We’re using RAW ACKS, and so far really enjoying it. Got a ‘needs work’ Maptools campaign file with macros for it, which I’ll post once I’m happy with it. It’s far from perfect, but does the job.
I really like the Mortal Wounds table, which has saved the lives of two PCs so far.
I suppose that you are creating your own MapTools setting, but in case you are interested, I have created one that I think is usable by now. You can find the details at http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=21386.
Please let me know if you try it, I am looking for feedback to improve it.
Yeah, I’m guessing that would have happened: and if it had, that would have been the third time that group have lost their entire party to ghouls. Thankfully the priest was badly wounded, and a failed morale check called for a retreat. Shame they didn’t want to follow them into the catacombs though, although I understand why not.
That's awesome! To be fair, I'd be an alcoholic, too, if I'd gone through what your PCs are going through. We often joke that "cure light wounds" must have a serotonin effect that helps prevent the post-traumatic stress disorder that the PCs would otherwise all be enduring.
In general, I think watching the slow physical and mental transformation of the adventurers as they take wounds is one of my favorite parts of an ACKS campaign. It's a lot more subtle than "you lose a level" or "-1 CON" but the randomness and permanence of the "Tampering" table ends up being really scary.
In the campaign I just completed, the group early on was too non-chalant about the effects of death, and by level 3 the characters were so f**ked up that several of them committed suicide in despair. (The players re-rolled). The new adventurers were more circumspect.
Just started another game with my other group, but the first session killed them all off! They too used to new school ways of playing. Starting again next time.
Tested my alcoholic house-rules, which were ok, but the dwarf found a way around it, and could well avoid too many side effects; we’ll see how it goes next week.