Dragon Fist Reconsidered

Before I try to deconstruct Flying Swordsmen to point out what I think I did right, what I think I did wrong, and what I was sure was a good idea at the time but turned out to be not so good after all, I thought I'd go back and discuss the game I was cloning first.

Dragon Fist, if you don't know (and that's highly likely), was a free modification of 2E AD&D by Chris Pramas, who later founded Green Ronin and became one of the superstars of the d20 boom.  WotC didn't want to publish it as 3E was in the works, so they released it as a series of free downloads (one PDF per chapter, plus TOC, character sheet, an appendix and a single adventure module) through their web site.  This was back in late 1999 or early 2000.

The game comes in at around 128 pages not counting the adventure module.  Despite the length, the rules are VERY cut down from standard AD&D.  There's a lot of white space on each page, and a lot of description (or fluff, if you prefer that term).  And it's the fluff that really sold me on the game, although the novel mechanics also helped.

So what's Dragon Fist about?  It's a game of wuxia action, inspired by Hong Kong cinema.  It is class and level based, with Vancian magic, AC and HP, d20 to hit combat, all the basics of D&D.  But the theme is mystical ancient China, with martial artist heroes facing off against the soldiers, sorcerers, monsters and demons of the corrupted mad Emperor Jianmin. 

What I instantly liked about DF's mechanics was the Stunt Die system.  In order to get a bonus from an ability score, you had to choose which ability and roll a die to determine a random bonus.  You could only roll one of them each round in combat, so there were trade-offs between better hit/damage (Str), AC/ranged (Dex), temporary hit points and poison saves (Con), a floating bonus to use on any one roll (Int), initiative and magic saving throws (Wis), or reaction rolls and charm saving throws (Cha). 

Also, each class (the basic 4 from D&D) had two or three kits that not only allowed you to customize your character a bit, but also were loaded with setting information, as each one represented an organization within the campaign.

Then there were the Martial Arts Maneuvers.  These were special abilities (similar to feats in soon to be released 3E) that you could choose as you gained levels to further customize your character.  Each, of course, had a colorful name that you could shout out as you used it, just like in the movies!

Setting-wise, the world of Tianguo was only fleshed out at a skeletal level in the first chapter, but the game gave you an appropriate villain to fight (Emperor Jianmin), advice for structuring a campaign that would lead to a face-off with the emperor eventually, and just enough hints to make the game feel like it would be a blast to play through all 10 levels.  Well, actually only seven levels, since PCs started at level 3 in order not to suck at first.  It's hard to feel like a bad-ass martial arts hero with only one hit die, one special maneuver, and maybe one spell.

I liked the game a lot, although I only got to run it twice ever.  When 3E Oriental Adventures came out, I did some conversions of the Dragon Fist kits to 3E prestige classes and some monster conversions as well.  They were well received by the WotC forum community.  When BFRPG, OSRIC and Labyrinth Lord became big deals, that inspired me to work on giving this game its own retro-clone.

What did Dragon Fist do wrong?  Well, the lack of company support didn't help.  WotC released it for free, and did have posts on their main page advertising it.  But there was little support for a game based on the soon to be "obsolete" (from their perspective) 2E rules.  And when Pramas got the rights to the game back from WotC, he made a lot of promises to re-do the game and re-release it through Green Ronin, but that project died a sudden death.

Within the game itself, there are some clunky mechanics and some unnecessary hold-outs from AD&D (damage vs. man sized/large opponents, for example).  The game gives plenty of wuxia flavor, but for someone who hasn't watched a lot of HK cinema or without much background in Chinese history/culture, the game might not resonate enough for a GM to build up that suggested campaign against Emperor Jianmin. 

And the game is high on action, but has no built in mechanics or XP rewards for playing up the human drama side of wuxia.  Sure, you could easily build up a campaign arc around trying to find the enemy martial arts master who killed your teacher in a duel or dealing with a jilted lover turned vengeful or seeking to master the secret technique that only your evil older brother knows because he killed the master who taught him, but there's nothing in the game to suggest that you should (rather than just killing monsters or storming the garrison in the next city to get to the magistrate who can lead to the deputy minister who can lead to the minister who can lead to emperor Jianmin).

