It was my son's birthday Thursday the 24th, and on Saturday the 26th we're going to have his party -- at our place. So I've spent the past few days cleaning the heck out of the townhome, and should be resuming normal posting in a few days, after I recover.
Regrettably, unlike Paladin, I probably won't be doing any gaming for my son's birthday party. His cousins are usually invited, and my sister is a hardcore Christian who believes that D&D, Pokemon, Harry Potter, and other assorted things are Satanic.
It truly saddens me.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Hot Elf Chick, Slightly NSFW
I thought I'd post the pic first :)
As part of James Smith's fiendish plan to attract more followers to the Old School Renaissance, he suggested we do this. Many bloggers have taken up his suggestion already, and I'm following suit.
I realize some people don't particularly care for Larry Elmore's art, but I'm not in that camp. I think, barring some of his later paperback covers, he is an incredibly talented artist, easily up there with Joe Jusko, Frank Frazetta, Luis Royo, and others.
Welcome to my blog! :)
To the point, however, you are now on a site of a rabid pre-Y2K gamer, one who prefers the older flavors of D&D to the new stuff. However, the current owner, Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro, has seen fit to pull all their reasonably priced PDFs of their old games down, so it would be hard to find anything other than at Ebay collectible prices. Fortunately, the work of a few talented individuals has made this much easier, and many are free. If you have ever had a hankering to be a wizard and cast earthshaking spells, a mighty warrior cleaving your way through evil hordes, or even a freebooter exploring dark labyrinths where danger and treasure lurk, then check these out:
Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game
Made to emulate Basic and Expert D&D books by Moldvay and Cook published in the very early 80's, with more modern innovations
B/X Companion
This is an imagining of what could have been, if the Companion volume for Basic D&D had been released for the Moldvay/Cook version.
Big Brown Book
A supplement to D&D-as-wargame. Every roll is made on a d6.
Dark Dungeons
Based on a later iteration of Basic D&D, the one authored by Mentzer and organized and edited into the "Rules Cyclopedia" by Aaron Allston.
For Gold & Glory
A pretty incredible version of 2nd Edition D&D. If you played D&D before 2000 and after 1987, this was likely the version you played.
Labyrinth Lord
Another Basic D&D clone, this one hews more closely to the original rules.
Labyrinth Lord: Advanced Edition Companion
This "updates" Labyrinth Lord to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (first edition), which many prefer.
Lamentations of the Flame Princess
Aimed at more Lovecraftian and Clark Ashton Smith influences, but still D&D.
Microlite system
Randall has designed many free iterations of D&D, all trimmed down and made very easy to play.
Myth & Magic
This is a clone of 2nd Edition D&D, updated with more modern rules to replace what the author wanted to fix.
OSRIC
This is a clone of first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. It is nearly identical to the original.
Swords & Wizardry
Mythmere games has designed a few brilliant clones of OD&D
I'm sure there are some that I missed, but this will get you started! Now, if I've reignited the fires of your youth (or if the pic did it), go forth and grab a rulebook, grab some dice, and reclaim the golden age of roleplaying!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Celebrating Gygax
Today is the anniversary of Gary Gygax's death. If anyone doesn't know what a Gary Gygax is, you need to look it up. Jeff Rients on his blog mentioned some homework:
"Start with a core set of rules, the older and crappier the better. You can use an RPG but some half-baked wargame works even better. Produce a two or three page document with suggestions for improving the rules/adapting them for RPG play and an outline for a campaign. Expand this to a 50-100 page book. Use the latter document as the basis for all your campaigns for the next decade or three. Run one to six games a week, refining your work as necessary. Publishing any of it is entirely optional."
Done and done. Except for publishing any of it. I'm still in the process of writing a clone, but it's not finished as of this writing. A short blurb:
I wrote this because I want a different "feel" for D&D, one that I don't believe the mechanics support well in their current form. I want to bring the violent action and feel of Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and David Gemmell to the mix. I want the otherworldly horror of Clark Ashton Smith and H.P. Lovecraft. I want to renew a sense of wonder to the player, when you sat down and played your first game of D&D.
