JollyDoc's Shackled City: FINAL POST [Updated 11/2!!]

[gfunk]

Now Gfunk, we all know you are better than that. I have seen you do much much worse with much less. Why would you need to crow about beating the party down (given the circumstances above) and not something that you actually earned?

Well, this is precisely why I merely "temporarily" killed a party member or two (nothing a quick Revivfy couldn't fix) as compared to a TPK which be both know I could have very easily done. This is why said Dragon stayed on the map instead of snatching one PC at a time, flying 10 miles away, consuming PC at it's leisure -- rinse and repeat. This was not simply PC mercy (which was called for b/c of the depleted state you were all in), but also overconfidence on the part of the Dragon. He was a bad-ass and he knew it, he didn't expect much of a challenge -- his mistake in the end.

Also, we all know that both of us take advantage of broken feat, class, and spell combinations as players, why have a grudge when the DM occasionally does the same?

Besides, I did give you ample credit for your superlative combat tactics in "Lords of Oblivion" if you go re-read my post. Would it be so hard to return the favor?

 

[Joachim]

Laf...you misunderstand me...I was returning the favor, but for the magnificent stuff you have managed to pull in the past...not the unavoidable butt-whipping with the dragon.

I will say this G, I am in agreement with you on one thing...the more we see with these modules, the more I absolutely have to scratch my head at the whole D&D CR system. At the higher levels, there are some real discrepancies between the difficulties (or ease) of encounters and the amount of XP's awarded. Sometimes, its absolutely boggling. Some encounters are far, far easier than the XP award (see Vhalantru) and some are the opposite (see the Morkoth...ugh).

 

[monboesen]

Joachim I'm sorry if I came off as being totally serious, I was not. But thats how boards sometimes works. As for disjunctions, no that would likely not be my answer if my bad guys even had that capability. That said I find there to be to much implied reliance on magic items in 3ed. But thats an entirely other discussion.

I must confess (and I guess thats already obvious) that I do not agree with the way you make characters and especially not with the, at times, strange pc races and class combinations. But that hardly matters as it is your game, not mine. And in many ways the story serves me well as a warning post of things that I might not like in my game.

But thats does not at all detract from the story to me. I'm an avid fantasy reader and a sucker for a well crafted story, and it is indeed that. So I take my hat off and salute you for documenting your game for all of us in a most entertaining way.

 

[Joachim]

But thats does not at all detract from the story to me. I'm an avid fantasy reader and a sucker for a well crafted story, and it is indeed that. So I take my hat off and salute you for documenting your game for all of us in a most entertaining way.

Naw...you didn't come across all serious, and I wasn't trying to either.

Trust me, the gaming of the 'Bright Axes' or, more appropriately, 'Dr. Jolly's Merry Band of Real-Life Nerds' can be somewhat disorienting to those not accustomed to rules-heavy power-gaming combat-centered hack-and-slash mayhem. 'Heavy Roleplayers' need not apply. Not to say that the heavy roleplaying is bad, but just not our cup of tea, and such players will most likely leave unhappy.

Considering the past few months, if you want to salute anyone, you need to salute JD. He's been carrying this board for the past few months. No one else deserves any credit for it. Unless you count the periodic blather from his players.

 

[JollyDoc]

I must confess (and I guess thats already obvious) that I do not agree with the way you make characters and especially not with the, at times, strange pc races and class combinations. But that hardly matters as it is your game, not mine. And in many ways the story serves me well as a warning post of things that I might not like in my game.

I suppose I'm just the opposite. I am more of a "if the rules allow it, they go for it" kind of mentality. To me, it cheapens the game to play a sub-par character just because you are afraid it might unbalance the game. I see it as a challenge to my DM skills to keep provide pimped-out PC's with equally pimped-out challenges which walk a fine line between fun, yet nerv-wracking, and lethal. It's like Joachim said, we are not big on "role-playing." Now, don't get me wrong...when I say this, what I mean is that we don't get into faux british accents for characters, talking to barmaids, picking pockets of bystanders or your fellow PC's, coming up with home-made poetry, etc. We role-play within the context of the adventure...ie asking appropriate questions of PC's, interacting with other party members, etc, but we enjoy role-playing as a means of moving along the action. Again, our style of play is not for everyone, and that's what makes this game so great...it can fit anyone's style. Our SH is just one group's version, and we submit it for your enjoyment, and hopefully approval. Read on!

