Jan 01
JaybeeGeneral
There hasn’t been much to post recently because there’s really no news to go around. We’re about 50% finished with items and will probably complete them within the month. The monster section will be the final portion before final editing and formatting. The current “preview” edition up in the downloads section includes all the rules but understand the items and monsters are not complete yet (I happened to spot Boccob’s name floating around there!).
As far as personal projects go, my friends got me into board gaming and I’m designing a tile based game in my spare time. I also have a great idea for an RPG using the FATE 3.0 system. My new years resolution is to post more, procrastinate less but even as I’m typing this I’m flipping back and forth to Wikipedia and reading inane articles! Happy new year to all.
Dec 01
JaybeeGeneral
A few weeks ago we finished editing the huge list of 300-something spells. The spells are now finished, leaving only the items (which is easy going) and the monsters (may take a little longer). The updated preview version contains everything. Absolutely everything from rules, spells, items, and monsters. The items and monsters are still unfinished, so beware that you’re still playing a game in its raw form, but everything up to the spells is complete. This is a complete game. Beta, but complete. Download the updated .pdf right now!
Plans for the future? After finishing this beast, we’ll have to format it into a form that’s easy to read and doesn’t take up 700 pages. That means two column pages with hyperlink buttons for your convenience. I can’t say when it will be done, maybe Q1 2012, but this 3 year long project is winding down and the end is in sight. Please read it and send me feedback so I know what to fix. Happy holidays, everyone.
Nov 10
JaybeeDevlog
Today marks a pretty big moment in FG&G’s creation: the editing of spells has finished. Yes, the 300-something spells of 2E have been complete. A lot of minor changes have been made in their design, either to update them to later canon (as found in the magic encyclopedias) or to have them make sense within the game’s mechanics: you wouldn’t believe how many spells completely clashed with 2E’s rules or even with rules of other spells! I’m doing the final look-over before I give the thumbs up and dump the new, massive revision. Expect all the official tournament rules including encumbrance and Fighter’s Handbook updated weapon proficiencies.
Expect the latest and greatest in a few days.
Nov 02
JaybeeOpen Game Content
Although realism and D&D mix as well as boiling oil and water, the idea that characters only gain hit points and improved accuracy each level is ridiculous. Gygax proposed a system in Unearthed Arcana in which the cavalier could improve his scores through percentage rolls. I’ve taken that idea, as well as several others from more “realistic” RPGs such as RuneQuest, and adapted them into a system I believe works well. Everything below the line is open game content.
–Natural Improvement–
When generating ability scores, roll d% for each score to generate a level of improvement between 0-99%. Consider 00 to be 0%. Indicate this percentage in parentheses after the ability score e.g., Strength 16 (45%).
Improvement Points
Every level after the first a character receives 3 improvement points (IP). One IP can be spent to increase the improvement percentage by 1d10+1%. If IP is spent on a prime requisite, it improves by 1d12+1%. When the improvement percentage reaches 100%, the ability score increased by 1 and leftover percentages are rolled over.
IP can also be spent on improving proficiencies. One IP is enough to grant a +1 bonus to a proficiency as if a proficiency point had been spent. When improving weapon proficiencies or specializing, multiple points must be spent as if the character was specializing with weapon proficiencies. Only one proficiency can be improved per level: if a fighter specializes in great swords he can’t also become proficient in riding during the same level. Improvement points represent dedicated focus and self training to the exclusion of almost everything else. There is no limit to how many points can be spent on ability scores.
All limits to specializing apply. A character can’t become proficient in a forbidden weapon and only single-class fighters can specialize. A character can never improve an ability score beyond its natural maximum e.g., humans can never improve an ability score beyond 18 while elves could never naturally increase their dexterity beyond 19.
Warriors and Exceptional Strength
Only warriors can obtain exceptional strength. Each rank of exceptional strength counts as a separate ability score. For example, a fighter may have strength 18/33 (95%). He spends one IP and gains +8% to his strength. His new strength score improves by one rank becoming 18/51 (3%).
