[20:29] <+DouglasCole> I’m Douglas Cole
[20:29] <+DouglasCole> I’m the Chief Everything Officer for Gaming Ballistic
[20:30] <+DouglasCole> GB started as a blog, and morphed into a gaming and publishing company when I saw that I had a game I wanted to make, which was Dragon Heresy
[20:30] <+DouglasCole> The blog started in late 2012, and I started the tradition of Thursday is GURPSDay in Feb 2013
[20:30] <+DouglasCole> Which rounds up blogs about GURPS from all over and trolls the RSS feeds each week
[20:31] <+DouglasCole> (100 blogs are on the script list!)
[20:31] <+DouglasCole> I got my start gaming in 1980 or so with AD&D, then went backwards to Red/Blue box
[20:31] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Hellboy!)
[20:31] <+DouglasCole> Played all sorts of games during high school, and got into playtesting and stuff in Grad school
[20:32] <+DouglasCole> Published for the first time in 2002 in Pyramid magazine, have written for them 13 times. Published one book for SJGames: GURPS Martial Arts: Technical Grappling
[20:32] <+DouglasCole> Then two books for myself, Dungeon Grappling and Lost Hall of Tyr, a 5e/Swords and Wizardry adventure set in the same world as Dragon Heresy
[20:32] <+DouglasCole> DH is halfway through its Kickstarter
[20:33] <+DouglasCole> We funded on day 2, and hit $8,000 today, halfway to my target goal of $16K for an offset print run
[20:33] <+DouglasCole> Personally, I like watching movies, practicing viking martial arts, and building mostly-authentic replica shields, which I also do on commission
[20:34] <+DouglasCole> As the company name indicates, I’m also an avid but infrequent target shooter, and know a fair bit about weapons, especially firearms
[20:34] <+DouglasCole> I think that’s enough intro!
[20:34] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[20:34] <~Dan> Thanks, DouglasCole! The floor is open to questions!
[20:35] <~Dan> So let’s start with the basics: What is the game about?
[20:35] <+DouglasCole> Ultimately, Dragon Heresy is “about” two things
[20:36] <+DouglasCole> The setting, which is a norse-inspired world of bold action as the PCs, chosen of the Aesir, struggle to gain notoriety and fame in a properly viking way
[20:36] <+DouglasCole> while caught between four mighty factions.
[20:36] <+DouglasCole> The dragons and their eðlafolk and fiðrildi minions, and their degenerate ormur relatives
[20:37] <~Dan> (Howdy, fantomx11!)
[20:37] <+DouglasCole> the fae, of dark legend and myth. The capricious and tricky fae more akin to Dresden Files than tinkerbell
[20:37] <+DouglasCole> the Fiends of Muspelheim, realm of fire; the Tyranns and Kvoldur
[20:37] <+DouglasCole> and of course, the Aesir of Asgard
[20:37] <+DouglasCole> So. . . that’s the basic setting
[20:38] <+DouglasCole> Mechanically, I wanted to have a more old-school feel
[20:38] <+DouglasCole> with risk always lurking. So I’ve got a few drifts from 5e that help that
[20:38] <+DouglasCole> Separating HP into wounds and vigor
[20:38] <+DouglasCole> and dividing AC into Threat DC, Hit DC, and Damage Reduction
[20:39] <+DouglasCole> Also, better rules for grappling (says me), and more interesting rules for shields, which are underserved in most games
[20:39] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[20:39] <~Dan> Can you say a bit more about hit points and AC?
[20:39] <+DouglasCole> Sure.
[20:39] <+DouglasCole> let’s start with HP
[20:40] <+DouglasCole> the mechanical-narrative disconnect that I perceived was that HP could and often did represent all types of resource reduction
[20:40] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Arch0n!)
[20:40] <+DouglasCole> But they were gained and lost on a time scale of hours and one day via short and long rests
[20:41] <+DouglasCole> but despite Sir Gary noting on p. 82 of the AD&D DMG that yeah, it wasn’t really so that a high-level guy coudl absorb 20 actual sword blows
[20:41] <+DouglasCole> since I was 10 every GM I’ve ever had talked about how the bright blood flew when AC was exceeded
[20:41] <+DouglasCole> So I decided to make an explicit split
[20:41] <+DouglasCole> If you rolled over Threat DC (usually 10 + DEX bonus)
[20:42] <+DouglasCole> you did something worrisome enough to force a reaction; that was vigor loss
[20:42] <+DouglasCole> vigor (quantitatively equal to HP)
[20:42] <+DouglasCole> represents skill, active defense, mobility, luck, divine grace . . .and that IS recoverable with a strong cuppa joe and a kiss from your SO
[20:43] <~Dan> (Howdy, DLB_Chuck!)
