Herbalism - An Apothecary's Handbook

I wrote this a year or so ago for one of my players in my WFRP campaign - Stahla (later, Lord Magister Stahla Lehrling of Praag) - as she expressed an interest in exploring the realms of herbalism and potion making.

Ever one to dig into rules and rip out the beating heart of balance, tinker with it, and shove it back into some catastrophic automaton with nuclear missiles... Ok, I'm straying from the point. The point is, I made it, and I thought I would share it.

Happy?

No, you never are, are you?!

Download Herbalism - An Apothecary's Handbook

Download it, give it a whirl, and have fun!

I Hit It With My Hammer... Constructively

EDIT 09/11/2017: I have updated these rules, and compiled them into a new supplement called Hammer & Anvil which can be found here.

For some reason, (nearly) every RPG under the sun neglects two major areas of gameplay, which EVERY PLAYER EVER always harps on about after the release of the title. Sure, Designers might argue that it isn't the focus of the game, and therefore unimportant, but in an RPG, player agency is to focus. Your window dressing is secondary.

These two areas are Crafting Rules and Mounted Combat. I'll be saving Mounted Combat for another day, and for now focus on Crafting.

I Hit It With My Hammer... Constructively

There are been a few attempts at Crafting systems in WFRP and other titles by the fan communities, but my problem with them tends to be either too simple or too complex. For WFRP, these fly between the simple:

Purchase materials which equal 1/2 of the purchase cost of the item. Roll relevant Trade Test. Success means you make it in 8 hours. Failure means you lose the materials.

To the awesome, yet needlessly complex Liber Fanatica Trade rules (see "Trades of the Old World").

I propose a middle ground, based on the system originally devised by Rob Schwald, one of the designers for the 2nd Edition core book. His basic premise was to halve the cost of the item in Silver Shillings, pay that amount for trade materials, and then each successful Trade Test would work 1d10s towards its construction. Once this total equals the original cost of the item, the item is created.

What's My Solution?

My crafting system is pretty simple. There are three steps to it: Planning, Construction, and Polish, with an optional fourth step - Transcription.

Step #1 - Planning

During the planning stage, the player determines what they're going to make (including Quality). If the item already exists, they take half the listed price of the item in Silver Shillings, and that is the base cost of the materials. 

This may be lowered with a successful Evaluate Test (to work out a more economical way of making it), reducing the cost by 10s per DoS to a minimum of 1s. It may be lowered further by conventional Haggle rules - I.e. every DoS against the merchant, reduce the cost by 10% to a static minimum (usually 70%).

Once this is done, and you have the materials and tools gathered (tools cost extra, as listed under Trade Tools in the Old World Armoury), you're ready for Construction.

Step #2 - Construction

Next the baseline Shilling cost of the object (the cost of materials above before reductions) is taken as the Build Number. Every day that a character devotes up to 8 hours on the production of an item, they may roll a Trade Test, depending on the item in question. A success grants 10 Build Points, with a +/- 1 for DoS and DoF.

Character may push themselves to the limit (but cannot perform anything else that day beyond simple survival, like eating and sleeping) by successfully rolling a Challenging (-10) Willpower Test. Failure means no more work can be done that day. Success means they can perform another Trade Test. If you're using the Hunger, Thirst & Fatigue rules, lose a further point of Fatigue.

Once the Build Points equal the Build Number, the item is finished production.

Step #3 - Polish

A character can attempt to improve an item up a level of Quality form its base production Quality by repeating the Construction step on the same item. However, Polish can only be performed once on an item. No matter how much addition and extra work, shoddy metal will never produce a Best Quality Sword.

This stage costs no extra money, but does cost time.

Step #4 - Transcription

A character can attempt a Read/Write Test after the object is made to create blueprints for the object. On a success, these blueprints will confer a +5% bonus to crafting the same object in the future, and will negate the need for rolling an Evaluate Test during the Planning stage (though a Haggle is still necessary for an even cheaper price).

I hope these simple rules will do you well!

Hunger, Thirst and Fatigue in RPGs

Hunger, Thirst and Fatigue in RPGs

One thing has always irked me in RPGs - the PCs tote around enormous amounts of money, but they never seem to spend it on anything other than weapons, armour and bribes. They can always save up perfectly for the next sword that they want, or can always just wait out a situation. Travelling faster than normal - like forced marching - never affects them, so why would they choose to travel at a leisurely pace? Walking through the desert for 40 years wont affect them, because water skins are forever filling, or not even mentioned.