Training Time
Training requires months of dedication and practice. It takes one month per current level to apply all earned improvement points. Time spent adventuring or traveling is included. If a mentor or trainer is hired, the process takes half as long. Players can mentor each other but a mentor’s ability score must be at least two points greater or two more ranks in a non-weapon proficiency. Only warriors can mentor other characters in weapon proficiencies and they must be specialized in a particular weapon to mentor a character by weapon group or type.
Limits and Restrictions
These rules generally lead to more skilled player characters at the expense of long downtime spent training. It’s assumed that, after every level, the players take an extended break where they spend their gains and train their abilities. Even with mentors at every level, it would take about 8-18 years for players to level up from 1 to 20. In a more hectic, tightly controlled campaign this might not be possible! Regardless, the time spent training matches many late-game activities including building strongholds, managing domains, and researching/creating spells and items. A good middle ground for training time is 3-4 months regardless of level. Adventurers will spend an entire season, usually the winter months, reflecting on their past successes (or failures).
Magic items or spells (such as wish) that improve ability scores should be tightly regulated to balance the potential of characters possibly maxing their prime requisites throughout their careers. Improvement via magic is counted separately, does not alter a character’s improvement percentage, and is still bound by its normal restrictions.
Oct 27
JaybeeOpen Game Content
I’ve been sorting through my notes and found these charts that allow you to roll up random weather for your campaign. I’m pretty sure I adapted this from Greyhawk’s original box set as Gygax had a real love for detailed charts like these. I decided to clean up the tables, remove things that were rules specific, and expand upon the material so that it would be (somewhat) realistic when applied to an Earth-like world. Of course, this isn’t comprehensive 100% accurate data based on meteorological fact but I did do a little research to make sure things add up so you don’t get 300+mph tornadoes or snow in the tropics.
This is a work-in-progress right now. I’ve left it rules ambiguous for now but will probably adapt it later into FG&G or something. I want to keep expanding it from Gygax’s writing to create something comprehensive and unique. I’ll start by generating weather over an entire year in a fictional world.
Everything below the dotted line is open game content.
—-
The base temperature is measured at the equator and prime meridian of an Earth-like planet. The distance between latitude and longitude is approximately 60 miles. The planet is assumed to have an Earth-like orbit around a similar sun (12 months in a year, 30-31 days in a month, approximately 365 days in a year).
Step 1: Find monthly base temperature. Determine the season to find the base temperature for the month. For every 3 degrees latitude north or south (up to 30 degrees north/south) adjust the temperature down by 1 degree. Adjust the temperature down by one for every 2 degrees of latitude north/south beyond 30 (up to 60) and adjust for every degree beyond 60. For example, at 30N, 60N, and 90N the temperature adjustment would be -10, -30, and -90 respectively.
Modify base temperature by the general terrain of the given area.
| Spring |
Month 1 |
