Scrolls!

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Do you allow scroll creation as in Holmes Basic D&D?

Yes, scroll-a-palooza!
5
100%
No way - those low-level MUs are tough enough!
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Total votes: 5

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merias
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Scrolls!

Post by merias »

So I love the Holmes scroll creation rules (MUs of any level can create a scroll in one week + 100gp per level of spell), and I usually incorporate them into my games. But, they can be a bit over-powering past the first few games in a campaign. As MUs advance in level, they tend to accumulate armfuls of 'sleep' scrolls, necessitating drastic actions to maintain some semblance of challenge. My favorite is that a lot can happen to a dungeon in a week, as far as re-stocking some of the more nasty critters. What do others think of these scroll rules, and do you do anything to curb their over-creation?

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ClawCarver
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Re: Scrolls!

Post by ClawCarver »

I started off with Moldvay back in the day, so it's not a rule I encountered until I picked up a copy of Holmes a couple of years ago. I've never used it but I think I will give it a spin some time soon. There are usually only two or three PCs in the games I run, so I don't imagine it will make the party overly powerful.

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merias
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Re: Scrolls!

Post by merias »

My players love it (of course), that is with three regular players and party sizes from 4-6, including meatshields.

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ClawCarver
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Re: Scrolls!

Post by ClawCarver »

One limitation is that reading a spell from a scroll in combat is pretty blatant, perhaps even more so than "regular" spellcasting. If they gain the initiative, intelligent opponents are certainly going to target the reader, hoping to disrupt that spell. With two shots each per round, archers might be especially devastating.

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greyarea
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Re: Scrolls!

Post by greyarea »

I heartily approve you using the Holmes rules, Merias. That said, I would never use them in games I DM.

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merias
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Re: Scrolls!

Post by merias »

greyarea wrote:I heartily approve you using the Holmes rules, Merias. That said, I would never use them in games I DM.
I'm waiting for the armfulls of fireball scrolls :).

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