This just caught my attention, thought I would share.
Crypts and Things, a swords & sorcery game based on the Swords & Wizardry rules. It is from D101 Games, the same folks that brought us OpenQuest.
QuoteCrypts & Things is based more upon the Sword and Sorcery works of Clark Ashton Smith, Fritz Leiber and Robert E Howard, than the more traditional Tolkiensque fantasy of standard Swords & Wizardry core. It comes with its own setting , the dying world of Zarth of which The Continent of Terror is briefly described.
More info at D101 Games' Old Skool Fantasy Blog (http://sorcererundermountain.d101games.co.uk/2011/03/17/crypts-and-things/)
Very interesting. The "elevator pitch" sounds a lot like LotFP, but they've taken a hammer to the system, as well as excising the Tolkienesque elements:
Quote from: the above linkedHow is Crypts & Things different from Swords & Wizardry Core?
Characters
* Fighter has optional fighting styles, to add more fun and to differentiate between fighter characters.
* Adds the Barbarian character class based off the version of the class originally published in White Dwarf 2 in 1977.
* Adds the Thief class. This is a more martially inclined version of the Thief, inspired by the Grey Mouser from Fritz Leiber’s Lankamar stories.
* Adds the Magician class, which combines the spell lists of the Magic-User and Cleric, and then separates them into White/Grey and Black magic spell lists.
* Removes the Cleric and Magic-user Class
* No Elves, Dwarfs or Halflings, Orcs, Goblins etc. Its all Serpent Men, Giant Apes, Primatives, creepy eldrich horrors all the way!
* No Turning the Undead either as a class ability or spell.
* Life events. This takes the form of a simple table where characters roll a single D20 three times for starting characters to learn some of the events that occurred before they started adventuring and the benefits that they caused.
Rules systems
* A simple skill system based off the Saving Throw number. Used for class skills (such as the thieves skills and barbarians abilities) and other skills that the character may have picked up along the way.
* Sanity rules. Wisdom is used as a measure of mental stability. This system is used for both taking mental damage for witnessing horror and for magicians casting Black Magic
* Altered damage rules. Hit points become a measure of exhaustion and fatigue – and are lost as a Magician casts spells. Constitution used as a measure of physical damage, and is lost once Hit points have been exhausted.
If some of this sounds familiar to you its because I’ve used Akrasia’s Sword & Sorcery House Rules as a basis of alot of the changes I’ve made to the rules.
Background and Setting
Crypts & Things is based more upon the Sword and Sorcery works of Clark Ashton Smith, Fritz Leiber and Robert E Howard, than the more traditional Tolkiensque fantasy of standard Swords & Wizardry core. It comes with its own setting , the dying world of Zarth of which The Continent of Terror is briefly described.
Kudos to Akrasia, BTW, for getting his houserules in print (I do hope he's getting, at very least, a credit in the book).
And the name does a pretty good job of conveying the difference (or rather, the sharpened focus) in tone from "baseline" D&D.
Nonetheless, a small part of me believes that, notwithstanding the fact that variety is a Good Thing, this is quite a bit of glut for three games (Jim Raggi's LotFP, Jeff Talanian's upcoming
Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, and now Crypts & Things) occupying the same niche... and that it would be really,
really awesome if these three awesome people (Newt, Jeff and Jim) joined forces instead of each going at it his way.
Anyway, I am quite curious to see how this will turn out.
Akrasia's house rules are pretty cool. :)
Yes I know this thread is very old!
Does anybody here know when this game will become available in print? Anyone here get the playtest version and if so, what were your impressions?
C&T's seems like a really cool game but I'm not hearing any buzz about it at all. Seems to be plenty of talk about Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea and LotFP, but to me at least, C&T's appears to be much better than those but strangely nobody's talking about it....
P.S. Finally a game that does away with the distinction between 'divine' and 'arcane' magic and a thief class that doesn't stink! Not sure I'm digging that certain classes have an overall better ST number than others considering a single number is used for everything ( all the different types of saving throws ala D&D plus being used as a skill system too ) but otherwise it's looking pretty good.
I preordered and have the full pdf. The print version will be delivered imminently according to Newt.
