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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 18, 2008 19:05:29 GMT -6
Sorry, I have to raise 3.5 and 4e to address the discussion. If Fin doesn't want that in this thread, then I totally understand and wouldn't cast a single glance if this entire post were deleted. I played in a 4e demo game this past week, and I wouldn't say that it feels like OD&D at all. What I can say about it is that combat has been greatly streamlined and plays much, much faster than 3.5. That's a good thing, IMO. This edition still has got a bazillion skills, lots of races and lots of classes. Every single character has powers usable every single round and many powers usable in every single encounter. Yes, and every character can heal themselves at least 6 or so times every single day. Also, just as in 3.x, the rules try to cover every situation. Except for a relatively fast and simple combat system, I can't wrap my head around it being very much OD&D-like. With a lot of work, maybe, like throwing out every single skill and removing at least 95% of the powers and totally removing just about every other rule, then you may be headed in the right direction. By the time you did all that, you just may as well have started with little brown books volumes I, II and III or an AD&D player's handbook. Thank you for posting this. I'd hate to think here we'd be all "anti-WotC" like "some other sites". It's good to hear that I should stick with OD&D. I was thinking of trying D&D 4E out, but it's expensive and obviously not in our best interests. Good to know!
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 18, 2008 15:12:49 GMT -6
Ditto, Dude.
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 18, 2008 15:10:07 GMT -6
I tend towards a variety of beastmen, lizardmen and fishmen.
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 16, 2008 6:23:00 GMT -6
Yeah, that's pretty much the spirit of things, I think. After seeing a documentary on Discovery about the state of the planet after humanity splits, it's easy to see just what a drop in the bucket our civilization really is! By the time Gamma World takes place, the only stuff left of this age might be the pyramids, Mt. Rushmore and the Hoover Dam (which may even supply electricity). One wouldn't recognize the skeletal cities under the foliage, the buildings would basically become part of the earth itself. And now that we've nearly used up all the metal that's easy to get to, how could Humanity get into the Bronze or Iron Age again, let alone something resembling the Middle Ages?
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 14, 2008 15:09:35 GMT -6
I noticed interesting wording from Men & Magic and Greyhawk: "Exceptional" refers to any score over 12 (esp. those over 14). The percentile scored ability was known as "Extraordinary". It seems the latter became simply Exceptional with the appearance of AD&D's Player's Handbook.
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 12, 2008 22:37:37 GMT -6
My normal OD&D campaigns are already Gamma World styled. It's status quo in my games ;D
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 10, 2008 19:05:54 GMT -6
Oh yeah, I'm definably hunting down a 4th edition in hard copy now!
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 8, 2008 20:03:36 GMT -6
I used to love the "cutsie renaming of stuff" when I was younger. Now, I completely agree with geoffrey as to what Gamma World was really about. My Gamma World is much less Mad Max and much more Lovecraft now.
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 8, 2008 19:59:45 GMT -6
So repost 'em already! ;D
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 8, 2008 19:58:33 GMT -6
I always thought Clerics were an oddball choice. Of course, they're better than Thieves...
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 8, 2008 19:56:39 GMT -6
HAH! I love this site
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 3, 2008 16:41:08 GMT -6
Sounds interesting. I don't know the rules (despite the fact I own a copy), but if noobs are allowed, I'll check it out.
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 4, 2008 6:13:43 GMT -6
Wothbora, don't forget to let us all know how your first game goes!
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Post by murquhart72 on Feb 24, 2008 10:16:48 GMT -6
Ohhh, so that's what OEPT stands for! I was starting to think I'd lost my mind
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Post by murquhart72 on Aug 1, 2007 10:18:04 GMT -6
Downloaded! I'll post comments in a few days when I've had a chance to go through it...
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Post by murquhart72 on Mar 26, 2008 18:40:51 GMT -6
I think you hit the nail on the head with that post. IMHO, Kobolds (German for Goblins) are just the "runts of the litter". Orcs are the main menace to mankind, with Goblins being those that dwell a little deeper underground. Hobgoblins (despite the unfortunate name) are like the Uruk-Hai. Leader types are either orcish or manish, depending on the situation. There really isn't a standard as far as I see.
