1d8 Knives and Daggers from my campaign

I also rather like magic knives and daggers as they can be used by many classes, used many ways and are a tiny bit less iconic than swords.

#1 Thunder: One of the twins. This is a +2 dagger that deafens its target for 1d4 rounds on a successful hit (save vs magic to negate) it can also find its twin (as per locate any object spell ) at will.

#2 Lightning: The other twin. It is also a +2 dagger with the same locate ability. It does exra electrical damage as per a shocking grasp. If both dagger are wielded the user may once per round cast a lighting bolt as per his level. This bolt also stuns (1d4 rounds ) deafens (1d4 rounds) and knocks targets down if they fail a second save (first for half damage, second to negate) The user takes 1d4 subdual damage if this ability is used

#3 Shard Dagger: A Shard Weapon that resembles as clear black glass knife

#4 White Knife: A +1 dagger that does subdual damage against Law normal damage against Neutral and double damage against Chaos.

#5 Earring Dagger: This +1 weapon can shrink down at will into an earing or charm, complete with clasp and when shrunk radiates no detectable magic.

#6 Hornet Knife: A +1 Dagger does 2d4 when thrown and returns automatically on a miss. It cannot be thrown stealthily as it makes a loud buzzing sound when thrown or returning.

#7 Black Knife: A +1 dagger that does s double damage against Law and normal damage against everyone else

#8 Dagger of Poison. This +1 dagger has a hollow reservoir that can hold one dose of poison or holy water. On a successful hit the user may apply this venom instantly with perfect safety to him or herself. After that the reserve will need to be reloaded.

And yes #8 is how we do daggers of venom

1d10 magic swords from my campaigns.

I like naming magic weapons and giving them a little background. It makes them a lot more interesting than "sword +1" and I think this makes for a more fun game. So without further adieu, a list of swords with random numbers for your convenience.


#1 Cleave Heart -- Broadsword +3

#2 Heart Harrow -- Cursed Arming Sword, a +3 weapons also but causes suicidal depression and rage in the bearer. It can dropped willingly if the bearer does not have significant personal grief. Otherwise you need a remove curse

#3 Flame Heart -- A great weapon.

#4 Fortunes Friend -- Luck Blade, finds treasure as defined by bearer at will.

#5 Stirge -- Vampiric Rapier +2 drains 2HP granting 1 to user per blow.

#6 Dead Cutter +1 Sword ignores all special defense of undead.

The next 4 are Shone made great weapons

#7 Tal Ayelo -- The Northwind Blade -- A Great Weapon aligned with treachery. Grants +1 per 4 levels to the user that may also be applied to tasks involving treachery. Wounds caused by this weapon and not healed by magic will ache with cold for the rest of the persons life.

#8 Fas Ayelo -- The Southwind Blade -- A Shone Made flame tongue sword aligned with honor. Any task of honor associated with this weapon gets a +1 per bonus per 4 of the users levels.

#9 Vas Ayelo -- The Westwind blade also known as the Death Dealer. This weapon gains +1 per 4 users levels, does double damage to living things. Persons slain by this weapon cannot be raised in the same body . Also the bodies of those slain cannot be animated.

#10 Hahl Ayelo -- The Eastwind blade also known as the the Sunrise Sword. Gives off soft light equal to daylight (including its effects on undead) in a 20' radius. Its grants +1 per 4 levels to any task involving saving lives and this bonus does apply to AC!. Used in combat otherwise its a +1 weapons.

Said Weapons Theme

I haven't done a music post in a while. Enjoy.

A Silly magic Item "Mercy's Sister"

A Magic Scythe I've never had time to use in game.

Mercy's Sister

This heavy black +1 weapon can be wielded as proficient by any bard . It gives off an invisible aura of mild despair that can be felt by all within 10 feet that has no game effect.
When wielded the user and his allies can also hear faint music. Carved on the side is an inscription "Hey Now, Hey Now Now Now" anyone finishing this phrase in song will active the scythes power and it will become a +3 acid scythe.

Price -- Mild Necromancy, Moderate Evocation CL12 34,500 (including Bardic Wielding)

Extra
For cruel DM fun, make your players actually RP the activation phrase. This will last till the party throws said item down the well or their books at you ;)

Gaming Hints: D&D does not have to be played serious

If you look at the silliness inherent in early D&D with its anagram names, stuff like Gutboy Barrelhouse, the humor in the AD&D DMG you can tell that D&D was not meant to always be played straight .

I'd be even money that in jokes and the ancestors of the Monty Python References (whatever was hilarious in 1974) probably flew across the table back in Lake Geneva just as they do ours.

In my experience my second best ever D&D campaign was one I have mentioned before (Midrea Unglued) a very extended one shot in 2e where the leads were Hans and Franz from S&L and the rest of the cast included a talking squirrel named Rambo, A Swedish Minder named Inga (who had a Shojo frying pan BTW A Satyr Bard and a Mute Coroner/Psion named Hayabusa. We played the rules mostly straight but laughed our butts off.

Why it was so much better than most is really simple, everyone got involved and everyone had fun.

Those two things are the real keys two a great game.

Let me repeat

Everyone gets involved and everyone has fun


If that works for you like it did for me than let me suggest that you lighten up and let the laughs fall where they may. Laughter after all may be the best medicine for your sick game.

D12 Thievery or We Are All Thieves

This system is rough right now and is based loosely on "The Lamentations of the Flame Princess" and several of the other articles including d6 and 2d6 thieving, Thieves and Rakes, and 1d6 thieving.

It was inspired by a blog post (now lost) suggesting that thief abilities be given to everyone.Its also lets me use the d12 a bit which I really like and works easily with existing abilities (double them)

1st things first,

The thief class advances as per your system of choices , saving throws, weapons and such remain the same though where the class hit die is a d4 it is raised to a d6

However the thief skills have changed. Instead these are called adventuring abilities. Anyone can use them and all of them start at an 11 or 12 on a D12.

These abilities are as follows (some taken from LOTFP)

Stealth
Climb
Search
Find Traps
Woodscraft
Languages
Sleight of Hand
Backstab
Tinker

Everyone gets 2 points at L1 and 1pt thereafter to add to one of these abilities. In addition Dex or Str mod applies when light or no armor is worn.

Thieves however as specialists get 4 at L1 and 2 points thereafter. At higher level additional abilities such as disarm magic locks and traps, wall running and others may be learned with DM permission.

Well that should cover it. What do y'all think?

3x3 Old School Background and Skills System the easy way

What I use is a 3x3 system , 3 sentences and 3 guidelines

Sentences

#1What is your background?

This needs to include where you how you grew and up and where.

For example, Roger the Dog Mage MU1

Raised a freeman , a kennel keepers brat at Castle Weland, in the Middle Kingdoms. This tells us he knows something of middle class life, castle life, dig training and may have friedns and foes at the castle

#2 Where you learned to be a PC.

Trained on the sly with Corian the local Hedge Wizard

#3 Why you are now adventuring?

Decided he wanted fortune , glory and excitement so he grabbed his stuff, bade his family farewell, took grip his warhound Grip and headed off for adventure.

Now to make this work you need 3 guidelines

#1 Whats said is said. If you make it up, its that way till its changed in play.However feel free to make stuff up as you play with DM approval as it makes great play hooks.

#2 The important stuff happens in play not in the backstory

#3 You are already a capable person out the door, tough as a man at arms and probably a journeyman in one or more skills. To make your skill roll, simply roll vs stat and be done with it. Thats all thats needed.

And viola, simple, flexible old school skills system.