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Although this class is called a summoner, and the servant is called an eidolon, directly invoking the Pathfinder class of the same name, it appears to be based more directly on the Sha'ir of AD&D 2nd edition, with a more versatile and combat-oriented companion. This is too bad, since I like the idea of adapting Pathfinder classes (which have interesting themes and fun powers, but are bogged down by too many options and long paragraphs of legal text about how exactly the powers can and cannot be used) into a simpler rules set.
This isn't the class I was looking for. Admittedly the Pathfinder Summoner is on odd fit for older version of D&D, since it is an arcane caster, but one with combat abilities roughly equivalent to a cleric, balanced by having a more limited set of spells. But the appeal is the eidolon, a chance to design your own mix-and-match personal monstrosity to serve you. I'm sure that system is rife with potential for abuse, but the comparatively limited options here (choose one of 7 different forms, which, aside from appearance, you only can customize once every three levels) just doesn't hold my interest. Combined with even more limited spell casting (equal or fewer spells per day as the already limited old school wizard, the need to send away your eidolon for an uncertain time to get spells, and the all-too-high chance that doing so will be for naught) and there isn't much to tempt me into using this class.
The ability to summon other beings at higher level is probably partial compensation for limited spell casting, but the limited chance of success, high monetary cost, and the fact that it is very reliant on DM interpretation makes it of limited utility. Plus, in my experience old school games rarely get up to 9th level or beyond anyway.
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YS1 The Outpost of the Outer Ones was written by Jeremy Reaban. I have featured some of his products on my blog in the past.
Y in this case might stand for Yuggoth, which is the home-world of the Mi-Go, or at least one of their outposts. This adventure, designed for characters 6th to 10th level for any old-school game, heavily features the Mi-Go. While he describes it as a "Science fiction" "dungeon crawl" only a tiny bit of work is needed to make this one horror or a mystery. Afterall, people are going missing, strangers are showing up in town and there is that whole eerie cave system.
Like most of the old-school adventures, this one is light on plot and heavy on the dungeon crawl atmosphere, and that is by design really. The adventure is simple enough but there is so much more that can be done with it if you want. Note: I should point out this is NOT a criticism of the adventure, quite the opposite really.
So basically the Mi-Go are in town and they are doing what the Mi-Go do, removing brains from bodies and putting them into other bodies or their special cylinders. The brains stay alive and are even immortal after a fashion. They are also experimenting on the local fauna. A couple of things in this adventure jumped out as me as hitting that 70's/80's nostalgia sweet spot. There is a Flumph the Mi-go can't figure out. A bionic Sasquatch! (I mean really, was this written just for me?) I biologic towel, a Valley Girl brain, and this whole "Escape to Witch Moutain" vibe about it. There is a witch and Swanmay in it as well.
Personally I would take Jeremy's advice and expand the module a bit. Have the party meet the old witch Gwen in her "old" form, but then encounter her again when she is in one of the brain jars and then again when she is in her new body. Also, I'd make all the Mi-Go's human form all look roughly the same; perfect, blonde, blue eyes, devoid of any real personality. Like something out of Village of the Damned. Liked they learned how to be human by reading it in a book.
I'd also make their plans a little more nefarious. This is a scout group looking to colonize this planet. Makes that bionic Bigfoot look a little more scary if you ask me!
Obviously, a good companion to this adventure would be Jeremy's own OSR Warlock. Make Gwen a warlock AND the one responsible for bringing the Mi-Go here. I'd also play it under Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. Give it that "colder and darker" feel that AS&SH can provide. Plus there are already a number of good Lovecraft Mythos beasties in that game.
My biggest issue with this adventure is where do I use it? I have so many choices to be honest. I could easily slot it in as a "Monster of the Week" story, but that would sell it's potential short. I could make it part of a larger campaign, but I would also want the Mi-Go to be more that just a one shot.
In any case I know this will be a fun one.
