uburoi
4th Level Troll
Rarr 'n' stuff.
Posts: 486
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Post by uburoi on Jan 2, 2010 11:24:31 GMT -5
I'm not sure what inspired me awhile back, but I got it into my head that it might be a good idea to take the classic Fighting Fantasy gamebooks and run them as T&T solos. So yesterday I rolled up Zelnorm the Warrior and sent him through Deathtrap Dungeon. He was doing rather well until he met up with a pair of orcs, one of which wielded a morning star that knocked Zelnorm's shotel out of his hand. I decided for T&T purposes to treat monsters as having a MR of their FF Skill+Stamina, plus 10. Zelnorm was stuck fighting bare-handed, having 1 whole die plus 4 adds to the orc's 3d+15. I gave a couple attempts for the Warrior to grab his fallen weapon (2nd level SR vs DEX; not in the book but what the heck) and he failed dismally on all of them, taking the full brunt of the orc's HPT each time he tried. Scratch one Warrior; his armor protected him well, but just wasn't enough. Second attempt was another Warrior; he made it as far as a mysterious golden idol, tried to climb it to pinch its gem-eyes and fell off. I tried to delete the Healing Potion he was carrying and the Track & Troll program I was using to keep track of the characters crashed. So much for that try. |
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danhem
5th Level Troll
Posts: 731
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Post by danhem on Jan 2, 2010 14:41:25 GMT -5
Very cool Uburoi. Were you running a 1st level character? Deathtrap may be a bit tough. I actually converted the entire book into a T&T GM game long ago, complete with hand drawn map and booklet. I still have it tucked away somewhere. Deathtrap was definitely the best of the FF line. Unfortunately I sold my entire collection of the books about 20 years ago (yikes!).
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Post by mahrundl on Jan 2, 2010 21:01:19 GMT -5
Sounds like it could work fairly well. I look forward to hearing further play reports (and might have to drag out my few FF gamebooks as well ;D).
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Post by cartomancer on Jan 3, 2010 5:41:05 GMT -5
This is a really nice idea.
I have about 40 or so of the FF books so i'll give this a whirl to see what happens. I also have Lone Wolf, Knightmare, Grailquest and... Well a bookcase more or less loaded with the classics.
I think i'll also add spite possibilities in there too.
There are a lot of maps out there too for the solos as they have been around so long so knocking up a GM adventure wouldn't be too difficult for the most well known novels (The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Deathtrap Dungeon, Scorpion Swamp).
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Post by cartomancer on Jan 3, 2010 5:51:36 GMT -5
This is a really nice idea. I have about 40 or so of the FF books so i'll give this a whirl to see what happens. I also have Lone Wolf, Knightmare, Grailquest and... Well a bookcase more or less loaded with the classics. I think i'll also add spite possibilities in there too. There are a lot of maps out there too for the solos as they have been around so long so knocking up a GM adventure wouldn't be too difficult for the most well known novels (The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Deathtrap Dungeon, Scorpion Swamp). Ifound all the maps should anyone wish to turn any of the old FF into GM adventures. outspaced.fightingfantasy.org/PDFs/FF_Solution_Maps.pdf |
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Post by zanshin on Jan 3, 2010 5:52:30 GMT -5
Great idea uboroi! If only i hadnt given away all my FF books...
Might be worth looking out for them.
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uburoi
4th Level Troll
Rarr 'n' stuff.
Posts: 486
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Post by uburoi on Jan 3, 2010 20:11:33 GMT -5
Well, I tried it again earlier today... Fouradil the Warrior also made it as far as the orcs, had his broadsword knocked out of his hand and died - he had a sax as a backup weapon, but I was using 4th Edition rules and saxes only do 1+5, not much better than barehanded... he too tried grabbing for his sword, but armor in 4th is a lot weaker than it is in later editions (only 2 pts for leather!) so he didn't survive long either.
I did manage to pick up Nardil the Warrior where the crash the other day left off - he only made it a couple paragraphs more, where he ignominiously died by drowning.
