|
Post by Rincewind on Aug 8, 2007 20:43:38 GMT -5
Here's something fun that I've never done but Olrac has done to devastating effect. This is particularly good if you feel that one or more players has made a devastating monster of a character. He had our party face what were basically mirror images of ourselves, identical duplicates of our characters, who were trying to kill us. Godric's counterpart, his warrior/warmage/Eldritch Knight brother, was probably the most feared of the bunch, and I don't think I've ever seen the party as eager to kill someone as they were for him. Hehe, fun time.
|
|
|
Post by Lady Winter Wolf on Aug 8, 2007 22:33:58 GMT -5
Here's something fun that I've never done but Olrac has done to devastating effect. This is particularly good if you feel that one or more players has made a devastating monster of a character. He had our party face what were basically mirror images of ourselves, identical duplicates of our characters, who were trying to kill us. Godric's counterpart, his warrior/warmage/Eldritch Knight brother, was probably the most feared of the bunch, and I don't think I've ever seen the party as eager to kill someone as they were for him. Hehe, fun time. See, that's a good idea, and it speaks of independent thinking. A good DM is one who can game off the cuff, if need be; who can make up things that will make the game more interesting; who will let players develop their characters; who might even let players DM sections of the game too, so all the players can experience a new perspective. A good DM has vision, and doesn't just have his/her nose in a book, reciting the rules word for word. Unfortunately, with those anal gamers, they then complain about DMs like that, "oh, he/she sucks at DMing", "he/she doesn't know how to play 2e or 3e" (depending on what system is being played, "oh, all he/she knows is 2e and can't adjust for 3e". So that player decides to become a DM, but his/her players either up and leave the game, or are constantly calling off on game day. Why? Cause the gamer turned DM will stick to a game module word for word, and no deviation from the module is acceptable. Or the gamer turned DM already has in his/her mind how the PCs should react to each situation, and if the player doesn't follow the game plan in the DM's mind....the DM disallows the actions. If the player argues, chances are his/her character will end up being killed off by the gamer turned DM.
|
|
Dmitri
Land Owner
D&D Geeks of the World Unite!
Posts: 1,466
|
Post by Dmitri on Aug 10, 2007 8:20:41 GMT -5
Here's something fun that I've never done but Olrac has done to devastating effect. This is particularly good if you feel that one or more players has made a devastating monster of a character. He had our party face what were basically mirror images of ourselves, identical duplicates of our characters, who were trying to kill us. Godric's counterpart, his warrior/warmage/Eldritch Knight brother, was probably the most feared of the bunch, and I don't think I've ever seen the party as eager to kill someone as they were for him. Hehe, fun time. Funny, I did that too a while back... used a huge mirror that the party found in the bottom of the dungeon, and after solving the riddle (required them to be fully rested in order to operate), they looked in it, it shattered and created mirror images of them, perfect copies with all the same gear and spells, etc. Sadly it led to a party wipe, as the group for some reason imploded tactically, and seemed to forget how to fight enemy spellcasters...
|
|
|
Post by pigdish on Aug 10, 2007 9:06:12 GMT -5
The biggest difference for me as a DM now as opposed to 10 years ago is the over abundance of material out there. Because of all these new source material the "newer" DMs and players have tons more rules and concepts to delve into. And in my opinion most of these people are the uber nerds that have found a niche where they can gain self importance and perceived superiority over players and DMs that are "old school" from the 2e and 1st edition era. This leads to all the "rules lawyering", a term which I hadn't heard of until I moved to PA since most of the people were either in their mid 30s or 40s or 50s and were real role players, and finding the best combination to make a powerful character. To most old schoolers this may not have an appeal but it's a different aspect of playing D&D nowadays.
I'd like to thank LWW for starting a thread like this to elucidate the finer points of role playing, over the rules and making super characters, to the newer and younger DMs and players. With the mass production of creativity and imagination in a box it is easy to get caught up in the printed word. I feel the stuff in the books should be a starting point, if needed, after that the person's imagination should be the only limiting reagent for having fun and adventure in a far off land.
|
|
|
Post by Antioch on Aug 10, 2007 9:23:19 GMT -5
See, I'm not into super characters. It takes much more skill and creativity to play a sucky character. Not all mages have 18 str and so on. I played a game once where noone had a score below 16 on their stats...like anyone in real life is even like that.