To sum up, Dragon Fist gives us a game with mostly familiar mechanics but a few novelties to fit the genre.  It gives us a suitable campaign and setting, but with limited replayability.  It gives all sorts of genre flavor (probably the strongest point of the game), but only really delivers a game that can play one style within that genre.

Existential Crisis!

Chanbara.  Its fate is now unknown.

Nah, don't worry, I'm not gonna stop working on it.  It's just that, after looking at the fairly simple yet evocative classes presented in Go Fer Yer Gun!, and the simple and elegant multiclass/dual class mechanic presented, I'm rethinking all the work I've done so far.

People tell me how awesome Flying Swordsmen is.  And I agree (but then, I would).  But aside from running a few sessions of it myself (being too damn busy to actually run a campaign), I don't know anyone who's tried to actually play it.  Now, whether people actually do play it or not is actually inconsequential.  I wrote the game and released the game because I loved Dragon Fist and didn't want to see it disappear. 

I do often wonder, though, what exactly is it about Flying Swordsmen that people love?  Is it the fact that I, like Chris Pramas before me, managed to get the feel of Wuxia cinema matched to D&D game play?  Is it the innovation in the mechanics necessary to do that?  Or is it just the general feel and tone of the work? 

I know Flying Swordsmen is not the sort of game where you can just roll up a replacement PC in five minutes and get back in the game after a PC death (one of the reasons, along with it fitting the tropes of many martial arts movies, that death doesn't occur at 0hp in FS).  There are fiddly bits.  Feats.  A smaller list than d20, but characters tend to get more of them.  Is this customizability what prevents people from actually playing the game?  Or is it just the fact that most people prefer "vanilla" fantasy PC options even if most games seem to have moved away from "vanilla" fantasy worlds?

Urg, this is getting longer than I thought it would be.  But I guess it's helping me sort out my own feelings.  So here's what I'm thinking about Chanbara.

A#1: scrap the Maneuvers/Tricks/Spells system (which works like Martial Arts Maneuvers in Flying Swordsmen).  Each class will just have a set of special abilities that fit the class, similar to normal D&D/AD&D.  Alternate abilities might be offered by membership in certain organizations as an optional rule.

B#2: keep the Skill Dice system (works like FS's Stunt Dice) and use that as the catch-all for crazy stunts and awesome moves in and out of combat.

C#3: separate race from class (right now the Yokai are BX/BECMI style race-as-class), and use a multi-class/dual class system like in GFYG! to create a few of the archetypes of the genre, resulting in fewer classes overall.

D#4: do the same things in an overhaul of Flying Swordsmen.

These are just thoughts at the moment.  Chanbara is complete enough to run a few playtests.  I really just need to finish working up the campaign section.  I'll try to get a few games in as it stands at the moment, then make a final decision about keeping it as it is now or converting to a simpler version that will mesh better with other D&D clones.

If I do keep it as is, I might release a small supplement of "preset" classes for use with Labyrinth Lord or Swords & Wizardry.

Eureka!

I think I've finally got the nuts and bolts rules section of Flying Swordsmen RPG finished, as of sometime during my break at work yesterday.  Tuesday at work (Monday's Korea's version of Memorial Day) I'll print up all 75 or so pages of rules so I can really scan them well for editing purposes.

Once I clean them up a bit, I've got to get to work on the campaign setting, and including lots of examples in the rules that show off that campaign world.  I'm gonna try to keep the world descriptions/history brief, and focus on organizations that can be used to flesh out the setting, similar to Gamma World's Cryptic Alliances or the Martial Arts secret societies of Dragon Fist.  I think that will be much more useful for gamers than boring stats of the populations and major products of a dozen cities. 

Once I get that done, I'll try to work up an introductory adventure and solicit some art donations.  So don't expect to see Flying Swordsmen any time in the immediate future, but it is coming along.

Of Monks and Martial Arts

Talysman has been talking about the Monk class this week.  His most recent post gives four options for the "classic 4" to gain some monk-like powers if they accept certain vows restricting their behavior.  I like what he (and Stuart over at Strange Magic too) is doing with this.