Some GMs have attempted to ratify this with complex systems of accounting and economics, but really, who has time for that? My players are here to game, not to have a 4 hour shift as an office clerk. We need something simple, yet robust enough to have proper mechanical effect.

The Baseline Mechanic

My proposition is that we add three new "Health" systems to the game - one for Hunger, one for Thirst, and one for Fatigue. Warmth can be brought in there if you wish, but most of the time this can be handled with GM fiat. If you want it in there, it will work identically to the others.

Each new stat is equal to your Toughness Bonus (WFRP) or 4 + Constitution Modifier (DnD) or equivalent. Each stat further has a half-line, which is 50% of the total value, rounded up.

Hunger

Hunger drops when the PC hasn't eaten for a day, and it drops by one point per day of not eating. It replenishes by one point for each Average Meal (I.e. enough food for a proper lunch, for instance), or to full if the PC has 3 meals that day (or one particularly big meal, like a Banquet).

If Hunger reaches its half-line, then the PC suffers a -10% (WFRP) or a -2 (DnD) on all actions until it is restored. If Hunger reaches empty, the PC suffers -30% or -6 on all actions.

Each day, the PC may attempt a Willpower (WFRP) or Wisdom (DnD) Test, after the modifier is already applied, to ignore the effects of Hunger for that day. If they fail, there is no adverse affects, but they cannot test again that day.

Thirst

Thirst drops when the PC hasn't drunk water or equivalent for a day, and drops a further point if the day was particularly hot, or the PC over stretched themselves that day (full day of marching, etc). It replenishes by one point if the PC drinks at least a litre of water (one water skin) or equivalent (beer, etc), and replenishes to full if the PC drinks in excess of 3 litres (three water skins).

If Thirst reaches its half-line, then the PC suffers a -10% (WFRP) or a -2 (DnD) on all actions until it is restored. If Thirst reaches empty, the PC suffers -30% or -6 on all actions.

Each day, the PC may attempt a Willpower (WFRP) or Wisdom (DnD) Test, after the modifier is already applied, to ignore the effects of Thirst for that day. If they fail, there is no adverse affects, but they cannot test again that day.

Fatigue

Fatigue drops when the PC hasn't slept or rested well for a day, and drops a further point if the PC over stretched themselves that day (full day of marching, etc). It replenishes by one point if the PC sleeps for a night anywhere outside, such as a camp or bedroll, or in a tavern common room, and replenishes to full if the PC sleeps in a proper bed, in a private (or shared with the party) room. PCs can also "sleep in", by sleeping for 1.5x their normal sleeping hours to regain 2 points.

If Fatigue reaches its half-line, then the PC suffers a -10% (WFRP) or a -2 (DnD) on all actions until it is restored. If Fatigue reaches empty, the PC suffers -30% or -6 on all actions.

Each day, the PC may attempt a Willpower (WFRP) or Wisdom (DnD) Test, after the modifier is already applied, to ignore the effects of Fatigue for that day. If they fail, there is no adverse affects, but they cannot test again that day.

Death From Harsh Living

If a PC ever has all 3 stats at their empty stage, they must pass a Toughness (WFRP) or Constitution (DnD) Test after modifiers each day or suffer a 1d10 Damage (unmodified by armour or TB) (WFRP) or 1d6 Damage (automatically hitting) (DnD).

Managing Vital Stats

If the PCs just maintain a standard meal, a water skin of liquid, and camping in a bedroll every day throughout their adventures, then all should be well. Nothing should feesibly go wrong. However, if they ignore these vital aspects of life, things will start going poorly very quick.

As a last point, if PCs are travelling very far, and don't want to have to uphold all of these issues for each day of travel, accept an easy stance of of the following:

• If travelling at normal speed, each PC needs 1 meal, 1 water skin, and adequate rest per day of travel time to survive at full potential.
• If travelling at double speed (marching), each PC needs 1 meal, 3 water skins, and double rest time per day of travel to survive at full potential.

Don't let this become a case of accounting - just simple logistics.

I hope this gives your games a little more realism and strategy, without bogging it down in the details. Let me know how it goes!

