Shadows of the Northern Wood

Landing page for the Against the Darkmaster campaign.

Official 1.5 errata: link to Google Docs

The two main house rules are related to character generation and initiative.

I have color coded each section so you can easily determine if there will be a change or not:
 * green means done (the final decision has been made, the rule is ready to run)
 * yellow means soon (the core rule will change, but not all details are finalized yet)
 * red means input wanted (you are actively encouraged to speak your mind before the GM decides)

Of course, the ideal is for all sections to be green.

Character Creation
Rule Established


 * Character creation, neither Random Stat Roll nor Point Buy (page 16)

To summarize my intended chargen rule: you randomly roll to decide what stat array to use, and then get to choose where to start applying your given stat array.

Initiative
Written rule will change; details to be determined


 * Initiative, replaces the Tactical Round Sequence (page 182)

The basic idea is that you take two stats (=their bonuses) and divide by 5. To this you roll 1d10 to determine your initiative.

Combat Modifiers
In the core rules, Positional Bonuses (page 184) result in you being treated as having a weapon one step longer than normal.

In the default proposal, this is simply dropped. Note that the Combat chapter (specifically, page 195) details CMB bonuses to flanking and rear attacks that still apply.

Note that conditions such as being stunned, incapacitated or surprised restrict your Parrying instead of granting attack bonuses. See pages 190-191 as well as Conditions (page 194).

Health and Healing
I have summarized the rules in a hopefully less disorganized manner.


 * Health and Healing

These rules also incorporate a number of small tweaks for playability reasons.

Other
I'm sure there will be a couple of minor tweaks as well...

Elves
No Change

No rule change, just a friendly reminder: If you choose any Elf Kin, you need to choose Bearing as one of your highest stats (if not the highest stat).

Encumbrance and Initiative
Rule Established

Reduced movement is almost unplayable in my opinion, so I will likely have Encumbrance (page 138) give penalties to Initiative instead of Move Rate. The idea is that carrying a lot during an adventure should be a nuisance, not a severe penalty that effectively says "Never fight while encumbered".

See the Initiative page for details.

Travel speed is still impacted, but speed during action sequences (=combat) is not.

Drive points
Rule Established

If you gain +1 Drive point, perhaps because you chose to randomly generate your Kin and Culture (page 46) or because you want to play a Dabbler (see below) I give out these extra point every session.

(The rulebook only hands out a single bonus point once, but that's a minuscule benefit)

Experience points
Not Decided

Please do read through the rulebook's suggested XP system (page 106).

When you do, keep in mind that I am open to the simple alternative "everybody levels up when the GM tells us to; everybody is always the same level".

As a historical footnote, RoleMaster (and MERP) were notorious for their XP systems. Basically, you only ever leveled up because of two things: traveling long distances, and suffering grievous critical hits (without dying). Not giving them, but taking them! 🙂

Dabblers
Rule Established

Generally it is better to be great at something than good at everything.

I'm considering giving the Dabbler class +1 Drive point (per session). Call it a hunch that the class deserves it...