CLASSIC FANTASY - A Return to the Dawn of Roleplaying

[Baphomet69]

Just wanted to let everyone know that Reaper Miniatures is running a Kickstarter campaign to expand their new line of fantasy miniatures, Bones.

Reaper Miniatures Bones: An Evolution Of Gaming Miniatures by Reaper Miniatures — Kickstarter

They are up to 97 miniatures at the $100 pledge level, with options for 2 fire giants, 2 frost giants, a large dragon or 3 large figs (ettin, ogre and another gnoll) for $10 per option. Also, 2 paint sets (12 colors each) for $18 per, 20 large orcs for $25 and a big hard-shell miniatures case (holds over 100) for $25.

On top of all this, shipping is free to the US and Canada, and doesn't stack for the rest of the world.

It really is a bargain and getting better all the time.

[Baphomet69]

This Kickstarter is up to 197 miniatures for $100, FYI.

It ends this Saturday.

[Scootman1166]

Hello Rod,

I bought a PDF copy of Classic Fantasy a while back and was wondering if I could get an updated copy, since it does not look like Chaosium will print one.

Thanks in advance

Scott

[threedeesix]

Hello Rod,

I bought a PDF copy of Classic Fantasy a while back and was wondering if I could get an updated copy, since it does not look like Chaosium will print one.

Thanks in advance

Scott

Hi Scott, send me a private message with your e-mail address and I'll see what I can do.

Rod

[swissmadekzu]

Hi Rod !

I just bought the PDF of Classic Roleplaying on Chaosium's store, and well... I only can say... I'm totally bluffed ! The class system of D&D is well adapted, and I can't wait to launch a campaign in the club where I'm usually playing. I certainly will create some content for Classic Fantasy (first in French, which is my mother tongue, but I may translate them in English when I have some time). I'll hardly wait until the second and third books come out before mastering a game.

Again, congratulations for your excellent work Rod !

Kzu

[threedeesix]

Thanks Kzu,

I love hearing that my work is of use to others. If there is anything I can do to help or questions that I can answer, don't be afraid to ask.

Rod

[Link6746]

So here's a question I need answered (Though I'm going to buy the book either way for it's system additions and race additions).

Searching for "Replenish" didn't reveal the answer to this.

Are there different mage classes or options for the mage class that allow you to change how Spell Points are replenished?

Additionally, if you choose to ignore character classes, how easy would it be to tie class focused abilities to profession skill gains, and how would you suggest doing this?

Edited November 29, 2012 by Link6746
Second question

[threedeesix]

Hi Link6746

So here's a question I need answered (Though I'm going to buy the book either way for it's system additions and race additions).

Searching for "Replenish" didn't reveal the answer to this.

Are there different mage classes or options for the mage class that allow you to change how Spell Points are replenished?

I have just one way to have magic points replenish, and it's a modification of how it works in the BGB to make it work a little more like D&D.

From the book: "In Classic Fantasy, magic points only recover while sleeping at a rate of 25% of your total magic points per two hours, round down. For example, a character with 12 magic points will recover 3 magic points after sleeping for two hours, 6 after four hours, 8 after six hours, and 12 after a full eight hours of sleep."

As I said, this better fit the original subject matter and I always found ity a pain to have to keep track of how many hours went by between encounters, but thats just me. This works the same way whether your a magic-user, illusionist, cleric, druid, paladin, etc.

Additionally, if you choose to ignore character classes, how easy would it be to tie class focused abilities to profession skill gains, and how would you suggest doing this?

I have a section at the end of chapter one that tells you how to use CF with professions and ignore the classes. However, I don't really cover how you would use the class related abilities with those prefessions (excepting of course spell casting abilities and such). I wrote each class up as a profession with abilities anyway. Now if I understand your question, you want to know if each ability could be turned into a skill to be checked off for possible increase like all other skills. I think this would work fine for some (the bards charm ability, the clerics turn undead, the barbarians rage, etc.) but not as well for others (the paladins warhorse being able to be called, the ranger gaining the ability to cast druid spells, etc).