[20:43] <+DouglasCole> wounds (equal to CON plus STR bonus) are blood, guts, and actual injury
[20:43] <+DouglasCole> Those are recovered on a scale of days and weeks
[20:43] <+DouglasCole> they also (can) lead to conditions such as Injured, Unconscious, Demoralized, and Oh God My Liver
[20:43] <+DouglasCole> (maybe not that last one)
[20:43] <+DouglasCole> If you roll over the Hit DC (still one roll tho!)
[20:44] <+DouglasCole> then a damaging attack goes straight ot armor and wounds
[20:44] <+DouglasCole> unless you spend your reaction to employ a frantic defense
[20:44] <+DouglasCole> which mitigates potential wounds at 2 vigor per wound avoided
[20:44] <+DouglasCole> when you’re out of vigor, any Threat is a potential Hit
[20:45] <+DouglasCole> Anyway, it plays simpler than it sounds. A LOT simpler. It’s a one-roll hit resolutoin, with two target numbers.
[20:45] <+DouglasCole> Roll a Threat, and your foe will likely soak it with vigor (or take it on their shield if they have one)
[20:45] <+DouglasCole> Roll a Hit, and it’s either a frantic defense, or armor and wounds.
[20:46] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[20:46] <+DouglasCole> (for now; this will get revisited, I’m sure!)
[20:46] <+DLB_Chuck> Tell us about the frantic defense
[20:46] <+DouglasCole> it’s a reaction used to take potential wounds an turn them to vigor loss
[20:46] <+DouglasCole> but at a 2:1 ratio
[20:46] <+DouglasCole> it works for melee attacks, but can also be used to mitigate a failed saving throw
[20:46] <+DouglasCole> Example
[20:47] <+DouglasCole> a fireball might do 4d6 fire damage
[20:47] <+DouglasCole> If you fail your save . . . that goes straight to wounds
[20:47] <+DouglasCole> if you MAKE your save, it’s applied as vigor
[20:47] <+DouglasCole> If you have the vigor to spare, and havent’ spent your reaction, you can spend it
[20:47] <+DouglasCole> and (let’s say 14 damage was rolled)
[20:47] <+DouglasCole> by absorbing 28 vigor, avoid taking wounds
[20:48] <+DouglasCole> if you failed your save
[20:48] <+DouglasCole> if you made it, you just take the 14 damage as vior
[20:48] <+DouglasCole> if you made it, you just take the 14 damage as vigor
[20:48] <+DouglasCole> If youre out of vigor .. .you take wounds
[20:48] <~Dan> Huh. That’s pretty cool.
[20:49] <+DouglasCole> What it means is you’re never safe from ambush (’cause no reactions when you’re surprised)
[20:49] <+DouglasCole> A 20th level berserker (think barbarian) with 24 STR and 24 CON
[20:49] <+DouglasCole> has 31 wounds, but is resistant to nonmagical melee weapons and probably has 200+ vigor
[20:49] <~Dan> Ah. So sniping is actually a threat rather than an annoyance.
[20:49] <+DouglasCole> But a few arrows to him . .. yeah
[20:49] <+DouglasCole> completely
[20:50] <+DouglasCole> Arrows are handled a bit differently than normal
[20:50] <+DouglasCole> but yeah
[20:50] <+DouglasCole> shortbow still does 1d6; longbow still does 1d8
[20:50] <+DouglasCole> but your DEX bonus is applied as an increase in critical threat range
[20:50] <+DouglasCole> not a flat damage bonus
[20:51] <+DouglasCole> I use critical threat range a lot more than the SRD5.1 (the system reference document for Fifth Edition)
[20:51] <+DouglasCole> It’s something I really like
[20:51] <+DouglasCole> For example, you can spend an attack to aim/evaluate, which gives your next shot advantage
[20:51] <+DouglasCole> You can TRADE advantage for either half DR (aiming for gaps in armor) OR +5 (I think) to critical threat range
[20:51] <+DouglasCole> I did the math; it’s not unbalanced
[20:52] <+DouglasCole> but it represents a potential way to use the Fifth Edition options that already exist
[20:52] <+DouglasCole> like advantage/disadvantage and the expanded crit range of fighters
[20:52] <+DouglasCole> to even cooler effect
[20:52] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[20:54] <+DouglasCole> let me reprhase for a moment: you take disadvantage to make a called shot; but if you’ve done Aim/Evaluate, that gives advantage, and the 5e rule of “adv + disadv cancel” still holds
[20:54] <~Dan> If we can back up a bit, how much do you deviate from standard 5e in general?
