™:X: -10 SM to hit: Two shots: Lethal damage: RF 1 The pearl-handled friend of ladies of ill repute and gamblers also resides in many more honest hands. It is occasionally stored in a rig in the sleeve which enables its use as an initiative stealer weapon. 2)Knuckleduster: This crude weapon, a set of rings of brass into which the fighter slips his fingers increases the punch damage by one intensity. 3)Colt Peacemaker: Range 10â€™: 20â€™: 30â€™: 40â€™:+2/1â€˜: Six shots: Lethal damage: RF 2 This widely famed revolver is found in most Western movies. The longer the barrel, the more accurate the weapon. These numbers assume a six inch barrel. 4)Winchester rifle: Range 20â€™: 60â€™: 120â€˜: 240â€™: +10 SM to hit: Lethal Damage RF 1 5)Double-barreled shotgun: Range 5â€™: 15â€™: 30â€™: 40:+5/1â€˜: Two shots: Fatal Damage if 15â€™ or less; lethal damage if more: RF 1 Reloading requires â€œbreakingâ€ the gun apart, and inserting two new shells. 6)Bowie knife: 0â€™: 10â€™: 20â€™: 30â€™: +10/3â€™: This is a Damaging weapon that can be used in hand-to-hand combat, or reversed and held by its point and thrown. RF 1: +10 SM as this is a fine weapon. 7)Cavalry Sabre: This is a Dangerous weapon with a RF 1 and it is used in melee combat. 8)Tomahawk: This is a Damaging weapon that can be used in hand-to-hand fighting, and also it can be thrown. RF 1: 0â€™: 15â€™: 25: 40â€™: +5/1â€™. This well-balanced axe with a stone head is primarily used by the indigenous tribes, but many settlers have come to value them as well. 9)Long Duster Coat: This flowing coat helps hide the users body outline so that he can shift his body a bit and â€œhideâ€ in the open, and it denies precise targeting information to his assailant yielding a -10 SM to the opponentâ€™s shot. It also causes a -1 DC to hand-to-hand weapons. 10)Gatling gun: This weapon is terrifically damaging as it fires a hail of bullets (it is the precursor to the Heavy Machine Gun), and does Annihilating damage to its target if held on that target for any length of time. Every hundred bullets requires a stoppage, and a lever to be pulled, and a metal plate with holes in it for storing bullets to be removed since all the bullets are spent. Then another plate is put in, and the whole process is reversed. Then the winding lever is started up again, and the Gatling gun starts spitting out fire. The gun is heavy enough to require two strong men to move it. It usually has a tripod upon which it can be freely rotated. The bullets it fires have not the penetrating power to hurt serious armor, but against an unarmored human it does very well. 25â€™: 50â€™: 75â€™: 100â€™: +2/1â€™. 11)Dynamite stick: This has a hissing fuse that can be set anywhere from a minute to a second before detonation. The damage is Fatal, and affecting all like so if they are within ten feet. Within twenty feet, and it is Lethal, and within thirty feet and it is Damaging. Beyond that it is Annoying out to fifty feet. Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1337 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:58:25 +0000 Tadeusz 1337@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I've got some of them done up for other games already. I might have ten guns already. I'm thinking the Mary Piper Old West world and the Music Wars world has a bunch, and perhaps the Ship of Ghosts world would have written up weapons already. Let me see what I can gather together. But in any case, the game needs a 1d10 Gun list so good idea. Tadeusz JohnA1nut on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1336 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:24:18 +0000 JohnA1nut 1336@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Hey Tad, could you use a 10D list of guns? I can give you the specs and you write up the damage categories for it. Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1335 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:52:14 +0000 Tadeusz 1335@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ In the rulebook, there is a description of the longsword and the rapier. If I remember right, the difference is a longsword is +10 Die Roll, and a rapier is -10 Die Roll. The logic being that a rapier is faster, and easier to handle, but does less damage than a typical sword. And the longsword compared to a typical sword is harder to handle, but does more damage. And thats what these numbers do. As to the horseback...I can see the point, but in the discussion of swords they mentioned that straight katana were