RE: Hot Button: Leaving a Player Behind

Please note that this post is in response to another post on Gnome Stew earlier this morning. Whilst this post does stand alone, it would be useful to read through that post as well to get a feeling for what exactly led to this.

This post was originally going to be a comment on Gnome Stew's post, but it got a little long, so I decided to make it a post and then link it there.

Walt Ciechanowski, of Gnome Stew fame, posted a Hot Button Topic on the blog asking what a GM should do when one of their players isn't exactly into the game they're running, but everyone else is. Specifically, he stated that this player enjoyed the story and the adventures, but really disliked the game system. Here, then, is my response, given as four options to Walt and the player in question.

1. Play the Hand You're Dealt

Walt talks about a GM's need to "play the hand [they're] dealt", in that they shouldn't run a campaign where in not all the players would fit, or that specifically goes against the wishes of a few players to exclude them. However, I feel this stand point goes both ways - if everyone is enjoying a game, and there is only one player, for whatever reason, who is less than happy, then the entire campaign shouldn't be halted for their benefit.

This player can either choose to simply enjoy spending time with their friends, and ignore the issues which are causing problems for them, or they can leave the campaign and return when another game begins. Expecting everyone else to bow to what you want from a game will result in no games ever being played - as everyone always has something that they'd like to change in a game, and no two people like the exact same things.

2. Change the System

For most games, the system is really unimportant. Sure, I love Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition, but if my players didn't like the system enough, I wouldn't feel hampered switching to another system with a similar feel - for instance, I have heard good things about FATE and WFRP being used together.

The same works for Walt's Trail of Cthulhu campaign - surely there is another system which could handle the same sorts of situations without breaking gameplay, which shouldn't take long to convert over to. All Flesh Must Be Eaten comes to mind pretty quickly, or GURPS could work wonders.

GMs should never let the system get in the way of fun, so if it does, get rid of the system and find a new one (or heavily house rule it).

3. Scrub the System

This solution doesn't work for everyone, because many gamers like the mechanics behind the game and would prefer to keep it, but for others who just prefer roleplaying, this is a gem. Simply have the GM handle all dice rolls and mechanics related issues, and have the player merely sit in as the voice and director of the character's actions. They tell the GM what to do, the GM rolls in secret, and then describes the outcome.

This doesn't really work in large groups, or in groups where more than one player is doing this (but if that many are unhappy with the rules, see option 2 above), but it can work if everyone around the table agrees to it. Hell, you could even have another player handle these rolls if the GM is too busy and everyone agrees.

4. Take a Break

Sometimes, I find, if a player is having an issue with the campaign, and it is so strong that it's making them not want to play, often the issue is that the player needs a break. Humans become complacent when we get used to things, and a long stretch of playing will make minor issues seem like mountains. Therefore, there is no harm in walking away from the table for a few weeks, or swapping out of a campaign to come back at a later time.

For some reason, in our gaming culture, there is an air of total inclusion - everyone needs to be placated all of the time. I feel that this is both impossible and immature, on everyone's points. Gamers should feel comfortable sitting out of some games with the knowledge of being included in others. If you're all friends around the table, then what is there to fear by missing a campaign, anyway?

Ranald's Fingers - Gambling in the Old World

Gambling is big in Warhammer Fantasy. The only thing to do in the Old World to make you forget that you're suffering there is to drink, and the only thing available to do whilst drinking, is to game away your hard- or ill-begotten- coin.

If only WFRP was this classy...

However, despite this, very few people have really focused on Gambling in their games, nor written adequate rules to facilitate it. Sure, Liber Fantatica has a nice section to expand it a little along side all dice rolls in the game, but nothing that makes you feel like you're doing anything more than rolling dice.

Thus, Ranald's Fingers was born. Cooked up over several showers, like all my ideas, this PDF will explore an "Add On" to Texas Hold 'Em Poker which can be played at the table, during a session of WFRP, to allow players to mingle with others whilst maybe earning some money.

I advise to run this whilst roleplaying dialogue with the players as well - perhaps gaming with the great "Casanova" Henschmann? Or counting cards in 'Three of a Kind'?

I hope you all enjoy it!