I remember the first time I read the Monk class description in the AD&D PHB.  In my mind, it was a Franciscan Friar turned adventurer (I'd been exposed to a bit of martial arts movies on my grandma's cable TV on Sunday afternoons, but not enough to really get it...I was too young to have watched Kung Fu on TV).

Once I finally had an idea of what the Monk was supposed to be, I really liked it, even if it didn't fit well with the standard Tolkien/Howard/Leiber/Anderson European medieval fantasy that is vanilla D&D.  There's always been a little part of me that rejects the monk (and samurai, ninja, xia, and the like) in my medieval fantasy.  There's also another part that says why not?

It's not like there aren't plenty of other non-European stuff in D&D, especially with regards to monsters.

The bigger problem than thematics, however, are the mechanics of the Monk as presented (including the Mystic in BECMI/RC).  They start out extremely weak, then become pretty darn potent because of mystical powers, extra attacks, and speed bonuses.

That's one reason I'm working on Flying Swordsmen.  The base game of my clone, Dragon Fist, takes D&D and makes everyone into a martial artist.  Because it's built on a D&D base, it could play with other D&D games.  Yes, a Flying Swordsman character is more powerful than a similar level standard D&D character (lots of cool martial arts powers, greater hit points), but they've got a few drawbacks as well (the stunt system, which relegates them to only one 'ability score bonus' at a time, lower AC because of armor restrictions, a hard level cap of 10 for all classes, and no increase in Thac0).  Generally, I think they could work in a D&D/AD&D game.  It might not be totally balanced, but it sure could be fun!

I'm slowly getting around to working on FS again (thanks in a large part to Talysman).  Did a bit of editing last week, and a bit of prep for working up the campaign setting.  And I'll likely start posting some bits and pieces of it here on the blog.  I plan on watching a few wuxia flicks, I've been reading up on things on Wuxiapedia and other places on the web, and my grad school courses finish next week so I'll have more time to work on this stuff.

Oriental Accents: Pi Hsi (Turtle-Dragon)

As I mentioned the other day, we found statues of this monster at a Buddhist convent last Sunday, and I have conveniently statted up the monster for my Flying Swordsmen RPG project.  Here it is:

Pi Hsi (Turtle-Dragon)

AC: 22

HD: 8

Move: 90 swim 180

Att: 2 claws, 1 bite (+3)

Dmg: 1d8/1d8/2d8

NA: 1d6

Save: F8

Mle: 9

Int: 14

Stunts: M 1d12, F 1d8

Pi Hsi are large (15' long) dragon-like creatures with turtle shells over their bodies, and dragon heads, feet, and tails. They live in rivers and lakes, which they protect. The take orders from Shui Long (Water Dragons), and sometimes serve as guardians to them. In addition, Pi Hsi are scholars, and collect ancient chronicles, poetry, or volumes of lore in their lairs. They have no special supernatural powers, but are known for their great strength.

For simple conversion to D&D, just ignore the Stunts line.  In Dragon Fist/Flying Swordmen, you don't get automatic stat bonuses for high ability scores.  Instead, you get a stunt die, and have to select which one you will use each round.  The Pi Hsi above has an extra d12 that it can use as a Strength bonus, or a d8 Constitution bonus.  In other words, each round it can choose to get either a +d12 to hit and damage rolls, or d8 temporary hit points.

So to do a more complicated conversion that fits its actual abilities in DF/FS, I'd suggest adding a few hit dice and doubling its claw and bite damage.  

Greg Christopher mentioned training my son to ride turtles.  I was thinking more along the lines of dragon riding.  You never know when you might run into one of these:

Magic Items in Flying Sworsmen RPG

So I've had Flying Swordsmen RPG on the mind again lately.  Something in my subconscious is dreading going through my screenplay to tighten up the descriptions and dialogue one more time, I think.  I'm looking for other things to keep my mind occupied.

Anyway, what I considered is that magic basically breaks down into two main groups in a D&D type game: consumables and permanents.  D&D divides things by function and form more than by use, but since I won't be including massive random tables or long lists of items, I'll focus more on the big division.

