tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post4768703283261192697..comments2024-03-19T03:02:38.228-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: REVIEW: The Complete B/X AdventurerJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-45106619665860065762012-10-05T10:32:50.329-04:002012-10-05T10:32:50.329-04:00Thanks for responding directly. I have a shelf of ...Thanks for responding directly. I have a shelf of OSR material (including the B/X Companion) as I try to support as best I can. That's not even counting all the pdf's I have purchased and orders and Kickstarters still on the way. My problem is I haven't even read half of this stuff yet (let alone use any of it) and I am starting to realize I need to be a bit more selective as to what I buy. <br /><br />This definitely sounds like something I could use as inspiration but I wouldn't use as is. Guess I will just wait for the pdf then. That way I can still support this work and if I never get around to reading it I won't feel so guilty lol.<br /><br />Thanks for the lengthy reponse!Brandon Holmesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-90376773798170416722012-10-05T01:26:15.167-04:002012-10-05T01:26:15.167-04:00Brandon, I own Jonathan's book, and so perhaps...Brandon, I own Jonathan's book, and so perhaps can give some feedback. I agree with everyone's comments so far on their approach to old-school gaming. I prefer the less-is-more approach; I don't want my game to have tons of required rules, classes, etc. <br /><br /><br />However, I do appreciate having at hand a large array of options from which to select in order to construct my "ideal" game (what Jonathan calls "D&D mine"). Jonathan's book gives me a number of excellent options to incorporate into my ideal game as I see fit. Some things I find to be quite helpful; others not so much. As James pointed out, the meat of the book is the new classes. <br /><br /><br />What I appreciate about them is the approach Jonathan took (or tried to take) in creating them. Like many in the OSR, I believe that many of the "new" classes in other versions of D&D can be subsumed under the original four classes. Who needs a knight, when the fighter can easily be played as such? But what Jonathan has done is present a number of different classes where the mechanics are different from the original archetypes. So, the Summoner or the Tatoo Mage have completely different mechanics than the standard Mage; it would not be possible to play a Mage in a way that matches the dynamics of those two classes. <br /><br /><br />That's not so much the case with, say, the Archer. While Jonathan's Archer class does indeed have a different mechanic from the standard Fighter class, you can easily adapt the standard Fighter to be an archer with standard Fighter mechanics. So, while I personally like Jonathan's Archer (and Scout) classes, they provide somewhat less utility than some of the other classes. Still, as I said earlier, I like options, and, in my opinion, the lion's share of Jonathan's new classes are worthy additions, even if just to be stimulated in thinking about how to adapt the four archetypes in new and creative ways. <br /><br /><br />The big question is whether the book is worth $30 for its utility. Well, that's hard to answer. Until you see and study the classes, you won't really know if they are worth $30 to you. I can definitively say that they'll be worthwhile to *some* old-schoolers, but to whether *you'll* find them useful, only you can say. I happily paid the $30, rather than waiting for the PDF (that I still want!), because I want to support the efforts of guys like Jonathan (the same reason I purchased James' Thousand Suns). I love our hobby, especially in its Old-School incarnation, and supporting the efforts of independent operators like Jonathan, James and Dan Proctor is worth it to me. But not everyone can throw money around (neither can I, actually), so, as they say, your mileage might vary.Silver Foxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-42771695467744568352012-10-03T21:57:58.517-04:002012-10-03T21:57:58.517-04:00Thanks for the review, James...and for the busines...Thanks for the review, James...and for the business as well!<br /><br /><br />Your eyes aren't that old...the damage from individual firearms (as opposed to cannon which list their damage in the description) was a single sentence that got "eaten" by the pistol image I added...and my proof readers missed its absence. It said simply:<br /><br /><br />"If using the optional Variable Weapon Damage rule, all weapons listed here do 1D8 damage."<br /><br /><br />As for the extra spells: rather than simply a bloat of options (which I, too abhor) my objective was to show some different STYLES of magic...each spell-caster's "magic" operates differently from each other and from the standard magic-user and cleric magic rules (what is later coined as "arcane" and "divine" schools) that have become so staid over the years. The summoner's pacts, the witch's circles (and components), the tattoo mage's body art...all acquire spells differently and have a different PLAY style from the "same-old, same-old." At least, that was what I was trying to hit...and in the end, much of the book IS indeed about inspiring people to come up with their own ideas. My grand hope is that people will steal the ideas and information found in the book.<br /><br /><br />I promise, I won't sue anyone who decides to use the ideas in the book.<br />: )JBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-723744166225150822012-10-03T20:10:57.890-04:002012-10-03T20:10:57.890-04:00Thanks for reminding me of this one! I just ordere...Thanks for reminding me of this one! I just ordered my copy. BTW, I think the lack of damage for firearms ties into the author's penchant for non-variable damage (1d6).Jeff Sparksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-35557824849536712582012-10-03T18:09:56.936-04:002012-10-03T18:09:56.936-04:00Definitely some Bard Games Compleat Adventurer/Arc...Definitely some Bard Games Compleat Adventurer/Arcanum influence on those new classes.Alec Semicognitonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-86438697505580150362012-10-03T17:37:39.073-04:002012-10-03T17:37:39.073-04:00I'm pretty on the fence with this one, too. Wh...I'm pretty on the fence with this one, too. While I like the idea of players having more options, I'd rather have them come from player suggestions or the campaign's setting than just adding in more classes for its own sake.Ian Burnsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-44548067310109838572012-10-03T17:13:52.964-04:002012-10-03T17:13:52.964-04:00B/X Companion is one of my favorite OSR books; it ...B/X Companion is one of my favorite OSR books; it actually made B/X a complete game for me. WIth this new book, however, I may way and hope for a PDF. I generally love new spells (Too many clerics and wizards look like cookie cutters with just the standard lists), new classes, less so. (Partly because I'm just not fond of class and level in any case, so getting more provokes a "meh" reaction in me.) But I'd still like to have a look at them.Anthony Raganhttp://breeland.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-81806606745261724592012-10-03T16:57:41.670-04:002012-10-03T16:57:41.670-04:00I am on the fence for this one. Hopefully a pdf op...I am on the fence for this one. Hopefully a pdf option becomes available because I can't really justify spending $30 on a product that there is a good chance I will never use.<br /><br />Would love to hear from others who have purchased this.Brandon Holmesnoreply@blogger.com