NationStates Jolt Archive

So which verison of D&D/AD&D do you play? Why?

And what character class do you like best?

Do you have a preference?

Incidentally, my favorite character class is the Paladin. (surprise!)

Second Edition, I lean toward either paladin or wizard types. Or I used to when I was younger, not played in years.

I'd probably go for more rakish sorts these days.

So which verison of D&D/AD&D do you play? Why?

And what character class do you like best?I play 3.5 because it's the latest one out. but I have played the others.

my opinion? I like the 2nd edition better, it allows various methods for every class to obtain EP. Clerics get converts, Spell casters get new ways of using magic, Theives do their theivery, and fighters kill things.

3.5 however, the theives get more chances for XP since now the others stuff is all dependant on the GM.

as for class...

I like Rangers. tho I have also played thieves, Clerics and Spell casters.

This thread really isn't a joke?

I play more than one version ........

Only been playing for a little while, but I like the Paladin.
I also have the cartoon on DVD *hides*

You left Chainmail off the list....


Gah! You're right!

God, I haven't played D&D for years... I started 10 or 11 years ago, with the "classic" version.

Only been playing for a little while, but I like the Paladin.
I also have the cartoon on DVD *hides*

YEAH!

And campy as it may be, the cartoon was VASTLY better than that godawful movie...

Whatever the person has. I haven't owned one since 2nd, I think. I don't even remember how much of it works.

Really I'm just in it for the story telling and the mechanics are just there to facilitate. If I spend too much time looking at charts or rolling dice I start to think that I should just go play a computer RPG and let it do all the math if that's all I'm going to do. So the system doesn't matter as much as the people I'm playing with. It's a rare day that I play one of those games now. I think it's actually been a few years, but I won't shy from my nerd past. If I had some good cats to play with again, I would. As a freelancer I'm often nothing but time...'nothing' applies to how much money I have...sigh...

You left Chainmail off the list....

/old git

argh!

YEAH!

And campy as it may be, the cartoon was VASTLY better than that godawful movie...

Hehe, glad I'm not the only one. :D

I like 1st Edition myself... It seemed to have the best accessory material and wasn't "padded" as much for parent comfort. Later versions seemed tamer and more targeted to making money than providing a real game.

I ran a 3rd Edition campaign for a couple of years and I jsut coudn't get used to feats... Seemed to take some of the strategy and intellect out of the game and replaced it with almost videogame like powerups. I now run a 1st Edition campaign in my D&D club.

You left Chainmail off the list....

/old git

Chainmail!? Indeed you do show your age.... heh...

As for myself, I grew up with the 'boxed sets', switched to 2nd Edition and currently play 3.5. They're all good in their own way, but by and large I think 3.5 is relatively streamlined and user-friendly.

Yeah...I remember playing Blackmoor as well...in fact I have a bunch of the maps and books somewhere...

All good stuff...but I stop playing in the mid 80's...

Still...I had a fair amount of fun...

What was the name of the Japanese expansion they did? That was pretty hardcore.

Do you mean Oriental Adventures?

The only one I've ever really played was AD&D... I think that was the second edition. My brother lost interest in it, so we kinda quit.

I've played the 1st Edition, when I was little, and that was what got me into RPGs (well, that and HeroQuest). I have the 3rd Edition, but I've never been able to get a session together for it.

As for character class, it's hard to say. I enjoy the fighter and his subclasses, and the cleric the most... out of the three, I'd have to say cleric is my favourite.

God, I haven't played D&D for years... I started 10 or 11 years ago, with the "classic" version.
... so, do you still have you little plastic dice and the crayon stick?

I do.

Yeah...I remember playing Blackmoor as well...in fact I have a bunch of the maps and books somewhere...

All good stuff...but I stop playing in the mid 80's...

Still...I had a fair amount of fun...

What was the name of the Japanese expansion they did? That was pretty hardcore.

Oriental Adventures.

Chainmail!? Indeed you do show your age.... heh...

As for myself, I grew up with the 'boxed sets', switched to 2nd Edition and currently play 3.5. They're all good in their own way, but by and large I think 3.5 is relatively streamlined and user-friendly.

Yeah...I remember playing Blackmoor as well...in fact I have a bunch of the maps and books somewhere...

All good stuff...but I stop playing in the mid 80's...

Still...I had a fair amount of fun...

What was the name of the Japanese expansion they did? That was pretty hardcore.

Classic cant beat playing a Rakasta Rake that looks like Willy Fogg

Oriental Adventures. (Set in Kara-Tur.)

Blackmoor was good stuff.

Kara-Tur, IMS was introduced as a part of the Forgotten Realms campaign world, and not part of the original Oriental Adventures book itself.

... so, do you still have you little plastic dice and the crayon stick?

I do.


Heh for Christmas this year my fiancee gave me a set of stainless steel dice.

I outgeek ALL FTW!

Yeah...I remember playing Blackmoor as well...in fact I have a bunch of the maps and books somewhere...

All good stuff...but I stop playing in the mid 80's...

Still...I had a fair amount of fun...

What was the name of the Japanese expansion they did? That was pretty hardcore.

Oriental Adventures. (Set in Kara-Tur.)

Blackmoor was good stuff.

hmmm bought me a set of those back in '84.... ;)

Aye but who is the greater geek? The geek who buys his own dice, or the geek who managed to find a geek woman to buy them for him?

3.5, wizard. :)

... so, do you still have you little plastic dice and the crayon stick?

I do.



Dude... you still have the crayon stick... that's hardcore...


Incidentally, someone needs to go on a quest to slay the evil time displacer beast that's been messing with this message board.

Heh for Christmas this year my fiancee gave me a set of stainless steel dice.

I outgeek ALL FTW!

hmmm bought me a set of those back in '84.... ;)

I play 3 and 3.5 but a while ago I got the Chronomancer supplement for 2nd edition and I have been dying to play it.

My best character was my first, a Half-Elf Bard.

It's kind of a funny story, my brother was DMing and we had so many people that we could actually play full games of foosball in between rounds (thats 6 second rounds) of combat. So naturally my brother split up the group.

I was in a group with one other guy, he was a wizard. Guess who did all of the fighting.

So yea, basically 99% of our treasure consisted of healing potions...for me.

Kara-Tur, IMS was introduced as a part of the Forgotten Realms campaign world, and not part of the original Oriental Adventures book itself.

Really? It's been a long time since I glanced over the old Oriental Adventures book. Knew Kara-Tur was part of the whole Forgotten Realms world, but always assumed it was the default campaign setting.

Do you mean Oriental Adventures?

Yeah...thats the one...it did get a bit crazy with the multiple attacks and stuff...but a good laugh...

*ahem*

Runequest anyone? ;)

Oriental Adventures. (Set in Kara-Tur.)

Blackmoor was good stuff.

Yeah Arneson did some amazing work...and is very much an unsung hero...

Heh for Christmas this year my fiancee gave me a set of stainless steel dice.

I outgeek ALL FTW! not so fast. Random Damage Table! Does the result "Roll All Dice you Have for damage" mean instant death for any creature listed in any of the Monster Manuals?

Do you have the Original Fiend Folio?

Dude... you still have the crayon stick... that's hardcore...


Incidentally, someone needs to go on a quest to slay the evil time displacer beast that's been messing with this message board.... actually, it's the crayon that now hard... to the core. :D

Really? It's been a long time since I glanced over the old Oriental Adventures book. Knew Kara-Tur was part of the whole Forgotten Realms world, but always assumed it was the default campaign setting.
the default setting is Greyhawk.

Aye but who is the greater geek? The geek who buys his own dice, or the geek who managed to find a geek woman to buy them for him?

LOL!!! Yeah...fair enough...bastard! LOL :)

2nd edition. Once they lost the THAC0, it just wasn't ever the same. Favorite character was a dwarf warrior who was so stupid and tempremental, he had a statistical chance of forgetting anything, say that someone was in the party, and hence attacking them as an enemy. Needless to say, the DM gave me a bit of lattitude in the character creation process.

Obscure fantasy RGPs...

Powers & Perils...!

Bushido...!

Stormbringer...!

Do you have the Original Fiend Folio?


In fact I do...and the Whitedwarf issues the FF was based on...and Deities & Demogods...

S1 anyone?

the default setting is Greyhawk.

I meant the default setting for Oriental Adventures.

Incidentally, it's kind of funny that they would make Greyhawk the default setting, and then never really put out any product for it. Just plain odd.

I play 3.5, having only played for 3 years now, and i don't really have a fave class.

Dwarven wizards still make me giggle though.

"ACH! I cass Magi' Misle!"

Warhammer... I play that too.

Earthdawn, Warhammer Fantasy and HackMaster... They're all versions of AD&D, right?

Right?

not so fast. Random Damage Table! Does the result "Roll All Dice you Have for damage" mean instant death for any creature listed in any of the Monster Manuals?

I'd daresay if you're rolling THAT many dice, it's instant death for several ;)


Do you have the Original Fiend Folio?

Yes I do:D

Earthdawn, Warhammer Fantasy and HackMaster... They're all versions of AD&D, right?

Right?

That's just wrong...

I meant the default setting for Oriental Adventures.

Incidentally, it's kind of funny that they would make Greyhawk the default setting, and then never really put out any product for it. Just plain odd.

They sort of did... Ther ewas a boxed set that later evolved into one of th ehardcover books in 1st Edition. It sort of went by the wayside after that as the Forgotten Realms took center stage.

Earthdawn, Warhammer Fantasy and HackMaster... They're all versions of AD&D, right?

Right?

No, No, and... sort of.

HackMaster is a d20 system Open License game that pokes fun at the original '1st edition' Dungeons and Dragons. (Actually, celebrates it, more than pokes fun at it.)

LOL!!! Yeah...fair enough...bastard! LOL :)

hehe:D

In fact I do...and the Whitedwarf issues the FF was based on...and Deities & Demogods...

S1 anyone?yep, Dieties and Demigods!

I meant the default setting for Oriental Adventures.

Incidentally, it's kind of funny that they would make Greyhawk the default setting, and then never really put out any product for it. Just plain odd.several books did come out (novels) and the RPGA is baised in Greyhawk.

I'd daresay if you're rolling THAT many dice, it's instant death for several ;)people keep their dice in dice bags, I keep mine in an aquarium.

my old roommate and I have a standard joke. we never play at our apartment, because of the RDT result Roll all dice within 40 feet for damage... between the two of us, we would kill every creature in all of the MM.

No, No, and... sort of.

HackMaster is a d20 system Open License game that pokes fun at the original '1st edition' Dungeons and Dragons. (Actually, celebrates it, more than pokes fun at it.)

That was one of the things that made me like Wizards of the Coast. When the Hackmaster people approached WOTC for permission to use the original 1st Edition ruleset, WOTC let them have it for free.

people keep their dice in dice bags, I keep mine in an aquarium.