Choose from 10 unique races, not just another variation of elf. Some are the same as you're used to (shaken and stirred a bit), others are very different. Humans are now distinct by nationality and race.
You are not your stuff anymore. Your damage increases by class and level, not by acquiring a higher-damage weapon. This is logical and consistent with the pulps we are emulating.
No skills! Your character is unique and does have abilities all his own, and the rules allow anything to be attempted without fiddly rules. The Thief class is now more useful and fun than in earlier iterations of That Fantasy Game.
Experience points and Treasure are more logical, consistent, and reward actually doing things. Magical treasure is now something to be truly in awe of -- not because of raw power, but because of the effects.
New combat mechanics allow for any action to be taken, with instant effects -- not just “+2 to Armor Class!” Unhorse your foe! Throw your opponent into a group of enemies and bowl them over. Hurl your sword at someone and have it pierce him like a spear! Shatter weapons and shields! Simple, quick grappling rules allow you to wrestle with your enemy in style! 46 Combat Maneuvers make the Fighter class fun again!
Almost infinite variety. We have 43 character classes with different types of Spellcasters and Priest-types. Unique mechanics allow selection to be a breeze! Get a character up and running in 10 minutes! Variety like you've not seen in either kit or prestige class! Yet easier than any edition!
New spells, contained in the same Vancian spell slot system, but now with full power over your spells and how they're cast! Options for variants allow for a richer magic system! Eight different schools of magic are detailed, and clerics now have access to “Prayers,” instead of spells. It works the same, just renamed!
New monsters! Old monsters with a unique twist!
All this together with a unique fantasy setting. Make a name for yourself in the magical land of Andurantha!
Not Old School, not New School, but rather Alternative School. Backwards compatible with most editions of D&D.
Optional rules allow you to play it your way!
Getting anyone to playtest this might be interesting. Most people have fallen under the sway of WotC or Paizo, and have little patience for anything else. A weekly game? I wish!
"Start with a core set of rules, the older and crappier the better. You can use an RPG but some half-baked wargame works even better. Produce a two or three page document with suggestions for improving the rules/adapting them for RPG play and an outline for a campaign. Expand this to a 50-100 page book. Use the latter document as the basis for all your campaigns for the next decade or three. Run one to six games a week, refining your work as necessary. Publishing any of it is entirely optional."
Done and done. Except for publishing any of it. I'm still in the process of writing a clone, but it's not finished as of this writing. A short blurb:
I wrote this because I want a different "feel" for D&D, one that I don't believe the mechanics support well in their current form. I want to bring the violent action and feel of Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and David Gemmell to the mix. I want the otherworldly horror of Clark Ashton Smith and H.P. Lovecraft. I want to renew a sense of wonder to the player, when you sat down and played your first game of D&D.
Choose from 10 unique races, not just another variation of elf. Some are the same as you're used to (shaken and stirred a bit), others are very different. Humans are now distinct by nationality and race.
You are not your stuff anymore. Your damage increases by class and level, not by acquiring a higher-damage weapon. This is logical and consistent with the pulps we are emulating.
No skills! Your character is unique and does have abilities all his own, and the rules allow anything to be attempted without fiddly rules. The Thief class is now more useful and fun than in earlier iterations of That Fantasy Game.
Experience points and Treasure are more logical, consistent, and reward actually doing things. Magical treasure is now something to be truly in awe of -- not because of raw power, but because of the effects.
New combat mechanics allow for any action to be taken, with instant effects -- not just “+2 to Armor Class!” Unhorse your foe! Throw your opponent into a group of enemies and bowl them over. Hurl your sword at someone and have it pierce him like a spear! Shatter weapons and shields! Simple, quick grappling rules allow you to wrestle with your enemy in style! 46 Combat Maneuvers make the Fighter class fun again!
