Ye Olde School Yahoo Groups

These are my Ye Olde School Yahoo Groups list and while yahoo is letting their groups die by making them less user friendly instead of more, there are still some great sites with some great information and every now and then some cool free gaming materials. As always if I missed something please let me know and I will update my list and this post.



Fight On!

OD&D Guild

OD&DITIES Online

TSR Games

Arduin Guild

Arduin_Eternal

oddearth

Gamma World

gammaworld

TARGATalk

Adventures_On_Barsoom

barsoom

BarsoomGaming

Barsoomian

edgarriceburroughs

erbsfantasticworlds

encounter-critical

judgesguildgames

mazesandminotaurs

TheOldenDomain-Helsinki

ToneTG - The One True Game

therealmofconan

theWarlord

warlordofmars

Book_of_Beasts

Adams_Horseclans_Zambur

dnd Dungeons & Dragons

FirstEditionDND - ie 1st Ed AD&D

DivineRightGame

tekumelrpg · Tekumel: EPT (Guardians of Order)

tekumel-moderated · A moderated forum for discussion of the World of Tekumel

apatekumel · Visitations of Glory: A Tekumel APA

Tekumel Discussion Group

Hexmapper Haven Redux

agarthaglamour · Agartha Glamour

cavewars · Cave Wars

EbonGates · Ebon Gates

Fantasy_Vault · The Golden Era of GW Boardgaming.

Old School Wargaming

Philly Old School Gamers

Chipco Wargame Rules

Hideouts & Hoodlums

Ye Olde School Resource Sites

This is my Ye Olde School Resource Sites list and I know that it is barely scratching the surface, so as always please send me links of anything that I missed and I will update the list and this post!


OD&D/BD&D

Håvard Faanes - Articles

The Blackmoor Archives - The Ultimate Blackmoor Fansite

TARGA Wiki

TARGA Website

Fight On! Magazine

Knockspell Magazine

Age of Fable - TABLES FOR FABLES a collection of 329 random tables

Age of Fable - Random Dungeon Generator

Age of Fable - Random Map Generator

akiyama - D&D Links Page

thegreyelf - Classic Edition Fantasy Resources

The Underdark Gazette

The Warlock's Home Brew - Check The Warlock's Curiosities

The Delve

The Isomage's House TSR-style random wilderness and cave map generators and other online tools and articles

Dungeons & Dragons - Classic Edition

The World of Mystara

Realm of the Erroneous Grog

Hexmapper Haven Redux

The Cartographers' Guild

Roleplaying City Map Generator

World Builder Projects

DM Guide

The Harrow: The RPG Archive

Wayfarers RPG Resources

Ye Olde School Forum List

This is my list of Ye Olde School Forums and as always if you know of one that I missed, please let me know and I will add it to my list and to this post! Also in all categories of the Ye Olde posts, I am also interested in adding as many resources as possible in languages other than English.

English

Original D&D Discussion

Vin Ahrr Vin's TrollBridge

Amber Diceless Discussion

KNIGHTS & KNAVES ALEHOUSE

THE GROGNARD'S TAVERN

The Comeback Inn - Dave Arneson's Blackmoor Forum

The Wayfarer's Inn

Citadel of Chaos

Dragonsfoot Forums

The Piazza

Tekumel - Empire of the Petal Throne

Green Ronin Publishing Forum

Gringle's Pawnshop

Immersive Ink

TARGATalk - Yahoo Talk Group

Old School Star Trek Role-playing - with an OD&D forum

Citizens of the Imperium - Traveler Forums

Goblinoid Games - The old site

Goblinoid Games.com - The new site

Mischief, Inc.

Platemail

Mongoose Publishing

Pied Piper Publishing

TheRPGSite

The Cartographers' Guild

The RPG Haven

Lords of Lemuria

Basic Roleplaying Central

Swords & Wizardry Forums

Slayerforum - the official Dungeonslayers forum


Hebrew

פורומי האורק
פורום הפונדק


French

Le Donjon du Dragon

Ye Olde School Fan Magazines

This is my list of  Ye Olde School Fan Magazines and as always if I missed something send me an update and I will update the post, same thing if a link is dead - please let me know and let me know if you have a better or replacement link.