 

[gfunk]

It's like Joachim said, we are not big on "role-playing."

What are you talking about!?

"I go into the bar to make some contacts."

- said by player during a short-lived Werewolf campaign during some "in-game" downtime.

"Eat lead Chinaman!!!!"

- said by me during a short-lived Deadlands campaign. I was playing a xenophobic, 80-year old vet of the war of 1812 who was referring to a "kung-fu" character run by the "contacts" player above.

"Seriously Joe, you should give him the Axe and watch the fun."

- Me, convincing our DM to give "contacts" player the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords during a 2nd ed campaign. I was convinced that any potentially unbalancing aspects of the weapon would be offset by the sheer comedic value in the hands of an idiot -- we were not disappointed when he tried to start an Earthquake spell in an underground cavern.

"Sorry, he failed his morale check and he can't go underground."

- Our DM to the "contacts" player in the same 2nd ed campaign. Said player had constructed a Sundred Dwarf whose persona included a pathological fear of the underground. Right after making a character, our first destination was an underground ice cave and the player promptly failed his morale check thus rendering him useless. JollyDoc later felt bad and let him "re-check."

"I polymorph him into a cockroach."

- Me, declaring my action against the "contacts" player after he had become drunk with power with the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords. Said player had been charmed by an enemy spellcaster and was relishing his ability to sever body parts of former allies a little too much. Unfortunately, the "cockroach" escaped before we were able to catch him.

"Sorry Chris, you've been voted off the island."

- JollyDoc, in an email to "contacts" player after a particularly heinous incident where said player pulled a "screw you guys, I'm going home" when we wouldn't give him the magic bastard sword we recovered from the Forge of Fury. Said player wasn't sure if we wanted him back so he suggested we take a group vote. Everyone voted him out . . . except me. In my wisdom, I recognized said player as more than comedy gold -- this guy was comedy uranium.

 

[Joachim]

What are you talking about!?

"I go into the bar to make some contacts."

- said by player during a short-lived Werewolf campaign during some "in-game" downtime.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Werewolf, Contacts is a trait that you can purchase during character creation/development. Said player, aka "Stupid Chris", made a Werebear character, and he was jealous of the pages of background info that I prepared for the characters that were not just combat machines. So, his answer was not to actually invest any character development (i.e. experience points) on Contacts, but to walk into a bar at midday and talk to the nearest hobo or alcoholic. Like G said, comedy uranium. Of all of the miscreants that have graced Jollydoc's basement, I think he had to be in the bottom 2 or 3, if not the National 'Chump'-ion.

EDIT: I almost wet myself with laughter during the whole 'cockroach polymorphing' incident as well. Laughing at that guy for being stupid is like laughing at the handicapped for their infirmity.

I know. I am soooo going to Hell.

 

[Neverwinter Knight]

For those of you who may not be familiar with Werewolf, Contacts is a trait that you can purchase during character creation/development. Said player, aka "Stupid Chris", made a Werebear character, and he was jealous of the pages of background info that I prepared for the characters that were not just combat machines. So, his answer was not to actually invest any character development (i.e. experience points) on Contacts, but to walk into a bar at midday and talk to the nearest hobo or alcoholic. Like G said, comedy uranium. Of all of the miscreants that have graced Jollydoc's basement, I think he had to be in the bottom 2 or 3, if not the National 'Chump'-ion.

EDIT: I almost wet myself with laughter during the whole 'cockroach polymorphing' incident as well. Laughing at that guy for being stupid is like laughing at the handicapped for their infirmity.

I know. I am soooo going to Hell.

A munchkin...some say there is a thin line between a powergamer and a munchkin, and I think that line is intelligence.

Best quote from my groups:
DM: You walk into a perfectly spheric room.
Stupid player: I go hide in the corner.

:x

 

[Lela]

Nice kill on the beholder guys. Seems to me he wasn't planning ahead, odd for a beholder, but it's still a trophy you can stuff, stick on the wall beside the door, and hang coats from. And that's nothing to scoff at.

 

[gfunk]

It turns out "Strike on Shatterhorn" ended with another exceedingly interesting plot twist, just like "Thirteen Cages." The group is starting the final chapter, "Asylum," this weekend and I'll be there. Sweet!