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Eurotrash 2 |
| 2022-06-18 |
Eurotrash 2
We just had our third session of "Highball and Dragons". I won't write a report before next week (tomorrow is eow).
The work on Eurotrash, first presented one or two week ago, the small booklet of monsters for Aachen, our homebrew ruleset, is going on. It's listing eighty-five creatures, that would have be known to Europeans around when Charlemagne was on his throne.
I hope to find more such creatures. The next three ones I am thinking about adding are Angel, Daemon, and Vampire. What's holding me back, is that they might be rehashes of already describing creatures. Maybe angels and daemons are just fairies seen with a christian eye. Was the Europe I target fully christianized at that point? Was that christianity fully "standardized" at that point? Regarding the vampire, it is more Eastern Europe and I am hesitant to add it, since there are too many tuxedo vampires out there.
The format arrays four creatures per page. On the left side, the stat block and on the right side a description / explanation of the creature. When the booklet is properly printed, it lays flat and presents eight creatures.
The stat block follows the classical HD, AC (ascending), Attack Bonus, and Damage. The average values for HPs and Damage have been added. The move rates are for a 6 seconds combat round, not the B/X 10 seconds combat round, they are expressed in feet / meters / squares / rulers. In grey the B/X move rates do follow.
Likewise, the ascending AC, in red, is followed, in grey, by the corresponding descending AC. The "atk" section is followed by, for example, "18 → 0", which simply means "THAC0 18".
The morale check for the creature or its group is stated. To simplify rule lookup, it's stated as "2d6 ≤ 9", which, seen from the angle of the creature, means, the creature will not flee / submit while it rolls 9 or less with 2d6.
The save stats propose "1d20 + (HD / 2 down) ≥ PHY TC or EVA TC or MEN TC". It offers three suggestions to the referee to resolve creature saves. Any TC will do, not just the three ones proposed.
The size follows the 5e standard, especially stating the square space occupied by the creature.
The DCs for the creature are then listed, then some six derived DCs. Each page has a table to compute DC from TC and back. It can be used by a referee that is fond of DC / TC rolls. (DCs are used like ACs are when presenting a challenge to another character, while TCs are used when challenging oneself).
Creatures with an INT DC of 8 or more have this score in red. It's merely to indicate that it's an intelligent creature and it might have developped complex techniques, even tactics to survive or even prevail.
The stat block ends with the skill modifiers for the creature. Hunt, Scout, Spy, Exert, and few other skills are common among creatures.
The special abilities and powers of the creatures are simplified and rather tame, but that suits our table's taste for "ordinary heroics".
That's not much, but it's good fun and is put to good use.
Eurotrash PDF (work in progress, plain A4 PDF)