Almost infinite variety. We have 43 character classes with different types of Spellcasters and Priest-types. Unique mechanics allow selection to be a breeze! Get a character up and running in 10 minutes! Variety like you've not seen in either kit or prestige class! Yet easier than any edition!
New spells, contained in the same Vancian spell slot system, but now with full power over your spells and how they're cast! Options for variants allow for a richer magic system! Eight different schools of magic are detailed, and clerics now have access to “Prayers,” instead of spells. It works the same, just renamed!
New monsters! Old monsters with a unique twist!
All this together with a unique fantasy setting. Make a name for yourself in the magical land of Andurantha!
Not Old School, not New School, but rather Alternative School. Backwards compatible with most editions of D&D.
Optional rules allow you to play it your way!
Getting anyone to playtest this might be interesting. Most people have fallen under the sway of WotC or Paizo, and have little patience for anything else. A weekly game? I wish!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Handling Fame and Infamy
Reading a post at RPG Blog II I was originally mentioning how I handle renown through roleplaying, somehow vaguely tied to level. And as I thought about it more and more, I began to realize that having it codified might be beneficial.
Generally, the thing you will be most known for is your character class. An elusive thief, a valiant warrior, a devout priest, etc. However, there will be deeds that will stand out above others, and there also can be alignment fame (or infamy, if particularly evil or chaotic). Most basically, the character will be known, for good or ill, by what he is and what he does. Slay a band of marauding goblins -- fame. Burn down an orphanage -- infamy.
Here is a rough chart of the levels, and the amount of fame they correspond to:
Of course, your fame/glory/renown/infamy could result in other actions being taken. Being known as an amazing warrior might have others challenging you for the title. Being infamous might mean a price is on your head, and so on. The player and DM are encouraged to be creative.
Generally, the thing you will be most known for is your character class. An elusive thief, a valiant warrior, a devout priest, etc. However, there will be deeds that will stand out above others, and there also can be alignment fame (or infamy, if particularly evil or chaotic). Most basically, the character will be known, for good or ill, by what he is and what he does. Slay a band of marauding goblins -- fame. Burn down an orphanage -- infamy.
Here is a rough chart of the levels, and the amount of fame they correspond to:
| 1st-4th level | Relatively unknown. If of noble birth, it is extremely minor or hidden |
| 5-8th level | By this time has proven himself a hero/villain. Educated men and bards will know of his deeds, but he will not be widely recognized. |
| 9th (Name) level | Known by all in his state/province. Can set up some sort of headquarters and attract followers. |
| 11th level | In/famous throughout the country. Could possibly have a place at court. |
| 13th level | Known throughout the continent. |
| 15th level | Known the world over. His deeds will be spoken of in distant lands |
Of course, your fame/glory/renown/infamy could result in other actions being taken. Being known as an amazing warrior might have others challenging you for the title. Being infamous might mean a price is on your head, and so on. The player and DM are encouraged to be creative.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Rethinking Combat
Combat in D&D (pre-2000) seems me to be a bit uninvolved. Sure, there's the whole "I'm down to my last hit point" or "I used up all my spells" resource management type thing, but otherwise there's just this: roll dice to hit, roll damage. For some reason, it felt a bit wrong to me, especially when I was exposed to other systems. In GURPS, you roll to defend yourself. In Marvel Super Heroes, you roll to dodge. In Palladium, you also have a dodge, block, or parry roll. In Storyteller, you roll to try and mitigate your foe's successes. In Tunnels & Trolls, each opponent rolls. In Rolemaster, you use some of your offensive ability to add to your defense. Heck, even in Risus you roll. Games with relatively static target numbers in combat just feel erratic, and in some cases erroneous, to me now.
