Knave RPG: Steal These 6 Rules

Do you want to bring some old-school crunch and grit into your modern 5e game? Knave is a rules-light OSR TTRPG that’s written in a clever way so it’s compatible with other systems. Let’s steal some rules for your D&D or Pathfinder game!
Background Music: Trot to a Gallup by Jim Heskett

[@TwinSteel]

Saw your short and came back to rewatch - successful hooked me

[@simontemplar3359]

heck yes! This is fantastic! I like using the Linux analogy for games like Knave. On its own, it's fairly simple and straightforward, but it gets the job done. Spend some time with it and figure out what you like or don't and then customize the heck out of it. For me, Knave is the ultimate OSR toolbox. Knave, ICRPG, and Olde Swords Reign are my favorite games to Frankenstein.

[@piotrp6793]

I must say it was 'the best advertisment' video for Knave that I have encountered. Author managed to better present concepts and describe why they are important within Knave, than the books itself. I think the link to this video should be embedded in every Knave copy. Seriously. Without it it would took me some quite time to discover why some things are in Knave the way they are. I. E. I have read it a few times and didn't notice the choice for advantage and how significant it is! P. S. I hate calling it devil bargain, but it's probably only me:)

[@theberndog]

totally going to have my party find a brittle weapon in the next dungeon that breaks after 3 nat 1s. Also I'm totally going to have a temporary curse that they change character sheets during the dungeon. Great ideas! keep em coming

[@wizardsling]

thanks! Glad you found this useful

[@argentumtaibhsear621]

I use dynamic initiative. I kept it when I switched from 2e to 3e. There's nothing more video gamey than knowing you'll be fine because the cleric will heal you before the monsters go again. The swingy nature of it is awesome for making combats super intense. I use a super complex initiative system and still roll every round. It does slow things down for the duration but no one even notices because they are so engaged in the battle, sitting on the edge of their seating waiting for me to roll intiative.

[@wizardsling]

Good stuff! I'll have to try it out

[@Joshuazx]

Like most of these rules, but I didn't get them from Knave. Battle Master Maneuvers are things anyone can do, but battle masters get to do them better by applying superiority dice.

[@wizardsling]

yah a lot of these OSR games share rules. thanks for watching!

[@TwinSteel]

We’ve been doing degradation with Use Dice - normal weapons start with a d4, master work with a d6 - roll when you fumble or get crit and downgrade on a 1

[@wolfleclair1399]

To be honest, my martial characters usually dump wisdom. My wizards almost never dump strength, actually had one that had strength as his highest score followed by intelligence. He was a glass cannon in nearly all respects but he was really fun to play. Now my bards on the other hand, I usually hard dump strength with them. Well, that's my bit. Have fun. =^_^=

[@wizardsling]

high strength wizard? interesting!

[@SoloBattles]

Great review! I had a great idea for what happens after a TPK. Everyone rolls up new characters, and then the adventure starts with them witnessing the TPK event from a distance. Do they loot the bodies and get their cherished gear back? What jf whatever TPK'd the party is still there? Do they fight the supposedly weakened foe? This could go a lot of ways, but it's a neat link, IMHO.

[@MemphiStig]

We've been tinkering with balancing ability scores since 1e. The problem has always been with us. And the answers have always been uneven, like in 1e, where Wis gave Clerics and Druids bonus spells each day, but Magic-Users had to roll to learn new spells based on Int. And Charisma could be useful in some situations, but really the only ones who ever had high Cha were Druids and Paladins, because they had to. The other abilities were too important. And even tho they're tied to skills now, there's still some imbalance. I like his solution. It's on the right track.

[@wizardsling]

thanks for the feedback!

[@brentnorton1602]

For my home game I do this for dual weapons combat. It’s a more of an osr 10th lvl max 1st lvl- Two attacks- two disadvantage rolls 3rd- two attacks- one disadvantage/ one normal roll 6th- two attacks to normal rolls 9th- two attacks one has advantage/ one is normal.

[@wizardsling]

nice! I like how scalable this is

[@AceneDean]

Great video! My only word of concern is that the image in the beginning is from Knave 2e, while some of the rules you picked out were changed between 1e and 2e.

[@wizardsling]

fair enough. at the time i recorded this video, 2e was not out yet, but i took that screenshot from the kickstarter of 2e

[@AceneDean]

@wizardsling I would love to see a video just like this one but using Knave 2e. It is easily my favorite system, already. :) And I love your work.

[@stevekeyD9Games]

1-no 2-no 3-nice 4-yes 5-yep

[@TwinSteel]

🥳❤️👍🏿

[@wizardsling]

:))))))

[@DaveyDAKFAE]

Your suggestion about vices doesn't make sense to me. Maybe I'm just not understanding what you meant. 'Greedy' is literally an abstract, contextless trait, whereas 'I usually do X when Y happens' isn't abstract at all. It's a literal description of what choices are made. How is it more abstract than greedy?

[@wizardsling]

I think an abstract concept like "greedy" is easier to roleplay because you have less to remember. It's open to more interpretation, which gives the player more agency. But it's just a suggestion, feel free to take it or leave it.

[@DaveyDAKFAE]

@wizardsling ah! Thank you for clarifying. I thought you were saying less abstract is better, but I got it backwards it sounds like. In my experience with rules-light systems (especially Skyfarer and its Integrity system) and teaching kids how to play, more specific and literal examples have helped spur initial rp moreso than abstract traits, but I can see the abstract being more helpful for experienced players

[@DeadMarsh]

Or… just try something other than 5e.

[@wizardsling]

okay

[@atlasdm]

Shame on you for supporting Ben Milton and Knave 2e. Ben lied to us Kickstarter backers and sold advanced copies of what was supposed to be a Kickstarter exclusive cover at a convention before ANY of the backers got their books. I still don't have mine as of this post. Then he treated us like we were the bad guys for complaining when the exclusive cover was renamed "premium edition." Don't support ANY content creator that lies and then disrespects their backers. Shame on you both!

[@wizardsling]

fair enough, but I demand trial by combat. Send your champion to meet my champion at dawn in the town square. I will have justice!