[20:55] <+DouglasCole> Less in big ways (Threat DC/Hit DC/Damage Reduction and wounds/vigor) than the ways that change ripples through the system
[20:56] <+DouglasCole> dividing attacks into regular attacks and “swift” attacks (that require a shield to counter the same way a sword blow or thrown axe is countered) is probably another one, since it applies to bows and crossbows and some spells
[20:56] <+DouglasCole> and of course there’s the new grappling system
[20:56] <+DouglasCole> which is more unified with the main melee system, adding the “control” damage type
[20:56] <+DouglasCole> If you play Fifth Edition, you will be able to get going in Dragon Heresy in a few moments
[20:57] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[20:58] <+DouglasCole> I cover this a bit in my Kickstarter video, and the thoughts that animated my mechanical choices are in a “Doug talks about stuff while throwing axes” video on YouTube
[20:59] <~Dan> Could you say a bit more about regular and swift attacks? I think I follow you there, but I’m not sure.
[21:00] <+DouglasCole> most melee attacks, axe and sword and spear and thrown large weapons
[21:00] <+DouglasCole> are regular attacks
[21:00] <+DouglasCole> you roll your hit, and your foe gets his Threat DC and Hit DC (which is higher than your Threat DC by 8 + Proficiency Bonus)
[21:01] <+DouglasCole> However, a swift attack, if you don’t have a shield or (say) a feat like Parry Missile Weapons
[21:01] <+DouglasCole> if the attack scores a Threat . . . it’s ALSO a hit
[21:01] <+DouglasCole> so your only option is frantic defense
[21:01] <~Dan> Ah, okay. I understand now.
[21:01] <~Dan> That’s pretty slick!
[21:01] <+DouglasCole> (that’s why the change from ‘add DEX bonus to damage’ to ‘widen critical threshold’)
[21:02] <+DouglasCole> because otherwise bows were just a giant ranged cuisinart of unholy death
[21:02] <+DouglasCole> Though in fairness, Ken Hite, upon editing the initial draft of my manuscript
[21:02] <+DouglasCole> said “Yeah, the French found out just how deadly an arrow storm was at agincourt, didn’t they?”
[21:03] <+DouglasCole> But to counter that, not many of said french in full armor were KILLED by that arrow storm
[21:03] <+DouglasCole> But they were much less effective, because they had to keep their heads down
[21:03] <+DouglasCole> anyway, historical digression. Please move along.
[21:03] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:03] <+DouglasCole> sorry, not done
[21:03] <+DouglasCole> If you DO have a shield
[21:04] <+DouglasCole> swift attacks are treated as regular attacks (well, if you’re proficient with said shield)
[21:04] * ~Dan nods
[21:04] <+DouglasCole> meaning you really DO have to roll really well to just strike home
[21:04] <+DouglasCole> also a critical hit is not necessarily a Hit
[21:04] <+DouglasCole> yeah, crits roll dice twice, as usual
[21:04] <+DouglasCole> but if you don’t ALSO exceed Hit DC, that comes off vigor
[21:05] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:06] <+DouglasCole> (sorry)
[21:06] <~Dan> (No problem!)
[21:06] <~Dan> (wb, Hellboy!)
[21:06] <~Dan> You mentioned that armor has a DR rating?
[21:07] <+DouglasCole> yes.
[21:07] <+DouglasCole> Basically equal to the delta from AC 10 that it gives in Fifth Edition
[21:07] <+DouglasCole> that’s where the first playtests started it, and it always seemed to work well enough
[21:07] <+DouglasCole> So chain mail is DR 6
[21:07] <+DouglasCole> Plate is DR 8
[21:07] <+DouglasCole> “studded leather” is DR 2
[21:08] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:08] <~Dan> Interesting. I’m not sure that I’ve seen a game combine AC and DR.
[21:08] <+Catseye> I have
[21:08] <+Catseye> OGL Conan
[21:09] <~Dan> I thought OGL Conan was just DR.
[21:09] <+DouglasCole> The Threat DC/Hit DC takes the place of what in GURPS is the active defense roll
[21:09] <+DouglasCole> I think part of the core design of a Fifth Edition game is one-roll hit resolution
[21:09] <+DouglasCole> So defenses are subsumed into the Threat/Hit DCs
[21:10] <+Catseye> OGL Conan had a DR and a recognition of the Dexterity componant in evading attacks
[21:10] <+DouglasCole> So a DX 14 fighter in medium armor might have a normal Threat DC 12
[21:10] <+DouglasCole> pick up a shield and it bumps to Threat DC 16 (!)
[21:10] <+DouglasCole> The Hit DC at Level 1-4 is +10 over Threat DC (8 + proficiency bonus 2)
[21:10] <+DouglasCole> at 5th level, it goes up to +11 over Threat DC
[21:11] <+DouglasCole> Some fighting styles increase Hit DC but not Threat DC
[21:11] <+DouglasCole> I think the Fencing fighting style does this; I’ll have to check
[21:11] <+DouglasCole> checked. Nope.