Month 2 |
Month 3 |
| Base temp. (F) |
54 |
62 |
68 |
| Daily high |
+1d6+4 |
+1d8+4 |
+1d10+6 |
| Daily low |
-1d10+4 |
-1d10+4 |
-1d8+4 |
| Weather (d%): |
40% |
44% |
42% |
| Sunrise (a.m.) |
0815 |
0732 |
0644 |
| Sunset (p.m.) |
1856 |
1929 |
1859 |
| Summer |
Month 1 |
Month 2 |
Month 3 |
| Base temp. (F) |
74 |
82 |
90 |
| Daily high |
+1d10+6 |
+1d8+8 |
+1d6+4 |
| Daily low |
-1d10+6 |
-1d6+6 |
-1d6+6 |
| Weather (d%): |
42% |
36% |
33% |
| Sunrise |
0605 |
0552 |
0605 |
| Sunset |
2030 |
2052 |
2059 |
| Autumn |
Month 1 |
Month 2 |
Month 3 |
| Base temp. (F) |
82 |
74 |
68 |
| Daily high |
+1d4+6 |
+1d8+6 |
+1d10+5 |
| Daily low |
-1d6+6 |
-1d8+6 |
-1d10+5 |
| Weather (d%): |
33% |
33% |
36% |
| Sunrise (a.m.) |
0633 |
0702 |
0732 |
| Sunset (p.m.) |
2017 |
1930 |
1841 |
| Winter |
Month 1 |
Month 2 |
Month 3 |
| Base temp. (F) |
64 |
56 |
52 |
| Daily high |
+1d10+6 |
+1d8+5 |
+1d10 |
| Daily low |
-1d10+4 |
-1d20 |
-1d20 |
| Weather (d%) |
40% |
43% |
46% |
| Sunrise (a.m.) |
0806 |
0839 |
0841 |
| Sunset (p.m.) |
1805 |
1756 |
1731 |
| Terrain |
Precipitation |
Temp. |
Wind |
Extreme Weather (d%) |
| Hill |
– |
– |
(1d2)+5mph (1)
-5mph (2) |
01-80 Windstorm81-100 Earthquake |
| Forest |
– |
-5 |
-5mph |
1-80 Quicksand81-100 Earthquake |
| Jungle |
+10% |
+5 |
-10mph |
1-5 Volcano6-60 Downpour
61-80 Quicksand
81-100 Earthquake |
| *Swamp/Marsh |
+5% |
+5 |
-5mph |
1-25 Quicksand26-80 Sunshower
81-100 Earthquake |
| Wastes |
-25% |
+10 (day)-10 (night) |
– |
1-40 Flash flood41-70 Dust storm
71-85 Tornado
86-100 Earthquake |
| Plains |
– |
– |
+5mph |
1-50 Tornado51-100 Earthquake |
| Desert |
-30% |
+10 (day)-10 (night) |
+5mph |
1-25 Flash flood26-65 Sandstorm
66-100 Earthquake |
| Mountain |
– |
-3 degrees Per 1,000’ |
+5mph per1,000’ |
1-20 Wind storm21-50 Mud/rock slide
51-75 Avalanche
76-80 Volcano
81-100 Earthquake |
| Coastal |
+5% |
-5 (winter)+5 (summer) |
+5mph |
1-80 Earthquake81-94 Tsunami
95-100 Underwater volcano |
| Sea/small island |
+15% |
-10 (winter)+5 (summer) |
+10mph |
1-20 Tsunami21-40 Underwater volcano
41-100 Underwater earthquake |
* -5 temperature in arctic marshes
Step 2: Find extreme temperature shift. Roll d% to determine if a month’s base temperature will be modified by a period of extreme temperature shift. If an extreme temperature shift occurs, roll 1d20 to determine how long. Extreme temperature shifts occur on a random day: roll 3d10 to determine randomly. If an extreme shift overlaps into the next month, don’t check for an extreme temperature shift in that month until after the previous one has ended.
| d% |
Temperature (F) |
| 01 |
Extreme low (-15) |
| 02 |
Severe low (-10) |
| 03-04 |
Low (-5) |
| 05-96 |
Normal |
| 97-98 |
High (+5) |
| 99 |
Severe high (+10) |
| 100 |
Extreme high (+15) |
|
1d20
|
Days
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
2-3
|
2
|
|
4-10
|
3
|
|
11-14
|
4
|
|
15-17
|
5
|
|
18-19
|
6
|
|
20
|
7
|
Step 3: Determine daily temperature. Roll for the highest and lowest temperatures for each individual day. High occurs at 1300, low occurs one hour before sunrise.
Step 4: Determine weather. Roll d% to determine if adverse weather will happen on a given day. If weather conditions don’t occur, skip to step 5.
4a: Weather type. Roll d% to determine weather conditions then roll for length, any accumulation, and wind speed. If 100 is rolled, roll d% again for special weather conditions based on terrain. If weather can’t occur on a particular day because conditions won’t allow it, discard the roll: there is no temperature for that day.