Anyone here ever use a Crown Royal bag to hold their dice?

I'll always have a soft spot for 1st edition AD&D, but I admit I spent a lot more time playing 2nd edition, where my favourite class was the Necromancer.

3rd edition ceased to be AD&D when they:

a) eliminated realistic fireball expansion

b) eliminated dual-classing

For me it was when they introduced feats. Ugh.

I'll always have a soft spot for 1st edition AD&D, but I admit I spent a lot more time playing 2nd edition, where my favourite class was the Necromancer.

3rd edition ceased to be AD&D when they:

a) eliminated realistic fireball expansion

b) eliminated dual-classing

Anyone here ever use a Crown Royal bag to hold their dice?
When I was younger the crown bag held my marbles, but I never had enough dice to warrant it.

I used a prescription drug bottle. It held my 2d20, d12, 3d10, d8, 5d6, and 2d4 without any problem.

Aye....

Now...lets see how geeky this thread can get...

Favorite TSR dungeon...

I mentioned mine already....S1

H4 The Throne of Bloodstone.

Actually, the whole series H1-H4 was pretty good, but H4 was designed for characters of level 18-100. Highest level dungeon ever published.

My two high-level characters were a Half-Ogre Barbarian/Fighter/Frenzied Berserker/War Hulk who could occasionally do over 4000 damage a hit (Level..I think 23) and a Elf Barbarian/Scout/Beastmaster wielding a goliath greathammer (Level 27)

several books did come out (novels) and the RPGA is baised in Greyhawk.
Plus the Greyhawk Wars strategy game, which was actually pretty cool.

It was like a D&D version of Risk. You can find it for under $100 on eBay.

When I was younger the crown bag held my marbles, but I never had enough dice to warrant it.

I used a prescription drug bottle. It held my 2d20, d12, 3d10, d8, 5d6, and 2d4 without any problem.

I have my girly dice (purple marbley colors) and for when I really want to kick some ass, I bring out the Deathcubes (black with tiny red skulls). They live in my purse. :D

yep, Dieties and Demigods!

Aye....

Now...lets see how geeky this thread can get...

Favorite TSR dungeon...

I mentioned mine already....S1

Never played the Forgotten Realms ...after my time...sorry!

What about I6?

That was a bastard to do...

Heh but you still get points for knowing that H4 was a FR module.

Aye....

Now...lets see how geeky this thread can get...

Favorite TSR dungeon...

I mentioned mine already....S1

there's alot.
S1
A1-4
S3

and alot of stuff in the Forgotten Realms.

but the one I'm working on is this one. (http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Largest-Dungeon-Alderac-Entertainment/dp/1594720290)

H4 The Throne of Bloodstone.

Actually, the whole series H1-H4 was pretty good, but H4 was designed for characters of level 18-100. Highest level dungeon ever published.

Never played the Forgotten Realms ...after my time...sorry!

What about I6?

That was a bastard to do...

Aye....

Now...lets see how geeky this thread can get...

Favorite TSR dungeon...

I mentioned mine already....S1

I6 Ravenloft... hands down.

It's sequel was rather sucktacular, but it spawned a whole series about a decade later with several good modules.

I6 Ravenloft... hands down.

It's sequel was rather sucktacular, but it spawned a whole series about a decade later with several good modules.

LOL yeah...see my post above yours! (and its not been timewarped! Bloody things need sorting!)

Ravenloft was amazing...I remember when it came out and we played it...killer...our Paladin (named....Pulsar! *argh!*) had a total nightmare LOL!

Waldorf!

That's just wrong...
It's so wrong it's right! :D

Mmmm... I looove EarthDawn, and I really like Warhammer Fantasy right now ;)
No, No, and... sort of.

HackMaster is a d20 system Open License game that pokes fun at the original '1st edition' Dungeons and Dragons. (Actually, celebrates it, more than pokes fun at it.)
*Stabs you with a HackMaster+12*

LOL yeah...see my post above yours! (and its not been timewarped! Bloody things need sorting!)

Ravenloft was amazing...I remember when it came out and we played it...killer...our Paladin (named....Pulsar! *argh!*) had a total nightmare LOL!

Yeah, you beat me to it.

Great module. One of the best dungeon maps ever created, fanatstic villain, funky random story mode involving playing cards and a gypsy wagon. It's got it all!

*Stabs you with a HackMaster+12*

I guess I deserve that for failing my Sense Sarcasm check.

I guess I deserve that for failing my Sense Sarcasm check.

Fireball coming online here guys.

It's so wrong it's right! :D

Mmmm... I looove EarthDawn, and I really like Warhammer Fantasy right now ;)


When I was in High School, there were two distinct geek factions... those who played AD&D, and those who played WHFB. Oh the arguments over which was better went on and on and on until finally we decided to get an impartial GM to create a rules conversion and let one character from each game fight it out to see who reigned supreme.

On the WHFB end, the player brought up his GiantSlayer. It was several carteers in, and a powerful contender. For the AD&D side, my level 23 Ranger represented.

I'd like to tell you it was an epic struggle. I'd like to tell you the fight lasted all day and all night until at last one champion reigned supreme, and in an act of respect and chivalry, the winner hoisted the loser in a hug and a hand in the air.

I'd like to tell you all that, but I'd be lying.

Round 1:
Step 1: GiantSlayer hits Ranger for a few hitpoints of damage.
Step 2: Ranger uses a Rope of Entanglement to immobilize the GiantSlayer
Step 3: Ranger delivers a deathblow to GiantSlayer.

Needless to say, this did not silence the controversey.

Irony: I now play Warhammer Fantasy Battle on tabletop, hence my forum name.

Castle Greyhawk.

Loved the solar-powered Diamond Golem. Plus, The Amazing Drider-Man!

Yeah, you beat me to it.

Great module. One of the best dungeon maps ever created, fanatstic villain, funky random story mode involving playing cards and a gypsy wagon. It's got it all!

totally...new artwork and design as well...as you rightly say...it had it all...

Also made a great base of operations eventually ;)

....or so we thought....

Do you remember the Giants one? 3 or 4 modules I think? Fireballs left right and centre I seem to remember...its all a bit of haze now! LOL

S3 - Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

yeah I was not keen on the sci fi element...

speaking of which ... what was the TSR sci fi game called?

Star Frontiers

Anyone here ever use a Crown Royal bag to hold their dice?
My friend insisted on the Crown Royal bag as the only method.

I'll always have a soft spot for 1st edition AD&D, but I admit I spent a lot more time playing 2nd edition, where my favourite class was the Necromancer.

3rd edition ceased to be AD&D when they:

a) eliminated realistic fireball expansion

b) eliminated dual-classing
Examine a), say it outloud.

I have my girly dice (purple marbley colors) and for when I really want to kick some ass, I bring out the Deathcubes (black with tiny red skulls). They live in my purse. :D
My friend (the Crown Royal guy) uses what he calls "The Ugly Brown Die," and makes a point of finding an ugly brown die of each type to whip out when it has to be rolled right...

... so, do you still have you little plastic dice and the crayon stick?

I do.
.
Sweet crap dude.

totally...new artwork and design as well...as you rightly say...it had it all...

Also made a great base of operations eventually ;)

....or so we thought....

Do you remember the Giants one? 3 or 4 modules I think? Fireballs left right and centre I seem to remember...its all a bit of haze now! LOL

You know, I don't think I ever played Against the Giants...

... unless a DM kind of blended it in to his campaign without telling us he was running an older module.

I believe I've played most of the classic adventures though. From Slave Pits to Keep on the Borderlands. (And yes, I wondered what was so important about keeping on the borderlands...)

I played 3rd edition a couple of times, once a priest, once as a barbarian, and once as a rouge... they all had theiving tendencies, and the ability too smooth talk their way out of trouble if they got caught. Except for the barbarian. He was a half dragon. All he had to do was glower at his accuser.

You know, I don't think I ever played Against the Giants...

... unless a DM kind of blended it in to his campaign without telling us he was running an older module.

I believe I've played most of the classic adventures though. From Slave Pits to Keep on the Borderlands. (And yes, I wondered what was so important about keeping on the borderlands...)

Holy shit! LOL I totally forgot about those!

I love this thread! LOL

Fireball coming online here guys.

Use your Bouncing Betty's while I waste him with my Crossbow of Devistation!

S3 - Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

Isn't there a spaceship in that one? They included it in a compilation module with that ridiculous crazy adventure... whose name I can't recall.... the one where if you just decide to look at something the wrong way, you instantly die with no saving throw...


Tomb of Horror!

Keep on the Borderlands!

Actually I only ever played one module, I think it was called All That Glitters, and it didn't go well I think. Hadn't grasped the game yet at that point.

S3 - Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

yeah I was not keen on the sci fi element...

speaking of which ... what was the TSR sci fi game called?

Holy shit! LOL I totally forgot about those!

I love this thread! LOL

I know... my friend recently moved and I got ALL his stuff... including all the Modules!

I remember against the Giants.

yeah I was not keen on the sci fi element...

speaking of which ... what was the TSR sci fi game called?

Gammaworld?

I hate timewarping :(

yeah I was not keen on the sci fi element...

speaking of which ... what was the TSR sci fi game called?

Alternity? I think... there were several all coming out about the same time...



unless you're talking about Star Frontiers.... of course you are! The one they used to advertise in comic books in the 80's right?

yeah I was not keen on the sci fi element...

speaking of which ... what was the TSR sci fi game called?

Star Frontiers (http://www.starfrontiers.org/)! I played the little balls of goop, if I remember correctly.

For those of yuo who have seen the Jack Chick anti-D&D comic, here's the MST3K treatment, reposted here for your amusement:

Dark Dungeons Redux (http://www.rpglibrary.org/inspiration/darkdungeons/)

I know... my friend recently moved and I got ALL his stuff... including all the Modules!

I remember against the Giants.

Nice!!!

I think I rather fancy a game now!

Anyone do any live action?

When I lived in the US I attended a couple of SCA do's...and did some fantasy live action over here in the UK...tennis balls as magic missles just did not cut it with me!

Gammaworld?

Thats the one!! Gammaworld...

Much preferred Traveler though...and Space Opera...

Who the fuck plays that nerdy game?!

Which one jock boi?

Who the fuck plays that nerdy game?!

Use your Bouncing Betty's while I waste him with my Crossbow of Devistation!

Dude, do you know how much a fighter with a +12 hackmaster is worth on hackbay?

Nice!!!

I think I rather fancy a game now!

Anyone do any live action?

When I lived in the US I attended a couple of SCA do's...and did some fantasy live action over here in the UK...tennis balls as magic missles just did not cut it with me!my friend did... she was supposed to be addicted to a drug, so they had her eating Pixie sticks... by the end of the session, she was wired! :D

I miss my old group... we had some of the best games...

imagine CoC games that really did give you nightmares. Sessions where you got goosebumps from the settings alone (Grace under pressure)

Dude, do you know how much a fighter with a +12 hackmaster is worth on hackbay?don't care! GIMME THE XP!

