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1 July 2010

Today’s Tabbloid
PERSONAL NEWS FOR riorio2@rogue-games.net

ROGUE FEED

Speaking of Spanish Language


News ...
JUN 30, 2010 09:33P.M.

Pedro Gil over at the Spanish old school blog Aventuras en La Marca del
Este has passed along word that a new retro-clone, based on Labyrinth
Lord, is in the works. The game, which will be released in a boxed set
that includes a 150-page rulebook, a referee’s screen, and dice. Here’s the
art from the box cover:

And here are a couple of character illustrations from the rulebook:

As you can see, this is going to be a very attractive product, with lots of
excellent artwork. There’s the possibility of an English language
translation of the game in the future, but, for now, those of us who don’t
read Spanish will have to be content with merely admiring the game
rather than actually playing it.

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Today’s Tabbloid PERSONAL NEWS FOR riorio2@rogue-games.net 1 July 2010

ROGUE FEED ROGUE FEED

Another Conan Pic Richard Iorio


JUN 30, 2010 06:24P.M. JUN 30, 2010 11:13A.M.

Here’s a scan from a Spanish language magazine posted at the official Earlier this month (June 4 to be precise) I left my job. For those who
Robert E. Howard boards. I can’t read Spanish very well, so I’m not know me, know what a rough 2.5 years I had at the job due to the
certain that the accompanying article provides much insight about the workload. I reached the point where I could not do it anymore. It is scary
film, but the photograph is interesting. to leave a job willingly, but this is the key, it was that or my life.

Not being melodramatic, but the stress of the job and the workload really
took a toll. How much of a toll? I had a stress induced panic attack last
October that I thought was a heart attack. Compounding that, I was
extremely depressed, so depressed that I was scared about the
repercussions. Still I worked, because that is my nature. I was raised to
work and keep my nose to the grindstone. Yet this past month I had to
leave.

So as I look for a new job, I realized something this morning. I have


never been happier. I am finally sleeping (up until last month I was
averaging only 5 hours a sleep a week), I am no longer having headaches,
but more importantly my whole personality is reverting back to normal.
Also, and this is the coolest thing, I have turned my attention to Rogue
Games now that I have more free time. I want a job, don’t get me wrong,
but this month I’ve done more Rogue Games work then I have done in a
I say “interesting,” because, like all such photos, it lacks the context long time. It feels good.
necessary to make a proper judgment about it, other than a gut one. And
my gut continues to tell me that Jason Momoa might well be a better So as this month comes to an end, I am amazed with how much I’ve
Conan than I anticipated but that whatever virtues he possesses will changed. I like myself finally, and that is the first time in a very long time
likely be wasted on a B-grade sword-and-sorcery movie that has little of I can say that.
Robert E. Howard in it. Much like James Purefoy as Solomon Kane, the
2011 film may well have an actor who could have, in a less compromised
production, portrayed something like a genuine Howard character.
Filed under: Life, thoughts
I do hope to be proven wrong, however; I simply don’t expect I will be.

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Today’s Tabbloid PERSONAL NEWS FOR riorio2@rogue-games.net 1 July 2010

ROGUE FEED as a whole, it’s an approach to the question of specialized knowledge of


which I approve. It’s built to work in concert with the skill system
Skills I Can Live With without either weakening class archetypes or introducing mechanics
JUN 30, 2010 10:52A.M. uncongenial to my refereeing philosophy. I’m glad to was reminded of
it.
Despite suggestions to the contrary, I don’t “hate” skill systems or think
they’re anathema to old school game design. Rather, I don’t see a lot of
point in having a skill system in a class-based RPG, since they’re either
redundant or, worse yet, undermine the logic of classes. Consequently, ROGUE FEED
when I play a class-based game, I generally assume that members of a
given class can be expected to know about things related to that class. So, Retrospective: The Challenges
magic-users are knowledgeable about arcane lore and clerics are
conversant in theology, etc. Specific character concepts, such as an Game System
illiterate, back woods wizard or a scholar-turned-fighting-man, might JUN 30, 2010 07:29A.M.
lead me to rearrange my assumptions a little, but, overall, I prefer to
stick with them and view such specialized knowledge through the lens of
character classes and run with it from there.

