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Post by Zakharan on Dec 10, 2021 23:21:19 GMT -6
Then, of course, there's this particular classic: No joke, it's this exact video that my brother and I loved that led to a friend of ours picking up the 3e starter set for our 13th birthday--and set a ball in motion!
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Post by Zakharan on Dec 3, 2021 16:55:44 GMT -6
We spoke about this previously--I'm interested, and may be able to wrangle another before then also.
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Post by Zakharan on May 4, 2021 19:31:53 GMT -6
Hey! I've just requested to join as Agravain. Some of you may already know me from: My roll20, app.roll20.net/users/1649790/grantor my discord, Grant#0744 I mainly play with several real-life friend groups. I have also played in Zakharan's Yellow Castle game. Some of my pals on odd74 are: Zakharan, possibly others from his Yellow Castle game who might also be members here (it's a big group!) Mods, please see my membership request. Thanks for your consideration! Howdy Agravain--seems we've been crossing paths often lately since Yellowcastle ended. Since you were such a reliable player during that campaign (and knowing you have various groups of your own), I'm very eager to see what materials and experiences you'd be bringing to the table. As always, your loyal aide Gawain salutes your effort. Cheers!
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Post by Zakharan on Nov 16, 2020 20:01:14 GMT -6
The letter of the rules says it goes without a save, but surely the spirit of the rules suggests it expects one. Ghouls have inordinately-high punching weight otherwise, I think.
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Post by Zakharan on Nov 12, 2020 16:38:32 GMT -6
The only rule that is confusing to me, are the rules that dictate why a sword would try to leave possession. There seem to be a few varying reasons, but they basically boil down to: 1.) The sword is owned by a person it perceives as below its station, and will try to get into more capable hands to aggrandize itself. 2.) The sword is owned by a person who is too difficult to manipulate, and ergo will fight relentlessly until it can pair with someone more impressionable. So if the Fighter in question is too weak (physically), or too strong (mentally), the sword moves on to greener pastures when it can.
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Post by Zakharan on Oct 19, 2020 4:36:54 GMT -6
I always get a "Dune" vibe from it. As it's technically a mental thing, but by saying the right words just-so they submit.
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Post by Zakharan on Oct 11, 2020 11:30:03 GMT -6
1.) Done in advance (peopling them in-the-moment can be time-consuming).
2.) Dead center, tucked between the two mountains and along the river (the same place I recently learned "Blueholme" is established).
3.) Nah
4.) West, South: who knows? North: the Blackmoor map (the rivers connect). East: the notorious Thonian Empire (*puttup*)
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Post by Zakharan on Jun 30, 2020 14:22:56 GMT -6
I'm pretty confident "level" refers to STR+INT, otherwise it would be overwhelmingly common for swords to rule out, which seems improbable. Consider that a lot of things in the booklet are given the term 'level' (character levels, spell levels, dungeon levels...).
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Post by Zakharan on Jun 30, 2020 4:29:15 GMT -6
Two things: first, I believe you're misreading how Egoism works. The character uses their STR/INT in contention with the sword's EGO/INT, not their level; this is why the first mention says "see below," as it's directing you to the 'key situations' section.
This means that, secondly, the "ongoing" struggle only infrequently changes based on the character's HP. It also means the control of a high-power sword may have an indefinite duration, but their power isn't absolute (since they're only listed as doing five things to express their ego).
Of course, how much all that matters is up to you. High-level Fighters being better able to exert control is a cool idea, and if you wish to push the swords' definitions of "control" (as I did) by all means go ahead.
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Post by Zakharan on Jun 17, 2020 21:53:10 GMT -6
Land of Og LOL
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Post by Zakharan on May 23, 2020 4:08:07 GMT -6
Black and green are about equal for me, but I have to hand it to green. It's my favourite colour, and lurking in forests has a pleasant fairy-tale feel that juxtaposes with the oddly sci-fi chlorine gas breath.
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Post by Zakharan on May 15, 2020 17:06:37 GMT -6
Right. Like their spells, it's powered by their faith in their deity, or cause, or cosmic alignment. In theory they could slap one together from twigs and mud and while physically flimsy it would serve the purpose. That's another fun quirk in OD&D's to-the-point writing: outside the Vampire entry, "Clerics vs. Undead Monsters" and wielding a cross don't explicitly go hand-in-hand. Perhaps a Cleric simply projects a divine aura, or even fashions a cross from their fingers!
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Post by Zakharan on May 14, 2020 0:55:55 GMT -6
My players took to tying silver ones to the end of poles as a makeshift cattle prod against monsters weak to silver. That was the most pertinent difference, anyway...
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Post by Zakharan on Apr 29, 2020 16:49:09 GMT -6
DQII is my favourite for sure, but IV and V have very interesting methods of handling stories. V does a lot of things right, so it's easy to see why it's often deemed the series' zenith.
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Post by Zakharan on Apr 25, 2020 17:04:11 GMT -6
I'm near-exclusively a fighting game guy, but for the last little while the D&D bug got me started on Dragon Quest. Been playing them chronologically; currently on VII. Any of y'all interested in testing the JRPG waters would probably enjoy Final Fantasy I, since the NES version is pretty much just AD&D.
