Why I love D&D this week

[Piratecat]

Last weekend, Kidcthulhu and I were visiting old friends down in Maryland. These are folks we met playing RPGA games and loved too much to lose track of. Since not all of them are gaming regularly nowadays (new parents), I ran a pick-up game; everyone created a 1st level character (complete with personality) and handed it one space to the right.

The PCs were hired by a wizard to rescue his doggy familiar from the town's guard captain, who had apparently kidnapped it and bound it to him with a magical dog collar. The tiny yappy dog was successfully nabbed by the heroes, who sliced off the collar... and unfortunately found out that the little dog was actually a demon possessing a dog's body. Oops. Things looked bad for our heroes.

Fiendish Dog: "Bow before me, servants, and worship me... or die!"

Fighter: "I've got the dog grappled, but I don't think it's going to matter much."

Druid: "I'll roll a knowledge: nature check." (gets a 25) "Say, you know that one spot that makes a dog's leg twitch uncontrollably?"

DM: "...yes?"

Druid: "I scratch it."

Fiendish dog: "Impudent mortal, what are you... I demand you..." [thumpthumpthump] "Stop that! Hey, stop it!"

Druid: (scratching furiously with a touch attack) "Who's a good infernal doggy-woggy?"

Fiendish dog: "Arrgh! Stop that!"

After having to demonstrate exactly what the dog's leg was doing, and after the laughter died down, I rolled and totally flubbed a concentration check for the canine demon. Best. Tactic. Ever.

-- o --

That's our story. What's happened to you in your game that could never show up in an online RPG computer game?

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

That is absolutely freakin' priceless.

Now excuse me while I go change my undies. I think I laughed too hard.

 

[gamecat]

That's too much.

MMO's are limited, indeed!

 

[Shade]

Hilarious! Thanks for sharing.

 

[KB9JMQ]

That is priceless PC

Our wizard (played by someone new) rolls his flaming sphere thru his allies to get to the zombies.


Twice.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Wow, love that!

My players have negotiated their way out of a major fight, which you can't do in MMORPGs. Of course, a group of them (oddly enough, now on the run from the law) also hide found treasure from the others and subsitute fake items instead.

A lot of my players are or were MMORPG players, so I think they consciously seek out elements in tabletop play that they can't get online.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Our wizard (played by someone new) rolls his flaming sphere thru his allies to get to the zombies.

Twice.

Actually, that is something that can happen in MMORPGs. Using area of effect spells on a PVP-enabled server in EverQuest and your party can be in just as much danger from you as the enemy.

 

[Henry]

There's nothing like a game with some good, creative people. Good Lord, that was funny!

 

[Sejs]

That's our story. What's happened to you in your game that could never show up in an online RPG computer game?

Lots. Time and again I keep seeing the direction of my game veer off to one side due to the unexpexted result on some skill check or another.

Very loyal allies have been made out of former enemies by virtue of a fumbled Move Silently check.

Sweeping gang wars in one of the largest cities in the Forgotten Realms have resulted from failed Gather Information checks tipping off the badguys that the PCs were looking for them. Said gang wars ended up unseating the top organization, who was secretly headed by a cabal of yuan-ti from another country.

So on and so forth. You just don't get that kind of reactive, fluid world in an MMO.



Heh, plus you never seem to get the same amusing quotes out of them. (NPC) So, wait, how did the lord die? (PC) He died of natural causes.. in his own home.. from old age.. in broad daylight... from a crossbow bolt.

 

[buzz]

This whole post is awesome, but THIS:

...everyone created a 1st level character (complete with personality) and handed it one space to the right.

...is the awesomest.