*Rolls the Dice*

imagine CoC games that really did give you nightmares. Sessions where you got goosebumps from the settings alone (Grace under pressure)


I heard the funniest CoC story ever a few years back. This guy's character had a agoraphobia (Think that's what it's called, afraid of open places) and claustrophobia. So basically he cried in the corner.


don't care! GIMME THE XP!

*Rolls the Dice*

I waste it with my crossbow!

Start new reference chain:

I think I just had an evilgasm.

I guess I deserve that for failing my Sense Sarcasm check.
Bwahaha!
Fireball coming online here guys.
:eek:
When I was in High School, there were two distinct geek factions...
*Snip flashback*

Irony: I now play Warhammer Fantasy Battle on tabletop, hence my forum name.

Ah, but it's the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Second edition that's all the rage nowadays. That's where the fun and games are ;)

Examine a), say it outloud.
That's a legitimate complaint. Prior to 3E, a Fireball expanded to fill a fixed volume, much like real-world explosions. This made the fireball very powerful in enclosed spaces, but also very dangerous to use.

In fact, according to 1st edition rules, in order to cast the fireball far enough away from you in a standard 10'x10' corridor so that it didn't rush back and hit you, you had to be at least a level 13 magic-user.

Now any level 5 wizard can cast Fireball without accidentally immolating himself. Where's the fun in that?

That's a legitimate complaint. Prior to 3E, a Fireball expanded to fill a fixed volume, much like real-world explosions. This made the fireball very powerful in enclosed spaces, but also very dangerous to use.

In fact, according to 1st edition rules, in order to cast the fireball far enough away from you in a standard 10'x10' corridor so that it didn't rush back and hit you, you had to be at least a level 13 magic-user.

Now any level 5 wizard can cast Fireball without accidentally immolating himself. Where's the fun in that?

Hehe similarly, a 3rd Edition player fired a lightning bolt at a target that was standing right in front of a wall. In 3rd Edition, the bolt goes into the wall harmlessly. In 1st, it bounced back and hit the target again, then the caster! He had no idea of the sublteties of 1st Edition. His Magic USer died with a look of shock on his face.

Ahh... good times.

Start new reference chain:

I think I just had an evilgasm.

Woot! :fluffle:

http://forevergeek.com/images/stick.jpg
http://www.tomsimpson.org/images/orderofstick.gif

D&D..

Who... why?!

Don't make me roll initiative

Which one jock boi?

D&D..

Who... why?!

3.5. Favorite class: fighter/mage. You're limited in armor because of the whole spell failure chance thing, but if that happens, just pull out a sword.

D&D..

Who... why?!

You original comment was rather 'jockish' is all...the kind of stuff my mates and I used to get in High School...thought you might have made the connection...no fears ;)

I heard the funniest CoC story ever a few years back. This guy's character had a agoraphobia (Think that's what it's called, afraid of open places) and claustrophobia. So basically he cried in the corner.
for phobia... you need Paranoia! :D

Woot! :fluffle:

http://forevergeek.com/images/stick.jpg
http://www.tomsimpson.org/images/orderofstick.gif

"Questioning of Authority"

You original comment was rather 'jockish' is all...the kind of stuff my mates and I used to get in High School...thought you might have made the connection...no fears ;)

*gives you a wedgie*

my friend did... she was supposed to be addicted to a drug, so they had her eating Pixie sticks... by the end of the session, she was wired! :D

I miss my old group... we had some of the best games...

imagine CoC games that really did give you nightmares. Sessions where you got goosebumps from the settings alone (Grace under pressure)

ok...you've lost me a bit here...pixie sticks? CoC??

Now nightmares I understand...

We did a thing at Castle Donnington...bastards rigged a Dragon in the great hall...brrr!

I think I just had an evilgasm.
I blame Cerebus.

*gives you a wedgie*

LOL...dude...that was like 25 odd years ago! Don't think you can wedgie me now...unless yer invisible or summink! LOL

*gives you a wedgie*

*Shanks you*

Damn, we geeks may not be strong. But we can make a weapon out of anything.

*gives you a wedgie*

*blasts you with an intensified enhanced quickened horrid wilting*

That's what wizards are for... they give us intelligent but physically weak people something to fight back with.

*blasts you with an intensified enhanced quickened horrid wilting*

That's what wizards are for... they give us intelligent but physically weak people something to fight back with.

You forgot to maximize it, as well. And you still have an action because it's quickened. And let's grandfather in 3.0 haste.

*Castes maximized vengeful gaze of god twice*

You forgot to maximize it, as well.

You can't maximize an intensified spell; it's already maximized and doubled.

And you still have an action because it's quickened.

I know, but I don't think I need it. :)

I started with the regular box of Dungeons and Dragons. But I didnt play a lot. What I really played a lot was AD&D (I guess first and second editions), which I liked a lot. Then I went to GURPS, Vampire and stoped playing about altogether 6 years ago.

My favorite class was the Mage. I thought fighters were too simple (no magic or skills, only weapons), clerics werent interesting for me, and thieves werent either. So I usually played a mage because I thought they were the coolest ones.

ok...you've lost me a bit here...pixie sticks? CoC??

Now nightmares I understand...

We did a thing at Castle Donnington...bastards rigged a Dragon in the great hall...brrr!

Imagine a straw filled with flavored sugar. Pixie stix (http://thecandybaron.com/detail.html?1057).


CoC= Call of Cuthulu. horror RPG

*blasts you with an intensified enhanced quickened horrid wilting*

That's what wizards are for... they give us intelligent but physically weak people something to fight back with.

I preferre Evan's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html)!

I preferre Evan's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html)!

Horrid wilting may be a cruel spell, but even I would not descend to such depths.

I leave that to my loyal subordinates.

*leaves the forums*

You left Chainmail off the list....

/old git

Nevermind Chainmail, he seems to have either conflated Basic/Expert/Etc. and OD&D or left one of them off the list.

Obscure fantasy RGPs...

Powers & Perils...!

Bushido...!

Stormbringer...!

I'd only consider the first of those even semi-obscure. Now Field Guide To Encounters - that's an obscure one.

imagine CoC games that really did give you nightmares. Sessions where you got goosebumps from the settings alone (Grace under pressure)

Ooh, been there done that :D

I used to run a group - and you know you've gotten the paranoid feelings just right when they turn on each other just before they discover where the unspeakable thing is hiding.

Aaah... Good times :p

don't care! GIMME THE XP!

*Rolls the Dice*
*Rolls a better result*
Denied!

*Blasts you with a sawn-off double barreled shotgun for max damage*
...oh, and headshot ;) :p

They sort of did... Ther ewas a boxed set that later evolved into one of th ehardcover books in 1st Edition. It sort of went by the wayside after that as the Forgotten Realms took center stage.

Meh. Before there was a boxed set there was a 'Gazeteer' - two full color maps, a 32-page booklet of runes (why? I don't know), and a 48 page booklet of the Kingdoms of that part of Oerth.

*leaves the forums*

*Pelts with bags of Cheetos*

In fact, according to 1st edition rules, in order to cast the fireball far enough away from you in a standard 10'x10' corridor so that it didn't rush back and hit you, you had to be at least a level 13 magic-user.

Now any level 5 wizard can cast Fireball without accidentally immolating himself. Where's the fun in that?

The real headscratcher in 1st Edition was the way that all ranges (including spells) were tripled if cast _outside_. Of course, this wasn't confusing at all, seeing as how the ranges were given in inches, which actually meant either feet or yards depending on whether you had a roof over your head or not.... no, not confusing at all.

Still, compared to weapon speed and adjustments against AC for different weapons that was all crystal clear. I still have yet to read a proper and full explanation of how even the most basic combat in 1E was meant to work.

At least T&T, for all its myriad failings, kept it simple, stupid.

Ooh, been there done that :D

I used to run a group - and you know you've gotten the paranoid feelings just right when they turn on each other just before they discover where the unspeakable thing is hiding. :p

LOL... Grace Under Pressure... imagine a room where the players sit, it's dark, the only light comes from the flashlights the players are required to bring. The scene is an underwater lab. a small group, goes out in a submersable.

the GM then takes out two cheap, toy walkie talkies and takes the group leaving out of the room, leaving one walkie talkie on the table.

then you hear the following.
*crackle* we're heading for the south quad*hiss* looking for *crackle*
you respond over the radio
[conversation goes on... hiss and crackles from the walkie talkies are real, thus the cheap toys ones... until...)
*crackle*.ait... what th*hiss*
may*crackle ay... get us *hiss*

then the other group comes back in and sits quietly down and the game progesses... (sorry not telling what happened.)

Imagine a straw filled with flavored sugar. Pixie stix (http://thecandybaron.com/detail.html?1057).


CoC= Call of Cuthulu. horror RPG

Ahh...Space Dust...thats what its called over here I think...

Call of Cuthulu...of course!! Doh!!! I liked the idea but it was hard to get into if the GM was not able to project a sense of 'noir(?)'...

Nevermind Chainmail, he seems to have either conflated Basic/Expert/Etc. and OD&D or left one of them off the list.



I'd only consider the first of those even semi-obscure. Now Field Guide To Encounters - that's an obscure one.

Yeah thats true...I forgot about the basic and expert...

I was not sure if they were obscure or not...its been ages since I was involved in the scene...I have not heard of Field Guide...kudos!

Ahh...Space Dust...thats what its called over here I think...

Call of Cuthulu...of course!! Doh!!! I liked the idea but it was hard to get into if the GM was not able to project a sense of 'noir(?)'...

for CoC, it's not Noir, (there is actually a game called Noir) but horror.

one of our GM's actually got a new player to shoot another player... point blank... with a double barrel shotgun...

the look on his face was classic as everyone was telling him "don't worry, that's the game!"

the look on his face was classic as everyone was telling him "don't worry, that's the game!"

You ever had a character die before the end of character generation?

for CoC, it's not Noir, (there is actually a game called Noir) but horror.

one of our GM's actually got a new player to shoot another player... point blank... with a double barrel shotgun...

the look on his face was classic as everyone was telling him "don't worry, that's the game!"

Yeah... meant noir as in trying to get that sense of darkness/dread lurking behind every corner...something that not many of the GM's I played with were able to do...

I'm a bit of a Lovecraft freak so am familiar with the milieu ;)

You ever had a character die before the end of character generation?

Aftermath...