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Post by Zakharan on Apr 23, 2020 16:34:27 GMT -6
Sure, why not?
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Post by Zakharan on Jan 20, 2020 16:53:29 GMT -6
My softest spot is reserved for trolls, but in terms of menace and excitement, it's got to be the Mind Flayer. My parties have only encountered them twice, and both times it won initiative and made huge problems with its mind blast. Made the players (and the one psion) extremely nervous about a subsequent scrap with one.
EDIT: no sooner than I wrote this that the party ran into two Mind Flayers at once tonight. It was a good thing they brought hirelings.
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Post by Zakharan on Nov 3, 2019 13:32:01 GMT -6
I like Finarvyn's "20 rounds of arrows" logic--it's more or less what I was using--but I recently changed my combat system to something slightly closer to Chainmail mass combat. Characters roll multiple dice to attack now, so when they shoot they use up as many arrows as their Fighting Capability allows.
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Post by Zakharan on Nov 2, 2019 2:12:10 GMT -6
Previously, I ran the game as-written; Magic-Users can only use daggers of any description, etc. But with the changes made to combat recently, I no longer need to care--though technically enforced, only a magic weapon distinction matters. In future games I will probably further flatten how weapons work.
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Post by Zakharan on Oct 31, 2019 2:41:39 GMT -6
Hmmm, if you don't want any hit bonuses, then there are some other options: Let's say that I find that "just" a flat to-hit bonus a little bit lackluster. What sort of bonuses are you hoping for? You could--assuming they're not fixtures already--incorporate Chainmail perks from different weapons. Split-move and fire, or a second shot at the end of the turn, etc.
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Post by Zakharan on Oct 29, 2019 21:22:33 GMT -6
Could use Hobbits. The LBB doesn't elaborate, but if you take the Chainmail "2-for-3" on Hobbit missile fire and apply it to Fighting Men to-hit bonuses, you get a pretty handy archer.
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Post by Zakharan on Aug 27, 2019 2:13:28 GMT -6
My campaign uses a mixture of the three--several dungeons were found through wilderness exploration--but I generally assume the majority are within a day's travel to-and-fro to keep focus on the destination.
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Post by Zakharan on Aug 16, 2019 14:44:36 GMT -6
That's why I use Damage Dice from EPT and initative rules from Warriors of Mars in my OD&D games. Basically high-level Fighters mow weaker opponents. It's very simple and speed up the game considerably Could you speak a little as to how initiative in Warriors of Mars of works? I am not familiar with it. Initiative in the first turn is mostly determined by weapon length and who moved first. The roll is handled by the victim. If they survive, they roll to "attack," and if they succeed they gain initiative and may attack next turn. You also automatically seize initiative every 3rd turn.
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Post by Zakharan on Aug 4, 2019 18:24:04 GMT -6
My megadungeon's first level is built around weak undead and deadly traps. There's not a lot to teach regarding combat, but trap-training is pretty important.
Of course, the wandering monster tables have a chance of summoning something from much deeper, making alacrity important.
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Post by Zakharan on Aug 4, 2019 18:20:06 GMT -6
Thoughts along these lines had me very interested in running something akin to Warriors of Mars. Calculating hit odds based on difference in level is very simple.
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Post by Zakharan on Jul 21, 2019 12:24:41 GMT -6
This particular quirk is one reason I've hummed and hawed on using the "Fighting Capability" stat as damage dice (like Arneson's old Hit Dice). That way the number of arrows fired in a minute is 'as many as necessary' rather than precisely one. Not a perfect solution, though.
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Post by Zakharan on Jul 16, 2019 3:40:08 GMT -6
The question arises: is the Underworld darkness "normal darkness"? I'd wager it is, if only because otherwise what's the point of an Anti-Cleric's "Darkness?"
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Post by Zakharan on Jul 14, 2019 15:03:47 GMT -6
Given Dwarves' ability to identify stonework, it stands to reason they have darkvision. My first run of OD&D assumed this, and this time I didn't.
I then ultimately undid that effort via several homebrew races, but it's the thought that counts.
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Post by Zakharan on Jul 14, 2019 15:02:09 GMT -6
IMC I accidentally forgot this particular rule, so all scrolls are the purview of Magic-Users.
To address any upcoming oddities with Cleric-only scrolls, one player used spell research to create a Clerical Read Magic ("Sanctify Script," perhaps?). So hopefully my misinterpretations are behind me!
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Post by Zakharan on Jul 11, 2019 18:31:37 GMT -6
Is it possible to construct a trap where said trigger is not visible, thereby not giving players a chance to remove it? Also, does failure in removing a trap result in a trap being sprung and doing damage to the thief? I guess that would be DM's discretion; based on situational factors. Being devious with traps, forcing players to be creative in removing them, is half the fun. And yes, trap triggers/penalties are discretionary--the Thief class suggests they trip on a failed removal, but U&WA is only otherwise blatant about traps happening 1/3rd of the time.
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