Imagine this: if your buddy aims a punch at you, and you see it coming, you're not likely to sit there as it comes at you. I know D&D and other games are supposed to take that into account, but I don't visualize it happening, for whatever reason. It just feels like I'm sitting there, waiting to be hit.
Check out this clip from the 7th Voyage of Sinbad:
While not technically from Appendix N, I can't imagine no one kept Ray Harryhausen in mind when designing D&D.
The sad thing is, I don't have combats in D&D that play out like that clip. It just seems like two people standing there bashing each other's heads in. Even defensive maneuvers or shields tend to simply add to AC, they don't really reflect what's really going on as combat proceeds. Now, I realize that it was developed from a naval wargame. I realize that naval ships cannot dodge, parry, etc. Be that as it may, we have grown older, and better ways have been found to do certain things in the 37 years since D&D was born. And I do not care for the complexities of D&D3 or 4 -- if you enjoy them then more power to you, but I can think of easier ways to simulate what happens in this scene...and beyond it.
To do this we have to overhaul the system slightly.
Armor Class remains, but we have to adjust depending on what system you're using. Armor Class no longer stands for your entire defensive capabilities, but now simply straight armor. No bonuses for Dexterity are added into it. In my system, 5 is the base, and armor adds to it. It's ascending. For descending AC, you'd have to subtract that from 11 to get the bonus, and add 5. A roll under this number (still called Armor Class) means you hit the armor and no damage is done.
Next we determine what the bonuses are to hit. Usually this is STR bonus + Level for Fighters, and everyone else would need to know their Base Attack Bonus. Now in the case of matrix-based combat, this is relatively easy. Find the worst AC on the matrix (for Basic this would be 9, for AD&D 10), cross-index class and level, and subtract that number from 10. That is the bonus to hit. Enterprising players will already have these numbers written down, to avoid looking anything up. This can be done for monsters as well.
So, as an example, we have Gorthon, and Ral. Gorthon is a level 7 Fighter with 17 STR, and Ral is a level 9 Thief with a 13 STR. They are coming from a matrix-based game, and both Gorthon's and Ral's chance to hit AC 9 is 5. 10 - 5 = 5, meaning they have a base attack bonus of 5. Gorthon, with his 17 STR, has a +2, and Ral has a +1 to hit. Gorthon is wearing Chain, and Ral is wearing Leather. So, to summarize:
Gorthon, Fighter: +7 to hit, AC 11 (Chain)
Ral, Thief: +5 to hit, AC 9 (Leather)
Next each combatant has 1 attack, and 1 defense. One person attacks, the other defends. The attacker declares his intent (special attacks, etc), and the defender declares his actions (parry, dodge, block with shield, or something else). To hit you simply roll a d20, and whoever rolls higher wins. If the attacker wins, roll damage. That's it. If you roll under the AC, your attack simply bounced off. Then, when the defender's initiative comes up, that's when he makes his attack, and the other guy becomes the defender.
The narrative is dependent on the actions being performed. Obviously, if the defender declares that he is dodging and his roll is higher, you don't say the attack bounced off the defender's shield. He ducked or jumped out of the way.
There are other things we saw in that clip as well:
Fighting from higher ground might grant a +1 to the attacker.
Ducking behind something could give a +1 to the defender.
Also the winner of a combat round might want to force the loser back a pace.
Too, you can have knockdown or knockback effects if you want, such as when Sinbad knocked the skeleton off the staircase with his sword, though again that could be simulated by having the loser forced back a pace, and falling off because there is no other place to step. A knockdown effect can be simulated by rolling attacker's STR vs. defender's DEX. If the defender fails, he's either pushed backwards, or is knocked to the ground, and must spend his next action standing. He may parry (or block, if he has a shield), but cannot dodge.
For disarm, you could simply have the attacker declare that instead of damage, he has knocked the weapon from his foe's hand. Obviously, that wouldn't work with tooth or claw, but with swords, axes, maces, etc it works just fine.
