HYPERBOREA / Has anyone used the setting in 5e?

**Posted by bat** 1/05/2018 7:48 pm

Before the torches & pitchforks come out: I am running a game pretty much RAW, with my house rules posted in the AS&SH section of ODD74. I am, however, contemplating a secondary game using 5e maybe, with the Hyperborea setting. Just wondering if anyone has used this and how it is going.

**Posted by Brock Savage** 1/05/2018 9:12 pm

I see a great deal of potential in 5e and tweaked it for Hyperborea. We should start within weeks. I'd love to have a discussion and swap ideas.

The folks on this board are pretty chill and I don't think discussing other systems will spark an edition war. Everyone here has a different vision of Hyperborea but we all get along just fine in spite of that.

Last edited by Brock Savage (1/05/2018 9:19 pm)

**Posted by bat** 1/05/2018 9:35 pm

I like to err on the side of caution with the torch and pitchfork brigade!
Ideally I would have tried Mythras, but D&D-esque games are pretty ingrained in the local populace.

**Posted by Brock Savage** 1/05/2018 11:15 pm

Hi bat, I created a FAQ inspired by Jeff Rient's 20 Questions to help familiarize players with my campaign style and vision of Hyperborea. If you are interested I can show you how I handled classes in more detail (it's fairly simple for the most part). I'd also like to thank Dwindle from the Hyperborea boards for his invaluable input and criticism; any shoddy work is completely mine.

23. Are there any house rules for this game? There is some deviation from core 5e.

There are no playable demihuman races in Hyperborea..
Humans use the variant rules in the PHB.
Ability scores are generated using the standard array or 27 point buy-in.
Experience points are gained primarily through recovering treasure, problem solving, and completing goals. Defeated monsters are worth 1/10th of the xp awarded in 5e standard.
Clerics and their subclasses (Priests, Druids, Runegravers and Shamans) must learn spells.
Certain Renaissance-era equipment such as rapiers and hand crossbows do not exist in Hyperborea. To ensure parity for finesse fighters, the arming sword is statistically equivalent to the rapier.
Encumbrance is simplified- each character has a carrying capacity measured by “slots” equal to their strength. Each item is assigned a slot value, e.g. a long sword or bundle of 5 torches is one slot whereas a chain shirt takes up four. A character who exceeds their capacity is Encumbered and one who exceeds twice their capacity is Heavily Encumbered. Large creatures and those with the Brawny feat double their capacity.
Expanded content will be used on a case-by-case basis, particularly material from Unearthed Arcana and Xanathar’s Guide.
When a roll calls for a degree of success or failure,+5/-5 to the DC will be used as a guideline.
“I assist,” isn’t an Improved Guidance cantrip that anyone can cast.
No self-assigning die rolls, please. Just tell the DM what your character is doing; they’ll let you know if a check is necessary to determine the outcome.
Perhaps the most significant change is character classes: 1) Hyperborean class equivalents in 5e are in certain cases the result of pre-selecting an archetype or choosing a particular feat at first level. 2) Some classes posses bonus abilities or restrictions to best adhere to the Hyperborean setting.

Last edited by Brock Savage (1/05/2018 11:21 pm)

**Posted by Handy Haversack** 1/05/2018 11:47 pm

I like the system as much as I like the setting for Hyperborea. I'm unclear on why I'd use a different system once I already am committed to the extent of having bought the game? Though I also can't really conceive of having any use for 5e in general. But for me, the streamlining of AD&D is part of what I love about AS&SH.

And since it's in print and readily available, I'd rather encourage new players to play the whole game, too. Raise 'em up right, so to speak. Like a fine thew waggon. Jam a rod through their brains and get them the finest sirops money can buy! The future will thank us.

**Posted by bat** 1/06/2018 12:07 am

As an OSR guy who has written and illustrated for the OSR since 2009 I also really believe the setting and rules mesh perfectly together and hearken to an older style of play and evoke the feel of the inspirational literature. On the other hand, I get paid to run games in a bar and I need to be versatile because this situation is not all about what I want. However, if I had to run 5e, why not incorporate AS&SH as a setting?