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There are few classes that can put the fear of the gods into vile villains like the exorcist, this class has so much potential for solid gaming goodness and so much abuse as well. Straight out the gate this class is more Hollywood then witch's hammer so let's make that clear and this class has all of the facilities to allow it you the DM or player to use this one with anything from OD&D to straight through to AD&D 1st edition or any of the retro clone gaming rpg systems.
So what is the exorcist and how is it put together? Well believe it or not this class isn't a variation of the cleric. Instead we get a fulfilled developed fighter variant.
According to the pdf's introduction;'The Exorcist is a warrior dedicated to combating
supernatural evil. As such, the Exorcist has an immunity to baleful magic which increases as he gains in level.Basically this is a perfect class for either Lamentations of the Flame Princess set during the height of a fictional witch infestation in a pseudo historical Europe or other setting infected with the demonic or supernatural. The PC class reads like a variation of the fighter from LoFP whose seen far too much action and perhaps has had a brush with the demonic at the cost of a bit of their sanity only to have it replaced with faith to help pull them through. This sets up the class for all kinds of bits and pieces of the burned out veteran of wars whose turned to hunting and battling the supernatural on their own terms. Using this sort of set up allows the DM to use this class for all kinds of NPC's. This means that with a little imagination the DM could use the class for a Wild West setting as the victim of the Civil War, the War of the Roses, etc. Now please bare with me but I don't see this class as something that would stand up the horrors of something like 40K or Warhammer. Instead what we get is a PC class that dove tails right into a party of fighters, paladins, clerics and blends into the background to provide leadership, support, and to help beat back the forces of Hell itself. But this class can easily lend itself into other fictional settings and circumstances. This class could easily be added into Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea as a very welcome addition to an adventuring party. Seriously with the zeal and pulp nastiness of the setting these guys would fit right into the wood work of Hyperborea. The OSR exorcist and the witch hunter PC class make excellent additions to that game as well. I'm also reminded of certain episodes of Lost In Space when rereading this entry this morning. There always seemed to be a burned out veteran of some interstellar war. A crusading adventurer who would save the petty humans once again. This kinda brought home the fact that the OSR exorcist might make an excellent investigator of those supernatural or xenomorphic threats in the Outer Reaches of space.
Eric Swords and Stitchery Blog
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Someplace between one am and the morning I just rolled in and I'm thinking about a sort of neglected class, the tomb robber. The often talked about but seldom seen class has been lurking around the bounds of pulp magazines for years and years. These wonderful little adventurers break into tombs and crypts making off with all manner of relics, artifacts, and what not. The OSR Tomb Robber From Jeremy Reaban is a three page 'pay what you want' affair that covers all of the basics of this class in spades.
Right out of the gate this pdf's byline got me thinking of certain films of the Eighties, see if you can tell why from the introduction:
While most adventurers are tomb robbers at some point in their career, some make a specialty of it. Part scholar, part fighter, part thief, they specialize in looting ancient tombs and dungeons.
Trust me, this mix of old school Indiana Jones, Alan Quarterman, and the sneak thieves ages past are right in here with the pulp sensibilities of this pdf. All of usual suspect races can become a tomb robber, Dwarf, Gnome, Human, & Half-Orc. This class is a compromise between fighter, thief, and a specialist of sorts. They have has a lore ability similar to a Bard, giving them a chance to know legends as well as potentially identify a magic item. The focus here is on the PC and this product contains tables for running the tomb robber in OD&D, First Edition AD&D, Basic and Expert D&D, and The Basic D&D Encyclopedia style games and the retroclones of these games.
Does this class do what it sets out to do? I think so, there are several options on the table to play a pulptastic tomb robber in the OSR of your dreams.
Here the PC has everything that a thief can do and a bit more besides and that's fine. I can see this class getting a ton of table top or adventure screen time. There is a ton of useful bits in the three pages this pdf covers, this includes everything from gun running a pulp adventure to picking the locks from a local temple to the tomb puzzles as well as guardians. This class can deal it out with the best of em.