It's without doubt my favorite iteration of S&W. If you have any questions ask away.
Quote from: Drew;500559I preordered and have the full pdf. The print version will be delivered imminently according to Newt.
It's without doubt my favorite iteration of S&W. If you have any questions ask away.
I was just wondering when the print version would become available to those who weren't able to get in on the preorder deal. I thought I read somewhere it would be in January sometime but I didn't know if that applied to everybody or just the preorder guys.
Since you're kind enough to answer some questions, I have a few for you;
1) Do you add the appropriate ability score modifiers when making a saving throw? Like would you add your CON modifier to save against poison or your DEX modifier to save against a fireball?
2) Is the thief and magician class exactly like the ones in Akrasia's rules or are there differences? What are the differences if any?
3) Can you give a few examples of the life events? I'm only aware of the 'taken away by demons' one from the video preview.
4) Does C&T's use 'damage by class' like in Akrasia's rules or does it use the standard 'damage by individual weapon' like D&D?
5) I read a quick overview about the Barbarian class from the 1977 White Dwarf magazine but wonder how it differs from the C&T's version?
6) Finally, what are
your favorite parts of C&T's?
Well I can pester you all day with more questions, but these were the things I was wondering about the most.
This sounds amazing... does anyone know when the .pdf will be available for general purchase?
QuoteI was just wondering when the print version would become available to those who weren't able to get in on the preorder deal. I thought I read somewhere it would be in January sometime but I didn't know if that applied to everybody or just the preorder guys.
As far as I know book and pdf will be available once the preorders are out the door, so not long now.
Quote1) Do you add the appropriate ability score modifiers when making a saving throw? Like would you add your CON modifier to save against poison or your DEX modifier to save against a fireball?
It's freeform in the usual S&W way. If the ref (charmingly referred to as the Crypt Keeper) deems an ability bonus applicable you get it.
Quote2) Is the thief and magician class exactly like the ones in Akrasia's rules or are there differences? What are the differences if any?
The thief is almost identical. The magician has some tweaks, the most important being that spells are memorized, resulting in a Vancian system that also inflicts hit point damage and, in the case of black magic, may result in insanity via wisdom depletion. The net effect is magicians being less powerful than their S&W core cousins, which fits the genre well. That said there are ways to mitigate the costs; human sacrifice reduces direct damage a magician suffers when memorizing a black magic spell.
Quote3) Can you give a few examples of the life events? I'm only aware of the 'taken away by demons' one from the video preview.
I'm on a different computer so don't have the pdf in front of me; from memory there's "I survived the pendulum trap of blarg: +2AC"; "I spent a year in the Jagmani jungles: Never get lost in jungles" and "I was an actor with the Four Winds theatre company: +2 Charisma". There are 20 in all, you roll three randomly at character creation.
Quote4) Does C&T's use 'damage by class' like in Akrasia's rules or does it use the standard 'damage by individual weapon' like D&D?
It's damage by weapon.
Quote5) I read a quick overview about the Barbarian class from the 1977 White Dwarf magazine but wonder how it differs from the C&T's version?
I'm not familiar with the WD barbarian so can't compare but the C&T version is cool; with danger sense, immunity to fear effects, survival and tracking skills and a nifty ability which multiplies their damage if they get the first blow during combat.
Quote6) Finally, what are your favorite parts of C&T's?
Difficult as there's a lot to like. I suppose my favorite aspect of the game is how it subtly shifts emphasis from spellcasters (and spellcasting solutions) towards grittier, martial play. Characters are more skilled and survivable across the board, being akin to young Fafhrd, Conan and Mouser, which is a bonus.
QuoteWell I can pester you all day with more questions, but these were the things I was wondering about the most.
Any time. If there's anything else you'd like to know have at it.
From an e-mail from Newt Newport 13 days ago:
QuoteHi all
First off thank you for pre-ordering Crypts and Things.
Books will be posted early in the New Year. I'm currently awaiting the final set of proofs – and hitting Christmas has slowed things down. I will keep you updated.
Work moves swiftly on the module: The Blood of the Dragon. I have the full structure of it in place now and I'm working on adding the description that will bring it to life. I'm on for the end of year deadline I set my self with this, so you should get the final product early in Jan.