difficult to handle horseback, and that the curved nature made it easier for the horseman to bring more damage to bear. So, to some degree, its intrinsic to the swords. Of course, to some degree its intrinsic to the user, as well, and I'm not sure what to do about that. Besides, what else am I to do to differ a katana from an arming sword? Blue Canary on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1331 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:39:47 +0000 Blue Canary 1331@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I'm not convinced that the +'s and -'s should be attached to the weapon, except for quality and magical sit-mods. The damage category shift for horseback, for example, should be a seperate skill or martial art manoeuver. Tadeusz on "1d10 List of Swords" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/1d10-list-of-swords#post-1330 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:56:02 +0000 Tadeusz 1330@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ It occurs to me that a list of ten swords would be of use. And then I could later come back and borrow from it for other worlds. It would also be of use because thats a little detail that can by handy for spicing worlds with small details. These are, as pretty much everything in a role-playing game is, optional. You could make good arguements for things being different, and I may not even be wholly consistent with my own guidelines. You may wish to require a separate skill of horse-born sword combat to utilize the extra power inherent in a curved sword in that situation. Or you may simply want to have this be a strictly skill situation. However, it seems to me that some element of this inherent to the sword. I believe that making it fully inherent to the sword as this list does, or requiring an extra skill to represent the familarity with this potential are both reasonable solutions. An increase in a Situation Modifier is favorable in nearly all cases. It allows for more damage, and a greater chance to hit. One reason to give such modifiers is because of the reputation of the sword's excellence. The gladius and the katana both enjoy a favored reputation among some for this quality. Also, a two-edged sword is more apt to be usable in more situations in combat than a single-edged sword. An increase in Die Roll generally makes the weapon do more damage, but hit less often. This is particularly suited to a heavy, hard to maneuver, but deadly weapon. 1. Highland Claymore--Typically used by Scottish clansmen. The hilt is about a foot. The blade is between 40 and 45 inches in length. The guards are lengthy and set forward at a thirty degree angle roughly. This is a two-handed weapon. Also basket-hilted claymores are possible. Dangerous: NOT Ranged: +15 Die Roll: RF 1 (A two-handed, and somewhat awkward weapon that does large amounts of damage.) 2. Gladius--The Roman legionaires used this leaf-bladed, double-edged thrusting weapon. It is frequently found as a masterwork weapon. Dangerous: NOT Ranged: +5 for Excellence Sit-mod: RF 2 (RF 3 if used in a shieldwall with only thrusting attacks). (One may wish to add a +3 for it being a two-edged weapon.) 3. Zweihander--This sword was used by the German Landsknechts supposedly to chop pikes of the opposing forces. It is up to six feet long in its entirety. The knight in the movie Ladyhawke uses a Zwiehander. It is, of course, a two-handed weapon. Lethal: NOT Ranged: +20 Die Roll: Simple Check by defender who is using wooden weapon if attack vs. weapon succeeds. Failure means the weapon is broken. RF 1. (This is an enormous weapon that requires two hands or superhuman strength. If it hits, which is somewhat unlikely, its going to hurt...a lot. Thus the +20 Die Roll.) 4. Rapier--A slender, and lengthy (usually more than one yard) sword used primarily to thrust. They often feature complex hilts. Fighting is very fast, and since thrust damage is inherently worse for humans than slicing damage (as internal organs are often damaged) they can be quite lethal. However, they are of little use against zombies. Dangerous: NOT Ranged: -10 Die Roll: RF 3. (As described in the Big Black Book of Multiverser aka The Rules, it is suggested that this weapon is faster, quicker, less likely to botch, and does less damage. All this is well represented by a -10 DR). 