The OSR Tomb Robber From Jeremy Reaban is concise, balanced, and covers all of the basic ins and outs of the class. I can see using this for everything from pulp adventures. This is just what the doctored ordered if your interested in mixing your D&D with everything from OD&D to more modern games as well. The essence of the class is perfectly suited to any number of retro adventures where the skill and wit of the tomb robber is needed.
Everything in the tomb robber is done for any number of OSR platforms from OD&D to OSIRC this class covers all of the bases and leaves enough room for the DM and players to get plenty of mileage and room for customization .
In point of fact I can see this class being adapted into other OSR or retroclone settings. This class can double for the cautious and yet deadly xeno archaeologist and despoiler of tombs on alien worlds . The tomb robber makes an excellent addition to any old school adventure party. The tomb robber is incredibly useful in the post apocalyptic wastelands where several of this PC's skills can add so much to a party. Given the relics and artifacts of the ancients this really is a no brainer to add in this class into your mutant spawned party of murder hobos and adventurers. Jeremy Reaban does a fine job squeezing everything into three pages of pretty much retro adventure hero into a decent class of tomb robber goodness. My recommendation is to pick this one up.
Eric The Sword & Stitchery blog
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Its about two O'clock in the morning and I've just gotten back from a game, tonight the subject of the Witch Hunter came up with my players. And one of them suggested we take a look at PC3 - The OSR Witch Hunter From Jeremy Reaban. This is a 'pay what you want' title from Drivethrurpg and emulates any number of pulp characters from Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane to Vincent Price's Witch Finder General. Clocking in at five pages, this title adds a bit of flare to the PC class but this is a strictly meat and patatoes no nonsense download. And that in my opinion is a good thing. This isn't a download that wastes your time at all and gives options for playing this character with humans, half elves, and half orcs respectively.
Over the years I've used several of the author's character classes for players and NPC's alike, the focus here is on the PC and this product contains tables for running the witch finder in OD&D, First Edition AD&D, Basic and Expert D&D, and The Basic D&D Encyclopedia style games and the retroclones of these games. Everything fits into five pages including the author's suggestions and options for getting the most pulptastic options out of this PC class.
But is this a well done PC class? With bits and pieces of the clerical abilities mixed in with the combat skills of a fighter the witch finder has a lot to offer a party and does it with some style. This is a PC who could be a fantastic asset to a party or a fantastic ass depending upon the player's reaction and take with this class.
Everything is in tact to get the most out of the witch hunter in all of its aspects.
This class rings with the swash and buckle that a DM expects and I was taken back to my youth with Marvel's Solomon Kane as all of the aspects of the story are there in this class in spades.
From the stand point of a DM this is an excellent addition to the tool box of the DM for creating an NPC. But for the characters this is an excellent class to keep games moving. Given the history and weirdness of these characters this is a great class to have. Adding in a witch hunter is a great show of faith in the people that the players are playing with. All of the high points of the class feature some solid write up action with a springing board for the imagination of the players. All in all this is a nice up change for games and I could see adding this class to everything from Lamenations of the Flame Princess to fully flesh out and engaging AD&D first edition campaigns. I can even see using this class fully done for a White Star campaign or other futuristic adventure as well where the pulp is just about coming off of the ceiling.
All in all I was really glad that I took the time to grab this one on Drivethrurpg and its pretty well balance and very nicely done.
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Decades of playing D&D has left me with a "sweet tooth" for classes or various and sundry types, and this Warlock class was a nice treat. A short read, no unnecessary fluff or filler, and several different class progression charts to cover Original D&D, AD&D, B/X and Rules Cyclopedia versions of the game. The class itself has several signature spell-like abilities that may or may not unbalance your game (Fly at will at level 7 is suspect, depending on whether level 7 is low power or high power in your campaign), as well as limited access to a limited number of wizard spells.
