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Barbarians of Lemuria

Started by Soylent Green, December 20, 2010, 03:45:21 PM

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Soylent Green

December 20, 2010, 03:45:21 PM
I've reading a lot of good press for Barbarians of Lemuria. Its name seems to come up tme and again next to other games I like. However these comments are mostly directed to the rules.

What I am wondering does BoL provide anything specific as in tools, advice; adventure seeds to build capture the specific sword and sorcery feel?  

To make a comparison, I read through Legend of Anglerre. Despite Anglerre itself is meant to be a sword and sorcery kind of world, the LoA book really just provides a generic fantasy rules with very little S&S specific support other than a dozen pages on the history of Anglerre which were not terribly inspiring.
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danbuter

#1
December 20, 2010, 04:09:26 PM
The default setting is based on the Thongor of Lemuria novels, which are solidly S&S. Lots of lizards, and no horses, though, so be aware of that.

I would actually recommend the BoL version of Legends of Steel, since it is more similar to Hyboria, and has lots of regular animals.

The rules reward light armor and beating up thugs, and sorcery is dark and dangerous, as well.
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Tetsubo

#2
December 21, 2010, 11:23:13 AM
I gave the free version of this game a read. I was completely and utterly turned off my the authors tone. He takes this stance that anyone not on-board with his idea of play style should just trot on off to another game system. My opinion of BoL was probably also impacted by Mazes & Minotaurs which I think is well done, excellent and completely free. It also doesn't have the attitude.

Paul B

#3
December 21, 2010, 11:35:13 AM
We played it and were kind of bored. I did not read the text. However, the game's mechanical conceit seems to be to get the system "out of the way" so you can really dig into the genre. Maybe our GM wasn't super-versed in the genre, but it felt like there just wasn't much there to chew on -- genre-wise, mechanically, setting-wise, whatever.

The Butcher

#4
December 21, 2010, 11:45:41 AM
BoL is a decent, rules-lite sword-and-sorcery game.

It's certainly not the end-all, be-all as it was so enthusiastically advertised, mainly on RPGnet, when the 2nd edition came out (the awesome cover probably helped). The core rulebook lacks a decent bestiary (outside of lizards, lizardmen and more lizards) and, since there are no official "monster books" out, this is bad.

If you want minimal rules for your fantasy game, Conanesque or otherwise, it's a good choice.

silva

#5
December 23, 2010, 03:15:06 PM
From reading, I found BoL system awesome. In play, though, I found it kind of boring. Not bad. But nothing to shout home about*.


(*did I get the saying right ? )

Soylent Green

#6
December 23, 2010, 03:27:19 PM
Quote from: silva;428207From reading, I found BoL system awesome. In play, though, I found it kind of boring. Not bad. But nothing to shout home about*.


(*did I get the saying right ? )

Probably :-)

I know the expression "Nothing to shout about" and "Nothing to write home about". I'm pretty sure I've heard "Nothing to shout home about" too, but whether it is a proper English expression or part of the natural evolution of the language I can't really say.
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ColonelHardisson

#7
December 23, 2010, 04:20:11 PM
Quote from: Soylent Green;428208Probably :-)

I know the expression "Nothing to shout about" and "Nothing to write home about". I'm pretty sure I've heard "Nothing to shout home about" too, but whether it is a proper English expression or part of the natural evolution of the language I can't really say.

I don't think so. I've never heard it. I think it's simply a conflation of the two sayings you mentioned.

Anyway, I bought BoL, and I like it, but I haven't had a chance to run it. I do wish there was a bestiary of some kind.
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crkrueger

#8
December 23, 2010, 04:32:15 PM
Quote from: silva;428207From reading, I found BoL system awesome. In play, though, I found it kind of boring. Not bad. But nothing to shout home about*.


(*did I get the saying right ? )
As others have said, the two common phrases are.

Nothing to shout about.
Nothing to write home about.

I've never heard Nothing to shout home about.
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Machinegun Blue

#9
December 23, 2010, 04:42:10 PM
BoL is good for "filler" or one shot games in between campaigns. I don't think that there's enough there for much more than that.
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