TL2 Fantasy Tips

[fritzbc]

Originally Posted by Varyon

As noted, the first could be available as Techniques. They'd default to Prerequisite+0 and be possible to buy up to Prerequisite+4.

For must-haves, as noted this depends on the setting. Personally, I'd consider Stealth and Swimming to be must-haves for most adventurers (you typically don't need much investment in swimming, but having [1] or [2] can easily be the difference between surviving and drowning if you ever find yourself suddenly in water above your head). In a survival scenario, Survival (or Urban Survival for an urban campaign) is obviously going to be very important. Housekeeping is useful for a criminal campaign (it covers cleaning up evidence).

There's also this list to consider. A lot of good advice there.

Checked out the post. The advice there is perfect for what I need, which is starting to make me think that Kromm really IS the best. Survival sounds good, I will see if splitting them into techniques could work. Thanks, Varyon and Stormcrow!

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by fritzbc

For a hard-core survival dungeon-crawl game set in a mountainous/hilly cold terrain, what skills would you say are must have? I am thinking at least First Aid, as that's a no brainer. Any other recommendations?

I consider survival and dungeon crawling to be two separate adventure types.

Survival in a mountainous/hill cold terrain:

Survival (Mountains)
Survival (Arctic)
Climbing
Hiking
Skiing (if the terrain is frequently snowy)
Skating (if there is call for travel across ice)
Navigation/TL (Land)
Weather Sense (for TL4 or less)
Meteorology/TL (for TL 5 or more)

First Aid/TL is useful for nearly ANY campaign.
Area Knowledge of the terrain is invaluable but often not part of the scenario.
Take Animal Handling for the right sort of animal if you've got them, and Riding if you can ride them, or Teamster if they pull your vehicle.
Take an appropriate Driving/TL skill if you've got high-tech land vehicles.

[fritzbc]

Sounds good. I am thinking of compiling a list of skills that should be used a lot in the game.

[tbone]

Originally Posted by fritzbc

... so having adventurers gain benefits and "treasure" in the form of companionship, reputation, and other non-generic rewards seems great for this concept of world.

To give credit where due, that's the approach of the Fantasy II book, not some insight of mine.

I think that low-points still appeal more compared to high-points like you suggested...

I like low point levels, too. The article's suggestion for generous points is specifically aimed at the Fantasy II world ("the Madlands"), a really deadly setting for "mundane" characters.

I will most likely take your list of skills presented on the second part of the page and provide them to players as recommended skills, as it's laid out well.

That list, too, is Madlands-specific, so be sure to tweak as needed. (But the list should work well enough for low-tech village settings in general.)

[UberGROG]

Originally Posted by Varyon

There's also this list to consider. A lot of good advice there.

Great list! Has anyone ever considered putting that into an 'adventurers' template?

[fritzbc]

Originally Posted by tbone

That list, too, is Madlands-specific, so be sure to tweak as needed. (But the list should work well enough for low-tech village settings in general.)

I think it should still work for most (if not all) TL1-2 Low Fantasy adventures. Thank you for sharing, still! It should help me a lot during set-up of characters.

[Dustin]

It sounds like you want to lean into a gritty, equipment-limited survival theme, with both underground and wilderness environments. I advise making sure your players feel fully informed about the game style you want to run. In particular, assumptions about the availability of magical light (and enforcement of low light rules), of magical healing, and of the possibility/likelihood of character death should be communicated up front.

You might also want to put together kits or packs for sale that both communicate the survival theme, and simplify the players' equipment decisions. For a TL3 dungeon setting, I did the following:

dr = Greek drachmae = $1 GURPS

Delver’s Sack 100 dr 25.5 lbs
Bedroll (20 dr, 4 lbs); Bottle, leather (2 dr, 0.5 lb); Personal basics (5 dr, 1 lb);
Rations, standard (1 week - 40 dr, 15 lbs); Sack (30 dr, 3 lbs); Torch, cheap x2 (6 dr, 2 lbs).

Delver’s Basic Pack 195 dr 35 lbs
Backpack, canvas (60 dr, 3 lbs); Bedroll (20 dr, 4 lbs); Bottle, leather (2 dr, 0.5 lb);
Candle, tallow (1 dr, 1 lb); Lamp oil, 3 pints (6 dr, 3 lbs); Oil lantern (40 dr, 2.5 lbs);
Personal basics (5 dr, 1 lb); Rations, standard (1 week - 40 dr, 15 lbs);
Rope, light 60’ (10 dr, 3 lbs); Torch, good x2 (14 dr, 2 lbs).

Delver’s Deluxe Pack 370 dr 68.25 lbs
Backpack, frame (100 dr, 10 lbs); Candle, wax (5 dr, 1 lb); Grappling hook (20 dr, 2 lbs);
Iron Spikes, 4 (16 dr, 3 lbs); Lamp oil, 5 pints (10 dr, 5 lbs); Oil lantern, hooded (60 dr, 3 lbs);
Personal basics (5 dr, 1 lb); Rations, standard (2 weeks - 80 dr, 30 lbs); Rope, light 60’ (10 dr, 3 lbs);
Sleeping furs (50 dr, 8 lbs); Torch, good x2 (14 dr, 2 lbs); Waterskin (10 dr, 0.25 lb).

