Has anyone here seen the Blueholme RPG that is doing the rounds right now? Any ideas on how it stacks up?
I know it's called the Journeyman edition because it goes up to level 20. I've also heard its take on the higher level spells and monsters is consistent with Holmes' version.
ReplyDeleteBLUEHOLME™ Prentice Rules is free and organized in a similar way to Journeymanne. I recommend running Prentice for a quick session or two for up to third level and if your players like it, you can grab Journeymanne and go further. I have the hardcover of Journeymanne and it's a great book, but it's not very thick.
Michael Thomas can say more but BLUEHOLME™ Journeymanne is a clone of Holmes, plus 17 levels. The free BLUEHOLME™ Prentice Rules is a "close enough for government work" substitute for the Holmes rulebook. BLUEHOLME™ Journeymanne adds the rules that it's missing, and a number of spells, monsters, and treasures.
ReplyDeleteThe spells are largely simplifications of what's in the D20 SRD, although a few appear to be novel, like a spell called Crystaliron that is like Glassteel but it works the opposite way (iron to crystal of the same toughness but lower weight).
The monsters have a number of neat additions, there are some Holmes monsters like the wereshark and the frog-man dagonite or the insectoid Dreenoi; there are also various Cthulhu mythos monsters.
I intend to write a review sometime on my semi-dormant blog. I rather like it if you're in the market for a Holmes continuation.
I use Blueholme prentice rules for my campaign in Karameikos, and i use extended rule. My tools: Zenopus Archives with Zenopus Ref 2 and Holmes Companion. I've created my own Blueholme prentice extended rules screen: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gOVflNiytQkqKXRzv5jiSOHG0UmJMD1a
ReplyDeleteIt's not bad. It's a nice book with very pretty artwork. But it's basically Holmes "turned up to 20" with one or two options thrown in. It doesn't cover much new ground.
ReplyDelete[hmm...not the most flattering review I've ever given. I'm a little cranky]
I have it and have been using it as the foundation for a campaign (Chris Clark's Igpay). I have plugged in the magic from Spellcraft & Swordplay. Anyway, BlueHolme is a very nice system and as I've said elsewhere appears to me as the best D&D basis to start with when customizing D&D. I enjoy it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks gang! I appreciate the perspective.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine just got a copy so I might get to play sometime later this year. I'm looking forward to it! Based on what you've said, I may grab a copy myself.
I'm a huge Lovecraft fan. If those monsters are in there I expect the implied setting will be more of a world built on the bones of ancient civilizations I enjoy so much than the vanilla fantasy that is the usual default lately.
Pretty much what everyone else said, including Jonathan Becker! BLUEHOLME™ is intended to create a full game in the spirit of and fully compatible with Holmes, so the originality is limited to Dr Holmes's own ideas (based on what I could extract from the Blue Book itself, as well as other available sources such as his other writings and discussion with those more expert on the matter than I). I had to exercise considerable restraint not to wander off-mission into personal houserule territory, which is a constant danger when writing retroclones.
ReplyDeleteOh, by the way, there's a sale on at RPGNow. ;-)
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David Rollins re: the Lovecraftian creatures, there is definitely an undercurrent of the younger species living (literally) on top of the foundations of successively more ancient civilisations. Bear in mind that the rulebook itself has at most an implied setting - very much influenced by Wayne Rossi's treatment of the implied setting of OD&D. I have a bunch of adventures lined up for publication this year, though, which are nominally set in a shared setting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the extra info!
ReplyDelete