Please note that a listing here does not mean it is 100% old school, but it does mean it ranges from "fantastic" to "may have something very sweet, at least now and then".

Ye Olde School Fan Magazines

Old School Fantasy

free downloads

& Magazine

The Candlekeep Compendium

The Domesday Book (Castles & Crusades) This link is now live!!!

The Domesday Book @ Dragonsfoot.org (alt link for above)

Digital Ogre (scans of a 2e-era fanzine)

Dyson's Dodecahedron

Encounter

Encounter - back issues

Footprints Scroll to the bottom for a zip file with the first 15 issues of Footprints.

Hideouts & Hoodlums - Downloads

Iridia (PDF compendium of all issues)

The Jewel Throne (announced, no issues yet)

Lapsus Calumni

Minotaur Quarterly

OD&DITIES (archive @ breeyark.org) Classic D&D primarily

OD&DITIES #01-#12 (archive@ /Dragonsfoot.org- scroll down page for links) Classic D&D primarily

The Oerth Journal

Canonfire Chronicles"There is no “official” set of rules for articles" If it mostly looks 3.5E that is the articles they are getting.

Pages from the Grimoire (announced, no issues yet - but a number of proposed excerpts)

The Portal (Lejendary Adventures)

Rule One - (Glorantha-oriented)

Switching to Guns

Thonahexus (Hârn fanzine)

TrollsZine Available at RPGNOW and at DriveThru and TrollsZine Flying Buffalo storefront to which it was attached with permission from Rick Loomis

Troll! - link to a personal archive

Unknown Sagas (announced, no issues yet)

Brave the Labyrinth- Issue #1 & See Discussion at Discussion of Brave the Labyrinth

Underworld Lore

not free - but great products well worth the cost

AFS Magazine

Alarums & Excursions (35+ years of back issues; order by snail mail)

Ballista (announced, still no issues yet)

Brave the Labyrinth

Dungeon Crawl

Fight On!

Green Devil Face

Knockspell @lulu

Knockspell @ rpgnow

NOD

Old School Gazette

Oubilette Magazine - Labyrinth Lord

Scribe of Orcus - Labyrinth Lord

The Manor

Wizards Mutants Laser Pistols

other free downloads

Based on Gamebooks

Fighting Fantazine

Open D6 System

d6 Magazine

Star Frontiers

Star Frontiersman

Post-Apocalyptic

Apocalyptic Post - unofficial Gamma World -- this link acts weird sometimes, you might have to load it more than once to get the right site

Project: Stone Jambalaya (Gamma World 1e/2e)

Science Fantasy

Phasic - (Encounter Critical) - link to a personal archive

Stars Without Number

Infinite Stars - link to a personal archive

Traveller

Freelance Traveller

Signal-GK

Stellar Reaches

Third Imperium

4C System

Ashcan Edition

Miniatures & Wargaming

The Ancible

HS Codex (HeroScape -- new schoolish, but still cool)

Irregular Magazine

Sierra Foxtrot One Five - (15mm Sci-Fi)

Ye Olde School Publishers

I first started and posted this list back on March 8, 2011 and I first posted it here to my blog back on December 8, 2014. Today August 12, 2015 I completed a significant update and it is the most complete list of old school publishers of which I am aware. Please let me know 0f anyone that I may have missed and  I will be happy to add them (All languages welcome) and if you find that a link does not work please let me know. Thank you and I hope this proves useful.


