Spes Magna Games

July is almost over. My experiment with self-employment since leaving my teaching position at a charter school in April (largely due to health reasons) has been a bit of mixed bag, but overall has been positive. I’m establishing myself as a tutor.

Most of my tutoring is via the Internet with students in China, but I also facilitate a combination writing/story gaming course in the Houston area. So far, I’ve worked with five students via Ludi Fabularum, and it’s been a blast. For years, I’ve facilitated a story game club when I taught in a school, and I’ve long thought combining teaching with gaming was a no-brainer. Of course, I’m not alone with this thought, nor did I think it first. Many talented and wonderful people have been using all sorts of games as teaching tools for centuries.

Speaking of roleplaying and teaching, you must check out the adventures of “Kelema the wolf girl”, the star of a delightful podcast hosted by DM Dad under the title Dungeons & Dragons Kidventures. It’s a lot like listening to an early 20th century radio play. DM Dad and his 4-year-old daughter provide the voices and action, and it’s a hoot. DM Dad’s descriptions are worthy of emulation, and include sound effects, voice acting, and the quick inclusion of details provided his daughter to help her become more a part of the story. Dungeons & Dragons Kidventures is part story time with a child and part roleplaying game session, and it’s got lots of heart and humor.

In other news, it’s Shark Week. To help you celebrate this annual feeding frenzy of science shows, I’ve released three Shallows & Sharks products, each for a different game system and featuring a half dozen shark-themed monsters.

* The 5E D&D Version includes the ixitakoth, a combination of the ixitxachitl and morkoth from the AD&D Monster Manual.

* The Mutant Future Version includes the electrifying shock shark.

* The Sword & Wizardy WhiteBox Version includes both exotic monsters as well as stats for more mundane sharks inspired by the 1981 first printing of the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Rulebook.

Each of the Shallows & Sharks PDFs currently sell for a mere $0.75 over at DriveThruRPG, and, of course, all three versions feature my take on the infamous sharknado.

Tags: 5E D&D, Mutant Future, Spes Magna Products, Swords & Wizardry, WhiteBox Adventures

If you follow this site (and why wouldn’t you?), you’ve certainly noticed that I’ve lately posted a bunch of material, mostly new monsters, for 5E D&D. Why? Well, because that’s the game that my Saturday group currently plays, and I tend to focus most of my writing on whatever most recently has caught our attention. I’m even enjoying 5E, which is a surprise. Nothing I read about 4E, for example, tempted me to give it a test drive. 5E, however, hits a lot of sweet spots while at the same time staying away from the number-crunching, optimal-build-fetishizing that, in my opinion, has come to dominate 3.5 and Pathfinder.

All that said, I still want to play what I started with.

I’ve already talked a bit about how I got started with D&D. That was way back around 1977 to 1978. (I feel old.) We had some great games back then. The rules we had didn’t always make sense, and we argued about what this or that really meant, but in the end we were friends getting together to pretend we were adventurers in a fantastic world that at times seemed so much more interesting than the lower-middle-class, middle school world of broken families, drugs, and even gangs that existed at least on the peripherals of our lives.

I recently hosted a comedy-of-tech-errors game that used Swords & Wizardry with The Keep on the Borderlands, originally published in 1981, about three years after I started gaming and about four years before I graduated high school. We played via a videoconference system. The first session was just my son Christopher and me, but Mike and his son joined for session two. Mike was one of the people I gamed with way back when. He’s in California now, and that too far to drive to from Texas, so I don’t see Mike much. If you’re interested, you can watch the videos over at my YouTube channel.

Thanks to the quirky benefits of technology, I got to game with Mike again. It was a lot like old times, almost as if no time had really passed, although both he and I are noticeably older. Those friends I gamed with back in middle school and high school have either died too young or else have pretty much dropped out my life (or me out of theirs) completely. My current circle of face-to-face gaming friends? I didn’t know them in high school. Some of them weren’t born or else were toddling around in diapers when I was in high school.

So, I think I’m going to keep on with the Borderlands game. I’m pretty sure I can swing the various schedules so that we can meet twice or so a month. I might have to upgrade some of my technology. Maybe headphones or earbuds or something like that to help cut down on the background noise would be a good place to start.

Who knows? I might even try to figure out how Roll20 works.

But enough of that. “How about a new monster?” you say. Sure, but first check out David Masson over at Art Station. This guy has some serious talent. Today’s new monster is based on this piece by Mr. Masson.

The secrets of building a sword golem have been lost in the foggy reaches of history. While a spirit from the Elemental Plane of Earth usually infuses a golem, sword golems differ, for it is a spirit from the Elemental Plane of Air that gives the sword golem not only life, but also remarkable speed, intelligence, and will, albeit a will subordinated to the wishes of its creator.