Group Delve Pack 492 dr 91 lbs
Crowbar (20 dr, 3 lbs); First Aid Kit (50 dr, 2 lbs); Group Basics (50 dr, 20 lbs);
Pickaxe (70 dr, 8 lbs); Pole, 6’ x2 (10 dr, 6 lbs); Sack x2 (60 dr, 6 lbs);
Shovel, wooden (12 dr, 6 lbs); Tent, 6-man (220 dr, 40 lbs).

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by fritzbc

I am not sure how to answer this question, I am not familiar with the terms. Could you elaborate? I still am rather new to GURPS culture/Forum culture.

Apologies - post-lapsarian means "after the fall". Now technically this could be the Bronze Age Collapse, or the Fall of Rome, but in historical fantasy, it usually means Atlantis, Mu or similar.

This can make a lot of difference to the sort of things to be found in an ancient dungeon.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

Apologies - post-lapsarian means "after the fall". Now technically this could be the Bronze Age Collapse, or the Fall of Rome, but in historical fantasy, it usually means Atlantis, Mu or similar.

This can make a lot of difference to the sort of things to be found in an ancient dungeon.

Ah, when I looked it up briefly it seemed like it was largely referring to the Biblical Fall of Man, which... basically covers everything in a setting where the Bible is accurate, so I figured you must have been talking about something else. This sounds like "post-apocalyptic, but the apocalypse was of what we'd consider a low-tech society, it was just more advanced than what they have now."

[fritzbc]

Originally Posted by Dustin

It sounds like you want to lean into a gritty, equipment-limited survival theme, with both underground and wilderness environments. I advise making sure your players feel fully informed about the game style you want to run. In particular, assumptions about the availability of magical light (and enforcement of low light rules), of magical healing, and of the possibility/likelihood of character death should be communicated up front.

You might also want to put together kits or packs for sale that both communicate the survival theme, and simplify the players' equipment decisions. For a TL3 dungeon setting, I did the following:

dr = Greek drachmae = $1 GURPS

Delver’s Sack 100 dr 25.5 lbs
Bedroll (20 dr, 4 lbs); Bottle, leather (2 dr, 0.5 lb); Personal basics (5 dr, 1 lb);
Rations, standard (1 week - 40 dr, 15 lbs); Sack (30 dr, 3 lbs); Torch, cheap x2 (6 dr, 2 lbs).

Delver’s Basic Pack 195 dr 35 lbs
Backpack, canvas (60 dr, 3 lbs); Bedroll (20 dr, 4 lbs); Bottle, leather (2 dr, 0.5 lb);
Candle, tallow (1 dr, 1 lb); Lamp oil, 3 pints (6 dr, 3 lbs); Oil lantern (40 dr, 2.5 lbs);
Personal basics (5 dr, 1 lb); Rations, standard (1 week - 40 dr, 15 lbs);
Rope, light 60’ (10 dr, 3 lbs); Torch, good x2 (14 dr, 2 lbs).

Delver’s Deluxe Pack 370 dr 68.25 lbs
Backpack, frame (100 dr, 10 lbs); Candle, wax (5 dr, 1 lb); Grappling hook (20 dr, 2 lbs);
Iron Spikes, 4 (16 dr, 3 lbs); Lamp oil, 5 pints (10 dr, 5 lbs); Oil lantern, hooded (60 dr, 3 lbs);
Personal basics (5 dr, 1 lb); Rations, standard (2 weeks - 80 dr, 30 lbs); Rope, light 60’ (10 dr, 3 lbs);
Sleeping furs (50 dr, 8 lbs); Torch, good x2 (14 dr, 2 lbs); Waterskin (10 dr, 0.25 lb).

Group Delve Pack 492 dr 91 lbs
Crowbar (20 dr, 3 lbs); First Aid Kit (50 dr, 2 lbs); Group Basics (50 dr, 20 lbs);
Pickaxe (70 dr, 8 lbs); Pole, 6’ x2 (10 dr, 6 lbs); Sack x2 (60 dr, 6 lbs);
Shovel, wooden (12 dr, 6 lbs); Tent, 6-man (220 dr, 40 lbs).

I'll keep this in mind. Currently, I have no idea if I will even find players for this game for a few reasons, but also I am still in the early stages of development.

Originally Posted by The Colonel

Apologies - post-lapsarian means "after the fall". Now technically this could be the Bronze Age Collapse, or the Fall of Rome, but in historical fantasy, it usually means Atlantis, Mu or similar.

This can make a lot of difference to the sort of things to be found in an ancient dungeon.

Not entirely sure when I want to place the bronze age collapse in this world's history. Currently, ancient dungeons are TL0-1 megaliths (although, usually around the megalith), barrows, strongholds, farmhouses, etc. Not classic fantasy dungeons where it extends deep into the earth with traps and magic.

Originally Posted by Varyon

Ah, when I looked it up briefly it seemed like it was largely referring to the Biblical Fall of Man, which... basically covers everything in a setting where the Bible is accurate, so I figured you must have been talking about something else. This sounds like "post-apocalyptic, but the apocalypse was of what we'd consider a low-tech society, it was just more advanced than what they have now."

I looked it up and was confused too. The setting is not post apocalyptic, as I have leaned more into a different end of it. I will make a post soon here in this thread with the "flavor packet" I wrote up. The world has no biblical god, rather instead has five gods, named Peryn, Volos, Dazhbog, Zvaroz, and Mokosh. Each one is real, but they have no influence in the game beyond just existing and that prayer is normal to them. Gives Atheism a Social Stigma too.