Good site for Old School ideas...

Luther · Post by **Luther** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:40 pm

I recently stumbled across this site:
http://www.philotomy.com/#musing_index

It has some fascinating takes on modding the OD&D rules and I found a lot of these ideas useful for my C&C games as well, especially the ones pertaining to the 'logic' behind particular systems. In particular, he has a great idea for 2-weapon weilding that is by far the simplest and most effective take on it I've ever seen. Check it out...

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:50 pm

Yep, Philotomy J. still comes to these boards every once in a while. I see him the most often on the Necromancer Games MB.
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Post by **Breakdaddy** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:59 pm

Philotomy is a good cat and was a C&C gamer for a while before rediscovering his love for the classic OD&D rules.

Luther · Post by **Luther** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:36 pm

Breakdaddy wrote:
Philotomy is a good cat and was a C&C gamer for a while before rediscovering his love for the classic OD&D rules.

He seems like a 'good cat.' Like, not at all squaresville, Breakdaddy-o.

What are you, a beatnik now?
[snaps fingers in applause]

Philotomy Jurament · Post by **Philotomy Jurament** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:50 pm

Hi, guys. Glad you found the site useful, Luther.
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Post by **Breakdaddy** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:57 pm

Luther wrote:
He seems like a 'good cat.' Like, not at all squaresville, Breakdaddy-o.

What are you, a beatnik now?
[snaps fingers in applause]

Dun dun dunNnnNNnnnnn!!!!!!111oneeleven!!111

Luther · Post by **Luther** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:03 am

Philotomy Jurament wrote:
Hi, guys. Glad you found the site useful, Luther.

Very. Like I say, I'm yoinking the two weapon fighting bit and thinking about a few others as well. Also, I'm sending my players to your site to get some more Old School schoolin'.

Breakdaddy wrote:
Dun dun dunNnnNNnnnnn!!!!!!111oneeleven!!111

Oh, I got it wrong. You're not a a beatnik... you're a beatnik groundhog with a head-sploding gaze?

Oh, schnap!

Taranthyll · Post by **Taranthyll** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:49 am

This was a really interesting read. I liked the two-weapon fighting rules too, but I would definitely go with the bonus to hit rather than to damage.

I might pass this site on to my players too. Many of them are young-ish and don't understand why things work the way they do in C&C and this would be a great way to explain the history and evolution of the game.

Jason Vey · Post by **Jason Vey** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 6:57 pm

Yeah, Philotomy was the one who kind of kick started me on the quest that led to my own old-school rpg, Spellcraft & Swordplay, which kind of (in the words of Bill Coffin) does for OD&D and Chainmail what C&C does for AD&D.

If anyone's interested, it can be found at http://www.lulu.com/elflairgames

Post by **Breakdaddy** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 4:35 pm

The Grey Elf wrote:
Yeah, Philotomy was the one who kind of kick started me on the quest that led to my own old-school rpg, Spellcraft & Swordplay, which kind of (in the words of Bill Coffin) does for OD&D and Chainmail what C&C does for AD&D.

If anyone's interested, it can be found at http://www.lulu.com/elflairgames

It's a cool game, very white box in feel. Its on my list of games to run for the group.

Jason Vey · Post by **Jason Vey** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 4:55 pm

I love it when I shamelessly pimp my shit and someone else comes along to support my efforts

Julian Grimm · Post by **Julian Grimm** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 5:54 pm

Philtolomy's site is a good read. Some of his ideas are close to mine and he has a very good grasp of OD&D.
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Luther · Post by **Luther** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 9:51 pm

Julian Grimm wrote:
Philtolomy's site is a good read. Some of his ideas are close to mine and he has a very good grasp of OD&D.

I'd go one step further and say he has a very good grasp of old school gaming. I find it fascinating because of how far removed gaming is from it's origins after 36 years. It's like the transition from Poochini to Punk Rock.

When I saw 4e I thought 'This is just too...gamey. Where is my D&D?' and then I asked myself what exactly it was that I loved about the hobby when I started. I looked around for an answer and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had gone the same route as the games as I got older, eschewing what I imagined I could do (the whole point really, and the thing that hooked me in the first place) for what the rules told me I could do.

Phil's site, along with the Quick Primer to Old School Gaming, defines what, in my mind, is the Constitution of true gaming. It is the basic information that describes what an RPG is and how to play it. All the other systems and rules that came after could be considered Amendments at best (AD&D, for instance) and merely small municipal ordinances that overcomplicate the basic concepts to an absurd degree to please a select group of people at worst (Synnibarr would be the RPG equivelent of the Tax Code ). I will be sending all my players to his site and have them read the QPfOSG before I run any RPG for them because I think that basic knowledge will make even the most rules intensive game more fun in the long run...
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Julian Grimm · Post by **Julian Grimm** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 12:12 am

I was reading his site today and liked his idea he had on the dungeon underworld. Great stuff if you haven't read it and it will be something I consider when designing dungeons. I see myself using it as a different type of dungeon though. On one side you have typical dungeons that have not breached or connected with the underworld and on the other you have dungeons that are connected to it.

I think it would be good to workout how certain dungeons grow into an/the underworld and others don't.
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