**Posted by Brock Savage** 1/06/2018 12:59 am

I forgot to mention the level cap of 12, it's very important!

bat wrote:
I get paid to run games in a bar and I need to be versatile because this situation is not all about what I want. However, if I had to run 5e, why not incorporate AS&SH as a setting?

The bold text emphasis is mine. Your players' enjoyment is more important than OSR street cred. I mostly run games for people new to gaming and younger than me. I have found that, as a general rule, younger and newer gamers find older "classic" rulesets (D&D and clones, Palladium, Call of Cthulhu, etc) clunky and unintuitive compared to more contemporary systems. I have to carefully choose a system that not only supports my vision for the setting but also works with players expectations.

I'm of the opinion that 5e can do old school play better than most OSR systems. Ask yourself if paying customers want OSR anachronisms like descending AC, save or suck, no skills, etc. If they do, awesome- embrace it! If not, I've found 5e is more elegant and intuitive than any previous edition of D&D. The chances are good that your potential players already have at least passing familiarity with 5e.

Last edited by Brock Savage (1/06/2018 1:02 am)

**Posted by bat** 1/06/2018 1:36 am

Exactly my point (although I had sold them on the B/X concepts and why AC descends-two of the regulars are under 21 and allowed to play, they just cannot be at the bar itself). I'm bringing people in, encouraging them to spend money, and to bring others in. Sure, some people ARE interested in playing older games out of nostalgia too. There is also another guy that runs 3.5 so there is a cushion as far as more modern games, although the younger people in this might take to the game as is. I'm just plotting for the future as the endeavor grows, which it is fairly steadily. As is I have to shift between board/card and rpgs to keep people occupied and having fun.

**Posted by Brock Savage** 1/06/2018 2:06 am

@bat I'm certainly not telling you one system is better than the other- far from it! You already realize that player enjoyment is the #1 priority and the right system is whatever one best facilitates that. I think a FAQ will be really helpful in your position. If you tell people you're going to run D&D it could mean a million different things; a solid elevator pitch at the very least works wonders.

I've never heard of D&D in a bar before, it sounds pretty cool. I'm rooting for you and hope you succeed.

**Posted by bat** 1/06/2018 11:14 am

@Brock Savage: Oh, I know you weren't pointing towards any particular edition, I'm just finding that some younger people are fine with simpler rules, maybe because it doesn't break up the action to refer to an action, item or particular statistic, and I'm hoping to keep that rhythm, but I do need to be versatile as well.

As far as the bar environment, it is very quiet and clean and the manager is trying to get away from the overused sports bar theme and engage or entertain people. Monday-Tuesday it is closed, then Wednesday is trivia night, Thursday is game night with one comedy night a month, Friday is karaoke, Saturday is live music and Sunday doesn't have a theme, it is just quiet bar time.

**Posted by mabon5127** 1/06/2018 12:51 pm

bat wrote:
Before the torches & pitchforks come out: I am running a game pretty much RAW, with my house rules posted in the AS&SH section of ODD74. I am, however, contemplating a secondary game using 5e maybe, with the Hyperborea setting. Just wondering if anyone has used this and how it is going.

I feel as though the setting is awesome and porting it to another system is a form of flattery. The mechanics that I would not want to mess with very much (largely because I'm lazy) are the classes. They fit the system and so that's what I play. I would love to know how this works for you. Keep us updated!

**Posted by foxroe** 1/08/2018 4:10 am

bat wrote:
Before the torches & pitchforks come out: I am running a game pretty much RAW, with my house rules posted in the AS&SH section of ODD74. I am, however, contemplating a secondary game using 5e maybe, with the Hyperborea setting. Just wondering if anyone has used this and how it is going.

Ah-heh-heh-hem. I will quote from the forum rules section:

Please refrain from religious or political comments and discussions.

<<Vaudevilles off stage...>>

**Posted by bat** 1/08/2018 6:33 pm

@foxroe hahahahaha! good one.

**Posted by Thrasaric** 1/23/2018 10:35 am

* Lights up the torches, where is my pitchfork

**Posted by bat** 1/26/2018 4:32 pm

In the end there was a compromise, which is more work for me-DCC in the Hyperborea setting with Hyperborea classes after the funnel. So I just need to write up the sub-classes and deities with patron spells....