HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: richmond@acsu.buffalo.edu (James J. Richmond)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: spell/GM reasonableness (was Re: Funny spells)
Keywords: Weird Stupid Funny Insane Spells regarding plants
Date: 31 Dec 92 08:59:27 GMT
Organization: State University of New York at Buffalo/Comp Sci

In article <1992Dec30.172206.3661@Princeton.EDU> dagolden@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Alexandre Golden) writes:
>In article <C028qA.64M@acsu.buffalo.edu> richmond@acsu.buffalo.edu (James J. Richmond) writes:
>
>>I was trying (well, not _really_ trying) to convince our GM that just like
>>Locate Animals or Plants which is in both the Plant and Animal spheres,
>>Invisibility To Animals had a counterpart spell Invisibility to Plants, and
>>likewise for Animal Friendship.
>>
>>Somehow it didn't work..
>>
>>I don't know why our GM wouldn't believe me that it would be such a usefull
>>spell that it must exist ;) (Hi Eric)
>
>There's a lot that doesn't make sense or wasn't thought out completely. How
>about this [SNIP]

While on this we agree, I don't think you could convince me that the Gods
would have Invisibility to Plants as one of the ``standard'' spells.  I don't
know how you interpret it, but I think of the spell granting process as being
somewhat automated.. there are set spells you pray for, and are (assuming you
are not sacreligous) automatically granted.  If you are high enough level to
actually attract attention from your God(des) you could then try to ask for
special spells.  (in this case I was playing a 1st level priestess, so
attracting my Goddess' attention wasn't likely)

>Pray to whatever you hold sacred for a reasonable DM

I really hope I didn't imply that I was disputing with my GM.. that isn't the
case, I was mostly being silly, and trying to interject a little levity :)
I'm satisfied that our GM is fair.  (I don't always like his decisions, but he
makes them fairly)

(Hmm, I guess my lack of smiley in the 'graph where I say that I didn't know
why our GM didn't believe... would do it... I tend to forget that text doesn't
carry sarcasm well :( )

Jim, invisible to normal plants ;)

-- 
richmond@cs.buffalo.edu       Jim Richmond	rutgers!cs.buffalo.edu!richmond
``Your values are twisted,  --	Not One of Us
  let us help you unwind''	  Peter Gabriel
From: alex@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at (Alexander Forst)
Subject: Re: Priests and Spellcasting
Organization: Institut fuer Computersprachen, Technische Universitaet Wien
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 17:22:52 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.225320.14935@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU>, cdb@CS.Stanford.EDU (Craig Davis Becker) writes:
|> Hi everyone.
|> 
|> I am in the mood to get flamed today,...

	[stuff deleted}

|> So, what we decided to do was to let the priest cast spells without
|> pre-determining them. So, unlike a mage, who must still memorize
|> selected spells beforehand, the priest is now able to cast any spell
|> as the situation dictates.
|> 
|> This may seem like a major advantage, but we have been using it for a
|> while and it doesn't seem to unbalance things. And it certainly makes
|> priests more versatile and fun to play!
|> 
|> As far as the "reality" of casting spells, we just explain this by
|> saying that the priest prays for the spell as it is cast. The fact
|> that priest spells generally have longer casting times than do roughly
|> equivalent mage spells makes this explanation reasonable.
|> 
|> I wouldn't suggest making the same change for mages, however!
|> 
|> Comments? Criticisms?
|> 
|> 
|> Craig
|> 

I fully agree to this variation. My group also plays like this and it really
doesn't seem to unbalance the game. But I must state it is better to use
the priests from "The Complete Priests Handbook" *only*!! The original Cleric
would have to many spells at hand and thus would become too mighty compared
to the mage at lower levels.

It seems very logical for priests to pray to their gods at the very moment
they want to cast spells. For example in the DRAGONLANCE-saga Goldmoon is
always praying when she wants to heal someone and her godess is sometimes
directly communicating with her.

