RPG REVIEW: Labyrinth Lord

LL

Welcome to a (revised) and brief review of Labyrinth Lord (LL), Goblinoid Games retro-clone of D&D created by Daniel Proctor. Also, I’ll be including the occasional side note about the Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion (LLAEC). Long story short, (too late) I recently picked up the D&D Rules Cyclopedia print on demand (POD) reprint on DriveThruRPG and wanted to delve. Admittedly, after reading through the D&D Cyclopedia, it was interesting to realize how much I’d incorrectly recalled about D&D in general (insert shame here). In retrospect it was a bad idea to write a review of LL without an original reference, though I had many fond memories of the game, obviously this wasn’t as suitable as I'd hoped for the purpose of writing an accurate review.

Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links. I receive a token % if you purchase something from the landing page.

What you get with Labyrinth Lord is a relatively easy to learn RPG system. It doesn’t delve too far away from the original source material, though there are a few differences. Beyond the basic sections which introduce “how to play”, dice, and terms, begins character creation.

Pretty much in line with D&D Basic, character creation with LL has players roll character attributes, I mean abilities; first. One aside, is that LL provides a couple of options besides rolling straight 3d6 ( tally each score in order) and ability swapping. Character Abilities are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma; and depending on each total, ability scores will affect players characters capabilities to perform tasks, gain experience and navigate the dangers, of the game world.

Next players will select a character class. LL offers four human classes; the Cleric Fighter, Magic-User, & Thief and three demi-human classes which are the Dwarf, Elf, and Halfling. Unlike D&D clerics start off with a first level spell (which I approve), and unlike the D&D Rules Cyclopedia human levels cap out at 20th (not 36th level). And no Druid or Mystic class is available… Until…

LL AEC

The Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion (LLAEC) offers up a couple more classes such as the Assassin, Druid, Illusionist, Monk, (which replaced the Mystic) and Paladin, separates race from class. It’s the beginnings of AD&D 1E, but all of the rules and additions which lean toward 1E are presented as optional. One option is to shift character alignments from the primary three offered in D&D; Law, Neutrality and Chaos; to including Good Neutral and Evil which is offered in AD&D for a mix of nine potential alignments. Such as Lawful Evil, Neutral Good. etc., etc.  The LL Advanced Edition Companion also adds a good dose of spells, magic items, and monsters to the Labyrinth Lord rule set.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled RPG review of Labyrinth Lord...

Finishing up with character creation, players will select their character alignment; tally up some starting gold, buy some equipment, select spells (if any) and calculate their character's general combat abilities (Hit Points, Saving Throws, Armor Class etc.). You know the usual fair and onto adventure!

As far as running this...

Monster sections eat up a good deal of both books so you'll have plenty of challenges to present your player characters. Most if not all are familiar. The ones that are missing have obviously been taken by the trademark police.

You'll very easily be able to plug any published D&D adventure and use the Labyrinth Lord rule set; such as it was designed for. And Goblinoid Games (site) has done all of us a service, featuring a complimentary artless version of Labyrinth Lord, as well as the Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion, as an absolutely free PDF download on their website and on DriveThruRPG (links underlined within this paragrph)

Sections for concerning the Labyrinth Lord (or Game Master or Dungeon Master) are well organized, and present the basic concepts and rules for running a gaming session very well. Arguably even more concisely than the D&D Cyclopedia. Both LL & LLAEC have tons of useful reference tables. The books lack a setting, and no adventure hooks or plots are included, but the ideas presented should be enough to get a game of LL going with little brain grease.

If you are intent on setting, Pete Spahn of Small Niche Games has written a setting supplement specifically for LL. Guidebook to the Ducky of Valnwall (special edition) which is available on DriveThruRPG in PDF and POD. Link in the description above. The setting supplement currently sits as a silver seller, with a five star rating.

Labyrinth Lord and the Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion weigh in at 140 and 160 pages. Each book’s cover art and interior illustrations are pure old school excellence. Titles and section headers are presented in a bold black Calligraphic font with regular text in a simple, easy to read double column format. Tables are plentiful, listed in the table of contents and easy to discern the relevant information from.