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Hogscape
11th level Troll
Stalwart of the Trollbridge
It's not the years, it's the mileage.
Posts: 2,126
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Post by Hogscape on Jan 3, 2010 23:40:59 GMT -5
Well, I tried it again earlier today... Fouradil the Warrior also made it as far as the orcs, had his broadsword knocked out of his hand and died - he had a sax as a backup weapon, but I was using 4th Edition rules and saxes only do 1+5, not much better than barehanded... he too tried grabbing for his sword, but armor in 4th is a lot weaker than it is in later editions (only 2 pts for leather!) so he didn't survive long either. I did manage to pick up Nardil the Warrior where the crash the other day left off - he only made it a couple paragraphs more, where he ignominiously died by drowning. How are you handlind Saving Rolls? I like this idea, I shall give it a go. Perhaps there's a little conversion article here for the TrollZine? |
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Post by Porkbelly on Jan 4, 2010 0:31:55 GMT -5
Interesting. A lot of the older T&T products in Japan dual-statted adventures for both FF and T&T - I got the impression that they considered T&T a natural progression. Or maybe it was just because the same company was translating both.
Anyway, I'll check the dual-stats for conversion notes - I think MR was Strength multiplied by Skill but I never really looked too closely.
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Post by sonofthor on Jan 4, 2010 2:35:59 GMT -5
Cool idea! I had the chance to pick up one of those books at a used bookstore, but didn't. Maybe I will next time I shop there. How are those Fighting Fantasy books anyways. I remember seeing them a lot as a kid but have never tried one out.
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Post by mahrundl on Jan 5, 2010 4:43:58 GMT -5
I worked out an experience gain method, and used it to allow characters to increase attributes if they survived combats. Defeating a creature was worth Skill x Stamina points, and to increase an attribute by a point took, I think, 400 points. I don't recall that there was too much more to it than that, but if anyone's interested, I can see if I can find my notes...
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uburoi
4th Level Troll
Rarr 'n' stuff.
Posts: 486
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Post by uburoi on Jan 5, 2010 12:19:06 GMT -5
Porkbelly & Mahrundl - I'd like to see your input on this; Skill + Stamina + 10 seems to work well as a MR, particularly for 1st level delvers, but it may not capture the deadliness of an encounter properly. Skill x Stamina in AP? Seems a bit high... I've been doing AP = MR as by the rules, not that I've yet had a character be able to benefit from it.  (Not quite sure how this qualifies as "House Rules", either, but, as Old Geezer says on RPG.net, IANAMNDIPOOTV.) |
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Post by Porkbelly on Jan 5, 2010 23:30:18 GMT -5
For what it's worth the Japanese dual-stats vary from solo to solo. There was one that was consistently doing (Skill+Stamina) x 2 - which is pretty close to the results you would get. MR 20-40 range.
Another had a tough beast with skill 12 and stamina 8 - MR 90. Almost a multiple of the two.
But a lot of the monsters in that one were also fully statted with T&T attributes. There was a little bestiary at the end that showed how you could take either Skill or Stamina then apply a modifier to find each stat.
How does Fighting Fantasy work? Both sides roll 2d and add skill, then loser loses a fixed amount of stamina?
So if a monster has 3 or 4 points higher skill then an average player he's going to be real tough to hit. Of course I think the FF player has a huge stamina score to absorb damage so maybe the first formula (or your original idea) is more appropriate for a simple conversion to MR when you're doing it on the fly.
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Post by mahrundl on Jan 6, 2010 6:47:20 GMT -5
Skill x Stamina in AP? Seems a bit high... It probably is, but I never really got around to playtesting it. The 400 points per attribute raise is certainly on the low side if that formula is used. Maybe 100 x current value would be better. Now where have I heard that idea before... |
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Post by zanshin on Jan 6, 2010 7:46:29 GMT -5
IIRC there was not really a progression with Fighting Fantasy, other than the Sorcery books, you did each book with a new hero.
Perhaps MR could be done as Monster Stamina + (Monster Skill x Delvers level) + 10 ?
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