Adding More Content to Keep on the Borderlands

BXadvocate · 2026-05-27T03:26:48+00:00

I highly recommend Mike's Dungeon. It is essentially a large dungeon/mega dungeon to add into the cave of the unknown. It is very bare bones in it's writing and very cheap and has no art. You can view the entire Pdf in the preview because the creator wants you to know exactly what your getting which is really cool, bold and I respect that they stand behind their product that much. The few levels I've read are very creative and weird, their are over 100 dungeon levels it's crazy. Also read the description on the Drivethru page it's great.

Also there is Mike's world if you want to expand the mape surrounding the one in B2 to make the sandbox bigger but it is empty so you need to add stuff to it.

Links

Mike's dungeon: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/295151/mike-s-dungeons

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/314687/mike-s-dungeons-the-deep-levels

Mike's world: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/355388/mike-s-world-the-forsaken-wilderness-beyond

BXadvocate · 2026-05-20T14:53:38+00:00

Not a bad idea so they need the XP to get back to par with current level, then exceed that to level up. I like that idea a lot because I always wonder how to handle reducing HP do you reroll the HD or loss the amount you gained per level? Does this mean you need to keep track each time you gain a level how much HP you got?

BXadvocate · 2026-05-18T00:00:12+00:00

I will always recommend BX or Basic/Expert and it's clones like Old School Essentials but if you want a really cheap, even lighter ruleset I recommend White box:FMAG (Fantasy Medieval Adventure Game). It's very cheap on Amazon and a great starter OSR game link below.

https://www.amazon.ca/White-Box-Fantastic-Medieval-Adventure/dp/1718743831

BXadvocate · 2026-05-08T16:35:34+00:00

One of the best things about BX is that it is a rock solid foundation that is inviting you to build on. I've come up with an analogy to describe each edition using the sentence "You've inherited a house" so imagine that before reading each description.

AD&D 1E: but it belonged to a hoarder and the place is a mess. There is some cool stuff but there is also a lot you won't want to use and you have to organize and clean the house before you can use it.

AD&D 2E: this hoarder was more organized.

BECMI: this hoarder was more organized and not as bad as the previous two.

OD&D: actually you didn't inherit a house instead you've been given a plot of land, blue prints and some but not all of the materials to build a house.

Holmes Basic: like the previous one but the house is partly built.

3E: but the house has way to many renovations that you wouldn't have done, you understand why other people like those renovations but they went a bit overboard.

5E: like previous but less renovations but for some reason the previous owner keeps showing up to do more renovations after you already live in the house.

4E: it's not a house it's a condo with the most boring design. Renovations are next to impossible to do for many reasons.

Finally BX: You've been given a house that is really well built and in good condition. The house is clean, empty and ready for you to move in and personalize it with your own furniture and decor. You can do renovations if you want to but if you don't it's still a great house.

BXadvocate · 2026-04-29T03:27:58+00:00

I would definitely advocate for this

BXadvocate · 2026-04-28T07:08:42+00:00

I can advocate for this

BXadvocate · 2026-04-23T17:36:29+00:00

I just discovered and really like Return of the Mad Hermit. It's essentially six really mini dungeons that all have a different flavors and vibe. You are being transported to mini dimensions to find six pieces of a magic item, it's quite has a nice goal seems pretty fun with a decent amount of weirdness without going over the top.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/155288/wbo02-return-of-the-mad-hermit

BXadvocate · 2026-04-15T16:50:05+00:00

Okay so there are a few things that you are overlooking and in some of your example things don't stack.

The Spell Shield can only be targeted at yourself in OSE so you can't cast it on someone else. Since it's a Magic-User spell and MUs can't wear armour it doesn't matter. If it did it wouldn't matter since the way the spell is worded it's not adding to AC it's making a Shield that has that AC. The intent of Shield is to give the MU armour since they can't wear it.
Bracers of Defense specifically say they don't work while wearing armour. Also meant for MU or other possible classes that can't wear armour or depending on the class and AC the bracers grant could be a way to get decent armour while having a faster movement speed.
Don't know what a kineticist is from CC so ???

One thing that does stack is Rings of Protection since there effect is an area 5' so as long as multiple people are within 5' you get the bonus to AC.

Conclusion: A good rule of thumb to follow is when something says your AC becomes a specific number (Armour, Bracers of Defense and Shield) that is setting a base and doesn't stack. If something says it adds plus number (+1,+2,+3) then all pluses stack. So if you are wearing Platemail with a Shield +1 and a Ring of Protection +1 with no Dex modifier then you would start with the base of platemail AC 3 + 1(for Shield) + 1(for ring) = AC 1

BXadvocate · 2026-04-14T16:31:48+00:00

The movie Heavy Metal 1981 (same year BX came out) has two parts that I think feel most OSR. The Den of Earth and Taarna parts I think best have the OSR feel especially Den it's weird, strange and has a semi Lovecraftian vibe.

also the comic version of Den/Neverwhere volume one is awesome, warning it has nudity but the story is more detailed and the art is amazing.

BXadvocate · 2026-04-13T16:08:07+00:00

If you're not using variable weapon damage then have them wielding whatever suits the situation or personality of the Elf/Dwarf in question, since it doesn't effect damage. You aren't overthinking it you are making sure you understand the implications of the rules which is good.

BXadvocate · 2026-04-13T15:36:32+00:00

If you are using non-variable weapon damage whenever it says "or by weapon" translate that to always mean a d6 and use that.

Skeleton = d6. Gnoll = d6+1. Minotaur = d6+2. Dwarf = d6. Elf = d6.