One omission I noticed in LL, is that the Spell List Table is (I presume) missing from the Table of Contents (PG 42). There are many tables shown on the Table of Contents so I’m not entirely sure whether what’s missing is an actual mistake or if the Spell List Table is just not considered a table? Well, I think it should be.

I also noticed one game mechanic that I didn’t entirely agree with or I should say, upon deep consideration, found to be out of order. I know this mechanic is out of order in the source material as well... But, I've got a bone to pick. The mechanic involves the thief class’s ability to find and remove traps. I don’t claim (ahem!) savant-ism regarding labyrinth traps but dungeon traps, I think I’ve come up with some pretty deadly (at least I hope they were) trappings for Kenzer and Companies, Knights of the Dinner Table. 

Okay, stop me if you heard this one (dramatic pause) but a fighter, a dwarf and a thief walk into a labyrinth. Sounds pretty ominous, I know. At the very first passage there’s a trap. All characters involved are first level and if the Labyrinth Lord consults the rulebook he finds that…   

The fighter has a little better than a 16% chance (rolling a 1 on a D6) of finding the trap.

The dwarf has a little better 33% chance (roll of 1 or 2 on a D6). Not too shabby.

However, the thief? The one character class who has Find and Remove traps listed as one of his special abilities. The thief, has the exactly a 14% chance (D100 roll) to find the trap. Wait-Huh!?!
I’ll try and keep my rant brief but having every other character type with a better percentage chance to succeed at an ability the thief is supposed to be skilled at is; putting it politely-completely off.

That's it for the review, but I have to mention Goblinoid Games has recently (somewhat) put hardcovers and combined Labyrinth Lord and the Advanced edition Companion into one delicious looking volume. If I'd seen it before I'd seen the Rules Cyclopedia, I'd likely have pulled the trigger on one of these babies instead... Oh man... Suffice it to say I'm here to tempt you.

Labyrinth Lord (covers)

RPG Review: TROPES Zombie Edition

TROPES: Zombie Edition Cover

The Tropes: Zombie Edition (TZE) role playing game (RPG) features a unique, rules light system, designed to support-zombie slaying, one shot scenarios. Written and produced by Pete Spahn of Small Niche Games (SNG), the tabletop RPG was successfully funded and brought to life via Kickstarter, for just under $1k internet bucks. 

This review concerns the Tropes: Zombie Edition main book, Tropes: Zombie Edition Companion and the adventure module: Flight of the Zombie. We begin by letting the game speak for itself: 

“Ever wanted to play a game that explores the deep personal horror of the zombie apocalypse? Where the choices you make in times of crisis define who you are? Where zombies are only a backdrop and humans are responsible for the true evils in the world?

Well, go find another game! This game is about killing zombies, so you can forget all that touchy feely crap!”

As you might put together from the above quote, TZE has a bit of a comic flare with the content writing, as well as it's light hearted/fun approach is geared toward bringing in new and unfamiliar faces to the tabletop RPG experience. While the writing doesn't take itself too seriously, the idea of running this RPG for a one shot session, (such as the day that some of your players don't show) or as a means of introducing RPGs to new players, is decently conceived.

Disclosures: This RPG review includes affiliate links with DriveThruRPG. I receive a token % if you purchase something from the landing page. This review is property of Kenzer and Company, republished here with permission. In all likelihood, it has been modified by the original author (me), for the purposes of this blog. Pete Spahn of Small Niche Games ( Facebook site) was kind enough to provide the download links for the artless version of the TZE main book, the fully illustrated version of the TZE Companion!, and the adventure module Flight of the Zombie free of cost; for the purpose of this review. 

Along with that idea, getting started there’s a good chance that even non gamers will have all the materials needed: writing utensils-check, a bowl (a bowl?-interesting)-check, and some six sided dice (d6s). At least 3d6s are recommended for each player and should it so happen that you are a desperate non-role player, I guess those anguished-stained, dirty, and neglected Yahtzee dice are finally going to be put to good use. Or you could just use my Yahtzee dice; they've never left the box.