0one Games

Adventures in Filbar

AntiPaladin Games

Autarch ACKS

Barrel Rider Games

Basic Fantasy Project

Bat in the Attic Games

Beyond Belief Games (BBG

Black Blade Publishing

Brave Halfling Publishing

BRW Games

Chaotic Henchmen Productions

Classic Marvel Forever

Classic Traveler - Far Future Enterprises

Corey Ryan Walden

Creation's Edge Games

D101 Games - Open Quest

Dark Fate Publishing

Dark Quest Games

Dave's Mapper

Den Meister Games

Die Cast Games

Dragoneer Publishing

Dragonsfoot - Publisher

Dreamscape Design

Dungeons Deep Designs

Dungeonslayers

Dylan Hartwell

Eldritch Ent Enterprises

Elf Lair Games

Encounter Critical

Encounter - (fan mag - 4 issues available)

Expeditious Retreat Press(Advanced Adventures )

Extra-Dimensional Publishing – (Adventures in Eastmark)

Fantasy Games Unlimited

Faster Monkey Games

Fat Dragon Games

Fifty Latches

Fight On!

First Edition Society

Flying Buffalo

Frightful Hobgoblin

Frog God Games

GM Games

GP Adventures

Genius Loci Games

Goblinoid Games

Gold Piece Publications

Goodman Games

Great Scott! Games

Hawk Wolf

Hazard Studio - aka Four Color (4C) System 

Hydra Cooperative

Infinibadger Press

Immersive Ink

IndieOnly Comics

Iron Tavern Press

James Mishler Games

Jim M. Stater's Land of Nod

Johnny Rook Games

Kabuki Kaiser

Knights & Knaves

Knightvision Games

Kort’thalis Publishing

Lamentations of the Flame Princess

Land of Nod

Lesser Gnome

Ludibrium Games

Magique Productions

Mazes & Minotaurs

Mischief, Inc.

Mob United Media

Mythmere Games

Necromancer Games

Necrotic Gnome Productions

Neoplastic Press

New Big Dragon Games Unlimited

New Realms Publishing

North Wind Adventures(AS&SH)

Pacesetter Games & Simulations

Pied Piper Publishing

Pin Hammer Publishing

Psychedelic Fantasies (Geoffrey McKinney

Random Order Creations

Ravenlore Press

Red Moon Medicine Show

Rogue Games

Running Beagle Games

Sacrosanct Games

Sharp Mountain Games

Sine Nomine Publishing

Small Niche Games

Spies Magna Games

Star Frontiersman Magazine

Sundered Blade
Taskboy Games
 
Tempora Mutantur

Three Sages Games

The Scribes of SparnThe World of Thorkhammer

Three-Headed Monster Games

Tunnels & Trolls - Free Abridged 5th Edition Rulebook

Troll Lord Games

UNIgames

Usherwood Publishing

Vigilance Press

Wizards of the Coast - Original Dungeons & Dragons RPG

Ye Olde Gaming Companye

ZeFRS

Zodiac Gods Publishing

Ye Olde School (Dungeons & Dragons) List of Retro Games & Clones, Retro Clones, and What Have You! 001

Ye Olde School List of Retro Games & Clones, Retro Clones, and What Have You

Please note that this is my list of games and links that I have been compiling for quite some time. Some of the links might be bad and if you have a working link please send it to me and I will update this post.

Ye Olde School List of Retro Games; Clones, Retro Clones, Emulations and What Have You

Please note the First Fantasy Campaign written by Dave Arneson and first published in 1977 (1971-1977 content) was its own game & campaign and the contents predate OD&D. In addition, Adventures in Fantasy written by Dave Arneson and Richard Snider and published in 1978 is not derived from OD&D or later D&D, it is a continuation of the First Fantasy Campaign. Neither of these games is currently in print (hard copy or pdf)