| d% |
Weather |
Min.Temp |
Max.Temp |
Cont.(d%) |
ExcludedTerrain |
| 1-2 |
Blizzard, heavy |
– |
10 |
5% |
Desert |
| 3-5 |
Blizzard |
– |
20 |
10% |
Desert |
| 6-10 |
Snow, heavy |
– |
25 |
20% |
– |
| 11-20 |
Snow, light |
– |
35 |
25% |
– |
| 21-25 |
Sleet |
– |
35 |
20% |
– |
| 26-27 |
Hail |
– |
65 |
10% |
Desert, waste |
| 28-30 |
Fog, heavy |
20 |
60 |
25% |
Desert, waste |
| 31-38 |
Fog, light |
30 |
70 |
30% |
Desert |
| 39-40 |
Mist |
30 |
– |
15% |
– |
| 41-45 |
Drizzle |
25 |
– |
20% |
– |
| 46-60 |
Rain, light |
25 |
– |
45% |
– |
| 61-70 |
Rain, heavy |
25 |
– |
30% |
– |
| 71-84 |
Thunderstorm |
30 |
– |
15% |
– |
| 85-89 |
Tropical storm |
40 |
– |
20% |
Desert, plains |
| 90-94 |
Monsoon |
55 |
– |
30% |
Desert, waste, plains |
| 95-97 |
Gale |
40 |
– |
15% |
Desert |
| 98-99 |
Hurricane/typhoon |
55 |
– |
20% |
Desert, waste |
| 100 |
Extreme weather |
– |
– |
1% |
– |
| Weather |
Accumulation(inches) |
Length(hours) |
WindSpeed(mph) |
| Blizzard, heavy |
2d10+10 |
3d8 |
6d8+40 |
| Blizzard |
2d8+8 |
3d10 |
3d8+36 |
| Snow, heavy |
2d8+2 |
4d6 |
3d10 |
| Snow, light |
1d8 |
2d6 |
4d6 |
| Sleet |
1d2 |
1d6 |
3d10 |
| Hail |
None |
1d4 |
4d10 |
| Fog, heavy |
None |
1d12 |
1d20 |
| Fog, light |
None |
2d4 |
1d10 |
| Mist |
None |
2d6 |
1d10 |
| Drizzle |
1d2 |
1d10 |
1d20 |
| Rain, light |
1d3 |
1d12 |
1d20 |
| Rain, heavy |
1d4+3 |
1d12 |
2d12+10 |
| Thunderstorm |
1d8 |
1d4 |
4d10 |
| Tropical storm |
1d6/per day |
1d3 days |
3d12+30 |
| Monsoon |
1d8/per day |
1d6+6 days |
6d10 |
| Gale |
1d8/per day |
1d4 days |
6d8+40 |
| Hurricane/typhoon |
1d10/per day |
1d4 days |
7d10+70 |
| Extreme Weather |
Accumulation(inches) |
Length |
Wind Speed(mph) |
| Sand/dust storm |
– |
1d8 hours |
5d10 |
| Wind storm |
– |
1d10 hours |
8d10+20 |
| Earthquake |
– |
2d12 hours |
1d20 |
| Avalanche/mud/rockslide |
5d10 |
1d10 minutes |
1d20 |
| Volcano |
1d8 |
1d10 days |
1d20 |
| Tsunami |
– |
1d2 hours |
1d20 |
| Quicksand |
– |
– |
1d20 |
| Flash flood |
– |
1d6+2 hours |
1d20 |
| Downpour |
1/per hour |
3d4 hours |
1d6-1 |
| Sunshower |
.5 |
6d10 minutes |
1d20 |
| Tornado/cyclone |
1/per hour |
5d10 hours |
20d12+70 |
| Oasis |
– |
– |
1d20 |
4b: Determine weather length. Roll d% to see if weather will continue after its duration. If conditions continue, roll 1d10 to determine if it changes.
| 1d10 |
Change |
| 1 |
Move up one space on weather chart |
| 2-9 |
No change. Roll for duration |
| 10 |
Move down one space on weather table |
Step 5: Wind speed, wind chill, and humidity. If no weather conditions occur, roll 1d20-1 to determine the wind speed for the day and modify it based on terrain (otherwise, roll based on the weather conditions). If the temperature for the day is 35 degrees or below, subtract the wind speed from the temperature to find the wind chill. If the temperature is 75 or below, roll d% to determine the relative humidity. Subtract the “precipitation chance” by terrain from the humidity.
