The revised second edition of Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery is now available on DrivethruRPG/RPGNow in a digest and epub combo format — perfect for printing out or reading on a tablet. Like the original edition, the second edition of Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery is designed for low level play in swords & sorcery settings. If the fantasy stories of Robert E. Howard, Fritz Lieber, Clark Ashton Smith, C.L. Moore, Karl Edward Wagner, and David Gemell are more to your taste that those of Tolkein or Eddings, this version of Microlite74 may be just what you are looking for.

Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery is based on Microlite74 Extended 3.0 but with many special rules designed for swords & sorcery style campaigns. For example, there are only two classes (Adventurer and Sorcerer) and 6 levels, magic is limited and casting certain spells can corrupt the caster, and many 0e style magic items are relics of dead civilizations from long ago. Humans are assumed to dominate the world and most enemies are other humans and animals. True monsters certainly exist but they are assumed to be rare. Unlike most Microlite74 games which use a Microlite20-based experience system, this version uses a more standard experience point system.

The revised second edition of Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery adds rules for allegiances (which replace alignments), expands the rules for corruption — using black magic effects the world (e.g weather, chance of wandering monsters, etc.), adds a few new spells to the spell lists, adds rules for mounted combat, expands the section on adventuring (including adding a section on ocean exploration), adds demons and Lovecraftian monsters, etc. Second Edition also adds a section of optional rules including several that have not been in any other versions Microlite74 (e.g. player-defined feats, rules for corrupt and/or tainted locations).

Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery includes:

• Simple Character Creation Rules: Roll 4 attributes and select a class, a background, and allegiances.
• Two Classes: Adventurer and Sorcerer, both limited to sixth level – but advancements continues even after reaching sixth level.
• Backgrounds provide a simple and fast way to factor in a character’s culture and non-class-related abilities.
• Simple and fast-playing combat system that tracks physical damage (aka body points) separately from luck/skill/fatigue (aka hit point) damage.
• Hit points recover with a night’s rest. Spells cost hit points to cast. Actual wounds recover more slowly.
• Spells are divided into white, grey, and black magic. Using black magic eventually corrupts the caster and has strange effects on reality. Only first and second level spells can normally be memorized and cast directly. Other spells must be cast with lengthy rituals.
• Rules for hirelings, monster reactions (not every monster wants to fight), morale (not every monster fights to the death), and more.
• A complete list of spells, monsters, and treasure.
• Compatible with most other 0e based games and adventures.

The digest pdf version of Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery is 160 pages. The epub version of contains tables and many epub readers display tables in a single column unreadable mess. Epub reader software designed to display epub3 files usually have no problem with the tables. Calibre displays this epub file well on Windows PCs and Gitden reader displays it fine (if slowly) on android. There is an IOS version of Gitden Reader for Apple devices, but it has not been tested. Note that tables in epub files do not adapt well to small screen devices. Both files include art.

You get both the digest-sized pdf and the epub version when you buy the digest/epub version of the second edition of Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery for $6.99. A “pay what you want” letter-sized “condensed type” without artwork will appear at a later date. I can’t be more specific as real life here is about to get very interesting as it looks like my wife and I will be moving out of state as the climate here is playing havoc with her MS as she has gotten very sensitive to heat and humidity.

You can get a copy of the new second edition of Microlite74 Swords & Sorcery on its page on RPGNow.