5. Sabre--This is a curved single-edged sword usually with a large hand guard. It is sometimes carried from a baldric (at the shoulder) or at the waist, but there are lengthier versions meant to be hung from a cavalrymanâ€™s saddle. Dangerous: NOT Ranged: +5 Die Roll: Cavalry version has an upgrade damage category if on horseback. RF 2. (This is a single-edged, somewhat awkward weapon with a limited number of attack angles. However, it is a moderately heavy weapon.) 6. Falchion--This single-edged sword type covers a variety of shapes, but one shape may be fairly called â€˜a machete with a cross-guardâ€™. It is a simple, brutal weapon largely suited for chopping. Dangerous: NOT Ranged: + 10 Die Roll: RF 1. (This is a crude and brutal weapon. One may be tempted to change the +10 DR to -5 SM, +5 DR to more accurately reflect the weapon's nature.) 7. Katana--This curved, single-edged Nipponese sword is over two Shaku in length and under three. A Shaku is about thirty centimeters. A curved sword is useful for a horseman as it adds power to the downward strike. This weapon is designed for attacking light armor. Dangerous: NOT Ranged: + 10 Sit-mod for excellence: + 5 if attacker on horseback with Damage Category Shift Up: + 5 Sit-mod if light or no armor and -5 for heavier. RF 2. (This weapon was designed to deal with the light armor favored by the samurai. Accordingly, against the full plate of a medieval knight, it should do less well. This is a reflection of war--no weapon is perfect for all situations.) 8. Arming Sword--The knightly cruciform, single-handed sword is typically one yard in length. It is sometimes inaccurately called a â€˜longswordâ€™ or â€˜broadsword.â€™ Dangerous: NOT Ranged: Damage Category Shift Up if on Horseback. RF 2. (Fairly straightforward.) 9. Scimitar--This is a misnomer. The Arabic weapon, the Saif is one example of this â€™typeâ€™. It is a single-handed, single-edged, variably curved with a slender hand-guard protruding from the sides or quillons, and a small bit protruding from the pommel to make a â€˜pistol gripâ€˜. It has a false edge at the tip. Dangerous: NOT Ranged: -5 Die Roll: RF 2. (The light nature of this weapon makes the user less likely to fumble, and less likely to do really severe damage which are reflected in teh -5 DR.) 10. Spatha--The later Romans and the Vikings used this double-edged, single handed sword. Its length falls between 3/4ths of and 1 yard. It was carried on the left due to its length. Dangerous: NOT Ranged: +10 Die Roll: +3 Sit-mod: RF 2. (Being double-edged is a general advantage represented by the small sit-mod advantage. The length and heaviness of the sword make for a less subtle, and more destructive weapon which is seen in the +10 DR.) Tadeusz on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-239 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:58:37 +0000 Tadeusz 239@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ I like the idea of Thematic Collections of Worlds. I've put together some ideas for Grim Futures (alternate realities from the present), and done SF worlds, and Fantasy worlds, and Placeholder Worlds. 1. For Better or Verse situation. 2. Island of the Mighty/War Wizard 3. WAW where Tadeusz arrived in the sixties or so, and invented D&D--basically allows the player to relive and influence and perhaps take advantage of this time. 4. You could be born as someone famous "I shall call him...Abraham Lincoln..." or famous and evil "Herr Schickelgruber, you have a son!" 5. Any suggestions anyone? Eric M. J. Young on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-237 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 19:22:24 +0000 M. J. Young 237@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Of course, it's also The Lion King with people.... I've occasionally considered trying to put together a collection of alternative Zygote-entry worlds. The third novel, For Better or Verse, has a really out-there fantasy one, I think, but it would work for most players. The basic concept of course is figuring out a setting into which the character can be born that will give him time to grow up and get oriented but still put him in the midst of a serious adventure when he's ready. --M. J. Young Tadeusz on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-226 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:31:04 +0000 Tadeusz 226@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Bah ke'gn is not fantasy by this defintion, but only by this definition. I'm looking at Traditional Fantasy. Some extremely good ideas here--zygote, and then shifting to possibilities for epic fantasy, and then a clever riff on