	Alex

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dad! You shot the Flanders-Zombie!"       |          Alexander Forst
              "He was a Zombie?"           |  alex@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at
                                           |  University of Technology Vienna
                    Bart & Homer Simpson   |  Institute of Computer Languages
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.dnd:7751 rec.games.frp.misc:10225
From: wsbusr1@rwa.urc.tue.nl (Boudewijn Wayers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Whatever happened to the Great Net Spellbook?
Date: 22 Dec 92 10:46:26 GMT
Reply-To: wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.dnd

chuahl@ocf.berkeley.edu (Chua HakLien) writes:

>While we're on the topic of the great Net.Spell.Book, what if , say, 
>someone decided to print the stuff up for distribution in conventions,
>with all proceeds going to a charity of some sort? Would one risk being
>sued by T$R? ( Esp in the light of the WotC/Palladium suit.. )

>I think the Net.Books are quite a valuable resource which quite a lot
>of gamers out there would want. Why not spread it around, and do some good
>at the same time?

>Chua
>+==+

Please note that some of the spells in the GNSB and GNPB have been
copyrighted, not by TSR, but by the authors (many of who don't have
access to the net anymore). Although I don't suppose they would have
any objections, this cannot be verified, one of them might still want
to submit his/her spells to TSR for publication. You may spread them
around, but not receive anything for it, except the cost of the
reproduction. You are not allowed to make any profit out of them, not
even for charity. You may give them away, though, but anyone you give
them to may only have them for their own use.
-- 
Boudewijn Wayers, wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl.
Keeper of the Great Net Spellbook and Prayerbook.
From: wsbusr1@rwb.urc.tue.nl (Boudewijn Wayers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: how to imprison a psionicist ?
Date: 21 Dec 92 12:21:19 GMT
Reply-To: wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl

This thread calls for a new spell:


Iron Mask (Conjuration/Summoning) Level: 3

Range: 10 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 8 rounds
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: One person
Saving Throw: None

This spell creates a full-face helmet on the subject's head. The helmet
thus created is in all respects a +1 magical helmet, thus granting the
subject all advantages and disadvantages from wearing a helmet. For
example, a mage would no longer be able to cast spells, a psionicist
could no longer use his powers, but both would be protected against
called shots against their head and receive a +1 to their armour class.

If the caster is of at least eleventh level, there is an addidional
effect: the helmet has a lock that will lock in the round following the
casting. This can be avoided by removing the helmet before the lock
closes (make a Dexterity check). If the helmet is not removed before
the lock closes, it can only be removed by a Dispel Magic or similar
magic. The helmet will disappear when the duration expires.

Note that since the target is not himself affected (the helmet is only
created around his head), he receives no saving throw. The material
component for this spell are a piece of leather and at least two square
inches of cast iron.


-- 
Boudewijn Wayers, wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl.
Keeper of the Great Net Spellbook and Prayerbook.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: jdelisle@udel.edu (J. G. Delisle)
Subject: Re: 2nd Edition Handbooks
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Boyz from the Dwarf
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 15:10:00 GMT

In article <1992Dec22.061818.28906@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>, jwolf@nyx.cs.du.edu (The WolF) writes...
>With all the talk about new handbooks, and people waiting for the x
>handbook of their favorite class and/or race, I'll add:
> 
>Gnomes and Halflings in March
>Humanoids in May
>Rangers in Dec '94
>Elves in Dec '93

	I had heard that Rangers was in 1993 (a year away, not two), and the
Elves HB should be out within the next month or two. Do you have some hot new
info source you're keeping from the rest of us?

	Joe Delisle

+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| From the terminal of Joe Delisle      |                                    |
| jdelisle@loyola.edu  (preferred)      |    "Home is where the hell is."    |
| jdelisle@cs.loyola.edu                |                                    |
|              "I was up above it, but now I'm down in it"                   |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: dagolden@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Alexandre Golden)
Subject: Re: Class' power (was Re: how to imprison a psionicist)
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 23:53:34 GMT

In article <1992Dec20.055329.12237@sfu.ca> akostur@fraser.sfu.ca (Andre John Kostur) writes:
>In article <1992Dec19.165011.750@Princeton.EDU> dagolden@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Alexandre Golden) writes:
>>Yes.  Psi's can pick.  But remember that they have to have at least twice
>>as many in their primary discipline as in any other, which limits them from
>>spreading too thin.  Or else they become a "one trick pony".
>
>Twice?  I somehow remeber it being equal to or less than (if you have 2
>sciences and 5 devotions in your primary discipline, you may not have more
>than 2 sciences and 5 devotions in any other discipline singly)

Sorry, you're right.  I read too fast.  Twice as many devotions as sciences
WITHIN a discipline, and never as many in another discipline as in the
primary discipline.  This probably alters my analysis some (I'm sure I'll 
find out when I keep reading this thread).  Still the principle of spreading
too thin or else becoming limited still holds.

