Interest Check - HackMaster: The Dungeon of Arbitrary Demise

[Jefepato]

The life of an adventurer is a fine thing indeed.  Killing monsters and taking their stuff is not only lucrative, but glamorous!  Who wouldn't want to be part of the band of heroes that conquered the horrors of Robinloft or the dreaded Temple of Existential Evil, and who came home bearing those places' glorious treasure?  Who wouldn't aspire to one day take his or her place among the mighty HackMasters?

Well, most people wouldn't.  Lots of people dream, sure, but even the most uneducated peasant has a pretty good idea just how high the adventurer mortality rate is.  Most people really aren't willing to take that kind of risk for wealth and glory.

You're not most people.  You'll probably die, and it probably won't be pretty.  But for some reason, you've decided it's the life for you.

So grab your ten-foot pole, unsheathe your longsword, and kick down that door.  It's time to hack.

----

That's right, HackMaster.  Is anyone out there interested in a bloody romp through Garweeze Wurld?

I'm willing to streamline character creation a bit, so you needn't waste lots of time rolling for socio-economic class, and so you can bring a new character into play quickly when your old one comes to a terrible end.  The tone of the game and setting is somewhat lighthearted, but although I won't make things hopeless, no punches will be pulled.  Graphic deaths are probable (and may result in Extreme placement).  Eroticism is optional.

[MadPanda]

Oh, priceless!  Priceless!
Alas, I know nothing of Hackmaster save that a) anything can kill you and b) it's apparently a bit like old school D&D...

[Jefepato]

Oh, priceless!  Priceless!
Alas, I know nothing of Hackmaster save that a) anything can kill you and b) it's apparently a bit like old school D&D...

a) That's the spirit!
b) Yup.  The core of the rules is basically 1st edition AD&D (they licensed it from WotC) with all the bells and whistles.  Then they added a lot more bells and whistles (the Honor score and the massive critical hit charts are particular favorites), and made it just a bit silly.

It's unduly complicated, of course.  But one of the benefits of play-by-post is that looking things up on the random encounter tables doesn't seriously delay the game!

[MadPanda]

So...six rolls of 3d6 each and a random determination of class later, I'd have a character, yeah?   :)

[Jefepato]

Remember when I said "unduly complicated"?  I wasn't joking.

Like I said, for ease of play I'm willing to ignore rolling for background, and for quirks and flaws (although the one player I have currently decided to go for it), so it's not that hard but it's not a six-roll process.  The relevant steps remaining are:

1. Roll 3d6 seven times (Comeliness is also a stat here), and 1d100 seven times as well.
2. Choose race.  Your race gives you a certain number of building points (BPs); one of the things they're good for is increasing attributes, which you might want to do before the next step:
3. Choose class.  This also gives you BPs.
4. If you're a thief or something, distribute points for thieving skills.
5. Determine starting money (I can roll this).
6. Determine starting Honor (I can do this, but it potentially affects your BP total).
7. Buy skills, proficiencies, and talents.  These cost BPs.
8. Any remaining BPs get cashed in for money.  At this point you buy starting equipment.
9. Choose your alignment.
10. Roll your hit die.
11. Hack.

It's not as bad as it sounds.  The only truly complex steps are 7 and 8, which I can help you with if you give me some kind of guidelines.

If you're interested, make those rolls.  I don't know how long Circl's character will survive without backup.

[Transgirlenstein]

As some one who doesnt have the books..

How difficult/hard would it be to make and play a character without them?  if someone with the rules/books can help me?

Big fan of Knights of the Dinner table and always wanted to try Hackmaster

[Iofiel]

*raises hand* Interested!

[Jefepato]

As some one who doesnt have the books..

How difficult/hard would it be to make and play a character without them?  if someone with the rules/books can help me?

Big fan of Knights of the Dinner table and always wanted to try Hackmaster

Depends how much of the process you're willing to leave in my hands.  Buying STPs (skills, talents and proficiencies) and starting equipment for yourself without the book would be nigh-impossible, but I promise not to screw over any players who have me do that for them.

Iofiel, do you have access to the relevant books or will you also need help?

[shadowheart]

Gods .. each time I read this thread I get a leeetle more tempted!

DO I have time, no.  Am I interested, yeah.  Do I have the books?  Nope.

[Jefepato]

And while I'm on the subject, let's have a round of applause for our first PC fatality:

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=20338.msg804391#msg804391

R.I.P. Daric I, half-elf fighter.  He will be missed, and is posthumously awarded 610 XP (not including the 10% bonus for his 16 Strength).

[shadowheart]

*getting more tempted by the minute :D*

[Iofiel]

Depends how much of the process you're willing to leave in my hands.  Buying STPs (skills, talents and proficiencies) and starting equipment for yourself without the book would be nigh-impossible, but I promise not to screw over any players who have me do that for them.

Iofiel, do you have access to the relevant books or will you also need help?

I would need help. x.o How close is it to D&D? I could come up with a character sheet... or at least a concept.
Um, maybe it would help if you told me what the party/group could use.

[Jefepato]

I would need help. x.o How close is it to D&D? I could come up with a character sheet... or at least a concept.
Um, maybe it would help if you told me what the party/group could use.

Depends which D&D you mean.  It's based on the 1st and 2nd editions of AD&D, so if you're mostly familiar with 3rd, that's not going to help much.

Current characters in the works are:
CirclMastr's high elf cleric
MadPanda's gray elf enchanter

However, since stats have to be rolled in order, it's probably better not to think of concepts until you've done that.  If you need help with character creation, roll 3d6 seven times and 1d100 seven times, and PM me the results.  (Or I can do it if you find Elliquiy's diceroller problematic.)

[shadowheart]

OK, what the heck. :)

I will roll stats and PM you the results.  One of four in the party, with HackMaster's rep, figure she'll die quickly anyway right? *g*

[MadPanda]

It's like Paranoia without clone backup, lasers, or that damn Computer!

[shadowheart]

Paranoia, another game I've never played.

*mumbles something about shouldn't be doing this but...* :)

Ok, now to learn how to use the darn dice roller :D

[Jefepato]

It's like Paranoia without clone backup, lasers, or that damn Computer!

But instead it has Raise Dead, Land Scraper Fireballs, and the GM's Smartass Smackdown table.

[MadPanda]

"Serve the Abacus!  The Abacus is your friend!"

[shadowheart]

 ;D ;D

[Transgirlenstein]

Hm, anychance of me getting to play a pixie thief?

[Jefepato]

Hm, anychance of me getting to play a pixie thief?

Well, not an actual pixie, but a pixie fairy (or one of the other pixie hybrids) is certainly possible.  If your stat rolls qualify you for the race, that is...

[Iofiel]

Depends which D&D you mean.  It's based on the 1st and 2nd editions of AD&D, so if you're mostly familiar with 3rd, that's not going to help much.

Current characters in the works are:
CirclMastr's high elf cleric
MadPanda's gray elf enchanter

However, since stats have to be rolled in order, it's probably better not to think of concepts until you've done that.  If you need help with character creation, roll 3d6 seven times and 1d100 seven times, and PM me the results.  (Or I can do it if you find Elliquiy's diceroller problematic.)

Huh. Well, I have some experience with AD&D (It's where I started), but I know later systems better.

Alright, I sent you the rolls. It seems the d100 ones favored rolling '36'... three times. o.O

[MadPanda]

The Die Roller has a mind all it's own.  And that mind is a bit on the perverse side...  ;)

[shadowheart]

Perverse, hateful, mean little die roller.

[Transgirlenstein]

Hm it should work fine once I get the Cthulhu game off the ground then *evil grin*