Maximum thanks again.
Seasons best wishes.
;O)Newt
Quote from: The Butcher;448057Kudos to Akrasia, BTW, for getting his houserules in print (I do hope he's getting, at very least, a credit in the book).
Quote from: Benoist;448058Akrasia's house rules are pretty cool. :)
Gosh ... thanks! :o :)
Quote from: The Butcher;448057...
Nonetheless, a small part of me believes that, notwithstanding the fact that variety is a Good Thing, this is quite a bit of glut for three games (Jim Raggi's LotFP, Jeff Talanian's upcoming Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, and now Crypts & Things) occupying the same niche...
C&T deviates from standard OD&D/S&W more than LotFP and (I think) ASSH. Nonetheless, the core rules of C&T are close enough to core OD&D/S&W that material for OD&D/S&W (and B/X D&D, AD&D, etc., and the relevant retro-clones) can be used with C&T with little work (simply rework or redescribe orcs, goblins, etc., as brigands or serpent men or whatever).
I own and like LotFP, and I like what I've seen of ASSH, especially the setting of 'Hyperborea'. Mix and match among the systems as you see fit! :cool:
Quote from: Akrasia;501035From an e-mail from Newt Newport 13 days ago:
That's good news. I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on this. Now if only I had heard about it four weeks ago...
Thanks for all the info Drew. Just a couple more if you don't mind;
Are you saying that Magicians have to 'prepare' their spells in advance ala old school D&D or can they just cast X amount of spells at each spell level ala 3E Sorcerer class? If they have to 'prepare' them, do they have to do so from a spellbook or do they just 'know' X spells? Does high Intelligence give a caster more spells?
Thanks for all your info.
P.S. In the 15 page PDF preveiw, the spell Protection from Evil ( 10 ft radius ) is listed as a 3rd level and a 4th level spell. Was this typo fixed? I ask because curiously this same typo is in Akrasia's rules too which I just found to be odd.
No worries.
Magician's start play with a book containing 2 first level and 1 second level spells. All further spells must be found, learned from a tutor or purchased. They're prepared in advance using same slot allowance as mainstream S&W.
For white magic, that's all there is to it. Grey magic costs spell level x 2 HP to cast. Black magic inflicts constitution damage equal the level of the spell being memorized, which can only be healed with rest; casting BM requires a saving throw to avoid sanity damage equal to the level of the spell. Constitution damage can be negated by sacrificing one sentient creature per level of the spell being memorized.
Magician's can memorize an additional first level spell if their intelligence is 15 or higher. They may wear leather armour and use any weapon, but receive -1 damage unless it's a dagger, dart, quarterstaff or sling.
Quote from: Drew;501122Black magic inflicts constitution damage equal the level of the spell being memorized, which can only be healed with rest;
Didn't know about that. So no HP's of damage when cast, only Con damage when you prepare/memorize one? Interesting, but it seems like a bit more bookeeping by having to track your Con instead of just HP's, but I'm aware that this game does use Con as a sort of 'HP's after your out of HP's' so I'll just have to see how it works in play.
Quotecasting BM requires a saving throw to avoid sanity damage equal to the level of the spell. Constitution damage can be negated by sacrificing one sentient creature per level of the spell being memorized.
That sounds cool. In the 15 page PDF preview, they do it differently. I guess Newt decided to change it last minute.
Although I was never a fan of Vancian magic and would've liked to seen it done away with, I still like some of the changes I see. The sacrificing thing is cool because now the evil sorcerers you encounter performing all their dark rituals and sacrifices now have an actual in game reason to be doing them; they're preparing a black magic spell!
Quote from: Spinal Tarp;501141That sounds cool. In the 15 page PDF preview, they do it differently. I guess Newt decided to change it last minute.
Originally I used the Hit Points as Spell points system as written in Akarasia's house rules. However in a con game one of Magician players repeatedly cast Sleep, because this system allowed him to do so, and it really exposed the weakness of using the S&W spells as written with a system that allows multiple casting. Rather than review and rewrite the spells, I decided to fall back to the 'Vancian' system, with the Black-Grey-White systems to give it a fun twist. However low level Magicians in C&T don't suffer from the 'oh you've spent your spells for the day, that's you standing at the back doing nowt' syndrome that some D&D games suffer from, since they can do extra stuff using the skills system and can use swords (admittedly at lower damage and lower chance to hit).