D.Golden
  -- Proof that humans are imperfect



-- 
David A. Golden '95           (dagolden@phoenix.princeton.edu)
Princeton University
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: cannell@churchill.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Eric.Cannell)
Subject: Re: 2nd Edition Handbooks
Organization: NCR Corp., Columbia SC
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 92 20:33:42 GMT

>>With all the talk about new handbooks, and people waiting for the x
>>handbook of their favorite class and/or race, I'll add:
>> 
>>Gnomes and Halflings in March
>>Humanoids in May
>>Rangers in Dec '94
>>Elves in Dec '93

Looks like TSR has learned how to make the big bucks...I cannot wait for
the Elven fighter, the Elven mage, the Hafling thief, the Hafling fighter,
etc., etc., etc.,...to be published.

Feadin

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: praxis@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Laura L Perkinson)
Subject: Re: Help with new character class
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1992 22:10:20 GMT

	[Stuff about possible new Law-guy class + wiz spells deleted]

	Well, Tome of Magic does have a >priest< sphere called Law,
which, if combined with Wizards' Greater Divination woulod give them
some decent, but not overpowering, magic abilities.
	Or, you might just scan thru all the spells (if you've got the
time or inclination) and create a new Law School. In Tome, Fireball is
retconned to being both Invocation & Elemental (Fire), so spells like
Hold person (enchantment) and Dispel Magic (abjuration, I think) could
be pulled to double-duty as well.
		Yeah well, it's a theory,
		Praxis
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: c91petno@IDA.LiU.SE (t2)
Subject: Re: Class' power (was Re: how to imprison a psionicist)
Organization: CIS Dept, University of Linkoping, Sweden
	<1gr21hINNgqd@master.cs.rose-hulman.edu> <1992Dec18.015133.7985@sfu.ca>
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 18:50:01 GMT



Concerning Dark Sun gladiators with 10 powers and 500 PSPs:

You can get pretty nasty wild talents. In my group one WT had
something like 8 powers (including the dreaded Disintegrate) and 180+
PSPs at level 1. And he was a psi/mage/water cleric (I use Heightened
Psionic Talent as an advantage, and you have to take some hefty
disadvantages to afford it. For this guy it was worth it.). The guy
rolled "roll three" and followed up with a good roll, a science
(disintegrate, I think), and a "choose devotion". He picked one he
thought looked nice, and it was indeed a good one. Between the
prerequisites and the HPT rule he started with 250+ PSPs and had a lot
of prerequisites covered. 

Then I rolled up his familiar. Would you believe a pseudodragon with
multiple psi-powers. Some people definitely have Control Dice as an
innate power :-)

And before you mention it, I saw the rolls and read the tables.

Still, a gladiator doesn't *need* 10 powers/500 PSPs. The mul
gladiator in my campaign has Time Shift, and thus Teleport. Can you
say "evil mage splattered over walls". Even with Stoneskin he's in
trouble.

And the thief got DimDoor.

But I still make'em sweat :-).

--
--------------- Peter Nordgren. Phone: +46 (0)13211748 --------------- SHE
-------- Mail: Troeskareg 43:22, S-583 30 LINKOEPING, SWEDEN ------ REALLY
------ Email: c91petno@und.ida.liu.se, nordgren@lysator.liu.se -------- IS 
---- "[The type writer] has proved a great educator, elevating the ----!!!
---- standard of letter and manuscript writing, often effecting the ------
---- combination, in one person, of author, compositor, printer, and ----- 
-------- proof reader" - Scientific American, December 1888 --------------
From: n36ia@pnet16.cts.com (Et3 Francis)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Law-makers
Date: 27 Dec 92 16:56:03 GMT
Organization: People-Net [pnet16], NCTAMS EASTPAC

Ok, I just read the post on Law makers and it does look interesting but I
would rethink a few things.
#1. I wouldn't give them limeted polymorph at any level. This ability is a
chaotic ability in my book because it allows a person to change into whatever
suits him(or her) at the time. That isn't very lawful. The way I perceive it
is that they follow a set order and if the higher level ones are able to
adjust themselves then they aren't really following that order.
Instead of polymorph I would give them the ability(based on a
percentage/level) to see through such things and actually see what the
object(or creature) really looks like.