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Post by murquhart72 on Jul 8, 2007 17:04:17 GMT -6
Most cursed items (esp. those from Greyhawk) were a reaction to Monty Haul campaigns. After a while, jaded PCs would think twice before sticking their hand in a suspected bag of holding
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Post by murquhart72 on Jul 8, 2007 17:06:50 GMT -6
I've always had a thing for lizardmen. Not sure why but I think there's just something aesthetically pleasing about their overall shape, especially with a head comb leading down through the end of the tail. Just kewl I guess. I also always liked The Blob, so the "cleaning crew" perks my interest too. Plus, who can forget their first succubus
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Post by murquhart72 on Mar 17, 2008 10:06:43 GMT -6
I second that!
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Post by murquhart72 on Mar 17, 2008 6:32:04 GMT -6
Nothing stated before '77 (AD&D's MM allows a Save vs. Paralysis). Interesting to note that Wights also cause paralysis and in Chainmail, Zombies are said to be in that class! I guess the moral is not to take written rules so literally, but to try and read between the lines.
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Post by murquhart72 on Jul 8, 2007 17:10:52 GMT -6
The number appearing is meant to be the full-on size of a force (typically from a lair or "liar"). 30-300 orcs wouldn't all be coming through the same doorway, but would be filling out a village or town, scattered everywhere. The numbers are obviously easy to generate randomly with dice, but, like everything else termed #-# in the game, I think the actual number should be chosen by a trustworthy Referee. I do that for damage and such as well (sometimes).
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Post by murquhart72 on Apr 6, 2008 9:18:09 GMT -6
That's not only how I'd do it, but it's how I generate statistics for PCs as well (after getting a clear character concept going)! It works perfect for OD&D, which is a bit more down-to-earth than the uber-campaigns of AD&D and other games. But again, this feels like a Men & Magic thread to me...
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Post by murquhart72 on Mar 15, 2008 7:51:24 GMT -6
Careful you don't used up all your chances at rolling effing 1s. You may end up rolling all effing 6s if you're not careful! Oh, wait...
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Post by murquhart72 on Mar 3, 2008 17:30:55 GMT -6
There was an article in The Strategic Review that gave percentile Dexterity for Thieves, like Greyhawk did for a Fighting-Man's Strength, IIRC.
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Post by murquhart72 on Mar 18, 2008 17:56:30 GMT -6
That pretty clearly (to me) indicates that characters are expected to start play as fighters and then become paladins in-game, as soon as they manage to achieve a charisma score of 17+ (by whatever means). I think I have to agree with that logic. I never went that route before, just because of being brought up on AD&D, but the wording can't be argued with. I like it!
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Post by murquhart72 on Feb 28, 2008 15:25:29 GMT -6
The Paladin was based on Holger Carlsen, Danish hero of Poul Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions (also the basis for Law vs. Chaos, regenerating Trolls, etc.). As such, Paladins were intended to be human only characters who always started at first level. However, due to the wording of Men & Magic, the above ideas of Halfling Paladins or Fighting-Men becoming Paladins seemed fair game. In fact, I think I may use them myself! As always with these rules, it's all up to your Referee's interpretation
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Post by murquhart72 on Jul 23, 2007 14:18:49 GMT -6
No ability is overlooked by me. I subjectively use all six scores to determine chances of success in non-combat endeavors, as well as NPC reactions, whether or not I give out hints or tips, etc..
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Post by murquhart72 on Mar 7, 2008 21:16:31 GMT -6
Our dear Gary told me (I think in his ENWorld Q&A thread) that in his Greyhawk campaign very few of his players played thieves. Yep. In fact, I believe Gary once said that Thieves were originally intended primarily as henchmen rather than PCs. They were specialists you brought with you if there were a particularly nasty trap you could disable on your own, but they weren't the stuff from which heroes were made. This is how I read the "rules" from LBB to Greyhawk and beyond. It's the way I play my games. Any character can be stealthy, but if you want a job done real well, you hired a Thief on an expedition basis to get your way through; Dropping the bastard like a hot potato when the job's done. Paladins will NOT work with Thieves, period. So there!
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Post by murquhart72 on Jul 8, 2007 16:21:11 GMT -6
Never had a need for them, but will allow them in my campaign if the player really wants one.
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Post by murquhart72 on Jul 8, 2007 16:29:56 GMT -6
I try to make spears the most common weapon in my own settings. With swords coming in a close second, as a back up weapon.
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