LOL... Grace Under Pressure... imagine a room where the players sit, it's dark, the only light comes from the flashlights the players are required to bring. The scene is an underwater lab. a small group, goes out in a submersable.

the GM then takes out two cheap, toy walkie talkies and takes the group leaving out of the room, leaving one walkie talkie on the table.

then you hear the following.
*crackle* we're heading for the south quad*hiss* looking for *crackle*
you respond over the radio
[conversation goes on... hiss and crackles from the walkie talkies are real, thus the cheap toys ones... until...)
*crackle*.ait... what th*hiss*
may*crackle ay... get us *hiss*

then the other group comes back in and sits quietly down and the game progesses... (sorry not telling what happened.)
Sounds like a good game :)

Horror and paranoia... That's Cthulhu. :D
Why the stories I could tell...
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/Yellowsign.JPG

Aftermath...

Classic Traveller.

Classic Traveller.

During military service...?

Great game...

Mine died in AM due to radiation poisoning...lovely.

You ever had a character die before the end of character generation?... Can't say that I have.

Sounds like a good game :)

Horror and paranoia... That's Cthulhu. :D
Why the stories I could tell...
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/Yellowsign.JPG

Ack! San Roll! warn a guy will ya!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/Yellowsign.JPG

MY GUESS WAS RIGHT! THAT IS THE YELLOW SIGN!


Okay, I think I just exceeded my geek capacity.

"I...love...foot...ball..."


Okay, that hurt, but it's better.

Now for my vengance on the football players.

"HASTUR HASTUR HASTUR"

I think i win the thread. I used to play Basic. It was the very first version of the game. Yes im old.

Then later used to play the Modules. I remember a space themed one that i was enthralled with as a youth.

I think i win the thread. I used to play Basic. It was the very first version of the game. Yes im old.

Nooooo! Post-Chainmail the first version of the game was the three book set AKA woodgrain box AKA white box AKA OD&D which predates Basic by about threee years. IIRC it was with this set that either Vonners or Daistallia started playing.

3.5, baby. Thac0 is Wacko.

I go back and forth between fighters and wizards, mostly. One of these days if I get to play in a campaign instead of run one, I'll try out a Warmage.

Thac0 is Wacko.

THAC0? Pah. I don't hold with such newfangled ideas. Back in the day real men used one of these:

http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/miscpages/miscscans/wheelfront.jpg

I don't play any versions of it now, but I did play D&D, 1st Edition AD&D, and Arduin (I count that, as it was originally intended as a suppliment, but split off to become a cometing game system). I moved on to other systems after that.



Obscure fantasy RGPs...

Powers & Perils...!

Bushido...!

Stormbringer...!

Yeah, I tend to like the more obscure ones better too - EPT (http://www.tekumel.com/)'s my all time fave setting. It's utterly and wonderfully different from the generic (and derivative) Tolken based game worlds, and I'd have to say it is as equally or even more detailed than ME. It was also probably the first shot fired in the "role-playing" vs "roll-playing" wars, as it was the first RPG to

Some of the other good but obscure ones I liked: Runequest, Arduin (mentioned above), Journe, Middle Earth Role Play, Morrow Project, Recon, Space 1889, and 2300 AD. I don't know if you'd count TORG, Toon, and Twilight 2000 as obscure when they came out, but I'd guess they are now. Has anybody here played any of them?



(And, yes, of course I played Bushido.)

Anyone here ever use a Crown Royal bag to hold their dice?

I can go geekier than that - I had a custom hand-made leather pouch. :eek:

Aye....

Now...lets see how geeky this thread can get...

Favorite TSR dungeon...

I mentioned mine already....S1

For AD&D, it's a toss up between the A series (Aerie of the Slave Lords) or the EX (EXtension) Series (the two based on Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass). (We used the EX modukes for EPT.)

The U series (Underwater, AKA Saltmash), the C series (especially The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan), The Secret of Bone Hill, and Ravenloft were fun too. (Again, we used Ravenloft for EPT.)

Waldorf!

Heh. Waldorf was the name of my favorite character (a sorcerer I had the pleasure to have played in one of the longest running EPT campaigns.)

Thats the one!! Gammaworld...

Much preferred Traveler though...and Space Opera...

Gammaworld was fun, but yeah, Traveller was much better.

I heard the funniest CoC story ever a few years back. This guy's character had a agoraphobia (Think that's what it's called, afraid of open places) and claustrophobia. So basically he cried in the corner.

The funniest story I have from CoC, was in the Cthulhu Now campaign I played in at college. The campaign bascially ended when our investigatrs discovered firsthand the inconvenient fact that, no, you cannot destroy Cthulhu with a nuke. He reappears 15 minutes later, radioactive and angry.

for phobia... you need Paranoia! :D

Also a great classic. And the LARP version done for the last round of Owlcon (the Rice University con) was an infamous classic, especially the use of identical twins, unknown to the party, as NPCs.

Meh. Before there was a boxed set there was a 'Gazeteer' - two full color maps, a 32-page booklet of runes (why? I don't know), and a 48 page booklet of the Kingdoms of that part of Oerth.

The Gazeteer is the only set of D&D books I have left after the great purge of my unused gaming materials when I moved to Japan.

You ever had a character die before the end of character generation?

Yep - in almsot all the old GDW games.

Nooooo! Post-Chainmail the first version of the game was the three book set AKA woodgrain box AKA white box AKA OD&D which predates Basic by about threee years. IIRC it was with this set that either Vonners or Daistallia started playing.

Indeed, indeed.

The original Dungeons and Dragons was a box set published in 1974 with several supplements and magazine articles of official rules published over the next few years.

In 1977, TSR released two new versions of the game: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) and Dungeons & Dragons (sometimes called Basic D&D to distinguish it from AD&D, though TSR never used that term).

The version called Dungeons & Dragons (1977 - 1999), by virtue of being published as discrete sets with increasing complexity, was seen as an introductory version of AD&D. Though simpler overall, it included rules for some situations not covered in AD&D. There were five sets Basic (1977, revised in 1981 and again in 1983), Expert (1981, revised in 1983), Companion (1983), Master (1985) and Immortals (1985, 1991). The first four were later compiled as a single hardcover book, the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%26D#Edition_history

And yes, I did start out on that.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/Yellowsign.JPG

:::fails san roll:::

THAC0? Pah. I don't hold with such newfangled ideas. Back in the day real men used one of these:

http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/miscpages/miscscans/wheelfront.jpg

:::fails san roll again:::

Nooooo! Post-Chainmail the first version of the game was the three book set AKA woodgrain box AKA white box AKA OD&D which predates Basic by about threee years. IIRC it was with this set that either Vonners or Daistallia started playing.

Blackmoor was Dave Arnesons concept. He went to Gygax because of his work on Chainmail. Gygax renamed Blackmoor to Dungeons & Dragons and used the combat system from Chainmail.

I remember the boxed sets of D&D but my Blackmoor stuff was sold in A4 sized ziplock plastic bags separately from D&D. Its was a loooong time ago so really can't remember it all that well...

I never played, apparently the Geeks at primary school were elitest.:rolleyes:

I don't play any versions of it now, but I did play D&D, 1st Edition AD&D, and Arduin (I count that, as it was originally intended as a suppliment, but split off to become a cometing game system). I moved on to other systems after that.

Yeah, I tend to like the more obscure ones better too - EPT (http://www.tekumel.com/)'s my all time fave setting. It's utterly and wonderfully different from the generic (and derivative) Tolken based game worlds, and I'd have to say it is as equally or even more detailed than ME. It was also probably the first shot fired in the "role-playing" vs "roll-playing" wars, as it was the first RPG to

Some of the other good but obscure ones I liked: Runequest, Arduin (mentioned above), Journe, Middle Earth Role Play, Morrow Project, Recon, Space 1889, and 2300 AD. I don't know if you'd count TORG, Toon, and Twilight 2000 as obscure when they came out, but I'd guess they are now. Has anybody here played any of them?



(And, yes, of course I played Bushido.)

I don't think I ever played Arduin...

Morrow Project!!! Bloody hell! LOL And Twilight 2000....! Yeah...played those...and Middle Earth...Recon I had a go at as well but didn't get into it for some reason I can't remember.

Bodies Without ORgans mentioned T&T...that was fun...and simple if I recall correctly...

Blackmoor was Dave Arnesons concept. He went to Gygax because of his work on Chainmail. Gygax renamed Blackmoor to Dungeons & Dragons and used the combat system from Chainmail.

Yep, Blackmoor was Arnesons creation, but D&D was colaborative. Arneson started off using Chainmail, but added rules lifted from Ironclads (particularly hit points) pretty quickly because of problems with Chainmail (namely the players didn't like the instant death rules). He also contributed levels and XP. Gygax consolidated and organised everything and added his own contributions like the Vancian magic system, so to say he simply renamed it and used the Chainmail combat system isn't quite accurate.

http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/538/538262p3.html

And, just on an interesting trivia note, the original working title was "The Fantasy Game". Gygax's wife suggested the Dungeons and Dragons name, in part because they did alot of the early playing in the basement.

Yep, Blackmoor was Arnesons creation, but D&D was colaborative. Arneson started off using Chainmail, but added rules lifted from Ironclads (particularly hit points) pretty quickly because of problems with Chainmail (namely the players didn't like the instant death rules). He also contributed levels and XP. Gygax consolidated and organised everything and added his own contributions like the Vancian magic system, so to say he simply renamed it and used the Chainmail combat system isn't quite accurate.

http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/538/538262p3.html

And, just on an interesting trivia note, the original working title was "The Fantasy Game". Gygax's wife suggested the Dungeons and Dragons name, in part because they did alot of the early playing in the basement.

The Sandpit and GenCon 0...must have been a laugh!

Yeah D&D was collaborative (and led eventually to a whole bunch of lawsuits resulting in Gygax selling his share of TSR and Arneson also loosing out...just because they could not agree on royalties).

Well if we want to get to basics it could be argued that Gettysburg kicked it all off as it intrigued Gygax who then went on to order Hex sheets from Avalon Hill....

Chainmail brought the combat system for sure...and other bits and peices as well...like Army battles (the first D&D suggested that you have a copy of Chainmail...!)

Have to say I did not know about the levels and XP...nor the bit about his ife using D&D as the name...heh...who'd have thought a geek game would turn into a billion dollar hobby! LOL

I think the biggest reason I preferred 1st Edition is that the game provided so much in the way of detail and raw Adventure building ability, while minimizing the "culture" of the game. It gave the DM a blank slate to create any kind of campaign world he/she wanted. I know Version 3 and 3.5 is like that too, but the style and flavor of the game has definitely changed in a way that I think limits that flexibility.

And is it just me or does the Paladin illustration in the PHB look more like a Ranger?

I liked the back of the 1st Edition Dungeoneer's Survival Guide that had the angled grids and an instructional guide on how to create 3-d dungeom maps for vastunderground caverns. You could apply the same tecnique to above ground dungeons as well. Back then, it just felt like we were working with more raw material and the sky was the limit!

So which verison of D&D/AD&D do you play?

I still use my original, little three-book set in the heavily-taped "wood-grained" box that I bought in 1974. I've added to it with my own material, Chainmail, Arduin Grimoire and ICE.

The campaign I started in 1974 is still going on.