Download Ranald's Fingers

I Rolled A '20' On My "Write Blog" Test

I Rolled A '20' On My "Write Blog" Test, Or, Social Combat in RPGs: Roleplay or Rollplay?

Longest blog post title aside, this is a constantly occurring problem in literally every RPG I've ever been a part of: How do you handle social skills?

The question comes about naturally - we obviously don't act out physical combat, because we'd kill each other, but social combat is possible to do. We're all already talking, why not talk in character? However, this little assumption is a lot more involved than we think, and there are many problems that come along with simply hand waving this issue.

Roleplaying Social Interactions

The first solution to the problem is often to say that the players should roleplay through social situations. This works for the most part, and gets in close to what the entire hobby is about - acting as another character. However, it has problems with a few situations:

1. A player who is more eloquent than their Fellowship 15 (CHA 3) character,
2. A player who is less eloquent than their Fellowship 75 (CHA 18) character,
3. A scene where a character would have greater knowledge than the player necessarily does.

In these instances, I.e., those in which the player is truly pretending to be someone they aren't, yet is limited because of the fact that they simply aren't their character, this system falls down. 

What if the player doesn't truly grasp the intricacies of political life in Greyhawk because they live in Perth, Australia and have never been exposed to feudalism first hand, yet is speaking to an NPC who does, through a PC who has? What is Grom Da Smasha is being played by a post-grad English Literature student? Or Lady Esmerelda von Swartzwick is being played by a 14 year old who likes the glamour of medieval courts but hasn't read anything more poetic than the lyrics of One-bloody-Direction?

That's where the stats come in, right?

Rollplaying Social Interactions

The second solution to the problem is to have the players roll the dice to decide these situations. This works because a character with 75 Fellowship is going to be a lot better than a character with 15 Fellowship, even if the players are the opposite. However, it loses a lot of the fun, and turns what could have been a thrilling bandying of words, interesting quips and funny awkward mumblings from the socially defunct character into the clatter of dice and a quick move it along.

Surely there is a middle ground? Sort of, but not really. At least, not yet.

The "Middle Ground"

One solution that I find helps but doesn't fix the problem completely is to ask the players to describe briefly what they're going to say, in loose terms. If the player feels up to saying all of this in character, then all power to them. If they just want to outline that "Esmerelda wants to make a jab at Lord van Halwijk without him noticing, but with his hand maidens understanding", then that's fine too.

However, the pitch comes in the fact that you have to roll the dice FIRST. Roll the dice, and then act out or declare what you're going to do. If you failed the roll, shift what you say to be in accordance with that - you can recover if you act well enough, or fail if you act so poorly as to negate your good roll, but the two should balance out and come to a new number.

This requires some decision making on the part of the GM, but I find it is suitable...

There is no Best Way

There is no best way to go about it, unfortunately. I haven't found one at least. I am still looking, however, so if you have a solution, please tell me in the comments!

Anyway, sorry about this blog post. Seems I rolled a '64' against my Trade (Blogger) (Fel) of only 47. No!

Published Settings: Wading Through the Muck

Of late I have been delving into the city of Marienburg, and as such have been reading lots of Marienburg: Sold Down the River. Reading through this material has kicked up my old thoughts on playing in an established setting, and I thought I would give my new musings a go...

Published Settings: Wading Through the Muck

Marienburg isn't the first published setting I've ever played in - but it is by far the most detailed. Usually, like with Praag or Into the Expanse, I find some way to bypass the majority of the information whilst still holding onto the mainstay themes - but something is different about Marienburg.

M:SDtR is such a comprehensive look at the otherwise unique city that I am finding myself both mystified by the wealth of knowledge and somewhat annoyed. I love that there are hundreds of ready made hooks for me, and I am adapting many of them, and shaping new ones from the information given, but I find something off about the process.

Whilst I am enjoying it, no doubt, I find the amount that is written is hard to wrap my head around. Unlike Praag, the setting isn't evolving naturally in my mind - it isn't built with broad strokes and then little bits are being added in. It is laid out in terms of districts, and then it goes through, important building by important building, with an important NPC accompanying each one. This is cool, because it gives me heaps of detail, but it is terrible because it references aspects that I can't find, or can't accurately remember because they were 3 chapters ago.

I'm finding that the whole thing should be written in a more concise manner, but then that asks the question, "How could it be done better?"