Guinevre, Lancelot, and Arthur... For epic fantasy...you'd skip the whole create the Ring of Magi thing, and go for the Find the Major Magic McGuffin and Slay the Dark Lord. Of course, you could have the Search for Excalibur, ahem, I mean, the Unicorn Staff of the White Mage be the Epic Fantasy, and then segue into an Arthurian setting as the War Wizard now tries to set up his kingdom and create order after the Lord of the Monsters (probably some Dragon Giant variant like a huge dragon with two heads) is slain. So, we've got a two-stage world...and then a romance, and then complications in that romance which leads to marriage problems, and possibly doom upon the land. Brilliant! I'd say this world should be preferred as zygote entrance, but I'd offer some other choices as well. I think I may see about putting one of my players into this world soon as I can. Eric WilliamTWodium on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-225 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:04:26 +0000 WilliamTWodium 225@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>particularly if he marries at some point.</blockquote> Which in turn could give you the opportunity to run any of the myriad stories which begin with a king and queen unable to produce a child. If the verser plans to wait a few years to make his decision to adopt more plausible, and the queen is unwilling to wait . . . M. J. Young on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-224 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:54:09 +0000 M. J. Young 224@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Indeed, it might even be the basis for that "epic fantasy" Eric wanted, since at that point it would tell the tale of the child whose royal wizard father was killed in battle, but who was raised by a skilled warrior and returned to reclaim his throne--and since he was zygoted, he is aging in all this. Of course, he'd need a cousin or someone to take the throne when he leaves, but that's a side note really. He could adopt an heir as easily as anything, particularly if he marries at some point. --M. J. Young WilliamTWodium on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-221 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:46:48 +0000 WilliamTWodium 221@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ <blockquote>Or if you zygote him in as the son of the doomed king,</blockquote> That is an excellent idea, and I may use it if I have occasion to inflict the zygote scenario on a player. Fair warning. M. J. Young on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-216 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:17:06 +0000 M. J. Young 216@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ Or if you zygote him in as the son of the doomed king, he will be aware of what his happening and able to come back with a vengeance. Where in your scheme would you fit Bah Ke'gehn? Or is that not "fantasy" by this definition? --M. J. Young Tadeusz on "Types of Fantasies" http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/topic/types-of-fantasies#post-207 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:29:50 +0000 Tadeusz 207@http://gamingoutpost.com/discussions/ If you ask me for fantasy, you'll probably wind up with Dancing Princess, NagaWorld, Bah Ke'gehn, or Dungeons & Dragons, and if you're thinking of Labyrinth or The Dark Crystal or Narnia--MJ This quote by MJ got me to thinking systematically about design as I occasionally do. This only applies to Fantasy, not urban fantasy either. We'll try to keep this limited. Let's create three categories: Examples in fiction, the sub-genre, the world setting. Example: D20 games and RA Salvatore/ D&D subgenre / I've written Greenwood Forest setting. Cinderella/ Fairy Tales/ MJ's done The Dancing Princesses and I've done Grim Forest, at least partially. LOTR, Belgariad, and lots of others/ Epic Fantasy/ I think we need a world for this slot. Nine Princes in Amber/ Wit and Wine Fantasy/ Isle of Lakraine by moi. HMMMM/ Socially Aware Fantasy--4th Age Fantasy in Tolkien's scheme/ Orc Rising Okay, lets hit the pause...I want more brainstorming than an official list....What are the types of fantasy? What are some of my favorite fantasy novels? Deeds of Paksennarrion is excellent. 4th Age of Man stuff. Belgariad is fun. Its Heroic Party of Questers stuff. Narnia. Just read Sanctuary which is a Thieve's World novel. Its a world of racial prejudgice, big city life, sudden and crazy death via magic, monstrous deities, and weak and paling demigods of good...its heroic fantasy.