- Gruntfuttock
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Re: Advancement
BTW: The Sword and Sorcery Codex has a low-powered option for starting PCs (starting as Toughs), and a Grievous Wound option gives a harsher feel to the system. One of the setting seeds is 'Carnifex Mundi' which is inspired by the work of Glen Cook and is based around a mercenary company, and uses both these options.
My real name is Steve Hall
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Re: Advancement
Gruntfuttock wrote:
Off the top of my head around 65% seems about right for the start of competence, but how that relates to BoL is harder to see (for me at least).
So we're mostly at the same expectation there and, mathematically speaking, that's between a total +2 (58%) or +3 (72%) bonus to the roll on average as I ran the numbers on anydice.com (a great resource for rpg probabilities).
BTW: The Sword and Sorcery Codex has a low-powered option for starting PCs (starting as Toughs), and a Grievous Wound option gives a harsher feel to the system. One of the setting seeds is 'Carnifex Mundi' which is inspired by the work of Glen Cook and is based around a mercenary company, and uses both these options.
Thanks and I'll have to take a look then! Is Sword and Sorcery or Everywhen (or both?) the one with the alternate die size options?
- Gruntfuttock
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Re: Advancement
No, both assume the standard 2d6 rolls. However, they would work well with the dice alternatives - d10 and target number 14??? I've no idea as 2d6 works fine for me. I'm not aware of any BoL mechanic games use the alternative dice ideas as standard, but I think some games mention it as an option. No idea which ones - you are asking the wrong person!
Hopefully someone who knows of the alternative dice option will pop by with more information. And even better if they have used it action so they can give you an idea of how it plays.
Last edited by Gruntfuttock (7/09/2026 11:54 am)
My real name is Steve Hall
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Re: Advancement
Painful!
Mind you, with a bad GM you can get screwed over irrespective of the system. I treasure the memory (not) of rolling up a great archer in T&T, and the GM constantly finding ways to make it impossible for me to get off more than a single arrow in every fight.
It transpired that like the Ancient Greeks he considered missile fire ignoble and unsporting.
I know a lot of newer games are designed to ward against GM malice, but I find some of those to be...not what I want from a game system? Ultimately, I think it boils down to don't play with bad gamers. Which you would think would be easier in this day and age of the proliferation of online (Zoom, Discord, what-have-you) gaming, but that does not seem to be the case if the horror stories I sometimes read about are any indication.
Thankfully, my Bad Game Stories are pretty much all past tense at this point.
-- Paul
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Thread Starter- Gruntfuttock
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Re: Advancement
Mercifully my bad gaming experiences are also in the past (thinking about it, back in the early Stone Age).
My real name is Steve Hall
- Gruntfuttock
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Re: Advancement
Has anyone else here used the alternative dice - d10s I think - and have any experiences to share? Pit Fighter would be pleased to hear from you!
Last edited by Gruntfuttock (7/10/2026 2:06 am)
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Re: Advancement
Has anyone else here used the alternative dice - d10s I think - and have any experiences to share? Pit Fighter would be pleased to hear from you!
Indeed! Honestly, it accomplishes the same goal as lowering the initial starting values in that the rolls don't get overpowered so easily by the bonuses. You can still tweak the success number to get the % chance of success you want/expect. It's just that when you can start with a +7 as is easily possible with BoL for your core role in the game (whether attacking, spellcasting, thieving, whatever), the 2d6 becomes relatively meaningless for all but the highest difficulty tasks. I understand that's a feature for many and not a bug though. 