I could see this as being a useful class for a D&D campaign, and it is easy enough to modify (say, switch the spell selections available or change some of the signature abilities) that it could spawn a whole family of related sub-classes.
For the price, this is a five star product to me.
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I'm always looking into some variety of the traditional spell casters in OD&D or AD&D, the warlock is a new addition that needs some air play and needs to get some time at your table especially if your looking for an alternative to the tradition wizard or sorcerer of the campaigns. I've been looking over various OSR resources over the past forty eight hours and one of the resources that's been in my favorites que has been this little PC class by Jeremy Reaban. The Old School Warlock is statted out for all of your old school favorite edition rpg systems from OD&D style games to AD&D 1st edition. Basically the Warlock is a person born infused with so much magickal energies that it is literally a part of them. The whole class made me think of 1980's magickal using characters such as Zartanna and the Squadron Supreme Arcanna. This class includes a bit of everything from spell casting abilities to a hint of telekinesis as well.
Everything is pretty nicely balanced for a spell slinger with with some power behind their abilities. The balance is grounded towards the occult power of the character and in theory this class looks like a nice magical asset and alternative to the conventional wizard or sorcerer of the adventuring party. The writing is clear, the PC generation crisp and the play looks like from reading over the class pretty nicely done. This is a pay what you'd like but I actually like the cover so throw the man a few shekels to get more art for his next project. Do I see being able to incorporate these PC's into a game? Yes I actually can see using these natural born spell casters into a game as a nice secondary or alternative class where the magical energies are leaking into the world. I can even see these giving the warlock a try in Lovecraftian sword and sorcery campaign where the dimension gates have caused leaks into reality causing all kinds of weird mutations. This could lead to the origin of such a class as the warlock. Alternatively there could be a ton of uses for this class in the post apocalyptic wasteland such as a Mutants And Mazes campaign for Mutant Future where Labyrinth Lord's fantasy elements are used in tandem with the wasteland aspects. This class could in point of fact be used to compensate the lack of sorcerers in a game of Thundarr The Barbarian. This class could easily be added to Tim Snider's massively wonderful free Thundarr The Barbarian download over HERE
The warlock fills a great need for such a class right into the back end of this campaign quite seamlessly.
But that's not all here with the warlock because of the very nature of the class it can easily be added into a pulp game such as Trey's Weird Adventures gambit as another option for PC's. Or it could be used as yet another alternative for a pulp game of low powered super heroes. This class could be added right into OD&D or Swords and Wizardry with little problem. The warlock is just that flexible to add itself to just about anyplace where the infusion of magick is in the mix. The balance is such that this class could be added into the background of your favorite old school campaigns and no one might be the wiser. The author has done a good job tailoring the bits and pieces to work on a variety of levels and backgrounds. Is it worth the download? Well its sitting on my hard drive and waiting for use with a good number of one shots and adventures that I've got waiting in the wings.
Eric F The Swords and Stitchery Blog
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I'm a Jeremy Reaban fan, I've reviewed his modules in the past and they're really usually very well done with clear and concise adventure settings and goals in the OSR tradition. When someone pointed out that he'd done a Lovecraftian OSR adventure I was pretty excited. But add in the fact that this adventure features one of my all time favorite Lovecraftian alien races 'The Mi Go' and we might have a winner.
This adventure introduces a Mi Go hive and dungeon complex and does it in twenty excellent pages of material that will challenge PC's. This dungeon features enough twists and Lovecraftian turns to keep the action moving. But this is really a mid level mini campaign adventure with central plot hook of introducing the Mi Go into your old school campaigns.
The Drivethrurpg blurb gives away a bit of basic adventure plot:From the depths of space come the Outer Ones, better known as the Mi-Go. They travel the universe looking for metal to mine and brains to steal. Now they have landed on a planet ruled by sorcery and steel...
