The first “release candidate” version of Microlite74 3.0 Swords & Sorcery is now available for download. For those who haven’t been following my blog posts on this new variant of Microlite74 3.0, Microlite74 3.0 Swords & Sorcery is a special edition of Microlite74 focused on campaigns in a “swords & sorcery” setting. That is, it is designed for “gritty” campaigns with characters who are mercenaries, scoundrels, and explorers out to stay alive and increase their money supply, not for campaigns about heroes questing to save the world from the return of the Dark Lich. In other words, Microlite74 3.0 Swords & Sorcery is designed for play in swords & sorcery campaigns like the worlds of Conan, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Jirel, Imaro, etc.

While the basic rules of Microlite74 3.0 Swords & Sorcery are similar to those of Microlite74 Extended, many rules have been changed on added to provide a more “swords & sorcery feel.” All PCs are human. There are only two classes, Adventurer and Sorcerer. Character levels range from 1 to 6. After reaching 6th level, characters still accumulate experience points and gain an epic point with every additional 50,000 xp. Epic points can be traded in for special advancements, Magic is divided into White, Grey, and Black and the different types of magic have different costs to (and on) a Sorcerer. While there are six levels of spells, Sorcerers can only memorize first and second level spells. All other spells can only be cast as time-consuming rituals (or cast from one-use scrolls). While there are powerful true magic items left over from ancient and powerful (but long dead) civilizations (think normal 0e items), most recent magic items are created by binding spirits to items.

The rules in this first release candidate are in (what I hope will be) their nearly final form. This means they are ready for you to download, proofread, math check, playtest, and the like. Please report any typos, places where the rules aren’t clear, or where they seem broken in play so I can fix typoes (of which there are probably a large number) and take a second look at any troublesome rules. I do not plan to add any more rules or make major changes to theese rules — assuming, that is, there are no major rules problems or omissions found bty readers. The second release candidate will include a section on “swords & sorcery” and well as updated designers notes along with corrections to the rules from proofreaders. With luck, there will be no need for a third release candidate. I am still hoping for a final release sometime in September.

You can download a free PDF copy of Microlite 74 3.0 Swords & Sorcery Release Candidate 1 from Mediafire:

• Microlite 74 3.0 Swords & Sorcery Release Candidate 1 (PDF, about 460K)

Please post comments and correction below or send them via email to m74ss AT retroroleplaying.com. Note that this address will only be valid during August 2011.