jonesy
A Wicked Kendragon
Dragon #95: article: The Influence of J.R.R Tolkien on the D&D and AD&D games, by Gary Gygax:
[snip] ..minimal..
Tumble problems
- Thread starter Water Bob
- Start date
[snip] ..minimal..
DM: "You arrive to a valley. There is something fantastic up ahead, but it's hard to see due to the bright light it is emitting.."
Player 1: "Hang on. I'm not wearing socks with my work boots. Does anyone have spare socks?"
DM: "..it has noticed you and speaks. It says.."
Player 2: "I've got socks I'm not using. But they were given to me by my grandfather. They're my lucky socks. I wouldn't want them to get dirty."
DM: "..guys? The amazing creature bathed in angelic light is talking to you. It wants.."
Player 3: "I thought you never wore socks with your work boots? Why do you need them now?"
Player 1: "Last adventure I got a hole in my boots, and now there's snow on the ground. It's getting a bit chilly here."
Player 2: "Oh, ok. You can have my lucky socks."
Player 1: "Thanks. Are these wool? They're really nice."
Player 3: "They do look nice, actually. You wouldn't happen to have another pair?"
DM: "..guys? Guys? Nevermind, it went away."
That's actually pretty funny. Take out the part about the angelic being, and you've got a great example of why we use this type of detail in our game. Sometimes scenes like these DO HAPPEN in our games. We laugh our be-hineys off. Again, the detail enhances our game.
I can tell you what color the eyes on are each PC. His skin tone. His hair color. If he's right or left handed. What his body shape looks like.
Heck, we've even established (the PCs are young right now--about 14 and 15 years old) who lost his virginity and which NPC it happened with.
I'm sure that's a bit much for some of you. But, for us, it's another world we've created. It's what keeps us coming back to the gaming table.
Yeah, I read that back in the day. Are you aware that Gygax was trying to avoid being sued by the Tokien estate after the success of D&D? The whole Tolkien influence thing is a big controversey. Some say that Gygax kept saying "minimal" influence because of Tolkien estate's threats.
One side believe stuff like the article you cite. The other points at the game and lists the simularities.
jonesy
A Wicked Kendragon
As details do. But there's only so much time one can spend, and I'd rather not spend it too much on equipment. Unless it's something you really need to describe to understand.
See, the thing that strikes me odd here is that you're talking about living in a fantasy world, and yet you're focusing on mundane details. Mundane as in things we already experience in the real world. For that you might as well be playing Sims the RPG.
I don't know if there actually is a Sims the RPG, but I'd certainly like to try it.
I think your basic assumption of D&D fitting a tolkien-esque universe is wrong. D&D represents a melting-pot of different fantasy (and even sf) styles and tropes. Tolkien's influence is only one among many and it's definitely not the most important one.
Jimlock
Adventurer
Elves --- as perceived by Tolkien
Half Elves --- as perceived by Tolkien
Dwarves --- as perceived by Tolkien
Halflings --- No comment
Ranger --- as perceived by Tolkien
Even humans are described the way Tolkien sees them.
...actually the list of resemblances can be pages long....
.....the scene where a PARTY composed of a human fighter, a dwarven fighter, a half-elf ranger, the old wizard with the hat, the rogue-sque halflings, the elven archer....
....... enter the dungeons of Moria... i mean... what else does one need to see that Tolkien is the primary catalyst for D&D........ ???
Specialized?
Forget the name, Tumble is one of the broadest skills in the system when you look at how it can be used.
- Make money during downtime like Performance: Check.
- Take less damage from Jumping down a cliff: Check.
- Avoid attacks of opportunity better than Mobility: Check.
- Slip past a dragon blocking a cave entrance: Check.
Only the talky skills come anywhere close to Tumble in versatility.
The rules already have equipment affect your tumbling: you can only do it with light load and take armor check penalty. If that's not enough to you, there are probably other skills and abilities for which the same is true.
Specialized?
Specialized may be the wrong word. I meant that most adventurers aren't decked out in clothes and equipment that lend themselves to floppin' around.
That isn't enough for me. I want his weapons secured. I want to know what happens to his waterskin that is draped across his chest when he starts the cartwheels. I want to know how long it takes him to untie his dagger from his sheath when he tries to pull it out.
Otherwise, we are talking about Prince of Persia stuff--and that's definitely not how I run my game.
Yeah, only the ones who have light load and take ranks in Tumble (trained only) are. In my opinion it's perfectly reasonable to assume that they have made sure their equipment is secure enough since they've trained to Tumble in combat.
In my opinion the skill should have been named Acrobatics. It quite clearly doesn't always imply tumbling in the literal sense.
BTW, do you also assume that someone who falls from a tree or into a pit trap has dropped some equipment?
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