Running a "primitive" game setting

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kerc
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Running a "primitive" game setting

Post by kerc »

I've been thinking that it would be really cool to have a BF game run in a primitive setting (think stuff like Beastmaster, or Fire & Ice). No metal armor (or it has to be suuuuper rare), no fancy weapons (crossbows are out). What do you think would be good house rules for this? My mind immediately goes to AC bonuses, maybe making them a little bit more generous to compensate a bit for the lack of armor.

Any other ideas?
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teaman
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Re: Running a "primitive" game setting

Post by teaman »

How rare will magic be in such a setting? Will PC's be able to be MU's and clerics right out of the box?

Clerics might be more like shamans?
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Dimirag
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Re: Running a "primitive" game setting

Post by Dimirag »

For AC use the Defense bonus from Combat Options, maybe cut it by half if wearing armor.
Magic would have some changes depending if reading and writing not a thing.
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
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MJLauck
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Re: Running a "primitive" game setting

Post by MJLauck »

I think one house rule for this would need to pertain to metal weapons and non-metal weapons against metal armor. That is if metal is rare, characters might end up with stone arrowheads (or no arrowhead), stone axes, etc. In that case, that rate metal plate is going to make the wearer a tank! Also remember in a metal poor society axes are much more common as weapons. Also partial armor seems appropriate (metal cuirass and greaves as opposed to full plate, etc.).
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Metroknight
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Re: Running a "primitive" game setting

Post by Metroknight »

MJLauck wrote: Tue Apr 04, 2023 1:10 pm I think one house rule for this would need to pertain to metal weapons and non-metal weapons against metal armor. That is if metal is rare, characters might end up with stone arrowheads (or no arrowhead), stone axes, etc. In that case, that rate metal plate is going to make the wearer a tank! Also remember in a metal poor society axes are much more common as weapons. Also partial armor seems appropriate (metal cuirass and greaves as opposed to full plate, etc.).
Clubs were very common in pre-iron societies. Armor was mostly wood, bone, or leather based.
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UptonGames
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Re: Running a "primitive" game setting

Post by UptonGames »

I am part-way there.
OD&D and OSR are basically set in about 1200 Europe, with steel available.
I have dropped my play setting back to pre-1000 Europe. No steel. No crossbows. Swords are expensive lumps of iron that can't hold an edge - no better than maces. The best armour you can get is chainmail, made with iron rings.
Amongst other benefits it stops players from min-maxing with Full Plate and Dex 18 = AC -3/23.
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JugglinDan
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Re: Running a "primitive" game setting

Post by JugglinDan »

You might also want to look at Fire & Stone. It's a stone-age supplement for Knave, but should be fairly translatable.
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MJLauck
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Re: Running a "primitive" game setting

Post by MJLauck »

Metroknight wrote: Tue Apr 04, 2023 6:09 pm Clubs were very common in pre-iron societies. Armor was mostly wood, bone, or leather based.
Clubs were common and remained even after metal crafting developed... Maces, war hammers and things like the "wolves' teeth staff" are just upgrades incorporating metal while tomahawks (which were traditionally more club than axe), shillelagh and the like managed to stick around for centuries after nice shiny metal weapons were available. I literally have Chinese style double sticks (like escrima sticks but longer) and a modern polymer version of a Zulu knobkerrie within reach as I type! My point, which I could have stated a little better, was that as metals emerge they are almost always seen utilized as axes or spears first because this style of weapon is able to incorporate the benefits of metal with a minimal investment of said metal. And you don't throw those metal-headed spears, either!

It is also worth noting that some cultures never really developed (whether due to resources or culture) armor. Sometimes the really bad dudes just go out there nekkid. Who wants to fight a nekkid guy? But seriously, cloth armor (such as quilted fabrics and even laminated cloth layers) was possibly more prevalent than we realize since it has likely degraded over time.
It is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things
—Miyamato Musashi
(1584 - 1645)
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