2nd Book
about 1 year ago
– Fri, May 19, 2023 at 01:44:31 PM
Sorry for the month long wait on this one. Putting together the rough of book 2 took a bit longer than expected, as I have been weighed down with a couple real life tragedies and the absolute travesty that has been the printings (read that as BAD PRINTINGS and MIS-PRINTINGS) that we had received for Creature Companion KS. Those how backed that will know exactly what I am talking about between the first 135 bad prints that had to be replaced, then a slew of other printing errors found across the remainder of that book. Checking the full print by hand AND issuing some new books to folks who received bad copies has been most of my last month, away for the day job. ANYWAY, on to the next book here. Combat Conspectus (name may change as other things are being added on that are not combat focussed) will contain the following as I have written and/or laid out to date:
The Combat Sequence: Presents a series of rules for running combat differently than the core rules suggest. Alternate methods for initiative. Modifiers when using these alternate methods. Simplified speed factors and casting time rules, for those who want more Advanced Genre options added to the game.
Combat Options: Presents alternate options for 2 weapon fighting, two-handed weapons, melee from a mount, unarmed fighting, parrying, simple BX feeling grappling and overbearing rules, making called shots, disarming opponents, parting strikes, ranged options: aiming, firing into melee, ranged mounted combat, attacking a prone or helpless opponent, combat formations (shield walls, hedgehogs and phalanx in the dungeon and the field) and critical hits.
Stamina: Simple rules for using a Stamina score in the game.
Death and Dying: Optional rules for dealing with death and dying in the game.
Combat Styles, Specialization and Mastery: Various combat styles such as Sword & Board, Marksman etc and optional rules for implementing them into the game. Some options may present a solution for those who feel that fighters are underpowered.
Competitive Combat: Rule for running jousts, tilting at rings, melee competitions, archery contests and duels.
Skills and Profieciency: Presents optional rules for running simplified skillsets and non-weapon proficiencies with alternative rules for Advanced genre secondary skills.
And there you have it. That is the gist of what you will be seeing in volume 2!
In case you have not seen it...
We have a new Kickstarter running right now that goes hand in hand with the one we ran for Zinequest! What's more is that if you are a backer of THIS KS, you can back the KS for Devilry at a discount! You can check it out here:
Thank you all for your support on this project!
Ryan Thompson
Whew!
about 1 year ago
– Mon, Apr 17, 2023 at 07:00:13 AM
Hey folks! I wanted to drop a progress report here so you know where things currently stand. Below you will see what I am doing with each book based upon current layout and writing. A little is changing regarding titles based upon the material in each book. Here is the information found in Book 1.
Class Compendium will be renamed Character Compendium due to character creation material not specifically related to classes being included. Note, new NON-MAGIC rules specific to classes will be presented in this book with the classes they correspond to. MAGIC rules and spells are all in the third book.
The book will contain:
Ability Scores: alternate ability score generation methods and optional ability scores: Power (a rating of magical power and the character's "aura") and Luck a measure of the characters Luck.
Peoples of the Mid Realm: Advanced races for the game and new "Kin" rules, being specific types of each. Dwarves: Derro, Hill Dwarf, Mountain Dwarf; Ducks; Elves: Dark, Ghost, Grey (Faerie), High, Wild, Wood; Gnomes; Half-Elf; Half-Orc; Halflings: Hairfoot, Tallfellows; Iftari; Insectoids; Leprechauns; Zirans
Classes of the Mid Realm: All promised class information, including variants on the traditional "Advanced" classes. These will be divided into 5 categories: Adept; Demi-Humans/Humanoids, Priests, Rogues, Warriors, Wizards.
Demi-Humans/Humanoids will contain Race As Class for all of the peoples discussed in Peoples of the Mid-Realm.
Adept: Bard, Cunning Folk, Sage
Priests: Cleric, Druid, Rune Caster
Rogue: Acrobat, Assassin, Merchant, Thief
Warrior: Dwarven Berserker; Fighter; Paladin; Ranger
Wizard: Illusionist, Magic-User, Mirror Mage, Necromancer, Sorcerer, Witch
Next update I will share the format and information for Book 2.
Ryan Thompson
Appendix N Entertainment
Fantastic News
about 1 year ago
– Wed, Mar 01, 2023 at 09:00:23 AM
Shortly after the last update was released, I spoke with Gavin. He was doing a new update/article himself at the time. If you have not seen the news from Monday you can read it here:
Another Update on Old-School Essentials and the OGL
OSE will be remaining the same as it ever was! What does that mean for us? FULL STEAM AHEAD! That said, there are things that some who have played at my table over the years have mentioned a few things to me that were not in the KS that probably should be in this initial set of books. SO, you will be getting more content than originally planned!
That is all for now!
Thanks for backing
Ryan Thompson
Appendix N Entertainment
Some Updates and Clarifications On This Project
about 1 year ago
– Mon, Feb 27, 2023 at 12:05:53 PM
Regarding the State of OSE and the OGL.
All right folks. I am sure that most of you have seen the new Dolmenwood updates regarding how that is shaping up and the related OSE updates that accompany them. Some folks are worried about some of the language that Necrotic Gnome used regarding OSE. Being that they are not 100% certain if they will be making alteration adding things from DW etc. Coupled with the fact that Gavin is stating that the overhaul on OSE (if there is an overhaul) will not be happening until 2024 (potentially problematic for this project) and we have more worry. Let me run over things from our perspective here.
First and foremost, this project was intended as a supplement to OSE with house rules taken from my own campaigns and other optional rules, classes etc. I have tinkered with through many editions of D&D in the past. If there are changes coming to OSE, I would like to have the portions of this work that dovetail into those reflective of that. It does us little good to put out an OSE compatible product just before changes come, if it will not be compatible at that point.
To this end, I am in contact with Gavin and have been since the OGL news broke. I am trying to at least get his general idea of what will be changing in OSE in the future. My hope is that the changes are (for the most part where the OGL is concerned) only minor. I am currently working on things with no changes, but I may have to pivot. If that is the case, all of you backers will be the first to know.
Clarifications On the Kickstarter
For Clarification purposes on this KS. A few people back for just one book. To Clarify, if you backed for JUST the Class/Character book, this does not give you access to the spells for new classes at present. This was offered as it's own reward strictly for those curious, or those that would latter add on the Grimoire but did not want the Combat book. That said, I am rethinking how these books will be structured, but a lot of it pends on NG's response.
If Changes Need To Happen
If I decide, or it is dictated that changes will need to happen to the works as I had envisioned them, either for compatibility reasons or ease of use, I will put together a survey for everyone on the KS to vote on. That is only "IF".
Current Kickstarter
Just in case you missed it in the last update, for your patience in going through this with us we have offered you a discounted tier in our current ZineQuest 5 Kickstarter. If you would like to take advantage of it, you can find it here: Demonology For OSE. It ends tomorrow at 12:00 PM EST!
Thank you for backing and your support through this time of upheaval in our hobby.
Ryan Thompson
Appendix N Entertainment
February Update
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Feb 07, 2023 at 07:49:38 AM
Hey all!
We are still awaiting any movement regarding the future of what OSE will look like, what will change etc. I am going to be moving ahead and writing things that I can. Much of this will fall in the rules and combat book, as that is where the most material that will not rely on any text etc. within OSEs rules will lie. We will keep you abrest of everything as we learn more from Necrotic Gnome.
Additionally, per our last update the Demonology zine (featuring classic D&D Demons stated for OSE) has launched! For bearing with us through all of this, you get a discounted tier! You can find the zine here:
As always, thank you for your support and patience!
Ryan Thompson
Appendix N Entertainment