--Closest thing I have to it is Tower of Rhodes, but not really. You need a nasty, gritty city filled with ancient surprise for this. Rhodes might have th elatter, but Rhodes is suffused with romantic optimism. Eternal Champion by Moorcock--You're cursed to be an immortal warrior with a bad attitude, a permanent hangover, and a soul-sucking vampire blade, and see lots of your friends die as you wander the Multiverse fighting in senseless wars first on one side and then the other. In ways, Multiverser itself is the superior replacement for this Myth. King Arthur's tales. Also Roland's tales. Christopher Stasheff wrote the inspiration for City-state of Haston. Conan. Sword and Sorcery. Deryni. Is it magic or is it psi? Very medieval. And medieval is different than D&D. I'm sure there are lots more. Now to grab one that interests me--King Arthur's tales. If you were to make this a Multiverser world...you could simply change a few things,a nd run with it. You could make a more realistic setting and suppose that Arthur was a Saxon war-chief with a nice steel blade. Or you could have Arthur as a Roman general....the last Roman in Britain...there is a movie out now dealing with something like that...the Last Legion. I hear its terrible. But, I'd really rather file down more than the serial numbers. What is Arthur's tale essentially about? Might in the service of right, and your personal evil will destroy your land, and the efforts of a small group to impose order and justice on chaos and evil with interpersonal conflicts and a bit of magic and fighting on the way. The good guys are....Magi on the Hero's Path. Stealing a bit from another idea of mine...Magi must choose one of three courses...1)Renounce their powers. 2)The Hero's Path which is difficult, unsteady, tricky, and perilous. 3)Become a monster quite literally....many magi who chose this route think they did not, they thought they had fooled fate, but in the end, They Chose Poorly. And this is where the dragons, giants, and other hideous beasts come from. If you survive the Hero's Path, you will be great in Heaven and Earth. Others may enter Heaven by the skin of their teeth, but when you enter in, songs will be sung. Still, a Hero is wary of Pride. He still will throw himself down before the Maker in awe. But then he will be raised up to a place higher than the deva, and given charge of stars. But the very power and majesty that a Hero Magi gathers makes him vulnerable to tripping and falling, and once he has fallen, he can be extremely dangerous. Some heroes pause on the path...they take a vacation of a decade or a century. These play the role of the Lady of the Lake, and offer advice to younger still striving Heroes. In the Isle of the Tribes, there are many different magi of no great power. Each one is infested with Pride. None will bow to another, not even to save their own people's lives. There is no cooperation between villages because each Magi is more concerned with getting to his benefit today, they are Selfish and Short-sighted. Some of the more talented Magi make war on others to increase their territory, but in the end, they only destroy. Food is burnt by war, and eaten up by warriors. And more taxes are raised for more war. Ambition rides the shoulders of talented magi like a cruel-eyed Hawk with no pity for the common farmer. In this land, there is an Armsmaster. He has no magic, or so he claims. And yet, he's bested many great Magi with his sword. And then he comes upon a dying king-magi who has fled from a battle. This King is great in power, but not great enough. He carries with him his infant for his enemy has sunk to the point where they would seek out his child to slay him. But he dies now. But upon seeing the Armsmaster, he makes a deal. "Take my son. Raise him as your own. Teach him your wisdom. Teach him mine. Make him the greatest magi who ever lived, a war wizard non pareil so that he may create a world where children are not hunted by armed men." The Armsmaster is moved by this vision and complies. Twenty years later...the war wizard shows up,a nd starts to kick in heads. Things have gotten truly terrible in the land. Poverty is everywhere. Many magi have truly become the monsters they werein spirit, they have become that in flesh, and have left for the Wilds. But day by day, teh Wilds spread. I'm not sure where to stick the verser...possibly make him the Armsmaster or the guy the king sees... Eric