Tenkar's Tavern: Building a Better Bard - A Re-Imagining (Swords & Wizardry)

Friday, May 10, 2013

Building a Better Bard - A Re-Imagining (Swords & Wizardry)

In May of 2011 I designed a Bard Class for S&W that made it into Knockspell #6 (one of two versions within that issue). It's "okay". By that, I mean it was pretty good in my eyes back then, but I believe I can do it a bit better this time around. Well, that and I can design it with Swords & Wizardry Complete in mind (first time around I'm fairly sure I was working off of Core)

Yes +matt jackson , I'm going to re-imagine the bard, flavored from the celtic tradition just a wee bit.

This time around I have some good thoughts on using the Cleric's Turning Undead Table in relation to his Charm / Fascination abilities such as they are.

Already have the 1st level spell list (I think):

Charm Person
Detect Magic
Faerie Fire
Light
Read Languages
Read Magic

I'd work on it tonight, but I have some playtesting to do tonight for Domains of War ;)

4 comments:

burnedfxMay 10, 2013 at 5:38 PM
No matter the system, I think the best bard is the one that is murdered in a tavern brawl. ;]
ReplyDelete
Replies
ZzarchovMay 10, 2013 at 7:30 PM
Might I suggest the following take on a bard as a base:

http://zzarchov.blogspot.ca/2012/07/osr-bard.html
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

Swords & Wizardry Light - Forum

RPGNow

Friday, May 10, 2013

Building a Better Bard - A Re-Imagining (Swords & Wizardry)

4 comments:

Blogs of Inspiration & Erudition