Quote from: Spinal Tarp;501141Although I was never a fan of Vancian magic and would've liked to seen it done away with, I still like some of the changes I see. The sacrificing thing is cool because now the evil sorcerers you encounter performing all their dark rituals and sacrifices now have an actual in game reason to be doing them; they're preparing a black magic spell!
In the playtest games two of my players played Black Magicians and with the mandate of "lets see how quickly we can mess up these characters", and the answer was very quickly if we cast Black Magic exclusively and drink all those powerful but sanity sapping potions :)
I deliberately left out an alignment system and allowed Magicians free choice from the three spell lists,so that players could decide themselves whether they wanted to go for the powerful but ultimately damaging black magic, get creative with Grey Magic or play it safe with White magic.
Quote from: The Butcher;448057Nonetheless, a small part of me believes that, notwithstanding the fact that variety is a Good Thing, this is quite a bit of glut for three games (Jim Raggi's LotFP, Jeff Talanian's upcoming Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, and now Crypts & Things) occupying the same niche... and that it would be really, really awesome if these three awesome people (Newt, Jeff and Jim) joined forces instead of each going at it his way.
LotFP, AS&SH and Crypts & Things aren't the same games. I don't think they "compete" against each others. You might as well see all three of them as supplements to each other and/or all of them as supplements to the O/AD&D tradition. I think aficionados are going to own all three of them in the long run, rather than one at the exclusion of the other two.
Quote from: Spinal Tarp;501105P.S. In the 15 page PDF preveiw, the spell Protection from Evil ( 10 ft radius ) is listed as a 3rd level and a 4th level spell. Was this typo fixed? I ask because curiously this same typo is in Akrasia's rules too which I just found to be odd.
I like Newt, but his proofreading skills are atrocious. I suspect you will find a fair amount of this kind of stuff in the book.
One of the big wins about doing the pre-order was that it got a real good proof read by a ton of good hearted folk. So unlike OpenQuest, its not something I'll be fixing up to a year after ;)
Wow, 10 months later people decide to reply to my post. I'm kind of flattered. :D
Quote from: Akrasia;501038C&T deviates from standard OD&D/S&W more than LotFP and (I think) ASSH. Nonetheless, the core rules of C&T are close enough to core OD&D/S&W that material for OD&D/S&W (and B/X D&D, AD&D, etc., and the relevant retro-clones) can be used with C&T with little work (simply rework or redescribe orcs, goblins, etc., as brigands or serpent men or whatever).
I own and like LotFP, and I like what I've seen of ASSH, especially the setting of 'Hyperborea'. Mix and match among the systems as you see fit! :cool:
Quote from: Benoist;501173LotFP, AS&SH and Crypts & Things aren't the same games. I don't think they "compete" against each others. You might as well see all three of them as supplements to each other and/or all of them as supplements to the O/AD&D tradition. I think aficionados are going to own all three of them in the long run, rather than one at the exclusion of the other two.
As usual, you gentlemen are right. It's just that I'm a cheap bastard. ;)
But honestly, I'm glad that we get to have a variety of games to pick and choose from.
Right now, AS&SH looks the most likely to see actual play at my table, but I can't get the pledge site to work.
I haven't picked up LotFP because the shipping is
insane, but I'd love to.
I'm still curious as to what DCC in its final form will look like.
And I'm even more intrigued by Adventurer Conqueror King, because since the D&D RC I've always been a sucker for the much-talked, but seldom played, D&D endgame.
As for Crypts & Things, the initial announcement and blurbs got me very interested, but now... to be honest, it does look a bit like Newt basically took Akrasia's houserules and packaged them with a genre-appropriate setting and bestiary, plus the Barbarian class. Which might still be an awesome product and worth every penny (I'm waiting for the reviews to roll out), but I'm not sure yet.
What's your problem with the ASSH pledge site, dude? PM me if you think the public thread isn't appropriate for us to work this out.