YS1 - The Outpost of the Outer Ones is a fantasy adventure module for early editions of the world's most popular fantasy role-playing game, particularly the first Advanced Edition, but directly usable with virtually every OSR game. Despite being inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, it is a dungeon module, not horror or investigation. It is meant for character levels six through ten, depending on which rules system used.
This adventure introduces the Mi Go into an old school adventure of Lovecraftian fundamentals that hits the high notes of OD&D style fun but in a way of dangerous exploration of one of the weird and more then slightly disturbing Lovecraft aliens from the Whisperer In The Darkness. I can see using this adventure with Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea and other OSR retroclones that use sci fi and science fantasy technological items as treasure. The nature of the encounters is on the same high side of science fantasy adventure. And it has a very weird and more then slightly pulpy flavor to the encounters and high handed weirdness.
The adventure has more then a bit of a lethal aspect to it but this is to be expected when dealing with the Machinations of the Mi Go and here their really in their manipulating bastards mode.Cults, dungeons, and other sanity shattering goings on are happening right in the heart of The Outpost of the Outer Ones.
The look and feel of Outpost is one of isolation, other-worldliness, and a sense of gonzo dread in the cold depths of the world of Mi Go. This allows the adventure to work on a number of levels of the weird, where PC's are pulled into the deep end of the Mi Go's world and they might be altered forever by the experience. The maps are well done, the adventure concise yet with plenty of room for expansion and DYI old school dungeon mastering.
There is more then enough meat on the bone for the PC's to get into a huge amount of trouble and not survive the experience. And that only adds to experience of this module.
There are times when a DM needs a nice mid level bridge gap module for a one shot or bridge gap adventure. This is a nice Lovecraftian option. And because of the science fantasy nature of The Outpost of the Outer Ones this adventure has a lot of uses. With a game of Lamentations of the Flame Princess this adventure could provide a welcome mid point Carcosa adventure bridge with the PC's finding themselves in the middle of YS1 and then Carcosa.
YSI is weird and gonzo with some really interesting twists and for games such as Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea where the Mi Go appear this makes YS1 a nice optional download and one shot.
For games such as OD&D or AD&D 1st edition YS1 is a nicely nasty way of introducing in sci fi elements with a Lovecraftian twist. These are Mi Go with options who have evolved with the times. Some of the views in this adventure point to an evolution of the MI Go mind allowing PC's to get brought into an adventure at they weren't expecting in the usual fashion. Do I think YS1 The Outpost of the Outer Ones a solid investment in old school adventures?
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HS1 The Lost Shrine of Sirona From Jeremy Reaban is a really nice 'The Pay What You' Want' downloadable adventure that sets off to do something fairly simple and straight forward. It seeks to provide an evening's entertainment and do it well. This it succeeds in quite nicely and the module is 'pay what you want'
The module revels in its 'hack and slash' ethos and sometimes that's really all that's needed for a party of PC's.
The text is concise, the maps pretty straight forward, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. This is a really nice mid point adventure and crawl with a location based adventure plot.
Here's the drivethrurpg blurb:
Remember when adventures were mostly about going into a dungeon, killing monsters, and grabbing treasure? HS1 The Shrine of Sirona is the first (hopefully) in a line of small modules that focus on the somewhat neglected and usually disdained "hack & slash" style play.
HS1 The Shrine of Sirona details a small (10 room) dungeon shrine that was been invaded and occupied by monsters. It is intended for 5th to 7th level characters using the advanced first edition of the most popular fantasy role-playing game but should work with all modern simulacra, and armor class is provided in most ascending and descending formats.
My advice with this adventure is to use it for an experienced party as mid range plot point crawl and hook for your campaign against the forces of darkness. It can provide a jump point for the events and ideas of what's happening in your OSR campaign or use it as a beginning stepping stone into greater things.
Or this adventure could simply be an evening's entertainment for a party of experienced PC's.