Why?

Mainly tradition and a lack of desire to buy the new books. Besides, one refs best with what one knows best.

And what character class do you like best?

Hobbit Thief with a fighter complex.

I wear a specially designed helmet with a halbard blade affixed to the top, blade up, for when I run between the legs of Ogres.

And, my leather armor has a handle on the back so my usual travelling companion can either lift me up and throw me into battle or carry me like a suitcase out of danger.

I've got the 3.5 books but have yet to play it. Just can't find people into it around here.

As for character classes, I almost always play either a thief or a cleric.

Last time I had time to play, the 3.0 edition was what all the cool kids were doing...

Thus, I used that one, although I also played 2nd edition...

Wizard and cleric here, although I even played a fighter once.

I still use my original, little three-book set in the heavily-taped "wood-grained" box that I bought in 1974. I've added to it with my own material, Chainmail, Arduin Grimoire and ICE.

The campaign I started in 1974 is still going on.

Still going after 32 years? Nice one. http://assets.jolt.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
Good to see someone else who uses Arduin, as well.

The 100-sided die is just plain ridiculous.

EDIT: Fucking timewarps. See post below.

I meant the default setting for Oriental Adventures.

Incidentally, it's kind of funny that they would make Greyhawk the default setting, and then never really put out any product for it. Just plain odd.

Au contraire.

There is the Greyhawk expansion (the first one) and Gygax put out a Greyhawk module with maps, NPCs, the full monty...

Heh for Christmas this year my fiancee gave me a set of stainless steel dice.

I outgeek ALL FTW!

Meh. Already had those.

How about dice made of marble?

And, a 100-sided die?

And, one of the first Refs in Dallas/Fort Worth, baby! Right here!

Anyone here ever use a Crown Royal bag to hold their dice?

My brother does.

I use an old cigar box.

I still use my original, little three-book set in the heavily-taped "wood-grained" box that I bought in 1974. I've added to it with my own material, Chainmail, Arduin Grimoire and ICE.

Whoa..ICE! Thats another blast from the past! LOL

Love the helmet/handle thing ;)

Or, the first incarnation, Metamorphosis Alpha.

Eek. I remember that. Thanks for making me feel old. :p

Its a real game? I thought it was just joke for high school comedies and cartoons

I'd only consider the first of those even semi-obscure. Now Field Guide To Encounters - that's an obscure one.

Then, there's Tunnels & Trolls...

Gammaworld?

Or, the first incarnation, Metamorphosis Alpha.

And, for a TSR short-run that got them in trouble with ER Burroughs' estate, Warriors of Mars.

I mixed that with a little bit of En Garde and a dash of D&D and made a decent RPG out of it.

You ever had a character die before the end of character generation?

That'd be Traveller.

Or, the first incarnation, Metamorphosis Alpha.

And, for a TSR short-run that got them in trouble with ER Burroughs' estate, Warriors of Mars.

I mixed that with a little bit of En Garde and a dash of D&D and made a decent RPG out of it.

Too much!!! My gaming past is coming back to haunt me!!! LOL

Never played Warriors...but the rest you mention I have played...

*sigh*

Meh. Already had those.

And, a 100-sided die?

I think I still have a nickel (possibly chrome) plated D30 kicking about someplace.

T2K was an awesome game. Another one I've still got fond memories of is Top Secret.

I'm using Monte Cook's Iron Heroes (http://www.montecook.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?iron-lore), coupled with its expansion booklets, and True Sorcery (http://www.greenronin.com/catalog/grr1707). Wicked combo. I'm not into tabletop gaming, but I'm writing up my own fantasy setting (moreso for literary than gaming purposes), and as such Iron Heroes is useful for providing the necessary rules.

In any of the PC game versions I usually play an elven (most often female drow) spellcaster (cleric or sorcerer).

Still going after 32 years? Nice one. http://assets.jolt.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
Good to see someone else who uses Arduin, as well.

Even have two of the original players.

One of them is a vampire who lives in a tower that one can find on the map of the Citystate of the Invincible Overlord.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I brought in Judges' Guild stuff, too.

Unfortunately, real life interferes way too much and we can only meet monthly - if that.

Ack! San Roll! warn a guy will ya!
That kinda defeats the point of it all, doesn't it? ;)
MY GUESS WAS RIGHT! THAT IS THE YELLOW SIGN!
Yes! All hail the King in Yellow!
http://play.engel-cox.org/images/b/b3/King_in_Yellow.JPG


Okay, I think I just exceeded my geek capacity.

"I...love...foot...ball..."


Okay, that hurt, but it's better.

Now for my vengance on the football players.

"HASTUR HASTUR HASTUR"
:eek: http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5751/hasturbu6.jpg
:::fails san roll:::
:D
:::fails san roll again:::
Muhaha!
*Rolls sanity loss, 1d10 + 1d100*



Though my heart is closer to more modern settings today, so if I had a choice I'd play Vampire or Werewolf before I'd play AD&D again...

or Cthulhu http://forum.sksf.no/style_emoticons/diverse/cthulhu.gif

I don't think I ever played Arduin...

Morrow Project!!! Bloody hell! LOL And Twilight 2000....! Yeah...played those...and Middle Earth...Recon I had a go at as well but didn't get into it for some reason I can't remember.

Bodies Without ORgans mentioned T&T...that was fun...and simple if I recall correctly...


T2K was my first long term campaign to run. I ran it loosely off the Red Star, Lone Star module - just perfect for a game played in South Texas. :D (Although I did have to change alot, as the NPCs were silly stereotypes of the Ewing's from Dallas.)

Never played Warriors...but the rest you mention I have played...

*sigh*

I wrote Gary Gygax about it a few years ago and, if I remember right, he said they only ran about 1,000 copies before ERB caught on to them.

The rumor at the time was that TSR would print anything, regardless of copyrights, to make what they could before being caught and told to stop.

Trivia - Who knows what TSR stands for and their claim to fame before D&D?

I think I still have a nickel (possibly chrome) plated D30 kicking about someplace.

Most useless die ever.

And, for a TSR short-run that got them in trouble with ER Burroughs' estate, Warriors of Mars.

File that along with the 1st printing of Deities & Demigods and the inclusion of Hobbits in OD&D...

Dungeons & Dragons has to be one of the worst pen and paper roleplaying games I have ever played.



Deadlands and L5R ftw.

File that along with the 1st printing of Deities & Demigods and the inclusion of Hobbits in OD&D...

Got'em both. And a convention copy of Tunnels & Trolls.

I never could get anyone interested in TS. :(

Aw, damn! I loved it! Did you ever try the "Whiteout" module that was published in Dragon?

And, one of the first Refs in Dallas/Fort Worth, baby! Right here!

Playing as long as you have and being from the same great state, you might have known Joanne Burger?

Trivia - Who knows what TSR stands for and their claim to fame before D&D?

It used to stand for Tactical Studies Rules, but just became a TLA without any real meaning when it became TSR, Inc. Was it the Strategic Review they used to publish pre-D&D?

Most useless die ever.

Aye, but at least it wouldn't become embedded in your foot, unlike a D4.

T2K was an awesome game. Another one I've still got fond memories of is Top Secret.

I never could get anyone interested in TS. :(

Oh, I forgot to mention that I brought in Judges' Guild stuff, too.

If I ever actually play again I think a visit to Tegel Manor would be high on my list of priorities.

JG stuff was erratic in quality, to say the least, ranging from brilliant to banal - often in the same module. They did put out some pretty nice stuff for Classic Traveller though.

Playing as long as you have and being from the same great state, you might have known Joanne Burger?

Eek! After over three decades?

But, I would guess not. We were all guys that met at UTA's Trinity Hall. I started as a miniatures gamer and was quite annoyed at the D&Ders interrupting my serious WWII Tractics games with their cackling and hooting.

But, then one of my friends who played minis and D&D, got me involved and I took to it immediately. I wuz hooked. A month later, I had saved up the $10 for the rules and it's been Partytime in Gor ever since.

With a few years out for Traveller, Star Trek, CoC, Bushido, Flashing Blades, EPT, ICE, Middle Earth, GURPS, Paranoia, Toon, etc...

WWII or modern miniatures in the afternoon, RPGs at night.

If I ever actually play again I think a visit to Tegel Manor would be high on my list of priorities.

I am currently designing the Tegel Manor module to work in Neverwinter Nights.

JG stuff was erratic in quality, to say the least, ranging from brilliant to banal - often in the same module. They did put out some pretty nice stuff for Classic Traveller though.

The Citystate was awesome. Well, is. I'm also modeling it for Neverwinter Nights, but that is a major project. It has over 500 areas and will have a cast of hundreds...

Probably a work that will never be complete...

I wrote Gary Gygax about it a few years ago and, if I remember right, he said they only ran about 1,000 copies before ERB caught on to them.

The rumor at the time was that TSR would print anything, regardless of copyrights, to make what they could before being caught and told to stop.

Or regardless of quality it sometimes seemed.

Trivia - Who knows what TSR stands for and their claim to fame before D&D?

TSR I'll leave for the younguns to discover. They started out with wargames (which should be a hint for the younguns.) Cavaliers and Roundheads, Tractics, and of course the one that's been mentioned already.

It used to stand for Tactical Studies Rules,

Give the man a cigar!

Was it the Strategic Review they used to publish pre-D&D?

I actually have a couple of those; one of them includes a random dungeon designer.

But, actually, as I recall, their biggie was Tractics, a set of rules for WWII and modern land battles at about company or platoon level.

Aw, damn! I loved it! Did you ever try the "Whiteout" module that was published in Dragon?

Yeah, but I ended up using it for my homebrew cyberpunk game.

If I ever actually play again I think a visit to Tegel Manor would be high on my list of priorities.

JG stuff was erratic in quality, to say the least, ranging from brilliant to banal - often in the same module. They did put out some pretty nice stuff for Classic Traveller though.

Good ole Tegel Manor! :D (Another one we ran through with EPT).

Eek! After over three decades?

But, I would guess not. We were all guys that met at UTA's Trinity Hall. I started as a miniatures gamer and was quite annoyed at the D&Ders interrupting my serious WWII Tractics games with their cackling and hooting.

Ah well. She was another old school ref - one of the first, if not the first, in the Houston area. She ran one of the earliest and longest EPT campaigns. She was also one of the SMOFs...

File that along with the 1st printing of Deities & Demigods and the inclusion of Hobbits in OD&D...

That's the one that also had the Cthulu Mythos material that later versions lack.

Meh. Already had those.

How about dice made of marble?

And, a 100-sided die?

And, one of the first Refs in Dallas/Fort Worth, baby! Right here!

I refuse to buy a 100-sided die on the grounds that it's completely worthless beyond the simple gimmick level. When rolled, they don't settle easy and reading the number can be daunting "Is the 34 on top, or is it the 4? So hard to tell... maybe it's the 78?" Percentile dice work just fine :)

The marble dice sound awesome... perhaps I could do with a set...