Sword Golem
Medium construct, lawful neutral

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 68 (8d8+32)
Speed 45 ft.
Ability Scores STR 16 (+3), DEX 19 (+4), CON 18 (+4), INT 10 (+0), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 10 (+0)

Skills Acrobatics +8, Perception +5
Damage Resistances lightning
Damage Immunities fire, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with adamantine weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages understands and speaks the languages of its creator
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Elegant Defense. At the start of its turn, the sword golem may choose to make fewer than six melee attacks. The benefits of its elegant defense depend on how attacks it forgoes:

* One Attack: When a creature misses the sword golem with a melee attack, the sword golem can use its reaction to riposte. The sword golem makes a melee attack against the creature that inflicts an extra 4 (1d8) points of piercing damage.

* Two Attacks: As above, plus sword golem’s AC against melee attacks increases by 2 points until the start of its next turn.

* Three Attacks: As both effects above, plus the sword golem’s elaborate sword maneuvers defend its allies. When a creature the sword golem can see attacks a target within 5 feet of the sword golem, the creature’s attack is made with disadvantage.

Elemental Absorption. Whenever the sword golem is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt. Whenever the sword golem is subjected to lightning damage, it takes half damage and becomes energized. On its next turn, its rapier attacks inflict an extra 4 (1d8) lightning damage.

Immutable Form. The sword golem is immune to any spell or efect that alter its form.

Magic Resistance. The sword golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The sword golem’s weapon attacks are magical.

Actions

Multiattack. The sword golem makes up to six melee attacks.

Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage. The sword golem’s rapiers score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Gust of Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The sword golem unleashes a line of strong wind that duplicates the spell gust of wind.

Tags: 5E D&D, game play, monsters, Swords & Wizardry

As few posts ago, I presented two new monsters inspired by The Public Domain Review‘s article about Bakemono zukushi, “a Japanese painted scroll…from the Edo-period” that depicts several yokai, creatures from Japanese folklore. Today, I return to that scroll to present another new monster, again for both Swords & Wizardy and D&D 5E.

The nobusuma (also known as the wild quilt) resembles a flat-bodied flying squirrel about the size of a large rabbit. It has a grotesque face. The nobusuma eats nuts, fruit, and berries, but it also feeds on fire and sucks blood from humanoids and animals, especially smaller domestic animals such as cats and dogs. This malicious fey creature loves to attack travelers along roads at night, swooping from shadowy tree tops to latch onto the victim’s face and feed on his or her blood. Many scholars claim that unusually long-lived bats transform into nobusuma instead of dying a natural death.

Nobusuma
Hit Dice: 2+2
Armor Class: 6 [13]
Attack (Damage): Bite (1d4 + blood drain)
Move: 9/15 (when flying)
Save: 16
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 4/120
Special: Drain blood 1d4/round, eat fire, face latch

The nobusuma attacks by latching onto its victim’s face and draining blood. After its first hit, the nobusuma’s victim is effectively blinded, and the monster drains blood automatically at a rate of 1d4 hit points per round. The nobusuma also feeds on fire. It is immune to fire damage. Instead of a normal attack, with a hit the nobusuma can consume a single fire source, such as a torch or lantern, extinguishing the fire source in the process.

——

Nobusuma
Tiny fey, neutral evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 10 (3d4+3)
Speed 15 ft., fly 35 ft.
Ability Scores STR 6 (-2), DEX 17 (+3), CON 12 (+1), INT 6 (-2), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 8 (-1)

Skills Stealth +5
Damage Immunities fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Actions

Blood Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage, and the nobusuma attaches to the target’s face. While attached, the nobusuma doesn’t attack. Instead, at the start of each of the nobusuma’s turns, the target loses 5 (1d4+3) hit points due to blood loss. Also while attached, the target is blinded. The nobusuma can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. It does so after it drains 15 hit points of blood from the target or the target dies. A creature, including the target, can use its action to make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check to detach the nobusuma.

Consume Fire (Recharge 5-6). The nobusuma chooses one source of fire within 5 feet to feed upon. The nobusuma gains 2 (1d4) temporary hit points, and the fire is extinguished.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters, Swords & Wizardry

I’ve started my first Ludi Fabularum: Games of Stories, the 16-hour course I’ve developed that uses roleplaying games to help teach skills related to writing, editing, teamwork, et cetera. We met for the first time yesterday; we meet again tomorrow. My GoFundMe to raise money for scholarships for Ludi Fabularum is also up and running.

The Public Domain Review is a wonderful site that recently featured an article about Bakemono zukushi, “a Japanese painted scroll…from the Edo-period” that depicts several yokai, creatures from Japanese folklore. The image below is from this scroll, and it appears today as a new monster with two varieties for both Swords & Wizardy and D&D 5E.

Enjoy!

Kanazuchibō
Hit Dice: 4-6
Armor Class: 8 [11]
Attack (Damage): Hammer (1d6)
Move: 12
Save: 13, 12, or 11
Alignment: Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 4 HD (6/400), 5 HD (7/600), 6 HD (9/1,100)
Special: Backstab, spells, surprise foes on a 1-3

The kanazuchibō, or hammer priest, appears as a strange hybrid of human and bird that seldom stands more than four feet tall. It is a cowardly creature that prefers to avoid conflict. If it must fight, the kanazuchibō prefers to attack by surprise. When attacking by surprise from behind, the kanazuchibō gains +4 to hit and inflicts double damage. The kanazuchibō casts spells as a Cleric with a level equal to the monster’s hit dice.