[21:12] <+DouglasCole> Fencing raises basic Threat DC
[21:12] <+DouglasCole> I swear I played around with that; might be in a Feat
[21:12] <+DouglasCole> which aren’t part of the Introductory Set
[21:12] <+DouglasCole> (at least not yet)
[21:12] <+DouglasCole> done
[21:13] <~Dan> Would you call this game historical fantasy, or is the setting 100% fictional?
[21:13] <+DouglasCole> Celti! Howdy, pardner.
[21:13] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Celti!)
[21:13] <+DouglasCole> It’s historically inspired, but the setting is 100% made up to suit my purposes
[21:13] <+DouglasCole> In fact, it started out as a campaign seed for a Dungeon Fantasy GURPS setting
[21:13] <+DouglasCole> and grew from there as I added elements to it
[21:14] <+DouglasCole> Etera is NOT “Earth with the serial numbers filed off”
[21:14] <+DouglasCole> despite Ken Hite telling me “Just use Earth, you big baby!”
[21:14] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:15] * ~Dan chuckles
[21:15] <+Hellboy> Why does the tabletop RPG industry seem to fail so hard at grappling rules?
[21:15] <+DouglasCole> That’s a good question, and I think I have a good answer
[21:16] <+DouglasCole> Most folks who started to do RPG design either had no real melee combat experience or maybe did some SCA stuff
[21:16] <+DouglasCole> not to disparage the SCA at all
[21:16] <+DouglasCole> But folks got “I hit him with my sword.”
[21:16] <+DouglasCole> But grappling, well . .
[21:16] <+DouglasCole> grappling is (forgive me) . . .Technical
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> You have to do all this STUFF
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> and there are MOVES
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> and PINS
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> and position matters
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> and the TECHNIQUE
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> It’s JUST SO COMPLICATED
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> forgive my all caps
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> I’m doing it for effect
[21:17] <~Dan> Cruise control for cool!
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> Thing is . . . when you start looking at Fiori
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> or Talhoffer
[21:17] <+DouglasCole> or Silver’s treatises on combat
[21:18] <+DouglasCole> or the 1.33 manual
[21:18] <+DouglasCole> My goodness, turns out that melee combat is *just as technical and detailed*
[21:18] <+DouglasCole> So in a way, it was “familiarity, or supposed familiarity, breeds casuality”
[21:19] <+DouglasCole> So folks were comfortable saying “darn it, just roll 1d20 plus a bonus vs an armor class; we’ll abstract the rest”
[21:19] <+DouglasCole> but they weren’t willing to do the same for grappling
[21:19] <+DouglasCole> which is where, if I may be so bold, both GURPS Martial Arts: Technical Grappling and (even more so, because I had more time to do it RIGHT) Dungeon Grappling (and that’s the Dragon Heresy grappling system)
[21:20] <+DouglasCole> get it the most right thus far
[21:20] <+DouglasCole> roll an attack vs a difficulty number
[21:20] <+DouglasCole> if you’re successful, roll damage
[21:20] <+DouglasCole> that damage type (damage types exist already) is control (that one’s new)
[21:20] <+DouglasCole> you can trade that control for Cool Stuff
[21:20] <+DouglasCole> like injury
[21:20] <+DouglasCole> or you can just turn your foe into a pretzel and make him incapable of moving
[21:21] <+Hellboy> Control Points are analogous to vigor in a way?
[21:21] <+DouglasCole> more like wounds
[21:21] <+DouglasCole> Control Maximum is STR plus DEX bonus
[21:21] <+DouglasCole> but you CAN trade vigor for potential control
[21:22] <+DouglasCole> We did toy with not allowing that; because vigor can get REALLY high
[21:22] <+DouglasCole> and I didn’t want nine hour grappling battles
[21:22] * ~Dan nods
[21:22] <+DouglasCole> but you really can, if pressed, simply avoid a grapple
[21:23] <+DouglasCole> the trick is to make your opponent give up his reaction for some other reason
[21:23] <+DouglasCole> so that he can’t use it to turn a Hit into a Threat
[21:23] <+DouglasCole> and has to start grappling back
[21:23] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:23] <~Dan> Do you add any new classes or races?
[21:24] <+DouglasCole> Hrm.