Before the game starts, the Zombie Master (ZM; AKA: Dungeon Master, Game Master or Ref) will most likely have printed out a few player character sheets, which are available and can be printed from the TZE main book as needed. Also, a map for the location of the scenario, is encouraged and will perform as the gameable area for the scenario. The map of Flight of the Zombie, is a jumbo plane, but a ZM creating their own scenario might take home a local zoo or stadium map. Alternatively, as suggested in TZE main book, the ZM should easily be able to find a something with a relevant Google image search on their computer.

The game begins with the ZM describing the location that the player characters are residing at the time of the zombie outbreak, as well as the real world time frame the scenario involves. A session is approximated to last one to four hours. Start to finish, Flight of the Zombie, is suggest to take an hour of real time to get through. 

Tropes Zombie Edition Companion

Play-Test Note: Including character creation, my groups play ran a little over two hours, which was untypical quick for our knuckle-headed, one-liner at the ready, player group.

With character creation, players are tasked with creating three characters on the sheets provided by the ZM, with a lot of personal freedom as to who these characters can be. When finished, each character sheet is folded and placed into a bowl at the center of the table. Players then draw one character out and game play begins with the ZM narrating a brief introduction as to what the characters are doing at the moment the outbreak begins. Character generation is quick. Each character has only three abilities: Muscle, Agility, and Wits. Points for abilities are distributed and an interesting feature of the game is that not all characters have the same amount points to distribute among these abilities. Each player creates one character with seven points, one with six and one with five. The players pick a background, for which there is a table provided to give options and ideas for those wanting to create something unique. The chosen background might impact skills and task resolution, throughout game play, which may award a bonus chance of success (roll an additional d6) given the situation. Skills are not chosen but the ZM and player will negotiate this on the fly concerning a specific task the character desires to achieve. This helps keep character creation simple. Last, players write a three sentence description of their character(s), and write down gear they may have; also negotiable w/ the ZM.

Game-play concerning Tasks and Combat (sections) also utilize simple d6 mechanics. Success or failure is determined by the difficulty of the task, with a modifier table provided for the ZM (but players can negotiate) to determine which ability score task falls under be it: Muscle, Agility, or Wits. The modifier table, matching ability to task, is well outlined in the writing. There are also a number of optional “crunchier” rules and short examples provided throughout the TZE main book, which provide a useful guideline for play. TZE also incorporates an Action Point mechanic, which awards characters when they achieve a critical success (rolling a result of six on a d6). Action Points can be used at the player’s discretion to increase a single die roll or avoid damage from an attacking zombie, during or beyond the encounter in which they were earned. 

Flight of The Zombie

Well within my first read through of Tropes Zombie Edition, a trend which continued through my second read, and including our one shot play test; I found this to be a role playing game (RPG), which is exactly as advertised. That's a good thing. Perfectly suitable to hit anyone's table, but especially if you prefer rules lite systems. The PDF's are laid out in double column style. Sections are well defined with a black bolded headings and white letters. Content is well written, and organized. The author’s tone is casual with humor sprinkled throughout.

So what didn’t I like? Well… Very subjectively, I didn’t like how the art is matched with the some of the content. It's certainly serviceable and this is a nit pick I often have with indie products (and I understand; art is expensive). It just wasn't my cup of coffee. One exception, the map of the plane for the Flight of the Zombie adventure module, is very well done. Also mechanically, movement rules and the combat section could of received a bit of a deeper delve; but this was likely a choice by the author to keep things in line with the rules light theme of the product.

In conclusion, for game that generated a little less than $1k internet bucks on Kickstarter, I felt that a lot of people had missed the zombie plane on this one. The RPG content within is more than adequate for the Zombie Master, to develop their own one shot scenarios. If you're in the market, I do recommend spending the extra bucks for the published scenario, Flight of the Zombie. My gaming group and I had a lot of fun with it.