Predating 0E - Chainmail based games

27th Edition Platemail

0E – Original Dungeons & Dragons Based Games

Ancient Mysteries & Lost Treasures based on Swords & Wizardy
Arrows of Indra
Backswords & Bucklers based on Swords & Wizardy
Bandits & Basilisks
The Big Brown Book
Blood & Bullets based on Swords & Wizardy
Cal Tech Warlock D&D variant 1975 version in The Spartan Simulation Gaming Journal #9 in August 1975. Source NEEDED
Champions of Zed
The Complete Warlock Published 1978 The Balboa version Source NEEDED
The Complete WarlockPublished 2000 To get it see yahoo group Warlock - A variant of Dungeons and Dragons Mod approval needed!
Crimson Blades
Delving Deeper Free PDFs
Delving Deeper BHP Boxed Set
Épées & Sorcellerie, english translation - print, at cost
Épées & Sorcellerie, english translation - free pdf
Full Metal Plate Mail based on OD&D as interpreted through 3E/3.5E
The Grey Book based on OD&D plus some of the supplements and some AD&D
Grey Matter based on OD&D
Grey Six based on OD&D plus later D&D/AD&D adds
Guardians SuperHero alternate version of OD&D
Humanspace Empires based on OD&D & Empire of the Petal Throne
Iron Falcon Rules for Classic Fantasy Role-Playing based on OD&D and the Greyhawk Supplement
Labyrinth Lord – Original Edition Characters
Lamentations of the Flame Princess
primordial_odd based on OD&D
Searchers of the Unknown *See below for related games*
SEVEN VOYAGES of ZYLARTHEN
Shinobi & Samurai
Swords & Six-Siders
Swords & Wizardry - Core Rules
Swords & Wizardy - Complete
Swords & Wizardry - White Box
Torch & Sword
Treasure Hunters RPG
Warriors of the Red Planet
Wyrms & Warrens - based on Swords & Wizardy
Whitehack
X-plorers (Lighter Free Version]
X-Plorers (More Complete Version on RPGNOW)

0E - Searchers of the Unknown based games NOTE: Searchers of the Unknown is based on OD&D (*related games from above note*)

Searchers of the Unknown RPG Collection 2012 Ed This link is for all of the below listed games in this section

Adventurers
Brickmasters of the Unknown
Cyborg Samurai Are Go!
Demihumans of the Unknown
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Dwarven Glory
Dwarven Glory: Runecasting
Searchers in Spaaaace!!!
Funkin Fists of Fu
Hobbits of the Unknown
Jung Guns
Karry on Krawling
Monsters of the Unknown
Mutant Got Gunz
Mutant Scavengers of the Ruined Earth
Raiders of the Unknown
Sailing the Skies of Mars
Scavengers & Spacewrecks
Searchers of the Unknown D20 Style
Searchers of the Unknown Target 20
Song of the Symbi
SotU Refired
Spellcasters of the Unknown
Swashbucklers of Mars
Tempora Mutantur Core Rules
The Bastards
TM: Alternate Core Rules
TM: Humanoid Encounters
TM: Metal Gods
TM: Metal Gods Adventure
TM: Morlock Den Adventure
TM: Mutations
TM: Relics
TM: Sleepers
TM: Subterranean Exploration
TM: The Creep
TM: Wilderness Encounters
TM: Wilderness Exploration
Wheelspins in the Wasteland
Witches of Nkai


Post 0E - Holmes Basic Dungeons & Dragons based games

Holmes77 Source Needed
BLUEHOLME™ Prentice Rules
The Holmes Companion
Mazes & Perils
Warriors, Wizards & Wyrms


Post 0E - B/X, BECMI, RC Dungeons & Dragons based games

Adventures in the East Mark English Version now available
Adventurer Conqueror King
Arcana Rising
English version of Aventuras en la Marca del Este in the works
Basic Fantasy Roleplaying
The Blue Book of Dangers & Dweomers
B/X Companion
Companion Expansion
Dangers and Dweomers
Dark Dungeons
Darker Dungeons
Hulks & Horrors
Labyrinth Lord
Small But Vicious Dog
“THERE’S ALWAYS A CHANCE” aka “TAAC”
Treasure Hunters

1E - 1st Ed Advanced Dungeons & Dragons based games

Adventures in Fantasy Out of Print
Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea
Balrogs and Bagginsess
The Challenges Game System Out of print
Fantastic Heroes & Witchery
Labyrinth Lord – Advanced Companion Edition
Myth & Magic
OSRIC
Project 74
Scarlet Heroes


2E - 2nd Ed Advanced Dungeons & Dragons based games

Adventures Dark & Deep Based on comments & statements by Gygax
For Gold & Glory
Hackmaster



Other Games – Games that are based on more than one version Dungeons & Dragons and sometimes other non-D&D games. Games not directly derived from but may be inspired by a version of OD&D/CD&D/AD&D and strive to have an "Old School" feel. Games based on one or more versions of Dungeons & Dragons, but with non-D&D mechanics.