[21:24] <+DouglasCole> That is a more-complicated question that it first seems
[21:24] <+DouglasCole> on first blush, the answer is “no”
[21:24] <+DouglasCole> On second, the SRD only gives you one archetype per class
[21:24] <+DouglasCole> and DH has two or three per class
[21:24] <+DouglasCole> Every clerical domain has to be written from scratch
[21:25] <+DouglasCole> and all of the “fluff text” and context for each race and class is original
[21:25] <+DouglasCole> because it HAS to be
[21:25] <+DouglasCole> So from that perspective, EVERY class and race is new to an extent
[21:25] <+DouglasCole> but the basic mechanical benefits of each are more or less the same
[21:25] <+DouglasCole> if ya know what I mean
[21:25] <~Dan> I think so…
[21:25] <+DouglasCole> There were some changes and rewrites
[21:26] <+DouglasCole> Rewriting the ranger is a national pastime
[21:26] <+DouglasCole> and I’m no different
[21:26] <+DouglasCole> but Rangers aren’t in the Intro Set (yet)
[21:26] <~Dan> Are there any classes that flat-out don’t fit?
[21:26] <+DouglasCole> I eliminated Monks
[21:26] <+DouglasCole> Halflings are completely tolkein, and gone
[21:27] * ~Dan nods
[21:27] <+DouglasCole> (spelled Tolkien wrong)
[21:27] <~Dan> (It was just a Tolkien effort.)
[21:27] <+DLB_Chuck> boo dan. lol
[21:28] <+DouglasCole> Heh. the Black Panther Tolkien joke is still funny
[21:28] <~Dan> 🙂
[21:28] <+DouglasCole> my dwarves are not short bearded scotsmen
[21:29] <+DouglasCole> my gnomes are descended from dvergar, I believe
[21:30] <+DouglasCole> elves were a purposeful hybridization – a HERETICAL hybridization – of humans and alfar to make foot soldiers for the war against the dragons
[21:30] <+DouglasCole> and they were cast off and abandoned by their immortal creators when they had served their purpose
[21:30] <+DouglasCole> So elves are . . . well, they be depressed a lot
[21:31] <+DouglasCole> basically there’s an in-background reason for all of these human-whatever hybrids
[21:31] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:32] <~Dan> Can you say a bit more about your dwarves?
[21:32] <+DouglasCole> mechanically, they’re the same as Fifth Edition dwarves
[21:32] <+DouglasCole> but they look like granite countertops when it comes to skin
[21:32] <+DouglasCole> mostly hairless
[21:32] <+DouglasCole> I’ve got art samples kicking around
[21:33] <+DouglasCole> Their culture is one of craft-bonds, not famly-bonds
[21:33] <+DouglasCole> family-bonds
[21:34] <+DouglasCole> they have a pretty craft-oriented culture
[21:34] <+DouglasCole> and were the originators of the human culture
[21:34] <+DouglasCole> in terms of worshiping the Aesir
[21:35] <+DouglasCole> well, human Aesir worship and humans and dwarves speak the same language: Common Runic
[21:35] <+DouglasCole> but human culture and dwarf culture are quite different
[21:35] <+DouglasCole> short version: humans are vikings; dwarves more like guild members
[21:35] <+DouglasCole> well, Torengar humans are vikings
[21:35] <+DouglasCole> you’ve also got a few other human cultures kickin’ around
[21:36] <+DouglasCole> there’s the thief-kingdom of Brousha
[21:36] <+DouglasCole> which is ruled by five clan-familes
[21:37] <+DouglasCole> there’s Arnulf, which is modeled after the Carolingian city states
[21:37] <+DouglasCole> with an itinerant court that is comprised of many counties
[21:37] <+DouglasCole> no capital, the seat of state wanders from city to city with the royal family
[21:38] <+DouglasCole> and the priest-led realm of Brionnu, inspired by celtic craftsman, and heavily influenced by the artisanship of the dwarves
[21:38] <+DouglasCole> the north border of Brionnu is metal rich, and they make great plate armor and true longswords
[21:38] <+DouglasCole> anyway, those are worldbuilding details
[21:38] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:40] <+DouglasCole> I don’t wish to dismiss my fantastic, immersive, deeply amazing fantasy world.
[21:41] <+DouglasCole> But ultimately the prime game is “go North into the former dragon empire, riddled with ruins, dungeons, and containing boundless riches, and kill things and take their stuff”
[21:41] <~Dan> Do you keep alignments?
[21:41] <+DouglasCole> I do
[21:41] <+DouglasCole> Mostly because while they’re less important to PCs, the fundamental nature of some of the OPPOSITION matters
[21:41] <+DouglasCole> Fiends are Evil
[21:41] <+DouglasCole> Fae are Chaotic
[21:42] <+DouglasCole> that’s vital to their nature
[21:42] <+Hellboy> Is Dragon Heresy in the murderhobo space or is there support for pacification without decapitation or stabbification?
[21:42] <+DouglasCole> (and yes, the fae can be forced to pseudo-lawful by making them keep their word, but they’re such rules lawyers that they always manage to chaos their way out of it, don’t they?)
[21:43] <+Catseye> I have found really that alignment is really something nobody and no game handles well.
