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Gauging Interest in a Play-by-post OSR Dungeon Crawl

Preferred System(s)

  • Beyond the Wall

    Votes: 2 13.3%
  • Dungeon Crawl Classics

    Votes: 6 40.0%
  • Old-School Essentials (with Advanced Fantasy supplements)

    Votes: 4 26.7%
  • Swords & Wizardry Complete

    Votes: 6 40.0%
  • Lamentations of the Flame Princess

    Votes: 8 53.3%
  • Kingcomrade (other, post in the comments)

    Votes: 5 33.3%

  • Total voters
    15

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
So once upon a time I ran a PbP game for about 2-3 years here on the codex with about 6 people. It was the first time I'd ever tried to run something like it and it eventually morphed into a "live" game with some of the folks I'd met in that thread (and we're still playing FWIW). In any event, it was a lot of work, it was a big learning experience and it was a lot of fun. I've been getting an itch to give it another go with some of the lessons I learned from the first go around, but to do that you gotta have players.

So with that said, here's the elevator pitch:

A good old-fashioned dungeon crawl with a published megadungeon, using some kind of lightweight, traditional style, rules system (e.g. B/X D&D, OSR-type games, etc.) with 3-5 players. We'd probably use Roll20 for dice rolling, character sheets, map(s) to be explored, etc. since those can be easily accessed via a web browser. I'm strongly leaning towards using our very own Melan's Castle Xyntillan for the module (or maybe Barrowmaze or Rappan Athuk).

Candidate Rulesets Under Consideration:
Beyond the Wall, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Old-School Essentials (with the Advanced Fantasy Supplements), Swords & Wizardry Complete. Personally, I think Beyond the Wall and Dungeon Crawl Classics have the most interesting magic systems out of the lot, that avoid the Vancian, memorization with "Fire and Forget" mechanic that can be kind of fiddly in a play-by-post game. If you are really interested in playing, vote in the poll attached.

Ground Rules:
  • No splitting the party. This is a sanity-based restriction for my benefit, and just good advice generally.
  • No PvP unless both parties agree to it. (I've never seen this end well in the past; it usually kills the game).
  • XP awarded for treasure recovered and additional XP for risking your ill-gotten gains by carousing during downtime periods. Personal awards for achieving certain milestones and goals.
  • Post at least once a day (if at all possible). Character will be NPCed and run by the GM if too much time elapses without involvement, but reverts back to the player if/when they resume posting.
  • I encourage players to post in-character whenever possible, but it's not a strict requirement.
  • GM reserves the option to to take actions and/or roll dice for players to keep action moving (ideally player provides some guidance ahead of time)
So, that's the gist of it. No railroaded adventure paths, no set "story" except for the one you create for yourselves. Just a good 'ol door-kicking, outwit the monsters, zero-to-hero, sandbox/dungeon crawl. If you're interested post below. If you have questions about the finer points of some the different rules sets post below. If you have other suggestions or concerns . . . you get the idea. I can provide PDFs of whatever rules and play materials that might be required. If there's enough interest, I expect I'd be ready to start in a couple of weeks.

So a shout out to Grimgravy ERYFKRAD Siveon L'ennui Wayward Son Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, Helly, Jacinda Arnhem and anybody else I forgot who put up with my learning on the fly way back when. Hopefully some of you guys are still about and up for another round.
 
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Snorkack

Arcane
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I'm interested! There's probably no module that would be more fitting than Xyntillan for a codex megadungeon campaign, but sadly ("sadly") I have already read it entirely. So don't know if that disqualifies me?

Eh, I guess I let others go ahead. Tag me if you decide to run a different module, or if there aren't enough players (I'm very good at not metagaming, I promise :) ). Otherwise, I'm happy to just lurk
 
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Bara

Arcane
Joined
Apr 2, 2018
Messages
1,320
I'm down if something other than OSE or DCC gets picked as I'm already in games using those systems. Though I'll have to pass if you go with Castle Xyntillan as already in a game with it.
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
I'm interested! There's probably no module that would be more fitting than Xyntillan for a codex megadungeon campaign, but sadly ("sadly") I have already read it entirely. So don't know if that disqualifies me?

Eh, I guess I let others go ahead. Tag me if you decide to run a different module, or if there aren't enough players (I'm very good at not metagaming, I promise :) ). Otherwise, I'm happy to just lurk
If I don't run Castle Xyntillan here, I'll definitely be running it in a different game at some point, so I'm not desperate to use it right now. I have so many things just sitting on my hard drive that it's no big deal, so you're in if you want to be.

You needn't have asked even. I'm always down for Pbp if you're allowing Barbarians.
There's always a way to put a barbarian in a game

I'm down if something other than OSE or DCC gets picked as I'm already in games using those systems. Though I'll have to pass if you go with Castle Xyntillan as already in a game with it.
With 2 of you already having read or played Xyntillan it's looking like I'll pick something else (and I'm spoiled for choices, so there's a lot of ways to go here). As for the rule set We'll see how the poll shakes out, but with top 3 voting I'm suspecting that there will be a few suitable choices.
 

Snorkack

Arcane
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Awesome! I guess then I don't have many excuses for not participating.

Since you mentioned lightweight systems, and your poll suggests you wouldn't mind converting, may I throw 5 Torches Deep into the hat? Never played it, but it seems to be a fitting ruleset for the theme. (With 5e versions of Rappan Athuk or Barrowmaze there wouldn't even be need for conversion probably). But Loftp would be great, too!
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Awesome! I guess then I don't have many excuses for not participating.