Consumables will be broken into two sub-groups.  True consumables (things that must be ingested to activate) will include the standard potions/elixirs, but also magical fruits (lots of these in Chinese mythology), wines, and powders and pills based on traditional Oriental medicine.

Second are use activated one-shot items, often in some written form.  Scrolls, sutras, clay tablets, joss sticks, incense, drawings/paintings, oils.  When used, they become non-magical or disappear.

The permanent group again gets two sub-groups.  Weapons/Armor will be pretty much what we know and love from D&D.  Basic magic arms get a +# to hit/damage or AC (up to +3).  Some special ones get extra abilities x times per day.  No intelligent weapons.  This part would have the only random chart in the section, so a GM could randomly roll how powerful one of these items is on a d12:
1-4: +1
5-7: +1, ability
8-10: +2
11: +2, ability
12: +3

And then there's everything else.  These could be magical jewelry/gems, household/craftsman/student/artist tools, music instruments, clothing, containers, furniture, animal parts, game pieces, vehicles, flags/banners, etc.  These items may work all the time, once per Turn (encounter powers to use the new-fangled term), or x times per day, but they're never exhausted.

What's been left out?  Well, I'm basically not including wands/staves/rods as they primarily exist in D&D.  If a GM were to create them, they'd follow the 'miscellaneous' magic item group's rules, and instead of having expendable charges, would be x per day or once per Turn items. 

I'll follow the original Dragon Fist's lead in just giving an overview of the types listed above, some examples and suggestions for creating new ones, and done.

Flying Swordsmen RPG players section nearly complete

I finished up the magic chapter, which means Character Creation, Martial Arts & Combat, and Magic are done. The only thing I'd add to the player section would be a page or two of the general "what is roleplaying, how do you use those funny dice, etc." stuff. Oh, and some sample characters and art, but that's a project for after the main text is done.

I'm working now on a 'how to create an adventure' section with general advice for the Game Master, as well as some nuts and bolts rules for planning and running the game. The original Dragon Fist is pretty sparse on this. I think it's time to pull out the Moldvay/Cook and Mentzer books to read through for a little refresher on what I may need to add.

After that will be a Monsters and NPCs chapter, then Magic Items. Finally will be a section with some genre conventions, sample campaigns, and recommended reading/viewing for wuxia.

Sounds simple when I write it up like that, but I'm sure it's gonna take me a while.

My wife did have the good idea the other day about checking out local college art students to see if we can get some free pictures for the game. Might be worth a shot.

Flying Swordsmen RPG July Update

It's going slow, but I'm making my way through the spells right now. I'm wondering how close I can get on some of the spell names. Obviously the most evocative and setting related spell names need to be changed, but something simple like "Ice Blast" could surely stay as is without causing copyright issues, shouldn't it?

As with the martial arts maneuvers, I'm again torn between having to come up with evocative new names, or just use boring technical names with the advice that players and DMs should come up with their own color. So far I've changed a few names, but if I start adding in new evocative names for the spells Pramas created (or renamed from the D&D base), the more I want all the spells to have evocative names.

Well, it's only the first draft. And I've got no deadlines for when I need to get it done. Maybe I need to give myself a deadline that I can fail to meet to get me more motivated...

Alignment in Flying Swordsmen RPG

I'd been thinking about dropping alignment in my kung fu RPG. It's in Dragon Fist because it was in AD&D, but I don't think it's necessary, and could even hinder the setting/style of wuxia.

Al's post on alignment at Beyond the Black Gate got me thinking about this.

Wuxia is about people who basically hold the same beliefs as the rest of the people in their nation (truth, respect, honor, virtue, etc.) but add individuality to the mix, while the population as a whole believes in conformity.

Using the AD&D double-axis, nine point alignment scheme seems counterintuitive. Even a simple system like D&D's Law-Neutrality-Chaos feels wrong (and a modified individual/group axis seems pointless). Basically, xia are supposed to be the good guys, but they don't need to act like typical good guys. They're outside of society, but fight for it. So basically, anyone who knows the xia mindset would end up CG (as I've seen so many AD&D characters end up anyway).

