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  1. W

    The AI Red Scare is only harming artists and needs to stop.

    Can I just ask, what exactly do you think is gaslighting?
  2. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    I believe this is it. It comes from oD&D(plus Greyhawk). The initial rules allowed you to carry 750, 1000, or 1500 coins, depending on the speed you wanted to move. Greyhawk came along and added a flat -100 to 1200 coins to that number (depending on Str score), but didn't re-calculate the speeds...
  3. W

    [Actual Play] Stonetop, or how to make friends and influence people

    Sounds like a lot of fun. I can't wait until we have books in hand and I can try to sell my main group on this game.
  4. W

    D&D 5E (2014) Thoughts on Tier 3-4 Satyr martial in Vecna: Eve of Ruin

    I am thinking something like that. I would be fun to see. I... it's literally the only one I included any character development on! What's my story reason on the paladin or rune knight? Fairy never stays put within 10'. They are notorious on that kind of thing. Overall, I think rune knight is...
  5. W

    D&D 5E (2014) Thoughts on Tier 3-4 Satyr martial in Vecna: Eve of Ruin

    So one of the rotating DMs for my Saturday D&D group has decided to try running V:EoR. This is the first foray into tiers 3-4 for this group in a long, long time. I've avoided spoilers, so I do not know the plot, or much else (other than start at level 9). I have been given leave to ask the...
  6. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    Yep, and there were item saving throw rules in the DMG (p. 80 for AD&D). From what I understand, the reason Cone of Cold was a higher level was because items had a much (with the exception of liquids) better chance of surviving. It seemed that-- at least in the version of A/D&D emergent from...
  7. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    So I take it other people didn't have the fireballs blow up the loot (and sometimes the party), huh?
  8. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    Yes, I think that's part of the 'why would you keep playing with them when you could level up some new characters?' part I mentioned. Not only did the xp reward system not make it particularly plausible to continue to level up at that point, there didn't seem to be a lot of incentive to do so...
  9. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    I can at least see the rationale if your thought process is mostly focused on (say) a large party of maybe 3rd level level characters having figured out good formation tactics and mopping up upper dungeon levels full of hobgoblins and orcs. Once you got to the upper tiers and gold dragons would...
  10. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    I certainly loved the promise offered in Complete Priests Handbook. Customization with an eye towards worldbuilding was a breath of fresh air. Mind you, the notion of balance was bizarre (IIRC weapons that did 1d6+1 or less were low-value, and 1d8 or more were high-value. It doesn't take much...
  11. W

    TSR Monster Paralysis: Reason for Lack of Durations in OD&D, Holmes, AD&D

    See, again, I don't think this specific instance is a case of design improving*. Because, again, having characters be taken out of action isn't bad design (any more than having a chess piece locked in a 'I really can't move that' position) if the goal isn't to only have one piece to play at a...
  12. W

    TSR Monster Paralysis: Reason for Lack of Durations in OD&D, Holmes, AD&D

    I think, in conjunction, this highlights a point about how the game evolved. From original published oD&D to tetrasodium's ad&d 2e books, the game did change -- undoubtedly in recognition that the play patterns people adopted did not match the initial assumptions (people were not fielding...
  13. W

    TSR Monster Paralysis: Reason for Lack of Durations in OD&D, Holmes, AD&D

    Perhaps we can just say that original-intention oD&D sets up scenarios where one's forces can be unexpectedly (and maybe feeling unfairly*) completely ruined and that was considered a normal state of play much moreso than modern "normal" or "usual" play. *but hopefully still no DM-made scenarios...
  14. W

    TSR Monster Paralysis: Reason for Lack of Durations in OD&D, Holmes, AD&D

    Overall, there isn't anything wrong with making it permanent, even in a game where you want characters to have more importance than individual wargame units. It just makes perma-paralysis another challenge to be worked around. IMO, the design construct you need to build around a game like that...
  15. W

    D&D General What are humans?

    Mental differences: We know there are certain types of mental acuities where one can have a deficit*, yet be wholly capable in most other ways. Particularly surrounding language and ability to form abstract constructs. *because of the IRL minefield of discussing individuals, I'm mostly going to...
  16. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    Worth noting that oD&D didn't have sickles --or other non-battlefield weapons taken mostly straight from Chainmail, which seems to be the reason that magic users used daggers instead of (the non-existant staves).
  17. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    From what I can gather*, the logic was thus: If you wanted to recover mid-dungeon, you used clerical healing or potions. Once you were done with the dungeon, you hoofed it back to town, got your XP, and generally resolved the adventure. Since BECMI wasn't intended for the style where you might...
  18. W

    D&D General Which Edition Had The Best Dragons?

    I think this highlights the dichotomy I see. For me, the question is -- should dragons (particularly since they are in the game title*) 1) be iconic monsters to be feared above all else, or 2) be something you see a lot of in your game**? *and should that matter **or 3) both, but that becomes...
  19. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    And thus* the meme of Charisma being a dump stat is born. :-D *Actually no, since it still governs henchmen and follower loyalty. It took people not playing those parts of the game before the idea really took hold. Constantly. I remember right around when people started really coming to terms...
  20. W

    AD&D 1E Favorite Obscure Rules from TSR-era D&D

    Although this runs into the issue of DM adjudication. The spell description states that it creates a globe of light. whether it has a specific source and/or can be blocked by physical barriers (like said scroll tube) isn't clear. IIRC, one of the Gygax adjacent folks (Mentzer, I think, or maybe...
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