Quote from: Newt;501154In the playtest games two of my players played Black Magicians and with the mandate of "lets see how quickly we can mess up these characters", and the answer was very quickly if we cast Black Magic exclusively and drink all those powerful but sanity sapping potions :)
So drinking potions cause sanity loss? Interesting.
QuoteI deliberately left out an alignment system
Thank God. The most useless 'mechanic' in D&D IMO.
Welll only this particular potion which is the main treasure in the adventure they are playing. C&T Magic Items have the design philosphy that yes they give you great power but at a terrible cost :)
I expand here
http://sorcererundermountain.d101games.co.uk/2011/04/07/magic-items-in-crypts-and-things/
I like such idea for potions - that, or making them sometimes not so reliable as the label'd suggest. Especially when bought from fishy alchemists ;).
Quote from: Spinal Tarp;501105...
P.S. In the 15 page PDF preveiw, the spell Protection from Evil ( 10 ft radius ) is listed as a 3rd level and a 4th level spell. Was this typo fixed? I ask because curiously this same typo is in Akrasia's rules too which I just found to be odd.
Crap, I hadn't noticed that! :mad:
(It's a consequence of 'Protection from Evil' being both a magic-user and cleric spell, but of different levels in S&W; I overlooked the duplication when I merged the two spell lists.)
Quote from: The Butcher;501344...
As for Crypts & Things, the initial announcement and blurbs got me very interested, but now... to be honest, it does look a bit like Newt basically took Akrasia's houserules and packaged them with a genre-appropriate setting and bestiary, plus the Barbarian class. Which might still be an awesome product and worth every penny (I'm waiting for the reviews to roll out), but I'm not sure yet.
There is a
lot more to C&T than my house rules. The section on magic items and the bestiary are worth the price alone, IMO (and can be used with other games, naturally). :cool:
(And I write this as someone who is not profiting in any way from C&T, and who has no 'formal' relationship with d101 Games.)
Quote from: Akrasia;502331Crap, I hadn't noticed that! :mad:
(It's a consequence of 'Protection from Evil' being both a magic-user and cleric spell, but of different levels in S&W; I overlooked the duplication when I merged the two spell lists.)
Yes it has been fixed, and all the other typos you might have spoted in the preview.
When I get some computer time tonight, I'll post an updated preview and a special bonus freebie from the book :)
Quote from: Akrasia;502335There is a lot more to C&T than my house rules. The section on magic items and the bestiary are worth the price alone, IMO (and can be used with other games, naturally). :cool:
Aah, now that's more like it! :)
I'd love to read a full-fledged review, though.
Quote from: Newt;502386When I get some computer time tonight, I'll post an updated preview and a special bonus freebie from the book :)
Sounds great! Let us know when it's up.
This is the first time I find a clone/derivative of D&D tempting. Coming from an anti-D&D guy like myself, this is very high praise indeed.
Quote from: Claudius;503490This is the first time I find a clone/derivative of D&D tempting. Coming from an anti-D&D guy like myself, this is very high praise indeed.
Excellent! :D
One of the things I like about C&T are the Appendices, the optional stuff really adds to the game.
Any new updates Newt?
Got release dates for pdf and print?
I suck at finding those things out, and posting here will simplify that.
:)
I got the PDF on pre-order and am very impressed with it. So much so that I am now wishing I had plumped for the print version as well.
After a quick read through the game has a lot of interesting twists on the basic rules concepts. I especially like e comment hat "everybody is a rogue" and here for entitled to use rogue skills such as climbing, finding traps, picking locks etc. They will not be as good at it as a thief, but they can at least try. Also magic users being able to use any weapon, not as well as a fighter, but a wizard. An pick up a sword and swing it.
Some of the monsters are very creepy indeed. Also nice are the inspirational tables in the appendices, lots of evocative but undefined entries. "In the Court of the Crimson King" "in the Pit of Despair", "at the hands of Kragor the Unmentionable" up to the Crypt Keeper exactly what any of these mean.
Quote from: DavetheLost;509277Also magic users being able to use any weapon, not as well as a fighter, but a wizard. An pick up a sword and swing it.