Variant – Daichiuchi. Also known as an earth striker, the chaotic daichiuchi resembles the kanazuchibō, but tends to be taller and more muscular. The daichiuchi’s AC is 6 [13]. The daichiuchi is not the coward that the kanazuchibō is; the daichiuchi cannot backstab. It casts spells as a Magic-User with a level equal to one less than its hit dice. Once per day, the daichiuchi can strike the earth with its hammer. This causes a thunderous boom that inflicts 2d6 points of damage and deafens creatures within 30 feet. A successful saving throw reduces the damage to half and negates the deafening.

—–

Kanazuchibō
Small fey, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 11
Hit Points 27 (5d6+10)
Speed 30 ft.
Ability Scores STR 10 (+0), DEX 13 (+1), CON 15 (+2), INT 12 (+1), WIS 17 (+3), CHA 14 (+2)

Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Cowardly Cunning. On each of its turns, the kanazuchibō can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Sneak Attack. The kanazuchibō deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the kanazuchibō that isn’t incapacitated and the kanazuchibō doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Spellcasting. The kanazuchibō is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The kanazuchibō has the following cleric spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): guidance, light, resistance, sacred flame
1st level (4 slots): bane, cure wounds, protection from evil and good, sanctuary
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, hold person, silence
3rd level (2 slots): bestow curse, spirit guardians

Actions

Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.

—–

Daichiuchi
Medium fey, chaotic evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d8+18)
Speed 30 ft.
Ability Scores STR 13 (+1), DEX 12 (+1), CON 16 (+3), INT 17 (+3), WIS 13 (+1), CHA 12 (+1)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Spellcasting. The daichiuchi is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The kanazuchibō has the following wizard spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, fire bolt, minor illusion, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): charm person, disguise self, shield, witch bolt
2nd level (3 slots): cloud of daggers, mirror image, misty step

Actions

Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.

Earth Strike (1/Day). The daichiuchi strikes the earth with its hammer, creating a powerful burst of sound. Each creature within 30 feet of the daichiuchi must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 13 (3d8) thunder damage and is deafened. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is not deafened. At the end of each of its turns, a deafened creature can make another Constitution saving throw to stop being deafened.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters, Swords & Wizardry

Did you know I’ve released another PDF? Well, you do now.

Get your copy of Demi-Human Adventurers today, and expand your Swords & Wizardry White Box fantasy game with four new character classes: the Dwarf, the Elf, the Gnome, and the Halfling. Each race-as-class option presents ten levels of demi-human adventuring to thrill and delight your fellow gamers.

Next, an update on the domestic front. The Powers That Be that oversee the homeschooling program hosted by my parish have approved my “Introduction to Story Games” course. In addition to teaching writing and editing skills, we’ll also game. I have both Skill Centric Role Play by David Holmes and Hero Kids by Hero Forge Games en route to the house.

Huzzah!

On the movie front, I’ve recently watched 1959’s soporific Invasion of the Animal People, starring Barbara Wilson, Robert Burton, and Stan Gester, and, once again, the voice of John Carradine. Bumpy headed aliens invade Lapland, unleashing a giant shaggy monster that doesn’t do much more than lumber about and growl. I’ve heard that Rymdinvasion i Lappland, the original Swedish version, is better. It certainly couldn’t be worse.

Presenting the Bumpy-Headed Alien and the Animal Person, the first for Mutant Future and the second for Swords & Wizardry White Box.

Bumpy-Headed Alien
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120′ (40′)
Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 1 (weapon)
Damage: weapon
Save: L6
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: XVIII
XP: 1,070

Mutations: Ability Boost (WIL), Empathy, plus one other beneficial mutation

The bumpy-headed alien might not be an alien; it could be a Mutant Human. Regardless, it possesses impressive mental abilities (2d4+10 INT and 2d6+6 WIL). By focusing its mental energies, the bumpy-headed alien increases its willpower, making its empathic powers even more dangerous. The bumpy-headed alien often has access to technology combined with knowledge about how to use it.

Animal Person
Armor Class: 4 [15]
Hit Dice: 10
Attacks: Claw or Stomp (2d6)
Special: Immune to cold and piercing weapons
Move: 12
Save: 9
HDE/XP: 11/1,700

An animal person stands nearly 20 feet tall. Covered with long, shaggy fur, it walks on two blunt, elephantine feet. In combat, it attacks with its powerful claws or else stomps on its victim. An animal person is impervious to cold, and it cannot be harmed by piercing weapons such as arrows or spears.

Tags: monsters, Mutant Future, Swords & Wizardry, WhiteBox Adventures