1 Pot RPG
13th Age
3D6 In Order
3rd Ed Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (not WotC

Adventure Fantasy Game
Adventurer
Ambition & Avarice: 1st Edition

Back to the Dungeon RPG
Barbarians of Lemuria
Barebones Fantasy
Beyond the Wall and other adventures
The Big Brown Book
Blood & Treasure
Blood, Guts & Glory – formerly Darkest Dungeons
BrickMasters of the Unknown
Broken Urthe
Burning THAC0

Crumbling Epoch
Crypts & Things

D100
D6 Adventure
D6 Fantasy
Dagger for Kids
Dragons at Dawn [Not currently available]an attempt to recreate the rules of the original Blackmoor campaign 1971+(Pre-OD&D)
Dark Passages based on OD&D and 1st Ed AD&D with d20 twist (need current link)
Dark Passages Complete based on OD&D and 1st Ed AD&D with d20 twist (need current link)
Dark Sun OSR Hack
Dreams of Mythic Fantasy
Drowning & Falling
Dungeon Crawl Classics/Goodman Games Ranges from OD&D based to 5E based and other games
Dungeon Delvers
Dungeon Slayers
Dungeon Squad
Dungeon World

Elegia aka *Retro Phaze Fantasy RPG based on the tropes and mechanics of eight-bit console RPGs.
Encounter Critical
Engines & Empires
Errant RPG Not Currently Available

Fenris 2d6
Fictive Hack
Fire & Sword
Five Ancient Kingdoms
Flying Swordsmen
Forward … To Adventure!

Gods & Monsters
Go Fer Yer Gun! Not Currently Available

Hackmaster Basic
Heroes Against Darkness
Heroes & Other Worlds
Holmes GM Screen
Hideouts & Hoodlums

Into the Odd

Jeff Brain Art

Legends of the Ancient World
Legends of the Untamed West
Legends of Time & Space
Liber Zero
Long Live the Fighting Men and Magic-Users!!! Not currently Available


Mazes & Minotaurs1972 Original Rules
Mazes & Minotaurs1987 Revised Rules

Medieval Mysteries d20 3.5E Beyond Belief Games versions Not Currently Available (unrelated to the Heyoka product)
Medieval Mysteries, Sleuthing in the Middle Ages Heyoka Studios version (1PG see Deep 7 Press)(unrelated to the Beyond Belief Product)
(Microlite 74 family of games)Tarnhelm's Terrible Tome House Rules from the 1970's rendered d20 based
Microlite74 Basic emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Standard emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Extended formerly called Microlite75 emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Companion I: Optional Rules emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Companion II: Treasure emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Companion III: More Optional Rules emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Companion IV: Bestiary of Monsters emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Companion V: First Edition Spells emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Version 2.0 Ancient Auguries emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Version 2.0 Wary's Grimoire emulate the feel & style of OD&D (d20 based)
Microlite74 Light vs Dark (formerly titled Microlite74 Special Version I) emulate the feel & style of OD&D with only two gods (d20 based)
Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery emulate the feel & style of OD&D for Sword & Sorcery (d20 based)
Microlite75 Basic emulate the feel & style of OD&D with conversion to D20-based system
Microlite75 Standard emulate the feel & style of OD&D with conversion to D20-based system
Microlite75 Extended emulate the feel & style of OD&D with conversion to D20-based system
Microlite81 emulate the feel & style of B/X D&D with conversion to a D20-based system
Microlite81 Complete based on the attempt to emulate the feel and style of Old School OD&D (more detailed than Microlite81)
Microlite81 Extended emulate the feel & style of B/X D&D with conversion to a D20-based system
Microlite81 Advanced emulate the feel & style of a mashup of B/X D&D & 1st Ed AD&D with conversion to a D20-based system
Microlite78 First Edition Lite emulate the feel & style of 1st Ed AD&D with conversion to a D20-based system
RetroRoleplaying Cancer Fund (Special Microlite Downloads) Microlite/RetroRoleplay has additional password protected game items & Fanzine available with a Cancer Fund donation (any amount -- small or large) (IMO well worth it)
Mini Six
Monsters & Magic
Mutants & Machine Guns
My D20 Lite