So I'm gonna ditch alignment. I'll definitely have a section in the book--the introductory chapter--where I'll discuss the themes and tropes of wuxia, and how I think they can be emulated in an RPG. But no pidgeon-holing people into alignments (even if the alignment system is meant to only be a guide to roleplaying) that might stiffle creative play.

As with S&S, wuxia benefits from having complex characters who are defined by their individual codes of conduct/honor/morality than being fit into some cookie-cutter game system.

My Kung Fu is Stronger

Finished up the rewrites of the level 4 and 5 maneuvers last night. Here they are:

LEVEL 4 MANEUVERS
Blade Tempest [Whirlwind Attack]: Instead of normal attacks, make one melee attack against each opponent within range, up to the attacking character's level in targets.
Demon's Reflexes [Initiative Boost]: Add +2 to the speed of all actions performed.
Fists of Heaven [Improve Damage 3]: Increase unarmed damage to 1d10.
Immortal's Feet [Light Step]: The character may walk on water, bamboo branches, etc. without touching the ground or leaving footprints.
Moving Wave Fist [Chi Blast]: Make ranged chi attacks, damage 1d12, range 60', speed 4.
Touch of the Yellow Springs [Debilitate]: An opponent hit must save vs. poison (with a -2 penalty) or lose 1 point of Constitution immediately, and each day thereafter (a save is allowed, at -2, each day). This continues until the character dies or receives a Cure Disease spell. Using this maneuver counts as an average speed (4) major action, not as an attack. No other attacks may be made in the same round.

LEVEL 5 MANEUVERS
Chi Leech [Absorb Life]: Heal an amount of hit points equal to that just inflicted by one attack each day.
White Tiger Smash [Triple Damage]: Attack at -6, and if successful roll triple the normal damage dice (before modifiers).
Green Dragon's Touch [Cure Disease]: Cure any one disease magically, once per week.
Yellow Unicorn Strike [Greater Immobilize]: Attack at -4, and the target hit must save vs. paralyzation or be immobilized for 1d4+1 rounds. Immobilized characters cannot perform any actions and are automatically hit.
Red Phoenix Stance [Final Stance]: AC increases to 18, +1 for each lesser stance known.
Way of the Black Tortoise [Damage Immunity]: Take no damage from the selected type of weapon: blunt, missile, piercing, slashing. Magical weapons always do normal damage.
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There's one new maneuver that wasn't in Dragon Fist, Demon Reflexes, that adds +2 to initiative. I figured it seemed like an appropriate power for a martial arts game, and also means there are equal numbers of level 4 and level 5 maneuvers, rather than more of the higher level.

Your Kung Fu is Strong

Just finished the first draft of the first three levels of martial arts maneuvers for Flying Swordsmen RPG (for those not in the know, Dragon Fist, which I'm sim-cloning, has a chart similar to spell acquisition charts for all characters to learn these maneuvers as they advance in level):

LEVEL 1 MANEUVERS

Fists of Steel [Improved Damage 1]: Increase unarmed damage to 1d6.

Hornet's Sting [Stun]: Attack at -2, and the target hit must save vs. paralyzation or be stunned for 1 round. Stunned characters cannot perform a stunt and suffer -4 to AC.

Little Whirlwind [Increase Speed]: When making Acrobatics stunts, increase speed by 10x the stunt die result in feet for that round.

Monkey's Dance [Withdraw]: Do not draw attacks when leaving melee at full speed if an Acrobatics stunt is made for the round.

Snatch the Pebble [Improved Called Shot]: -2 penalty to called shots, instead of the normal -4 penalty.

Spider Scuttle [Prone Fighting]: Suffer no penalties when in a prone position.

Swaying Grass Stance [First Stance]: AC increases to 12.

Tiger Vault [Leaping]: Jump 20' plus 1' per level, even from a dead stop.

Tumbling Leaves [Lessen Fall]: Ignore falls of 20 feet or less, half damage from greater falls.

Waves on the Beach [Instant Stand]: Stand from a prone position without losing actions for the round.

LEVEL 2 MANEUVERS

Cleanse the Chi [Healing]: Once per day, the character may regain 2 hit points per level.