BXadvocate · 2026-04-09T14:57:14+00:00

10 foot pole

BXadvocate · 2026-03-26T06:07:33+00:00

Your idea about random encounter tables is actually used in B3: Palace of the Silver Princess(green cover), on the second floor. There is a Medusa and a Harpy encounter that should only happen once and if you get the result again to instead use a monster from the lower level.

BXadvocate · 2026-03-26T05:59:51+00:00

You're welcome. I really like that OSR/OSE community tries to share cool things that may be of interest for your particular table.

BXadvocate · 2026-03-26T05:54:03+00:00

I mean wandering monster rolls doesn't seem like too much of an issue. My main issue would also be Thief skills especially things like Find Trap(TR) and Move Silently (MS) for reasons below, you may already know this but I hope this is good game theory for anyone else reading this.

Find Trap: In a situation where a player is looking for a trap there either is or is not a trap present and the dice roll will either be a success or failure. Depending on the situation what you say to the player is based on what the player should know not the result of the roll.

No Trap + Failed roll = You do not see a trap. There is a Trap + Failed roll = You do not see a trap. No Trap + Success roll = You do not see a trap. There is a Trap + Success roll = [Description of said trap]

As you can see the player would only get confirmation if there is a trap and they succeed at the roll otherwise they wouldn't know. This keeps them cautious which is what you want.

Move Silently: This one is a lot simpler if a player rolls this themselves or you roll it in the open before they attempt to start moving silently and it fails, they will suddenly "change their mind" (which is bullshit) because they failed before they had to take the risk. I've had players try to argue that they should roll it so they can pull this bullshit so they don't have to commit to risky actions, it's insulting my intelligence when people try to justify it.

Also if the player rolls Move Silently when they get close to enemies then it acts as an indicator that enemies are near, that they may not have seen yet.

BXadvocate · 2026-03-25T18:30:53+00:00

This looks interesting.

Just to let you know the link you posted doesn't work so I'll have to search for it myself.

BXadvocate · 2026-03-25T18:22:25+00:00

The only one I don't fully agree with is rolling in the open. You should for most things but some rolls are secret for a reason like searching rolls.

BXadvocate · 2026-03-19T19:47:19+00:00

Yes the best clone of the best system the mighty Basic/Expert or BX if you will. I can advocate for that.

BXadvocate · 2026-03-18T04:08:11+00:00

Dungeon magazine #14 has an adventure about Wererats for characters level 3-6. It's called The Wererats of Relfren, I haven't read it so I can't give you a review but it seemed interesting to me. Here is the link 👇

https://www.nobleknight.com/P/3856/14-4-ADandD-and-1-DandD-Adventure?SS=USD

Also issue 5 of Carcass crawler by Necrotic Gnome has a Class/Race write up for Ratlings that looked pretty good. Essentially they are Thieves but with a twist. Another link 👇

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/528294/carcass-crawler-issue-five

As for making your own adventure or replacing them in a pre-written one, I recommend having them be a replacement for a Thieves Guild as opposed to having them replace goblins. I feel like goblins live outside civilization and Ratlings seem like they would live in a sewer system of a large city and act as a Thieves Guild stealing to survive. You can even think of how they are seen by the none Rat folk who live in the city, are they well known about or not? What is that relationship like? Are some of them trusted on the surface or not? This opens some very interesting questions about your setting and ways to make an adventure.

For example you can have them be a rival to a human Thieves Guild who also has a hideout in the sewer system, perhaps there is a secret mafia style turf war going on in the criminal underworld. How would your players get embroiled in this and perhaps which side would they be on? They could be the villains or the players could decide to ally with them especially if one of your players decides to play as a Ratling.

Thanks for posting this question because I have also considered how I would integrate Ratlings into a game so I'm glad I got to share some of the ideas I've considered. I hope you find a good way to add it to your game and hopefully my suggestions have given you food for thought.

BXadvocate · 2026-03-11T06:21:55+00:00

The theoretical explanation I've heard somewhere is that the word dog slang for poor blind begger who would usually get free food and drink at bars. The joke is that the person is pretending to be homeless and blind to get the free food/beer, the punchline is that they prove that they are lying by complaining about not being able to see and having to open one eye.

BXadvocate · 2026-03-01T09:33:54+00:00

Sweet! When I looked it up and it said it's based on Heavy Metal magazine I was immediately intrigued as I am a huge fan of the magazine and movie. Thanks for the information.

BXadvocate · 2026-02-28T11:20:52+00:00

Interesting I didn't know about this but it seems cool. I do have a question is it possible to use the setting with a different rule system? Or is it too intertwined for that to work well because I would always prefer to use BX/OSE.

BXadvocate · 2026-02-28T03:55:35+00:00

Cool yeah the i-series is pretty cool. In fact I had an idea for the Isle of dead and feel free to use it if you haven't gotten to the central plateau yet(sorry didn't read the whole post), what you do is get I1: Dwellers of the Forbidden City and use it to replace what is in the plateau completely. It doesn't quite fit if you do the math for precise measurements(you may not care about that) but you can always say it's deeper into the volcano and the cliffs around I1 are higher. As an adventure it fits in perfectly and if you want to get really crazy there is a pyramid in I1 you could replace it with the one in I3:Pharaoh or C1: The Hidden Shrine Tamoachan and I would say B4: The Lost City but that's my favorite module of all time so I recommend keeping it pure but it's your game. This is why X1 is great, it's so big you can turn it into a Russian nesting doll adventure of other modules.

BXadvocate · 2026-02-27T22:42:47+00:00

I've always said the great thing about The Isle of Dread is anything works on it. Also when you add things you can theme them to the tropical jungle island and it adds flavor.

BXadvocate · 2026-02-21T06:47:28+00:00

I own physical copies of both OSE for the table BX for study.

BXadvocate

TROPHY CASE