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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5949261" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Issue 281: March 2001part 6/7The play's the thing: Robin Laws' second article this month is another where he reexamines a seemingly tiny part of your character background and shows it can actually be a big deal. Ancestry is a particularly big deal if you're a noble, or from a race that particularly values that kind of knowledge. But to be honest, you can't always control who your ancestors are. Interestingly, I can think of at least three games which allow you to determine your ancestry randomly, (AD&D's Oriental Adventures, Pendragon, Exalted's Dragon-blooded) with solid mechanical effects that result from this, showing it's not a new idea at all. This being modern times, Robin would rather it be placed in the hands of the players and DM, determined by OOC negotiation rather than dice rolls. This doesn't mean that the character has to be happy about what their family got up to in the past, of course, but someone ought to be actively choosing. So I guess this shows that new and old school play do tackle many of the same issues, they just solve them in different ways. And in this case, new might or might not be better than old, but is almost definitely slower and less realistic. This is one case where the insanity produced by a good random table will probably be more interesting than what a player will come up with on their own. Sage advice: Do humans have to ignore the highest level class for multiclassing (yes. You dabble in a few things, not have two good classes plus a dip. ) Is a wishes inherent bonus added to the ability or the rolls. (The ability. Wishes are not that great at changing who you are.)Do inherent bonuses stack (No. So much for that enhancement.)How long does it take to make a scroll under 1,000 gp (Still a day. You can't mass produce magic items.)How does a small character use a bastard sword (Same as anyone else. It's a bit weird. )Can you save up skill points and feats if you can't think of anything to spend them on straight away. (If your DM likes the idea. You are, after all, just making yourself suboptimal for a while. ) How does expertise interact with two-weapon fighting (subtract from all attacks. No exceptions)How hard is it to escape from rope bonds (Ooops. That contradiction has been fixed in the new printing. Don't say we don't do anything for you. )Does spring attack really let you get at things with reach attacks without AoO's (only if they don't have friends. ) If you add a prestige class, do you suffer XP penalties for not keeping them balanced (No. Prestige classes are just plain cool. They worry nothing about this limitation.)How do barbarians learn how to read, and how much does it cost (2 skill points, or a single level in another class. Way easier than last edition. )Are cleric domain powers based on character level or class level (Character level. To do otherwise would be against general design principles.)Can clerics turn outsiders (Not yet. Maybe some time.)Do domain powers that turn count towards your general quota (No. Wouldn't be much of an extra if they did)Can you apply the Sun benefit to other domain granted powers (No.)Do undead's bodies stay when they're destroyed by turning  (No. They go poof like buffyverse vampires. Very neat. )Does extra turning add to domain granted powers (No.) How much damage does an unarmed coup de grace do. (Probably not enough to kill someone) Do you ever die from subdual damage. (Yes. It rolls over. Another thing stolen from WoD. ) What happens if you fight underwater. (You suck. It's a great way to take confident characters down a few pegs. ) Can my lawful good cleric cast doom (it is neither chaotic nor evil, so yes.)Are you hurt by your own fireball (We wouldn't have invented sunfire if it didn't.)How much can delayed blast fireball do (20d6)Is color spray right? (No. More stuff for the next printing. )Do stunned characters always drop what they're holding. (Yes. Another move action wasted when you recover to get battle ready again.)</blockquote>

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