A Random Memory Inspired By the "Nymph's Kiss" feat

[Arcane Runes Press]

While browsing through my copy of the Book of Exalted Deeds yesterday, I was struck by a random memory from the good old days.

When I was 9 or maybe 10, sometime in the early 80's, my DM introduced a new step in the character creation process.

1) Roll stats (3d6)
2) Lie about your rolls and pretty much write down whatever
3) Pick class
4) Roll hit points
5) Lie about roll, give character maximum hit points, and then like 20 more for good measure
6) Pick equipment from magic item section of DMG
7) Pick cool name - Conan the Wizard, Dark Conan the fighter, or Conan the Ranger
8) Pick character's totally cool girlfriend from the Monster Manual

As a result of this essential step, my character always had a totally cool topless girlfriend.

And because of that random memory, that's what Nymph's Kiss will always be to me - the Totally Cool, Topless Girlfriend feat.


It's like they reached back in time and took the best idea ever from my 10 year old brain. But then they were cool enough to give it really great benefits too (well, beyond the obvious benefit). Where was this visionary feat in 1982, I ask you?

 

[Crothian]

I know people who play by those very rules to this day......

 

[Darkness]

Hahaha.

Crothian, I know a few too. Of course, some of them use point-buy now and maximum hp at 1st level has become an official rule in 3e but apart from that...

And what makes this even better is that Nymph's Kiss is called unbalanced by some people, which fits well with the philosophy behind the 8-step character creation Patrick listead above.

 

[Nifft]

Sounds like a great PDF product: Totally Cool Girlfriend Grimoire.

-- N

 

[Crothian]

Sounds like a great PDF product: Totally Cool Girlfriend Grimoire.

-- N

Patrick, you should write that!!

 

[Psion]

Anyone else flashing back to "The Gamers"? Esp. the scene where the college girl tells the adventurers not to involve her in their creepy fantasies.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Anyone else flashing back to "The Gamers"? Esp. the scene where the college girl tells the adventurers not to involve her in their creepy fantasies.

Well, it's not like they ever actually appeared in the game, or even existed outside step 8. Killing Dread Conan the multiclass Necromancer/Paladin was much more awesomer than hanging out with girlfriends, no matter how totally awesome.

Plus, at least for me at that age, it's not I even had a concept of what having a Totally Cool Topless Girlfriend entailed.

ThorConan: "Yeah, verily I hath returned from dungeon level 10. Much booty was taken"

TCTG: "Speaking of booty..."

ThorConan: "Aye, a veritable buttload. Look at my cool sword! It burns!"

TCTG: "Yes, mighty ThorConan. Show me thy burning weapon..."

Sword: FWOOOSHHHHHHH!

ThorConan: "So cool! I could totally stab a dinosaur!"

TCTG "Yes, strong-thewed boyfriend. Speaking of stabb...."

ThorConan: "And he would totally DIE!"

TCTG: "Ok, look! I'm topless here!"

ThorConan: "Right. And that's totally cool! But I gotta go kill the Deceptoninjas!"

 

[hong]

ThorConan: "Right. And that's totally cool! But I gotta go kill the Deceptoninjas!"

Custom title!

 

[Tewligan]

As a result of this essential step, my character always had a totally cool topless girlfriend.

Huh. You just reminded me of a guy I vaguely knew who kept a centerfold he had torn from Playboy with his character sheet. She was, of course, his character's wife. And we were like 10 or 11. This seems to be remarkably common.

 

[Nifft]

We often know what is desireable before we know why.

-- N