Principals of World Building

There are generally considered 2 methods of World Building, which are not mutually exclusive (in fact, almost every World Builder I've ever met has used both for the same world at different times). These are Top-Down and Bottom-Up

Top-Down

Top-Down World Building assumes that the World Builder is starting with the broadest strokes possible. They may create a planet, with its climate features, tectonic plates, etc, and will leave massive gaps. They will name a few countries, maybe, or even just continents.

In terms of Marienburg, this would be drawing the map, naming the districts (or Wards), and perhaps loosely outlining what each is: Tempelwijk is where the temples are, Suiddock is the main dock, Elftown is where the Elf Enclave is. Simple, and broad.

Once this first step has been done, the World Builder will go onto create the major trade centres, or cities, etc, in each country. They will probably name the government, and outline some basics about it. For Marienburg, they will talk about the Ten, and the Directorate, and the Guild We Haven't Heard Of.

They will keep going down a step when they have finished the previous level, filling in the gaps of people once they have outlined the roles and the whys.

This system is great, because it gives everything context, but is difficult because it presents to much work from the get-go. A World Builder working at this level has to think of a lot of things at the same time. So, many turn to Bottom-Up...

Bottom-Up

Bottom-Up is the inverse of Top-Down. The World Builder doesn't care about the world as a whole, but the individual. They will begin with a concept, like a guild, or a character, or even a system of magic. Suggest it begins with a Crime Lord. They will work him out, fill in his details, and then build his gang members, and then the Guild itself, then the location it is based in, then the city, country, continent, world from there.

In Marienburg terms, you'd start with the secret that St. Olovald isn't actually a saint, but a god in his own right. Then you'd make Sister Hilli to tend his shrine, then his history, etc.

This system is great because it allows more thorough creativity and individual cool ideas, as well as a much more manageable work load. It falls down, however, in that the World Builder often ends up with many small islands, barely connected to one another. Doesn't that Crime Lord need to interact with other organisations? Now you have to go back and edit!

What Does This Have To Do With Published Settings?

Everything. The way a published setting is written determines how it is read, and therefore, learnt. I suggest, like good World Builders, to create and write about a setting in a mixed way. Obviously one can't do both in book form without copying all the text twice and presenting it first by broad strokes, and then by individuals... But they could do that with a wiki...

Using a wiki program, or a wiki-capable program (like MyInfo, which I have now been using for a year) allows the World Builder/GM to slowly add to his work and manage it, whilst linking to other threads, and organising the entire thing into manageable chunks/folders/tags.

My Advice on Published Settings?

If I could say one thing about published settings it is that they will never be as good as your setting. You will always present your own setting better than a book ever can. This doesn't mean you should throw out your source books, but it means you have to make them your own.

Get a wiki together, and build it as you will use it. Don't include everything, otherwise you'll just be copying the book, but include enough that it makes sense, and allows you to access everything you'll need to, session to session. Keep it updated, and you'll manage that setting, and wade through that muck.

Spotlight: The Greatest Damn Art Resource Ever...

Ok, I usually don't make posts just to point to other people's stuff... But, this is so beautiful it might make me cry.

http://thraen.minus.com/uploads

It's just... The best resource I've ever seen for RPG art.

There literally are no other words.

Don't thank me. Thank whoever Thraen is.

"Please Don't Sell Me!" Or, Why Marienburg is a Great Place to Play...

"Please Don't Sell Me!" Or, Why Marienburg is a Great Place to Play...

Whenever I have RPG downtime, I face a situation which is both boon and curse - I come up with a million and one ideas for RPGs. This is great, because it means I have lots of ideas to share with my group, and lots of inspiration for future campaigns, but it sucks because it means I want to do something other than was planned.

This tends to mean one of two things: I go with the old campaign idea, and let the new one simmer in my frustration, or I go with the new idea and leave behind all the work put into the old one.

Neither is a good path, but generally the first is better. I will enjoy anything I run, and the newer idea just seems more exciting because it is new. That being said, I don't want to give up on the new idea, so I guess it means I will be planning two campaigns at once!

So, therefore, I am writing this post. This one is more tooled towards my RPG group, M.O.R.T.E., though it is useful for anyone interested in RPGs, specifically WFRP. I'm going to talk about the great port city of Marienburg. Please note that a lot of what I am talking about is not officially canon, though, so take it as you will. This is my Marienburg. I like it, and hopefully you will too.