Now, over the course of my Dwimmermount campaign, the players have


occasionally expressed an interest in their characters’ learning
something, such as a foreign language. Gaztea, Brother Candor’s thief
henchman, is in the process of learning Ancient Thulian, for example,
and she’s also experimenting with basic alchemy by virtue of the fact that
we’d established she was a failed wizard’s apprentice turned criminal
(and has 17 Intelligence to boot). Since there’s no formal way to handle
the acquisition of such knowledge in the game, I’ve been winging it,
expecting that time, money, and a tutor are what’s needed for learning.

Then, just recently, I was re-reading my copy Empire of the Petal Throne
and I saw a rule I’d forgotten about. Section 420 of the rulebook includes
rules for “Original Skills,” which are background skills not unlike the
secondary skills of AD&D. At creation, a player rolls percentile dice to Most gamers, I hope, know that Tom Moldvay was the editor of the 1981
determine how many such skills his character starts with and from what Dungeons & Dragons Basic Rulebook, as well as the writer (co-writer) of
categories. EPT has three categories: “plebeian,” which covers ordinary two of the greatest D&D modules of all time, The Isle of Dread and Castle
arts and crafts, like baking and tailoring, “skilled,” which covers more Amber. Some of them may also know that he wrote a RPG about world-
advanced arts and crafts, such as animal training and ship-building, and hopping called Lords of Creation (which I hope to discuss in this space
“noble,” which covers very specialized knowledge requiring considerable sometime soon). But how many realize that he wrote an 8-page
study to acquire, such as alchemy or mathematics. restatement of AD&D in 1986 under the name The Challenges Game
System? I was dimly aware of the existence of this game, although I can’t
There are several things I like about EPT’s “original skills” system. First, say for certain how I was made aware of it or precisely when. Regardless,
with very few marginal exceptions, the skills don’t undermine the class I’d never actually seen a copy until this week, thanks to a reader of this
system but rather complement it. Second, there’s no universal mechanic blog.
associated with skill use. Possession of the skill brings with it no
mechanical expectations; indeed, many of these skills have no means of Challenges appears to have been self-published by Moldvay through a
resolution beyond referee fiat. And the skills that do have mechanics are company called “Challenges International Inc.” It’s a thin booklet
tied closely to level, which I find quite agreeable. Finally, the system consisting of 8 pages of rules and charts, some endpapers, and a cover.
includes a means of acquiring new skills — actually, it includes two. The In its brief introduction, Moldvay explains that Challenges
first is based on level, as it’s assumed characters will acquire new skills
from various categories as they increase in level. The second is through offers an easy-to-play alternative to fantasy game systems
the expenditure of time and money, with plebeian skills taking 2 months which are becoming increasingly complex. All of the basic
and 1000 gold pieces to learn, while noble skills take 6 months and information needed for play is organized into 8 pages instead
10,000 gold pieces. of scattered among hundreds of pages of several expensive
books.
EPT’s system isn’t without flaws and when/if I adopt it for use in my
Dwimmermount campaign, I’ll likely make some changes to it, but, taken The Challenges Game System is intended to be a foundation.

