Running Blackmoor with OD&D?

[Havard]

Moved to the Rules forum

-Havard

[finarvyn]

Do you write the rules to adapt C&C to Blackmoor setting ?

Long time away from the thread.

Here's my big question: what's the difference between OD&D and C&C? I would argue that C&C has more structure, has more spells and classes, but that essentially the games are quite similar in the way they run. C&C is a lot like AD&D, and AD&D is a lot like OD&D restructured and enhanced. This means that (to me, at least) the games are nearly interchangible.

When I run Blackmoor, it's more like the FFC version and I don't spend much time agonizing about the various human races and such. To me, Blackmoor is an area map, some dungeons, a handful of interesting NPCs, and an attitude. I can convey this with pretty much any rules system, but the "lighter" the better.

What I'm saying is that I don't really need to "convert" Blackmoor into C&C.

[Havard]

What I'm saying is that I don't really need to "convert" Blackmoor into C&C.

Quick and easy conversions are often the best. If you are only sticking to the FFC I can see that there isn't much you need to convert, but I could see the use for having stats for various monsters, magic items etc from the FFC and DA series.

Of course, if you want to make use of some of the Blackmoor 3E material there is even more you might want to look into. For instance, would you distinguish between Cumasti and Westryn or just treat them as elves?

-Havard

[finarvyn]

would you distinguish between Cumasti and Westryn or just treat them as elves?

Just elves to me. Of course, I'm not as interested in that kind of background thing.

As much as I enjoy Tolkien, I don't get that fixated with his different types of elves, either. (Well, I do seperate Noldor from "every other elf" but that's about it. )

[Havard]

would you distinguish between Cumasti and Westryn or just treat them as elves?

Just elves to me. Of course, I'm not as interested in that kind of background thing.

As much as I enjoy Tolkien, I don't get that fixated with his different types of elves, either. (Well, I do seperate Noldor from "every other elf" but that's about it. )

I like this answer because it illustrates both the similarities and differences between our approaches to gaming Fin. In my BECMI Blackmoor Campaign, I also treat both elven races the same game mechanically. However, I really love going into their background and history to make them different flavour-wise.

-Havard

[finarvyn]

I suspect that our philosophical differences come back to a couple of things:

(1) For me, FFC Blackmoor is "the real Blackmoor" and I think that much of the detail that you enjoy was released in the later products, which I own but aren't the focus of my campaigns.

(2) My brain doesn't like to memorize details, so I tend to forget them. In the real world, I give my physics students a formula sheet because I don't stress memorization. When you list off all of the varieties of elves, my initial thought is "Huh? Forgot that they even existed" and then "well, they're all elves." Most of my campaigns are run the same way -- a few stereotypes and not so much background history. Reading Barker's Tekumel stuff makes my brain melt because the names are so bizarre and I can't retain any of them.

Anyway, that also explains why I don't have as much to contribute in certain sections of these boards. My games don't tend to have those elements, so I don't have much to say about them.

I appreciate your scholarship about all things Blackmoor, however. 8)

[Havard]

I suspect that our philosophical differences come back to a couple of things:

(1) For me, FFC Blackmoor is "the real Blackmoor" and I think that much of the detail that you enjoy was released in the later products, which I own but aren't the focus of my campaigns.

(2) My brain doesn't like to memorize details, so I tend to forget them. In the real world, I give my physics students a formula sheet because I don't stress memorization. When you list off all of the varieties of elves, my initial thought is "Huh? Forgot that they even existed" and then "well, they're all elves." Most of my campaigns are run the same way -- a few stereotypes and not so much background history. Reading Barker's Tekumel stuff makes my brain melt because the names are so bizarre and I can't retain any of them.

Anyway, that also explains why I don't have as much to contribute in certain sections of these boards. My games don't tend to have those elements, so I don't have much to say about them.

Yep. Rules light, I can understand, but not setting light. If there is more setting material out there, I want to analyze every little sentence of it :mrgreen:

Obviously I respect your opinion, but I think you are doing yourself a huge disfavour by not getting into the DA modules btw

I appreciate your scholarship about all things Blackmoor, however. 8)

Good to know!

-Havard

[finarvyn]

[Obviously I respect your opinion, but I think you are doing yourself a huge disfavour by not getting into the DA modules btw

Could be. I own all of the DA modules, and pretty much everything Blackmoor I have run across over the years. I just love the "good old boy" type style and atmosphere of the FFC. The FFC feels like the kind of book that I might have been able to put together about my own game, instead of a slick "for publication" product. Heck, the OD&D books are a lot like that, too! :lol:

[Havard]

[Obviously I respect your opinion, but I think you are doing yourself a huge disfavour by not getting into the DA modules btw

Could be. I own all of the DA modules, and pretty much everything Blackmoor I have run across over the years. I just love the "good old boy" type style and atmosphere of the FFC. The FFC feels like the kind of book that I might have been able to put together about my own game, instead of a slick "for publication" product. Heck, the OD&D books are a lot like that, too! :lol:

Oh, I totally agree with you there. The FFC is a fantastic sourcebook. Not for everyone perhaps, but definitely an invaluable resource for true Blackmoor fans.

-Havard