[21:43] <+DouglasCole> Grappling provides one axis of non-decapitation
[21:43] <+DouglasCole> there are also rules in the works for Flyting
[21:43] <+DouglasCole> the traditional contest of insults in norse culture
[21:44] <+DouglasCole> but that tends not to work when the eðlafolk are trying to eat you for dinner( ethla, or eðla, is icelandic for lizard or reptile)
[21:44] <+DouglasCole> but by and large, it’s hard to find a more typical “murderhobo” culture than sterotypical vikings
[21:44] <+DouglasCole> so the game embraces that to an extent
[21:45] <+DouglasCole> that being said, the vengeance culture of viking-inspired lands tends to make murder-hoboism a very short-lived activity
[21:45] <+DouglasCole> after all, in Dragon Heresy, an arrow ambush from surprise actually works
[21:45] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:46] <+Hellboy> “Actually works” deserves some explanation
[21:46] <+DouglasCole> I explained it upthread
[21:46] <+DouglasCole> you cannot employ a frantic defense against an attack you are unaware of
[21:47] <+DouglasCole> and if you can’t do that, you can’t take wounds to vigor
[21:47] <+DouglasCole> which means that if you fire enough arrows at unaware folks, they may all be dead by the time the surprise round is over
[21:47] <+DouglasCole> Joe Average has 10 wounds, and is rolling for KO if he takes 6, and death at 11
[21:47] <+Hellboy> Interesting way to make it so that being able to go mano-a-mano doesn’t make sneak attacks feel spongey
[21:48] <+Hellboy> Or have to deal x10 damage or whatnot to feel significant
[21:48] <+DouglasCole> we did tone down the bonus sneak attack damage quite a bit
[21:48] <+DouglasCole> we had to
[21:48] <+DouglasCole> we being my pool of playtesters and me
[21:49] <+DouglasCole> one of my “mathy” design goals, which really means the background work I did looking at average expected outcomes
[21:49] <+DouglasCole> was I wanted the worst possible thing in life to be standing next to a 20th level fighter who was mad at you
[21:49] <+DouglasCole> Not “I happen to be fighting a rogue who brought a friend”
[21:49] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:50] <+DouglasCole> for reference a typical 1st level barbarian might start with CON 16 and STR 14-15 (+2)
[21:50] <+DouglasCole> which will be 18 wounds
[21:50] <+DouglasCole> Fighter might be CON 12-14, STR 16 (+3) which i 15-17 wounds
[21:51] <+DouglasCole> So if an arrow does 1d6 or 1d8, well, it does’t take many to make you reconsider your life choices
[21:51] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[21:53] <+DouglasCole> (getting wine. 1-2 min.)
[21:53] <~Dan> How much of a bestiary do you offer/
[21:53] <~Dan> ?
[21:54] <+DouglasCole> 100 fully worked up monster variants
[21:54] <+DouglasCole> over 100 pages
[21:55] <+DLB_Chuck> Can you give some examples? What kind of variations?
[21:55] <+DouglasCole> Bear has brown bears and cave bears
[21:55] <+DouglasCole> there are four types of goblins
[21:55] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rgpnet, Ravenpenny!)
[21:55] <+DouglasCole> goblins, hobgoblins, hobs, and bugbears
[21:55] <+Ravenpenny> Thanks
[21:55] <+DouglasCole> there are two or three types of hag
[21:56] <+DouglasCole> I think there are four subtypes of lizard folk (eðlafolk)
[21:56] <~Dan> (Ravenpenny: Here for the Q&A? 🙂 )
[21:56] <+DouglasCole> basically warrior, scout, shaman, and one other I’m blanking on)
[21:56] <+Ravenpenny> (Yes.)
[21:56] <+DouglasCole> I’ve got a bunch of types of undead, of course
[21:57] <+DouglasCole> vaettr (wight), raiðr (wraith), skeleton, zombie, haturljos (reworked will-o-wisp)
[21:57] <+DiogoNogueira> Does the game have any tables and generators to create story elements, locations, NPCs, adventure ideas and stuff like that?
[21:57] <+DouglasCole> each one has a description, habitat, and behavior
[21:57] <~Dan> (Ravenpenny: Great! Please make yourself at hoe, and ask away with any questions! 🙂 )
[21:57] <+DouglasCole> No.
[21:57] <+DouglasCole> DiogoNogueira, it doesn’t
[21:58] <+DouglasCole> I plan on redressing that in micro- and mini-setting supplements
[21:58] <+DouglasCole> for example, my Lost Hall of Tyr adventure has a few random tables in it
[21:58] <+DouglasCole> and I’ll do more of that in adventure-driven works
[21:58] <+DouglasCole> It’s a good idea, though.