—-Description—-
Avalanche/rock/mudslide: An avalanche or rock/mudslide continues down the entire length of a mountain or hill from the point it begins. It slides down in a corn formation, becoming wider at an exponential rate. For every mile a slide travels, an additional 5d10 inches of accumulation occurs. Slides inflict massive structural damage, uprooting trees and toppling buildings.
Earthquake: Earthquakes occur all the time but only rarely are they felt. When an earthquake occurs, it’s of magnitude 1d8+2. An earthquake lasts about one minute. An aftershock will occur at the end of the earthquake’s “duration.” The aftershock is the same magnitude as the main quake minus 1d3. If the aftershock is greater than magnitude 2, roll for duration: another aftershock will occur afterward. Earthquakes with magnitude 2 or fewer aren’t felt.
There’s a 10% chance of a foreshock occurring: a weaker quake before the main one. If a foreshock occurs, roll 1d8+2 then subtract 1d3. At the end of the duration, the main shock occurs at the foreshock’s unmodified strength.
An underwater earthquake creates a tsunami up to 500 miles to the nearest coast.
Flash flood: Flash floods occur over a short period of time, accumulating 1d4+1 inches of water every hour. Up to 2 feet of water is enough to carry away large sized creatures and small structures such as shacks.
Frostbite: Exposed limbs (particularly the fingers and toes) have a 1% chance of becoming frostbitten for every degree below 32. For every 10 minutes exposed, a cumulative 1% chance of becoming frostbitten occurs. 1st degree frostbite in the arms and legs makes movement and combat difficult and are healed after an hour of rest and care in temperatures above 32 degrees. Further exposure leads to stage 2 frostbite which requires 1d20+10 days to heal. Further exposure leads to stage 3 frostbite which can’t be healed: the nerve tissue is dead.
Hail: Hail is usually a few centimeters in diameter. 10% of hailstorms will have hail 1d8 inches in diameter. These massive hail stones inflict 1 point of damage per inch against unarmored creatures creatures or creatures with exposed heads. Structures made from material such as straw, glass, and old wood suffer full structural damage. Metal and sturdy wooden structures subtract 4 points from hail damage. Hardened stone is unaffected by hail of all sizes.
Humidity: When the combined temperature and humidity index are greater than 140 degrees, the requirements for water are doubled. Furthermore, characters with human-like bodily functions must rest for an hour after every 3 hours of travel or risk passing out. Physical exertion, such as running or combat, is difficult and risks exhaustion or heatstroke.
Oasis: Travelers stumble upon a desert oasis. There may be other travelers or creatures present.
Quicksand: Travelers stumble upon a pool of quicksand 1d12 feet deep. Dense creatures, such as those wearing armor, and panicking creatures sink instantly. Quicksand generally isn’t deadly: an unarmored, non-burdened human can crawl on the surface at a rate of 5′ per minute.
Snowy Terrain: On a sunny day, characters without eye protection have a 5% chance per hour to become snowblind in snowy or icy terrain. Snowblind characters are blinded for 1d6 x 10 minutes.
Sunrise/Sunset: Indicates the time the sun crests the horizon. This is not the exact time when light can or can’t be seen. Depending on terrain, light may appear or disappear sooner depending on if the horizon is visible or not. For every degree of latitude north/south of the equator, subtract 2 minutes from the sunrise/sunset. For every degree of longitude east/west of the prime meridian, add 4 minutes. At 60-90 degrees north or south, the sun remains visible during the longest days of summer (mid-summer) and isn’t visible during the longest nights of winter (mid-winter). For every degree north or south of 60 latitude, the sun doesn’t set or doesn’t rise for 2 additional days. At either pole, there are 180 days of perpetual light and 180 days of night.
Tsunami: Tsunamis are a wave of water 10d10 feet in height. 1d4+1 waves occur throughout the duration of the event. The waves move rapidly and destroy structures 1 mile off the coast before they gradually decrease and function as a flood.
Volcano: Lava flows downhill in a random direction until it settles into a depression or reaches water. Ash blankets everything within 10d10 miles of the volcano, causing exposed people to choke.
Underwater volcanoes eventually form whole islands over thousands of years.
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