OOpps, didn't notice the time...post the rest later
                                        Whizkid

"who do you want to be today..."
Xref: sparky rec.games.frp.dnd:7735 rec.games.frp.misc:10189
From: chuahl@ocf.berkeley.edu (Chua HakLien)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Whatever happened to the Great Net Spellbook?
Date: 21 Dec 1992 15:33:04 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
NNTP-Posting-Host: sandstorm.berkeley.edu

In article <wsbusr1.724943316@rwb.urc.tue.nl> wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl writes:
>>>I remember seeing a text copy of something called the
>I'm deliberately not posting it during the holidays, since lots of
>people will then miss it, not having access to the net then. I will
>keep all requests for the spellbook I get until the next edition is
>ready, unless one specifically requests the FOURTH edition, or unless
>one wants it before X-mas, e.g. to use it when on holiday.

While we're on the topic of the great Net.Spell.Book, what if , say, 
someone decided to print the stuff up for distribution in conventions,
with all proceeds going to a charity of some sort? Would one risk being
sued by T$R? ( Esp in the light of the WotC/Palladium suit.. )

I think the Net.Books are quite a valuable resource which quite a lot
of gamers out there would want. Why not spread it around, and do some good
at the same time?

>Boudewijn Wayers, wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl.
>Keeper of the Great Net Spellbook and Prayerbook.

Chua
+==+
Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 17:43:28 -0500 
From: "Joseph E. Beck" <jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: how to imprison a psionicist ?
	<wsbusr1.724940479@rwb.urc.tue.nl>



wsbusr1@rwb.urc.tue.nl (Boudewijn Wayers) writes:
> This thread calls for a new spell:
> 
> 
> Iron Mask (Conjuration/Summoning) Level: 3
> 
> Range: 10 yards
> Components: V, S, M
> Duration: 8 rounds
> Casting Time: 7
> Area of Effect: One person
> Saving Throw: None
          ^^^^^^^^^^
That always makes me nervous.

> Note that since the target is not himself affected (the helmet is only
> created around his head), he receives no saving throw. 
Hmmm....note that with the spell "Fireball" the target is not actually
effected.  A big ball of flame is created around him (20' radius,
right?).  How can he avoid it?  Since the spell doesn't effect him
(just the air around him) he should receive no saving throw.  Same
logic.  

	joe
From: wsbusr1@rwb.urc.tue.nl (Boudewijn Wayers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Small query on multiple mages in a party...
Date: 21 Dec 92 12:51:29 GMT
Reply-To: wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl

sjdaskal@unix.amherst.edu (Steve) writes:

>I don't know how you normally play, Coyt, or anyone else out there, but in
>my campaigns the only way to get new spells is by finding them in books
>or getting someone to teach them to you (very difficult).  I have 
>eliminated the concept that one automatically gains a spell of level X as
>soon as one is able to cast spells of level X (which I think is in the
>Official Rules (tm)) because I find it ludicrous, personally.

No, the OR (tm) are the way you are playing them. If you are talking
about mages, that is. Priests immediately have access to all spells of
their allowed spheres when they reach their next level.

>Regardless
>of this, the point is that if a character finds a spellbook he is able to
>learn any of the spells therein that are of the appropriate levels simply by
>studying them for a given period of time and making a successful % to know
>roll.  I believe this is standard T$R fare, although correct me if I'm wrong.

You're right.

-- 
Boudewijn Wayers, wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl.
Keeper of the Great Net Spellbook and Prayerbook.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: "Dan Thompson" <p00166@psilink.com>
Subject: Re: Spells on Computer anyone?
Organization: Vibrant Graphics
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1992 02:20:51 GMT
X-Mailer: PSILink-DOS (3.3)

Beyond just printing out selective spells, has anyone considered doing 
anything with keyword indexing.  When possible, I like to DM with a 
laptop handy, and I have often wished for a database of spells and/or 
magic items which could search for certain effects.  I can't remember 
every detail in the books, so it would be so nice to be able to do an 
index search on "cold" and "damage" to find all spells/items capable of 
doing cold damage.  It would be so handy when players decide to take the 
path unplanned for...