I refuse to buy a 100-sided die on the grounds that it's completely worthless beyond the simple gimmick level. When rolled, they don't settle easy and reading the number can be daunting "Is the 34 on top, or is it the 4? So hard to tell... maybe it's the 78?" Percentile dice work just fine :)

The marble dice sound awesome... perhaps I could do with a set...

That was the biggest problem with the 100-sided die -- impossible to read. For it to really work, the bloody thing'd have to be the size of a bowling ball. And yes, percentile dice do work just fine. Why screw with what works?

The marble dice are sweet, though. Used to have a set myself, but I left 'em behind, along with a lot of other RPG stuff, when I moved once. :(

Dungeons & Dragons has to be one of the worst pen and paper roleplaying games I have ever played.



Deadlands and L5R ftw.


Blasphemy!:mp5:

I refuse to buy a 100-sided die on the grounds that it's completely worthless beyond the simple gimmick level.

Well, I didn't get it to be used. One could go out for a sandwich in the time it takes for the thing to stop rolling. It's just for completeness.

Percentile dice work just fine :)

That they do. I have a set that a friend picked up from England back when there were none available in the US - well, not from Dallas/Fort Worth stores, anyway.

The marble dice sound awesome... perhaps I could do with a set...

I also have an 8-sided that came from a high school geology class. It was some sort of crystal sample about an inch across, almost transparent with a pinkish tint. I nabbed it and numbered the sides.

I doubt its statistically accurate, but it looks cool.

Anyone ever get the Lankhmar thingy?

That was fun...

Some on mentioned the City State and Tinagle...yeah :) great stuff...but some of the treasure tables were a bit crazy not with standing the magic stuff....ahhh Judges Guild LOL

Rogue Gallery was another laugh...

Not that I do it anymore, but I'm an old bloke so I'll stick with what I grew up with. 1st edition all the way baby!

I've only played 3.0 and 3.5, but from what I've heard of the other rule-sets, I think I'll stick with them.

That kinda defeats the point of it all, doesn't it? ;) one CoC adventure, one of the players had a mythos book and was actualy STUDYING it. so when one of the other investigators was describing this thing he saw, he whipped out the book, leafed through it and showed the picture to everyone saying...
"Was this what you saw?"

Of course, everyone looked... and everyone had to make san rolls! :D

Though my heart is closer to more modern settings today, so if I had a choice I'd play Vampire or Werewolf before I'd play AD&D again...

or Cthulhu http://forum.sksf.no/style_emoticons/diverse/cthulhu.gifI love Vampire! I botched my hunt roll and sank my fangs into a druggie...

and now my character is searching the city for a small dragon he saw, he insists that it was real.

Or, the first incarnation, Metamorphosis Alpha.ever played Metamorphosis:Omega?

And, for a TSR short-run that got them in trouble with ER Burroughs' estate, Warriors of Mars.oooh, I remember that one.

I mixed that with a little bit of En Garde and a dash of D&D and made a decent RPG out of it.look for Lace & Steel.

Anyone ever get the Lankhmar thingy?

That was fun...

Some on mentioned the City State and Tinagle...yeah :) great stuff...but some of the treasure tables were a bit crazy not with standing the magic stuff....ahhh Judges Guild LOL

Rogue Gallery was another laugh...

you want a laugh...
Macho Women With Guns (http://maverick.brainiac.com/mwwg/index.html)
and the supplimental books
More Excuses to Kill Things
Renegade Nuns on Wheels
Bat-Winged Bimbos from Hell

you want a laugh...
Macho Women With Guns (http://maverick.brainiac.com/mwwg/index.html)
and the supplimental books
More Excuses to Kill Things
Renegade Nuns on Wheels
Bat-Winged Bimbos from Hell

LOL yeah...its like the Dragon mag 'comic book strip' section...funny as hell...cheers! :)

LOL yeah...its like the Dragon mag 'comic book strip' section...funny as hell...cheers! :)

except... it is a viable and playable system! :D

I play 3.5 because it is the most recent and because the corebooks are awesome in my opinion. But I do have books and box sets from the 2nd addition, my favorite is " Tale of the Comet " I tend to play Sorceress' most of the time when I'm not DMing.

I play 3.5 because it is the most recent and because the corebooks are awesome in my opinion. But I do have books and box sets from the 2nd addition, my favorite is " Tale of the Comet "

We played an updated adventure from 1st edition - The Temple of Elemental Evil. Of course, some of the updates weren't really complete, so there were occasionally creatures who spoke "Evil" and it kept telling us that loot weighed ## GP. =)

The cool thing is that we then jumped 11 or so years and went straight to the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil adventure - but with the changes our previous characters had made to the world kept intact. It's kind of neat to have that sort of sequence.

Oriental Adventures. (Set in Kara-Tur.)

Blackmoor was good stuff.


I played Blackmoor at Origins 2006, I liked it. I usually just play Forgotten Realms.

Tale of the Comet is about a Starship crashlanding on a DND World, so it is kind of controversial with some folks.

For me it was when they introduced feats. Ugh.


If you don't like the new rules, don't use them. Everytime I have called the 800 number for advice they tell me, the core books are only meant as a guide, there not written in stone. So as the DM you are free to make changes as you see fit.

I have my girly dice (purple marbley colors) and for when I really want to kick some ass, I bring out the Deathcubes (black with tiny red skulls). They live in my purse. :D


My favorite dice are pink, then I have some that are like black and gold marble.

If you don't like the new rules, don't use them. Everytime I have called the 800 number for advice they tell me, the core books are only meant as a guide, there not written in stone. So as the DM you are free to make changes as you see fit.

And, in my experience, good DMs do. Or they pull bits and pieces from different books. Our game is set in Greyhawk, but we've pulled ideas/races/classes from Eberron, Forgotten Realms, even the Dragon Compendium - all on a DM-approved basis, of course.

I need players. My group only gets together once a month and lately even these meetings have been difficult to pull off. Sometimes there are attendence problems and sometimes people show up too drunk to play or DM. It feels me with rage because I love D&D and if I can only play once a month I want to at least play when we all get together.

If there is anyone here from Central Pennsylvania I would be happy to join your gaming group or start a new one. I even once considered taking out a classified ad seeking rpg groups to join.

Nice!!!

I think I rather fancy a game now!

Anyone do any live action?

When I lived in the US I attended a couple of SCA do's...and did some fantasy live action over here in the UK...tennis balls as magic missles just did not cut it with me!


I can see your point with the tennis balls ... hehehe

Nice!!!

I think I rather fancy a game now!

Anyone do any live action?

When I lived in the US I attended a couple of SCA do's...and did some fantasy live action over here in the UK...tennis balls as magic missles just did not cut it with me!

LOL

LARPers really are a different breed, I think. =)

I can see your point with the tennis balls ... hehehe

Yeah...they had this gunk on them to show a hit...

My suggestion of shuriken did not go down well for some reason.

I've got the 3.5 books but have yet to play it. Just can't find people into it around here.

As for character classes, I almost always play either a thief or a cleric.


I'm very much into it, maybe we could get an online game started.

I like 3.5


Also, my class is either fighter or ranger. Dual-wielding melee power ftw.

And, in my experience, good DMs do. Or they pull bits and pieces from different books. Our game is set in Greyhawk, but we've pulled ideas/races/classes from Eberron, Forgotten Realms, even the Dragon Compendium - all on a DM-approved basis, of course.

Thats cool I'm glad to meet someone who isn't afraid of breaking the corebook rules.

I need players. My group only gets together once a month and lately even these meetings have been difficult to pull off. Sometimes there are attendence problems and sometimes people show up too drunk to play or DM. It feels me with rage because I love D&D and if I can only play once a month I want to at least play when we all get together.

If there is anyone here from Central Pennsylvania I would be happy to join your gaming group or start a new one. I even once considered taking out a classified ad seeking rpg groups to join.

Sorry I live in Columbus, Ohio :(

3.5 is a lot more modular than previous incarnations of D&D and thus a lot easier to incorporate different settings into- especially with all the fantasy and non-fantasy d20 campaigns and supplements on the market.

I tend to play rogue types, but never bards. Clerics on the rare occasion.

For notes of interest though, 2E is not a dead system. Kenzer and Co. bought the rights to the system and now market it with new supplements as Hackmaster, based off the Knights of the Dinner Table comic strips. While it is authentic 2E mechanics through and through, you can detect some of the satiric flavors of the comic strip in the writings at times.

Yeah...they had this gunk on them to show a hit...

My suggestion of shuriken did not go down well for some reason.


Shurikens ... hehehe ... that would really be a pain in the arse wouldn't it!

I need players. My group only gets together once a month and lately even these meetings have been difficult to pull off. Sometimes there are attendence problems and sometimes people show up too drunk to play or DM. It feels me with rage because I love D&D and if I can only play once a month I want to at least play when we all get together.

If there is anyone here from Central Pennsylvania I would be happy to join your gaming group or start a new one. I even once considered taking out a classified ad seeking rpg groups to join.

Try playing Neverwinter Nights 2. You can get together online and have someone DM there instead of having to get everyone together in one place.

Try playing Neverwinter Nights 2. You can get together online and have someone DM there instead of having to get everyone together in one place.

That is a good suggestion and I thank you. However, I really like the idea of doing it the old fashioned way so to speak.

I need players. My group only gets together once a month and lately even these meetings have been difficult to pull off. Sometimes there are attendence problems and sometimes people show up too drunk to play or DM. It feels me with rage because I love D&D and if I can only play once a month I want to at least play when we all get together.

If there is anyone here from Central Pennsylvania I would be happy to join your gaming group or start a new one. I even once considered taking out a classified ad seeking rpg groups to join.

Every gaming store I've been to has an board on it for gamers to connect. Usually they have a back room for players, too.

I need players. My group only gets together once a month and lately even these meetings have been difficult to pull off. Sometimes there are attendence problems and sometimes people show up too drunk to play or DM. It feels me with rage because I love D&D and if I can only play once a month I want to at least play when we all get together.

If there is anyone here from Central Pennsylvania I would be happy to join your gaming group or start a new one. I even once considered taking out a classified ad seeking rpg groups to join.

... set up one in the Nationstate RP forum?

Thats cool I'm glad to meet someone who isn't afraid of breaking the corebook rules.

The game just seems overall less fun when it's all about following the rules. Any why play the game if it isn't any fun? Lets be honest, even as much as they've tried to keep things balanced, some of the rules are broken, and can bring an early end to a game.

I still haven't tried to GM a game myself, but I've played enough now to get in on the rules discussions and the decisions on how a given mechanic should or should not work in certain situations.

Rules, schmules.

The original set from the mid-70s plainly said the game is a set of guidelines.

The Ref always has - as we call it - the Rule Of Thumb. In other words, the Ref's word is final, no matter what the books may say.

Now, as long as what the Ref says provides the players with fun, then no one really cares, except the rules-hounds who will wave a copy in your face, yelping that what you've done isn't in the rules.

That's where the Thumb comes in. Ever see the Monty Python opening sequence with a huge foot squashing its victims? Well, replace that with a thumb.

The Ref has final say.

I think, as I read the thread, that I had forgotten my main reason for not liking the later versions of the game; all the bloody modules. A decent Ref creates his own world and doesn't need no steenkin' modules.

I have a 35-hexsheet continent - with room for growth - and about four dungeons, one of them 42 levels deep. Not all of my dungeons have been explored and I even have some map sheets that haven't had a single PC foot laid upon them. But, they're there. Also, modules remove a lot of a Ref's freedom to run an off the cuff game. Modules don't like it when a player decides to do something that the module designers didn't think of. Then, a Ref who relies on modules gets in trouble.

Lastly, the Ref never cheats.

I think, as I read the thread, that I had forgotten my main reason for not liking the later versions of the game; all the bloody modules. A decent Ref creates his own world and doesn't need no steenkin' modules.

One could just as easily say that a decent GM makes up his own game, and doesn't need anyone else to make guidelines for it.

Modules are a lot like the game - guidelines. Bits and pieces of them can be incorporated into a game, or the whole thing can be the basic outline for a game. If the GM can't handle the players doing something different, or bring up a side-quest when necessary, that is the fault of the GM, not the module.

Tale of the Comet is about a Starship crashlanding on a DND World, so it is kind of controversial with some folks.

Such controversy is entirely unfounded - the very first D&D campaign world had a starship crashing on it (Blackmoor - see City Of The Gods for details) , as did the very second D&D campaign world (Greyhawk - see Expedition To Barrier Peaks).

Obviously there ain't nothing so scary as a real old idea...

Such controversy is entirely unfounded - the very first D&D campaign world had a starship crashing on it (Blackmoor - see City Of The Gods for details) , as did the very second D&D campaign world (Greyhawk - see Expedition To Barrier Peaks).

Obviously there ain't nothing so scary as a real old idea...

except trying to take your magic staff you got from Barrier Peaks to a wizard to have him recharge it... :D

did you watch the Second D&D movie? Wrath of the Dragon God. so much better than the first and extremely well done. they do shout outs to various modules INCLUDING Tomb of Horror, Keep on the Borderlands and Barrier Peaks.

"So tell me Lutz, what did your brother see at Barrier Peaks that drove him mad?"

One could just as easily say that a decent GM makes up his own game, and doesn't need anyone else to make guidelines for it.

Indeed. The best game I ever played in was the aforementioned EPT campaign. The GM used a set of homebrewed rules. Every game I've ever GMed was at least partly hombrewed. T2K was a mix of 1st ed and 2nd ed with the first version of Recon and other bits and pieces tossed in. My cyberpunk game was totally homebrewed, although it drew on my T2K homebrew.

Modules are a lot like the game - guidelines. Bits and pieces of them can be incorporated into a game, or the whole thing can be the basic outline for a game.

Even more true. Not only can you use use published modules like that, you can use them in other games. I mentioned earlier I used the TS module from Dragon, Whiteout, in my cyberpunk game.

I've seen modules adopted in some really bizzarly inspired ways. My favorite bizarre adaptation was a casual event at a con where someone ran what was advertised as "an alternative T2K game". It ended up being Castle Amber done for T2K. :D

If the GM can't handle the players doing something different, or bring up a side-quest when necessary, that is the fault of the GM, not the module.

:D Absolutely. And a good GM is willing to admit that the players have flummoxed them. I remember an incident when the GM for EPT ran a 1st ed Oriental Adventures campaign one summer. She'd layed out a series of adventures that was supposed to last a few weeks. One very creative player managed to essentially short circut it in a reasonable and hilarious fashion. (It's been a long time, so I may have mixed uo the details, but if I remember correctly, someone was playing a river spirt folk who diverted a river and flooded out the dungeon that we'd been hired to clear out...)
She finished up the episode, explained that because of what we'd, she didn't have anything else that evening, and we happily cut that evening's session short.

Now, as long as what the Ref says provides the players with fun, then no one really cares, except the rules-hounds who will wave a copy in your face, yelping that what you've done isn't in the rules.

That's why I like homebrew rules - players are less likely to rule-lawyer you with your own set of rules. And if a flaw comes up, it's easily written in to the rules.
((That being said, the only time I've come across anyone who really did anything of the sort was in a CoC game. Turned out the player felt he'd been getting the sort end of the stick and went out and read the modulke. He was politely asked never to return.)

I think, as I read the thread, that I had forgotten my main reason for not liking the later versions of the game; all the bloody modules. A decent Ref creates his own world and doesn't need no steenkin' modules.

Agreed. But, as I pointed out earlier, good refs follow the words of wisdom from Gunny Highway "Improvise. Adapt. Overcome." ;)

I have a 35-hexsheet continent - with room for growth - and about four dungeons, one of them 42 levels deep. Not all of my dungeons have been explored and I even have some map sheets that haven't had a single PC foot laid upon them. But, they're there. Also, modules remove a lot of a Ref's freedom to run an off the cuff game. Modules don't like it when a player decides to do something that the module designers didn't think of. Then, a Ref who relies on modules gets in trouble.

All that is only if the ref is too dependent on the module. But, yeah, in principal, I'd agree that modules tend to enourage sloppy GMing.

Lastly, the Ref never cheats.

Yes indeed. I've seen the messy aftermath of a game where the GM had forgotten to be the facilitator and fallen into the players vs GM trap, and so was simply out to get the players. Bad news all around. :(

I'm shocked and Horrified that no one has quoted

"I cast magic missile at the darkness"

"Where's the Mountain Dew"?

... anyway

I've played a few 2nd edition games... never really understood the system though I have 3.5 books and I think I could DM if the chance ever came up.

except... it is a viable and playable system! :D

Whereas Dragon made good firelighters ;) LOL

So which verison of D&D/AD&D do you play? Why?

I'm almost 40 years old, and I don't play nearly as often as I used to, but I prefer V1 of AD&D. The reason is simply that I'm used to playing that version, and I never liked V2.

I did run a campaign using V3 recently, but it took forever for me to implement the combat rules because I wasn't used to them.

And what character class do you like best?

Magic-user.

Though my most favorite was a class my first DM invented called the "Possessor", which was a kind of evil sorceror that had mind control and necromantic spells.

Honestly, couldn't tell you.

I don't roll that die.

A good DM can handle things on the fly.

You should never (well… only in very unusual circumstances) have to stop to look something up. If you have forgotten and are not sure about a rule, just go with the flow and handle things like you know what you are doing. Never let the players see you don’t have a clue. After all, if asked about something later you can always write it off as being influenced by something of which the players were unaware.

Rule lawyers are generally given a warning, maybe two if they are nice about it (ya know, just learning and trying to make sure they know whats going on). After that, when rule lawyers get on my case about something, I rejoice in something from an old Something Positive strip - tree hillbillys. A couple of banjo playing trees in a swamp telling him to squeal like a pig will usually get the point across.

I think the best rules are a combo of 2nd and 3.5 edition rules. Take what you like, but if you don’t like some of the changes, just stick with the old stuff. Of course, I must acknowledge 1st edition illusions… you just can’t kill someone with an illusion after that.

And the DM most certainly does cheat if it helps the plot line, makes the game run more smoothly, or just keeps everyone having fun. Cheat outrageously, though try very hard to make sure nobody notices.

On the rare occasions I have to play, I usually go for an elven mage/theif.

I really need to find a new group – alas the DM shipped out to Iraq and nobody wants to take the reigns (I’m just not that responsible these days).

And the DM most certainly does cheat if it helps the plot line, makes the game run more smoothly, or just keeps everyone having fun. Cheat outrageously, though try very hard to make sure nobody notices.

I think my comment, "The Ref never cheats," was misconstrued.

I don't mean that the Ref must always stick by what the dice say, or a chart result or even a part of the rules.

What I mean is that the Ref is the - well, for lack of a better term - God of his campaign. To reduce this to its most base level, the Ref could simply sit there and tell a story, dictating the actions of the players completely and allowing them no input at all. There would be no rules, no dice, no maps, no randomness of any sort. Merely what the Ref dictates.

Now, if the Ref were JRR Tolkein, this might work out pretty well. Otherwise, I see a gaming group that will soon part ways.

So, what I mean is, for instance, if the dice come up 12, but a far more interesting result - whatever defines "interesting" - is 32, then the Ref can simply ignore the dice and use the "32" result.

If a player does this, it is cheating, but if the Ref does it, it is merely divine intervention.

So, no matter how much a Ref bends or breaks the rules, misreads die results, intentionally raises or lowers a critter's or NPC's characteristics, it is never cheating; it is merely the way it is.

Why?

Because the Ref's Word is Law, not the rules, not the dice, not anything else. Just the Ref.

I like the computerized versions, thank you very much. With the physical versions there's so much crap to keep track of, stuff can get lost, all that. The only thing you have to worry about in a computerized version is your memory getting deleted somehow.

And I'll go for the druids, thank you very much.

Also: Why do I continue to say "Thank you very much" so much?

I dont play anymore, but I was a GM for many years. I never cared much about the rules. They are there just to solve things that are too random to deal with words.

Btw, I never liked combat. RPG combat is usually very lame. What is the deal with roling dices anyway? My games were mainly focused on dialogue, diplomacy, strategy and politics.

That is why I usually was a GM based purely on making things up on the fly. In the start, I used to make maps, characters, quests and shit like that, but as things went on, I did everything as the game went on. Things turn much more interesting that way, but, of course, your players have to enjoy your stile.

I dont play anymore, but I was a GM for many years. I never cared much about the rules. They are there just to solve things that are too random to deal with words.

Btw, I never liked combat. RPG combat is usually very lame. What is the deal with roling dices anyway? My games were mainly focused on dialogue, diplomacy, strategy and politics.

That is why I usually was a GM based purely on making things up on the fly. In the start, I used to make maps, characters, quests and shit like that, but as things went on, I did everything as the game went on. Things turn much more interesting that way, but, of course, your players have to enjoy your stile.What does matter what the player thinks of your stile. Surely a stile is just a stile.
http://www.go.dlr.de/wt/dv/ig/icons/funet/stile.gif


...


:D

So which verison of D&D/AD&D do you play? Why?

And what character class do you like best?

3.5, they fixed alot of the broken feats, prestige classes, and such that made 3.0 into a such twink fest. And I liked 3.0 better because AD&D made my brain hurt, I never understood THAC0, and trying to remember which saving throw applied to what type of attack was a pain.

