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Best official Lankhmar adaptation?

Started by Batjon, June 11, 2019, 05:02:57 PM

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Batjon

June 11, 2019, 05:02:57 PM
Which is the best official adaptation of the Lankmar setting of Fafhrd and Gray Mouser?

Savage Worlds or Dungeon Crawl Classics? Or another previous one?

RPGPundit

#1
June 13, 2019, 12:23:08 AM
The DCC one looks pretty good, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the AD&D Lankhmar box set, which was fascinating to me because it was the first time I'd seen the D&D rules being toolkitted to fit a specific setting. It opened my eyes to the fact that this sort of thing could be done.

And I mean, besides that, it was quite a good presentation of the setting, too.
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#2
June 13, 2019, 05:33:42 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;1091826The DCC one looks pretty good, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the AD&D Lankhmar box set, which was fascinating to me because it was the first time I'd seen the D&D rules being toolkitted to fit a specific setting. It opened my eyes to the fact that this sort of thing could be done.

And I mean, besides that, it was quite a good presentation of the setting, too.

Apart from the city map with those annoying empty boxes. Just looked awful. But the book was well done - it's just a shame the oddities of Lankhmar did not port well into AD&D (or should that be "The oddities of AD&D did not really suit Lankhmar"?) I enjoyed it, but it felt somehow not quite right. And the follow up adventures were a bit of a mess. I'd give it a 7/10.

Dimitrios

#3
June 13, 2019, 10:50:25 AM
I agree that TSR's Lankhmar: City of Adventure was quite good (it even had Fritz Leiber's personal seal of approval). I also agree that the "blank spots on the map" idea was cute, but ultimately just annoying and spoiled an otherwise great city map. Ruleswise, of course, D&D is an awkward fit for Lankhmar, but as setting material goes it was great. It sounds like Adventures in Middle Earth did a great job of adapting 5e to get the feel of Middle Earth right. Maybe someone should try the same thing with Lankhmar.

Larsdangly

#4
June 13, 2019, 11:05:21 AM
The first 3-4 releases of the TSR version were terrific; I still use them. The map was a monstrosity - I don't find the empty areas in the least bit cute. Just lazy setting creation and bad graphic design.

Armchair Gamer

#5
June 13, 2019, 11:54:22 AM
I think Pundit is referring to the 1996 "Lankhmar: New Adventures of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser" boxed set, which was a standalone AD&D variant designed by Shane Lacy Hensley (who'd return to the setting with the SW version) and edited by Steve Miller. I went through the first six Lankhmar books based on Miller's recommendation of the series (I was a fan of his Dragonlance: Fifth Age and Ravenloft work) and found them well-done, but ultimately too lurid and amoral for my tastes.

wmarshal

#6
June 13, 2019, 01:13:55 PM
I have a preference for the Savage Worlds version, but I like the DCC version as well for scenario ideas and fluff. The preference for the SW version comes down to me liking that system more than DCC.

kythri

#7
June 13, 2019, 05:47:44 PM
What's the story with the maps w/blank spots?

Dimitrios

#8
June 13, 2019, 06:55:31 PM
Quote from: kythri;1091918What's the story with the maps w/blank spots?

http://www.stemedcaucus2.org/lankhmar-map/

Click any of the images in the top row and you'll see.

TKurtBond

#9
June 13, 2019, 09:06:10 PM
Quote from: kythri;1091918What's the story with the maps w/blank spots?

They were intended to be filled with random geomorphs by the DM.
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kythri

#10
June 13, 2019, 10:22:38 PM
Quote from: TKurtBond;1091946They were intended to be filled with random geomorphs by the DM.

Thank you!

Philotomy Jurament

#11
June 17, 2019, 01:30:58 AM
I think the 1e AD&D Lankhmar: City of Adventure supplement did a surprisingly good job, as long as you use the variant rules.
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