Low Fantasy Gaming is one of my favorites. Tales of Argosa going all roll under is awesome. Brings it very close to The Black Sword Hack which is our favorite so far. Our next campaign is going to be with Tales of Argosa.
I'm a big fan of Low Fantasy Gaming and like the direction Tales of Argosa went. Plus Steve Grodzicki (the designer) is genuinely a nice guy, and the community is very supportive.
@@RedMageGM Your reviews are right on, thanks for talking about these lesser known games, it helps small creators them being discovered by more people. I have bought a few adventures myself after hearing from them here. Keep up the good work, mate!
Here to say that I have used Tales of Argosa since its previous edition (called Low Fantasy Gaming). It is a great game. I think it got even better with some of the modifications introduced in this new book.
That's a great front cover on Tales of Argosa. Love it! Really nice art throughout too... The art in an RPG is such a big selling point for me. I'd rather have no art than bad art and I like art (if done by different artists) to also be thematically consistent. Art is definitely my gateway into an RPG and how well I engage with it.
I agree - art and the general aesthetic of a work are huge. If they aren't to my tastes, then it's often really hard to overcome, even if the product is otherwise good. Same with music in movies. :D
I got the Tales of Argosa, I think because of you and Bandit's Keep if memory serves. Haven't run it but I would love to play in it for sure. (Back here watching vids after RUclips decided to stop reminding me you had posted vids for some weird reason!)
I'm playing Mongoose Traveller 2nd Ed, which comes from the same general system DNA as Cepheus. It's a good system as far as I've gotten. Pretty adaptable.
For Tales of Argosa, instead of rolling under the Attribute's Score, I'm considering using the Modifiers for Ability Checks by making it D20 + Modifier + Skill vs DC 10, similar to Shadow of the Demon Lord. Here's some math: Odds of Success Odds w/ Adv Odds w/ Disadv GS TF 1d20 + 0 ≥ 10: 55% 79% 30% ≥17 ≤3 1d20 + 1 ≥ 10: 60% 84% 36% ≥16 ≤2 1d20 + 2 ≥ 10: 65% 87% 42% ≥16 ≤1 1d20 + 3 ≥ 10: 70% 91% 49% ≥15 ≤1 1d20 + 4 ≥ 10: 75% 93% 56% ≥15 ≤1 1d20 + 4 + 1(Skill) ≥ 10: 80% 96% 64% In this scenario I cap modifiers at 4 (+1 from Skill makes 5). I just subtracted the corresponding number from 21 to get the Roll-Above number. Originally I was going to keep the Score and Modifier separate, but when I noticed how close they were, I thought I could just remove Scores for simplicity. I then compared those numbers with the corresponding Great Success (GS) and Terribler Failure (TF) on the table and inverted those as well. This method maintains a chance of success similar to the original rules. In instances where something is derived from an Attribute Score, such as HP coming from Con Score + Class HP Bonus, I'll just use Con Score + 10 + Class HP Bonus. To generate Modifiers, instead of rolling 3d6 7 times, I'll just have them roll 3d8 and place +1 into each of the corresponding spots in order, which is the method used in Knave 2e. So if I roll a 1, 3, and 6, my +1s will go into the first Attribute (STR), the 3rd (CON), and the 6th (WIL). If they roll an 8, they can place it where they like. No rerolls, but they can swap two modifiers if they'd like. Luck is treated as usual only instead of starting with 10 and having a minimum of 5, you start with 5 and have a minimum of 0. You're rolling to beat DC15. This maintains the same odds of success as the original rules. Anyone who notices anything glaringly broken with this please let me know. I haven't made it through the entire pdf.
FYI: "The Sword of Cepheus" rule set (2d6, STR, DEX, END, INT, EDU, SOC, class-less, skill-based, career based character generation. mustering-out, et al) is cloned from Traveller (the original science-fiction RPG).
@@RedMageGM ty RM, feel free to have a boo at my walk through vids on my page, if its something you might like to view drop me an email and i will send you a copy. I may have sent one to ya way back but its fairly updated now to the point where i can take it for now anyways. cheers
I was interested in tales of argosa as sword & sorcery is my favorite genre (the tone, not necessarily low magic/low fantasy) but the whole "emergent play" and critical hit tables soured me on it since I think both of those are useless.
I hate d20. Way too many d20 games right now. Waaaaay too many. That’s why I’m going sword of Cepheus. But you are right: aesthetically SOC not there yet.
Low Fantasy Gaming is one of my favorites. Tales of Argosa going all roll under is awesome. Brings it very close to The Black Sword Hack which is our favorite so far. Our next campaign is going to be with Tales of Argosa.
Sounds great!
I'm a big fan of Low Fantasy Gaming and like the direction Tales of Argosa went. Plus Steve Grodzicki (the designer) is genuinely a nice guy, and the community is very supportive.
It seems like a great game!!
@@RedMageGM Your reviews are right on, thanks for talking about these lesser known games, it helps small creators them being discovered by more people. I have bought a few adventures myself after hearing from them here. Keep up the good work, mate!
It's been my pleasure!
What a wonderful video - appreciate the shout out RM!! :D
Absolutely - the book turned out so well!
Four days in a row?!? Thank you! Keep up the great work!
I know! I'm on a roll!
Sweet welcome back just saw you uplaoded several :-) sweet!! I myself am very very excited for Tales of Argosa backed it on KS.
Thank you!
Cepheus Engine is actually an OGL Traveller system so used in a lot of SF RPGs. Interesting to see it adapted to Swords & Sorcery!
