I have a few minutes today, so I want to get a post out on the changes from the first to the second edition of Blood & Treasure. I won’t swear that this is exhaustive, but it’s pretty close to it.

Messed with multi-classing a little on races, tried to relate them a bit more closely to their original incarnations

Classes each have their own XP chart now, and some were re-calibrated

Assassins don’t cast spells anymore, but can cast spells from scrolls at high levels

Got rid of bard, paladin and ranger spell lists – they now cast off the magic-user, cleric and druid lists respectively

Added some abilities to classes around 6th level to make the game a bit more distinctive and to hit some fantasy tropes missing in the original:

Assassins can brew their own poisons

Bards can carouse their way to valuable rumors … but may end up in the stocks or making enemies

Clerics can temporarily convert sentient creatures to their own alignment – not always easy, and doesn’t necessarily last long, but I thought it might be a fun non-combat way to get through encounters

Druids can harness greater bits of power by sacrificing the despoilers of the natural world

Fighters can subdue monsters and use them as mounts (as in every cool 70s rock album cover and van art ever produced)

Magic-users get access to little bits of arcane knowledge, ranging from something as simple as making phosphorous to making hot air balloons or understanding the healing arts

Paladins gain chivalric badges that give them access to royal and ecclesiastic courts and tournaments (a minor bonus, but the paladin already has some pretty cool abilities)

Rangers can pick up a loyal hunting beast (again, inspired by many pieces of fantasy art – particularly this one

Thieves can assemble teams of rogues for capers – bypasses the normal henchman rules … but can the thief trust these guys?

Changed the way a fighter’s multiple attacks worked, since lots of folks thought it was too powerful; also beefed up the barbarian a bit, as well as the sorcerer (see below)

Got rid of the basic/advanced/expanded concept to make B&T more its own game than a reference to old games, but I did keep the idea of basic and advanced spells; to learn or prepare advanced spells classes have to make a quick roll under their Int or Wis minus the spell level; specialists get free access to certain advanced spells, but treat others as though they were a higher level

Made some big changes to the sorcerer to keep it from being just a variant magic-user – they can now sense magic and do impromptu casting of spells they don’t know (with dire circumstances for failure); they might also choose bloodlines, and might be related to other magical creatures (got this idea from Bewitched I’m proud to say)

Changed some of the class variants, added a few – the monk has a ninja and ronin variant for example

Tweaked the equipment charts – more weapons because I like cool weapon names, got rid of some 3E alchemy I never liked

Worked on the adept spell list to better reflect its origins

Tried to streamline rules wherever I could; fixed errors in time and movement, changed reaction rolls a bit (simpler, based on alignment), made task checks easier (roll 1d20, 18 or over to succeed, add bonuses, add level if “skilled”)

Changed saving throws so that it’s now just one number, but you get a bonus to save vs. stuff that takes your character out of play (death, paralyzation, polymorph), magic from magic items (wands, etc.) and spellcasters get a bonus vs. spells – so a little like the old D&D saving throw categories, but streamlined

Different disease system – I think better – focused on the effects and overcoming them

Added a table of the mass of different materials – helps when adventurers want to pick up a golden idol and carry out of a dungeon and you need to figure out how heavy it is

Got rid of a few spells (not many) and streamlined the rest when possible; I also got rid of 0-level spells, bumping them up to 1st level (sometimes with modification) – I never liked the 0-level thing

Redid the treasure tables (I’m still not satisfied completely – I think I’ll add some alternate scheme in Esoterica Exhumed)

Streamlined the magic items, especially weapons and armor, and added some items that might be familiar from movies and cartoons; also added some sci-fi items as optional magic items for those who enjoy that – includes a mutation chart (for the mutagen capsules)

The appendices cover inspirations, conversions (other systems, and notes like these for 1st to 2nd edition, though not super extensive), a couple additional “specialty mages” to show how one can devise their own lists of advanced spells, did some racial classes for folks who like them, made a list of all the spell components and foci for quick reference, and then made a quick reference chart of common dice rolls in the game

That’s all that comes immediately to mind. I’m working diligently on the Monsters book now. Stay tuned, true believers!