As for what class I like to play: Rogue, I love their flexibility, and sneak attacks are fun. I also like fighters, all of their bonus feats make them very flexible as well. I don't like pouring over a bunch of spell lists or memorising what they (the spells) do, so I don't play casting types very often, but I did play a wizard in a 3 session epic adventure (not epic level mind you, creating an epic level character is a truely epic pain in the butt), and I enjoyed that very much. As long as the character concept is innovative, effective, and fun to roleplay I'm happy.

I think my comment, "The Ref never cheats," was misconstrued.

I don't mean that the Ref must always stick by what the dice say, or a chart result or even a part of the rules.

What I mean is that the Ref is the - well, for lack of a better term - God of his campaign. To reduce this to its most base level, the Ref could simply sit there and tell a story, dictating the actions of the players completely and allowing them no input at all. There would be no rules, no dice, no maps, no randomness of any sort. Merely what the Ref dictates.

Now, if the Ref were JRR Tolkein, this might work out pretty well. Otherwise, I see a gaming group that will soon part ways.

So, what I mean is, for instance, if the dice come up 12, but a far more interesting result - whatever defines "interesting" - is 32, then the Ref can simply ignore the dice and use the "32" result.

If a player does this, it is cheating, but if the Ref does it, it is merely divine intervention.

So, no matter how much a Ref bends or breaks the rules, misreads die results, intentionally raises or lowers a critter's or NPC's characteristics, it is never cheating; it is merely the way it is.

Why?

Because the Ref's Word is Law, not the rules, not the dice, not anything else. Just the Ref.

Oh, yes. Absolutely. As long as it's done for the purposes of good narrative and enjoyment, the GM's "cheating" is fine. But if it's done out of a sense of "beating" the players, it's about the worst sin a GM can commit. (Toon was a particularly good game at enouraging rules breaking for comic effect. IIRC, you got XP for things like making the GM and other players laugh.)

I like the computerized versions, thank you very much. With the physical versions there's so much crap to keep track of, stuff can get lost, all that. The only thing you have to worry about in a computerized version is your memory getting deleted somehow.

And I'll go for the druids, thank you very much.

Also: Why do I continue to say "Thank you very much" so much?

To each their own. There are several reasons I don't like computer "RPG"s. But they all basically boil down to I don't consider them to really be role playing.

I dont play anymore, but I was a GM for many years. I never cared much about the rules. They are there just to solve things that are too random to deal with words.

Btw, I never liked combat. RPG combat is usually very lame. What is the deal with roling dices anyway? My games were mainly focused on dialogue, diplomacy, strategy and politics.

That is why I usually was a GM based purely on making things up on the fly. In the start, I used to make maps, characters, quests and shit like that, but as things went on, I did everything as the game went on. Things turn much more interesting that way, but, of course, your players have to enjoy your stile.

Having just championed both appropriate rules breaking and role playing, I must say I like the simulation aspect of having well defined rules. Thnat would explain why, even though I haven't played in years, why I'm still tinkering with my homebrew rules... ;)


What does matter what the player thinks of your stile. Surely a stile is just a stile.


:D

Bad ID, bad. :p

you want a laugh...
Macho Women With Guns (http://maverick.brainiac.com/mwwg/index.html)
and the supplimental books
More Excuses to Kill Things
Renegade Nuns on Wheels
Bat-Winged Bimbos from Hell

And then there were always Paranoia and, if you really wanted silly, Toon.

Thats cool I'm glad to meet someone who isn't afraid of breaking the corebook rules.

Not rules, mate. Guidelines... ;)

I'm very much into it, maybe we could get an online game started.

I tried a couple of years ago on another site. We were going to run it on IRC, but setting up a time when people in different time zones could all get together on a regular basis proved to be a pain in the arse.

... set up one in the Nationstate RP forum?

Ugh...gawd no. Too slow. Besides, do you really wanna rely on jolt for your D&D happiness?

And then there were always Paranoia and, if you really wanted silly, Toon.we didn't need a silly system to make a silly game. (remembers the D&D adventure our Cyberpunk characters 'ran')


I LOVE PARANOIA!!!

[State your security clearance, citizen.]
Ugh...gawd no. Too slow. Besides, do you really wanna rely on jolt for your D&D happiness?
... any forum would do.

Btw, the Call of Cthulhu book looks pretty cool. It must be nice to play it.

One of the reasons why I liked Gurps is because there is no levels or uber characters. In D&D your character can get so powerfull you have to battle dragons on a daily basis. On Gurps your character grows very slowly, and the system really helps roleplay. D&D mainly focus on combat.

Anyway, Call of Cthulhu must be great to play, since you have a very weak character and have to deal with so many unnatural things.

... any forum would do.

Maybe something like invision would work, but I don't trust jolt's wonkiness. Best bet really would be an IRC thing, though, I think.

One of the reasons why I liked Gurps is because there is no levels or uber characters. In D&D your character can get so powerfull you have to battle dragons on a daily basis. On Gurps your character grows very slowly, and the system really helps roleplay. D&D mainly focus on combat.


GURPS was good. I especially liked the Chill game based on that system.

As for D&D being mainly combat, though? Well, that's up to the DM. Yeah, if you've got a shite DM, it's gonna be all hack-n-slash, but a good DM keeps it from being like that.

Btw, the Call of Cthulhu book looks pretty cool. It must be nice to play it.

One of the reasons why I liked Gurps is because there is no levels or uber characters. In D&D your character can get so powerfull you have to battle dragons on a daily basis. On Gurps your character grows very slowly, and the system really helps roleplay. D&D mainly focus on combat.

Anyway, Call of Cthulhu must be great to play, since you have a very weak character and have to deal with so many unnatural things.

ahhh... CoC... my character was lucky... died in a pillar of flame. poof!

the others... not so lucky... they were driven Insane!!!

Lol CoC sounds like the kind of game where you take more time making the character than playing with it.

It must be cool to have to worry for your character that way, and not believe everything can be solved with a potion of healing or a ressurection spell :rolleyes:

BTW Junni, we should start a thread for people to share their RPG stories. There must be a lot of great content to write about.

Lol CoC sounds like the kind of game where you take more time making the character than playing with it.

It must be cool to have to worry for your character that way, and not believe everything can be solved with a potion of healing or a ressurection spell :rolleyes:

BTW Junni, we should start a thread for people to share their RPG stories. There must be a lot of great content to write about.

In CoC... the lucky ones die. the unlucky ones...

one adventure I've been in had the investigators in the time of Ye ole London... and we had to ASSIST Jack the Ripper. he was preventing the spawning of one of the old ones. so when he died, we had to complete the mission....

the last surviving Investigator was locked up... permenately insane.

...

yeah a rpg tales thread is a good idea.

Btw, the Call of Cthulhu book looks pretty cool. It must be nice to play it.

One of the reasons why I liked Gurps is because there is no levels or uber characters. In D&D your character can get so powerfull you have to battle dragons on a daily basis. On Gurps your character grows very slowly, and the system really helps roleplay. D&D mainly focus on combat.

Anyway, Call of Cthulhu must be great to play, since you have a very weak character and have to deal with so many unnatural things.

Yes indeed, CoC is a sweet game.

Speaking of GURPs, anyone use FUDGE?

Such controversy is entirely unfounded - the very first D&D campaign world had a starship crashing on it (Blackmoor - see City Of The Gods for details) , as did the very second D&D campaign world (Greyhawk - see Expedition To Barrier Peaks).

Obviously there ain't nothing so scary as a real old idea...


You might be surprised at the number of DM's that have a problem with mixing FT with DND type worlds. Personally I think it adds favor to the storyline.

... set up one in the Nationstate RP forum?


I have been seriously thinking about starting a new Earth where these types of threads could be RPed. So tell me, what do you all think? Is there an
interest for this kind of Earth? Or Not?

I think my comment, "The Ref never cheats," was misconstrued.

I don't mean that the Ref must always stick by what the dice say, or a chart result or even a part of the rules.

What I mean is that the Ref is the - well, for lack of a better term - God of his campaign. To reduce this to its most base level, the Ref could simply sit there and tell a story, dictating the actions of the players completely and allowing them no input at all. There would be no rules, no dice, no maps, no randomness of any sort. Merely what the Ref dictates.

Now, if the Ref were JRR Tolkein, this might work out pretty well. Otherwise, I see a gaming group that will soon part ways.

So, what I mean is, for instance, if the dice come up 12, but a far more interesting result - whatever defines "interesting" - is 32, then the Ref can simply ignore the dice and use the "32" result.

If a player does this, it is cheating, but if the Ref does it, it is merely divine intervention.

So, no matter how much a Ref bends or breaks the rules, misreads die results, intentionally raises or lowers a critter's or NPC's characteristics, it is never cheating; it is merely the way it is.

Why?

Because the Ref's Word is Law, not the rules, not the dice, not anything else. Just the Ref.

Thats why DM's have the board that they set between them and the players ... right ... in case of divine intervention. :D

I have been seriously thinking about starting a new Earth where these types of threads could be RPed. So tell me, what do you all think? Is there an
interest for this kind of Earth? Or Not?sure... why not.

Thats why DM's have the board that they set between them and the players ... right ... in case of divine intervention. :D

oh, it's much more than protection (http://gamingguardians.com/d/20010212.html)... :D

sure... why not.



oh, it's much more than protection (http://gamingguardians.com/d/20010212.html)... :D


I thank you for your positive vote, do you think we could round up enough players to make it interesting? Are you willing to help me do that?

I'd be up for that...but I suspect my time will be severely restricted soon...

I'd be interested in the mechanics...how will you deal with combat or magic...

/vonnersonlinerpgn00b

I'd be up for that...but I suspect my time will be severely restricted soon...

I'd be interested in the mechanics...how will you deal with combat or magic...

/vonnersonlinerpgn00b

there are rules for diceless gaming.

I thank you for your positive vote, do you think we could round up enough players to make it interesting? Are you willing to help me do that?

I'll help, but work constraints would reduce me to role of Player only. ;)

I usually play 2nd Edition, and I prefer to play either bard or paladin. Interesting for a tone-deaf atheist, but it is role playing afterall.

I GM more than I'm a player, and some days we barely get out the dice. Believe me, my games aren't combat oriented. I emphasize role playing.

I started playing in Greyhawk, but all my current worlds are my own inventions. I will "cheat" if it makes the game more interesting. I rarely kill player characters unless they're persistently extremely stupid.

I usually play 2nd Edition, and I prefer to play either bard or paladin. Interesting for a tone-deaf atheist, but it is role playing afterall.

I GM more than I'm a player, and some days we barely get out the dice. Believe me, my games aren't combat oriented. I emphasize role playing.

I started playing in Greyhawk, but all my current worlds are my own inventions. I will "cheat" if it makes the game more interesting. I rarely kill player characters unless they're persistently extremely stupid.

my friend says, "if you can get your players sick of Iron Rations to the point where they will go out to actually shop for supplies... then his work is done."

3.5

No particular favorite class. I play a swashbuckler who intends to multiclass as warblade.