Assumptions and House Rules

ASUMPTIONS AND HOUSERULES

These guys had some cool adventures.

Some thoughts to help serve as a reference point for the players.

• This is a game of fun, it is not meant to be simulationist. I'm interested in exploring, and coming up with the sneaky plan more than exploring characters at length.
• This game belongs to all the participants; it’s not just the DMs ego-stroking.  This means that as players you have a responsibility for your own fun.  If there is something about the game you don’t like then we need to change it.  This means paying attention and following (some) leads.
• Land of 1000 Towers is the default setting.  It has a warped 19th century sort of feel and fashion sense in the city and main towns, a more gaucho/cowboy feel out of town.
• Aim is Science Fantasy inspired by the likes of Gene Wolfe, Iian M Banks, Heavy Metal (comic and movie), Wizards (movie), Conan (movie – old), Labyrinth, Big Trouble in Little China, Zardoz.
• Labyrinth Lord is the default rule set.  Advanced Edition Companion will probably be used.  (LL is the equivalent of Basic and Expert D&D – the Red Box set.  Advance Edition Companion is essentially 1^st ed AD&D).
• Race as class; if you are not human, your race is also your class.  This keeps things simple and there are many home brew Labyrinth Lord compatible racial classes on the net.   i.e. If you are an Elf, you class is Elf, not Elven Fighter Magic User Thief.
• D6 Hit Points for Theives.  Because they're just too weak otherwise.
• If the players wish, other character classes will become available as the game progresses.  E.g.  Scientists, Moktars, Winged Monkeys.
• If you find something you like on the internet and you want one then just ask and we’ll try to fit it in.  This could be a character class, adventure, magic item, monster etc.
• Characters will die as the die rolls.  This will increase tension during sessions and the payoff for success.  This way the goal is about survival, not showing everyone just how much of a special snowflake you can imagine.
• A ‘rolling cast’ approach is desirable.  This will mean we can still play when not everyone can attend, it allows for others to join the game, and it will hopefully introduce a small element of competition for places at the table which I’m hoping will result in increased enthusiasm.
• An online character generator was used for the initial characters.  This only produces the main classes from the core book.
• Given the choice between ‘Hardcore’ (3d6 in order), and ‘Soft’ (4d6 in order swap two) the players went for the latter, much to the (feigned) disgust of the DM.
• Most players are newbs and we have limited players.  Players got two characters each to start with one main character and one as a henchman on a half share to act as backup character.  
• We agreed to use the Dungeon of Signs counterspell rules.  Roll D20 plus level and INT bonus against AC10 less caster’s level and INT bonus. This saved the party's ass in session 8 (which is where we introduced it).
• We had a couple of deaths at the hands of the Pretender in the same round.  Not wanting the PCs to die as soon as they hit 0hp, we agreed on a saving throw verses death to live.  Characters successfully saving will be on 1hp until they receive medical attention and may have disfigurements.  Reaching -10 is dead, -6 means something permanent.