Now this is only relevent if you are using CF as a D100 version of D&D. If you just want to lift some ideas here and there for your own setting/game, then who cares about the stuff that doesnt work, just grab the stuff that does and go crazy.

Thanks,

Rod

[Link6746]

I'm more or less just trying to adapt the concepts of the book to create a The Elder Scrolls styled levelling system for a custom setting.

So what I was going to do with the abilities becoming skills was this: Most of them would be skills, yes, but others would be tied to pre-existing skills and gained when the players go to train and choose to "Learn a new trick" about a skill. Likewise, with 3 weeks worth of successes on checks they could learn these new tricks by themselves, but the check would be about twice as hard. Gaining access to skill based abilities would be more or less going to someone of the right profession and apprenticing oneself.

Was thinking for spell point refreshing to have different methods chosen during chargen in addition to the profession, as an ability like this. Normal would be your built-in system for replenishing them, but they would also have the option to tie it to absorbing spells cast at them, stealing spell points from dead enemies, etc, and certain conditions would favor one or the other (For example, as characters get closer to dead magic areas the amount of spell points one replenishes from resting drastically decrease (say 5% per mile of proximity to a series of wastelands that are entirely dead magic), but dead magic areas themselves would just have no innate magic, not cancel it out).

Edited November 29, 2012 by Link6746
Clarification

[threedeesix]

I'm more or less just trying to adapt the concepts of the book to create a The Elder Scrolls styled levelling system for a custom setting.

Ok, you have me full attention now. LOVE The Eldar Scrolls series.

So what I was going to do with the abilities becoming skills was this: Most of them would be skills, yes, but others would be tied to pre-existing skills and gained when the players go to train and choose to "Learn a new trick" about a skill. Likewise, with 3 weeks worth of successes on checks they could learn these new tricks by themselves, but the check would be about twice as hard. Gaining access to skill based abilities would be more or less going to someone of the right profession and apprenticing oneself.

What I did to a lesser degree with Classic Fantasy was to tie abilities to existing skills and have them gained when the character's skill reaches a point equivilent to what the characters level would be in D&D. That way I could ignore levels, but retain the class related abilities. For example, Status plays a huge role in druid society, so I have that skill determine when higher "level" druid abilities are gained. For Monks, it's martial arts. As martial arts increases, the monks "open hand" damage increases, as does his movement rate, etc. Still other abilities are ties to the characters Alignment score, with the paladin for example, gaining his higher level abilities by raising his "good" alignment points.

It should be noted that Classic Fantasy is getting a hugely expanded 2nd edition, and some of what is written above will change, but not in a bad way, trust me. But it is still a ways away, so don't let that stop you from getting the current book. It still has all your core races, plus over 150 all new (to BRP) spells, some really nice spot rules specific to dungeon delving, etc.

Was thinking for spell point refreshing to have different methods chosen during chargen in addition to the profession, as an ability like this. Normal would be your built-in system for replenishing them, but they would also have the option to tie it to absorbing spells cast at them, stealing spell points from dead enemies, etc, and certain conditions would favor one or the other (For example, as characters get closer to dead magic areas the amount of spell points one replenishes from resting drastically decrease (say 5% per mile of proximity to a series of wastelands that are entirely dead magic), but dead magic areas themselves would just have no innate magic, not cancel it out).

These are all very do-able of course, but could be a nightmare to track. For example, you travel for 10 hours through a slowly deadening magic area, it starts allowing 90% magic point regeneration, but after traveling the full 10 hours, you now occupy an area that only allows 20% magic point regeneration, how many points did you recover assuming it slowly dimished as you travelled? I would stick with the current BRP method, or the CF regeneration while you sleep method myself. However, there is no problem with the other methods you mention; absorbing spells cast at you, steal magic points from dead enemies, etc. They could be interesting.

Rod

[Link6746]

These are all very do-able of course, but could be a nightmare to track. For example, you travel for 10 hours through a slowly deadening magic area, it starts allowing 90% magic point regeneration, but after traveling the full 10 hours, you now occupy an area that only allows 20% magic point regeneration, how many points did you recover assuming it slowly dimished as you travelled? I would stick with the current BRP method, or the CF regeneration while you sleep method myself. However, there is no problem with the other methods you mention; absorbing spells cast at you, steal magic points from dead enemies, etc. They could be interesting.

Rod

[Baron]

Ok, you have me full attention now. LOVE The Eldar Scrolls series.

It should be noted that Classic Fantasy is getting a hugely expanded 2nd edition, and some of what is written above will change, but not in a bad way, trust me. But it is still a ways away, so don't let that stop you from getting the current book.

Rod

I'm a huge fan of the Elder Scrolls, having played all but the two most recent (due to my antiquated computer).

But Rod, thanks for dropping a little snippet of news about your 2nd edition! Looking forward to it.

[threedeesix]

The dead magic area thing only really would have an effect while "Resting" in a dead magic area or near it, not traveling through it.

Ok, I take it back, thats cool.

[Link6746]

Alright, so I finished a general idea of the Mana system. Yes, Mana. I decided to name spell points dependant on what kind of skill is using them and make them seperate pools. Note that this can make for very fast and fatal combat, especially with the node system.

"When making a character, choose one of three types of Mana regen. Each has their own penalties and benefits inherent to them.

[Resting]

Benefit: When Resting, you regain Mana equal to 25% of your current Mana by per 2 hours, rounding down.

Benefit 2: Any potion or Node that would restore Mana restores 2* as much.

Drawback: When within five miles of dead magick area or within it, this replenishing of spell points reduces by 5% per mile in the dead magic area, Down to 0%.

Drawback 2: Nodes require 6 DEX ranks to drain of Mana.

[Drain]

Benefit: whenever you kill an enemy, you gain 1d4 magic points, Plus 1/4 the amount they had left over by their death, rounding down.

Benefit 2: It takes only 3 DEX ranks to drain a node of Mana.

Drawback: You do not gain Mana from resting.

Drawback 2: if killing an enemy causes a character to absorb more points of Mana than they can store, this mana is "Bled" out into the surrounding area, which can either cause other characters (and enemies) to gain Mana, or the creation nodes.

[Absorb]

Benefit 1: Spells cast at the character have a chance of being absorbed of 1/2 the character's Casting skill. If actively countering the spell, this is increased to the full casting skill. When a spell is absorbed, 1/2 the power points spent to cast it are added to Mana.

Benefit 2: Nodes take only 4 DEX ranks to drain of Mana.

Drawback 1: No mana is replenished by resting.

Drawback 2: The character, if they absorb more Mana than they are capable of storing, takes the excess Mana as damage.

[Note: Nodes]

Nodes are points where Mana is strongest in a given area, and can be drained of Mana, only to have themselves replenish at a rate of 1 charge a day.

When a node is drained of Mana, 1 charge on the node is exchanged for 1d4 Mana within the character who drained it, up to the maximum for that character.

A node can have up to 10 charges for a maximum, based on it's potency. One charge is replenished per day unless the node is drained to zero, in which case the Node dies.

The average Node holds up to 2-3 charges.

Edited December 1, 2012 by Link6746
Balancing, really)

[Chaot]

I think that works, but with that set up there is no way I'm taking any option except for resting, unless I can figure out a loop hole for a quick charge.

[Link6746]

I came up with something for my victorian steampunk/arcana setting that adds a template instead of the drain method.

In this method, individual spell skills (wizardry) is used for rest based spells. However, rituals can be used to turn characters into Imbued.

Imbued act as follows:

[imbued]

-Skills-

Sorcery: As presented in the BRP Gold Book.

Sap Will: On a successful check vs target Willpower, the Imbued can drain 1d4 points of Mana from the target. This cannot be resisted by armors, though some enchanted items help.

-Traits-

Stunted Rest: Does not regain Mana from resting.

Stunted Hunger: Instead of lack of food killing Imbued, it simply stops them from healing naturally and causes a penalty to Appearence after a suitable period of time.

Stunted Aging: Imbued do not gain penalties from aging. However, they have a maximum age of (Sorcery/2)*POW

Willpower, in this case... is (INT+POW)/2, and is checked as a stat the same way as non derived ones (STAT*5). Tried to avoid the slightly odd rules for opposed rolls in this instance, so it just uses Active Vs Passive trait rules, though some skills can be used as traits for this.

Might just make the Drain thing work similar to this, but check against raw POW.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Link6746

[Link6746]

Okay, my Classic Fantasy book came in the mail today. Going to avoid reading it until post-holidays.

[goradin]

Okay, my Classic Fantasy book came in the mail today. Going to avoid reading it until post-holidays.

Anyone got a hard copy they want to sell?

[silent_bob]

Anyone got a hard copy they want to sell?

Goradin,

You can buy the pdf at DriveThruRPG.com for $16.47:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/82084/Classic-Fantasy

[dracopticon]

I'm in a small group that plays a real "visit to the nostalgia quarters" as we're doing some random dungeoning from AD&D first ed. I'd looove to see us turn over to Classic Fantasy and BRP. It's a wonderful work you have done Rod. Unfortunately, the others in the group doesn't understand the real strengths of easy play and versatility that BRP has. The want to go old school all the way. Fine with me in the short run, but I will try to change their minds in the future.

Then I have to report about my first try out with BRP CF. I rewrote a D&D short adventure into a longer scenario and set it in a distant north (in my own fantasy setting), a cold continent with old ruins left from an older empire. There, the original adventure was just about a chance encounter around an old cloister with an underground monster pit. But, I drew the basic "pcs meet monster, go bashing" into a much larger assignment of saving the characters home village from famine and bad harvests. So the pcs started hungry, which grew during the adventure, almost overwhelming them, before they turned the tables and managed to find an old corpse in the cloister dungeons with a scroll on it. The scroll was for the Cleric spell of "Create Food & Water". But as it was a scroll, they could only use it once. They realised it qould be of such importance if they could get it to be learnt by a priest instead, to be able to repeat it. So the rest of the adventure was a search for finding a good priest to learn it for the village, and simultaneously battling bandits, monsters and rising hunger with its adverse effects. We had much fun.

[threedeesix]

Awesome. Sounds like a good time. I'm always happy to hear stories of how CF has worked out in other peoples campaigns.

Oh, and I just accepted your request to join the BRP: CF Yahoo Group before coming here. Welcome aboard.

Join my RuneQuest: Classic Fantasy group as well if you want more up to the minute discussions on Classic Fantasy's next iteration.

Rod

[dracopticon]

Awesome. Sounds like a good time. I'm always happy to hear stories of how CF has worked out in other peoples campaigns.

Oh, and I just accepted your request to join the BRP: CF Yahoo Group before coming here. Welcome aboard.

Join my RuneQuest: Classic Fantasy group as well if you want more up to the minute discussions on Classic Fantasy's next iteration.

Rod

Wonderful! I want to get the latest reports on any updates or devs on your games and supplements, so that's perfect. Sounds great about that RQ Group. I own and have played RQ through the years. Very interesting to hear, I'm sure, how you guys play that game. Sure will have a look see. /Erik.

[jimc]

Sorry if this has been answered already. Is there going to be a Classic Fantasy volume II and or III? 

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[Chorpa]

Sorry if this has been answered already. Is there going to be a Classic Fantasy volume II and or III? 

Nope! But Classic Fantasy is being re-released for the RuneQuest system so I guess it is possible that material that was planned for CFII might sneak in to the new Classic Fantasy book. The info can be found here:

 

But I guess threedeesix can answer your questions better since I am speculating.

 

[threedeesix]

 

Nope! But Classic Fantasy is being re-released for the RuneQuest system so I guess it is possible that material that was planned for CFII might sneak in to the new Classic Fantasy book. The info can be found here:

 

But I guess threedeesix can answer your questions better since I am speculating.

 

 

That would be correct. And yes, as maybe 75% of the material for the BRP version was already written up, most will be converted and used in one form or another. However, a lot of the stuff I came up with for the BRP version, RQ6 was already doing, so where this was the case I dropped mine.

 

Rod