I just like trying different characters and seeing how they do. I'm having a blast in the pits right now trying it out. Did a halfling and an elf so far, instead of the half-orc barbarian. I've actually held my own pretty well and it's been luck of the dice for the outcome. Unfortunately, that luck didn't belong to me, but I had fun, and that's what's important.
There are alot more rules now - but it's nice not having to take 2 years to explain how THAC0 works :-).
Antioch
|
|
|
Post by pigdish on Aug 10, 2007 11:32:43 GMT -5
LOL, THAC0 (To Hit Armor Class Zero) was a nightmare along with the inconsistent negative numbers rules. I'm very happy about the 3e system in doing away with THAC0 and everything being on the positive scale.
|
|
Dmitri
Land Owner
D&D Geeks of the World Unite!
Posts: 1,466
|
Post by Dmitri on Aug 13, 2007 15:58:13 GMT -5
Awww... I miss THAC0... sort of...
Frankly, it just always sounded cool to say "Roll your d20 to hit your THAC0, then 1d8 for damage, but don't forget to roll a save vs. (five minute pause to figure out what save against) breath weapons!"
|
|
|
Post by pigdish on Aug 13, 2007 19:25:51 GMT -5
lol, I have to agree with you Dmitri, it does sound DnDish to say "roll to hit your THAC0".
|
|
|
Post by Antioch on Aug 13, 2007 19:47:00 GMT -5
I don't know why, but THAC0 always made sense to me. I don't know if it was because it was such an improvement over 1e or what. I just got it. I could do it in my head on the fly, which helped DMing.
Oh well, now it's just a way to date ourselves. LOL
Antioch
|
|
|
Post by Antioch on Aug 13, 2007 19:48:53 GMT -5
I did the old mirror image thing to kill off a group that was just getting way too high of a lvl. Think they were all 30 something, they slaughtered everything I sent their way. Under 2e, the experience was whatever experience that character had. They won by luck of the dice and all went from lvl 30 something to 50 something. That plan backfired. I like the CR divying of xp much better. Prevents that sort of thing.
Antioch
|
|
|
Post by pigdish on Aug 13, 2007 20:31:38 GMT -5
I didn't know levels went that high in the old days of 2e. I think the highest we ever got was 15. For some reason I remember that being the cap for levels.
|
|
|
Post by Antioch on Aug 14, 2007 11:01:40 GMT -5
There was a pattern to the xp that you could spec it out as far as you were willing to take it. I DM'd that adventure for years, so it didn't happen overnight.
|
|
|
Post by grond on Aug 15, 2007 20:09:20 GMT -5
Most people in real life can't fly or breath water either, but I know what you mean. People seem to forget that 16 is actually a high stat. Besides, all of the core characters are still interesting to play at higher levels, its just most people don't follow a path for long enough. There are so many people planning out there characters from lvl 1 to 20 right away, I think its contagious. Oh well.
|
|
|
Post by galadon on Aug 16, 2007 7:04:04 GMT -5
Players want to make up rules on the spot,,,hmmm Ok.
I agree as long as GMs can do the same. Why yes you do have a magic intelligent sword. But the magic doesn't work on saturday and the intelligent is piss off at you and not talking.
|
|
|
Post by MjolnirH on Aug 18, 2007 0:01:00 GMT -5
I didn't know levels went that high in the old days of 2e. I think the highest we ever got was 15. For some reason I remember that being the cap for levels. there were only level caps for certain races and class combos like elven fighters and wizards for example thief levels for all races were unlimited they did have an adventure out called the throne of bloodstone which was fro character levels 1-100 in the back of the module it explained 100 level character rules such as your THAC0 maxing out at a certain level and your number of spells per day maxing out as well as casters level. hell the only thing that the extra levels gave you after something like level 30 was hit points
|
|