The module is only six pages long but don't let that fool you, there are some monsters and things that could easily end your PC's quite easily. This module could be adapted to your OD&D games or retroclones but your going to have to gut the monsters and use the locations.
With a game with pulp roots such as Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea. There is going to have to be level adjustments for the encounters and the monsters will have to be ported over but because of the way combat and the rest of the setting works this is a nice mid point pulp filled bridge gap action adventure style game night run.
This is a nice hack and slash adventure with plenty of room for DYI improvisation by a DM for fitting it into they're campaigns. Because is statted out for AD&D 1st edition. This is a perfect jump point for an OSRIC game or some 1st edition style retro clone system as well.
Using the adventure should be a nice and clear experience for a veteran DM and a nice up switch for someone who wants a fast, concise, and well thought out 'hack and slash' style game.
Clocking out at five pages this module provides a nice bit of violence and good old fashioned 'kill the monsters or PC's fun' with a bit of a nice up tick of a smattering of smartly written encounters, rooms, and more.
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This is a very well balanced old school dungeon that requires a bit of thought on the part of the party. Why is is it on the Swords and Stitchery side of the blog? Well there elements here that place it squirly on the more solid part of an urban adventure with little effort this module could be place into a more modern or Lovecrafian or Poe style setting.
Jeremy Reaban has released the second module in his HS series.
According to the author : My second attempt at making a module. This time a bit longer, 25 rooms, and for character levels 7th to 10th. I ran it with 7th, but that's using 1e rules and with pretty good gear (comparable to the stuff in GDQ).The intro places it right into his 'H' line of adventures and it hearkens back to the look and feel of other old school modules and this was done on purpose.
As I didn't have any suitable color cover art, I took a B&W Dore illustration and colored it to look somewhat like the monochrome modules. I think it looks pretty neat.
And it does indeed look pretty neat and tidy, this module has everything you need for an evening's entertainment with your players.
Everything here is keyed for this to be a dungeon near a city or urban environment. The PC's are going to be thrust right into the heart of this dungeon's darkness and there's an element of the weird about the whole affair.
According to the introduction :
This is a follow-up to my first module, HS1 – The
Lost Shrine of Sirona, which was essentially a
simple hack and slash dungeon. This is a bit more of
a traditional dungeon where the players will have to
use common sense, choosing when to fight and
when not to.
It should be placed close, but not too close to a large
town or small city. I've tried to keep it as culturally
neutral as possible so as to be placed anywhere.
I use some open content from the Teriatic Tome, so
you may wish to peruse that for more details on
those monsters herein. Other monsters are
converted from an OGL book, Into the Black.
Thankfully both are 100% open content text wise, so
I can both quote and refer to them.
Make no mistake the encounters here showcase lots of old favorites and some new monsters in completely different approaches and yet there's plenty of room for that ever nice DYI aspect of the dungeon. I really love the balance that the author/designer has kept. Make no mistake that this is a mid level dungeon and the stakes here are as deadly as ever.
A quick note about the maps here, they're really nicely done and the presentation is concise, non cluttered, and easy to see across the table. Seriously this is a very nice way to present your maps. Nevermind all of the wonderful artwork and such. Give me and my players maps we can see as well as use. Very important design feature and believe you me one that's appreciated.
The contents of 'Forsaken Burial Vaults' can be used with both a regular D&D setting, a pulp style adventure encounter, or even a nasty horror setting if done right. This really comes down to the DM's style,something that is a result of the author's intent. This approach is something that I've come to appreciate during my time running and reading these adventures. The fact that details while there can and should be shunted by the DM using the adventure. Even though this is only a fourteen page adventure, there is more then enough meat on the bone to hang the backdrop of your campaign onto this module.
This is an old school module that I would get, modify for your campaign, and run the heck out of with your PC's. All in all I was pretty damn happy to have run across this module on the interwebs today. Grab your copy, throw the author a few shekels, and go play!
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