For disarm, you could simply have the attacker declare that instead of damage, he has knocked the weapon from his foe's hand. Obviously, that wouldn't work with tooth or claw, but with swords, axes, maces, etc it works just fine.
And did you see what the skeleton did when disarmed? It threw the shield at Sinbad and went for its sword. That could be an attack or defense, and a WIS roll might be needed to not lose your action.
The system is fairly versatile. Taking a page from Swords Against The Outer Dark, you could say that 11 minus your AC is a penalty to your dodge roll, thus representing that heavy armor can slow you down. I would probably rule that way for chain, not plate, since there are even YouTube videos showing people doing aerobics in full plate.
All this doesn't take that much longer than a normal combat, simply because there is a clear winner. It's not like the guy parrying or dodging will be successful all the time. And, I feel, it's more visceral, because as the defender you are responsible for making sure you roll higher than the other guy, rather than just waiting to see if you get hit.
The system is fairly versatile. Taking a page from Swords Against The Outer Dark, you could say that 11 minus your AC is a penalty to your dodge roll, thus representing that heavy armor can slow you down. I would probably rule that way for chain, not plate, since there are even YouTube videos showing people doing aerobics in full plate.
All this doesn't take that much longer than a normal combat, simply because there is a clear winner. It's not like the guy parrying or dodging will be successful all the time. And, I feel, it's more visceral, because as the defender you are responsible for making sure you roll higher than the other guy, rather than just waiting to see if you get hit.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Rules Hack - Mass Combat and Trade
Reading Telecanter's Receding Rules was inspiring. At the end of his house rules, there was a request thread, of sorts -- "requesting elegant solutions" for various in-game situations. So...challenge accepted! I don't know if these are elegant enough, as they are sort of off the top of my head...
Simple Mass Combat Rules
First of all, each side rolls a d20. This is modified by:
Simple Mass Combat Rules
First of all, each side rolls a d20. This is modified by:
| Combatant has monsters in his unit | +1 |
| Combatant has elite members in his unit | +1 |
| Combatant has a legendary hero (ala Conan) | +3 |
| Combatant has a magic user | +1 |
| Combatant has double the amount of foe's army | +5 |
| Combatant is holed up inside a fortress* | +7 |
* = one side only -- this would represent a siege.
Then roll. The side that gets the highest number wins.
For more granularity, you could say that each successful roll reduces the foe's army by half. So, if you had 500 foes, a hit would bring you down to 250, then 175, then 90, then 45, 25, 12, 6, 3, 1, and 0.
You might wish to divide the combatants into units, that way more soldiers get wiped out in a single attack. So, for example, if the above combatant had 500 men, 500 divided into 10 units of 50 men each, you could simply have the units engage in combat. Start with 10, first hit brings it down to 5, then 3, then 2, and 1, and finally the battle is won in five rolls instead of ten rolls as shown above.
Simple Trade Rules
First you figure out if you're trading by land or by sea. Trading by land is shorter, but you get less of a return on your investment because pack horses cannot carry much. Trading by sea is longer and riskier, but you get more of a return on your investment because ships can carry all sorts of things, and you can trade for exotic goods from all over.
Then, you take some of your gold, and put it into an investment in trade goods.
Trading by sea means you roll 1d6 to find out your profit margin. If you roll a 1-5, that is the amount you invested multiplies by. So, if you invested 100 gold, rolling a 4 means you make 400 gold. A "6" means the ship was lost at sea, along with the profits. The roll is also for how many game months the ships were at sea.
Trading by land, you'd roll a 1d3 for profits. Multiply what you invested by that number. It also takes that many game months for your pack horses to make the journey.