[21:59] <+DouglasCole> I can add it as one of the “extra content” options if we hit 10K funding
[21:59] <+DouglasCole> which at this point seems (knock on wood) pretty likely
[21:59] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[22:00] <+DiogoNogueira> That’s great! 🙂
[22:00] <~Dan> Is this the beginning of a game line, or is it a one-off?
[22:00] <+DouglasCole> technically, since Lost Hall of Tyr is set in Etera, it’s not even the beginning!
[22:00] <+DouglasCole> but it’s not a one-off
[22:01] <+DouglasCole> I have plans for a short micro-setting which will have five or so non-linear types of encounters in it
[22:02] <+DouglasCole> bandit raids, fae issues, at least one cluster of problematic undead, some lizard-folk stuff, and something to do with internal politics that may or may not be complicated by a meddlesome fiend
[22:02] <+DiogoNogueira> And we don’t need the 5e books to play it, right?
[22:02] <+DouglasCole> It’s a complete, playable game with what you get
[22:02] <+DouglasCole> No other material is needed but dice, character sheets, and a willingness to be bold
[22:02] <+DiogoNogueira> Will it have a GM Screen?
[22:03] <+DouglasCole> That . . . is an excellent idea
[22:03] <+DouglasCole> Hell, I can use one of the three covers I paid for last year before I realized I didn’t have $120,000 to drop on a 410,000 word (750-page) three-volume set
[22:04] <+DouglasCole> (makes note to self)
[22:04] <+DouglasCole> That sounds like a great add-on
[22:04] <+DouglasCole> I provided a quick-reference guide to Dungeon Grappling and the same sort of thing in Lost Hall of Tyr
[22:04] <+DouglasCole> no reason I can’t get the basics for things in 2-3 pages for a DM screen
[22:05] <+DouglasCole> No promises. I don’t like to promise things I haven’t fully researched
[22:05] <+DouglasCole> but it’s a great idea
[22:05] <+DiogoNogueira> Sure.
[22:06] <+DouglasCole> Oh, and The Hunted Lands
[22:06] <+DouglasCole> a GIANT mini-setting that will be on the order of Glynn Seal’s The Midderlands
[22:06] <+DouglasCole> a whole region of northern Torengar with ALL SORTS OF BAD STUFF going on
[22:06] <+DouglasCole> The Hunted Lands is an area that stretches between two rivers
[22:06] <+DouglasCole> with a direct, uninterrupted pathway to the Frostharrow
[22:07] <+DouglasCole> which is the fae stronghold
[22:07] <+DouglasCole> they don’t like to cross the rivers, but they tend to raid down until the long palisade between Northwatch and Mosfell
[22:07] <+DouglasCole> which ties up a lot of both jarls’ huscarls
[22:07] <+DouglasCole> which is why so much work gets farmed out to wandering murder-hobos
[22:08] <+DouglasCole> sorry . . . “adventurers”
[22:08] <+DouglasCole> (done. really.)
[22:10] <+Hellboy> What plans do you have to support play for high level adventurers?
[22:10] <+DouglasCole> I have level 1-20 completely written
[22:11] <+DouglasCole> What I do not have is $120,000 to produce it to my standards
[22:11] <+DouglasCole> I will either invest personally and go big, release chunks of material the same way that BECMI did it (though likely just BEC), or win the lottery
[22:11] <+DouglasCole> In short: what plans do YOU have to help me?
[22:12] <+DouglasCole> Because a game only goes so far as its customer base will take it!
[22:12] <+DouglasCole> I don’t mean that as a poopy-head
[22:12] <+DouglasCole> It’s just that if I could afford the Big Game, I’d have produced it
[22:13] <+DouglasCole> Hopefully the intro set will generate enough interest to make me able to pull the trigger on the rest
[22:13] <+DouglasCole> In fact, it’s a stretch goal of the current Kickstarter
[22:13] <+DouglasCole> though it is, regrettably, not looking terribly reachable at the moment
[22:13] <+DouglasCole> (done)
[22:14] <~Dan> In the time remaining, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up?
[22:14] <+DouglasCole> Ultimately, I think this is a really fun variant of Fifth Edition
[22:14] <+DouglasCole> It brings an old-school risk back to Fifth Edition games
[22:15] <+DouglasCole> and brings in a lot of fun options without suffering from analysis paralysis or the kind of system mastery requirements that make chargen a minigame in and of itself
[22:15] <+DouglasCole> The Fifth Edition core is strong; the modifications I’ve made make for very fun, dynamic play
[22:15] <+DouglasCole> and the norse setting is deep enough to support endless fun.
[22:16] <+DouglasCole> draw from the sagas and the eddas. Draw from freakin’ marvel movies. Draw from comics. Draw from Beowulf and The Broken Sword.
[22:16] <+DouglasCole> Tell the stories. Be Bold, or die trying
[22:16] <+DouglasCole> well, in the game of course.