Technically Lake Town, but basically Marienburg.

Marienburg, City of Gold

Marienburg is considered the "City of Gold" by many, as it is the greatest and largest port in the world, and the third over all biggest city in the world (behind Altdorf and ultimately Praag). It is, however, a free city, unshackled by the Empire nor any other foreign power. It is the closest thing to a democracy that WFRP has (and, in fact, the term "democracy" was invented for Marienburg in setting).

Minds on their money, and their money on their minds.

Marienburg is Cosmopolitan

Marienburg is a true free-city. It doesn't just have a charter stating its freedom - it has a Directorate who have basically made everything legal. That is, so long as you pay the tax. If something can be taxed, or bribed, it is legal. 

You want to murder someone? To the stocks with you! That is, unless you have papers from the Guild Which Doesn't Exist, otherwise known as the Guild Who Shall Not Be Named. Sure, it wont be "legal", but there is an understanding there...

You're a Chaos Worshipper? To the Star Chamber with you! That is, unless you have paid your donations to the Tempelwijk. You have, have you? Well, surely that new statue to Manann makes up for your debauchery. Just, keep it on the down-low, ok?

PCs can find themselves in hot water for killing the bad guys simply because they didn't have the proper permits. Adventurers have new hurdles to cross. Sure, you can stab the smuggler stevedore in the face, but then you have to contend with the Stevedores and Teamsters Guild. And they're the sponsors for your own benefactors who have been paying your way!

Really nice to see everyone getting along...

Marienburg is a Mixing Pot

Every culture of the Old World and the New is visible in Marienburg. Albionese merchants hawk on the same street corner as Nipponese, Cathayan, and Elves from Ulthuan. You can stumble upon Indish spice merchants, haggling with Arabyan slavers, who are being funded by highly robed but not so disguised Lizardmen from Lustria.

Marienburg is the one city in Warhammer where people wont look at you funny because of your skin colour, texture, or make up. Well, so long as the gold is flowing, they wont look unkindly. Short change them, or take their jobs, and words will be had.

In addition to the peoples are the cultures, gods and foods. You can sample a bit of everything, and get lost in philosophical debates fought with fists over the doctrines of Sigmar, versus Dazh, versus Solkan.

Cool. All I got to say.

Marienburg boasts Bloodbowl

Whilst not as insane as the tabletop games, nor video games suggest, Marienburg is one of the few cities in the Old World that actually has a Bloodbowl league. Elves, Lizardmen, (some) Goblins, Dwarves, Ogres, and of course, Humans, all brain each other whilst throwing around a spiked metal ball for the amusement of roaring crowds.

This league is ripe for adventure, both in playing it, watching it, and rigging it. Bloodbowl is a game where cheating is expected, and playing by the rules is in itself a form of cheating. How dare you suck up to the referee by NOT killing the other team?! You cheating bastard!

If you like funny Dutch words, Marienburg is for you!

Marienburg is Central

Finally, Marienburg is in the middle of everything. Close to all the big players, it is the one spot in the Old World where a PC can feasibly get to anywhere else.

Every day, ships leave for Ulthuan, Lustria, Ind, Cathay, Nippon, Araby, Nehekhara, Albion, Norsca, Kislev, the Southlands, Bretonnia, the Border Princes, Tilea, Estalia and even Naggaroth (when the Sea Elves aren't looking). That is, not to mention the fact that it sits at the mouth of the River Reik, so feeds down to Altdorf, Nuln, Talabheim, and every part of the Empire and beyond.

Further, the city sits in the middle of a Chaos infested swamp filled with the believed-extinct Fimir. It is the object of desire for the Empire, who throw unsuccessful invasion after invasion, and Bretonnia, who threaten raids constantly, but are held at bay by crossbow armed mercenaries and the fleets of the Sea Elves.

The city sits in the shadows of the Laurenlorn Forest, home of the Wood Elves, and the Grey Mountains, on the other side of which is the magical glade of Athel Loren, the religious centre of Wood Elf affairs.

Everyone wants a bit of Marienburg. And they can get it, too, at the right price. Unfortunately, as they say, after shaking hands with a Marienburgher, you should always count your fingers. Who knows what kinds of deals will be struck?