I'm still working on Simple Political and Social Intrigue rules. Those rules are more difficult since intrigue is quite complex.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Old School -- Busting the Myths
As I've been following various old school blogs, I've read various things that I agree with and don't agree with. In talking with other gamers, quite a few had a negative opinion of the OSR, either from things they've read, or their supposed experiences. I present to you the most common of the negative comments I've heard or read -- most are simply largely untrue. The myths and my take on them:
Old School Myth #1: Rules as Written (RAW)
I've heard this time and again. I've actually experienced it too, when I have to roll a character using the 3d6 method, no assigning of abilities, getting killed just because one dice roll goes wrong (in the GM's hands), etc. Most of these things annoy me, and more often than not is just an example of rigid thinking that doesn't do anyone any good.
But I think that RAW is just a play style. Everyone has rules they like, from random chargen to abstract combat, and that's going to happen. If they didn't like some aspect of the rules, why play? But I don't think it's particularly Old School.
D&D3E has a large number of skills and abilities that you can give your character. In fact, I sort admire it because of that. Properly implemented, this can give you a solid idea of where you came from or who you are. Take Howard's Conan; we know he's from a land of ice and snow, can climb really well because of his upbringing, and also can fight well -- a region where the faint of heart would soon be dead. This could be represented by skill bonuses and bonuses to fight, packaged in a background feat. But, I digress...
D&D3E has a great amount of rules. Rules to see whether you can bluff or intimidate, rules to see whether you can spot something, etc, rules that allow you to do something out of the ordinary in combat. There's nothing wrong with this, per se, but I kinda felt constrained gamemastering. Because I would rather there be a way to solve it without skill rolls, and the designers were intent on simply rolling for everything, it seems. What if I wanted someone to do something to notice something important (like move a cushion, or examine a wall)? What if I would rather they creatively take out their foe, rather than invoking "Improved Crushing Blow" or some such? I felt lost as a player, too.
The rules in Old School games for the most part are frameworks. Each GM seasons his own game to taste. While all GMs, Old School and Modern, do this to some extent, there's some more "on the fly" rulings that must be made. No rules system can encompass everything, and a large part of the OSR loves to tinker with it, at least a bit. If for nothing more than to make sure the next time someone does that, there's not a different set of rules that might hinder the player more or make it too easy.
Old School Myth #2: Starting out as the Little Guy
Another myth is the beginning character as a schmoe. Too often D&D is used as an example, but I can say definitively that every game does not do this. Almost no one can deny that Champions is old (c. 1981), incidentally the same year Tom Moldvay authored his version of Basic D&D. The characters in old-school Champions were hardly average, being superheroes. That also was the theme of Villains & Vigilantes (also '81). 70s-era Traveller was also a game where you were well-trained before you began adventuring. In the Atlantean Trilogy and Palladium Fantasy your character was well-stocked with skills and class abilities, and you were no slouch in Rolemaster, Tunnels and Trolls, The Fantasy Trip, or even RuneQuest. In Gamma World you had powers that set you above the rabble, and in Top Secret you were a secret agent ala James Bond. Need I say more?
For my own part, I consider the "little guy" syndome to be reminiscent of Tolkien, where unassuming hobbits were the saviors of the world. I like the idea of being able to have characters who aren't invincible, but formidable in their own right. John Carter, Conan, Fafhrd, the Grey Mouser, etc.
Old School Myth #3: Characters are akin to Checker Pieces
A comment at Playing D&D With Porn Stars mentions that "The (very) old school treats characters like checker pieces - I don't cry in my beer when I lose a checker piece..." I'm not entirely sure that's the truth. I think it is a bit related to #1. All the rules in the world aren't going to instill a personality in your character, or make a campaign playable.
I've been in those kinds of games -- more power to you if you like that, I'm not particularly amenable to that style. I'd rather have a backstory for my character and have it be a bit more dramatically appropriate when I pass on, thank you very much. It's probably the reason I don't care too much for wargames or FPS games, either. I want to care about what I'm doing.