Necropalyx

Old Edition Delta
Old School Hack
Old School Hats
Omega World
Other Dust
Owl Hoot Trail

Pars Fortuna
Peril aka Pocket Full of Peril
Pits & Perils
Perilous Journeys
Peryton


Radiance
Rædwald
Red Box Fantasy
Red Box Hack
Renegade based on OD&D & other versions of D&D/AD&D
Retro Phaze aka *Elegia Fantasy RPG based on the tropes and mechanics of eight-bit console RPGs.
Ruins & Riches
Ruins & Ronin
Rune Quest 2 fans - the D100II SRD
Runeslayers

Sabres and Witchery
Searchers of the Unknown
SERPENT (Serpent RPG Mod - standalone version of rules)
Shadow Sword & Spell
Siege Perilous
Sorcery & Super Science
Spears of the Dawn
Spellcraft & Swordplay
Stone & Wood
Swords of Abandon
Sword & Board
Sword & Shield




Target20
The Fantasy Quest
The Secret Fire
Tombs & Terrors
Torchbearer
Treasure Awaits!
Tunnel Quest

Under the Moons of Zoon

Vikings & Valkyries

Warrior, Rouge & Mage
Wayfarers
WOODLAND WARRIORS RPG

ZeFRS

3E&3.5E - 3rd Ed Dungeons & Dragons (formerly known as 3rd Ed Advanced Dungeons & Dragons until WotC changed the name) and 3.5 Ed of Dungeons & Dragons based games

Amazing Adventures
Castles & Crusades
Fantasy Craft
Legends and Labyrinths
Mages & Monsters
MyD20 Lite
New Feierland
Pathfinder
Trailblazer

4E - 4th Ed Dungeons & Dragons based games

Four Sons of the Rising Dawn (4SRD
4th Trifold Basic Rules
D&D 4.5
Fourth Edition Reborn
Magic Sword FourthEdition Reborn
Open 4E
The Sacred BBQ

5E - 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons based games

No games based on 5E have yet been brought to my attention

Sci-Fi/Sci-Fantasy:

D6 Space
Encounter Critical
Humanspace Empires
Legends of Time & Space
Machinations of the Space Princess
Micro Mech Warrior
Mutan tFuture
Rayguns, Rocketships & Robots
Red Planet
Stars without Number
Space Madness
Starships & Spacemen
Star Wars Galactic Adventures
Sorcery & Super Science!
Stars Without Number
Tales of the Space Princess
Space Rift
Tempora Mutantur
Terminal Space
X-Plorers
X-plorers (Lighter Free Version]
X-Plorers (More Complete Version on RPGNOW)

Supers:

4CSystem
Hideouts&Hoodlums
Mystery Men
SUPERS! Comic Book Role Playing Game

Westerns:

Legends of the Untamed West
Owl Hoot Trail
Shotguns & Saddles Old School, Old West RPG
Wierd West RPG

Generic:

GORE

Brazilian Portuguese:

Old Dragon

Hebrew:

Tempora Mutantur

Hungarian:

Helvéczia
Kard és Mágia
Kazamaták és Kompániák

French:

Donjon de Poche
Dungeon SlayersFrench version Epées & Sorcellerie

Aventures fantastiques (mix between B/X and AD&D clone), free pdf, in french.