Dragon and Tiger [Extra Attack]: The character may make one extra attack with an off hand weapon or martial arts each round with no penalties to hit.

Felling Trees [Trip/Throw]: A successful attack at -2 to hit knocks the opponent prone. Prone targets suffer -4 to AC and must spend one round to get up.

Fists of Jade [Improved Damage 2]: Increase unarmed damage to 1d8.

Grab the Serpent's Tail [Disarm]: A successful attack at -2 to hit disarms the opponent. A second attack roll allows the attacker to decide where the weapon goes, otherwise it flies 2d6 feet in a random direction.

Immortal's Sight [Perception]: Detect opponents on all sides equally, unless hidden or invisible.

Secret of the Trigram [Fast Spellcasting]: When casting spells, increase initiative by +1. Only Shamans and Wizards may learn this maneuver.

Stone Ox Charge [Breakthrough]: When making Fortitude stunts, wooden walls and similar obstructions do not hinder movement or cause damage when breaking through them.

Way of Water Stance [Second Stance]: AC increases to 14, +1 if Swaying Grass Stance is also known.

LEVEL 3 MANEUVERS

Cloud Somersault [Flight]: Fly 60'+10'/level. Must land at the end of each round or fall.

Iron Skin [Damage Reduction]: Take half damage from the selected type of weapon: blunt, missile, piercing, slashing. Magical weapons always do full damage.

Phoenix Strike [Double Damage]: Attack at -4, and if successful roll double the normal damage dice (before modifiers).

Secret of the Zodiac [Resist Magic]: +2 bonus to saving throws against magical spells and effects.

Shooting Star Strike [Lesser Immobilize]: Attack at -4, and the target hit must save vs. paralyzation or be immobilized for 1 round. Immobilized characters cannot perform any actions and are automatically hit.

Twin Viper Strike [Double Attack]: When making Acrobatics stunts, on a successful attack, a second opponent adjacent to the target struck with equal or lower AC also takes damage.

Twisting Bamboo Stance [Third Stance]: AC increases to 16, +1 for each lesser stance known.

____________________________________________________________

None of this is OGC yet. It's still in draft phase. But then I don't care if anyone wants to borrow it for their home game.

Wuxia Flying Swordsmen

Flying Swordsmen, my retro-clone of Dragon Fist, is coming along. The Characters chapter is almost finished, just need to write up the weapon descriptions and equipment list. The original game has very little equipment, and really very little should be needed, as dungeon crawls aren't really a big part of wuxia literature or film. But I'm gonna add to what's there anyway just in case.

The problem I know I'm going to have would be getting the guys to play some of the original Dragon Fist so I can see where kinks are that I need to work out. I'd suggested it a long while back, and had a little interest, but not much. Playtesting may not happen... That's probably not good.

Another take on Gamer ADD (and my 100th post)

Reading about Gamer ADD makes me rethink my own games for the past 15 years or so.

Of course I suffer from Gamer ADD. Back in the day, we had D&D and Star Frontiers, and we just played either when someone had a dungeon or adventure ready. We had two long campaigns that lasted from late elementary school into the early years of university summer vacations. 10 years for D&D, 8 for Star Frontiers. We'd try out the occasional other RPG, usually during the summers when we had lots and lots of free time. But the only ones we stuck with were the above.

Then, after I graduated, with the Evansville group and every group I've had since, the big problem with Gamer ADD was NOT that the DM wanted to switch systems or campaigns.

The problem has been (and still is) that EVERYONE WANTS TO BE THE DM.

Too many chiefs, not enough Indians. Especially in my current board game group, there are always one or two of us dissatisfied with whatever is being played, so the usual response seems to be to offer to DM a game the way you like it as a player (which of course then makes someone else want to DM their way).

On another note, I've got the Character Creation rules for the Flying Swordsmen (Dragon Fist retro-simu-something) RPG finished. Character creation basics, classes and kits are done. Next is the martial arts maneuvers and combat section.

And this is my 100th post. Huzzah!

Dead in the Water

Last night I attempted to rally the troops for our next scheduled game this Saturday.