Ha I thought it reminded me of that when I saw the "Muster Out" bit :)
Here to say that I have used Tales of Argosa since its previous edition (called Low Fantasy Gaming). It is a great game. I think it got even better with some of the modifications introduced in this new book.
That's a great front cover on Tales of Argosa. Love it! Really nice art throughout too... The art in an RPG is such a big selling point for me. I'd rather have no art than bad art and I like art (if done by different artists) to also be thematically consistent. Art is definitely my gateway into an RPG and how well I engage with it.
I agree - art and the general aesthetic of a work are huge. If they aren't to my tastes, then it's often really hard to overcome, even if the product is otherwise good. Same with music in movies. :D
@@RedMageGM And that Million Coloured Sun cover reminds me of Ralph Bakshi's Wizards a bit!
Oh totally. I've never watched that all the way through, but the art style is really reminiscent of that!
I love these reviews! Helps discover so many neat new materials. :)
Awesome! I'm glad they're helpful!
I got the Tales of Argosa, I think because of you and Bandit's Keep if memory serves. Haven't run it but I would love to play in it for sure.
(Back here watching vids after RUclips decided to stop reminding me you had posted vids for some weird reason!)
Glad RUclips decided to cooperate again! :)
I'm playing Mongoose Traveller 2nd Ed, which comes from the same general system DNA as Cepheus. It's a good system as far as I've gotten. Pretty adaptable.
Sweet video topic, I can't wait to watch all the way through.
Thanks man!
Was an LFG early-adopter and have really liked the direction Tales of Argosa went for a new edition
Discover the world of Cha'alt!
haha nice!
For Tales of Argosa, instead of rolling under the Attribute's Score, I'm considering using the Modifiers for Ability Checks by making it D20 + Modifier + Skill vs DC 10, similar to Shadow of the Demon Lord. Here's some math:
Odds of Success Odds w/ Adv Odds w/ Disadv GS TF
1d20 + 0 ≥ 10: 55% 79% 30% ≥17 ≤3
1d20 + 1 ≥ 10: 60% 84% 36% ≥16 ≤2
1d20 + 2 ≥ 10: 65% 87% 42% ≥16 ≤1
1d20 + 3 ≥ 10: 70% 91% 49% ≥15 ≤1
1d20 + 4 ≥ 10: 75% 93% 56% ≥15 ≤1
1d20 + 4 + 1(Skill) ≥ 10: 80% 96% 64%
In this scenario I cap modifiers at 4 (+1 from Skill makes 5). I just subtracted the corresponding number from 21 to get the Roll-Above number. Originally I was going to keep the Score and Modifier separate, but when I noticed how close they were, I thought I could just remove Scores for simplicity. I then compared those numbers with the corresponding Great Success (GS) and Terribler Failure (TF) on the table and inverted those as well. This method maintains a chance of success similar to the original rules.
In instances where something is derived from an Attribute Score, such as HP coming from Con Score + Class HP Bonus, I'll just use Con Score + 10 + Class HP Bonus.
To generate Modifiers, instead of rolling 3d6 7 times, I'll just have them roll 3d8 and place +1 into each of the corresponding spots in order, which is the method used in Knave 2e. So if I roll a 1, 3, and 6, my +1s will go into the first Attribute (STR), the 3rd (CON), and the 6th (WIL). If they roll an 8, they can place it where they like. No rerolls, but they can swap two modifiers if they'd like.
Luck is treated as usual only instead of starting with 10 and having a minimum of 5, you start with 5 and have a minimum of 0. You're rolling to beat DC15. This maintains the same odds of success as the original rules.
Anyone who notices anything glaringly broken with this please let me know. I haven't made it through the entire pdf.
It looks good to me! I don't see anything obvious!
I bet U'd love Dark Fantasy Basic.
FYI: "The Sword of Cepheus" rule set (2d6, STR, DEX, END, INT, EDU, SOC, class-less, skill-based, career based character generation. mustering-out, et al) is cloned from Traveller (the original science-fiction RPG).
That's right! I think I did see something about that in the introduction somewhere. I've never played Traveller, so it didn't stick with me. :)
I've had an eye on Traveller recently, and haven't played before either. Would find your initial feels really interesting if you dipped your toes.
I have the facsimile of the '81 edition...maybe I'll check it out!
Its the year of sword and sorcery.
What with a new Conan and The barbarians of Lemuria Kickstarter. Now these ahh such good news.
A year to be long remembered! :)
Try Kal-Arath
☮
Wish Million-Colored Sun was actually a James West joint and not just the cover
Yeah, that would be awesome!
very cool, hopefully one day my own will be refined enough to show ya, lol or not lol, but these are very inspiring works.
I'd love to check it out!
@@RedMageGM ty RM, feel free to have a boo at my walk through vids on my page, if its something you might like to view drop me an email and i will send you a copy. I may have sent one to ya way back but its fairly updated now to the point where i can take it for now anyways. cheers
I was interested in tales of argosa as sword & sorcery is my favorite genre (the tone, not necessarily low magic/low fantasy) but the whole "emergent play" and critical hit tables soured me on it since I think both of those are useless.
I've only ever played in one sword and sorcery campaign, but it was really great. I need to get back into the genre!
Great content, bad sound
Sorry mate
@@RedMageGM is all good I enjoyed it just hope you upgrade the mic!
I hate d20. Way too many d20 games right now. Waaaaay too many. That’s why I’m going sword of Cepheus. But you are right: aesthetically SOC not there yet.
There are a ton!