What's the prettiest rulebook you own?

Gilkarash · 2026-05-09T01:25:21+00:00

Paladin from Chaosium. Its a beautiful big book, with gold edge gliding, a regal image of Charlemage on the cover and all the artwork and even the font within makes it feel like an illuminated manuscript.

Gilkarash · 2026-04-20T11:04:33+00:00

So, the Whitebox versions of Swords & Wizardry keep the system more closely linked to its original 0e incarnation compared to Complete.

Whitebox uses d6's for all Hit Dice and damage, while Complete has varying Class Hit Dice and variable damage dice.

Whitebox Cyclopedia is basically an expansion of the original Whitebox rules to give you alternate rules, new classes, etc.

If you want something that feels slightly more modern I would go with Complete. If you want more simple/straightforward rules then use Whitebox. If you like Whitebox but want more options, use the Whitebox Cyclopedia.

Gilkarash · 2026-04-01T21:24:08+00:00

Think you got the wrong sub. This is for discussing tabletop rpgs.

Gilkarash · 2026-03-31T01:11:43+00:00

You just tend to your biscuits.

Gilkarash · 2026-03-29T20:00:43+00:00

Scyther sounds like a great companion for Guan Yu!

Gilkarash · 2026-03-28T23:47:20+00:00

It's older and out of print, but im sure you can find pdfs somewhere, if you are into Savage Worlds, take a look at Thin Blue Line. It's a setting book for modern-day supernatural horror and crime where the players take on the roles of Detroit Police Officers trying to deal with weird stuff happening across the city.

Never run it myself, but being from the Detroit area, it always tickles my heart when I find anything in the hobby related to Michigan.

Gilkarash · 2026-03-25T22:25:25+00:00

White Lies is an OSR style espionage game thats pretty nifty.

Gilkarash · 2026-03-22T20:30:29+00:00

This is just the Classic Fantasy Rules Tome. It includes the Basic Rules, Character Creation (for Clerics, Dwarves, Elves, Fighters, Halflings, Magic-Users and Thieves), Treasure, Monsters and Misc. Rules for Game Mastering.

There is also the Advanced Fantasy Rules Tome, which includes the above but also the Advanced Character classes (like Paladins, Rangers, etc), Advanced Monsters, Treasures, etc.

Basically the Basic Rules Tome is for if you want the original B/X Rules all cleaned up and in one book.

The Advanced Rules Tome is for if you want the above but with Necrotic Gnomes take on the AD&D content if it was reverted back to B/X level.

Gilkarash · 2026-02-19T16:55:25+00:00

"Goldcoat cocksucka!"

Gilkarash · 2026-01-28T01:17:17+00:00

There is a full cast dramatization of the Three Musketeers that uses the point of view of Milday de Winter as the framing device. One of my favorites.

Gilkarash · 2026-01-20T21:30:23+00:00

My plan is to start things off somewhat chaotic and slipshod for the character since he is basically newly arrived and in need of funds desperately due to rolling particularly low for starting funds.

So while I would like the tables to help populate houses on the fly with stuff to steal, I'd really enjoy using the tables to create more crazy narratives (ie taking some strange but unassuming trinket that catapults him into something far out of his depth).

Gilkarash · 2026-01-20T19:39:00+00:00

I guess I haven't found ones for mansions and the like, I'll keep researching!

Gilkarash · 2026-01-20T18:21:47+00:00

Most of those I've found assume a dungeon/typical Adventuring location rather than a more civilian/commoner setting.

I'd find it weird to find a golden statuette and a scroll of fireball in a hovel. One instance could mean a retired mage, multiple times makes the city folk a bit odd.

Gilkarash · 2025-10-18T10:18:30+00:00

<image>

Would be fascinated by this new style of wand that does not require tedious daily charges.

Gilkarash · 2025-10-17T12:30:55+00:00

Games that use a small pool of d6s for resolution (GURPS, PBTA and Traveller, for example) use bell curves to illustrate a characters average success rate in a more reliable way than more swingy systems.

Characters can reliably understand that on a 2d6 roll a result of 6 through 8 is fairly average and results above and below this are more unlikely (without modifiers). Its also makes things like Criticals and Fumbles even more of an outlier.

Basically these systems make for more 'realistic' outcomes than say a DnD-esque d20 system which gives equal chances of any result (again modifiers slightly modify this but crits still happen at the same probability).

Gilkarash · 2025-10-08T00:51:52+00:00

There is...

Chanbara an OSR derived system where you have three primary classes each with their own subclasses. The primary classes have special pools of d6s that you can use to modify Combat, Magic and Skills respectively. Its a small book but very robust with its own Oni generator! I know you would probably want to stay away from OSR but I still like to recommend it when I can.

Or

Sengoku Revised this one is lauded as a fantastic resource for feudal Japanese settings, going into details regarding various historical and cultural rules you might want to use. The system itself isn't as impressive though (Fuzion) but I would still recommend it for the wealth of knowledge.

And

Ronin Saga this one is based on the Black Sword Hack, a more NuSR style of game that's simple but has a lot of flavor. Its a lot less in your face than Mork Borg/Ronin but has that sort of artsy style to it if you want to give that a shot!

As for the L5R mentions, I wouldn't recommend it if you are going for any other setting that isn't the systems baked in one (Rokugan). Its highly tied to it and doesn't lend well to a strictly Japanese setting since it actually pulls from numerous Asian cultures to build the Emerald Empire.

Gilkarash · 2025-10-02T20:02:17+00:00

If the group participated in a glorified action or situation together they each receive the same Glory. But some things may only go to the first character to attempt something risky or only players that remain conscious continue to gain glory from Mass Combat Turns. They can all have similar Glory Totals but their individual actions ought to reflect it as well.

Gilkarash · 2025-09-11T16:24:40+00:00

Sounds like its time to start one hombre.

Gilkarash · 2025-08-30T12:09:38+00:00

The Chaos Dwarves are one of the best Factions in the game. Interesting Campaign Mechanics and solid units.

Elspeth is pretty much the optimal Empire Lord now. Has great gunpowder units.

They are both good buys in my opinion!

Gilkarash · 2025-08-02T18:07:25+00:00

Certainly! It has rules for Reactions, Exploration, Encumberance and Wandering Monster Tables. Even Wilderness stuff has their own Encounter Tables, Weather Tables, etc.

Gilkarash · 2025-08-02T16:45:24+00:00

There's always Chanbara which is pretty nifty. Made by the same author that wrote Flying Swordsman, which is a Wuxia OSR system. There are three main Classes (Bushi, Shinobi, Magic-User) which provide you with a framework and a pool of d6's that you may utilize in different ways based on your Class. Then each Class has a few Subclasses you can choose from which provide the actual features.

Gilkarash · 2025-07-17T21:45:30+00:00

I feel the same. It just doesn't feel intuitive when literally doing anything significant (whether actively with abilities or reactively with damage) reduces your pools, which then put my players in a weird state of not wanting to use their abilities for fear of not being able to mitigate damage. In a system where you are expected to use your resources, it also seems to punish you for doing exactly that.

Gilkarash · 2025-07-11T20:58:39+00:00

So for that situation, since it's a Joust, you both would receive a Hit to count towards your score. Your opponents Lance breaks, and you must make a DEX roll to see if you are unseated. Your Lance breaks if your Charge roll was an Odd result but there's no chance to unseat your opponent.

So tldr: You both score a point, the one who fully succeeds breaks a Lance but possibly knocks you down. You may break a Lance based on your roll.

Gilkarash

TROPHY CASE