Now, if you're still trying to wrap your head around all this, or simply do not know what old-school gaming is, pick up Matt Finch's excellent Quick Primer for Old School Gaming. It's free, and chock-full of great advice.
Old School Myth #1: Rules as Written (RAW)
I've heard this time and again. I've actually experienced it too, when I have to roll a character using the 3d6 method, no assigning of abilities, getting killed just because one dice roll goes wrong (in the GM's hands), etc. Most of these things annoy me, and more often than not is just an example of rigid thinking that doesn't do anyone any good.
But I think that RAW is just a play style. Everyone has rules they like, from random chargen to abstract combat, and that's going to happen. If they didn't like some aspect of the rules, why play? But I don't think it's particularly Old School.
D&D3E has a large number of skills and abilities that you can give your character. In fact, I sort admire it because of that. Properly implemented, this can give you a solid idea of where you came from or who you are. Take Howard's Conan; we know he's from a land of ice and snow, can climb really well because of his upbringing, and also can fight well -- a region where the faint of heart would soon be dead. This could be represented by skill bonuses and bonuses to fight, packaged in a background feat. But, I digress...
D&D3E has a great amount of rules. Rules to see whether you can bluff or intimidate, rules to see whether you can spot something, etc, rules that allow you to do something out of the ordinary in combat. There's nothing wrong with this, per se, but I kinda felt constrained gamemastering. Because I would rather there be a way to solve it without skill rolls, and the designers were intent on simply rolling for everything, it seems. What if I wanted someone to do something to notice something important (like move a cushion, or examine a wall)? What if I would rather they creatively take out their foe, rather than invoking "Improved Crushing Blow" or some such? I felt lost as a player, too.
The rules in Old School games for the most part are frameworks. Each GM seasons his own game to taste. While all GMs, Old School and Modern, do this to some extent, there's some more "on the fly" rulings that must be made. No rules system can encompass everything, and a large part of the OSR loves to tinker with it, at least a bit. If for nothing more than to make sure the next time someone does that, there's not a different set of rules that might hinder the player more or make it too easy.
Old School Myth #2: Starting out as the Little Guy
Another myth is the beginning character as a schmoe. Too often D&D is used as an example, but I can say definitively that every game does not do this. Almost no one can deny that Champions is old (c. 1981), incidentally the same year Tom Moldvay authored his version of Basic D&D. The characters in old-school Champions were hardly average, being superheroes. That also was the theme of Villains & Vigilantes (also '81). 70s-era Traveller was also a game where you were well-trained before you began adventuring. In the Atlantean Trilogy and Palladium Fantasy your character was well-stocked with skills and class abilities, and you were no slouch in Rolemaster, Tunnels and Trolls, The Fantasy Trip, or even RuneQuest. In Gamma World you had powers that set you above the rabble, and in Top Secret you were a secret agent ala James Bond. Need I say more?
For my own part, I consider the "little guy" syndome to be reminiscent of Tolkien, where unassuming hobbits were the saviors of the world. I like the idea of being able to have characters who aren't invincible, but formidable in their own right. John Carter, Conan, Fafhrd, the Grey Mouser, etc.
Old School Myth #3: Characters are akin to Checker Pieces
A comment at Playing D&D With Porn Stars mentions that "The (very) old school treats characters like checker pieces - I don't cry in my beer when I lose a checker piece..." I'm not entirely sure that's the truth. I think it is a bit related to #1. All the rules in the world aren't going to instill a personality in your character, or make a campaign playable.
I've been in those kinds of games -- more power to you if you like that, I'm not particularly amenable to that style. I'd rather have a backstory for my character and have it be a bit more dramatically appropriate when I pass on, thank you very much. It's probably the reason I don't care too much for wargames or FPS games, either. I want to care about what I'm doing.
Now, if you're still trying to wrap your head around all this, or simply do not know what old-school gaming is, pick up Matt Finch's excellent Quick Primer for Old School Gaming. It's free, and chock-full of great advice.
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