Dave is busy with job hunting and can't make it. If he gets the job as a professor in Daegu tomorrow, he'll be leaving soon.

Lucy is now in Seoul doing an internship for the summer (will return in September).

Alex is available, but if it's just him and Josh he's not interested in playing (as he's stated before). At least Alex had some good constructive criticism for me on how to make the game go a bit smoother. It's refreshing after all the complaints lodged against Classic D&D by him.

Didn't even hear from Josh. He's usually the first to reply to any messages.

Anyway, we may be getting together with Steve for board games instead of RPGs on Saturday. I get the feeling we won't be returning to the Maritime Campaign ever.

Oh well, I may still finish writing up the skeleton notes for the maps I made and posting them as a sandbox module for Labyrinth Lord or something. We'll see.

In other news, I've started work on the Dragon Fist simulacrum game. I've got the character class descriptions/charts done. Kits (renamed Profiles) are next.

New Names for Dragon Fist

Just thinking of a few ideas for a Dragon Fist retro-clone.

Titles for the game itself--
Flying Swordsmen
Flying Swords & Ancient Magics

Renaming the Kits (to make them generic and avoid IP)
Fighter:
Martial Artist (Righteous Fists)
Swordmaster (Red Tigers)
Mystic Archer (Heavenly Gates)
Soldier (Imperial Guard NPC kit)

Thief:
Outlaw (Iron Monkeys)
Ghost Hunter (Ghost Eaters)

Shaman:
Ancestral Medium (White Lotus)
Demonist (Black Lotus)

Magic-User:
Taoist (Dragon's Breath)
Yang Magician (Great Immortals)
Yin Sorcerer (Eunuch Sorcerer NPC kit)

Unlike the original, I'd also likely include rules for playing a class without a kit.

A Dragon Fist retro clone

In my recent post about Dragon Fist, Matt of the Land of Nod blog thought my idea to create a DF retro clone was a good idea, and that I should contact Chris Pramas to see what he thought of the idea.

Now, that might be a good idea, but I get the feeling Chris wouldn't sign on to such a deal. The way he always talks about DF, it seems like it's a very personal game for him--it's his RPG baby. He's holding onto a new version until he can find a way to put it out that pays some bills.

More power to him. It's a fun game, and if he can rework it in a way that makes him happy and makes him some money, I'm all for it.

But in the meantime, it's been 4 years since Green Ronin shut down their DF forum and sacked their plans to revise and re-release the game. The original free pdf version has been unavailable for a few years more. I think whether Mr. Pramas signs off on such an idea or not, a retro clone is in order.

Here are my thoughts on how to do it:

Use either Labyrinth Lord or Swords and Wizardry as a base. DF was a 2E based game, but it got rid of a lot of the fiddly stuff from AD&D, so why not go with a simpler system than OSRIC?

Remove all the Tianguo world info (including the secret societies). Either replace it with an original idea, or just add a section with tips for creating a campaign.

Write up information for the kits (generically), the martial arts maneuvers, the spells and the monsters.

Work up a hybrid combat system that meshes LL/S&W style combat and the original DF system (streamlining initiative, which is a little wonky in DF would be the big thing, I think).

Rewrite the section on martial arts feats and contests.

Find or beg some art.

Done.

Dragon Fist

Anyone else remember Dragon Fist? Chris Pramas's 2E based martial arts RPG that Wizards put out as a free download just before 3E came out?

With my Oriental Accents articles seeming to be a hit (at least compared to my normal traffic), a sumo tournament going on, and the fact that the Maritime Campaign keeps getting put off, I decided to print myself up a new hard copy at work.

Finished the printing and comb bound it today. Maybe I'll actually get to play it again someday (ran a 2-session test run back in the early Oughts and had a blast).

Related to that, does anyone know of a good place to get cheap plastic kung fu/wuxia minis en masse like army men style? I've got a set of 54mm Boxer Rebellion figures and some samurai/ninja stuff, but nothing like what you see in the movies.

Anyone got a lead?

Post Script--since Pramas isn't doing anything with this, it might be a prime candidate for a free retro-clone. Again, if I ever get the time.