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Today’s Tabbloid PERSONAL NEWS FOR riorio2@rogue-games.net 1 July 2010

Game Masters and players can add whatever they like to the basic weapons and includes no example monsters or treasures, the
system. They can change any rules they want. But the 8 page implication being that most of these would be described in adventure
guide will still remain a basic reference aid, a place where published for the game. So far as I know, there was at least one, possibly
essential information can be quickly found. two, such adventures published, but I have never seen them, so I cannot
comment on their contents. As presented, Challenges is not quite a
I liked the cut of Moldvay’s jib to begin with, but this introduction only complete system, but, if one has other D&D materials handy, it’d be easy
increased my affection for him. Succinct and without pretense, the to fill in the gaps.
introduction is unambiguous on the side of those who see published
rules as guidelines for the creation of a roleplaying game fashioned to I suspect that’s what Moldvay assumed players would do, which does
one’s own taste. make one wonder why he bothered to produce this guide book at all.
That’s not a knock against Challenges, to which I am rather favorably
Of course, reading through Challenges, it’s also unambiguous that disposed, but I wish I knew more about the circumstances under which
Moldvay is taking aim at late era AD&D 1e. The system presented in its 8 this RPG was produced and what Moldvay’s plans were for it. As it is, it’s
pages is largely identical to that of AD&D (with a few interesting close enough to AD&D that I’m not sure it’d stand up to an assault by
wrinkles), stripped down to its essentials and presented far more TSR’s legal department, so what was he thinking? On the other hand, as
coherently. Characters have six ability scores: Muscle, Dexterity, a distillation of AD&D — a kind of “AD&D Lite” — it’s quite well done
Stamina, Willpower, Wisdom, and Charisma. These are generated by and a reminder of how, in practice, many of us played 1e. Nowadays, I
rolling 2D6+6 nine times and choosing the best six rolls, arranging them have Labyrinth Lord and the Advanced Edition Companion, so there’s
as desired (“Player characters are heroes, not average individuals,” little need for something like Challenges, but Moldvay was doing this in
Moldvay notes to my disappointment). Scores of 18 — which would be 1986, years before anyone else. It’s a fascinating historical artifact and a
more likely under the suggested method of random generation — get a reminder to me, as if I needed one, that Tom Moldvay was a clever and
further percentile roll to distinguish them, much like exceptional imaginative guy and it’s a pity he doesn’t get lauded as often as he most
Strength in AD&D, except that it applies to all ability scores. Ability assuredly deserves.
modifiers are not rationalized — they vary by ability — but, outside of the
highest percentile scores, they’re fairly small, generally +1 or +2.

Challenges presents five classes (warrior, sorcerer, cleric, thief, and ROGUE FEED
mirager — an illusionist) and five races (humans, dwarves, elves,
gnomes, and hobbits, the latter of which Moldvay claims is based on Rogue Games is a Sponsor
“British folklore” and makes no reference to Tolkien whatsoever). Races JUN 30, 2010 05:55A.M.
are mostly cosmetic in their differences, with a few gaining special level-
dependent detection abilities, infravision — yes, that term is used — and, As of today, June 30, 2010, Rogue Games is proud to be a sponsor of
in the case of dwarves, a penalty to Luck rolls, which is the Challenges the Role Play Media Network. James and I are happy to be doing
equivalent to saving throws and is a single score, as in Swords & this.
Wizardry. Classes are simple and straightforward in their presentation,
with individualized XP charts. Characters start with maximum hit points I know, a short and too the point announcement. What can I say, I hate
(+ Stamina bonuses, if any). Thief abilities are generalized into “Thief beating around the bush. :)
Skills” and “Stealth,” each governed by a level-based percentile score.
Spells are highly simplified — a line or two description reminiscent of
OD&D’s presentation.

Combat is where Challenges differs intriguingly from AD&D. All classes


have a base attack number, which is what they must roll on 1D20 to
score a hit, thus eliminating the need for combat charts. This number is
modified on the attacker’s side by Muscle or Dexterity, as appropriate.
On the defender’s side, it’s modified by Dexterity and armor. Initiative,
however, is a simple 1D6 affair, modified by Dexterity. As optional rules,
the amount by which a character exceeds or misses his target number
can have additional effects, from bonus damage to dropping one’s
weapon. Bonus damage also introduces the concept of “wounds,” which
are persistent combat penalties until healed in order to simulate injury
without overly complicating the system.

Challenges also includes rules for turning undead, monster attacks, and
multi-classing. It lacks any rules for equipment beyond armor and some

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