I remember years ago I got into a big debate on another forum about D&D MU's being able to pick up a sword and weild it at a penalty and some people claimed that would just turn the whole game upsidedown and they would never allow such foolishness. Sometimes one just gets tired of the 'same old hat' D&D assumptions, especially ones that are just flat out silly. I like how Crypts & Things doesn't have any qualms about ignoring/changing many of the so called 'sacred cows' of D&D.
Now if I could just get a copy of this thing.....
I like the approach Newt has taken to magic items. They are not boring ho-hum routine items chosen from a DM's shopping list, instead they have a decidedly S&S feel to them and are often unique artifacts.
I am thinking that +1 and quite possibly +2 Armour and weapons will, in my game, be non-magical gaining heir bonus through superior quality instead.
The hook and barb lined Robe of Eyes is nasty.I am definitely picturing it as covered in actual blinking eyes, not just embroidery that looks like eyes. It could have eyeballs dangling. From threads on it though. The description just says "eyes sewn to the cloak". In regular games I always pictured them as embroidery or paint, but not in C&T.
As for a general release date, I think late January was posted, so it should be available soon.
Overall I am finding this to be a very well thought out adaptation of S&W to a specific genre. The more I read it, the better I like it. Especially the old school tool box feel. It would be very easy to add or subtract bits as suits your taste. For example traditional Demi-human races and classes could be added if you really wants them,balthough I think humans only is a strength.
I am really interested in this. I would love to find out how I could get it.
Does "general release in early Jan/Feb" mean the PDF will be on RPGnow or some other site in coming weeks?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQCP85FngzE
Quote from: DavetheLost;509368I like the approach Newt has taken to magic items. They are not boring ho-hum routine items chosen from a DM's shopping list, instead they have a decidedly S&S feel to them and are often unique artifacts.
Agreed. When I played D&D, I was always very stingy on giving out magic items and when I did I liked for them to have some sort of a drawback to using them and be pretty unique with a good story to them. I guess running my games like that is one of the reasons I'm just not a big fan of btb D&D. I just prefer a grittier S&S feel over the high fantasy D&D feel, though I loved how easy D&D ( I'm talking Basic/Expert ) was to run and houserule.
Quote from: Kaz;509694Does "general release in early Jan/Feb" mean the PDF will be on RPGnow or some other site in coming weeks?
I don't know. Newt hasn't posted back with any updates in a while. So Newt, if you're out there, do you have any up to date release info?
Hi all
I'm currently in the process of ordering/shipping the pre-orders. Once that is done, with a little bit of time to allow for the pre-orders to get there, I will put the game on general release via Lulu and Drive Throu.
General release should be mid February.
Cool, can't wait. Since we've been waiting so patiently, how about that freebie ;) ;
Quote from: Newt;502386When I get some computer time tonight, I'll post an updated preview and a special bonus freebie from the book :)
Quote from: Spinal Tarp;510775Cool, can't wait. Since we've been waiting so patiently, how about that freebie ;) ;
You're the guy who bums cigarettes, weed, and pizza off of everyone else while never paying yourself, aren't you? :nono:
Quote from: Newt;510759Hi all
I'm currently in the process of ordering/shipping the pre-orders. Once that is done, with a little bit of time to allow for the pre-orders to get there, I will put the game on general release via Lulu and Drive Throu.
General release should be mid February.
Great news!
I'm looking forward to my T-shirt. :D
Quote from: danbuter;510839You're the guy who bums cigarettes, weed, and pizza off of everyone else while never paying yourself, aren't you? :nono:
Yeah, I don't think so. Newt said he was going to put up a 'special bonus freebie' a while back and since he hadn't done so yet I was just reminding him of it. What the hell, you think I'm asking Newt to hand me over something for nothing? Get real...
Quote from: danbuter;510839...cigarettes, weed, and pizza...
You forgot beer, but you know your gaming Dan! ;)
Quote from: Newt;510759Hi all
I'm currently in the process of ordering/shipping the pre-orders. Once that is done, with a little bit of time to allow for the pre-orders to get there, I will put the game on general release via Lulu and Drive Throu.
General release should be mid February.
You should send me a review copy.
RPGPundit
Hark!!
Crypts and Things is now available, in print (hard cover and soft cover) and pdf
Details here
http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=21985