Aventures fantastiques - Players guide
Aventures fantastiques - Monsters and treasures

Frightful Hobgoblin Blog - Epées & Sorcellerie and other games
Épées & Sorcellerie 2nd edition and other games.
Oltréé

Spanish:

Aventuras en la Marca del Este
Adventures in the East Mark Spanish & English

Swedish:

Fantasy! - Old School Gaming
Parallel Worlds
Saga

Retroclone websites

Beyond Heroes
Donjon
FATEsy Heartbreaker

Link to a list of gaming stuff at Lulu from a blog post:

Gaming Books on Lulu by the blog owner

Most recent update mid August 2016 and is ongoing.

OD&D and the PC Death Rules

What are the death rules in your campaign? Are you happy with way you run it? And are your players happy with the way you run it? Are you more lenient that you would otherwise be to make everyone happy?

Bitd we played it that at 0 HPs you were dead as dead could be, end of the story until you got a cleric to a high enough level to change the playing field. Now, as I mentioned elsewhere, we currently play it as follows: when a PC gets to 0 HPs (actually 0 to -10HP) we rule that you are unconscious and bleeding, the Ref rolls a d12 and whatever the result is the other PCs have that many melee rounds to start administering at least first aid or the PC is dead. However, if the roll on the d12 is a 1, then the PC is dead because there is not enough time (6 sec melee rounds) to start first aid.

My preference would be to run it the same as we did bitd, but I don’t have strong feelings about it, since one: it makes all the players happy and two: they gain no advantage since they take more risks and as a result die just as much and as often as if we did it the old way.

How do you run it in your campaign?

Tim Kask wrote:

In the true sense of the original game, 0 HP meant you had failed to avoid a mortal blow. You were dead. How long you had before the stiff got ripe was up to each DM and the ambient temperature of the adventure.

This is how we played it bitd and not one player ever questioned or complained about it back then. Currently I implemented my house rule as detailed above simply because it does not really help them at all, but it gives them the illusion that they have been helped and it completely eliminates questions or complaints, but I would prefer the original way. At least it does not really make them die less often, because players always use every bit of rope that you give them. I implemented this house rule because not everyone comes from an old school background and even those that do have largely been corrupted (no offense intended) on this issue over the years.

One Million Room Mega-Dungeon – 004

I like multiple dimensions and alternate realities. The mega-dungeon beneath The Ruins of Murkhill has many portals. Portals come in different colors and types. The types are as follows: fixed portals which are always found in the same place, moving portals which are found in a specific area of the dungeon but vary in their location within that area, and random portals which can appear any place throughout the dungeons at any time. Every so often in addition to a wandering monster roll, there is a wandering portal roll. All of these portals show up in corridors or doorways. There are also portals that show up in certain types of rooms. If you enter any room that has more than six visible doors it is possible that some of the doors are portals to somewhere else. Rooms that rotate, spin or move in odd ways also may have portals involved.

The portals show up as a faint shimmer in the air and if players are running/fleeing something it is possible that they can pass through a portal before they realize that they are doing so, which is why I introduced them to portals that just appeared ahead of them so that they knew it could happen and is one of the risks of blindly fleeing in this dungeon. That faint shimmer in the air can be black, brown, red, orange, green, yellow, blue, purple, violet, gray, white, silver, and gold. The color tells you specially or generally where you might be transported modified by the type (fixed, moving or random. The only thing I will reveal about the portals right now is that it should be easily guessed that the black portals lead to certain death so you might lead or drive a monster(s) into it.

What the players have discovered so far is that:

Fixed portals of brown always transport you to the same location somewhere else on the level you are on. Fixed portals of yellow always transport you to the same location somewhere else on several levels deeper than the one you are on. Fixed portals of gray always transport you to the same location somewhere else many levels deeper that the level you are on.

Moving portals of blue always transport you to some other dimension, apparently an alternate version of the world you started on. Random portals of silver transport you to somewhere else on the same planet a very long way away.