CLASSIC FANTASY - A Return to the Dawn of Roleplaying

[Aycorn]

Just downloaded this a couple nights ago. It's a real labor of love - thanks for doing it! I look forward to Vol. 2.

[Verderer]

Hey, I ordered my copy of CF from Chaosium's sale.

While waiting for it to drop in my mailbox, I am wondering about couple of things: firstly, does the book contain conversion notes for bringing various D&D and AD&D games into it? Secondly, I have a load of d20 stuff which I intend to use with my campaign, such as Freeport and the Book of the Righteous, The City State of the Invincible Overlord, and so on.. how well would CF work with converting them? I realise CF more of a homage to the old D&D stuff, so it won't have anything to do with those feats or pesky prestige classes. But other than that, the leap from AD&D to d20 isn't that huge, is it?

[threedeesix]

Just downloaded this a couple nights ago. It's a real labor of love - thanks for doing it! I look forward to Vol. 2.

Thanks Aycorn

[threedeesix]

Hey, I ordered my copy of CF from Chaosium's sale.

While waiting for it to drop in my mailbox, I am wondering about couple of things: firstly, does the book contain conversion notes for bringing various D&D and AD&D games into it?

No, as this is something that I plan to include in the second book since it's more of a game master thing to do conversions.

Secondly, I have a load of d20 stuff which I intend to use with my campaign, such as Freeport and the Book of the Righteous, The City State of the Invincible Overlord, and so on.. how well would CF work with converting them?

Fine as far as Freeport and City State, because their more about the fluff. I own Book of the Righteous and I don't think that will be of much use as CF doesn't even remotely cover Feats.

I realise CF more of a homage to the old D&D stuff, so it won't have anything to do with those feats or pesky prestige classes. But other than that, the leap from AD&D to d20 isn't that huge, is it?

No. Ignore feats and prestige classes and you should have no problem converting characters and adventures regardless of the edition.

I would suggest that until the second book comes out, which will have more information on balancing encounters to the strengths of the party, stick to the lower level D&D adventurers if converting them. Once you really know what the group can handle, then you can throw them "against the giants".

Thanks for your interest,

Rod

[Verderer]

Thanks for the information, Rod. I thought the conversion stuff might go in the second volume. My intention with the Book of the Righteous is really to use the pantheon and 'mythos' (or 'cosmic order' or whatever you want to call it) in there, because I really like how it's written, I feel that's one of the many strong points of the book. I am in fact less interested in what feats each cleric would get and other rules technical stuff, and luckily the book is full of really useful fluff text, don't you think?

About aligment, you described it as 'actions defining aligment' and not the other ay around. I am really liking this aspect. It gives the player the freedom to choose to do whatever he/she wants, but also the consequences and responsibility involved with each decision.

[threedeesix]

About aligment, you described it as 'actions defining aligment' and not the other ay around. I am really liking this aspect. It gives the player the freedom to choose to do whatever he/she wants, but also the consequences and responsibility involved with each decision.

Yah, this I cannot take credit for as it is just the Alliegence system from Basic Role Playing renamed Alignment. I did further define it into good, neutral, and evil however.

Edit: And almost all of the supernatural special abilities given to a character class, like the paladins ability to lay on hands, are based on the level of alignment (number of points aquired in the alignment) to determine the specific power level. To continue with the example of lay on hands, once per day the paladin can use it to heal 1 hit point for every 2 points he or she has in good.

[Bismark]

First post - yay!

Just bought and downloaded the PDF (and PDFed the errata sheet - I like to be organised )

Just had a quick flick through and it's looking good. Now to back up the files and then off to bed as it is 05.22 local time.

[Verderer]

Yah, this I cannot take credit for as it is just the Alliegence system from Basic Role Playing renamed Alignment. I did further define it into good, neutral, and evil however.

Edit: And almost all of the supernatural special abilities given to a character class, like the paladins ability to lay on hands, are based on the level of alignment (number of points aquired in the alignment) to determine the specific power level. To continue with the example of lay on hands, once per day the paladin can use it to heal 1 hit point for every 2 points he or she has in good.

Ok, so to qualify as paladin, I'd imagine you have to have a certain level of allegiance (20 points higher than the others), or even be committed to single alliance (100 points in that allegiance) as per BRP rules? Can there be anti-paladins?

Do all classes have special abilites, by the way? (grr... still no CF in the mailbox!)

[threedeesix]

Ok, so to qualify as paladin, I'd imagine you have to have a certain level of allegiance (20 points higher than the others), or even be committed to single alliance (100 points in that allegiance) as per BRP rules?

To qualify as a paladin you just tell your game master... I wanna be a paladin. All characters at creation begin with 5 points in an alignment of their choosing, for the paladin this has to be good. From this point forward you must maintain a good standing. If you acquire points in any other alignment 5 points greater than your points in good, than you loose your standing as a paladin until you can repent, permanently if those points were evil.

Three of the more powerful paladin abilities must be aquired in play and are based on the characters points in good over all other alignments, the first at 20 points, the second at 30 points, and the last at 60 points.

Can there be anti-paladins?

Yes, a failed paladin may opt to become an anti-paladin. However this is typically an NPC and is detailed as such in the second volume. However, it has been given a complete write-up and is fully functional as a player character if the game master chooses to run an evil campaign, right alongside the witch and the assassin.

Do all classes have special abilities, by the way? (grr... still no CF in the mailbox!)

Tell me about it.

Yes all classes have special abilities, but only those of a mystical nature are "powered" by alignment points, others, like the thieves subterfuge proficiency, which allows the character to increase all thief-like skills at a rate of 1D8 instead of 1D6 points with an increase, are inborn abilities that they just have.

Rod

[Verderer]

Sounds great, thanks again for your patient answers, Rod!