Tenkar's Tavern: Getting Back to GM'ing

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Getting Back to GM'ing - Like Riding a Bike?

Maybe its more like driving a car in my case. I'm fine with driving until I start thinking about it. At which point, instinct goes out the window. I start to over think (which may be why I have to look straight ahead when my son drives with a wall close on the left hand side... I start to over think). When I start to over think, I get nervous.

Anyhow, I haven't run an RPG session since 1996 - I'm 15 years removed from it. With the start of renovations, I'm also a step closer to running a game of Tunnels & Trolls or Swords & Wizardry via Fantasy Grounds. I'm excited and scared by the whole concept.

Could be worse. I could be terrified I guess ;)

Next step is painting the ceilings and the moldings...

3 comments:

mikemonacoMarch 27, 2011 at 7:45 AM
Break a leg!
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HiggipediaMarch 27, 2011 at 2:39 PM
DO they make a mac client for Fantasy Grounds? For some reason I don't think they did last time I saw...
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TenkarMarch 27, 2011 at 4:18 PM
nope, but it runs ok with crossover
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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 ;)

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Saturday, March 26, 2011

Getting Back to GM'ing - Like Riding a Bike?

3 comments:

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