D&D thread

[The-Mage-King]

I don't mean "lost" as in "any of the particular editions are so complicated that I can't understand them," I just mean it can be hard to wrap my head around all the differences and what practical effects they have on the game overall, without even counting supplemental materials and revisions. (which have of course been around since before editions, such as they are, became a thing)

Like it's something new to wrap my head around not just why would somebody play the original version over the latest," but "why would somebody prefer to play an edition that came after the first but before the latest? (which one has to go through some comparisons to do)

Ah, that's simple.

They're literally different games.

2E is a refinement of 1e+OD&D, from what I've heard/seen. 3E is a different beast, more focused on the character creation aspect, IMO. And 4E is different from that, being more of a tactical wargame, but balanced.

And Next... Well, we don't even know yet, aside from the playtest, which we've been informed will not completely be reflected in the final release.

And there's the potential of grognardom, of course.

[Sifer]

So I was playing a module that involved a ditzy princess, My character's job was to scout ahead to make sure there are no traps for the princess and I came upon a horse in the middle of the path.

I thought to myself: there is no way an escortee should have a higher movement than the party and this is what will happen if the princess sees the horse.

-

Princess "ooh! Peasants, I want the horse and I am going to ride it "

Me: But it is obviously trapped, and even if it isn't I can't allow you to get out of walking with the party because:

1. you will do something dumb and get yourself killed, thus depriving the party of the reward for saving you.

2. you are going to walk like the rest of us

Princess: doesn’t matter I want it.

*Princess springs trap*

*dies*

*party face palms*

-

so instead I led the horse out of the path and let those princess legs walk alongside the party. She complained if there only was a mount but I promised her on my oath as a chaotic neutral honorable person, I will give offer her the first mount I see to help sooth her acheing body.

-

also there was a ranger-like character that would not let us pass on the bridge he as on without first fighting us in nonlethal combat. The party agreed and my fighter/theif obliged and knocked him out from behind. We did agree to his terms, he should have been more specific as to what he wanted though.

-

The module worked out great we succesfuly escorted her, earned the favor of a king and he will sponser my fledgeling mercenary company when the time comes.

Also I found out how to detect dopple gangers with telepathy without using magic.

ask the two individuals to go to two separate rooms more than 100 feet apart and disarm them. And send 2 strong individuals to escort them and make sure they know nothing of the character in question to stop them from being mind read and steal memories. Next have them write down all the things only that person and the party would know. Since telepathy can't work if you teepathy the person who doesn't have the info. You know who is the doppleganger.

Edited March 23, 2014 by sifer

[The-Mage-King]

So, I'm half-patching together another bloodline for 3.5 based on Holy Blood. Kinda merging Grima and Lopto together for it...

What spells would make a good list, fluffwise for SLAs? I'm giving it a 2nd level spell 1 or 2/day as an ability, and I want something that's fairly solid and even somewhat relevant later on.

Anyone?

[TheEnd]

i suppose darkness would be fitting

even because fluffwise, lopt descendants are hunted and stuff (not to mention the dark magic affinity)

[The-Mage-King]

That was an idea. I was thinking of raiding splats for decent 2nd level Necromancy spells, too.

Maybe stretching it for Vampiric Touch, even...

Think some Transmutation would fit?

FakeEdit: Ooh, yes. Wracking Touch, Curse of Impending Blades, maybe Shroud of Undeath, all from Spell Compendium, look to fit.

[Saethori]

Hm... D&D...

I play online due to physical concerns. It's been generally pretty good for me, but it's often difficult to find players.

I'm involved in multiple 3.5 campaigns right now, and due to my schedule actually wouldn't mind participating in more, in the right timeframe. I'm also trying my hand at practicing DMing.

[Sifer]

I think I am the only one here who plays 1st ed AD&D here. >.<

Just all that complication and builds stuff now I guess is what is deterring me.

But then I have been in the same group since my freshman year since I started Playing D&D so I haven't looked for other groups though, I guess that will change when we go our separate way in our lives, then I will switch editions, 5th or Pathfinder probably.

Edited April 13, 2014 by sifer

[TheEnd]

That was an idea. I was thinking of raiding splats for decent 2nd level Necromancy spells, too.

Maybe stretching it for Vampiric Touch, even...

Think some Transmutation would fit?

FakeEdit: Ooh, yes. Wracking Touch, Curse of Impending Blades, maybe Shroud of Undeath, all from Spell Compendium, look to fit.

Necromancy isn't really a thing in Jugdral... oh wait, there's those twelve warlords

I think I am the only one here who plays 1st ed AD&D here. >.<

Just all that complication and builds stuff now I guess is what is deterring me.

But then I have been in the same group since my freshman year since I started Playing D&D so I haven't looked for other groups though, I guess that will change when we go our separate way in our lives, then I will switch editions, 5th or Pathfinder probably.

I play 2E, it's close enough from what I've seen

Funnily enough, only our DM and me care about 2E, all the other players prefer 3E/3.5

One of them got Pathfinder rulebooks recently, but I'm afraid we're never going to play it period (since the "going separate ways" thing is already happening, and finishing this campaign is already going to be hard enough)

[The-Mage-King]

Necromancy isn't really a thing in Jugdral... oh wait, there's those twelve warlords

Remember that "Necromancy" encompasses "Life draining", "Curses", and the like, not just "animating the dead".

Fits perfectly, IMO.

play 2E, it's close enough from what I've seen

Funnily enough, only our DM and me care about 2E, all the other players prefer 3E/3.5

One of them got Pathfinder rulebooks recently, but I'm afraid we're never going to play it period (since the "going separate ways" thing is already happening, and finishing this campaign is already going to be hard enough)

I've half considered breaking out my 1E (reprint) or O (reprint, box set), TBH. Run a quick dungeoncrawl and that, see how many burned char sheets we end up with.

But I'd suck at DMing, at least in person.

[Sifer]

I've half considered breaking out my 1E (reprint) or O (reprint, box set), TBH. Run a quick dungeoncrawl and that, see how many burned char sheets we end up with.

What? Characters are not going to die every adventure. Just expect to lose a third of your party as you work your way up to high levels. I like it this way since you have to accurately measure threats up and reduce/eliminate them in a module. You shouldn't fight everyone, you know?

I might have said this but the levels in 1^st ed are:

1-3 low level

4-6 mid level

7-10 high level the fatality rate is getting up there too.

10+ is epic level

Here are two stories that represent how quickly someone can die by just plain chance though:

So the DM was a player I another group and they were on a raft. The DM rolled for random encounters and got one. DM rolls for initiative, monster surprises party. Monster was a crocodile. Crocodile rolled a 20. Crocodile snatched an unnamed PC and brought him into the murky waters, PC died. The death was so memorable the unnamed PC was named Snatch.

This happened in my group. So the party went into some caves for some spelunking and killed some baddies and got a potion. We went back to town and a friend's character tested it out. It was poison and the character died. The group congratulated the player on having the quickest PC death 25 min into the PC's existence.

Edited April 15, 2014 by sifer

[The-Mage-King]

Sifer... You underestimate my evils as a GM.

If I were running a game in my preferred system, I'd be aiming for maybe a PC death every few sessions, once they get to the point where Raises are, while not cheap, affordable.

I'd probably wind up playing the monsters in question smart for OD&D/1E, which is, well... Nearly a sure death to most players I know, I'm sorry to say.

They don't even look UP when entering a door!