[22:16] <+DouglasCole> And if you can, please pop over and support the Kickstarter. If you can’t, please share it.
[22:17] <+DouglasCole> and if you game, game like a viking
[22:17] <+DouglasCole> 🙂
[22:17] <+DouglasCole> (I might need that on a t-shirt)
[22:18] <+Celti> (Well, that’s what I’ve got fridge full of mead for!)
[22:18] <+DouglasCole> Solid plan.
[22:20] <+DLB_Chuck> Is this an 8.5×11″ book?
[22:21] <+DLB_Chuck> You’re halfway to the offset printing goal. Pretty cool.
[22:21] <+DouglasCole> yes
[22:22] <+DouglasCole> 8.5×11, 256 pages. Hardback. Black and white unless you’re in the sponsor tier or higher, or we hit $16K, where I do an offset run in full color
[22:22] <+DouglasCole> smyth-sewn, 105# matte paper, matte cover
[22:22] <+DouglasCole> I drool just thinking about that goal
[22:22] <+DLB_Chuck> If it doesn’t hit 16k, will it be POD?
[22:22] <+DouglasCole> yes
[22:23] <+DouglasCole> but through a printer I’ve found with better quality than DriveThru
[22:23] <+DouglasCole> though it will ALSO be listed on DriveThru
[22:23] <+DLB_Chuck> are you planning to do distribution into stores?
[22:23] <+DouglasCole> but the KS pledges will be through PubGraphics
[22:23] <+DouglasCole> Answer hazy; ask again later.
[22:23] <+DouglasCole> I think I can do it, but it depends
[22:24] <+DouglasCole> You need to have your cost of materials 1/4 to 1/5 of retail price to do distribution
[22:24] <+DouglasCole> I’d LOVE to, but I need to find the right order size
[22:24] <+DouglasCole> but I think I can do it
[22:25] <+DouglasCole> I might have to punch the cover price to $45 instead of $40 to be sure
[22:25] <+DouglasCole> of course, if some distribution folks came and said “we’ll take 500” then I will just say “yep, sure, you bet” and get an offset run right the heck now
[22:25] <+DouglasCole> make sense, DLB_Chuck?
[22:26] <+DLB_Chuck> Yes. Thanks
[22:26] <+DouglasCole> here’s another way to look at it
[22:26] <+DouglasCole> If I got something like 300 or 400 physical orders on the Kickstarter
[22:27] <+DouglasCole> then a 1000-copy offset run would be a no brainder
[22:27] <+DouglasCole> brainer
[22:27] <+DouglasCole> Since 400 POD copies will cost $10-12,000
[22:27] <+DouglasCole> and 1000 offset copies IN COLOR will be $10-12,000
[22:27] <+DouglasCole> sorry, both are in color
[22:28] <+DouglasCole> 400 POD through drivethru is like $14K
[22:28] <+DouglasCole> 1000 offset through the not-lowest-cost vendor is $11,500
[22:28] <+DLB_Chuck> The distribution “discount” seems to still be running about 55-60% from what I’ve seen.
[22:29] <+DouglasCole> I’ve been told expect to collect 40-50% of cover price
[22:29] <+DLB_Chuck> I used to publish everything offset and through the distribution networks back in the 90s before I took a break. Just coming back into the industry
[22:29] <+DouglasCole> but if you can’t make your book for 20-25% of cover
[22:29] <+DouglasCole> you’re not paying for the next run with the current one – ah. You’re in publishing. You know this.
[22:30] <~Dan> Thanks very much for joining us, DouglasCole!
[22:30] <+DouglasCole> There seem to be an infinite number of ways to go bankrupt in the publishing industry
[22:30] <+DouglasCole> Thanks for having me, Dan
[22:30] <+DLB_Chuck> Very many ways. lol
[22:30] <+DiogoNogueira> Well folks, I gotta get to bed. Past midnight here. Thanks for the info on Dragon Heresy. 5e is not my favorite game, but I got really interested in your modifications and in the norse themes
[22:31] <~Dan> As a reminder, gratuities are welcome at (Link: https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/the-gmshoes-tip-jar/)https://gmshoe.wordpress.com/the-gmshoes-tip-jar/
[22:31] <+DouglasCole> Thanks, Diogo
[22:31] <~Dan> Now, if you’ll give me just a minute, I’ll get the log posted and link you!
[22:31] <+DouglasCole> A reminder there, there’s a $5 tier for those that want to try just the combat rules
[22:32] <+DouglasCole> once all the editing is done
[22:32] <+Catseye> there is nothing wrong with 5th edition, in my opinion. It is a fine implementation of D&D.
[22:32] <+DouglasCole> I’ll ruthlessly chop out everything but the core combat rules
[22:32] <+DouglasCole> I very much enjoy 5e, Catseye