Since you mentioned lightweight systems, and your poll suggests you wouldn't mind converting, may I throw 5 Torches Deep into the hat? Never played it, but it seems to be a fitting ruleset for the theme. (With 5e versions of Rappan Athuk or Barrowmaze there wouldn't even be need for conversion probably). But Loftp would be great, too!
I don't own nor have I read 5 Torches Deep and I have the OSR versions of Rappan Athuk, Barrowmaze (Swords & Wizardry and Labyrinth Lord respectively), so I tried to restrict it to things I already own and am fairly familiar with (and that I know have a Roll20 Character sheet), but it's something to think about I suppose (If I had more experience with Tunnels & Trolls or if Dragon Warriors had any Roll20 support I would have thrown those out as options too).

Edit: I stand corrected, someone must have snuck in a Dragon Warrior sheet into Roll20 at some point.
 
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nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
So that's 4. I'll keep it open for 1 more . . . maybe 2? (any more than 6 might be very hard to manage). If you are interested I can compile a list of alternates and notify you in order in case any one drops out.
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Lamentation of the edgy princess amiright

If it's OSE or actual D&D I'd be interested!
LotFP isn't really all that edgy. Some of the art is a little NSFW, but there's not much in the rules that distinguish it as being "adult" IMO (some of the modules on the other hand . . . )
 

AdamReith

Magister
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Joined
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Messages
2,109
Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is.
Definitely curious to try but wouldn't know my ass from my elbow so happy to take an alternate position in case you need another body.
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Definitely curious to try but wouldn't know my ass from my elbow so happy to take an alternate position in case you need another body.
I'm firmly in the "Tell me what you want to do, I'll tell you what to roll" camp of GMing. As long as you can roll up a character and get the basics of how combat works, and understand what some of the stats indicate this style of gaming doesn't require a bunch of experience or front-loaded rules mastery and none of the systems I've presented have "trap builds" or any of the other features (bugs?) of modern D&D.
 

Snorkack

Arcane
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Lamentation of the edgy princess amiright
More like Lamentations of the non-shitty thief class Princess! Seriously, I just recently got the phb and was pleasantly surprised. The artsy-hipstershit image probably comes mostly from the modules and supplements. The ruleset is a rocksolid retroclone with very good improvements over BX.

Also if Stormcrowfleet participates, I have to renege on the no-PvP rule. There's some debt to settle.
 

SoupNazi

Guest
I always thought I wasn't a big dungeon crawler fan, but then Stormcrowfleet ran one or two and I think I'd be happy to give it a go. Not familiar with any of the rulesets, other than knowing that SorcererV1ctor has a boner over Swords & Wizardry, but I can learn.
 
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Stormcrowfleet

Aeon & Star Interactive
Developer
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
1,020
Lamentation of the edgy princess amiright

If it's OSE or actual D&D I'd be interested!
LotFP isn't really all that edgy. Some of the art is a little NSFW, but there's not much in the rules that distinguish it as being "adult" IMO (some of the modules on the other hand . . . )

Yeah I meant the modules mainly. I do think the rules are a little down on the power-curve, for example the to-hit progression.

Also Swords & Wizardry is pretty OD&D-like, I'd play that one too. I just don't like DCC actually.

Snorkack Might I remind you that we're starting next game facing a pack of ogres. I think I know who they'll attack first.
 

nikolokolus

Arcane
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May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Since LotFP seems to be the leading contender I figured I should post a couple of notes about the implied setting.

This is going to be set ostensibly in a Europe that never was, specifically Clark Ashton Smith's Averoigne. So it will be roughly circa 14th century in a southern province bordered to the south and east by the Alps and cloaked in vast witch-haunted forests. Characters can be from this made up southern French province, or from anywhere really. The Common tongue would be "Latin" that every character would be assumed to be (at least partly) fluent in. Clerics are Catholic priests, friars, or whatever (or worshippers of Satan if Chaotic). Non-human races like Dwarves or Elves are permitted, but are not distinct races unto themselves (Elves are humans with fey blood or changelings, dwarves are more like Rumpelstiltskin than Tolkien).

I'd probably modify the rules and implement the Weird Magic System outlined in Eldritch Cock (and Vaginas are Magic).

Clerics
  • Clerics don't prepare "spells" beforehand, they can invoke any "spell" up to the number of times per day indicated on the cleric's spell matrix.
Magic-Users (and Elves)
  • No Spell Levels: all spells are considered equally difficult and the spell's power is determined by the caster's level.
  • Beginning Spells: MU (and elves) begin with 3 randomly determined spells. There is no Read Magic (this is an innate ability)
  • Prepared Spells: You can prepare one different spell per caster level.
  • Transcribing Spells: All spells are written in a human language. Comprehend Languages will always allow the reading of a spellbook or scroll.
  • Casting Spells: You can cast any number of prepared spells equal to your caster level.
  • Risky Casting: you can exceed your usual allotment of spells, or cast an unprepared (but known) spell, cast a spell in the same round as taking damage. This requires a successful saving throw vs. Magic. success means the spell goes off, failure requires a roll on the Miscast Table.
 
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nikolokolus

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
4,090
Well . . . I think I might be able to swing 7 (or 8?). There definitely won't be any need for hirelings and henchmen and I'll definitely be using group initiative rules. Lol.

For any late comers it looks like we've got a full house, but I can add you to an alternate list if somebody drops out. I'll set up a group chat with everyone who has posted some interest and we'll work out the particulars.
 

aleph

Arcane
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
1,778
Add me to the alternate list, please.
I am down with DCC, Lamentations or S&W.
 

catfood

AGAIN
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Nirvana for mice
I'm down for anything as long as you use ascending AC, but I have a preferernce DCC, S&W or LotFP since those are the systems that I own and have read.
 
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