• Registered: 2016-11-29
  • Posts: 10

Topic: Rules questions

Hi all,

I just bought the LotFP Rules & Magic hardcover recently, and am looking forward to running it for my group! I love the rules, and I think I understand most of them. But I had a couple of questions:

1) Is a "loyalty check" for retainers rolled on 2d6 or 3d6?

2) How much do mercenaries cost if they are on horseback? The entry for "Mercenary" says: "Mounted mercenary troupes cost ten times the normal amount", but in the list of retainers, "Mercenary, Cavalry" has a wage of 200sp (which is only twice the rate of mercenary infantry). How can these both be true?

Apologies if the answer is obvious! And, I know I can just make it up myself - but I wanted to try and understand LotFP "by the book" first, to get a feel for how the rules work before I start tinkering.

  • From: Finland
  • Registered: 2015-06-06
  • Posts: 68

Re: Rules questions

Hello and welcome to the community!

Do you have any particular adventure module in mind? smile LotFP's good sides are easily in the modules.

As for your questions:
1) I think it's 2d6 like every other morale roll. Only their Loyalty score is determined with 3d6. But I don't have the book handy, so I cannot check the wording.

2) Hmm, I think that might be an error, in which case you should use the amount you think is better. Or maybe Cavalry is actually trained to fight from horseback, while mounted mercenaries only use them for travel. But it wouldn't make sense for Cavalry to be cheaper then... unless their pay doesn't include the horses?
I no longer sure myself, sorry!

  • Registered: 2016-11-29
  • Posts: 10

Re: Rules questions

Hi Tallu,

Thanks for the welcome!

I've heard good things about the modules, and I've ordered print copies of both Vornheim and Carcosa. I know neither of them are technically adventure modules, but I really enjoy running sandbox games, and I love the fact that Carcosa was inspired by early 20th century weird fiction by the likes of Robert W. Chambers, H.P. Lovecraft and David Lindsay (of all people!), while Vornheim lists M. John Harrison and China Miéville as influences.

But, honestly, I also really love the LotfP ruleset as its own thing. It's an incredibly tight implementation of B/X, and I agree with pretty much all the design choices that Raggi made (from ascending armor class, to only fighters progressing their attack bonus, to specialists and the skill system, to dropping XP bonuses, to the spell lists, to the encumbrance rules - all of it!).

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, and thanks again for the welcome.

1) I think you're right. It's a bit confusing, because the Loyalty section doesn't actually make it explicit how a Loyalty Check is carried out. But I'm guessing (after reading bits of the free grindhouse edition referee guide) that a Morale Check and a Loyalty Check are basically the same thing.

2) I'm not sure, but I think it might mean that 200sp is the wage for an individual cavalryman without weapons, horse, armour, etc., whereas the reference to "ten times the normal amount" is for an entire company (or "troupe") of 20 mercenaries, already with horses, decked out in gear, etc. So far, this is the only thing that's had me scratching my head - the rules have been very clear otherwise.