Dan Thompson


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: dagolden@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Alexandre Golden)
Subject: Re: Familiars
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 00:46:56 GMT

In article <1h3abdINN6pj@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> ba446@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Todd M. Hanson) writes:
>
>Does anyone out there have a familiars list a little more interesting
>than the one listed in the book?  One of the mages in the game I run
>has decided he wants a familiar, and Im not especially thrilled with
>the list suggested.

Yup.  Wizards Handbook, page 108.  Twenty five possible familiars.  Or
else try looking at minimal mammals in the Monstrous.

>Also.. a while back someone had posted the way they ran familiars, in
>which a familiar was actually a type of spirit (?) that was bonded to
>the mage, and actually increased in power as the mage gained levels.
>If that person is out there, I would appreciate a repost of that 
>information. 

I recall a Dragon mag that had a list of "Familiar Improvement #X" (or
some such name) spells, of varying levels, that gave familiers enhancements.
Partially random, but familers gained intelligence, spells, voice, etc.
Unfortunately, I don't remember which magazine.

So, if someone does, please let us know.

D.Golden



-- 
David A. Golden '95           (dagolden@phoenix.princeton.edu)
Princeton University
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: rramser@dale.ksc.nasa.gov (Rusty Ramser)
Subject: Apology Due to Ken
Organization: NASA / Kennedy Space Center
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 13:05:45 GMT

Whoops.

In my "Criticisms/Comments on KJHR" article, the sentence
after the Monty Python quote is:
     Well, now that I've had a chance to mull over Ken
     Jenk's House Rules (KJHR), here are my thoughts.

As anyone who's been reading this newsgroup is well aware,
Ken's last name is Jenks.  Therefore, the sentence should
have read:
     Well, now ... Ken Jenks' House ... thoughts.
                       ^^^^^^

Sorry about that, Ken.

+---------------------------------+
| Rusty B. Ramser                 |
| DL-DSD-21                       |
| Kennedy Space Center, FL  32899 |
|                                 |
| rusty-ramser@ksc.nasa.gov       |
+---------------------------------+
From: drool@retreat.Bah.Rochester.NY.US (Paul Coene)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Looking for Character generator program
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.dnd
Distribution: world
Reply-To: drool@retreat.Bah.Rochester.NY.US
Organization: 
Keywords: 
Summary: 
Date: 20 Dec 92 09:40:54 EST
Organization: Not an Organization

In article <BzDv0A.2oJ@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> dbasinge@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Mike Basinger) writes:
> 
> I'm looking for a character generator program for the IBM or unix
> system. Does anybody know of a good one.

For the nth time....  My AD&D 2nd Edition character generator for
the Amiga, sun3, and IBM PC is available on ccosun.caltech.edu.  They
are located in pub/adnd/incoming.  Heres a partial directory list:

ccosun.caltech.edu     /pub/adnd/inbound

  1 ftp      user 55235 Sep  9 20:16 ADD_CharacterGenerator_AMIGA.lzh
  1 ftp      u 149569 Sep 21 13:11 ADD_CharacterGenerator_SUN4.tar.Z
  1 ftp      users       79949 Sep  9 20:16 roller.zip

roller.zip is the PC version (short name for machine short on brains)

                                          <: Drool :>

ARPA: drool@retreat.Bah.Rochester.NY.US   UUCP: kodak!bisco!retreat!drool
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: wcalderw@nmsu.EDU (CALDERWOOD)
Subject: Re: Help with new character class
Organization: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1992 22:42:02 GMT

From: gelinas@CAM.ORG (Daniel Gelinas)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Help with new character class
Summary: Need help
Date: 26 Dec 92 07:31:50 GMT
Organization: Communications Accessibles Montreal, Quebec Canada


	Hi there,

>This is my first post to this group so forgive me if I'm asking the wrong people, but I need a little help.

You might want to put some returns in there next time :).

>P.S: Anyone see any problems with this?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Because this class <Law-Makers> seem so anti chaotic you might try
giving them some Psionic abilities too. That way some may be able to
enter the wrong doers mind and get needed information and what not.

William A. Calderwood
wcalderw@nmsu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd