[DT] What System to Use

[Oedipussy Rex]

"We're not a parody!"

I never got that. "We're not a joke system!" was what I always heard/read.

I didn't realize that Kenzer poked the bear with copyright issues

Kenzer didn't poke the bear. Kenzer was the bear. The man is an IP Lawyer. So when he contacted WotC to tell them that they didn't have the reprint rights to the KoDT, he was doing that officially as a lawyer with the contracts to back him up. When Jolly first started doing the strips for Dragon, back before joining Kenzer&Co, he specifically set up the contract that Dragon only had first printing/publishing rights. WotC included the strips in the Dragon Archives anyway, possibly thinking that they, being the 600 lb. gorilla, could do whatever they wanted. They were wrong. Many people had WotC over a barrel with the Archives debacle, but Kenzer was the guy who was able to leverage a license as part of the settlement. (If you get a chance, have Dave talk about the negotiations. "They kept trying to fit trademark law into copyright issues.")

I still use the HackMaster Smartass Smackdown table.

And that's parody. Also parody: a d10000 Critical Hit table, eight Monster Manuals, and Fireball spells for every spell level. I did a bit of that myself in ə-OH with polearms. Saying that a Lucerne Hammer is a Crunchy weapon is a joke (it's actually Stabby); listing 59 polearms and giving them all the same stats is parody.

Do you think a parody supplement for OSRIC would sell?

No. It strikes me that those who gravitate toward OSRIC are those who called HM a "Joke System".

[Kersus]

Of course you may have noticed I use HackMaster 4e. It's a dozen years old but I do it for the humor.

What do you like and dislike about the system? Do all the player's own the books and know the game inside and out? What rules do you avoid and what house rules do you have?

[Kersus]

It strikes me that those who gravitate toward OSRIC are those who called HM a "Joke System".

It's unfortunate to me. If HM5e was a joke system, I'd be more willing to pick it up. Stripping the best part out of the system makes it hard for me to take the plunge. Perhaps at GaryCon 2015, they'll let me in a game so I can at least try it.

[Kersus]

Did you ever take part in the HMW mailing list https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/hmw/info ?? I recall having this discussion with a few people at that time.

[Kersus]

So, my girlfriend wants to kill me in Jim Ward's Monty Haul's Lesser Tower of Doom but we need to settle on a system.

We went with Swords & Wizardry Complete. Reasons? Last one mentioned and a decision had to be made.

If we continue past this adventure, I may see if she'll switch to Spellcraft & Swordplay.

First thing I notice about S&W is that I have to be very prudent in my moves as the PCs are much weaker than 1st level in many other systems. She laughs at me whilst I rope PCs together and carefully map the area out. How I make a home base and frequently return to it's safety. I spike doors open and etch things with a chisel to keep track.

I can see how I've lost a step as a player. I didn't take enough ranged weapons and allowed my torchbearer to die badly. Magic use (Clerical and Thaumaturgic) is mostly useless to these characters and their Thief skills are far more likely to fail. Certainly none are any good at fighting. It's all about proceeding with care and setting up ambushes for bad guys, or simply surprising them while they sleep.

[Kersus]

So, the question pops up again. I'm going to start a new campaign with 2-4 players once or twice a month.

Choices?

Castles & Crusades - Zagyg Campaign
Metamorphosis Alpha 1e - Individual adventures
Swords & Wizardry Complete - Rappen Athuk
OAD&D1e/OSRIC (with house rules) - Who knows
Platemail 27.0 (magic and races heavily modified) - No idea, but probably dungeons
CORE Command - Dark Outpost/Dark Visitor
Maybe others.

I'd like to get the PbP of SCHWA going again and may run it in the Summer. I was also thinking of running a single session of it at GaryCon 2015 as well as a session of Lejendary Adventure. That's assuming I can get a room at the resort like I did this year (but have to cancel it). I'm not going without a room there. This may have been my last chance.